Tomatoes are so popular in vegetable gardening. Along with that popularity comes a lot of myths about tomatoes. In this video I’m going t share 8 of those tomato growing myths with you.
00:20 – Tomato Sun Requirements
01:00 – Fertilizing Tomatoes
01:24 – Watering Tomatoes
02:09 – Epsom Salts and Tomato Growing
03:07 – Pruning Tomatoes
04:08 – Best tomatoes for Tomato Sauce
05:14 – Hand Pollinating Tomatoes
06:16 – Growing tomatoes in pots
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Hey Guys, I’m Brian from Next Level Gardening
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26 Comments
Did I mis any myths??? Let me know!
My SuperSauce tomatoes were the first ones to break out with a virus
I pretty much agree with you. I started some seeds that were supposed to be yellow jubilee from burpee. I got a couple but also 3 plants that look like Roma. All seeds from same package. 🤔
The biggest myth for me is this advice that is constantly shared that the best time to harvest is as soon as the tomato blushes. There are good reasons to do this if a storm is coming or you have a really bad problem with animals taking only your ripe tomatoes, etc. (the reasons are often exaggerated) But the downside that your tomato (and all veggies) begin losing their nutrients after being picked is never mentioned! The overarching reason why I garden is for the health of me and my family. So why would I want a tomato sitting on my counter for 4 days losing nutrients before it is even edible? Also tomatoes that sit on my counter for 3 days have never blown me away in the way that eating a perfectly ripe tomato immediately after harvesting often blows me away.
I'm here in Zone 10A, SoCA, and I grew the Super Paste tomato. had so-so results partly due to the hot weather we've been having. Tomatoes much larger than the Amish Paste and full of flavor. Will plant again next year.
I grow mine in 5 gallon buckets because of bad legs so kinda limited in the garden , Thanks to you I have the nicest tomatoes I ever had. Thank You !! for all the correct info. to do this.
I pretty much knew and agree with all of those and I appreciate the additional information on myth number 2.
thank u, i am moving my tomato into part shade after this video
always heard that you need to rotate your crops periodically. I have been putting in tomato plants in my garden, in the same place for 46 years. Just picked one today that was 2 pounds.
Blossom end rot… I take 1 adult aspirin dissolve in 1 gallon of water and spray all over tomato plant. This creates a reaction in the plant allowing it to up lift the calcium from the soil. I spray all my tomato plants in the spring with this.
Thanks Brian.🌺💚🙃
For years my wife and I grew Amish Paste for sauce-making, along with a German heirloom variety that had been passed along from a neighbor to us over 50 years ago. We learned from him to save the seed of the best ones from year to year. A few years ago we tried Super Sauce and have been sold on them as a replacement for Amish Paste. They are bigger, meatier, more flavorful, and more disease resistant. This combo of old and new works the best for us. We are harvesting now and will begin the yearly sauce-making ritual in another day or two.
I grew some Big Mama Roma tomatoes a few years ago from seed. They were the biggest meatiest Roma’s I’ve ever seen. Flavor wise I still think San Marzano is the best paste for sauce. My favorite tomato is a Beefsteak tomato. But to me, it seems like in the last few years the tomatoes haven’t been as acidic as I like and not as flavorful. I wonder if it’s just me or if others have thought that.
You mentioned fertilizer when leaves turn yellow. How often during the growing season do you recommend fertilizer?
Speaking of the Roma cultivar…I have never been able to grow it successfully. This year all the seedlings died (all 12 of them). In years past they were the only ones to suffer blossom end rot or rodent damage. Bright side, my first successful year with San Marzanos seems to be shaping up…touch wood.
Crazy, didn't know you were growing SuperSauce this year, as are we for the first time. Here in Zone 8a I've had HUGE success with just three plants. Ours tend to produce 4 to 8 tomatoes at a time, then you harvest at 0.75 – 1.7 lbs per tomato, new blooms come out, and you repeat the growing process. The tomato sizes/weight do decline each growth cycle for harvest; we're on the fourth cycle. My father on the other hand grew 6 SuperSauce plants, they have not stopped producing, and the sizes are still 1 to 2 pounds each. We've taken some from my parents as we are going to do a massive canning weekend with our SuperSauce , Kellogg's Breakfast, and Cherokee Purple tomatoes this month. My co-workers are all asking for our canning jars to be their Christmas presents this year, along with another jar of Apple Butter (we gave that to the last year). Thanks for sharing.
Great video! I appreciate the myth-busting and practical advice for growing tomatoes. Your explanations are clear and helpful, especially about pruning and the use of Epsom salts. I'll definitely keep these tips in mind for my next tomato season. Thanks for sharing your expertise! 🍅🌱
One of your myths was only Roma (sauce tomatoes) used for making sauces. How do you reduce the water in your sauce without loosing the flavor imparted when you use a tomato such as Cherokee Purple? We've cooked off TONS of water from the Cherokee Purples when making a salsa but there is still so much water and we're getting a "wine" taste as it sits on the shelf or in the fridge after opening. Thanks to anyone for advise on the water OR on remedying the "wine" taste from Cherokee Purples in salsa/sauces.
Grow Bonnie plants, that way you'll never get anything 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮 fj b 😊
#2 — about yellowing leaves…
the leaves on my tomatillo are turning bright yellow and falling off.
I'd read that it could need nitrogen, so I tried that.
I'd read that it could be too much water, so I reduced.
Neither has worked.
I sometimes flick the tomato flowers with my finger to polinate them.
Ha …. then find and use calcium sulfate – or (calcium) bone meal, fish meal, limestone powder, … and know your tomatoes ph level and what the soil ph is – and make remediation …. and pour on the compost and mulching ! Having 3-4 inches of good landscaping ground up debris, or wood chips, not necessarily shavings … and this keeps the roots moist (but not soggy, and will also help suck up and surface water if this happens.
For years listened to Mike McGrath former editor of Rodale Organic Garden magazine. He said to use some crushed egg shells in hole when playing ting tomatoes to prevent b!ossom end rot. Has always worked for me. Have chickens so always have egg shells.
Last year I made sauce with cherry tomatoes, it was really good, but kind of sweet. This year I have several San Marzano plants, so I'm looking forward to what the difference will be in the sauce.
I enjoyed this episode! I agree with what you presented. Thanks🍅
Two years ago we grew 13 varieties of Tomatoes. Last year we grew 7 in our garden. This year we have narrowed it down to one very much all purpose variety call Italian Heirloom and they can do it all..