As a beginner to intermediate gardener, you know that one of the most popular goals this time of year for gardeners is to grow an abundance of tomatoes. As a home gardener with a few years of gardening experience under my belt, who is taking a social media class from Northwestern University through Coursera.com, I found two articles that explain various ways to grow a lot of tomatoes in your garden this year.
Spruce.com posted an article about growing tomatoes by Marie Iannotti titled, Top 10 Tomato Growing Tips. The article focuses on the importance of making sure tomato plants get the right growing conditions in order to bear the most amount of fruit and to avoid common diseases that plague these plants. The top 10 tips are: avoid overcrowding, provide a lot of light, give airflow, warm the soil, bury the stems, mulch after the soil is warm, prune the bottom leaves, remove suckers, water deeply/regularly, and pinch off the tips of the main stems.
Photo credit: Infographic is my own, made on canva.com
The DIYnetwork.com also posted a tomato growing article titled, 9 Tomato Planting and Growing Tips to Try written by Kelly Smith Trimble. It contains both conventional and unconventional tomato growing advice from the author and tips from readers of the website. Some of the highlights from the article include: deeply plant tomatoes, fertilize on schedule using natural and budget-friendly means (eggshells, coffee grounds, Epsom salt, fish and cow manure) and water efficiently (drip irrigation and rerouting/reusing water from air conditioner drains and rain barrels).
Drawing on these two articles and my own experiences growing tomatoes, I have listed three action items that you should take if you want to grow a lot of tomatoes this summer:
- Plant in Sun – Plant your tomatoes in an area that receives sun all day long, the more sun the better.
- Water Regularly – Make sure to water often and deeply to ensure that the roots grow deep and strong.
- Fertilize on Schedule – Set a weekly/monthly reminder on your phone, depending on your preferred fertilizer’s directions, to fertilize your tomatoes.
Starting today, plant your tomatoes in full sun, water regularly and fertilize on schedule and you will grow so many tomatoes this year that you will be giving them away to your family and friends.
Hello, my name is Megan and I am an avid home gardener who loves to try out new plants as well as stay true to my tried and tested favorites. I created this blog to give gardening advice and provide inspiration to beginner to intermediate gardeners. I am taking a social media course from Northwestern University on Coursera.com. Please feel free to connect with me on Twitter and Instagram.
The Plantiful Gardener 