The BIG TOMATO LIE: Why Tomato Plants REALLY Get Disease & Pests (And How To Stop It)

In this video, I explain the real reason why tomato plants get disease and pests and how to stop it! Most gardeners believe the best way to prevent tomato diseases and prevent insects on a tomato plant is to spray them with fungicides and pesticides, but if you're spraying tomato plants, you've already lost the war. Don't believe the big tomato lie! Do this instead!
How To Use Shade Cloth: • My SECRET WEAPON For G...
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I use the following products* were featured in this video or used for growing tomato plants:
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Jobe's Organic Vegetable Fertilizer (4lbs): amzn.to/45YHmh2
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Jack's All Purpose 20-20-20 (1.5lb): amzn.to/3MQ4I2A
Jack's Blossom Booster 10-30-20 (1.5lb): amzn.to/3KyPTzg
Jack's / JR Peters All Purpose 20-20-20 (25lb): amzn.to/44DUV58
Jack's Blossom Booster 10-30-20 (25lb): amzn.to/45FIuXh
Grow More All Purpose 20-20-20 (25 lb): amzn.to/44pSQK2
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
0:00 Introduction
1:24 Everyone Is Wrong About Growing Tomatoes
3:58 Wild Tomatoes VS Modern Tomatoes
5:58 The Real Reason Why Tomato Plants Get Sick
10:06 Stop Tomato Diseases Without Sprays
11:42 3 Secrets For Healthy Tomato Plants
12:10 When To Install Shade Cloth
13:03 Avoid Shade Planting Tomatoes
13:58 This Works For Nearly ALL Crops
14:41 Lessons Learned From Last Year
18:12 Adventures With Dale
If you have any questions about how to grow tomatoes without disease or pest problems, want to know about the things I grow in my raised bed vegetable garden and edible landscaping food forest, are looking for more gardening tips and tricks and garden hacks, have questions about vegetable gardening and organic gardening in general, or want to share some DIY and "how to" garden tips and gardening hacks of your own, please ask in the Comments below!
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EQUIPMENT I MOST OFTEN USE IN MY GARDEN*:
Miracle-Gro Soluble All Purpose Plant Food amzn.to/3qNPkXk
Miracle-Gro Soluble Bloom Booster Plant Food amzn.to/2GKYG0j
Miracle-Gro Soluble Tomato Plant Food amzn.to/2GDgJ8n
Jack's Fertilizer, 20-20-20, 25 lb. amzn.to/3CW6xCK
Southern Ag Liquid Copper Fungicide amzn.to/2HTCKRd
Southern Ag Natural Pyrethrin Concentrate amzn.to/2UHSNGE
Monterey Organic Spinosad Concentrate amzn.to/3qOU8f5
Safer Brand Caterpillar Killer (BT Concentrate) amzn.to/2SMXL8D
Cordless ULV Fogger Machine amzn.to/36e96Sl
Weed Barrier with UV Resistance amzn.to/3yp3MaJ
Organza Bags (Fig-size) amzn.to/3AyaMUz
Organza Bags (Tomato-size) amzn.to/36fy4Re
Injection Molded Nursery Pots amzn.to/3AucVAB
Heavy Duty Plant Grow Bags amzn.to/2UqvsgC
6.5 Inch Hand Pruner Pruning Shears amzn.to/3jHI1yL
Japanese Pruning Saw with Blade amzn.to/3wjpw6o
Double Tomato Hooks with Twine amzn.to/3Awptr9
String Trellis Tomato Support Clips amzn.to/3wiBjlB
Nylon Mason Line, 500FT amzn.to/3wd9cEo
Expandable Vinyl Garden Tape amzn.to/3jL7JCI
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ABOUT MY GARDEN
Location: Southeastern NC, Brunswick County (Wilmington area)
34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8B
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© The Millennial Gardener
#gardening #garden #gardeningtips #tomatoes #growingtomatoes

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you enjoyed this video, please “Like” and share to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching!😀TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 Introduction 1:24 Everyone Is Wrong About Growing Tomatoes 3:58 Wild Tomatoes VS Modern Tomatoes 5:58 The Real Reason Why Tomato Plants Get Sick 10:06 Stop Tomato Diseases Without Sprays 11:42 3 Secrets For Healthy Tomato Plants 12:10 When To Install Shade Cloth 13:03 Avoid Shade Planting Tomatoes 13:58 This Works For Nearly ALL Crops 14:41 Lessons Learned From Last Year 18:12 Adventures With Dale

[@donnabrooks1173]

This is so logical and informative. Thank you for making these videos. It is so nice to learn from other's experiences to know what to do and what to avoid. I also absolutely love seeing Dale as well. He is a true ham, so handsome.

