How to Increase Tomato Yields: 10 Tips to Maximize Your Harvest

There’s nothing quite like the joy of seeing your tomato plants thrive, filled with ripe, juicy fruits you can pick and enjoy straight from the garden. But as any gardener will tell you, tomatoes can be a bit tricky. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you can end up with fewer tomatoes than expected. Many of us have been there, staring at a few scrawny tomatoes on tired vines, wondering what went wrong.

The good news? There are several strategies you can use to boost your tomato yield and enjoy a healthier, more abundant harvest. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this guide will help you better understand your plants and avoid common mistakes. From choosing the right varieties to managing pests, we’ll cover everything you need to keep your garden healthy and thriving all season long.

Understanding Tomato Plant Growth for Higher Yields

Tomatoes come in two basic growth types: determinate and indeterminate, and each type has a distinct growth pattern that directly impacts how you care for them.

Determinate Tomato Plants

Determinate varieties grow to a certain height, set all their fruit at once, and then stop growing. These types are often referred to as "bush tomatoes" because of their more compact size. They’re great if you’re looking for a large, concentrated harvest, especially if you're canning or preserving tomatoes all at once. However, once their main harvest is done, they won’t continue to grow or produce more fruit.

If you’re growing determinate tomatoes, you’ll need to be strategic with your care. Because they focus all their energy on producing a single, large batch of tomatoes, they benefit from good support and early fertilization.  The key here is to give them the best start possible because their production window is limited.

Indeterminate Tomato Plants

Indeterminate varieties are like the marathon runners of the tomato world. These plants continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the entire season until frost or disease stops them. If you want a continuous supply of tomatoes over a long period, indeterminate varieties are the way to go. They’re what many gardeners refer to when they talk about having fresh, homegrown tomatoes all summer long.

Because indeterminate tomatoes keep growing, they need consistent care throughout the season. Regular pruning is essential to keep them from turning into a tangled jungle of vines. Additionally, these plants need strong support, such as trellises or cages, to keep the vines and fruit off the ground and help reduce the risk of pests and diseases. And to further protect your plants, applying Lost Coast Plant Therapy can help prevent pest infestations and keep your tomatoes healthy and pest-free.

The Best Tomato Varieties for High Yield in Your Garden

While every gardener has their favorites, if you're aiming for high yields, some varieties outperform others in terms of how many tomatoes they produce per plant. Let’s dive into the types of tomatoes that not only give you an abundance of fruit but also fit into different gardening styles.

Celebrity Tomatoes

'Celebrity' tomatoes are a popular hybrid variety known for their heavy yields. If you’re looking for a reliable option that produces consistently large, round fruits, Celebrity is a fantastic choice. It’s a determinate type, so it’ll give you a large crop all at once, making it ideal for gardeners who want to harvest a lot of fruit in one go.

Roma Tomatoes

For those who love making sauces or preserving tomatoes, Roma is a must-have. This determinate variety is specifically bred for its thick, meaty flesh, making it ideal for canning and cooking. While Roma tomatoes won’t give you fresh tomatoes all season, the concentrated harvest they produce makes it easy to batch-process large quantities.

Cherry Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes are tiny, sweet tomatoes that often come from indeterminate plants, meaning they’ll continue to produce throughout the growing season. Varieties like Sweet 100 or Sungold are known for their prolific fruiting, sometimes producing hundreds of tomatoes per plant. Plus, they ripen early in the season, giving you the satisfaction of a harvest before larger varieties have even begun to blush.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Now, if you’re a fan of that classic tomato taste, you might be leaning toward heirloom varieties. It’s true that heirloom tomatoes, like Brandywine or Cherokee Purple, are known for their rich, complex flavors that simply blow most hybrid tomatoes out of the water. However, these varieties often come with a trade-off: smaller yields. Heirlooms are typically indeterminate, so they’ll keep producing throughout the season, but the plants are less vigorous, and the fruits can be more susceptible to diseases. Still, many gardeners swear by them for their unbeatable flavor, and honestly, there’s nothing like slicing into a homegrown heirloom tomato that you’ve babied all season!

Hybrid vs. Heirloom: Yield vs. Flavor

When choosing between hybrids and heirlooms, it really comes down to what you prioritize in your garden. If you want to maximize yield, hybrids like Celebrity or Roma will be your best bet. But if you’re growing for flavor, heirloom tomatoes may produce less fruit, but the taste can be well worth it. If you're a fan of tomatoes, consider planting a mix of both: hybrids for high yield and heirlooms for those special, homegrown flavors you just can’t find in a supermarket. 

