How Can I Increase My Tomato Harvest?

Do you grow tomatoes from seeds?

Did you provide ideal growing conditions for your tomato plants?

Did you allow your seedlings to adjust to outside conditions before transplanting them in the garden?

Did you plant your tomato seedlings deep?

Did you support your growing tomatoes?

Do you water your tomatoes consistently and evenly?

Did you add an organic mulch around your tomatoes?

Do you search for pests and diseases regularly?

Do you prune your tomato plants?

Growing your transplants is a great way to get an abundance of tomato plants for your garden. A package of seeds will grow numerous tomato plants over several years and costs about the same as a 6-pack of tomato transplants at your local garden center. Make sure you buy quality seeds at a reputable nursery. Start tomato seeds about 6-8 weeks before your last frost date.

Tomatoes thrive with at least 6-8 hours of full sunlight. Choose a bright and sunny spot in your vegetable garden to grow tomato plants. You should also choose a garden bed that did not grow tomatoes or their family members last season. Plants that belong to the same family are often susceptible to similar pests and diseases.

Tomatoes are a warm-season crop and should not be transplanted into the garden until nights are warm and all danger of frost is past. Once the daytime temperatures warm to about 60°F, begin hardening off your tomato plants outside in a sheltered location and progressively increase exposure a little at a time. Eventually, allow your tomato transplants to stay outside overnight as long as the nighttime temperatures are at least 50°F. Wait to transplant your hardened tomato seedling until after your last frost date and when the air temperature is above 50 degrees at night.

Tomato plants can form roots along with parts of the stem if it is buried under the soil. This helps your plants develop a stronger root system. A healthy root system helps your plant absorb nutrients, minerals, and moisture. Sturdy roots will also help anchor your plants so they can withstand winds and heavy rain. Dig the planting holes deep enough to bury your tomato seedlings up to the second set of leaves from the bottom of the plant.

Add support at planting time while the tomato seedling is young. Your tomato plants will grow healthier if they are offered support to keep the vines upright. The type of support you will need for your tomato plants depends on the variety you are growing.

Tomatoes need consistent moisture to grow foliage, and produce and ripen fruit. The plant can become stressed if it doesn’t receive enough water. This can leave the plant vulnerable to diseases and unable to absorb and use nutrients sufficiently. Uneven watering also affects the fruit. Tomatoes may crack if the plant doesn’t have enough moisture.

A generous layer of organic mulch helps protect the soil from erosion, blocks weeds from sprouting, and moderates soil temperature. In addition, mulching is particularly helpful for tomato plants because it helps keep the soil evenly damp and stops the soil from splashing onto the leaves when the tomato plants are watered.

At least once a week, examine your tomato plants for pests and diseases. Check the foliage, especially the lower leaves for leaf spots and holes. Look over the fruit for damage, soft spots, or cracks. Any sign of pests or diseases should be observed as soon as it appears so you can deal with them timely and accordingly.

Harvest tomatoes frequently so the plant can redirect energy to growing and ripening more fruit. Once your tomatoes begin ripening, check the plants each day and pick those that are almost ready, and let them ripen fully indoors.

Removing the bottom branches and any foliage that touches the ground is beneficial for all types of tomato plants. The branches at the bottom of the plant are the oldest and usually the first to show signs of disease if the plant becomes stressed. Also, because this foliage is close to the ground, it is susceptible to being splashed with soil when it rains or when the plant is watered leaving the plant vulnerable to soil-borne and fungal diseases.