33 Awesome Tips for Planting, Growing and Harvesting Tomatoes

Side dressing gives extra nutrients to the plants so that they can produce to their full potential.
Apply the side dressing 2-3 weeks after transplanting, at blossom time, before first picking and 2
weeks after the first picking.
26. Solarize your soil
Harness the sun’s energy to help you control nematodes and weeds. During the hottest part of
the summer, moisten the area and cover it with a sturdy plastic tarp. Leave the tarp in place for
at least 3-4 weeks and it will kill the weeds and nematodes. It is also an effective treatment for
other pests and disease pathogens.
27. Harvesting the Fruit
Harvesting Tomatoes
You can see when the fruit is ready to be harvested when it is a solid color (red, yellow, etc.)
from top to bottom, but still firm.
By keeping an eye on how the fruit is developing, you may need to harvest daily or every other
day.
The best-tasting tomatoes have a balanced ratio of sugar to acid. As the sugars increase so does
the color of the fruit. So during the longer days of summer, tomatoes that ripen in this time have
more sugar than those who mature during shorter days of summer.
Once you pick them, store tomatoes on your kitchen counter, where the temperatures are above
50° F (10° C), instead of in your refrigerator’s crisper. The cold temperature can spoil the tomato
flavor and texture.
28. Pick it Right
Grasp a ripened tomato gently and firmly. Twist it until it snaps off the vine. You may also want
to use clipper or knife to harvest tomatoes. Cut the stem close to the fruit.
29. Looks Count!
Tomatoes will always ripen from the inside out. If a tomato looks ripe on the outside, it will be
ripe on the inside.