Summer is heating up and that can only mean one thing - it’s tomato time!
Whether you’re growing a few plants on the patio or you’ve gone full backyard farmer, we’ve got the tips you need to get the biggest, juiciest, most flavour-packed tomatoes possible.
From pruning to fertilising, watering to trellising - we’re here to help your tomatoes thrive.
Determinate vs. Indeterminate: Know Your Tomato Type
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to know what kind of tomato you’re growing:
Determinate (bush) tomatoes grow to a set height and tend to produce their fruit all at once. They’re lower-maintenance and don’t usually need pruning or heavy support. If you are growing plum or paste tomatoes, they are likely a determinate variety. At our Farm, the paste tomato seedlings we offer are determinate. Our red slicers are semi-determinate—they behave like determinates but grow a bit taller and ripen their fruit gradually over a longer span.
Indeterminate (vining) tomatoes keep growing and producing all season long. These are the ones you’ll want to prune, trellis, and pamper, and they’ll reward you with a steady stream of tomatoes right into fall. Growing heirloom or cherry tomatoes that you got at the Farm? They are all indeterminate. Not sure what you’ve got? If your plant keeps sending up new growth and flowers after its first fruit set, it’s probably indeterminate.
Pruning: Tidy Plants = Tasty Fruit
If you’re growing indeterminate tomatoes, pruning is your best friend. It improves airflow, reduces the risk of disease, and directs the plant’s energy toward producing fruit instead of excess foliage.
What to Prune: Focus on removing "suckers", the small shoots that grow in the joint between the main stem and a leaf branch. Start early and prune regularly for best results.
Determinate tomatoes need minimal pruning. Early in the season, remove any suckers below the first flower cluster. Once you reach the vigorous sucker just below that cluster, you can leave it and all additional suckers above it to grow.
Despite popular belief, tomatoes don’t need heavy defoliation. Once the plant is about 3 feet tall, remove all leaves below the first flower cluster. This small step improves airflow at the base and helps delay fungal and bacterial issues.
Trellising: Support That Bounty
Indeterminate tomatoes love to stretch out. Give them a solid structure to climb.
Options: Use stakes, or a vertical string system for support.
Tips: Tie stems loosely with soft ties as they grow. This keeps fruit clean, improves sun exposure, and makes harvesting easier. Determinate types may only need a small cage or single stake - just enough to keep the plant upright and fruit off the ground.
Fertilising: Feed the Soil, Feed the Fruit
Tomatoes are big eaters, but balance is key! Too much of a good thing can backfire and leave you with lush plants, but few tomatoes.
Start strong: At planting time, enrich your soil with compost or well-aged manure to give your tomatoes a solid foundation.
Stay consistent: Apply a high-potassium, magnesium-rich fertiliser (like Acti-sol Tomato & Vegetable Fertiliser) twice during the season: two-thirds at the start, and the remaining third when fruit starts to form.
Growing in pots? You’ll need to fertilise more frequently. About every two weeks, add 1 kg of shrimp compost and 50 g of pelleted chicken manure per square metre of soil. Keep an eye on growth: If your plants have lots of lush, leafy growth but not much fruit, you may be overdoing the nitrogen. Dial it back to help the plant focus on producing tomatoes.
Keep Your Tomatoes Happy: Master the Art of Watering
Tomatoes don’t like drama, they thrive on consistency. Provide steady, even moisture throughout the season for healthy plants and flavourful fruit.
How Much Water Do Tomatoes Need? Aim for 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) of water per week from rainfall or irrigation. Consistent, deep watering is key. Avoid letting the soil swing between soggy and bone-dry.
Best Time to Water: Morning is ideal. Start watering about 2 hours after sunrise, and finish by 3 p.m. If possible, split your watering into 3–5 short sessions throughout the day. If you can only water once, make it a morning watering. This ensures your plants have enough moisture during the heat of the day, while allowing the soil to dry out by night which reduces the risk of disease.
Smart Watering Setup: A soaker hose on a timer is the easiest and most effective method. It delivers water directly to the roots without wetting the leaves. We suggest starting with 15 minutes, 3 times a day, and adjusting based on the weather and soil conditions. A timer takes the guesswork out and keeps your tomatoes consistently hydrated.
Watering Technique: Always water at the base of the plant. Wet leaves invite disease so keeping them dry is key to keeping your plants healthy.
Mulch Magic: Add a thick layer of straw or shredded leaves around your tomato plants. This helps retain soil moisture, keeps the roots cool, and supports overall plant health.
With a little care and consistency, you’ll be well on your way to a bumper crop of tomatoes that taste like summer in every bite. Here's to juicy harvests, happy plants, and the sweet reward of homegrown goodness!