Homegrown Tomatoes

Grow Juicy Backyard Beauties (Organically, If You Please)

There’s a special kind of magic in biting into a sun-warmed tomato you grew yourself. The flavor hits different—it’s fresher, richer, and absolutely unbeatable compared to the waxy, tasteless imposters at the grocery store.

Whether you’re a total tomato rookie or a seasoned soil-slinger, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to grow tomatoes that’ll have your neighbors suspiciously “dropping by” around harvest time.

🌞 Why Grow Your Own Tomatoes?

  • Taste that slaps – Store-bought can’t compete with garden-fresh flavor.
  • Tons of variety – Go beyond basic red and explore yellows, purples, even striped!
  • Save money – A couple of plants = baskets of tomatoes.
  • Total control – Want organic? Done. Want weird heirlooms? Go wild.

🧰 What You’ll Need (With Helpful Hardware Guy Recs)

Growing tomatoes doesn’t take a lot, but the right tools make it way easier. Here’s your starter kit:

🌱 Choosing the Right Tomato Variety

  • For snacking: ‘Sweet 100s’, ‘Sungold’, or ‘Black Cherry’
  • For slicing: ‘Beefsteak’, ‘Big Boy’, or ‘Brandywine’
  • For sauces: ‘Roma’, ‘San Marzano’, or ‘Amish Paste’
  • For color: ‘Green Zebra’, ‘Yellow Pear’, or ‘Cherokee Purple’

Want to get fancy? Plant a few different types for a rainbow harvest that’ll turn your summer salads into art.

🌿 How to Grow Tomatoes Like a Pro

✅ Planting

  • Bury deep – Up to the first true leaves to help roots grow strong.
  • Space smart – Give each plant 18–24” apart to avoid the tomato jungle.
  • Mulch it up – Keeps roots cool and diseases down.

💧 Watering & Feeding

  • Water consistently – Deep soaks 2–3 times a week depending on heat.
  • Feed regularly – Start with a balanced fertilizer, then switch to a low-nitrogen blend when fruit sets.
    👉 Helpful Pick: Dr. Earth Organic Tomato & Veg Fertilizer

🛠️ Support Your Tomatoes

Use cages, stakes, or trellises to keep plants upright. Otherwise, they’ll flop over like a lazy cat on a hot day—and you’ll get fewer, sadder tomatoes.

🐛 Common Problems (And How to Fight Back)

  • Tomato hornworms – Handpick or use Bonide Organic Insecticidal Soap
  • Blight or mildew – Remove affected leaves and increase airflow
  • Blossom-end rot – Inconsistent watering or calcium issues

🌿 Want Organic? Here’s How to Grow Tomatoes the Natural Way

Going organic isn’t just trendy—it’s better for you, your soil, and the planet.

🧄 Organic Tomato Growing Tips

Growing organic tomatoes isn’t complicated—it just means skipping synthetic chemicals and giving your plants the good stuff nature intended.

🧺 When to Harvest

Tomatoes are ready when they’re fully colored and slightly soft to the touch. Don’t wait until they fall off—unless you want to host a fruit fly convention.

And here’s a tip: Never refrigerate tomatoes—cold temps wreck the flavor. Keep them on the counter and eat them like candy (because they basically are).

🍽️ What to Do With All Those Tomatoes

  • Sliced with sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil
  • BLTs (obviously)
  • Homemade salsa, sauce, or ketchup
  • Sun-dried or oven-roasted for storage
  • Shared with friends and neighbors (you’ll be very popular)

🪴 Container Growing? No Problem!

Short on space? Tomatoes thrive in containers.

  • Choose a 5-gallon+ pot with drainage
  • Use a compact variety like ‘Patio Princess’ or ‘Tiny Tim’
  • Add a small cage or stake, and water often

👉 Helpful Pick: Bloem Lucca 10″ Self-Watering Planter

🧑‍🔧 Pro Tip from the Helpful Hardware Guy:

“Stick a crushed eggshell or two in the planting hole. It’s like a multivitamin for your tomatoes—and a little backyard voodoo that actually works.”

📚 More Gardening Goodness

🌞 Final Thoughts: Tomatoes Worth Bragging About

Whether you’re growing in pots, beds, or straight-up buckets, homegrown tomatoes are one of the most satisfying things you can put in your garden. Go organic if you can, don’t skimp on the sun, and always pick when perfectly ripe.

Because life’s too short for bland tomatoes.