12 Tomato Tricks and Tips
Separate fact from fiction with tried-and-true tomato growing tips.
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Photo By: W. Atlee Burpee & Co. at Burpee.com
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
Photo By: Image courtesy of Gardeners.com
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
Photo By: Photo by Julie A. Martens
‘Mortgage Lifter’ Heirloom Tomato
Bury Eggshells
Give Plants an Asprin
Red Mulch for Tomatoes
Bury Your Compost
Does this trick work? Yes. With garden-planted tomatoes, start burying compostable materials in the tomato patch four to six weeks before planting. Focus on kitchen waste, including egg shells, coffee grinds and produce parts. The first time you bury items, dig a deep hole—two shovel blades deep. With subsequent burials, dig more shallowly. The composting process breaks down these items to enrich soil. This technique works best in raised beds where soil has warmed.
Use Epsom Salts
Remove Lower Leaves
Add Sugar for Sweet Fruit
Remove Suckers
Does this trick work? It depends. The adage goes that removing suckers improves the harvest. In reality, removing suckers yields fewer, larger fruit. If that's your goal, pinch away. Other gardeners don’t remove suckers because tomatoes form on the suckers. They say that removing suckers reduces overall harvest. A middle of the road approach works well, especially in regions with shorter growing seasons. Allow a few older suckers low on the plant to mature, and keep ones highest on the plant removed. Removing suckers is a good idea with tomatoes in pots.