Tomatoes are one of the world's most beloved garden crops. They are easy to grow and care for, and produce a bountiful harvest.
However, there is a technique that can help you increase your tomato yields – stress.
By stressing your tomato plants, you can encourage them to produce more, larger, and better quality fruit.
Here are some tips on how to stress tomatoes.
1. Limit the amount of water
Thirsty plants produce more fruit - this rule of thumb works well for tomatoes.
When tomato plants are thirsty and do not receive enough water to meet their needs, they "think" they are going to die, which causes them to produce more fruit as part of a survival mechanism. Limit watering to 2-3 times per week.
2. Limiting nutrients
By limiting nutrients, especially nitrogen, you can force your tomatoes to produce more fruit. Nitrogen is an important nutrient that helps tomato plants grow tall, healthy foliage, but it does not help produce fruit.
By not feeding your tomato plants too much, you can limit foliage development, forcing them to spend all their energy producing more fruit.
3. Temperature control
Hot temperatures are not ideal for growing tomatoes, but they can be a great way to relieve stress on the plants. When temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, tomato plants slow down their growth and begin producing fruit in large quantities.
With this in mind, be sure to protect your tomato plants from the hot sun to prevent them from wilting, using shade cloth or constructing structures that provide shade.
4. Trimming
Pruning helps your tomato plants direct their energy toward producing more fruit.
By removing the top layer of foliage and suckers, tomato plants will not only focus on producing more fruit, but will also allow for better air circulation, minimizing the risk of disease.
5. Intercropping
Growing other crops in tandem with tomatoes can help you produce more fruit.
It is said that tomatoes growing near strongly flavored herbs such as basil or mint actually trigger a stress response, causing the tomato plant to produce more fruit.
6. Trellis
Tomatoes need support to grow properly, so they are usually tied to a trellis.
By tying tomato plants to a trellis, you can create stress for them, which will lead to increased yields.
Encourage the tomato plant to grow tall, then bend the top of the plant so that it hangs down. This increases the production of flowers and fruits.
In conclusion, it should be noted that with the right approach to growing tomatoes, you can increase their yield and make them even more delicious.
By using a combination of these methods, such as limiting watering, pruning, and temperature control, you can get the most out of your tomato plants.
Remember to continue to care for your plants in a way that keeps them healthy, as too much stress can cause more harm than good. With a little experimentation and trial and error, you'll quickly become a master of stress tomato yields!
