Tips for Tomato Gardening

Purchase Healthy Plants

• If you are opting to start with plants instead of seeds, make sure you choose carefully. Your gardening skills are rendered useless if you do not buy a quality tomato plant. Make sure you choose the healthiest looking plants available. This means selecting plants that have a dark green appearance, a thick stem and no sign whatsoever of flowers or tomatoes growing from them.

Fan the Plants

• Once your plants begin sprouting, regular fanning helps them develop better stems. If you live in an especially windy location, this is not a problem, but for those who plants indoors or who are not getting much of a breeze when a plant sprouts, fanning them manually is an option. Simply place an electric fan in front of them and leave it running up to 10 minutes two times daily. Outdoor fans are also available for those who grow outside.

Protect Them From the Cold

• Tomatoes are summer plants and are not meant to withstand the harshness of winter temperatures, even briefly. If an unseasonal frost is expected to take place, don't subject your tomatoes to the cold. Harvest all your tomatoes before the frost arrives and store them in a cool, dark place while waiting for them to ripen.

Sunlight is Crucial

• Tomato plants love sunlight and need lots of it to really thrive. Plant your tomatoes in the sunniest possible location if you are growing an outdoor garden. If your tomato growing occurs indoors, purchase a fluorescent grow light and place the plants directly underneath them for 13 to 18 hours daily to ensure they get as much light as they would outside.

Water Frequently

• Water your tomato plants frequently and consistently as they grow, reducing your efforts only when harvest time approaches. Reducing water before harvesting the tomatoes allows the sugar to become more concentrated, resulting in a sweeter product. If you fail to water your plants on a regular basis any time before harvest, however, the blossom will slowly dry up and may even rot off entirely.