[@rawhoney2199]

This was awesome thank you

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@donnabrooks1173 I'm glad I could help! Dale says hello

[@TheMillennialGardener]

@@rawhoney2199 you're welcome!

[@donnabrooks1173]

@@TheMillennialGardener Right back at him!!!!

[@JS-jl1yj]

I used to be jealous of your warm climate. Not anymore. I remove 50% of the tomato leaves, cucumber leaves and pole beans, to improve air circulation and to expose the fruit to pollinators and to the sun, so it would ripen before the frost comes. I grow strictly indeterminate tomatoes. Half of my veggies are grown vertically on a trellis, with other veggies in between. I also employ successive planting to minimize the loss of plants due to bad weather conditions, or infestation. This way, I extend the harvest season. I have never had to use sprays on my plants. The most annoying insects in my veggie garden are earwigs and slugs. They love to eat Romaine lettuce. I stopped growing Romaine and started growing other varieties of lettuces that are not bothered by insects. For example, red leaf lettuce and oak leaf lettuce. I also manage to get healthy Boston lettuce heads if I plant the seeds early enough in my cold frame. This way, they mature before the heat comes and before the earwigs reach adulthood.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I always say if you're jealous of my climate, you've never lived here. Too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer, too much rain, too many bugs. I can't really complain, because as a human, we get well over 300 usable days a year, and I'll take the climate here any day over where I used to live in NJ and PA. *But,* it is really tough to grow food here for the reasons mentioned above. It's a beautiful place for people, but a terrible place for most plants. Shade cloth has turned my NC summers into something manageable. It's really incredible how it's changed how my tomatoes respond.

[@helengabr5743]

Thanks for the great tips 👍

[@brandywineblue]

​@TheMillennialGardener but NJ is the garden state! Thanks again for all the tips. You have helped me a lot back home here.

[@EducatedSkeptic]

Can understand the slug issues .. we've quit growing lettuce altogether for precisely that reason. In a wet summer, you can walk up the driveway in the morning and there'll be 4-6 slugs PER SQUARE FOOT just on the exposed gravel!

[@noora7773]

@@EducatedSkeptic Is it possible to grow salads in structures the snails and slugs can't crawl into? I think of hanging baskets or tower planters with some unpassable slug traps underneath...

[@marvinbrock960]

That confirms what I’ve been observing the last couple seasons. I live in ARKANSAS, close to the Tennessee/Mississippi borders. Wicked hot and humid. I grow 15-18 indeterminates in a 4’-8’ grow bed. Rough 24” between rows and 12”-14” between plants.. they are tall and bushy by the time it’s gets blazing inJuly. I’ve observed that all the leaves and shading kept each other alive as compared to my in ground plants that are 30” apart and 32” between rows… just an observation.. the grow bed plants were still producing into Oct/Nov… the in ground were cooked by August/Sept Everyone around me said they’ll never make it due to over crowding… they have been amazing! Tons of fruit and most are large!

[@vickiewoodard3180]

Back in the day when our grandpas told us to grow them in full sun, the sun wasn’t this darn hot! Last year I grew my cherry tomatoes under a 60% shaded area. They are the only ones that lasted.

[@freedomliberty7611]

The sun is hotter now?

[@ragnar9886]

@@freedomliberty7611 Ya I am in Texas and I remember it was way hotter when I was younger. Have not seen hot weather like when I was a kid in years. But I suppose location means everything.

[@ragnar9886]

@@freedomliberty7611 Lmao unless you were trolling and ment the actual temperature of the sun’s surface. 😂

[@memph7610]

@@ragnar9886 Summers here aren't really warmer either. We still haven't seen anything near as hot as the 1936 heat wave in my area (Great Lakes). Winter has definitely gotten warmer, and spring and fall have gotten warmer too, but summer hasn't really changed. The exception is in the big cities where it's gotten warmer due to larger urban heat islands. Toronto summers are probably 4-5F warmer due to all the pavement. But in the surrounding countryside, it's basically the same.

