Tomatoes are possibly one of THE most popular and most grown vegetable (fruit) in the world and this is mainly because of the tomato's hundreds of different culinary uses, not to mention how yummy they are! If you're interested in how to grow tomatoes, these tomato growing tips will help you have the best tomato harvest!

How to Grow Tomatoes

cherry tomatoes on the vine

If you've ever had a fresh, off the vine tomato, you know the unmatched taste you're getting: juicy, warm and delicious tomatoes that tastes like nothing else! Keep reading to learn how to grow tomatoes in your garden!

Before growing tomatoes, you'll first need to decide which variety of tomato you'd like to plant. There are many different varieties, and they're all easy to grow as long as they're not grown in extremely cold conditions.

Cherry tomatoes

Roma tomatoes

Beefsteak tomatoes

Litchi tomatoes

Long Keepers

Main crop/Mid-season tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are one of the easiest tomatoes you can grow because they don't require a lot of space or maintenance, and they are ready for harvest quicker than any other tomato variety.

Main crop varieties are probably one of the most popular, especially in home gardens, as they give an abundant harvest during mid-season.

Roma tomatoes, also known as plum tomatoes, are the small and elongated tomatoes, and are mostly grown for canning/sauce purposes.

The largest of varieties, beefsteak tomatoes, are grown for their large size, making them the perfect tomato for sandwiches and salads.

Long keepers, as the name suggests, last a lot longer than any other variety of tomato, and they are usually the yellow and orange variety you may see in stores.

Planting Tomatoes:

growing tomatoes

  • Whichever variety you choose to grow, the planting instructions will be very similar.
  • Plant your tomato seeds in organic soil which should consist of compost which enough fertilizer and moisture.
  • Plant early in the spring, as soon as all danger of frost has passed. You can also start seeds indoors, or, if you're not comfortable growing tomatoes from seeds, you can purchase small plants from your local nursery.
  • Seedlings will sprout within 6-8 weeks and will need to be hardened before transplanted outdoors.
  • Once transplanted, thin the seedlings and pinch off the top to create stronger plants.
  • Each variety of tomato will need different spacing, so be sure to read the packet instructions.
  • Transplant your seedlings in an area with full sun, and be mindful that they'll need an average temperature of 65F (18C) to thrive.
  • Once the plants become sturdy enough, you should stake them for support.
  • Tomato plants also need a lot of water so be sure to mulch around the plants for consistent moisture and water regularly.

Harvesting Tomatoes:

  • You can start harvesting your tomatoes the second they get ripe.
  • The more often you harvest, the more tomatoes you'll have growing in!
  • You can also harvest green tomatoes, especially at the end of the growing season as they'll keep for about 4 weeks, after which they will ripen on their own.

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