Most gardeners who grow robust tomato plants with abundant, healthy fruit know the importance of mulching. Applying a layer of mulch around plants can keep the soil cool in summer and warmer in spring ...

Q: In your Aug. 16 column concerning tomatoes, you mentioned red plastic mulch. Is the mulch shredded or in sheets? If it's in sheets, how do you water the plants properly? A: Red plastic mulch for ...

To that part of me that sees my vegetable garden as a bastion of natural processes, plastic mulch has always seemed a synthetic intrusion. The scientifically curious and greedy parts of me, though, ...

Tomatoes remain one of the most universally popular crops to grow at home, but they are not without challenges. However, there is one easy thing you can do for your crops that offers many potential ...

Q: Do tomatoes need pruning? A: When we first plant our baby tomato plants outside, we will remove the bottom side shoots and dig a hole deep enough to cover several inches of the main stem. If you ...

Wondering which mulch won’t whither your wonderful tomatoes? WTOP Garden Editor Mike McGrath has answers for you. (Getty Images/ThinkStock) Anne in Falls Church, Virginia, writes: “My husband just ...

Q: I grew tomatoes last year, but my plants produced very little. Can you provide some tips on how to get tomato plants to produce in Redding? A: A good tomato harvest starts with growing strong, ...