Tomatoes are one of the most popular and satisfying crops to grow from scratch in gardens, and with summer in full swing, you’ll start to notice that the fruits will begin to ripen. To keep them on the right track to become juicy and plump, there’s one item every grower should be adding to the soil.
Gardening expert and TikTok creator Ish recently shared some helpful advice for any gardener who’s growing the fruits in their garden. In a recent video for Cherry Lane Garden Centres, Ish detailed his list of all the tasks he, and other gardeners, should be doing in August. Alongside any flower and plant maintenance, Ish explained that gardeners who are growing tomatoes should be looking at their crops.
You’ll notice that your tomato plants will start to ripen, so to ensure that they grow as big and juicy as possible, there’s one very important thing you need to be doing.
How to grow juicy tomatoes
In the video, Ish said: “August is also the time where your tomato plants are gonna start growing wild and ripening, so they’re gonna become quite thirsty and quite hungry.”
To help your tomato plants out, you need to be adding a vital ingredient to the soil. For Ish, this is tomato feed.
You want to add this to the soil once a week throughout the rest of the summer months. This is in addition to plenty of watering.
If you skip out on the tomato feed, Ish explained that the plants may “struggle”. Tomato feed is rich in essential nutrients, including potassium and phosphorus, which encourage the fruits to grow larger and more succulent.
All you need is a capful mixed in with four to five litres of water in a watering can. Apply directly to the compost around the base of the plant to boost soil nutrients, giving the plants a “good soak”. Avoid applying to the plant’s foliage.
Tomato feed will prompt the plant to produce a greater number of tomatoes. Ish previously noted that this particular feed can equally be used on other fruit and vegetable crops.
It is also essential to ensure the plants receive sufficient water, with gardeners advised to keep the soil reasonably moist during the summer months.
That said, it is equally important to prevent the soil from drying out completely. If the soil repeatedly fluctuates between wet and dry conditions, it will place the plant under considerable stress and result in fewer tomatoes being produced.
Should any tomatoes manage to grow while this error is occurring, they are likely to split.