A gardening expert shared how you can give your tomato plants an extra boost to help them grow 'bigger and better' fruits in summer10:08, 21 Jul 2026Tomatoes are one of the most popular crops to grow from scratch in your garden, and right now, you should be starting to see the fruits begin to grow. However, you might find that your tomatoes need a boost, especially if they are staying green and not ripening.‌Gardening expert and TikTok creator Ish recently revealed some of his top tips for helping tomato plants flourish. So if your tomato plant is in need of a boost this summer season, there are a few factors you need to look at. In a recent video, Ish said: “If you’re starting to get loads of tomatoes on your plant, but they’re only staying green, there are a few things you might be doing wrong. But don’t worry, it’s really easy to fix.”‌Firstly, Ish advised gardeners to ensure their tomato plants receive plenty of water throughout the summer. He said: “You don’t want this to dry out, especially at this fruiting period, because it’s going to slow down the growth, and more importantly, it’s gonna force some of these tomatoes to crack, and no one wants that.”‌The gardening expert advised watering the crop every day, especially during the summer heat.When it comes to feeding tomatoes, for Ish, there’s only one type of feed, and that’s tomato feed. This feed ought to be applied every week to every two weeks throughout the summer months.‌Tomato feed is rich in essential nutrients, including potassium and phosphorus, which encourage the fruits to grow larger and more succulent. All you need is a capful mixed in with four to five litres of water in a watering can.Apply directly to the compost around the base of the plant to boost soil nutrients. Avoid applying to the plant’s foliage.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌Ish explained that you’d usually want to feed your plants every couple of weeks, but if your tomatoes are on the green side, you can get away with feeding them once a week. Tomato feed will help give the plant all the nutrients it needs to grow “bigger and better fruit”.To help the fruits ripen over time, you need to assess how much light the tomato plant is getting. Of course, light from the sun is essential for the plant’s survival, but it can help move your harvest along too.Ish recommended pinching off stems that may be “in the way” of other stems that have started to show signs of fruit growing. Removing excess stems will allow the light to get through to other parts of the plant, which will help prevent the crop from going mouldy, especially in humid weather.Article continues belowIsh said: “Thinning out also helps preserve the energy that’s wasted on this and puts it into the fruit, which is absolutely perfect for us.”Lastly, you’ll need to keep an eye out when the harvest season comes to an end. If your tomato crop still has a few big and small green, unripe fruits, don’t be afraid to remove some of the smaller fruits.This will also divert energy away from the smaller fruits and help the larger ones ripen.