Tomatoes 101 Series | Part 3 | Growing and Caring for Your Tomato Plant
Every year, our wonderful gardening customers from the Kanata and Richmond area visit us looking for reliable tomato gardening tips. Tomatoes are a summer favourite, and with the right care, they are one of the most rewarding plants you can grow at home.
If you’ve been following along with our Tomatoes 101 Series, you already know the difference between vine and bush tomatoes and how to choose the right variety for your space. Now it’s time to focus on how to grow and care for your plants so they stay healthy, productive, and delicious all season long. With a little attention and consistency, you’ll be enjoying garden-fresh tomatoes before you know it.
Don't want to read? Watch instead!
Please note: The sales discussed in this video are no longer available.
Growing & Caring for Your Tomatoes
While tomato varieties differ in size, colour, and flavour, they all share one very important requirement: heat. Tomatoes thrive in full sun and need at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, ideally during the warmest part of the day. The more sun they receive, the stronger and more productive they will be. This applies to tomatoes grown in the ground as well as those planted in patio containers, which may need to be moved throughout the day to follow the sun.
Tomatoes prefer rich, fertile soil that has been amended with compost and well-aged manure. Hen manure is especially beneficial, as it provides calcium, which helps prevent blossom end rot, a common tomato issue where the bottom of the fruit turns black.
For gardeners interested in growing organically, healthy soil is key. Amend your beds each season with sea compost, plant seedlings with bone meal, and fertilize regularly using fish emulsion or an organic tomato fertilizer to keep plants strong and productive.
Mulching tomatoes with straw is highly recommended. Straw helps prevent soil-borne diseases, including blight, by stopping soil from splashing up onto the leaves during watering or rainfall. After losing an entire tomato crop to late blight in a communal garden one season, we mulched with straw the following year and had no issues at all. It’s a simple step that can make a big difference.
How Much Water and When?
Tomatoes like consistent watering, especially once they begin producing fruit. Allowing plants to dry out repeatedly between watering can cause stress, which often leads to cracked skins and makes plants more susceptible to disease.
Water deeply and regularly, aiming to keep the soil evenly moist rather than alternating between very wet and very dry. Whenever possible, water tomato plants from below to help prevent leaf diseases. If overhead watering is unavoidable, water early in the morning so foliage has time to dry before evening. This small habit goes a long way toward keeping your plants healthy throughout the season.
With good sun, healthy soil, thoughtful watering, and a little patience, tomatoes are one of the most satisfying crops you can grow in your garden.