Welcome Back! Coming back for more - I love it! [high five]
This is a continuation of the part 1: Grow & Tell w/ @grow-pro • How to Increase Your Tomato Yield Using Steemit • [part 1] • #growandtell
If part 1 didn't open your eyes to the possibility of Steemit offering ways to enhance your tomato yield, then allow me to knock those socks off your feet!
Stick with me through this and I will make it painless, I promise! This will be a media-rich and I will include some great resources for gardeners at the foot of this article. The goal is to get more people growing more food.
Part 2 will be more visual media to enhance the tips shared in Part 1
Let's get right to it!
YOU WILL BE GROWING BIGGER & BETTER THIS YEAR ON STEEMIT & IN THE GARDEN
The best part about Steemit gardening is that we are a network of knowledge. You can ask questions in the comments, add photos to get advice or diagnosis of plant issues, find resources on the web that others have already sifted and found - the possibilities go on. The point is that if you stick around here and engage with the gardening community, wonderful results come from it.
Not only can we meet fellow gardeners and homesteaders, trade advice and share knowledge but we can reward one another in the process. A few nice votes can earn you enough to fund your garden seeds and materials, sharing your passion can encourage more people to garden, and you can see positive results unfold before your eyes.
You might even find yourself getting a #curie nomination and a nice vote from 
Here are some visuals to enhance the tips shared in part 1
• Leave some leaves! Tomatoes like the shade provided by the foliage, so be sure to leave some. Trimming too much foliage increases sun scold and also reduces the energy intake. Leaves are photon-collectors, so think of them as solar panels AND with the utility of providing shade for the precious fruits. Nitrogen-rich soil creates big leaf, but be sure you are keeping Phosphorous and Potash levels a bit higher. Too much nitrogen will inhibit root growth and also reduce flowers (and yield) of the crop. You want a plant with large leaves, but prolific flowering as well. It's important to balance the nutrients in your soil if your soil has an imbalance. It's always wise to test soil pH and NPK values if you are comfortable with soil testing.
The leaf shown above is of an heirloom tomato called 'Brandywine (Pink)', Most often referred to as just Brandywine because the savvy tomato growers know that the original Brandywine tomato was pink and therefore the (pink) is redundant. This variety grows massive tomatoes and has a very thick stem. The average plant of this variety, last year, yielded about 40 lbs. of tomatoes in a season. The cover image is a Brandywine (average size: 1-3 lbs per tomato).
Here's a quick look at what Brandywine can do:
It's a strong, prolific producer in our garden. Massive tomatoes held by massive stems that can hold some serious weight and taking the abuse of the weather. This indeterminate variety produces long into late fall and has a harvest time of ~85-90 days. If you like large, flavorful beefsteak tomatoes then try the Brandywine. They will require a bit more care and attention due to the massive size of the tomatoes - which leads me to my next tip below!
• Support is Vital! Just like it is here on Steemit, it's equally vital to the plants that will be holding much more weight than an average tomato plant. The average for a single tomato plant yield in a home garden is about 10 pounds/4.5 kilos (from my own personal gathering of data). More experienced commercial growers can fetch 75-90 lbs (34-41 kilos) with intensive methods. You will need some serious support to hold that sort of weight and a typical tomato cage is not going to work. I have had them bend and fall over with the entire crop, so it is important to plan ahead.
Example of what happens without proper support:
Lesson Learned! I make custom cages that can hold the weight without worry
Using a mixture of tomato cages, concrete rebar, cattle fencing, and U-channel posts (like street signs), I am able to keep the weight under control. It requires some mighty strong materials to do it, so do not skimp out on the support. It really is vital.
My Double-Caging technique:
Two solid metal cages staked by 3 6ft pieces of rebar set into the ground. Works like a charm for the Beefsteak varieties and heavy yielders. I also use another technique I'd like to share.
A common practice called Espaliar
I use cattle fencing stacked two rows high (roughly 9 feet/2.74 meters high) and using soft velcro straps, connect the plant and train it to the singular plane of the fence. I had to get a ladder to prune and pick tomatoes last year (which is not a bad problem to have!) so I can say this method works well for vining varieties. Here you can also see the U-channel I mentioned, like what holds up a stop sign. They can hold some weight and handle the incredible wind we get here.
