For those looking to grow sweeter and larger tomatoes while keeping bugs and pests away, one TikTok user has a list of step-by-step instructions they say will accomplish just that.
The scoop
TikToker Farmer Dean (@farmerdean1) posted a video showcasing his hacks for growing the largest and most delicious tomatoes while also managing to ward off pests.
@farmerdean1 planting with companian pants
♬ original sound - Farmer Dean - Farmer Dean1
Featuring step-by-step instructions, Farmer Dean walked viewers through the process of repotting a tomato plant from a small pot to a larger one.
First, he advised digging a hole in the larger container and tossing around half a cup of eggshells into it before placing the tomato plant.
After that, he recommended a sprinkle of Epsom salts around the tomato plant, which, as he said, "that's for root growth, and that's for magnesium."
Then, he placed a couple of companion plants — basil and garlic — alongside the tomato plant.
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The final part of Farmer Dean's hack involved adding mulch to the top of the dirt in the container, then watering it thoroughly and applying a shot of fertilizer.
How it's helping
Home gardening offers many benefits, especially when you're growing your own food, like tomatoes.
Not only does growing food at home allow you to know exactly where your food is coming from and what was used on it, but it also allows you to save money you would have otherwise spent on produce at the grocery store.
This particular hack is beneficial because it promises to help grow sweeter and bigger tomatoes, meaning your homegrown produce will be much better tasting than what you'd find at the store.
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Not enough time ⏳ More than just saving time and money by growing your own food, though, gardening of any kind offers health benefits, both physical and mental.
One study found that those who garden tend to do more physical activity and eat more fiber, making them healthier than non-gardeners. Meanwhile, a 2020 study on community gardening found that gardening increases optimism and decreases stress.
Gardening and growing your own food benefits the environment, too. Growing your own food means the food isn't traveling far to your table, as opposed to grocery store produce, which often has to travel long distances to arrive at the store. This travel results in increased air pollution, making it more difficult to breathe and contributing to the release of heat-trapping gases that overheat our planet.
What everyone's saying
Plenty of other TikTok users chimed in with praise for Farmer Dean's hack and offered a few suggestions of their own.
"Thank you Farmer Dean!! Great tips here!" wrote a TikToker.
Another user shared their hack and said, "Cayenne peppers deter bugs and used coffee grounds also help them grow."
"The cutest old man giving the best advice," one TikTok user commented.
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