Frustrated by tomato plants that just won’t thrive? These Tips on How to Grow Amazing Tomatoes will help you grow big, juicy, flavorful tomatoes right in your own backyard.
You’re not alone—and the good news is, it’s easier than you think!
With just a few simple changes, you can boost your harvest and finally enjoy the results you’ve been hoping for. From healthier plants to better-tasting tomatoes, these tips will set you up for success.
New to gardening? Be sure to check out my Backyard Gardening Tips landing page—it's full of helpful resources for beginners and seasoned growers alike.
From selecting the perfect varieties to providing optimal care throughout the growing season, we'll cover everything you need to know to cultivate a bumper crop of mouth watering tomatoes.
Whether you're battling pests, dealing with diseases, or simply seeking to maximize your yield, we've got the answers you've been searching for.
Need help designing the perfect layout for your tomato haven? Check out my post on "How to Build a Garden" for expert tips and tricks to maximize your space and create a thriving garden.
Table of Contents
Tips for a Bumper Tomato Harvest from Your Garden
There's nothing compared to a fresh-picked tomato from your own garden. This week I'm going to share with you a few easy tips on how to grow tomatoes. And yes, that photo above is from our garden last summer!
Once you have your tomato plants in the ground, there are a few things that you can do to make sure your plants produce beautiful fruit for you to enjoy this summer.
And if you "can" or preserve tomatoes, you'll be able to enjoy fresh tomatoes from your garden all year round.
How to Fertilize Tomatoes
It's okay to give your tomato plants some extra nutrients, but go easy on the fertilizer. Too much will grow your plants into big green bushes with little fruit.
Not enough fertilizer will produce smaller fruit. But what should you use to fertilize your plants?
- Epsom Salts - Tomato plants love epsom salts. And even if the plants don't have a need for them, adding epsom salts to your plants won't hurt them. Add one or two tablespoons per planting hole to control blossom end rot. Some gardeners will only use epsom salts in magnesium-deficient soils.
- Eggshells - You can break up eggshells and toss them in the hole before you plant the tomato plants. You can also soak eggshells in water for several days and use THAT water to water your plants. This method works really well with tomatoes growing in pots or containers. Eggshells are rich in calcium which helps control blossom end rot. You can also bury a piece of chalk around the tomato plants to supply calcium. Crushed eggshells work well to keep slugs away.
Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag
Miracle-Gro 2000422 Plant Food, 1.5-Pound (Tomato Fertilizer), 1.5 lbBurpee Organic Tomato & Vegetable Granular Plant Food, 4 lbEpsoak Epsom Salt 19 lb. Magnesium Sulfate USP Bulk Bag
Pest Protection: Defend Your Tomatoes from Unwanted Guests
Protecting your precious tomato plants from pesky pests is crucial for a bountiful harvest. Keep a watchful eye out for common culprits like aphids, tomato hornworms, and whiteflies.
Natural pest control methods, such as introducing beneficial insects or using neem oil, can be effective in deterring these unwanted visitors. Regular inspection of your plants and early intervention can prevent infestations from spiraling out of control.
Remember, a healthy plant is a strong plant, so providing optimal care will naturally boost your tomato's defenses against pests.
Insecticidal Soap Insect Killer and Miticide for Organic Gardening, 24 oz, Ready-to-UseBonide Tomato & Vegetable 3 In 1 Multiple Insects Rtu Pyrethrins 32 Oz3Insect Killer, Vegetable Garden Insecticide, 32 Ounce, Ready-to-Spray
How to Remove the Lower Leaves
- Pinch off the lower leaves to create a bare expanse of stem.
- You can also bury the lower stem, leaves and all. Either method works.
- I know my husband loves to give our tomato plants a good "pruning" and expose the lower stem. It does work! We usually always have a great harvest every summer.
Should you Remove the Suckers?
- First, we need to figure out exactly what a sucker is on a tomato plant. A sucker is the small growth that you'll see growing out of the branch on a tomato plant meets the stem.
- If you don't remove the suckers, the small growth will grow into a full size branch creating a much more bushier tomato plant.
- Some gardeners believe in removing the suckers and other gardeners don't. So it really depends on what YOU like to do. For our garden, we try very hard to remove the suckers because that's what we believe works for our tomatoes.
- But, we have friends who don't remove the suckers and they have amazing harvests every year.
- You should always remove the suckers if you are growing your tomatoes in pots and containers.
How to Stake the Tomatoes
- We like to stake our tomato plants almost as soon as we get them in the ground.
- That way we don't risk damaging the roots by trying to stake the plants as they are growing.
