8 Ways to Make Tomato Plants Grow Faster

If you’re checking your tomato plants daily and wondering how to make them grow faster, let me share some insights. This article will delve into eight tips based on personal experience that help speed up tomato growth, ensuring a productive and lush garden.

From choosing the right varieties to optimizing watering techniques, discover what helps tomato plants thrive and how you can bring those juicy, ripe tomatoes to your table more quickly.

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8 Practical Tips to Make Your Tomato Plants Grow Faster:

1. Choose a Fast-Maturing Variety

We suggest you choose fast-maturing tomato varieties like ‘4th of July‘, which can offer ripe tomatoes as early as 49 days after transplanting. Always check the “days to maturity” on seed packets to select the fastest growers.

Opting for these quick growers is especially beneficial if you have a short growing season or simply wish to see results more rapidly.

Must Read: Tomato Plant Growth Timeline (with Pictures)

2. Optimize Sunlight and Temperature

Next, let’s understand how critical sunlight is: Tomato plants thrive with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. The right amount of light supports the photosynthesis process, crucial for growth and fruit production.

Also, keeping the temperature between 70-85 °F during the day and cooler at night (60-70 °F) promotes faster growth.

3. Follow the Right Watering Practices

Our advice for watering is consistent and proper hydration. Tomato plants benefit from deep watering, which encourages deeper root growth, making them more drought-resistant.

Aim for 1-2 inches of water per week, adjusting for weather conditions. It’s best to water early in the morning to reduce disease risks by allowing plants to dry before nightfall.

4. Check and Adjust Soil and Nutrition

Next, let’s talk about soil and nutrition. To promote healthy growth, ensure your soil is nutrient-rich and well-draining. Incorporate organic matter like compost to improve its structure and fertility.

Regularly testing the soil to adjust pH levels between 6.0 and 6.8 optimizes nutrient uptake. Remember, regular fertilization is crucial as tomatoes are heavy feeders; just be wary of too much nitrogen, which favors leaves over fruits.

5. Prune and Support the Tomato Plant

Our next tip is about pruning and supporting your plants. Pruning increases air circulation and sunlight exposure, essential for health and productivity.

Remove suckers and lower leaves to focus the plant’s energy on fruiting. Supporting plants with stakes, cages, or trellises prevents branches from breaking and improves overall plant health and yield.

Also Read: How Far Apart to Plant Tomatoes

6. Hold Off on Mulching

Wait to apply mulch until the soil has warmed up in the summer. Initially, keeping the soil bare around new transplants allows the sun to continue warming it, which is essential for speedy growth.

Use organic mulches like straw or grass clippings; they also add nutrients back into the soil as they decompose. However, avoid mulching too early as it can keep the soil too cool and slow plant growth.

7. Protect Young Tomato Plants

Disease management is key. To shield your young tomatoes from cool temperatures and wind, consider using structures like a Pop-Up Tomato Accelerator or plant them on the south side of your house to create a warmer microclimate.

Use preventive measures such as proper plant spacing, crop rotation, and maintaining clean garden tools to minimize disease risks. Keeping an eye out for signs of disease and managing them promptly is crucial to avoid impacting growth and yield.

8. Use Growth Enhancers

Finally, if you’re wondering which type of fertilizer helps tomato plants grow the fastest, consider using growth enhancers. Our advice is to try homemade or organic fertilizers that include ingredients like Epsom salt, bone meal, and composted manure. These can provide essential nutrients and encourage healthier growth and better fruit production.

How long do tomatoes take to grow?

Tomato growth duration varies by variety, but generally, tomatoes take about 70 to 90 days from planting to maturity for most varieties. Certain “early” varieties can mature faster, within about 50 to 60 days. For example:

Cherry Tomatoes: About 70 days to reach maturity.
Beefsteak Tomatoes: Typically about 73 days.
Brandywine Tomatoes: Around 90 days due to their large size.

These durations span from when the seedlings are first planted outdoors to when the fruits reach full ripeness.

How to make tomato plants grow faster in pots?

For faster growth in pots, ensure your tomato plants get at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily, use a high-quality potting mix, and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Regular feeding with a balanced fertilizer can also promote faster growth.

How to make tomato plants grow faster indoors?

To speed up the growth of tomatoes indoors, Provide 14-16 hours of artificial light daily using full-spectrum LED grow lights, maintain an indoor temperature between 65°F and 75°F, and feed with a water-soluble fertilizer every two weeks, but ensure it’s appropriate for indoor use to prevent salt buildup in the potting mix.

Use fans to simulate a gentle breeze which helps strengthen the plant stems and prevents fungal diseases. Regular watering is crucial, and choosing a faster-maturing variety can also help.

How to make tomato plants stronger?

Bury two-thirds of the plant stem when planting to encourage more root growth from the stem. Use stakes or cages to support the plant’s growth and help bear the weight of the fruit, which prevents the stems from breaking. Regularly prune the lower leaves and any suckers to improve air circulation and focus the plant’s energy on producing fewer, but larger, fruits.

Must Read: Fastest Growing Vegetables and Fruits

Conclusion

By choosing the right varieties and employing the techniques discussed, you can significantly speed up the growth of your tomato plants. Remember, the joy of gardening increases with the sharing of experiences.

We’d love to hear about your experiences with these methods. Please share your tomato growing story or any feedback on this article in the comment section below.

Sources:

1. Growing Vegetables: Tomatoes [fact sheet] - UNH Extension
2. Growing Tomatoes at Home | NC State Extension