Pruning Tomato Plants
Pruning Tomato Plants involves regular inspection of your growing plants as they can sprout rapidly and develop quickly depleting the plant of vital nutrients for the developing fruits They have a crafty way of suddenly sprouting when you weren’t looking and often even if you have been looking out for them. It is quite easy to let the plant sprout side shoots but you will end up with lots of leaves, flowers and very few fruit of any size. Pinching out these shoots is very effective, or if you have found a long one which has been sneekily growing at the back you may need a sharp knife to remove it . You do not want to try pinching these out or snapping them as you may damage the main body of the plant.
Plants shoot/ Sucker removal
One of the great things about growing the tomato bush varieties is that you will not need to pinch out any of the side shoots as the plant tends to remain low 3- 4ft in height and compact and does not need controlling
On the other hand the cordon varieties can go mad 7ft in height, at least as long as they are growing upwards they produce as many side shoots as they can and all they have on them are leaves! So you can afford to trim some of these lower leaves off you need enough to offer shade to the developing tomatoes. Pruning tomato plants is not an exact science some people will cut back leaves really hard, leaving only a couple on the plant and the ripening fruit, believing that the fruit will get all the nutrients rather than the excess leaves.I personally find this method quite severe but do feel that leaves below the lowest truss can be removed without damaging the plant.
Staking Tomato plants
There are many different products on the market as support structures for tomatoes, metal, wooden, bamboo and plastic and if you are growing them in a green house you can always attached wire or string to the structure and train the tomatoes to grow up that.
Tomato Plant Trusses
How many trusses you have on each plant depends on the type of tomatoes you are growing, usually it can be between 5 and 7.
The more trusses you have the smaller the fruits will be so limiting yourself will produce a stronger crop.
Mulching Tomatoes
This is a protective layer which is placed over soil to enhance conditionsIf you are planting your tomatoes outside in your vegetable patch or allotment mulches are a real asset for successful crops. There are two types the natural organic mulches or the plastic both serve the plants well. The main differences being that the plastic mulch will keep the soil warmed and the organic can have the reverse effect so should only be applied once the soil temperature is around 65F / 18C.
The benefit of placing mulch around your plants is that you will have reduced the amount of weeds around them and also the loss of moisture from the soil.
Watering Tomatoes
Watering enough seems to be a topic often discussed at great length- how often, how much and from the bottom or top or both if feeding.
If your plants are outside you should not need to worry too much about watering especially if you have mulched around the plants. You will probably only have to water them if there is a long drought period. If you have greenhouse tomatoes in pots or in grow bags these will require more of your attention as their watering requirements are dependant on the weather. With pots you will need to apply enough water so that the water runs out of the holes in the bottom. I have found that watering plants in the morning rather than in the evening is better for them.
If you are growing your tomatoes in grow bags or big pots you will need to make sure that they are watered regularly and not allowed to dry out. If you are erratic with watering it may lead to split fruit or blossom end rot.
When to Feed Tomato plants
If you are using grow bags they usually have enough nutrients in the bag for the first six weeks of growth so you can work out when you will need to begin to feeding.
If you are using standard compost in a large pot it is advised that you begin feeding weekly once the first pea sized fruits begin to appear on your plants. You will need to follow the instructions on the packaging as if you over feed that can cause problems as much as under feeding
Organic Tomatoes
Growing Organic Tomatoes can be a challange but the satisfaction and taste is such a reward it’s worth it.
Spring arrives and the harsh winter is finally over,it is time to start planting those organic tomatoes in time for summer. It doesn’t matter if you intent planting hybrid or heritage tomato plants, you should be ready to start as soon as the temperatures are warm and stable enough for the organic tomatoes to thrive. 
So here are my top 7 tips for growing Organic Tomatoes
1. Weather conditions for Tomatoes :
Keep an eye on the temperature which in this day and age is simple. Either go online and get an up to date reading or I use my iPod and have downloaded an app to do this. Make sure you don’t plant out your tomato plants until the temperatures are above 10 degrees
2. Temperature of the Soil:
Make sure your soil is above 12 degrees before planting out your seedlings. I don’t often plant my tomatoes before May in the UK as we can often suffer a late frost
3. Warming the soil:
If you want to speed up the process of warming the soil then you can cover your beds with clear or black plastic about a week before planting
4. Separate your Organic Tomato plants:
Organic Tomatoes like to be about 3 feet apart allowing the roots to spread out and make sure you plant your tomato plant in a deep enough hole. If they are a bit leggy don’t forget you can bury them deep to encourage good strong stems.
