12 Tips on Growing Better Tomato Plants

So you purchased your Mighty 'Mato plants. You've scoped out the perfect, sunny area to plant them in, purchased some organic fertilizer and found some nutrient-rich soil. Now what? While Mighty 'Mato plants' grafted properties help make the plants easier to grow, there are some best practices to ensure the highest yield of tomatoes per plant. Here are 12 tips to keep your Mighty 'Mato tomato plants healthy and happy:

1. Preheat Your Soil. Tomato plants thrive in warm environments. 2 weeks before planting, cover the area in which you wish to plant with black or red plastic. 
2. Plant Your Tomato Plant on their Sides. Tomatoes are able to develop roots all along their stem, and will naturally start to grow upwards towards the sunlight. 
3. Plant Below the Graft Line. Your Mighty 'Mato plant will have a noticeable graft line. Be sure to plant below the line in order for your plants to grow and thrive.
4. Avoid Laying Down Mulch. While mulch can be beneficial to many plants, it can also cool the soil. Avoid putting mulch near growing tomatoes to keep the soil warm.
5. Remove the Lower Leaves of Your Tomato Plants. When your tomato plants are about 3 feet tall, remove the lower leaves since these can be the first to develop fugus issues. Once these leaves are removed, your tomato plants can put more energy into growing stronger.
6. Water Often Yet Properly. Make sure to water only the base of the plant and not the leaves. This way, you can avoid airborne spores that can attach to wet plants and cause infections.
7. Pinch Out and Prune Suckers. The suckers that grow between two points should be pinched out or pruned. They won't bear or grow any fruit and will take up energy that can be used by the rest of the plant.
8. Create a Cutworm Barrier. Cutworms are a common pest involved with growing tomatoes. Place a ring of cardboard (you can even use an empty toilet tissue paper toll) around the new plant to prevent cutworms from chewing on the leaves and stems.
9. Cage Your Tomato Plants. With the proper care, Mighty 'Mato plants will grow tremendously.  Be sure to place a large cage around young tomato plants–the larger, the better!
10. Use a Good Organic Fertilizer. Be sure to use a good organic vegetable fertilizer every 3-4 weeks, such as E.B. Stone Tomato & Vegetable Food.
11. Send Snails Packing. Do you have a problem with snails snacking on your tomato plants? Lay 100% organic coffee grounds or egg shells on the soil. This will prevent snails from getting to your plants.
12. Get the Most Out of Your Tomatoes. Tomatoes are so versatile. You can use them for breakfast, lunch dinner, snacks–even desserts! Follow our Pinterest boards for recipes, how-tos and gardening tips.

Do you have any more tips? Comment below so we can share them with our tomato-loving community! Also, don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more tips and tricks!

Saturday Morning Tomato Progress

I've checked out my Mighty 'Mato plants this morning, and I can almost see them grow.  With the weather getting warmer and more sunshine (although it's overcast again this morning) in San Diego, CA, both plants seem to be thriving.

I have two plants (got a combo pack but gave one plant to a friend).  One I planted in the ground in a good sunny location, the other I put in a very large pot on the deck in another sunny location.  I probably focused on the soil more with the one in the pot, since I had to start from the beginning there.  Then to my dismay this morning, I discovered I wasn't being fair because I had put a large cage with 4 tiers around the potted plant, and only a 3 tier cage around the one in the ground.  Fortunately, they're still young enough I could change that, so I did.  Now I can be more unbiased about the size, and the one in the ground is definitely still larger. These plants like room to grow.


From all I know of 'Mighty Mato plants, the larger cages are important, because they grow so large.  I'm hoping now that my 4-tier cages will be enough, because the plants are growing like crazy.  On the "grounded" one, I had picked off some early blooms, but now I'm seeing some in the "potted" plant.  I think I'll leave those, as the plant seems to be strong and growing well.

In Southern California we're having a late spring, so everything is a bit behind where it would normally be for May 12.  But these mighty little guys are surpassing the rest of the garden!

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