Yes, you can absolutely plant tomatoes too close together. Crowded tomatoes compete for root space, light, and nutrients. This lack of airflow traps moisture on the leaves, vastly increasing the risk of blight and other fungal diseases.
Regardless of what you might read or see in nursery promotions, planting tomatoes in October or November is not a fruitful experience, literally. The night temperatures are too low for the flowers to set fruit. Tomatoes planted in August or early September will grow quickly in the warm soil, warm nights and long days.
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Actually, too much fruit can stress the plant. It's not a problem most of us face as back yard gardeners. For large and medium-fruit varieties (12 ounces or more per tomato,) I limit the truss size (cluster size) to 4 fruit each.
Baking soda can sweeten tomatoes and deter pests, but must be used sparingly to avoid harming plants. A light sprinkle around the base wards off slugs, ants, and aphids, and a diluted spray mix helps prevent fungus.
Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) provide magnesium and sulfur to tomato plants, which boosts chlorophyll production, aids nutrient absorption, and corrects leaf yellowing. It promotes bushier foliage, stronger cell walls, and can enhance fruit size and flavor.
Sprinkling baking soda around tomato plants is a common, often debated, gardening hack used to increase the sweetness of the fruit and reduce fungal disease. It works by slightly lowering soil acidity (raising pH) and, when used in sprays, creating an alkaline surface that hinders fungi like powdery mildew.
Yes, it is perfectly okay to cut the top off ("topping") tomato plants, but timing is everything.
I'm sure you have heard the old saying that snow is “poor man's fertilizer.” The saying comes from the idea that snow storms deliver small but meaningful nutrients to the soil and there is real science behind that. As snowflakes fall, they collect nitrogen and ammonium and release them during the melt.
The best option is Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Tomato Plant Food. Formulated with a balanced 𝑁−𝑃−𝐾 ratio of 18−18−21 plus added magnesium, it instantly feeds plants to encourage quick growth and higher tomato yields.
Wrong: Although tomatoes are heavy feeders, fertilizing the crop too much can be fatal. Especially when the seedlings are still very small! Too much nitrogen means that the plant has to put more energy into leaf growth - but the fruits fall by the wayside. They suddenly ripen much more slowly and have less flavor.
Gardeners bury an egg in the planting hole because it acts as an organic, slow-release fertilizer. As the egg decomposes, it releases essential nutrients like calcium, nitrogen, and phosphorus directly to the tomato roots, which helps build stronger stems and prevents blossom end rot.
Never plant fennel, brassicas (like cabbage, broccoli, and kale), potatoes, or corn near tomatoes. These plants can stunt tomato growth, compete aggressively for nutrients, or spread devastating diseases and pests.
The best homemade tomato fertilizer is a nutrient-rich, liquid compost tea. It delivers a gentle, balanced boost of essential macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). To make it, steep a shovelful of aged manure or compost in a 5-gallon bucket of water for 24 hours, strain the liquid, and water your plants.
To grow bigger tomatoes, maximize the fruit's size by pruning excess branches, restricting the plant to just one or two main stems, and plucking off early blossoms. This diverts the plant's energy into sizing up the remaining tomatoes rather than spreading resources across too many fruits.
Hydrogen peroxide can be highly beneficial for tomato plants if used correctly. It is a cheap, effective, and readily available remedy used to control fungal diseases, manage pests, and aerate waterlogged soil. However, because it is a strong oxidizer, using too much can damage your plants.
Tomatoes are considered difficult to grow because they are "hungry," high-maintenance plants prone to pests, diseases, and environmental stress. Success requires managing specific needs: consistent water to prevent split fruit, full sun (6+ hours), nutrient-dense soil, and support for heavy vines.
Overwatered tomato plants quickly drown due to oxygen deprivation. Watch for yellowing or drooping lower leaves, stunted growth, splitting fruit, and mushy, brown roots. The soil will also feel consistently soggy.
When planting tomatoes, mix a handful of rich organic matter (like Compost) and a source of slow-release phosphorus and calcium, such as bone meal or crushed eggshells, into the bottom of the hole. This provides essential nutrients for strong root development and prevents blossom-end rot.
Magnesium deficiency in tomato plants presents as interveinal chlorosis on older foliage (yellowing between the veins) while the main veins and surrounding tissue remain green. Because magnesium is highly mobile, the plant redirects it to support new growth, meaning younger, upper leaves remain green while mature, lower leaves discolor.
just remember that if you use epsom salt to not use more than a teaspoon per gallon of water, i use a half teaspoon per gallon on my tomato plants with every watering and they love it.