Key Takeaways
Choose tomato varieties that thrive in your climate, and grow a few types to discover which produce the best flavor in your garden.
Rich, well-draining soil, six to eight hours of sun, consistent watering, and regular feeding all help tomatoes develop better flavor without overfertilizing.
Give plants room to grow, use mulch and trellises for healthier vines, and harvest only when tomatoes are fully colored and slightly soft.
When the summer sun is overhead and the garden is in full bloom, fresh-picked tomatoes shine in salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and side dishes—or even as a snack straight from the vine. But if you’re disappointed that your summer tomatoes are tasting a bit bland, there’s probably a reason why.
“If your goal is maximum flavor, choosing the right variety is just as important as how you grow it,” says Courtney Mims, content creator at Southern to a Tea. “In general, the smaller the tomato, the sweeter it tends to be. Large tomatoes are typically milder.”
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When you’ve realized that the tomatoes on your garden’s vines aren’t as tasty as you’d like, don’t let it rain on your sunshine parade. Below, three expert gardeners share the guidelines to follow for flavorful tomatoes, including their favorite varieties and how much water they need to succeed. Read on for their advice.
Meet Our Expert
Related: Are Fresh Tomatoes Healthier Than Canned Tomatoes?
How to Grow Flavorful Tomatoes
Kelsey Segaloff, Massachusetts-based garden educator and creator of Sprouts and Stories, says that in order to determine the ideal flavor of your homegrown tomatoes, you need to be open to the possibilities. “Flavor is personal, so I think the most fun approach is to grow a few types and figure out what you actually like,” she says. “For example, this year I’m trying green zebra tomatoes. But one of my ongoing favorites is Sun Gold, a very sweet orange cherry tomato. Most of mine get eaten while I’m standing in the garden, so very few ever reach the kitchen.”
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Angela Judd, founder of Growing in the Garden, also says that Sun Gold is a dependable go-to for flavor, as is the Black Cherry type. To narrow down your choices, Judd would research the tomatoes that do well in your climate and take note of how many days each variety needs to reach maturity. “Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, and Brandywine are known for their rich flavor,” Judd continues. “Stupice is a good early variety and can be helpful in areas where the tomato season is short or temperatures heat up quickly.”
As your tomatoes grow, write down which varieties you prefer on a notepad—Segaloff would lean into the casual formality of pinpointing your picks. “Growing tomatoes is also a delicious experiment,” she says. “Try a few varieties, pay attention to which ones do well in your garden, and remember the names of the ones you actually love eating.”
The Ideal Soil, Water, and Sunlight for Flavorful Tomatoes
Mims, Segaloff, and Judd agree that the best tomatoes for your garden also depend on how they’re grown. Here’s what you need to know about the best soil, sunlight, and water conditions to grow flavorful tomatoes.
Soil
Before you plant your tomatoes of choice, make sure they’re settled into soil that’ll help them flourish. “Tomatoes like rich soil that drains well,” Segaloff says. “I add compost to my garden beds and try not to overdo fertilizer.”
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Too much fertilizer will likely result in a big, bushy plant and too few tomatoes, she adds, which the other gardeners echo. Judd adds worm castings as well, and makes sure that the soil stays loose rather than tightly packed.
Sunlight
All of the gardeners say that tomatoes need at least eight hours of sunlight per day to thrive, and six hours at a minimum. If you know they’re getting much more than that, that’s ok too.
“During periods of extreme heat, it’s completely normal for plants to slow or even temporarily stop producing new fruit,” Mims says. “Don’t panic. Keep the plants well-watered and healthy, and once temperatures become more moderate, they’ll typically begin setting fruit again.”
Water
Tomatoes do well on a consistent schedule, where the soil stays moist and doesn’t dry out, Mims says. “They’re also heavy feeders and benefit from regular fertilizing throughout the growing season,” she adds. “After planting with a balanced fertilizer, I continue feeding every one to two weeks. If we’ve had several heavy rainstorms, I often fertilize again because nutrients can leach out of the soil.”
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Judd notes that mulch will help the soil maintain moisture without overwatering.
Other Tomato-Growing Tips
Give your tomatoes the space they need to grow in your garden, and Segaloff recommends trellises to help their vines expand neatly. Also make sure that you’re picking tomatoes when they’re ready.
“When it’s time to harvest, I look for the tomato to reach its full color and have a little softness when gently pressed,” Segaloff says. Either way, when the tomatoes make it out of your garden and onto your plate, they should have much more flavor when you follow these rules.
Related: Roasting Tomatoes Is the Secret to This Easy Shrimp Dinner
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