How To Make Tomato Plants Grow Faster

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Tomatoes are always popular, so it's crucial to have a good crop. That way, you always have them when you want them. However, many gardeners find it hard to keep their tomato plants growing and producing fruit.

Therefore, you should learn make your tomato plants grow faster. This article focuses on what nutrients the plant needs and how to space them to get tomatoes even quicker. Continue reading to find out what you can do for your tomato plants.

Table of Contents

• 10 Tips For Making Your Tomato Plants Grow Faster
  • 1. Soil Preparation
  • 2. Add Calcium
  • 3. Dig Deep
  • 4. Wide Spaces
  • 5. Provide Enough Water
  • 6. No Water On the Leaves
  • 7. Mulch
  • 8. Support the Plant
  • 9. Pruning
  • 10. Fertilize
• Conclusion

10 Tips For Making Your Tomato Plants Grow Faster

1. Soil Preparation

To have more tomatoes and ensure that they grow quickly, you need the right soil. They love well-draining, rich soil. That way, they can grow deeper roots and get the nutrients they need.

Make sure you prepare the tomato beds in advance. Consider soil testing to tell you what nutrients are in the soil. That way, you know what fertilizer to buy.

Also, you should add compost, turning it into the soil mixture, and do this before you test it. Then, create a mound that's about 24 inches deep so that the tomato plant roots can spread out evenly.

2. Add Calcium

Many times, tomatoes grow quickly, but they develop diseases that make them inedible. Offset that by adding some calcium to the soil. First, you should test for a calcium deficiency, and if you notice one, add some eggshells.

They're made of about 96 percent calcium and break down into the soil to provide the nutrients your tomatoes need. Just make sure that you've ground them into a powder and sprinkle it in the hole where you put the tomato seeds or seedlings.

3. Dig Deep

Tomato plants really want to be buried deep into the soil. If you look at the stems, you see fibrous hairs along each one. They are potential roots, so if you surround them in the soil, those plants sprout more tomatoes.

This means they can grow faster, and you see a higher yield.

When the tomatoes are deep in the ground, they have healthy root systems. If you pair that with fertilizer, they grow quickly and produce more fruit.

4. Wide Spaces

Ultimately, tomato plants like to have plenty of room to spread out. If you plant them too close together, they aren't likely to grow fast. However, it's hard to know what spacing is required. Make sure you know what variety you use; the back of the seed packet should help you.

In general, though, you need 2 feet between your plants. However, some require as much as 3 feet.

5. Provide Enough Water

Tomatoes need consistent watering, so you need to put them on a schedule and stick to it. It's also a good idea to water deeply so that the moisture reaches the roots. That way, they don't have to start growing up to get the water.

There's another benefit of deep watering, too. If your topsoil dries out, the tomato plant roots still have water. Though it varies, you should try watering every three days for the best results. If nothing else, check the soil and keep it moist.

6. No Water On the Leaves

Wet leaves on a tomato plant invite infection and disease and can stunt growth. Therefore, make sure you position the hose or watering can at the base of the plant.

While you can't stop it from raining, you could cover them during rainfall to protect them. Some gardeners like to use hoop houses to prevent water from getting on the leaves.

7. Mulch

Many gardeners like the appearance of mulch, but it does more than offer aesthetically pleasing results. Mulch also helps your tomato plants grow faster because the moisture stays in longer and helps them thrive. Consider using organic mulch, such as grass clippings, shredded leaves, and straw.

Your ultimate goal is to help your plants grow quickly. Mulch reduces the number of weeds you have, which compete for nutrients and slows growth.

8. Support the Plant

When they're just starting to grow, tomato plants require support. They could grow up to 8 feet high, and you don't want them to fall over and break. That's sure to stop growth in its tracks.

Even if they don't break, it invites diseases to come in and kill your crops. Therefore, you should always use a trellis, cage, or stake. Install your support system when you put the plant in the ground. That way, it doesn't disrupt its root system.

9. Pruning

Most gardeners believe that pruning is only necessary for bushes or trees, but that's not true! Tomato plants require heavy pruning to help them grow faster and have a better harvest.

Make sure all of the lower branches are gone, which happens when you're planting the tomatoes deeply into the ground. You should also remove the tomato blossoms. Your plant requires more energy for root development than anything else.

If it's focusing on all the tomato blossoms, it overexerts itself, which means your plants grow slower. With that, get rid of the suckers on the leaf axils. That way, the plant puts its energy into flowering, fruit production, and growth.

10. Fertilize

Generally, tomato plants require tons of nutrients to grow, so you should invest in a quality fertilizer. There are many options on the market, and you should focus on what the soil contains, where the plant is in the growing season, and other factors.

After transplanting and for the next few weeks, your tomato plant is focusing on growing its leaves and roots. They need more nitrogen and all of the other nutrients. Consider using compost, but if that isn't enough, you can also go with an NPK fertilizer of 10-10-10.

Once the tomato plant is at the fruiting and flowering stage, switch the fertilizer to something with higher potassium and lower nitrogen levels.

Conclusion

Most gardeners want plenty of tomatoes to last throughout the growing season. From there, they use canning techniques to preserve the rest or give them away to neighbors and friends.

Learning how to make tomato plants grow faster is crucial so that you have a bountiful crop and can use these delicious fruits in various recipes. These tips should help you have higher yields and quick-growing tomatoes.

How To Make Tomato Plants Grow Faster

Source: https://sunstonefarmandlearn.com/how-to-make-tomato-plants-grow-faster/

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