"The Wall" technique gives vining plants something to climb and also provides proper air circulation and shade
It offers a few benefits including support, air-flow, shade, and also allows easier pruning. With a traditional tomato cage, pruning the interior of the plant can be difficult and that is mostly where the problems start - because many times it does not get cared for properly since it is inaccessible or hard to get to. If you want to extend your growing season then a little TLC is required - make it easier on yourself using these methods.
You can see below a few more examples of this Esapliar technique and the materials I mentioned above, like the velcro straps which are soft on the inner side. They work great!
You can see another shot taken later in the season how wild it got:
This works best for varieties that produce smaller sized tomatoes. It is important to adjust the plant after it has been watered well. Bending dry plant stems will likely cause breaking and snapping - avoid bending the stems during times of drought.
The variety to the right is one named 'Money Maker' and produces small to medium sized tomatoes / roughly 4 oz. to 9oz. and was the first variety to flower last year for us. It's a fast and vigorous heirloom that stands up to its name. We really love this strain and find it does well with this training technique.
Notice that I try to prune the foliage up off the ground? That is something I mentioned in part 1!
Try various techniques and choose the one you are most happy with the results and best work for you.
There are many ways to grow and no single "best way", so experimenting is half the fun! Don't be shy when it comes to trying new techniques. Even the most experienced growers face challenges and error, so don't be afraid to make mistakes - we all do it. There is so much to learn and so much to still be discovered, so think of yourself as an early discoverer. Every variety is slightly different and you can have a lot of fun creating your own methods and practices that it's hard to get bored with gardening.
Grow and Explore!
• The energy being consumed can be directed where we want it by careful pruning. "Sucker" growth is a new growth, usually from a node of the plant, that will 'suck up' energy to try to establish itself. Pinching or pruning these off early will help channel energy to fruit production rather than making branches and foliage.
all quotes by made here on Steemit in a conversation with
It is important to note that once the plant begins to flower, only prune below the node of the first flower set. Allow the plant to establish 2 to 4 dominant leads / main stems and then prune lightly and only when necessary after the plant is in full flower and setting fruit. Also worth noting: Determinate (bushing) varieties do not require pruning and sometimes pruning can stunt the growth of determinates. Indeterminate (vining) varieties need to be 'controlled' in order to maximize the energy within the plant and maximize the yield. It is important to take note of which type of tomato you are growing (determinate/indeterminate) and prepare accordingly.
Pruning and Strength Training
I like to 'stress-train' my tomato plants by bending and pinching them carefully. This is a technique I will go into in a future post because it is a delicate process and one that will require some trial and error for those who've never attempted it. However, plants respond to their environment - we can use that to our advantage in our garden. If you wish to grow large beefsteak varieties then strength and plant vigor is vital to your success. You can see that the plant above (Brandywine Heirloom tomato) has large clusters of heavy fruit. This requires a plant that is healthy and prepared to hold that weight. As I mentioned above, support is vital, but also remember that pruning is equally important. If you have plenty of nutrients in the soil and great support - you need the plant to use that energy it is collecting the most efficient way you can. We can channel that energy where we need it - in fruit production - instead of making leaves and stem that we can't eat.
Get Those Suckers!
We have discussed "sucker growth" and how it absorbs energy that can be better utilized - we simply have to prune to encourage that. Plants naturally want to grow, as any garden will attest that weeds just love to live! A little help can increase the productivity in a big way. Pruning is one way to ensure your plant has its 'priorities' in order.
That one above is called Box Car Willie, one of my new favorite heirloom tomatoes. Great medium sized tomatoes and as you see can handle tremendous fruit production. A great indeterminate variety that can yield abundant and delicious fruits. Some varieties are not so good at supoorting themselves and the massive weight that they tend to produce. The Box Car Willie is certainly one that has it all.
Size matters
With large-size tomatoes, you'll want to limit the number of fruits growing at once so that each fruit can reach its potential. This can sometimes mean plucking off a few flowers on a cluster that is trying to make too many fruits on one branch. If it gets too heavy, the branch snaps, then all the fruits are a loss. It's better to reduce the stress on the plant during harvest, so taking a few slower developing blooms off won't hurt in the long run.
In case you missed part 1, here are some more friendly reminders:
A Few Secrets to Growing BIG, Delicious Tomatoes:
• Beefsteak varieties are great for size - Mortgage Lifter, Delicious, Brandywine, Pineapple are my favorites and not only grow large fruits but are top-notch flavor as well.
