How to Grow Big Tomatoes

 Whether eaten on their own, served with a dish, or turned into a sauce or paste, tomatoes are a wonderful way to sweeten anyone’s day. Though store-bought tomatoes are fine, nothing beats the feeling of growing a big, juicy fruit on your own terms. If you know what seeds to get, how to plant them, and what they need to grow, cultivating large, fresh tomatoes can be an easy, fun, and rewarding process. 

 

Part 1

Picking Seeds

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   Figure out your climate region. Before looking for seeds, consult the US Department of Agriculture’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map or your country’s own equivalent guide. Different types of tomato grow best in different climates, so be aware of your region’s minimum and maximum temperatures, as well as how long individual seasons last.^[1]
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   Look for large tomato varieties. Cherry tomatoes may be tasty, but they won’t yield the big fruit you’re looking for. Look for tomatoes listed as Big Boys, Beefsteaks, Colossals, Abraham Lincolns, or Beefmaster Hybrids, among others. Local shops will often sell specific named strains, so if you’re having trouble finding a large species, ask the store attendants.^[2]
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   Look for regional heirloom seeds. Regional heirloom seeds grow types of tomatoes specific to a single area. Because they have been cultivated in local farms over a long period of time, heirloom seeds are particularly good at dealing with the regional climate. Due to their growing conditions, these seeds are typically sold by specialty shops.^[3] Some good, large strains include:

   • Early Boy tomatoes, a Big Boy variant designed for colder weather and shorter growing seasons.
   • Creole tomatoes, large, slow-growing tomatoes designed or warm, southern climates.
   • Mortgage Lifter tomatoes, a heavy Beefsteak variant designed for long seasons.
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   Test your soil at a local garden center. To make sure your garden soil contains all the nutrients necessary to grow large tomatoes, place a small amount into a plastic bag and take it to a local garden center. The center will be able to test your soil for component pH balance and direct you to any manure or dirt supplements necessary for growing your chosen seeds.

Part 2

Seeding Indoors

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   Plant your tomatoes in late spring or early summer. Because your tomatoes will eventually be put outside, they need to be planted early in the year. Look at the average amount of time it takes for your strain of tomato to grow. Plant them in late spring or early summer so that they will be ready to harvest between late summer and early fall. Strain-specific growing information will be available from the store you purchased from.
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   Fill a biodegradable pot with moist seed-starting mix. Purchase a biodegradable pot and fill it with seed-starting mix. You can buy this pre-made at a local gardening store or mix your own using equal amounts of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Make sure the mix is moist before potting.^[4]

   • Because you are growing large tomatoes, avoid flimsy seed-starting trays.
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   Place a couple tomato seeds in the pot and cover them with .25 inches (0.64 cm) of soil. Place two or three tomato seeds in the center of your pot. Cover them with about .25 inches (0.64 cm) of soil and stamp it down with your fingers. Sprinkle the soil with water.

   • Planting multiple seeds gives you backups should the first one not germinate.
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   Keep your tomato plant in a warm, lit area. Keep your tomatoes near a window where they can get at least 6-8 hours of sunlight every day. Keep your growing room at a temperature of at least 60 °F (16 °C). To help your seeds germinate more quickly, place your pot under a heat lamp or grow light.^[5]
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   Water your plant daily. While it is developing, make sure to touch up your plant’s water supply every day. You want the soil to stay consistently moist, but not damp or flooded. For hotter climates, you may need to water your plant more often.

Part 3

Transplanting Your Tomatoes

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   Harden off your tomato plant when it is 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) tall. When your tomato plant is 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) tall, begin acclimating it to the outdoors. Over the course of 10 days, take your tomato plant to a sheltered area in your garden and let it sit. Start with a few hours on day one and add a bit more time each day. This process is known as hardening off your plant.^[6]

   • When choosing a spot, look for an area where your plant will receive filtered sunlight, such as through tree branches, and is protected from wind and debris.
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   Mix your soil with compost and fertilizer. In the spot you plan on planting your tomatoes, use a digging fork to loosen your soil to about 8 inches (20 cm) deep. Spread about 2 inches (5.1 cm) of organic compost over the soil, followed by a similar amount of balanced all-purpose fertilizer. Make sure the compost and fertilizer are evenly spread and mixed into the soil. Let the ground sit for a few days before planting.^[7]
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   Dig a hole a few inches deeper than your plant. Use a ruler or tape measure to find the height of your plant from the bottom of its container to the top of its stalk. Use this number to create a hole in the middle of the area you will transplant your tomatoes to. The hole should be a few inches deeper than the plant itself.
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   Transplant your tomato plant. Carefully remove the seedling from its pot, being extra gentle when loosening the roots. Place the plant in the hole with only the top leaves sticking above ground. Fill the hole with soil, press it down with your hands, and water it.^[8]
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   Water your tomatoes after transplanting. To help it grow, make sure to water your tomato plant immediately after relocating it. Sprinkle water over the ground until the soil is moist.

Part 4

Harvesting Your Tomatoes

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   Water your plant when the soil dries out. To keep your plant healthy, make sure to water it whenever the soil dries out. Just like when it was inside, you want to keep the soil moist, but not damp or flooded. Depending on how rainy your local area is, you may need to water daily or once every few days.
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   Tie your tomato plant to a stake for every 6 inches (15 cm) of growth. When dealing with large varieties of tomato, you may need to support and train your plant for optimal results. As your plant starts to grow, place a tall, thin stake into the ground to support it. For about every 6 inches (15 cm) of growth, gently tie your plant’s stem to the stake using plant tape or garden twine.^[9]
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   Prune your tomato plant of excess stems. To keep your plant contained, cut off stems that extend from the main stalk. This will prevent the plant from drooping and overextending its nutrient resources, keeping its focus on the primary tomatoes.
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   Add a pound of fertilizer once every two weeks after the fruit sets. Once your tomato plant has sprouted fruits, add about a pound of fertilizer to the ground every two weeks. For best results, side-dress the tomatoes by sprinkling the fertilizer around the growing area, not directly on the plant.^[10]
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   Harvest your tomatoes when they are very red and firm. Your tomatoes will be ready to pick and eat when they are mostly firm to the touch and a strong shade of red. If your tomatoes are soft or dull red in color, let them ripen for longer. Look to your strain’s expected growing cycle for an approximate harvest date, which will usually be during the Summer or early-Fall.^[11]

   • If a tomato falls off before ripening completely, put it in a paper sack with the stem pointed up and store it in a dark, cool room.