[@lisasunray6449]

I live in the deep South and same heat as always. However, what has changed is the sky. Weather being man.ipulated with chem.trails. The s.k.y used to be beautiful🔵 90% during summer, and now 🌥️☁️😢

[@michelleslatton5862]

Lots of marygolds and basil work well for pests also companion planting helps

[@tomseiple3280]

This makes a lot of sense to me! Last year I had tomatoes in a full sun bed and also in a part sun bed. My full sun plants got massive, but ultimately got sick and died. My part sun beds yielded smaller plants, but they produced until mid fall. Ultimately, I actually got more fruit from my part shade plants.

[@ralphlewis539]

Outstanding explanation. And even without any secondary verification, this discussion screams out with obvious accuracy, given what all of us lifelong gardeners have observed. It's just that we never all put it together.

[@frankparis9408]

True. I live in Bulgaria, as soon as May comes, the sun starts killing everything. In the summer time, it is usual to see 55C or above at ground level, which is normal, but let's just imagine how difficult it is to survive it day after day for pretty fragile plants. Keeping tomatoes, peppers and aubergines in the shade is common practice here.

[@ashleys637]

Lemme tell you, you have saved us SO MUCH MONEY w/ your research. I live in Hampton Roads, VA and shade cloth has proven to be an outright necessity for our climates. I appreciate the primo gardening knowledge.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Glad to hear it is also successful north of me! It blew my mind last year. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

[@jociahsonranch]

I agree, he is my go to when it comes doing things naturally. I love his knowledge. People do too much with all these big farmer products.

[@marinadoyle7593]

Hi from Newport News!

[@ashleys637]

@marinadoyle7593 Hello back from south Suffolk!

[@larsgustavson3629]

hey from Yorktown, Va. Thank you @themillennialGardener for all your content. I will definitely being employing the shade tent this year.

[@davidbush6482]

Your exactly correct as I'm a 64 year old gardener and this dog did learn a new trick. Growing with shade cloth in southern alabama is a game changer. For the first time using shade cloth I was able to grow purple boy tomatoes til November without any major disease. Thank you for sharing this information with others as it's amazing using shade cloth. I use 40 % shade cloth.

[@jamistokes5333]

This definitely works! I'm in NJ and last year's sun was brutal! Everyone else's tomatoes were dropping flowers but mine weren't! And I definitely think it helps with pest and disease too.

[@cmchatton1680]

Fantastic video! You did crack the code! All these years, we have been abusing our tomatoes with full sun locations! Thanks for sharing your epiphany! John McHatton

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's true! But, planting in shade doesn't work well, either, in most places. This has been my solution. It blew my mind last year. I'd never grown such healthy tomatoes down here.

[@gailhonadle5182]

Zone 7, so high heat and little rain. This year the weather is crazy, 52 this morning, no rain till friday, when we go to 70, and maybe rain.

[@dawnteskey3259]

Our shadecloth here in Arizona has saved our tomatoes the last few years. We can get upwards of 115 in the hottest part of summer. Doing this has helped so much!

[@EducatedSkeptic]

115 tomatoes on how many plants? 🙂

[@dawnteskey3259]

@@EducatedSkeptic Sorry, I meant 115 degrees F. 😅

[@EducatedSkeptic]

@@dawnteskey3259 Oh, yeah. Too hot isn't good for most things! Happy gardening!

[@4cysmith]

❤But they taste so good when you grow them yourself

[@kermitfrog1650]

You are my favorite gardening channel !!!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you!! I really appreciate that.

[@AjArpopP52]

You are such a hard worker. It’s amazing all the great information you provide. I take notes on all your videos. I have learned so much from you. Thank you so much!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm so happy to know that my videos are helping you! It's a lot of work, but it's rewarding to know the videos are helping so many people/

[@kelseawade4737]

The form of pest control you described is called Integrated Pest Management (aka IPM). It’s an organic/sustainable practice used to strengthen crops immune system in order to make them more resistant to pests. I have a bachelors in wildlife sustainability and we were taught to use this practice, it’s very interesting to me that through experience and error you were able to come to your own conclusions and naturally integrated IPM into your system. Amazing work! I live in Texas and have struggled to find a gardening page that grows in hot temperate regions, looking forward to more of your videos!

