One of the good things about summer is the delicious fruits and vegetables bathed in the warm sun. And the tomatoes we buy in the supermarket definitely can’t compare to homemade products, which have a rich flavor and valuable vitamins. Everyone wants the best tomato: firm, juicy, sweet, flavorful, and flawless. If you also want tastier, larger, and larger vegetables, you should choose the best varieties, plant them at the right time, and anticipate problems before they arise. Here are the secrets to growing a good crop of healthy tomatoes at home that will help you get more, tastier, and bigger vegetables.
1. Soil
Tomatoes do best in rich, permeable, and slightly acidic soil with a pH between 6.5 and 6.8. With a pH meter, you can determine if you need to add anything to your soil to adjust its performance. If the soil is more acidic, add a little dolomite lime; If it’s too alkaline, use sulfur or compost.
These plants grow well when planted deeply. You can remove the lower leaves to cover more of the stem with soil. When tomatoes are planted deeply, they become healthier and stronger. Additionally, you can place a mixture of soil and compost or a handful of Epsom salts in planting holes to promote growth.
2. Nutrition and care
Covering the soil with natural materials helps retain moisture, prevents weeds, and balances temperatures. You can use leaves, grass clippings, straw, pine bark, or other limited mulch, which not only protects the soil but also nourishes it as it gradually decomposes. It’s good to lie down when planting tomatoes, and the layer should be about 5 centimeters thick to provide good insulation.
Regular fertilization also helps maintain optimal tomato health. Some of the natural products you can use are eggshell and coffee grounds. Save the sediment from your morning coffee, and once it’s cooled, spread it in the soil around the roots. Apply every 1-2 weeks to enrich the soil with nitrogen. In turn, the crushed eggshell loads it with calcium and is also distributed by the roots. When they start to break down, you can add a new layer.
For “sweetness,” experienced gardeners recommend feeding fruit plants a small amount of salt and ash (1 tablespoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of ash for every 10 liters of water). Pour only 1/2 liter of this solution under each plant. You can use some seawater for the same purpose.
Epsom salt is rich in magnesium, which helps to achieve good results in growing tomatoes, peppers, and flowers in the garden. To nourish the soil, add 1 teaspoon of salt for every 3.5 liters of water and sprinkle the soil around the plants (do not water the leaves). Use this method every 1 to 2 weeks.
3. Water and adequate irrigation
Soil moisture for tomatoes should be high. For best results, you may want to water them deeply instead of often. Watering is not desirable: excess moisture will lead to watery tomatoes. Avoid watering with cold water, especially at very high temperatures. Use warm water in the sun and you can add some natural fertilizer (compost). To keep your roots well hydrated, you can install a standpipe in the soil to provide water to the lower layers of the root system.
4. Warmth and light
Plant tomatoes where they receive plenty of light and are protected from cold winds. They also like heat and won’t start growing until the soil and air temperatures are warm enough. You can speed up the warming of the soil by covering the planting area with black or red nylon for a few weeks before planting. This extra heat will help the vegetables grow sooner.
5. Pruning and ripening
In order for the plant to focus its energy on feeding the fruits, it is necessary to remove the small shoots and leaves. Periodically break branches that extend from the main stem and do not bear fruit. Deep watering also has significant benefits for tomatoes.
The tomatoes should ripen whole. The longer they stay in the plant, the more nutrients they receive from it. So wait until they are fully ripe before picking them.
Tomatoes in the kitchen
Tomatoes are low-calorie vegetables that are used in cooking to produce some of the most delicious products we use every day: sauces, ketchup, lutenitsa, and others. Added to salads, soups and vegetable dishes, they give them a characteristic aroma and texture. The taste and quality of tomatoes depend on the proportion of sugars and acids. The fewer acids and more sugar they contain, the tastier they are. Most of the acids are found in the juice around the seeds, so the best-tasting tomatoes are the firmest and have the fewest seeds.
