Tomatoes are among the most popular crops in our gardens. Anyone who grows them knows that delicious tomatoes from their own harvest cannot be compared to those from the store. However, a rich harvest is not a given – it requires proper soil preparation and plant care. One of the secrets of experienced gardeners is adding certain ingredients directly to the planting hole. These simple steps can significantly enhance the growth, health and fertility of tomatoes.

Autumn soil preparation
The foundations for success are laid in the fall. Before winter, it is advisable to deeply harrow the bed and add phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, which improve future soil fertility. If the soil is acidic, add a little ground lime.

A very effective method is also to incorporate mature bird droppings mixed with superphosphate. This mixture acts as a reservoir of nutrients that are released gradually and will be available to the plants from the beginning of vegetation.

Spring nutrition for the start
In the spring, just before planting, it is advisable to enrich the soil with compost and wood ash. Compost improves the structure and airiness of the soil, while the ash supplies potassium, which is key for the formation of flowers and fruits.

You can leave mineral fertilizers until the flowering period and fruit setting – this way the plants will not be unnecessarily fertilized in the initial phase of growth.

What to put directly in the hole before planting
The day before planting, it is a good idea to prepare a special solution:

Add a few crystals of potassium permanganate and 10 g of baker’s yeast to 10 liters of water,
let it stand briefly and then pour about 200 ml of the solution into each hole.
This mixture works in two ways – it disinfects the soil and at the same time promotes the rooting of the seedlings.

Then add to each hole:

100 g of wood ash (a source of potassium),
or crushed eggshells, which will provide calcium and prevent flower rot.
Finally, cover the hole with good quality soil or compost and only then insert the seedling.

Care after planting
Approximately 10 days later, it is advisable to fertilize the tomatoes with diluted bird droppings (1 part manure to 15 parts water). You can sprinkle some ash around the roots – in addition to nutrition, it also protects against diseases.

A great natural remedy is onion peel. Make a decoction from it:

Pour 300 g of peels with boiling water,
let it steep for 10 hours,
then dilute 4 liters of the decoction in 20 liters of water.
Spray the plants with this liquid several times a season – you will strengthen them and also deter pests.

Watering and summer nutrition
Tomatoes need regular and abundant watering, preferably once a week, and more often in dry summers. To ripen the fruits faster, you can add a small amount of ammonia water to the water.

In June, a proven trick is to fertilize with a yeast solution – 50 g of yeast dissolved in 10 liters of water. Each plant receives about 1 liter of this mixture, which stimulates growth and promotes the formation of tasty fruits.

Summary
Successful tomato growing doesn’t start after planting, but when preparing the soil and the hole. Wood ash, compost, eggshells, onion peels or yeast – all of these are cheap, natural and extremely effective means that benefit tomatoes.

If you try these tips, next season you will not only have a rich but also a tasty harvest that no purchased tomatoes can replace. 🍅