Secrets for Growing Great Tomatoes: 16 Tips for a Better Harvest

Nothing says summer like a fresh, juicy tomato picked right from the garden! Whether you love slicing them for sandwiches, adding them to salads, or preserving your harvest for later, growing great tomatoes is one of the most rewarding parts of gardening.

But growing great tomatoes takes more than planting a seedling and hoping for the best. Healthy soil, sturdy support, consistent watering, and a little help with pollination can make a big difference in how well your plants grow and how many tomatoes you harvest.

Over the years, I’ve learned that paying attention to a few important details can help you grow stronger tomato plants and enjoy a better harvest. Let’s look at how to grow great tomatoes, avoid some common problems, and get more delicious fruit from your garden.

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Start with Healthy Soil

Tomatoes need healthy, well-draining soil to grow strong roots and produce a good harvest. Before planting, I like to improve my garden soil with finished compost and vermicompost (worm castings). Both add organic matter and help build healthier soil over time.

I also add a small amount of Azomite, a mineral amendment that supplies a range of trace minerals. Many soils can be short of certain minerals, although the actual needs vary from one garden to another. A soil test is a good way to find out what your soil needs so you can avoid adding more than necessary.

Tomatoes generally prefer slightly acidic soil, with a pH around 6.0 to 6.8. When the pH is too high or too low, plants may have trouble taking up nutrients even when those nutrients are present. You can learn more in my guides to garden soil and soil pH.

What About Eggshells and Calcium?

I save most of my eggshells to feed back to my chickens and ducks, but I put some in my compost, too. Eggshells contain calcium, which tomato plants need to develop healthy fruit. As the shells break down, that calcium can eventually become available in the garden.

However, eggshells break down slowly, so they aren’t a quick fix for blossom-end rot. This problem causes a dark, sunken spot on the bottom of a tomato. Sometimes the soil already contains enough calcium, but the plant can’t take up and transport enough of it to the developing fruit because water availability is inconsistent.

That is one reason healthy soil and consistent watering work together. Adding more calcium isn’t always the answer; the plant also needs the right conditions to take up and move that calcium.

🌼 From Mary’s Backyard
I think of compost as an investment in my garden. It helps build better soil over time, and I like putting kitchen scraps to good use rather than throwing them away. I save my eggshells, too, but I don’t rely on them as a quick fix for blossom-end rot. Healthy soil and consistent watering work together to help tomato plants thrive.

Start with Healthy Tomato Seedlings

I always grow my own tomato seedlings from seed. It gives me a much wider choice of varieties than I can usually find at the nursery, and I know how I’ve cared for them. Store-bought seedlings often offer a limited selection, and I may not know exactly how they were grown or what products were used on them.

Starting my own seeds also lets me choose varieties suited to my garden and time planting for the right growing season. I prefer growing tomatoes from transplants rather than sowing seeds directly in the garden because I can give the young plants a head start before they go into their permanent home.

Once your seedlings are ready, a little care during transplanting helps them get off to a good start. For tips on growing your own, visit my guides to starting seeds, and transplanting garden seedlings.

Start with Fresh Tomato Seeds

Fresh, high-quality tomato seeds give your plants a better start. They generally have higher germination rates, so more of the seeds you plant will sprout. They can also germinate more uniformly, making it easier to grow a batch of sturdy seedlings ready for the garden.

As seeds age, their viability gradually declines, especially if they haven’t been stored properly. Older seeds may take longer to sprout, and fewer may develop into healthy seedlings. While fresh seeds don’t guarantee vigorous plants, starting with good-quality, viable seeds gives you a better chance of growing strong tomato seedlings.

I always grow my own tomato seedlings because I can choose the varieties I want rather than settling for the limited selection at the nursery. If you’re ready to start your own, you’ll need quality tomato seeds and a few basic seed-starting supplies.

🌼 From Mary’s Backyard:
I like having my seeds and supplies ready before planting time. It gives me more choices and helps me get my tomato plants started when the growing season is right for my garden.

