A TikTok gardener sparked excitement online after sharing his hacks for keeping tomato plants alive through the winter and stretching the harvest season for as long as possible.
The scoop
Joe (@joesgarden) showed off his bounty of beautiful tomatoes and his greenhouse full of thriving plants, and he shared a few simple tips for creating your own tomato utopia.
@joesgarden Today we are back and I am showing you one of my favourite garden tips, to grow an almost endless supply of tomatoes all summer long, and it all starts with just a couple of cheap little tomato plants from the shops. Tomatoes have to be one of my favourite crops to grow, as not only are you spoilt for choice when you grow your own, but the flavour truly is one of summer times real treats. I love to add them to salads, make fresh pasta sauce, or even just enjoy straight from the vine. And believe it or not you really don't need much room to grow many tomatoes, due to their vertical growing ability. As few as four tomato plants will easily give you all you need for the summer, but as it's easy and free to propagate more, then why not? 🤣 Now it is worth noting this method is best used to grow vine or indeterminate tomato varieties rather than bush or determinate varieties. All you need to do is let a few side shoots develop, then once they are about 6 inches long, snip them off and pop them in some water. After a week or two, they will have roots and can be potted on, to make a free tomato plant. These plants will be genetically identical to the plant you took the cutting from, so it is ideal to use on your favourite varieties. As tomatoes have a long growing season, you should really aim to start taking cuttings in May or very early June, to have any realistic chance of getting fruits before it gets too cold. Having a greenhouse or polytunnel will extend this a touch. In the past I have successfully kept a few cuttings from my favourite varieties on a windowsill overwinter, which has not only preserved that variety, but has given me a head start the following spring. This overwintering is made a lot easier if you have a grow light. Thank you so much for watching, I love you all, Joe 😊🌱💚 #tomato #gardening #gardentips #zerowaste #harvest ♬ Little Things - Adrián Berenguer
The creator explained how to get an entire greenhouse full of plants "by starting with just a few of these cheap little plants from the shops."
Reminding viewers that tomato plant stems can develop their own roots, Joe demonstrated how to save money by growing entirely new plants from the stems of existing ones.
"All you need to do is let a few side shoots develop, then once they are about 6 inches long, snip them off and pop them in some water," he added in an accompanying written post. "After a week or two, they will have roots and can be potted on, to make a free tomato plant."
Additionally, Joe shared his hacks for keeping his favorite varieties of plants alive through winter and extending the harvest season for as long as possible.
"In the past I have successfully kept a few cuttings from my favorite varieties on a windowsill overwinter, which has not only preserved that variety, but has given me a head start the following spring," he explained.
In addition to having your young plants ready to grow as early in the season as possible, you can push the growing season further by using a greenhouse or polytunnel, Joe advised.
How it's helping
Growing your own fruits and vegetables saves money — and not just on groceries. It also saves the cost of getting you and your food to and from the store or having your food delivered.
Plus, home gardening is good for your health and the health of your family. This is because fruits and vegetables picked and eaten at maximum ripeness possess the highest nutritional value.
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I already have 🧑🌾 Once picked, foods rapidly lose nutrients, even if the fruits and vegetables remain stored at refrigerated temperatures. Fruits and vegetables grown in North America can spend up to five days in transit and three days on display before being purchased, according to Diane M. Barrett of the University of California, Davis.
According to Barrett, "Vitamin C losses in vegetables stored at 4°C [39° F] for seven days range from 15% for green peas to 77% for green beans."
Finally, growing your own food and cutting out food transportation can significantly reduce planet-warming pollution. According to the University of Michigan, 10% to 30% of household pollution can be attributed to food, but growing your own fruits and vegetables can reduce the environmental impact of your consumption habits.
As an added bonus, eating homegrown fruits and veggies also reduces single-use packaging.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers jumped into the comments to applaud Joe's ingenious, money-saving recommendations.
"I didn't know that," said one. "Thank you."
"Thanks for the tip," said another. "I love tomatoes!"
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