How To Grow Big Tomatoes

Every gardener dreams of harvesting huge, juicy tomatoes straight from the vine. Learning how to grow big tomatoes is the key to turning that dream into a reality. With the right techniques, you can encourage your plants to produce their largest, most impressive fruit. This guide walks you through the essential steps, from choosing seeds to harvest day.

Success starts long before you put a plant in the ground. It’s about understanding what tomato plants need to thrive. We’ll cover soil preparation, feeding, watering, and pruning. These simple practices make a massive difference in the size and quantity of your harvest.

This main section outlines the core principles. Follow these methods consistently, and you’ll be well on your way to a basket full of giants.

Start with the Right Foundation

You can’t build a skyscraper on sand, and you can’t grow giant tomatoes in poor soil. Everything begins with the ground beneath your plants.

Choose a Sunny Spot: Tomatoes need full sun—at least 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. More sun means more energy for growing big fruit.
Test and Amend Your Soil: Ideal soil is loamy, well-draining, and slightly acidic (pH 6.2-6.8). Add plenty of organic compost before planting. This improves texture and provides slow-release nutrients.
Warm the Soil: Tomatoes hate cold feet. Use black plastic mulch or landscape fabric a few weeks before planting to warm the soil. This gives roots a cozy environment to spread quickly.

Selecting Champions, Not Underdogs

Not all tomato varieties are created equal. If your goal is size, you must pick a type genetically predisposed to bigness.

Go for “Beefsteak” Types: Varieties like ‘Beefsteak’, ‘Brandywine’, ‘Mortgage Lifter’, and ‘Cherokee Purple’ are famous for their large fruit. Check the seed packet or plant tag for words like “large,” “beefsteak,” or “slicing.”
Avoid Cherry Tomatoes: While delicious, cherry and grape tomatoes are bred for quantity, not size. Stick with varieties known for big yields.
Consider Hybrids: Many hybrid tomatoes are bred for disease resistance and vigorous growth, which can support larger fruit. Heirlooms offer fantastic flavor but may be more susceptible to disease.

The Art of Planting Deep

How you plant your tomato seedling is crucial. Tomatoes have a unique ability to grow roots along their stems.

Dig a hole much deeper than the root ball. Aim for a depth that will allow you to bury two-thirds of the plant’s stem.
Pinch off the lower leaves from the stem, leaving only the top cluster.
Place the plant in the hole and bury the stripped stem section. New roots will form all along the buried stem, creating a massive, robust root system. This stronger foundation can support bigger top growth and fruit.

Feeding for Size

Growing giant fruit takes a lot of energy. Your plants need the right food at the right time.

At Planting: Mix a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer into the planting hole. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers at this stage, as they promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers and fruit.
During Flowering & Fruiting: Once flowers appear, switch to a fertilizer higher in phosphorus and potassium (the middle and last numbers on the fertilizer bag). These nutrients support bloom set and fruit development. A tomato-specific fertilizer is a good choice.
Feed Regularly: Follow the instructions on your fertilizer label. Container plants need feeding more often than in-ground plants, as nutrients leach out with watering.

Watering Wisely

Inconsistent watering is the number one cause of problems like blossom end rot and cracked fruit. Big tomatoes need a steady, reliable water supply.

Water Deeply and Infrequently: Soak the soil thoroughly, then let the top inch dry out before watering again. This encourages deep root growth.
Water at the Base: Avoid wetting the leaves. Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation to deliver water directly to the soil. This prevents fungal diseases.
Be Consistent: Fluctuations between drought and flood stress the plant and can cause fruit to split or develop poorly. Mulching heavily with straw or wood chips helps retain soil moisture and keeps it even.

Pruning and Supporting Your Plants

Left alone, tomato plants will put energy into growing lots of leaves and stems. We need to redirect that energy into the fruit.

Support is Non-Negotiable

Large fruit will weigh down and break branches. Provide strong support early.

Use tall, sturdy cages, heavy-duty stakes, or a trellis system.
Tie stems loosely to supports with soft cloth or garden twine as the plant grows.

Strategic Pruning

For indeterminate varieties (those that grow all season), pruning is key.

Remove “Suckers”: Suckers are the small shoots that grow in the “V” between the main stem and a branch. Pinch them off when they are small. This allows the plant to focus on the main growing stems and fruit.
Consider the “Main Stem” Method: For maximum fruit size, some gardeners grow the plant on a single main stem, removing all suckers. This directs all energy to a limited number of fruit clusters.
Trim Lower Leaves: As the plant grows, remove the lower leaves that touch the soil. This improves air circulation and prevents disease from splashing up from the ground.

Thinning for Giants

This is a hard step for many gardeners, but it’s essential for huge tomatoes. A plant can only ripen so many large fruit.

After fruit has set and is about the size of a marble, look at each cluster.
Choose the 3-4 healthiest, best-formed fruits in the cluster.
Using clean scissors, snip off the remaining smaller fruits. This sends all the sugars and energy from that stem into the remaining tomatoes, allowing them to grow much larger.

Keeping Plants Healthy

A sick plant can’t produce big fruit. Prevention is your best tool.

Rotate Crops: Don’t plant tomatoes in the same spot year after year. This helps prevent soil-borne diseases from building up.
Monitor for Pests: Check leaves regularly for hornworms, aphids, and other common pests. Hand-pick or use an organic insecticidal soap as needed.
Watch for Disease: Remove any yellowing or spotted leaves immediately to prevent the spread of fungus. Good air flow from proper spacing and pruning is vital.

Knowing When to Harvest

Your patience has paid off! Here’s how to know when your giant tomatoes are ready.

Color is the best indicator. The fruit should have turned fully from green to its final color (red, pink, yellow, etc.).
The tomato should feel firm but have a slight give when gently squeezed.
Harvest by gently twisting the fruit until it snaps off, or use pruners to cut the stem. Don’t pull on the vine.

FAQ: Your Big Tomato Questions Answered

What is the secret to growing large tomatoes?
The secret is combining the right variety with consistent deep watering, heavy feeding with phosphorus and potassium during fruiting, and the courage to thin fruit clusters. Strong roots and focused energy are key.

How can I make my tomatoes grow bigger and faster?
Ensure they have maximum sun, pre-warmed soil at planting, and consistent moisture. Using a liquid fertilizer high in potassium every 2-3 weeks once fruit sets can boost growth. Avoid over-watering, which can dilute flavor.

Why are my tomato plants huge but have no big fruit?
This is often caused by too much nitrogen in the soil, which promotes leafy growth. Switch to a bloom-boosting fertilizer. It could also be due to poor pollination—gently shaking the flower clusters at midday can help distribute pollen.

Is Epsom salt good for growing bigger tomatoes?
Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) can be beneficial if your soil is deficient in magnesium, which is rare. Symptoms include yellowing between leaf veins. If you suspect a deficiency, a soil test is better than randomly adding Epsom salt, which won’t help if magnesium isn’t the problem.

Should I remove leaves to grow bigger tomatoes?
Yes, but strategically. Removing some leaves, especially the lower ones and some in the center of the plant, improves air flow and sunlight penetration to the fruit. However, leaves are the plant’s energy factories, so don’t overdo it. Never remove more than a third of the foliage at once.

Growing trophy-sized tomatoes is incredibly rewarding. It requires a bit more attention than simply letting plants grow wild, but the results are worth it. Remember, start with a good variety, build strong roots, feed and water consistently, and don’t be afraid to prune and thin. Your efforts will be rewarded with a bountiful harvest of the biggest, most flavorful tomatoes you’ve ever grown. Get ready to enjoy those garden-fresh slices all season long.