Tomato cultivation: Tips for watering and harvesting

Effective tomato cultivation relies on precise watering and strategic harvesting to maximize both flavor and yield. To improve aroma, gardeners should water in the morning to allow plants and soil to dry before night, which helps prevent fungal growth. Watering should be directed at the soil rather than the leaves, and moisture levels should be checked by feeling the soil at a depth of three to five centimeters.

To increase yield and prevent fruit from bursting, gardeners can harvest tomatoes once they begin to change color from green to yellow, orange, or light red. Because tomatoes continue to ripen after being picked, allowing them to finish ripening in a paper bag can relieve the plant and potentially lead to a larger harvest. The Bayerische Gartenakademie notes that the ripening process can be accelerated using ethylene, such as by placing the fruit near a ripe apple or banana.