Plant Tomatoes Deeply

Tomatoes have a handy trick: the buried portion of the stem can develop additional roots. Taking advantage of this helps young plants establish a strong root system.

Before planting, remove the leaves from the portion of the stem that will be underground. Set the seedling deep enough to cover that bare section, keeping the remaining leaves above the soil. If your seedling has grown tall and leggy, you can lay part of the stem sideways in a shallow trench and gently curve the top upward.

Make sure the soil drains well. Tomatoes need moisture, but soggy soil can cause problems for their roots. After planting, water thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots, then keep the soil evenly moist while the plant becomes established.

🌼 From Mary’s Backyard
I like giving my tomato plants a good start before asking them to produce a big harvest. Taking a little extra care when planting helps set them up for the growing season ahead.

Give Your Tomato Plants Sunlight, Space, and Support

Tomatoes love sunshine! For the best harvest, choose a spot that gets at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight each day. More sunlight generally means better growth and fruit production, as long as your plants can handle the temperatures in your climate.

Give your tomato plants enough room to grow, too. Crowded plants have less airflow, which can leave leaves damp for longer and encourage fungal diseases. Follow the spacing recommendations for your variety, keeping in mind that some tomato plants grow much larger than others.

Provide Sturdy Support

Tomato plants can get surprisingly big and heavy, especially when they’re loaded with fruit. Giving them sturdy support from the beginning helps keep the vines off the ground, improves airflow, and makes harvesting easier.

There are several ways to support tomatoes. Stakes work well if you’re willing to tie the plants as they grow. Tomato cages can be useful, but flimsy ones may bend or topple when a large plant is full of fruit. I learned that the hard way!

One option I really like is using cattle panels to make sturdy arches. They provide plenty of room for vines to climb and can support a lot of growth when properly secured. As the plants grow, guide the vines through the openings and tie them gently where needed.

Whatever support you choose, it’s best to install it when you plant your tomatoes. Trying to push stakes or cages into the soil later can damage established roots and branches.

It’s also helpful to know what kind of tomato you’re growing. Determinate tomatoes grow to a more defined size and produce much of their crop over a shorter period. Indeterminate tomatoes continue growing and producing throughout the season when conditions are favorable, so they need support that can handle their ongoing growth.

If you’re not sure which type to choose, read my guide to determinate vs. indeterminate tomatoes.

Growing Tomatoes in Very Wet Weather

Tomatoes need regular moisture, but too much rain and prolonged wet foliage can make growing them difficult. In very wet climates, you may want to grow your tomatoes in a grow house or another covered growing area to help protect them from excessive rainfall.

Good ventilation is important, though. A covered growing space can become hot and humid, so make sure air can circulate and temperatures don’t get too high. Choose disease-resistant varieties when possible, and keep enough space between plants for airflow.

Related>> 12 Best Hot Weather Vegetables To Grow In Your Garden.

🌼 From Mary’s Backyard
I like sturdy solutions in the garden. Tomato plants don’t always stay as small and tidy as we’d hoped, and a heavy crop can put a surprising amount of strain on a support. My cattle-panel arches give climbing plants room to grow, and I don’t have to worry about a little cage leaning over under the weight of a happy tomato plant.

Keep Your Tomato Plants Healthy

Once your tomatoes are planted and supported, a little regular attention can help prevent problems and keep the plants producing.

Water Deeply and Consistently

Tomatoes need regular water, especially while they’re flowering and developing fruit. The goal is to keep the root zone consistently moist without leaving the soil waterlogged.

Tomato plants can develop deep roots when the soil allows them to grow downward. Deep watering encourages roots to reach farther into the soil, where moisture may remain available longer than it does near the surface. Frequent, shallow sprinkling can encourage roots to stay closer to the top, where the soil dries out more quickly.

Water slowly enough that moisture reaches the root zone. How often you need to water depends on your soil, rainfall, temperature, and the size of your plants. During hot weather, containers and raised beds may dry out much faster than garden beds in the ground, so check them regularly.

