Hey everyone! I'm a relatively new gardener from southern Mississippi, with only a couple of years under my belt. I've had decent luck with cucumbers and basil, but I'm really struggling with tomatoes! I have two Beefmaster plants, both around four feet tall, growing in five-gallon buckets, and I've been using a Florida weave support system while keeping the suckers and lower leaves trimmed. Currently, I only have three green tomatoes that haven't grown at all. Any advice on how to get these plants to produce?
2 Answers
I have to disagree with the first answer a little! Actually, if you want those big tomatoes, they need consistent care. Make sure you're fertilizing them every two weeks and giving them enough support. Last year, my heirloom tomatoes shot up to seven feet tall, and I got about 30-40 large fruits from each plant! The secret is also finding a good spot with enough sunlight and water. Don't lose hope; keep it up!
It sounds like you're doing a lot right! From my experience, smaller tomatoes can be more reliable for producing lots of fruit, while larger varieties like Beefmaster can struggle in the heat. In Florida, I typically get around six big tomatoes per plant before they start rotting in the summer heat. If you're aiming for big tomatoes, maybe consider adding a few more plants to increase your overall yield. Cherry tomatoes tend to thrive in hot weather and produce abundantly, so that might be an option too!