Tip #1: Pruning Tomatoes for Maximum Yield

Pruning tomato plants is one of the most powerful ways to boost your tomato yield because when you prune correctly, you’re not just tidying up the plant, you’re actively directing its energy where it matters most: fruit production. Left unchecked, tomato plants can put a lot of their effort into growing extra leaves and stems, which might make the plant look lush but won’t necessarily lead to more or better tomatoes. 

When it comes to indeterminate varieties (which, as you might remember, continue to grow and produce throughout the season), pruning is absolutely essential. These plants can become wild and unruly without regular maintenance, and their energy can easily get sapped by unnecessary foliage. The first step to effective pruning is understanding suckers. Suckers are small shoots that grow in the joints where the leaves meet the stem. While they’re not harmful, they divert energy that could be going into fruit production. By removing suckers regularly, you allow the plant to put more effort into growing and ripening tomatoes.

To prune effectively, wait until your tomato plant is well-established, about 12 to 18 inches tall, and then start inspecting for suckers. You can easily pinch these off with your fingers when they’re small. As the plant grows, you’ll want to continue this process, always aiming to keep the plant’s energy focused on the main stem and its fruit. Another critical area to focus on is the lower leaves. Trimming the lower leaves, especially those touching the ground, improves airflow and reduces the risk of fungal infections like powdery mildew or blight. These diseases thrive in moist, stagnant environments, and by allowing more air to circulate around the base of the plant, you keep things dry and healthy.

Pruning also plays a big role in increasing sunlight exposure to the fruiting branches. Tomato plants, particularly indeterminate varieties, tend to grow tall and leafy. If left alone, the lower fruits may become shaded, slowing their ripening. By keeping the lower part of the plant clear of excess foliage and suckers, you ensure that light can penetrate deeper into the plant, helping the fruits ripen evenly and encouraging the plant to produce more flowers and fruit.

Tip #2: Improve Spacing and Support for Better Airflow

It’s tempting to fit as many plants as possible into your garden, but overcrowding can actually limit your tomato yield. Proper spacing ensures your plants don’t compete for light, water, and nutrients, and it also significantly reduces the risk of fungal infections.

For determinate varieties, which are typically more compact, spacing plants 18 to 24 inches apart works well. Indeterminate varieties, which grow taller and spread more, need 24 to 36 inches between plants to allow for good airflow and light penetration.

Supporting your plants is equally important. Indeterminate tomatoes, in particular, can grow tall, and as they bear fruit, the branches may become heavy and break. Using cages, stakes, or trellises keeps vines off the ground, improves air circulation around the plant, and helps prevent disease.

For outdoor growers, using a sturdy cage or tall stakes can keep the plants upright and ensure that the fruits are not resting on damp soil. When growing tomatoes indoors, especially in smaller spaces, consider using vertical trellises. These provide great support while maximizing the use of limited space. Indoor growing can be tricky because air circulation tends to be more limited, so spacing becomes even more crucial in preventing moisture buildup.

See our full guide on how to grow thriving plants in your indoor garden here.

A great hack for both indoor and outdoor tomato growing is to prune and train your plants to grow upwards. This saves space and encourages the plant to focus its energy on producing fruit. Indoors, using a fan to mimic outdoor breezes can also improve airflow, keeping plants dry and reducing the risk of fungal infections. Also, read best tips for growing tomatoes in pots here.

Tip #3: Watering Techniques to Increase Tomato Yield

Tomatoes are thirsty plants, and they need consistent, deep watering to thrive. However, too much or too little water can cause all sorts of problems. So, how do you strike the perfect balance?

First, it’s important to water deeply and consistently. Shallow watering only encourages surface roots, which aren’t effective at absorbing the nutrients and moisture that tomato plants need for robust growth and fruit production. Aim to water the soil around your tomato plants thoroughly, ensuring that the moisture reaches deep into the root zone. This encourages the roots to grow deeper, making the plant more drought-tolerant and capable of supporting larger fruit loads. A good rule of thumb is to give your plants about 1-2 inches of water per week, adjusting based on the weather and the needs of the plant.

Tomatoes don’t like sitting in waterlogged soil, and too much moisture can suffocate the roots and lead to diseases like root rot. It can also prevent the plant from absorbing key nutrients like calcium, which is critical for preventing blossom end rot. One of the best ways to maintain consistent moisture levels without overdoing it is to mulch around your tomato plants. Mulching not only helps retain moisture by reducing evaporation but also keeps the soil temperature steady, which is especially important during the hot summer months.

