Let the ‘Ladies’ control the pests
Tomato plants are sensitive to all kind of pests like aphids, among others, which ladybugs like to feed on. You can buy live ladybugs in various quantities and release them into your garden and tomato plants. It is a perfect and very fun way of organically deterring pests. Your kids will love to release the ladybugs with you and watch them every day.
Water sufficiently and avoid cracking
On a warm summer day, tomatoes will consume approximately 1,5 liters of water. The best way to provide them with sufficient water and avoid cracks in the skin of a growing tomato is to stabilize the supply of water through a water drip feeder. These are available on the market for single use, with recycled plastic bottles or as irrigation lines, with multiple drippers to water several tomatoes and vegetables at the same time.
Pot them smartly!
It is important to put your tomato plant in a pot where it has sufficient soil and space to develop its roots. My preference for this, are the pots made of geo-textile, which are soft-sided. Aeration containers have the unique ability to air-prune and enhance a tomato plant’s root structure.
Companion planting
Another way to keep your tomato plants safe from pests and insects without using chemicals is companion planting. The best companion plants for a tomato plant are tagetes (marigolds), basil, oregano, parsley, alliums, petunias, onions or chives.
Take the ‘thieves’ out
When a tomato plant is growing, it needs nutrients and ‘juices’ straight to the flowers and tomatoes rather than in small green spring-offs, which develop themselves in the pits of the V-split of two mature branches. Pinch those little ‘thieves’ of nutrients out of the V-splits and throw them away.