• Soil is key! Tomatoes are heavy feeders - I experiment with organic supplements and nutrients like kelp and micronutrients. Lots of Phosphorous and Potash!
• Bigger Roots = Bigger Fruits - tomatoes like to search deep into the soil for nutrients and they like to spread out their roots. I try to plant my plants when they are nearly 3 ft tall - planting about 24"-30" below the soil line. Burying the stem below soil will encourage root growth / more roots = more fruits.
• Support! Indeterminate varieties need something to lean or climb on. I use several techniques, but any kind of support is better than none. You will need to have something that can hold the weight of massive fruits. Most garden tomato cages can't hold 50 lb of tomatoes ;)
• Keep main stems/leader branches to a maximum of 3 or 4. Prune off sucker growth below the first set of flowers, being sure not to cut the branch below the new growth (it alters the hormones and can stunt growth cycle). I pluck off these growths to allow nutrients to flow to the fruits. If you want larger fruits, simply prune and leave the larger, fast growing ones. Too many flowers will make the plant struggle to uptake the nutrients provided.
• Stress training! Tapping and bending the seedlings, blowing a fan on them helps to strengthen the herd. I also use techniques where I bend or crush the inner herd and it essentially multiplies the channels for nutrient uptake. Think of it like expanding the lanes of a highway = wider road can have more lanes of cars. Same idea. This can take some experimenting and mistakes, so proceed with caution.
• Watering is key - later in the season I tend to water much less and I allow the plants to dry out a bit. I think the tomatoes have much more flavor during that time they are seeking water (instead of being fed it). Many growers also attest that this technique produces more flavor, but it depends on the variety.
source: my comment on steemit
It's all about roots!
This also goes hand-in-hand with soil - they must harmonize! In order to have great fruits - you must have great roots. And to have great roots - you must have great soil. The good news is that soil can be improved! There are many ways to garden and each of us has our own preferences and practices. I prefer to be dynamic and flexible so that I can identify mistakes I make and try alternative solutions. That means: I am learning and experimenting, too! I am not professing my practices to be the best and most accurate methods, but rather sharing the results of years of trial and error. I planted and cared for plants for nearly two decades, in a commercial and retail environment and now also on my own small-scale tomato farm.
Now Growing: The Dutchman • An Heirloom Tomato with a Good Story
The more we know, the more we grow
That all starts with sharing of information. Thanks to the wonderful support of the garden community, I am working on a few things that will enhance our experience (stay tuned for that!). We are a growing community and we have the advantage of being able to not only help one another progress in the garden, but also here on this platform. It is twice as rewarding to garden on Steemit and it is time we show the web what we mean!
Concluding Thoughts:
We are all growing together, so why not grow more like companion plants?
We make the overall experience here and many of you are really making it more enjoyable by engaging and sharing your knowledge. THANK YOU. The more we can connect and learn, the better off we will all be.
The reason I say the more you know, the more you grow is because it's true!
Furthering independence is promoting liberty and freedom
We have the power of the internet and the ability to share information in fractions of a second.
We have a platform here that can afford us even further incentive to earn, power up and continue to strengthen this Steemit community.
If you like what I am doing please let me know! It's my fuel to create. If you are interested in learning how to generate profit from your garden and get started generating an income from your yard - please check out my GROWING MONEY IN YOUR YARD SERIES
It's a Steem it exclusive series that is ongoing, currently about 1.5 hours of reading - it is extensive.
It's geared toward gardeners with an established garden and experience growing quality produce, however, I am calling for curators and authors to help write content to broaden that reach to newer individuals in the gardening community. If that sounds like something you might be interested in helping me do, feel free to join me in the Growing Money Discord.
PREVIOUS PARTS OF THIS SERIES:
🌱to💰- Growing Money In Your Yard Series - {Introduction & Synopsis}
🌱to💰• Growing Money In Your Yard Series • {pt1} • Learn the Laws, Plan & Prepare
🌱to💰- Growing Money In Your Yard Series Returns! Calling All Homesteaders & Green-Thumbs!
🌱to💰- Growing Money In Your Yard Series NOW HAS A DISCORD!!
🌱to💰- Growing Money In Your Yard Series • {part 4.1} • Setting Yourself Up to Grow Money
You can also find all previous parts of the series HERE which is in the "PUBLISHED" Room on Growing Money In Your Yard Discord
all media and content in this post in 100% original work of