- There are a number of ways you can stake your plants.
- We have never had any success with using the metal cages most garden centers sell.
- My husband has been making these box type cages for years now and they work really well.
And I've been after him to make new ones so I can take photos to show you how easy they are to put together, but for now, I hope these photos will help you see how easy it is to stake tomatoes.
You can see how nicely the homemade wooden cages hold that tomato plants as they grow.
Garden Stakes 72 inch 6ft Sturdy Plant Sticks/Support, Tomato Stakes, Pack of 25Plant Support Tomato Cages for Garden,4 Pack 18 inch Tomato Stakes Plant Stakes for Climbing Plants Adjustable Plant Trellis for Peony Support(4 Pack with 20M Garden Twist Tie)Twist Tie, 328 Feet (100m), green cable ties with Cutter, Garden Plant Ties Reusable, Green Twist Ties for plants Gardening Tomatoes Tie garden ties for plants,garden twist ties flowers Climbingt 100 Pcs Plant Twist Clip Ties Garden Plant Support Clips Vegetables Tomato Vine Flower Clips Plant Locks for Securing Plants
How to Water Tomatoes
- Tomato plants hate being sprayed from above, so put away the sprinkler.
- Water the ROOT of each plant with the hose or a soaker hose.
- They need deep root watering, not shallow watering.
So there you have it, 5 tips on how to grow amazing tomatoes this summer. Do you have any tips that work for you? I'd love to hear them! Share with me in the comments or join me on Facebook page.
And just because this is my blog, here's a photo from about 19 years ago of my two children in our very first vegetable garden in Paterson, NJ.
Shirley says
Soak banana peels in a quart of water for 2/3 days and use the water to fertilize the tomatoes. The potassium is great for the plants.
Lois says
Thanks for a great tip!
Kaye says
How can you prevent blight on tomatoes?
Lois says
You can try to add about 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved into 1 quart of warm water. Adding a drop of liquid dish soap or 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil helps the solution stick to your plant. Let me know if this helps you! Thank you for visiting.
Sandra Gaylor says
The past couple of years our tomatoes have white spots under the skin so when I peal the tomato there are the spots. What causes this and what can I do to prevent it. Before this we had beautiful and abundant tomatoes. Is our soil lacking something? We have planted the tomatoes in different place and still get the white spots.
Lois says
I have never heard of this!!! I did a little research online and found out that it's caused by a stink bug. You can read more about it here: https://www.newsleader.com/story/life/2016/09/24/white-spots-tomatoes-indicate-problem/91048282/
Catherine Sokolowski says
My husband is the gardener in our family. He keeps trying and failing to grow things in our yard. I have jotted down all the hints you gave in this post to help him this year!
Sarah says
Thank you for such an informative post! Definitely inspired me to get started again with growing tomatoes, loved it.
Tisha says
Great article, Lois! I found a couple of tips I didn`t know, thanks!
mamas*little*treasures says
Thanks for the advice - we've had tomato plants for several years but really don't know the best way to take care of them, so this post was very helpful. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty - hope to catch up with you again this week at the link-up. Nina @ Vintage Mama's Cottage
Julie Nyanyo says
Every year my dad gives me a few left over tomato plants that he's grown from seed, usually very leggy and long over due for potting on. I then race to bring them back to life and give them a chance to fruit before the end of autumn! I'm going to try some of your tips. the eggshell one is new to me. I also think I may be over feeding them in an effort to bring them on, I often get a lot of leaf growth. Thanks for the tips.
Bloggymom says
Thanks for the tips and tricks!! I am growing tomatoes for the first...ever. Wish me luck!!!
Waco Bayless says
I hate to sound ignorant but, what are suckers?
Lorrie says
Leaves that suck nutrients but will never produce fruit
Made In a Day says
Great tips and great post! I stopped trying to grow tomatoes because I had birds/squirrels ruining the tomatoes by poking holes in them. Then one year I had those giant green caterpillars. Maybe I'll try again. Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Sharing on FB Have a great week!
Kim
Jamie Tomkins says
Great tips! My tomatoes are having an attitude this year. 🙁 I'll have to try your tips next season! 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us at the #HomeMattersParty
Megan Chamberlin says
Awesome tips, thank you! My son is so excited when our tomatoes are ready to pick! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
Gigi WHITFORD says
Thank you for the tips! We are anxiously awaiting for our green tomatoes to turn red! Seems like the weather this year just isn't working in anyone's favor around me. I like the idea of using the water that the egg shells have been sitting in! Thank you!