Here are some wonderful ideas that will keep your tomato harvest from being less than expected. They are spectacular so take notes!

1. Amend the hole with some crushed eggshells for added calcium. Blossom End Rot is a common problem which can be caused by a lack of calcium. A handful of eggshells at the bottom of your planting hole just might be the remedy for this trouble. And throw a bit of compost in the hole while you are at it. (Need more ideas on how to use up your extra eggshells? I’ve got ya covered!)

2. Give ’em plenty of sun. There are many vegetables that thrive in the shadier spots of your garden (lettuce, spinach, peas), but tomatoes aren’t one of them. Be sure to plant them in a spot that has full-sun throughout the day.

3. Give some support. Tomatoes like to have something to lean on. Of course, you can purchase the wire tomato cages from the store, or go the DIY route and craft your own. Here are a few DIY tomato cage ideas:
•A sturdy cage made from concrete wire
•Using livestock panels as a trellis
•A cage made from PVC pipe
•The Stake-a-Cage method

4. Watch those yard birds! I learned the hard way last year that my free-range chickens L-O-V-E tomatoes… There is nothing more disappointing than to reach for a big, juicy tomato, only to discover that its backside has been gored by a chicken beak… When my tomatoes were ripening last year, I ended up locking my hens up for a couple weeks. They weren’t too thrilled with me, but hey– tomato sauce is a priority around here.

5. Prune and pinch. Pruning the suckers from your growing tomato plants will help it to put more energy into producing actual fruit. This post from the Urban Organic Gardener will give you all the info you need to pinch the suckers off of your plants and maximize your harvest.

And these aren’t all! Go on over to The Prairie Homestead for more ideas! You can also find a list of favorite delicious tomato recipes on this website as well.

While it is true one can live a life without the flavorsome, tangy taste of tomatoes … we don’t want to! And I don’t think anyone can blame us.