Whenever possible, water at the soil level rather than spraying the leaves. Morning is a good time because any splashes on the foliage have time to dry. Mulch can also help conserve soil moisture and reduce the swings between dry and wet conditions.

Consistent watering matters for another reason: it helps your plants take up and transport nutrients, including calcium. When soil moisture fluctuates dramatically, developing tomatoes may not receive enough calcium, even when the soil already contains plenty. This can contribute to blossom-end rot.

Feed Your Plants Without Overdoing It

Tomatoes are heavy feeders and need nutrients to grow, flower, and produce fruit, but more fertilizer isn’t always better. Too much nitrogen can encourage lots of leafy growth at the expense of flowers and fruit.

Start with healthy soil enriched with finished compost. If you use a commercial fertilizer, choose one suitable for tomatoes and follow the label directions. A soil test can help you determine whether your garden needs additional nutrients rather than guessing and adding more.

You don’t need to keep adding every garden amendment you hear about. Epsom salt, for example, supplies magnesium, but it isn’t a general-purpose tomato tonic. Use it only when a magnesium deficiency is indicated. Similarly, adding extra calcium won’t necessarily solve blossom-end rot if the real problem is inconsistent moisture or the plant’s ability to deliver calcium to its developing fruit.

🌼 From Mary’s Backyard
Gardening in South Florida keeps me on my toes. We can go from scorching sunshine to a downpour, and neither extreme makes tomato growing easy. I pay close attention to watering because the plants need moisture, but they also need soil that drains well. The goal is to help roots grow strong and keep moisture levels as steady as possible.

Related Reading>> Start Raising Worms, Naturally!

Prune and Mulch Your Tomato Plants

A little maintenance throughout the growing season can help keep tomato plants healthier and make harvesting easier. You don’t need to fuss over every leaf, but paying attention to what’s happening on your plants can help you catch problems early.

Should You Prune Tomato Plants?

Pruning tomato plants is a personal choice, but I don’t remove suckers from my plants. I’ve read advice from tomato experts who question whether removing suckers actually improves production, and I don’t see a reason to add extra work to my gardening routine.

Pruning can be useful in a greenhouse or other growing space where plants are grown close together and need to be kept narrow for better airflow and access. But in a backyard garden, I prefer to let my tomato plants grow naturally.

I gradually remove the lower leaves as my tomato plants grow, up to about 12–18 inches above the soil. This helps keep leaves from touching the ground and reduces the chance of soil splashing onto them and spreading soil-borne diseases. I also remove any diseased leaves I find to help keep problems from spreading.

Clean your pruning tools between tomato plants to help reduce the spread of disease, especially when removing diseased leaves. Avoid handling healthy plants immediately after working on a diseased one without cleaning your hands and tools.

Mulch Around Your Tomato Plants

Mulch helps the soil retain moisture, reduces weeds, and moderates soil temperature. It can also help prevent soil from splashing onto lower leaves during heavy rain or watering.

You have several choices for mulch, including dried grass clippings, shredded leaves, pine straw, and bark. Choose a material that suits your garden and use it appropriately. If you’re using grass clippings, apply them in thin layers so they don’t mat together. Keep mulch a little away from the tomato stems rather than piling it directly against them.

In my garden, mulch is especially helpful because the weather can swing between hot, dry periods and heavy rain. Keeping the soil covered helps reduce some of those extremes and gives the roots a more consistent environment.

For more ideas, read my guide to mulching your garden.

Try Companion Planting with Tomatoes

Gardeners have used companion planting for centuries, growing different plants near one another in the hope of making better use of garden space and encouraging a healthier garden. Some combinations may benefit tomatoes by attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Basil, marigolds, and borage are popular companions to consider. Garlic and other members of the onion family are also sometimes planted near tomatoes. Dill can be planted several feet away from your tomatoes as a trap crop to help lure tomato hornworms away from your tomatoes.

