The Three Keys to Growing Great Tomatoes

If you want a bumper crop of juicy, flavorful tomatoes, it really comes down to three things: watering, fertilizing, and keeping those vining plants tied up as they grow.

Watering matters more than anything else, because drought-stressed plants are sitting ducks for blossom-end rot—that dreaded leathery brown patch on the bottom of the fruit. Tomatoes in containers are especially vulnerable since they dry out so fast.

The goal is to keep the soil lightly moist. Water when the top inch feels dry. I like using a long-handled watering wand for hand-watering, or you can lay soaker hoses right at the root zone. Water deeply to encourage deep roots, and mulch the soil surface to slow evaporation.

I spread three to four inches of straw or shredded leaves around my tomatoes right after planting. That mulch holds moisture, knocks down weeds, and helps suppress soil-borne diseases like blight—a triple win.

About a month after transplanting, I start fertilizing with fish emulsion and repeat every two weeks. Always read and follow the directions on the label—more isn't better here.

Finally, don't forget to tie up your growing plants to their supports every 10 to 14 days. I set a phone reminder because it's too easy to let this slide. Using garden twine, I loosely secure the stems to wooden stakes. While I'm at it, I pinch out new suckers on my indeterminate plants to channel their energy into fruit production.

When and How to Harvest Tomatoes

Harvest season is what we tomato lovers live for! But here's a tip: you don't have to wait until the fruits are fully vine-ripened to pick them. I actually harvest large-fruited varieties like 'Brandywine' and 'Galahad' when they're about half ripe—before the critters (deer, rabbits, squirrels) can get to them or they start cracking.

You can pick any time after the breaker stage, when the green fruit starts showing its mature color. For smaller types like grape and cherry tomatoes, though, I generally let them fully ripen on the vine.

Small-fruited tomatoes are easy to pull off by hand, but for medium to large fruits I use garden snips. Yanking or tugging can break branches or knock off nearby fruits that aren't quite ready.

One more thing: try to pick any ripe or nearly ripe fruits before a heavy rain. A sudden surge of moisture can cause both small and large tomatoes to split—and nobody wants that after all the work you've put in.