The current Guinness boom record holder for the biggest tomato recorded a 5.3 kg tomato. This is an exciting record to hold.
It goes down to every farmer with ambitions of receiving such accolades. But growing the biggest tomato is a challenging task. It is not just about growing tomatoes in your garden.
Only some farmers will go for the world record. But there is a desire to grow bigger tomatoes. Growing giant tomatoes in your garden require great dedication.
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Some so many dos and don’ts must be followed. This article gives you some key tips that can be of great help.
How to get my tomatoes to grow bigger and tastier
There are a few secrets that a gardener can take advantage of in growing big tomatoes. These include:
- Selection of healthy soil
- Pruning and plant selection
- Adequate watering and feeding
- Adequate plant spacing
- Pest and disease control
- Selection of healthy soil
Any plant’s health starts with the soil’s type and quality. The type of soil should be good in holding moisture content. It should also be good in holding nutrients. There are some soils, such as sand, that tomatoes cannot do well when planted.
It is important to select healthy soil for your tomatoes. Enriching the soil with the required nutrients for tomatoes is also important. Using compost, fertilizers or organic manure is needed to improve the soil. This ensures the availability of necessary nutrients for tomato growth.
- Pruning and plant selection
It is important to know that not all tomatoes can grow big. Some tomatoes may be unhealthy and affect the quality of others.
This is why it is necessary to do plant selection and pruning. The two processes help in removing poor quality from the garden.
Experts provide one major tip for pruning tomatoes for great health. This includes focusing on flowering. It is recommended to prune the first flower cluster.
This is considered good for allowing the tomato plant to produce more leaves. It means the plant will have enough leaves for efficient photosynthesis when producing fruit.
Reducing the number of fruits in a plant is also considered wise. A plant can reduce the fruit size when many have to be fed to maturity. Reducing the number of fruits means more nutrients for the remaining fruits.
Having only one fruit per cluster is advised. It works perfectly in producing bigger tomato fruits.
- Adequate watering and feeding
It is also necessary to remember that tomatoes grow bigger when they feed well. They also require an adequate water supply.
Establishing a good routine for watering the tomatoes is essential to avoid drying up and weathering. This is especially important during the hot weather.
- Adequate spacing
The issue of spacing is critical for any plant growth. The tomatoes also do well when proper spacing is done in planting. Spacing determines the amount of nutrients that a tomato plant gets. It also determines access to sunlight for photosynthesis.
Spreading out the tomatoes also gives room for fruit development. Giving the tomatoes more space than the standard two-foot spacing is recommended. It works well for tomato varieties that grow bigger.
- Pest and disease control
One of the biggest enemies of fruit production is pests and diseases. Tomato fruits are also severely affected by pests and diseases. They can limit the quality and size of the fruit.
Aphids, hornworms, and cutworms are among the pests that attack tomatoes. It is important to check the best routines for pest control.
The pests and diseases limit the maturity of the tomato fruit. They can also lead to an attack on the blooming. This means that the tomato does not flower properly. It leads to poor quality and reduces the size of the fruits.
Nutrients that make tomatoes bigger
There is no doubt that for a tomato to grow big, it requires nutrients. The type of nutrient of a major concern for the gardener. Three big nutrients have been identified as contributing to bigger tomato growth.
- Potassium
- Nitrogen
- Phosphorus
However, additional nutrients are an advantage for healthier tomatoes. Iron, Zinc, sulfur, and copper have also been identified in tomatoes’ list of great nutrients.
For each of these nutrients, the tomatoes benefit differently. They play different functions, including growing tomatoes bigger in size.
You may be wondering where to get these nutrients. Take a rest and read through. The common source of nutrients is the manure.
Local gardeners have found it valuable to use homemade manure for their gardens. But the recommended alternatives are fertilizers. They have a variety of nutrients than the manure.
Does fertilizer make tomatoes bigger?