[@jociahsonranch]

I did this last year, i used the 30% clothshade and i did not spray a single thing in my garden. Acrually when i was searching youtube about shade cloth in summer, your video is what gave me confidence that it's okay to donthis. My zucchinis and cucumbers were healthy, no disease, my tomatoes were great. Only mistake I did was i put the shade cloth on too early. I will have to watch the weather app. Thank you so much for your wisdomatic content 🙏

[@nicolelittle7218]

I live near Atlanta and share your humid woes regarding tomatoes. I moved from Wisconsin where my parents still live. Although I can brag because of my warmer climate, they always have tons more tomatoes than me. I bought a shade cloth end of last season because of your videos and am looking forward to competing with my parents who will get a better tomato harvest. P.s. I share your videos with everyone who loves gardening since our climates are so similar. Thank you!

[@anthonycoffee7683]

I totally agree about the shade cloth. They protect from driving rain, high winds and hail if you tie them down well enough.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Running a clothesline through the grommets ties them down really well. I show how to do it on the video I linked in the video description. It held it in place all season with minimal shifting.

[@dawnteskey3259]

We just had a freak storm come through here on Tuesday, it dropped 2" of rain and 2" of hail that ranged from pencil eraser size up to almost golf ball size. It was crazy. I must admit I'm glad we didn't have our shadecloth up yet. 😅

[@westdr1dw4]

This is gospel on tomatoe plants and sun. Shade cloth is indispensable in July/Aug. Once the temps hit 90+ the shade cloth is placed over them. Keep the netting open to allow air circulation. I normally use 1/2 PVC for support poles. Depending on your location you may have to move to 3/4 in PVC. I also use either cut rebar or yard spikes.

[@bziguy]

Wow, just wow! I have reflected for years on the Godfather’s backyard tomatoes under gauze cloth. This is Ohio and I know what I will have to do, as my tomatoes ALWAYS do exactly what you show in this video. I am going to try over head wires on 4x4’s as I have some. Several patio shade cloth applications are out there on KZbin using rings or snap locks on wires to install open and close over head shade cloth. Thank you a ton for this video.

[@KLFaber]

Wow, Okay! As a first year gardener, I planted 10 tomato plants last year in South Atlanta, and while the harvest was ho hum, my plants lasted until frost. So this year I am 'REVENGE' planting tomatoes so that I'lll have more tomatoes than I can handle. This means I'm planting 36 tomato plants (I tripled the size of my raised bed space). I saw that deal on Shade cloth that Dale clued me in on,, so I jumped on it and I am going to test it out this year. I think that growing tomatoes this year, might actually be a fair fight.

[@dross10001]

Good luck!

[@EducatedSkeptic]

From here in Maine ... I say OH MY GOODNESS! When we had the same reaction after a bad year, and planted TWELVE plants, we were harvesting by the WHEELBARROW load every two days! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!! We were giving tomatoes to anyone and everyone who would take them, and still put up scores of quart-jars of pasta sauce, tomato sauce, and cooked tomatoes, and something like two dozen pints of salsa!!!!

[@thall3827]

I'm trying the shade cloth this year as well! Last summer was AWFUL for everything.

[@ObsessiveAboutCats]

Shade cloth for the win. Good to see you're planning for hot weather - both for your plants and for your furry bestie.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It seems we go from "too cold" to "too hot" too soon. Since we can't have the climate we want, we'll modify it.

[@jenniferstafford1514]

I am going to do this, this year!! I am so tired of losing my tomatoes!! Thank you so so very much!!!!!!! Savannah, GA

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome! This will make an *enormous* difference in your climate.

[@cynthiathomas5754]

My Texas raised bed garden is under a tree. The tomatoes get AM sun and then spotty sun. People thought I was crazy.

[@janniemay4966]

I live in south eastern ky. My san marzento tomatoes love the sun as long as they get good air flow

[@DiannasHomestead]

Thanks for the tips 😊

[@Sunnylane02174]

Thanks for all you do!! I’ll probably try this in the summer!

[@Kit29]

Very educational video as usual! Thank you ! The shade cloth helped so much last year!👍

[@sylvia10101]

Thank you MG! Hi Dale💕

[@trekolli]

Great, Great, Great video...Thanks for sharing...