Tip #4: Fertilizing Tomatoes for Optimal Growth

Tip #5: The Importance of Soil Health for Healthy Plants

You can water and fertilize your tomato plants all you want, but if the soil isn’t healthy, they’ll struggle to thrive. Soil is the foundation of any successful garden, especially for tomatoes, which rely on nutrient-rich, well-structured soil for a strong yield. Healthy soil is free of pests, holds nutrients, encourages deep root development, and improves water retention.

To build strong, productive tomato plants, start with soil enriched with organic matter like compost. Compost naturally improves the soil structure, allowing water to penetrate deeper and preventing compaction, which can lead to root rot. Adding compost or well-rotted manure each year helps keep your soil healthy, supporting your plants throughout the growing season.

Beyond compost, another way to maintain soil health, increase the yield and protect your tomatoes from pests and diseases is by using our Natural Plant Protector as a soil drench. This powerful yet gentle solution not only controls harmful pests but also promotes soil health. Applying 1 oz of concentrate per gallon of water as a soil drench once a week can help prevent issues like root rot, mold, and mildew while supporting strong root growth. It’s an easy way to protect your tomatoes from the ground up, ensuring they stay healthy without stressing the plants.

Lastly, tomatoes prefer slightly acidic soil, between 6.0 and 6.8. and for those rotating their crops, remember that growing tomatoes in the same spot year after year depletes nutrients from the soil. Rotating with crops like legumes, which fix nitrogen in the soil, can help maintain nutrient balance.

Tip #6: Boosting Tomato Yield With Regular Harvesting

One of the most overlooked ways to boost your tomato yield is simply by picking your tomatoes regularly. When tomatoes are left on the vine for too long, the plant starts to slow down its production, thinking its job is done. But when you pick ripe tomatoes, the plant gets a signal to keep producing, resulting in more fruit throughout the growing season.

If you’re growing larger tomato varieties like beefsteak or heirloom, waiting until the fruit is fully ripe might lead to splitting or soft spots, especially if you’ve had a lot of rain. Picking them just before they’re fully ripe and allowing them to finish ripening indoors can save you from losing part of your harvest to cracking. A great trick for ripening green tomatoes is to place them in a paper bag with a ripe banana. The ethylene gas produced by the banana speeds up the ripening process, so your green tomatoes can turn red and juicy within a few days!

For cherry or smaller tomatoes, the best way to harvest is by gently twisting the fruit from the vine or using small scissors to clip the stem. Try not to tug at the fruit, as you might end up damaging the plant or knocking off nearby tomatoes that aren’t ready yet.

See our ultimate guide to harvesting vegetables here.

Tip #7: Managing Temperature and Sunlight 

Tomatoes thrive in temperatures between 65°F and 85°F, which creates ideal conditions for photosynthesis and fruit production. However, when temperatures drop below 50°F, growth slows, and fruit production can come to a complete halt. On the other hand, extreme heat can be equally damaging. Once temperatures exceed 90°F, tomato pollen becomes non-viable, preventing new fruit from setting. Existing fruits may also struggle to ripen properly, resulting in smaller, less juicy tomatoes. During prolonged heat, you might even experience blossom drop, where flowers fall off before they can develop into fruit.

To combat high temperatures, a simple yet effective method is to use shade cloth during the hottest parts of the day. This reduces the temperature around your plants by up to 10 degrees, giving them the relief they need without blocking out essential sunlight. Additionally, watering early in the morning or late in the evening helps the plants absorb moisture before the heat evaporates it, keeping both the soil and plants cooler.

During these early morning or late evening hours, it’s also a great time to apply our Natural Plant Protector. Spraying at these cooler times allows for better absorption and helps protect your plants from pests, mold, and mildew without the risk of burning the leaves in the intense midday heat. Be sure to saturate the entire plant, especially the undersides of leaves and stems, for maximum effectiveness. Avoid spraying when temperatures are above 80°F to ensure the best results.

Sunlight is equally vital for tomato growth. Your plants need 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day to produce fruit effectively. Without enough light, tomatoes become leggy and will produce fewer fruits, as the plant redirects energy into reaching for light rather than fruiting. Ensure your tomatoes are planted in the sunniest part of your garden. If you're growing indoors, position them near a bright, south-facing window or use grow lights that can mimic full sun exposure.