One of the best ways of adding important nutrients to the soil is by applying fertilizer or manure. It is important to identify which fertilizer works best for tomatoes. A good fertilizer for tomatoes has three main nutrients.
- Nitrogen
Nitrogen is among the important nutrients that contribute to fruit growth. It works well in encouraging leaf growth. This is used in the early stages of tomato growth. The tomatoes require a higher ratio of nitrogen at this stage.
However, excess leaf growth is not good for the fruits. It can limit the number and size of fruits. It is known to discourage blossoming and fruit production.
That is why it is necessary to check the quantity of nitrogen used. Check on the fertilizer label for proper guidance on the quantity.
- Phosphorous
Phosphorous is used in the later stages of tomato growth. It is considered the best for fruit development. Having an adequate quantity of phosphorous can determine the size of the fruit. Adding phosphorous at different stages of fruit development is recommended for bigger fruits.
- Potassium
Potassium is considered an important nutrient for fruit development. This is because it is good for flowering. It contributes to the efficient blossoming of the tomatoes. It is good for increasing the number of tomatoes in a single plant. But it does not contribute to the size.
Potassium nutrient also works great in preventing plant damage from some diseases. This is great for continued growth and production. Of greater importance is to also check on the adequate quantity when feeding the tomatoes in your garden.
Does Miracle-Gro help grow giant tomatoes?
Feeding your tomatoes with soluble fertilizers makes them healthier. The size and quality cannot be compared to unfed tomatoes. Miracle Grow has often been mentioned as a fertilizer used to grow vegetables.
Miracle-Gro is a fertilizer that has gained popularity among gardeners. It works magic, as many gardeners say. There are a few qualities that Miracle-Gro introduces to tomato fruits.
Among these include the quality, size, and quantity of the fruits in a tomato plant. The fertilizer has some good qualities for the tomatoes.
- Instant feeding
A gardener looks for a fertilizer that is easy to use. They also look for a fertilizer that can benefit the plant faster.
One of the great qualities of the Miracle-Gro fertilizer is the instant feeding of tomatoes. The fertilizer is absorbed more quickly than other fertilizers.
Miracle-Gro is a water-soluble fertilizer. It means that the farmer can easily mix the fertilizer. It is also easy to feed the tomatoes in liquid form. There is also the satisfaction that the plant quickly uses water-soluble fertilizers.
- Adequate nutrient content
Miracle-Gro also has some great nutrient content. The fertilizer has 18% nitrogen, 18% phosphorous, and 21% potassium.
These are among the three most important nutrients for the tomatoes. The high amount of these nutrients is great for blooming and fruit production. It also contributes to bigger tomatoes.
- Safe for the tomatoes
Any fertilizer used on tomatoes should be safe to use. Some fertilizers can easily harm tomatoes. This is especially the harm they can cause to the leaves.
It is necessary to find a safe fertilizer. Miracle-Gro has been tried and tested. It has worked excellently in increasing fruit production.
There are, however, some signs you should check when using Miracle-Gro. It is important to look out for an overdose. Trouble in blooming is one of these signs.
It is good to stop feeding the tomato plant with fertilizer at this stage. The frequency of adding Miracle-Gro should be closely monitored. It is the best way to get the expected results.
Does the tomato variety determine the size?
Gardeners who love growing big tomatoes know that variety matters. There are tomato varieties that grow bigger with minimal effort. One of these varieties is the Beefsteak type. These are large tomatoes with meaty flesh.
Tomatoes are also popular for their tasty treats. They also come in a variety of colors. The Beefsteak type tomatoes to select from include T&T Monster, Dinner Plate, Big Rainbow, Big Zac, and Giant Belgium.
Remember that growing giant tomatoes is intentional. There are only tomatoes that grow bigger with the help of the gardeners.
Learning more about proper feeding and watering for producing giant tomatoes is important. Understand how best to use fertilizers as a great way of boosting tomato production.