15 tips for tasty fruit

Hello Stephan,

Growing tomatoes is not always easy. It is impossible to predict if we are going to have a strong summer heatwave or if the rain will fall abundantly and lead to the appearance of mildew. Don’t worry, it's possible to take certain steps to improve your chances of getting a perfect harvest.

Here are some tips for a successful harvest.

• Always try to grow a minimum of three or four varieties, as some will be better suited to your environment than others. Also, they may react differently to diseases and you may prefer the taste of some varieties over others.
• It is essential to have good varieties - if you don’t know which to choose, come see us and we will suggest the best for you.
• Grow your tomatoes in a place that is very exposed to the sun and sheltered from the wind as much as possible.
• In early spring (or late winter), sow the seeds in Jiffy pots. Transplant when they reach 20cm in height.
• Add compost or well-decomposed manure to the soil in the garden where you are going to transplant them.

• Planting companion plants works well with tomatoes. Sow basil just below to serve as a sacrifice (the white fly will be attracted to the basil instead of your tomatoes) or try garlic, nasturtiums or tagetes to remove aphids.
• Your plants will need support to grow and become strong - use sticks or tomato stakes for large varieties and / or nets for bushes.
• Water the soil, not the plant – the leaves and the tomato stems hate being wet.
• Once flowering begins, provide your plant with a fertilizer on a weekly basis - developing fruits will love the extra potassium.
• Water a little and often - this encourages regular growth and helps to avoid split fruit.

• Pinch the shoots that develop between the stem and the main branch - they absorb the energy of the developing fruit.
• Cut the top of the plants when six clusters are formed - this helps the plant to channel its energy.
• Pick all the tomatoes that haven’t turned red at the end of the summer and put them in a bag with a banana - the ethylene released by the banana will help them ripen.

• Pinch the shoots that develop between the stem and the main branch - they absorb the energy of the developing fruit.
• Cut the top of the plants when six clusters are formed - this helps the plant to channel its energy.
• Pick all the tomatoes that haven’t turned red at the end of the summer and put them in a bag with a banana - the ethylene released by the banana will help them ripen.
• Reduce the leaves around the tomatoes once they reach their adult size, but have not yet started to change color - this allows the sun to reach the fruits, increases air circulation and minimizes the number of diseases.
• The most important thing is to grow a few plants to learn and enjoy. A tomato that reaches maturity, grown at home, picked from the plant, really is worth much more than those bought in grocery stores.

Enjoy!