If you are starting tomatoes from seed, be sure to give them room to branch out. Close conditions inhibit growth, so transplant as soon as they get their first true leaves and move them into 4" pots in about 2 weeks.

2. Lots of light!

Tomato seedlings will need either direct sunlight or 14-18 hours a day under grow lights. Place the seedlings and young plants a few inches from your lights. When ready to plant outside, make sure to put them in the sunniest part of your garden.

3. Warm the soil in your garden

Tomatoes love heat, and need it. Cover the planting area with black or red plastic a couple of weeks before you intend to plant.  Heavy duty garbage bags will do the trick.  Extra warmth will translate into earlier tomatoes.

4. Bury the roots deep

Bury your tomato plants deeper than they come in the pot, all the way up to a few top leaves. Tomatoes are able to develop roots all along their stems.  More roots = stronger plants and better yield.

 
5. Stake your plants early

Stake your plants early!  Put the Tomato Stake as close to the main stem as possible (be careful not to damage the roots) and support as your plant grows.  Leave enough room with your support twistie-ties for the stem to grow.

6. Mulch Later

If you are planning to add mulch to your garden, weight a few weeks until after the ground has had a chance to warm up. Mulching does conserve water and prevents diseases from splashing up on the plants, but if you put it down too early it will also shade and therefore cool the soil.

7. Prune the Bottom Leaves

When the tomato plants are about 3' tall, remove the leaves from the bottom 1' of stem. These are usually the first leaves to develop fungus problems. They get the least amount of sun and soil diseases can be unintentionally splashed up onto them.

8. Keeping supporting!

As your tomato plant grows, keep tying the main stem to the Tomato stake for support.

9. Pinch the suckers.
Pinch and remove any suckers that grow in the crotch joint of two branches. They don’t bear fruit and will take resources away from the rest of the plant.

10. Water Regularly
Water deeply and regularly. Use a soaker hose to get water right into the soil and around the roots.  Irregular watering (i.e. missing a week and then over-doing it) leads to root damage and poor yield. Once the tomatoes begin to ripen, lessen your watering to coax the plant into concentrating its sugars. Don’t withhold water so much that the plants wilt.