The results depend on the plants, growing conditions, and garden layout, so think of companion planting as another useful tool in your tomato growing toolbox.

Give each plant enough room, sunlight, water, and nutrients. A companion shouldn’t crowd your tomatoes or compete too heavily with them.

For more ideas, visit my guide to companion planting.

Keep the Garden Clean

Remove fallen leaves and rotten fruit from around your plants. Don’t leave diseased plant material lying in the garden, where it may contribute to ongoing disease problems. At the end of the season, clear away old tomato plants and clean your supports and tools before using them again.

🌼 From Mary’s Backyard
Once the tomato season is over, I like to let my chickens and ducks into the garden to forage. They enjoy scratching around and hunting for bugs, and they may help reduce some overwintering insect pests hiding in the top layer of soil. Just keep in mind that poultry won’t eliminate every pest, and they can also scratch up beds or eat plants you want to keep. Let them forage after you’ve removed diseased plant material, and protect any remaining crops.

Tomatoes also benefit from crop rotation. When possible, avoid planting tomatoes in the same spot year after year. Rotate them with unrelated crops to help reduce the buildup of certain soilborne pests and diseases. In a small garden where rotation is difficult, healthy soil, sanitation, and choosing suitable varieties become even more important.

Help Your Tomato Flowers Set Fruit

You can have a beautiful tomato plant covered in flowers and still wonder where the tomatoes are. Before adding more fertilizer, take a closer look at pollination and the weather.

Do Tomatoes Need Bees to Pollinate?

Tomatoes are self-pollinating, which means a single flower contains both the male and female parts needed to produce fruit. You don’t need a second tomato plant, and bees aren’t absolutely necessary. However, the pollen still needs to be released from the flower’s anthers so it can reach the stigma.

Outside, wind and the vibrations caused by insects help shake the pollen loose. When plants grow in a sheltered spot with little wind or vibration, pollination may be less reliable.

You can help by gently shaking a flower cluster or using an electric toothbrush to imitate the vibrations of a bee. Touch the vibrating toothbrush briefly to the flower stem. This technique is commonly used in greenhouses, where natural wind may be limited.

For more details, read my guide to hand pollination.

Watch Out for Hot Weather

Temperature can have a big effect on tomato pollination. When daytime temperatures get too high, or nights stay too warm, pollen may become less viable, and flowers may drop without setting fruit.

This can be frustrating in hot climates. Your plants may look healthy and produce plenty of flowers, yet very few tomatoes develop. Sometimes the weather is the problem, not anything you’re doing wrong.

Choose tomato varieties suited to your growing conditions, keep plants watered consistently, and provide support and care to help them cope with the season. In very hot weather, fruit set may improve when temperatures become more favorable again.

Choose Tomato Varieties for Your Climate

Not all tomatoes respond to heat in the same way. Some varieties are better suited to hot weather than others, so choosing the right variety can make a real difference in your harvest.

Cherry tomatoes are often a good choice for hot climates because many varieties continue setting fruit when larger tomatoes struggle. Look for varieties described as heat-tolerant or suitable for hot summers. Keep in mind that no tomato variety is immune to extreme temperatures, and even heat-tolerant plants can struggle when conditions become too hot.

Here in South Florida, choosing the right variety and planting at the right time are especially important. If your tomato plants flower but don’t produce fruit during the hottest weather, the temperature may be part of the problem.

Choose Short-Season Tomatoes for Cooler Climates

If you garden in an area with a short growing season, look for tomato varieties that mature quickly. These are often listed as early-season or short-season tomatoes. They can produce ripe fruit before cooler fall weather arrives, which is especially helpful when your summers are short.

Check the number of days to maturity when choosing seeds, and remember that this is usually an estimate from transplanting, not from the day you sow the seeds. Starting your own seedlings indoors can give your plants a head start, too.

