The growing season is nearing its high water mark… from the first week of August on the gardening season reaches the half way mark. That is not to say that all is downhill from here: many plants are yet to reach their peak! Your tomatoes will really begin to produce an abundance of harvestable fruit, if they have not already. Maximizing your harvest requires that you pay close attention to a variety of so-called details…take note:
- Remove suckers from the existing plants. The small secondary growth that occurs between the leaf axle [end of the leaf stem] and the main stem of the plant should simply be rubbed out. If it has grown beyond a mere ‘rub’ then cut them out with a pair of hand pruners.
- Fertilize. If you have not added fertilizer in the last month, now would be the ideal time to do this. Look for all natural fertilizers under the ‘Green Earth’ or ‘Natura’ labels and apply the granular product monthly or use a water soluable 20-20-20 every couple of weeks.
- Instead of fertilizing per se, I use compost – I plant in it in the first place and dress the root zone with it now. Look for Bio Max for the best quality cattle, sheep or shrimp manure.
- Stake. Get your tomatoes off the ground and double your crop. I have been saying this since June but it is not too late to do it.
- Weed. Weeds steal moisture from the root zone of your desirable plants, and compete for nutrients from the soil. Not only that but they compete for space, sunshine, cut down on air circulation [increasing chances for disease] and crowd the space needed by your tomato plants to grow and produce at their very best.
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