5. Feeding & Watering Tomatoes:
Put a cup of organic fertiliser such as bone meal before you plant in your carefully prepared soil. Giving the soil a good soaking before planting helps with root expansion. Organic tomatoes need the same love and care as other tomatoes and regular feeding with a good comfrey fertilizer.
7. Pest & Insect Control for Organic Tomatoes:
To keep pests away companion plant bulbs of garlic around the area as the little critters hate the smell. French Marigolds are good too- Did you know that you can buy ladybugs for your garden. They eat many of the insects that would just love to eat your plants The best tip of all I can give you is have fun growing organic tomatoes. It is undoubtedly harder work but the rewards are justifiable no chemicals in your tomatoes. Enjoy being in the garden, the sun, the sounds of summer and the exercise and you will have a bumper crop of tomatoes this summer.
Quick How To Grow Great Tomatoes Guide
How to Grow Great Tomatoes
If you want to learn how to grow great tomatoes then pick up this great little guide. This 52 page guide comes packed with great information including photos and a set of comprehensive tomato recipes. Download your copy now for only $5.75 
Review: ” This is a great little guide if you want to get started growing tomatoes. There are a lot of piccies and I really like that there are some recipes that use the tomatoes that you grow. Highly recommend this! B. Pirrie” MONEY BACK GUARANTEE - If you don’t find that this guide is not for you, then we will guarantee your money back if you contact us within 14 days!
Can you imagine what an upside down tomato is? I imagine it as what happens after a freak storm has hit my garden and I find all of my tomatoes all over the place.
It is amazing that gardeners have come up with a way of producing tomatoes that are upside down and you may be interested to learn that there are some advantages to this madness as well.
You will Need
- A sturdy (at least 10 inch across ) container
- Rope or Chain
- A drill/ stanley knief
- Landscape fabric
Benifits – Traditional growing of tomatoes requires maintenance with proper support required such as Tomato Cages. You will also be weeding regularly and attentive to make sure the fruits don’t rot. If you are going to grow upside down tomatoes then you don’t have to worry so much about caring for the plants regarding staking and weeding.They can be grown hanging from your patio, or froma strudy post. You can think of it as rather like planting tiny toms in a hanging basket but on a larger scale. This is great if you are like me and love just going outside of the kitchen and picking the tomatoes and eating like sweets.
How do you grow Upside Down Tomatoes?
You can buy specially designed pots for this but if you feel adventurous you can DIY it .
To grow upside down tomatoes you must select a properly sturdy container for it.
1. You can save money if you spend a bit of time creating your own container. What you do, is buy a thick quality container that is about 12 inches thick in diameter. Drill a large hole at the bottom of the pot using an ordinary home electric drill. The hole should be where the upside down tomatoes protrude in the bottom of the container. You should also drill three smaller holes on the side of the pot for the ropes you will use to hang the tomatoes.
2. Place landscaping fabric at the bottom of the pot so as nothing gets washed away when you water the plants or during a rain storm. Make sure you cut a hole at the center of the fabric. This should match the expansion of the root ball. Place the fabric so that it lines up with the hole in the pot.
3. The next step is to plant the tomato plant by putting it through the hole of the container where you have made the cut. You might need to ask for some assistance in holding the pot when you are doing this or you could find a place to hang it. As with any new plant that you are potting, make sure that you add some potting mixture so that the plant will be healthy.
4. Hang the pot with the tomato plant in an upside down position. If you are using a home made container then you can tie the ropes from the sides of the container. Remember to give the new plants a good watering, make sure they have plenty of sunlight and use the same processes that you do to grow and feed tomatoes in a traditional way.
Growing upside down tomatoes stops you having to worry about poor garden soil or having enough garden space and if you live in a flat or apartment. You can even hang them on the balcony which is really convenient and will look really nice when the plant is bearing its succulent fruits.
Quick How To Grow Great Tomatoes Guide
How to Grow Great Tomatoes
If you want to learn how to grow great tomatoes then pick up this great little guide.
This 52 page guide comes packed with great information including photos and a set of comprehensive tomato recipes.
Download your copy now for only $5.75
Review: ” This is a great little guide if you want to get started growing tomatoes.
There are a lot of piccies and I really like that there are some recipes that use the tomatoes that you grow.
Highly recommend this! B. Pirrie”
MONEY BACK GUARANTEE - If you don’t find that this guide is not for you, then we will guarantee your money back if you contact us within 14 days!