Just as gardeners in cooler climates need varieties that mature quickly, gardeners in hot climates should look for varieties that tolerate heat. Choosing tomatoes suited to your climate can make a real difference in how much you harvest.

🌼 From Mary’s Backyard
When tomato plants bloom without producing fruit, it’s easy to think they need more fertilizer. But pollination and temperature matter, too. I like to look at the whole picture before changing what I’m doing in the garden. Sometimes the best thing we can do is help the plants through difficult weather and give them a chance to try again.

Get More from Your Tomato Harvest

Once your plants are growing well, a few simple habits can help you enjoy more of the tomatoes they produce.

Harvest Tomatoes at the Right Time

Check your tomato plants regularly as the fruit begins to ripen. Look for tomatoes that have developed their mature color for that variety and give slightly when you gently squeeze them. They should feel firm but not hard, and they shouldn’t be mushy.

Harvesting ripe tomatoes regularly means you won’t miss fruit hiding among the leaves, and it gives you a chance to spot damaged or rotting tomatoes before they become a bigger problem. If bad weather or pests threaten your crop, you can sometimes pick mature tomatoes before they’re fully ripe and let them finish ripening indoors.

Plant More Than Once When Your Climate Allows

Rather than planting every tomato at the same time, you may be able to stagger your planting dates to spread out your harvest. Whether this works depends on your growing season, local temperatures, and the varieties you choose.

Here in South Florida, finding the right time to grow tomatoes can be tricky. We have to work around extreme heat and heavy summer rains, along with the occasional winter cold snap. Gardeners in cooler climates face their own challenges, with shorter growing seasons and the possibility of frost interrupting their tomatoes. The key is to understand your local climate and plant when conditions are most favorable for your area.

And if you end up with more tomatoes than you can eat fresh, you have plenty of delicious options. You can cook them into sauces, preserve them for later, or use green tomatoes in recipes when the season ends before all the fruit ripens.

Explore my guide to preserving your harvest for ideas to make the most of what your garden produces.

From the Garden to the Kitchen

What’s the point of growing all those delicious tomatoes if we’re not going to enjoy them in the kitchen? Whether you’re picking a basket of fresh tomatoes from your garden or bringing home a haul from the farmers’ market, there are so many wonderful ways to use them.

When you have plenty of tomatoes, it’s time to turn that harvest into something delicious!

• Marinara Sauce — A homemade classic for pasta night, pizza, and all sorts of family favorites.
• Ratatouille — A delicious way to bring tomatoes together with other garden vegetables for a hearty, flavorful dish.
• Moussaka — A comforting, layered dish that makes wonderful use of tomatoes in a satisfying meal.

From the garden to the kitchen, homegrown tomatoes make good food even better!

Growing Great Tomatoes Takes Practice

Growing great tomatoes isn’t about finding one magic trick. It’s about giving your plants healthy soil, plenty of sunshine, sturdy support, and consistent moisture. Paying attention to pollination, temperature, and plant health can help, too.

Some seasons will be better than others. Here in South Florida, the heat and heavy rain can make growing tomatoes a challenge, but that doesn’t stop me from trying! Every season teaches you something new, and even a small harvest of homegrown tomatoes is worth celebrating.

So get your hands in the dirt, give your plants a little attention, and enjoy the process. There’s nothing quite like picking a ripe tomato from your own backyard!

Keep Learning

Want to get even more from your backyard garden? Here are a few more posts to help you grow and enjoy your harvest.

• Determinate vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes – Learn the difference between these two tomato types and decide which ones are right for your garden.
• Tomato Hornworms – Find out how to identify these hungry garden pests and protect your tomato plants.
• The First Ripe Tomato – Waiting for that first homegrown tomato? Here’s more to enjoy while you wait.
• Companion Planting – Discover plants you can grow alongside your tomatoes and other garden crops.
• Preserve Your Harvest – When your garden produces more than you can eat fresh, learn ways to save your harvest for later.

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Happy Backyard Homesteading!

I believe everyone can grow at least part of their own food! Let me show you how.

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