Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gardening

How to grow better tomatoes: This TikTok tip will help your garden thrive

Grow stunning tomatoes with this simple trick

Cayla Leonard
By

There are tons of places across the internet you can go to for great gardening tips, and TikTok is quickly rising through the ranks. While not every video is a winner, we’ve found one we think you’ll love! The TikTok video below from GardeningSimplified explains how to grow tomatoes more easily through the use of companion planting. Not sure what companion planting is or how it works? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Tomato plant tips I’ve learned along the way #gardening #gardening101 #gardeningtips #gardeningtipsforbeginners #gardeninghacks #growingtomatoes

What is companion planting?

Companion planting is simply the technique of planting veggies and other plants near each other. Plants that have similar preferences for things such as water, sun, and soil type typically make good companion plants. Pairings, where one plant provides a benefit to the other, make exceptionally good partners. These benefits could include adding nutrients to the soil, providing shade, or even keeping pests away.

Tomatoes and basil
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What do these companion plants offer tomatoes?

The most common companion plant for tomatoes is basil. They taste great together, and strong-smelling herbs like basil are reported to keep pests away. Peppers and squash love the same conditions as tomatoes. Peppers are even in the same family as tomatoes (as are potatoes and eggplants).

Recommended Videos

The lettuce in this grouping serves as a type of living mulch. Lettuce shields the ground, slowing evaporation and helping keep the tomato plant’s roots warm and safe. In return, the tomatoes, peppers, squash, and basil shade the lettuce. As a cold-weather vegetable, lettuce can bolt quickly in warm weather. By growing it in the shade of the other plants, you can keep it from bolting and extend your growing season.

Cupped hands holding ripe and unripe cherry tomatoes
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Are there other companion plants for tomatoes?

If you’re not a fan of squash or peppers, you might wonder if you can swap them out for other plants. The good news is you can! Tomatoes grow well with many plants. Here are just a few.

Related

If basil doesn’t appeal to you, try planting borage, marigold, thyme, parsley, or chives. These grow nicely with your tomatoes, repel pests, and they’re delicious (yes, even the marigolds). You can also swap out squash for other cucurbits like cucumbers, zucchini, or small pumpkins. However, you should avoid some of the larger cucurbits like watermelons, as they can crowd your tomato plants.

Many root vegetables make great companion plants for tomatoes as well. You can plant carrots, radishes, and beets around the base of your tomatoes. Their leaves will give the soil many of the same benefits lettuce will, and their nutritional needs complement each other.

One plant family you should avoid planting with tomatoes is brassica. This includes cabbage, kale, and broccoli. They compete for the same nutrients, which leads to stunted growth and sick or weak plants.

Now that you know a little more about tomato companion planting, you’re ready to get out into your garden! Planning your garden with effective companion planting is easy, and the results speak for themselves. You’ll be thrilled when you see your thriving plants and abundant harvest.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard
Contributor
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Where is the avocado growing zone? Here’s where avocados grow best
Do you live in a region where you can grow delicious avocados?
Hand holding avocado on a tree

The avocado tree was first grown in Mexico and Central America. One of the first records of the plant dates back to writings from the Aztecs, who described the plant's creamy, green flesh and rich, buttery taste. Avocado seeds were even discovered buried deep inside Aztec cities along with other artifacts.

Today, the plant is enjoyed all around the world, but where exactly can it be grown? Long story short, the avocado growing zone consists of hot and humid climates, so don't try to plant one in Siberia. If you want to try harvesting your own delicious avocados, here is what you need to know about where they grow best.

Read more
How and when do bananas reproduce? We have answers to all your questions
Everything you need to know about how bananas grow
Banana tree with ripe fruit

Bananas are delicious, versatile, and full of nutrients our bodies need. They're enjoyed by both people and animals, and although they may not be the first fruit you think of when planning your garden, you can in fact grow them at home. If you’ve ever eaten a banana, though, you may have noticed that they don’t have seeds like an apple or orange.

You may be left wondering about how bananas reproduce. Do they have seeds at all, and can you use them to grow your own banana tree? If not, how do bananas reproduce? This guide to banana reproduction will answer all your questions, so you can get started growing your own banana tree.

Read more
Are avocados vegetables or fruits? We have your answers
The answer is more complicated than you think
Avocados growing on a tree

Avocados are delicious and versatile plants used for all sorts of things, from food to skin care. The question of the day isn’t how to use avocados, though. Instead, it’s what they are: Are avocados vegetables or fruits? We eat them on sandwiches and as sides, like vegetables, but they also grow on trees, like fruit. If you’re not sure of the answer, or aren’t sure why it matters, then you’re in the right place! We’ll give you a rundown on the difference between fruits and vegetables, what category avocados fall into, and why it should matter to you.

What's the difference between fruits and vegetables?
The distinction between fruits and vegetables actually comes down to a difference in botanical and culinary classifications. Fruits are a certain part of a plant, which means that no matter what plant you’re looking at, if it grows fruit, the fruit will form in the same place and way. Fruits are produced by a plant to carry its seeds, and they form at the base of the flower after it's been pollinated.

Read more