Tomatoes will provide a ‘heavy harvest’ of fruits if you do a weekly task
June and July are the most critical months in the tomato-growing calendar for gardeners. As the summer warmth sets in, tomato plants have a huge growth spurt, transitioning from leafy greens to red, juicy fruits. Tomato plants are quite easy to grow and look after, as long as they receive enough sun and water. It is recommended that tomatoes receive at least six to seven hours of full sunlight each day to thrive.
Additionally, feeding is crucial for providing plants with the nutrients they need to grow. According to a gardening expert, getting your care routine right is essential to ensure tomato plants are healthy, resilient and primed for a “heavy harvest of juicy, full-flavoured tomatoes” later in the summer.
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Kate Turner, gardening expert at Miracle-Gro, said: “When it comes to boosting your tomato crop, timing is everything. You don’t need to feed your plants from day one.
“Instead, look for the perfect cue from nature, and start applying tomato food as soon as the very first yellow flowers appear on the plant.”
According to the expert, this gives the tomato the exact nutrient boost it needs as it switches its energy from growing leaves to producing fruit.
Kate added: “Once you begin feeding your tomatoes, consistency is vital, especially for container-grown plants where nutrients wash out of the soil quickly. Pick one specific day a week and stick to it religiously. We like to call it Friday feeding.”
Setting a designated day ensures your tomatoes receive a steady, predictable stream of nutrients, which prevents growth checks and supports steady fruit development.”
The gardening expert noted: “While it can be tempting to think more is better to guarantee a massive harvest, you must always follow the instructions on the bottle and never add extra concentrated feed.
“Over-feeding concentrates salts in the soil and can lead to severe root burn, which permanently damages the plant.”
Keep an eye on the plant’s leaves too, because if they look a little yellow, this is a sign that the fruits are lacking some nutrients.
In this case, alternate your regular Tomorite feed with a balanced liquid feed to quickly restore the healthy green foliage.
Kate continued: “To ensure your plants absorb every drop of goodness, never add feed to bone-dry compost. Always water your plants with plain water before feeding, as this primes the compost, protects the roots and aids maximum nutrient absorption.”
If you want to maximise the efficiency of your gardening routine, aim to feed tomatoes in the morning. Tomato roots slow down metabolic activity at night, meaning evening feeds sit idle in wet soil, encouraging root rot.
By feeding in the morning, Kate noted that gardeners can catch the roots right as they wake up and begin actively drawing up moisture to cope with midday sun.