June's guide to perfect tomatoes: Light, shade and feeding tips

I still remember the garden beds at my grandfather's plot. Although back then, along with the other visiting kids, I was more occupied with running between the rows of soil than admiring the noble crops, the sight of brick-red tomatoes already made an impression on me. Today, my grandmother, who gradually shares these secrets with her grandchildren, holds all the knowledge about growing vegetables. From this source, I know that June is a significant time in the tomato growing process.

June is the month when the soil in Canada experiences significant heat. Considering this, one must not forget about the tomatoes grown in the garden. What we do during this period will decide the future harvests. A few rules need to be followed so that at the end of July and into August, we can enjoy large, juicy, and beautiful tomatoes.

The first matter is light conditions. Remember that tomatoes cannot be excessively exposed to overheating. The leaves will let us know if too much light and high temperatures reach the vegetables. In such a situation, they begin to curl and become noticeably dry. This is a plea for help—for shade and watering—that must be heeded.

The second issue is that the tomato leaves may already take on a dark green colour by June, which should be a clear signal to stop using nitrogen fertilizers. Of course, this does not mean that our tomatoes will become self-sufficient. However, this is when it's worth using potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. Thanks to this change, our future crops will not crack.

You might be wondering what product contains the mentioned minerals. Well, a resource-rich in them is... wood ash. It contains large amounts of potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. We gain something else from this. Since wood ash has an alkaline reaction, it will deacidify the soil, which will positively affect the condition of the tomatoes.