[@emilyliu1919]

Thanks so much for the info! It’s so helpful. I had a suspicion of this last year and your confirmation is so helpful. Thanks again!

[@fareebug8439]

👏👏👏👏👏🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 This is awesome. I can't wait to try!

[@jesswelsh9838]

Excellent video. Thank you for all your hard work researching this! You saved us all a bunch of headache. Happy growing💚🌻

[@michelleslatton5862]

I found a lot of plants don’t like the hot summer sun part shade is great

[@TrixieJFerguson]

I am in south-central Texas and it gets HOT here. It’s also insanely humid overnight and in the mornings and then desert dry in the extreme heat of the afternoons. I grow my tomatoes in morning sun and full shade after about 2 pm. They LOVE it. I can generally harvest tomatoes all summer regardless of the afternoon high temperatures simply due to the shade.

[@tammyohlsson7966]

Brilliant! Working on shade this year. SE Texas is brutal! Blessings and happy Easter!

[@CapitanFantasma1776]

Thanks so much!

[@derrickkissoon8891]

Thank you so much🙏

[@joannthompson2467]

Makes so much sense, going to use the shade cloth this season. Good stuff here.

[@cherylblancaster2373]

Thank you.

[@susanrand512]

Thank you so much.

[@unclebubbaknowseverything9143]

Definitely gonna try this in my garden this summer... Thanks for the info Boss... Galveston area here. Howdy from Texas 🤠

[@angelasmith2140]

I appreciate this it gets really hot here in Raeford NC will try this for my plants thanks for sharing

[@joyfulparadise]

This was incredibly educational. Like all your videos. The way you explain things is so easy to listen to. I always learn from your channel. Thank you.

[@kaybegley9566]

I bought shade cloth at the end of season last year with your advice. I can't wait to put it to test this year. I love your KZbin channel.

[@reneedrock2907]

Thank you again.

[@lesta.artist]

I’m so glad you verified my suspicions from last year! I’ve done a lot to fight what seems like blight and bug damage over the last few years. Last year I noticed that the tomato vines that grew up sapling trees near my compost bins did much better than the ones growing up cattle panels in full sun. Because of this, I allowed Sweet Annie to grow in the rows between the cattle panels. The tomatoes on the protected side on the Sweet Annie did better than on the southeastern side but still the leaves were a little too lacy so probably didn’t shade enough. I thought it might help if I supported with bamboo instead of hot metal so I’m going to change that but I’ll try the shade cloth, too, now. Thanks!

[@charlenejutras1595]

Very interesting!

[@tristadelaney2060]

I watched your video last year on shade growing tomatoes and I tried it. And it worked! I still have a tomatoe and eggplant alive from last year.And most of my tomatoes survived through the end of the summer.I'll try it again this year.

[@DingbadYoutube]

Good information. Will move my plants to the shadier spot. Thanks

[@magenta4443]

Phenominal info on this video! Thanks! I will love my partial shade raised garden plot more now.

[@kristenm7380]

Great research! Such good information.

[@user-mj8ml2vs5d]

The best gardening channel on KZbin

[@baileydubs]

I just moved to Utah last year so it will be my first summer gardening here. We don’t have high humidity, but the sun is super strong and hot in the summer. I’m so glad that the garden area in my backyard is right next to a tree because hopefully when it develops leaves, it’ll help shade the garden area a bit, I’m so glad to have learned this info!

[@Sendarya]

I accidently discovered this same thing. We had that massive heatwave in early June a couple of years back, and we built a canopy for the garden. We continued to use it through the summer, and got massive, gorgeous, healthy plants! It really does work, and it does prevent most pests, too. P.S, I sub a lot of garden channels, but you are by far my favorite!! Keep up the great work, and thank you!

[@MichaelBrownOki]

You are the man. Last year as you know it was burning hot here. My tomatos were unhappy and really did not get a good harvest. I had already bought the shade cloth and made the frame from pvc over one of my raised gardens. I normally grow tomatos in the big bags and will do so again this year. Will have to figure a way to attach to the fence. On OKI space is a premium. Thanks for this one!!

[@patrickmundy1966]

i live down the road a piece in Calabash and enjoy your videos! I used to be from NJ going on 8 years ago and I'm a Southerner in Training! Zone 8B here sure is different than NJ with different planting schedules. Your videos are very informative and I'll try the shade cloth trick this year. My potted tomatoes do better than the ones in the garden probably because they get afternoon shade.

