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oday, we’re diving into one of my favorite summer joys: growing juicy, delicious tomatoes!

After getting so many compliments on my tomato garden this year, I thought it was time to spill the (tomato) sauce and share the tricks that made all the difference!

🌱 Indeterminate vs. Determinate Tomatoes: What’s the Difference?

Let’s start with the basics. When you’re picking out tomato varieties, you’ll notice two types: determinate and indeterminate.

• Determinate tomatoes ripen all at once—great if you want a huge harvest for canning or sauce.

• Indeterminate tomatoes, on the other hand, produce fruit all season long, which means fresh tomatoes week after week. I personally love indeterminate because it keeps the garden exciting all summer!

✨ Epsom Salt = Happy Tomato Plants

This one is a game changer! Tomatoes love magnesium, and the easiest way to give them a dose is with Epsom salt.

• Mix a small spoonful into the hole when you plant your tomatoes.

• Then, every two weeks, sprinkle another teaspoon around the base of the plant.

You’ll be amazed at how strong and vibrant your plants become. Mine are thriving thanks to this simple addition!

🐝 Pollinate by Hand (Yes, Really!)

Those delicate yellow flowers on your tomato plants need pollination to turn into fruit. If your garden doesn’t attract many bees, don’t worry—you can step in!

Just gently tickle the yellow blossoms with your finger to simulate pollination. It’s a simple step that can boost your tomato yield big time.

✂️ End-of-Season Tip: Trim the Tops

As the growing season wraps up, your plant will keep growing upward… unless you cut off the tops.

Why? This redirects the plant’s energy to the tomatoes that are already forming, helping them ripen faster. Otherwise, you might end up with a jungle of green tomatoes that never turn red.

🦌 How to Keep Deer Away from Your Tomatoes

This year, we had an unexpected challenge—deer jumping the fence and munching on our plants! Luckily, we found scented deer repellent pods that kept them away. You hang them near your garden, and the scent deters deer without harming them or your plants.

It worked like a charm!

🌿 Final Thoughts

Growing tomatoes is part art, part science, and a whole lot of love. With these simple tips—from Epsom salt and hand-pollination to deer-proofing and end-of-season trimming—you’ll be on your way to a more fruitful harvest.

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