Tomatoes are a must for delicious salads and should not be missing from any permaculture garden. Below you will find out how you can best integrate tomatoes into your permaculture garden and achieve maximum yield.
How to grow tomatoes in a permaculture garden?
To successfully grow tomatoes in a permaculture garden, it is best to plant native wild tomato varieties in a sunny, nutrient-rich location. Pay attention to good plant neighbors such as bush beans and strawberries and avoid pinching them out.
What you need to know about tomatoes
Not all tomatoes are the same. There are probably over 35,000 different types of tomatoes worldwide! The colors of the fruits vary from dark red to orange and yellow to green. There are even slightly purple tomatoes. In the spirit of permaculture, you should plant as old, “rustic” tomato varieties as possible in your permaculture garden - they should of course be native, wild tomatoes are best and the more colorful the better, for the eyes and stomach. We have collected the most beautiful wild tomato varieties for you in this article. The tomato is a nightshade plant and the fruits contain toxic solanine when unripe. Therefore, only harvest and eat ripe tomatoes.
The best location for tomatoes in the permaculture garden
The fact that tomatoes are a nightshade does not mean that they thrive better in the dark, on the contrary: tomatoes need a lot of sun to develop. They are also heavy eaters and therefore need a lot of nutrients. Since they love warmth, they are often grown on raised beds, hill beds or in a greenhouse or polytunnel. If you grow tomatoes on the cold frame, you will be able to harvest sooner!Most tomato varieties are climbing and therefore definitely need a climbing aid, otherwise the fragile branches can break off. Since the tomato cannot hold on alone, it must be tied down.
Good and bad plant neighbors for tomatoes
Permaculture relies on mixed cultures. Sensible mixed cultures not only ensure a colorful variety of plants, but – when used correctly – they also protect the plants from pests and ensure an optimal supply of nutrients. You can find out more about mixed cultures in permaculture here. Good neighbors for tomatoes:
- Bush beans
- Strawberries
- garlic
- cabbage
- Kohlrabi
- Peppers
- parsley
- Salad
- Spinach
- Zucchini
You should not plant next to the tomato:
- Peas
- Fennel
- Cucumbers
- Potatoes
Are you maximizing tomatoes or not?
Permaculture promotes natural diversity and growth while achieving maximum yield. Permaculture also seeks to automate the processes so that as little work as possible is required. Austerity is complex and is controversially discussed. You should therefore avoid this in a permaculture garden. There are even some varieties of wild tomatoes and bush tomatoes where pinching is completely unnecessary anyway.