[@runawayproductions]

As a fellow North Carolinian (just outside of Wilmington), you have REALLY helped our garden! Thank you for this and all your great videos!

[@sherryr5800]

I bought shade cloth last year, at the end of the season, and I look forward to trying it for the first time this year. I noticed how some of the blossoms just fell off from the heat last year here in NC.

[@powaqqatsi8]

Thank you for all the information, links, and deal alerts in regards to the shade cloth. Here in east Texas, the shade cloth has really extended the growing season and I plan on purchasing lots more since it worked so well last year and into the start of fall growing season. 😃👍

[@4eva37]

I could listen and learn from you all day.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm happy I can help!

[@Wellbaby94]

Last year at the end of July I ordered and implemented shade cloth after watching your video on the results you were having. During that time we were having temps of 100-110 here in Dallas. Using your shade cloth idea, even that late in the season, kept my tomatoes and peppers alive until frost. You can believe that shade cloth is ready to go up again much, much earlier this summer. My deck garden will look like it’s draped for Halloween, but it will still be alive! Best idea ever!

[@austinj3881]

If he plants them in pots, I wonder if he has ever tried cutting it way back and over wintering it inside. It would give you a jump on the next harvest. I do this with a handful of pepper plants each year.

[@alexandraguglielmo328]

Wow, I was captivated by this video! This sounds logical to me. I look forward to trying it in my pollen-sterilizing heat this summer. Thank you!

[@MP-js5ro]

So funny- I had the same epiphany! I’m growing my tomatoes on the screened porch this year in FL, hoping keeping them drier and without direct sunlight helps. I also just planted red and yellow Everglades tomatoes, apparently they are native to FL and indestructible 🤞 happy gardening!

[@romanticskeptc]

I'm here in Wilmington NC too and I've been worried that my patio only gets 5 hours of sun a day but now I'm thinking that's not so bad. I'm trying 6 different varieties and I'm hoping at least some of them will do well. You are the first person to give me any hope my patio won't kill my plants!

[@MaksharAcademy]

Amazing video as always. Thank you again.

[@albertnett7864]

Great video, shade is a factor for sure.

[@colinf2316]

I've given up on tomatoes in the Maryland climate, but I don't have a house and was growing them only in planters. Just got a house so excited to try growing them again with these tips.

[@user-ky6lz7uj3h]

You really make a lot of sense. Thank you very much. I will do that for my tomatoes this year.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's fun to figure this stuff out. I'm happy I can share the results with people and help them.

[@bizzybee852]

Wow! I live in rural Georgia, about 45 minutes from Augusta, GA. And I had almost given up on growing heirloom tomatoes because of the pests and diseases and so little yield for so much hard work. But I am definitely going to try your shade cloth method. I am also adding a couple of good hybrids to ensure I get a decent crop for all of my hard work, and to be able to preserve some tomatoes for food security with all the craziness going on in the U.S. these days.

[@moltabocca]

I took your advice, and planted my first tomatoes EVER under a 40% shade cloth. As an experiment, I kept one tomato section without the cloth. Same types of tomatoes, and all started from seed. OMG, you weren't kidding! The tomatoes under the cloth measure about 24" long now. The ones without the cloth are half the height. This def changes my garden layout for next year. I did a garden tour where you can see them on my channel. Thank you for sharing.

[@stripersniper1531]

Now I know why some of my plants didn’t get sick. They were the ones that recived morning to noon sun only and more shade as the season went on . Makes perfect sense! Thanks for another great informative video.

[@diannanoe9017]

I kept Pansies, Snapdragons and Violas alive all fall, winter, summer, fall, winter, spring so far in the intense Central Arkansas weather in concrete containers, just by watering, fertilizing and covering when needed. Will be growing Tomatoes in my shady backyard the using your advice, thank you!

[@shesatitagain234]

🙋🏻‍♀️ SEARCY AR here. Yep, it’s BRUTAL in the summer here (but we love it 🤪)!

[@joebills2237]

Makes sense. Thanks !

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome!

[@anastasiyav1045]

Wow. Will definitely try it this year. This looks so promising ! Thank you for sharing your garden wisdom ! This is my favorite gardening channel on youtube

[@SomewhatLazy]

It is nearly impossible to grow tomatoes in Florida b/c of the humidity, rain, pests and diseases. Not a whole lot you can do about it. I just don't grow tomatoes anymore.

