Now is the time that putting a little extra effort into your tomatoes can really pay off when it comes to harvesting. And if you're growing cordon tomatoes, gardening icon Monty Don has a tip for you.
From how to stop tomato plants from growing too tall to knowing how often you should water your tomato plants, for relatively low-maintenance fruit plants there's quite a lot to know about them. However, once you know the basic there's only a couple of expert tips to keep in mind to get more fruit from them.
If you're growing cordon tomatoes, especially, which are a type of tomato plant that grows vertically on a single main stem, then Monty Don has some new knowledge to share on how to achieve a better harvest.
A post shared by BBC Gardeners' World (@gardenersworldtv)
A photo posted by on
Left your pinching a little late or don't want to muck up your hands? These small shears are perfect for removing unnecessary tomato plant stems.
Tomato plants always appreciate a little nutrient boost, and this tomato feed is just the thing for it.
Cordon tomatoes can grow rather tall, so having some garden ties on you can help keep them supported and happy.
Whilst you may already know how to prune your tomato plants to get more fruit from them, there's another way to ensure a plentiful harvest for your cordon tomatoes.
Sharing his gardening wisdom on the BBC's Gardeners' World, Monty shows us this simple yet effective task to tick off this season for every week until the end of summer.
"If you grow cordon tomatoes, indoors or out, it's important to keep on pinching out the side-shoots. This is a growth that happens at 45 degrees between the main stem and the leaves," explains Monty.
"If you do this, you focus the plant's energy into developing fruit rather than extra growth. Keep checking plants regularly throughout the season as new shoots quickly appear," he adds.
If you're completing your July gardening jobs this month, make sure to keep checking on your cordon tomato plants for these 45-degree shoots. The quicker you can pinch them out, the less energy is wasted on your plants.
And if your tomato flowers aren't being pollinated and turning into fruit, we recommend trying this viral electric toothbrush hack that will pollinate the plant for you.
Or you can encourage more bees and butterflies to come enjoy your garden with plants for pollinators; that way, they can do the hard work for you, and you get a thriving plant, heavy with fruit.
If you're vegetable gardening for beginners this year, keeping tips and tricks in your back pocket like this can make the whole process much easier and even more successful come harvest time.
