How to make the most of tomato plants post-harvest: Eco‑savvy tips

Your tomato seedlings allow you to enjoy these vegetables without worrying about preservatives. But what should you do with the plants off-season? Don't throw away the cut stems! You can still do a lot of good with them.

Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables. To obtain abundant and healthy yields, it's worth knowing a few basic principles regarding their care. When autumn arrives and the tomato harvest ends, it’s important to know that the stems don’t necessarily have to end up in green waste bags. The remnants of the plants can be successfully used, in an eco-friendly spirit, for other purposes. This way, you won’t waste even a single leaf!

After gathering all the tomato crops, cut the remaining green parts into smaller pieces and add them to the compost bin. The vitamins and minerals contained in the seedlings will supplement the homemade fertiliser. However, it's important not to put diseased or infected plants into the compost bin—otherwise, the diseases might spread to the other components in the container.

Another use is to create mulch for other garden plants. Cut healthy tomato stems into small pieces and sprinkle them around the chosen seedlings. This will help maintain proper soil moisture and inhibit weed growth—such prepared mulch will mean spending far less time weeding flower beds or plots. Additionally, decomposing tomato mulch will give the soil nutrients that are beneficial to plants.

Always assess the condition of the stems and leaves to avoid transferring potato blight to other plants. What should you do with infected stems? The best option is to burn them immediately. This will kill the pests along with the infected seedling, preventing the blight from spreading to other flowers or shrubs.