Mmmm…fresh, juicy, ripe garden tomatoes.
They taste better than any store bought tomato, and you want to grow one.
Or dozens. Or HUNDREDS!
Whoa, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.
The biggest hurdle with growing tomatoes is that they are nutrient hogs. So, in order to grow a really, great tomato plant without deficiencies or diseases, it’s important to plant it CORRECTLY.
Common tomato plant ailments
Sure, you can go grab a tomato plant and stick that sucker in the ground, but you’ll find that by incorporating a few things into your planting practice, your plant will not only produce MORE tomatoes, they’ll won’t have any common tomato ailments.
How to Plant Tomatoes like a PRO
First things first, you need to start off with a good soil base. If you’re planting in the ground and wanting to amend your own native soil, I recommend this combination, but if you’re planting in raised garden beds and are building a soil from scratch, this is the soil for you. 
After you’ve got a good base, here’s what we put into the hole when we plant tomatoes:
-
Something Fishy
A fish carcass or diluted fish emulsion provides a good source of nitrogen and also encourages microbial activity which will feed the roots. (You can also use shrimp, crab, lobster)
(We place about 1/4 c. fish emulsion in 1 gallon water and pour that entire thing over the plant’s base when we’re done planting) -
Something Shelly
Egg shells or shellfish shells provide calcium and prevent blossom end rot, a common tomato ailment.
(We place about 1/2 c. per tomato plant) -
Phosphorus
We use bone meal or bat guano which provides a good source of phosphorus.
(1/2 c. per tomato plant) -
Nitrogen
Blood meal or worm castings provide a bioavailable source of nitrogen which the plant can use immediately.
(1 c. per tomato plant) -
A Root Enhancer
We use mycorrhizal fungi, just a few tablespoons, to help the roots develop a fungal web underground, which will make sure your tomato roots will be able to uptake everything efficiently from the soil.
(2 TBS. per tomato plant)
Other tips to improve your tomato production
- Don’t push or pack down your tomato plant, the roots & soil needs air flow and oxygen.
- Water well the first day. Start with your fish emulsion mixture, then water again later in the day.
- Try out some companion planting! Tomatoes do well when planted around peppers & carrots, and if you throw some basil and onions around them, they will help deter pests.
Finally, if you REALLY want to have an abundance of tomatoes, do this simple tip once your plant starts growing! You’d be surprised how well this simple step can make a difference!
Good luck, and I hope all your tomato dreams come true!
Hey DaNelle, I am growing tomatoes and am doing great so far. I planted my plant a week a go, but one thing scares me. Tomatoes hornworms, do you have a problem with them as you grow tomatoes? If so, do you know any tricks to prevent them? Thanks DaNelle, love your blog and channel!
Hi Lauren-
That’s great you are planting tomatoes! DaNelle has a few articles about natural pest control that I think will be helpful to you. You can check them out here:
https://www.weedemandreap.com/natural-pesticides/
https://www.weedemandreap.com/organic-garden-pest-control/
I hope this helps! Best of luck and Happy Gardening! Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Personally I think tomatoes are one of the easiest plants to grow. Always use good soil. Common sense hygiene. Keep them off the ground with a cage or tied to a simple stick. Most of the garden pests can be picked off by hand. Easy to grow organicly, no sprays or dusts. So many heirloom varieties it boggles the mind . Sometimes I try to grow them all. Tomatoes are easy to start at home. Saving tomato seeds is very easy . So easy with such a great reward. Can’t wait until We get our first ripe ones. Enjoy . Happy tomato growing.
We plant tomatoes and the plants grow beautiful, but we don’t get a lot of tomatoes and they are not that big. We buy good plants and we buy different kinds. We plant about 15 plants and we are lucky to have enough to give to anybody. We plant cherry, and little yellow plants and get over loaded. What are we doing wrong
Hi Dephia,
This is my favorite tip for growing lots of tomatoes!
I have a tower garden that I grew tomatoes in last year. They grew fantastically but were sour. I used organic potting soil in the planter and the planter has a red wiggler composting tube in the middle which provides compost tea that I pour back into the planter. What could be lacking here?
Hey Candace, this article might help you out! https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/bitter-tasting-tomatoes.htm