Tomatoes 101

How to grow the best tomatoes ever!

Cluster of ripe red tomatoes on the vine, with green leaves in the background

Tomatoes are the crown jewel of the summer garden—sweet, sun-ripened, and worth every bit of fuss. But let’s be honest… they can also be a little dramatic. 🍅


If you’ve ever had tomatoes crack, stop setting fruit, or sulk in the heat, don’t give up! Here’s how to grow the best crop yet:


🌞 Water Consistently (But Not Too Much)

Tomatoes hate extremes. In containers? Water daily—keep the soil moist but not soggy.


🌿 Feed for Flavor

Once your first fruits reach golf ball size, side dress with a balanced fertilizer (3 TBSP per plant). Repeat every 3 weeks—this is like giving your tomatoes their favorite snack.


🍅 Harvest Like a Pro

Pick tomatoes as soon as they blush with a healthy pink glow. Let them ripen indoors (70–75°F) for perfect flavor. Pro tip: harvesting often keeps plants productive.


❄️ Beat the Fall Frost

Before the first killing frost, pick all green fruit. Wrap them individually in paper and store at 60°F—they’ll ripen gradually.


✨ Michelle’s Tip: Tomatoes don’t forgive neglect. A little love every week gives you that unforgettable burst of garden-fresh flavor.


📍 The Landscape Connection

4472 S. Mulford Rd. | Rockford, IL

(815) 874-8733 | www.TheLandscapeConnection.net

Colorful annual containers refreshed for more late-summer beauty in an August garden.
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden July 30, 2026
Refresh a tired August garden with simple tips for annuals, containers and fading plants while enjoying the second half of the Zone 5 season.
Fresh-cut garden bouquet beside flower care tips, snips and a watering pitcher.
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden July 30, 2026
Learn how to cut, condition and care for fresh flowers so garden bouquets stay beautiful longer, from harvest time to fresh vase water.
Fall garden plan with trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and cool-season vegetables.
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden July 30, 2026
Start planning what to plant this fall in Zone 5, including trees, shrubs, perennials, spring bulbs and cool-season vegetables.
Gardener takes notes in an August garden to plan fall color, fill empty spaces, choose future plants
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden July 30, 2026
Plan a better Zone 5 garden by evaluating August color, empty spaces, plant performance and companion needs before fall planting begins.
Late-summer Zone 5 garden filled with Black-eyed Susan, sedum, hydrangeas, hibiscus, purple blooms
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden July 30, 2026
Discover eight plants that bring dependable late-summer color to Zone 5 gardens, from Black-eyed Susan and sedum to hydrangeas and hibiscus.
Wilting garden plant being watered deeply during summer heat beside healthy flowers and landscape pl
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden June 30, 2026
Learn how to tell the difference between heat stress and drought stress, plus proper watering tips to keep your garden healthy all summer.
Gardener examining blooming blue, pink, and white hydrangeas in a sunny landscape garden.
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden June 30, 2026
Learn why your hydrangea isn't blooming, including pruning mistakes, old wood vs. new wood, winter damage, shade, and fertilizer tips.
Colorful summer perennial garden featuring coneflowers, salvia, Shasta daisies, yarrow, and black-ey
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden June 30, 2026
Discover which perennials rebloom and which bloom for weeks with simple care tips from Michelle at The Landscape Connection.
Fresh-picked vegetables, basil, and colorful cut flowers harvested from a thriving summer garden in
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden June 30, 2026
Harvest vegetables, herbs, and flowers the right way to encourage continuous production throughout summer with gardening tips from Michelle at The Landscape Connection.
Gardener deadheading colorful summer flowers to encourage healthy growth and blooms throughout July
By michelle.tlcgiftandgarden June 30, 2026
Keep your summer garden healthy and colorful with simple July maintenance tips from Michelle at The Landscape Connection, including deadheading, fertilizing, pruning, and weed control.
Show More