[@robo3644]

I dont live in florida but i've heard the everglades tomato is a variety that grows wild there, extremely productive and with excellent flavour, i can't speak for myself but the everglades is mainly a floridian tomato you might want to check it out

[@glenncordova4027]

California and Florida are the biggest tomato growing states. They are field grown.

[@C3Voyage]

High humidity is hard to overcome especially if nighttime temps are high. They're pollination killers except for potentially some cherry tomatoes.

[@Ayo_Its_Mikey]

I'm from north Florida, but lived (and grew) in Wilmington and Leland for a dozen or so years. I'm back home now and the Everglades tomato has done well for me in both places. I probably won't be erecting a tomato tent, but I did learn a few things so I appreciate you for that. I think next year I'll be relocating some of my larger tomatoes to see if that helps. Thank you!

[@jasonmann5019]

Nice one Anthony, l believe you have hit the nail on the head. We have just came out of summer here in Melbourne Australia and l have purposely left some tomato plants growing. Many of the varieties took a huge hit to the sun with a large proportion of each plant dying back. Now we are in Autumn there is many plants showing new green growth. Whether they have enough energy to continue growing fruit before winter is another story. Shade cloth at 40% is going to be my next seasons plan for tomatoes. Great sharing and best wishes. Jason from Melbourne Australia.

[@sagecoach]

You just changed my mind about cutting down a well-maintained shade tree that impacts my small garden for a few hours in the heat of the day. I plan to keep it thinned and small producing partial shade.

[@kevinesterline622]

Great info i always heard full sun but my back yard has always been mostly shade. My plants in mostly shaded areas Have always done better. Thanks for the info.

[@ForGoodnesSake]

This is exactly what I'm going to do this year...I need to can some tomatoes. Thank you!

[@GreenThumbGardener65]

Great info! Thank you from NJ!❤

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome!

[@shirleysuchdolski6042]

Anthony, you are my hero! Thanks for this wonderful information!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! I'm glad I can help!

[@katiem9644]

I absolutely will do this when it gets hot. Great great video!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It will make an enormous difference!

[@michaelsudduth8174]

Incredibly important video. I live in a region of Northern California where we have several weeks of triple digit heat. My entire garden, most of which gets 12 hours of sunlight during the summer, is beneath a 50% filter shade cloth. And in some cases I add additional filters for the lateday scortching sunlight. I sell veggie plants and tell all my customers to invest in shade cloth. It's a game changer. Thanks for posting this video.

[@deecooper1567]

Nw high dry sandy desert of Nevada 🥵 I use shade cloth also. Makes a big difference. Thank you for sharing your experience 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

[@Shortpants1819]

Thank you so much. Just plated tomatoes in seed boxes today. Your information is invaluable.

[@Tile.man54]

Millennial Gardner love your KZbin info. What is the black mat you use under you grow buckets. Thanks

[@user-zn7ph2lp5b]

You are the best. Thank you for the detailed explanation.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You’re welcome!

[@cbak1819]

Great observations.. I will have to grow tomatoes in the shady side this year.. I seldom have issues until late summer.. but hey why nit just try.. thanks again👍🏼

[@melaniebirkholz2729]

Your videos are so wonderful. You are an excellent teacher. This year is my very first year setting up a garden. I am growing both determinate and indeterminate tomatoes. I live in Northern Maine, 5B. Do you think I will need shade cloth? I don't think we've had a 90 degree day to my memory.

[@DeniseLSessler]

I tossed some shade cloth over the tower frames of our tomatoes last summer after seeing what you were doing. The tomato plants looked so much happier! We are in middle TN and I was still getting tomatoes in August, though not as many as I had hoped from the slicer varieties. The cherry tomato did the best and survived the longest.

[@nguyengono3867]

That's a nice info , you got a subscribed from vietnam❤

[@nildaotero2933]

Thank you so much for sharing your great discovery. I have seen videos where they tell you to plant your tomatoes in full sun.

[@hillbillyhomestead1966]

Here in Florida i use shade cloths on my raised beds. I learned the hard way

[@doggiefamily908]

Great information! I'll be putting my shade cloths to use this summer in GA. Love Dale, fun idea for doggie ice cream.