Tip #8: Knowing Signs of Common Tomato Pests and How to Control Them Naturally

As much as we love tomatoes, there are plenty of garden pests out there that love them just as much, if not more. The key to protecting your tomatoes is knowing how to spot early signs of trouble and having natural, safe methods in place to control these invaders.

Some of the most common garden pests you’ll encounter on your tomatoes include spider mites, aphids and whiteflies. The good news is that most of these pests leave telltale signs that they’ve arrived, so with a keen eye and regular inspections, you can catch them before they get out of hand.

Spider mites, for instance, are tiny, barely visible to the naked eye, but they leave behind distinctive webs on the underside of leaves. If you start seeing yellowing or stippling (tiny dots) on the leaves, followed by fine webbing, it’s time to act. Spider mites can quickly cause the plant’s leaves to turn brittle and drop off, weakening the plant and lowering its yield.

See our article on how to identify early signs of spider mites and control them effectively.

Aphids are another common tomato pest, and they tend to cluster on the new growth of the plant. You’ll notice curling or yellowing leaves, and sometimes a sticky residue (called honeydew) left behind. Aphids can multiply rapidly, and before you know it, they’ll have covered your plants.

Then there are whiteflies, which, like their name suggests, are tiny, white-winged insects that flutter around when the plant is disturbed. They feed on the sap of your tomato plants, weakening them over time and leading to poor growth and fruit production.

Powdery mildew is one of the most recognizable tomato diseases. It appears as a white, powdery substance on the leaves, often starting at the bottom of the plant and working its way up. If you notice this on your tomatoes, it’s important to act fast because powdery mildew can block sunlight from reaching the leaves, reducing the plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Over time, this weakens the plant and leads to smaller, less flavorful tomatoes.

See our guide on how to treat powdery mildew here. 

Another common disease is blight, which can be devastating if not managed early. Early blight causes dark, concentric rings on the leaves and can quickly spread throughout the plant, leading to defoliation. Late blight is even more aggressive and can destroy entire crops in a matter of days. It typically appears as dark, water-soaked spots on the leaves, stems, and fruit. Both types of blight thrive in wet, humid conditions, so managing moisture is key to prevention.

Then there’s leaf rust, which causes small, rust-colored spots on the undersides of the leaves. Over time, these spots grow and merge, causing the leaves to die and fall off. Like blight, leaf rust can severely reduce your plant’s ability to produce fruit if not controlled.

Tip #10: Apply Lost Coast Plant Therapy to Maximize Your Tomato Yields

Tomatoes are resilient plants, but pests and fungal infections can seriously impact your harvest. This is where our Natural Plant Protector can become an indispensable part of your gardening toolkit. By applying our natural, eco-friendly solution, you can prevent and control common pests and fungal infections without harming the environment or your plants, all while ensuring that your tomatoes remain vibrant and productive throughout the season.

See How it Works here. 

In addition to pest management, our Natural Plant Protector is also highly effective against fungal infections like powdery mildew. It works by altering the pH of the plant’s surface, making it inhospitable for fungal growth. Regular applications can help you manage plant diseases naturally while keeping your garden safe for pollinators and other beneficial creatures. By treating both pests and fungal issues, you’re ensuring your tomato plants can focus on growth and fruit production without the added stress.

To get the most out of our Natural Plant Protector, it’s essential to apply it correctly. Start by shaking the bottle well before mixing. For most applications, mix 1 ounce of concentrate with 1 gallon of water. Once mixed, give the solution a good stir and transfer it to a sprayer. The key to effective pest and disease control is thorough coverage. Be sure to saturate the entire plant, paying special attention to the undersides of the leaves where pests often hide. A common mistake is missing these critical areas, so spray liberally and make sure every part of the plant is coated. Remember, the smaller the pest or the earlier you catch the mildew, the faster our product works.

For best results, apply in the early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler and the sun is less intense. This allows the plant to absorb the treatment without it evaporating too quickly in the heat of the day. You can apply Lost Coast Plant Therapy weekly as part of your regular garden maintenance routine, or more frequently if dealing with a specific infestation or fungal issue. For severe infestations, you can boost the concentration slightly by 1 oz, or add a small amount of isopropyl alcohol (1 oz) to increase potency, but always test on a few plants first to see how they respond.

See the full instructions here, and try a free sample to discover how Lost Coast Plant Therapy can work wonders for your tomato garden.