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Biggest & best tomatoes using fish heads, aspirin & water tubes

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You probably know by now that Tom is a gym teacher. So bigger is better. And this mantra even applies to tomatoes.
Tom wants the biggest tomatoes on the block. Nothing else will do.
I’m not sure who he thinks he’s competing with since very few people actually grow anything in our suburban neighborhood. Certainly not to the extent that we do! 
He’s a Pinterest man.
And he’s coming up with all sorts of ideas to implement.
One of which are these dang fish heads. Gross. I know.
But it’s an organic fertilizer and tomatoes are heavy feeders that need lots of fertilizer. 
He’s been reading about how fish heads (all leftover fish parts actually) paired with aspirin and a few other ammendments will grow the most stupendous tomatoes ever.
He also used some leftover PVC tubing from a drain project to make these unique watering tubes that feed our tomatoes using compost.
Combining these techniques will grow the biggest and best tomatoes possible. The techniques outlined here will work with all types of tomatoes. If you want to grow the sweetest and tastiest cherry tomatoes, you will find this post quite helpful! 

We hope you’re game and keep your sense of humor while following us!

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Prep for planting tomatoes using fish, aspirin & water tubes

Tom dug out a trench. But you could just dig humongous holes. The general idea is to use one PVC water tube per four tomato plants that will be staggered around each pole.
We are using three poles and twelve tomato plants for this plot measuring six feet across. Encouraging upward growth is vital to save garden space. Tom made these for me out of PVC! 
The tubes will have holes for proper drainage and will function much like a DIY drip irrigation system that waters underground instead of just the surface. 

For the rest of your garden, you may want to install drip irrigation. 

tomato trenches

Why you should plant tomatoes on their side.

Planting tomatoes on their sides is a good idea to encourage nutrient absorption.We pinched the yellowed leaves off the bottom half of the stem to increase the stem length as tomatoes need to get buried very deep.Now the stem portion that is buried will form roots, giving the plant the best foundation possible and allowing the plant a greater ability to absorb these nutrients and water.

Plus a larger root system near the soil surface will mean that more heat will be available to the plant, producing earlier tomatoes.

Place your plants on their sides for a day or two prior to planting so they naturally bend towards the sun.

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How-to use PVC tubes to water and fertilize your tomatoes

Tomatoes don’t like to get wet.I don’t like to get wet.But when I’m thirsty, I want a big drink of water to hydrate me. No need to get wet.

Tomatoes feel this way too. Their leaves and branches shudder at water touching them but their root systems are thirsty and desire to be quenched.

Enter PVC tubing!

After drilling holes into the PVC tubes for drainage purposes, you will bury these tubes into the ground and plant your tomatoes around them.

Water will be poured into the top. But first, compost is added directly into these tubes not only to slow the release of the water, but to feed the plants with compost tea.

As water is poured into these tubes, it absorbs these nutrients from the compost to feed your plants.

watering tube for tomatoes

PVC tubing is the new wave in drip irrigation, except unlike drip irrigation that waters only the surface, PVC tubing allows you to water directly to the base of the plant.

Insider tip: You don’t have to use 4-inch diameter tubes as we did, you could use 6 or 8-inch tubes. Then you wouldn’t have to water as frequently.

We redid our ditch and had leftover drain line. And Tom doesn’t let anything go to waste! 

watering tube for tomatoes

For the four plants that will be centered around this tube Tom drilled five holes into the pipe in a circular pattern at two different levels, one higher (just above ground level) and one in between the end cap and higher holes.So each plant gets ten holes each.You can adjust this number based on how big your holes are (Tom drilled with a 1/4″ drill bit) and how much water you want to leak out.

Obviously, the bigger the hole, the faster the water will seep out of the tube. 

end cap for tomato watering tube

Just like any pot, you want holes in the bottom of your end cap for proper drainage. Most plants don’t like just sitting in standing water and once your tomato roots get deep enough they will absorb this water as well.
tomato watering tubes in ground

We buried three tubes equally spaced in the trench that will each have four tomato plants scattered around them.Twelve plants in total will thrive in this trench.They are tightly packed so hopefully we will be able to encourage upward growth!

fish for tomatoes

Why use fish to grow bigger tomatoes?

Although tomatoes are fairly easy to grow, they are heavy feeders requiring lots of nutrients like phosphorus, calcium and to a lesser extent nitrogen.The more fertilizer love they get, the more flowers they produce and the more fruit you’ll get in the form of big, luscious tomatoes.
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Why fish? Fish has loads of nitrogen which encourages lots of leaf and branch growth making the plant flourish. Of course you don’t want too much nitrogen as that could result in large beefy plants with no flowers to form tomatoes.But fish parts seem to strike the perfect nitrogen balance as it also provides lots of minerals and vitamins, too.

Plus, tomatoes need lots of water. Adding tons of water depletes soil nutrients so we’re putting them back in using various amendments.

The various fish parts like the bones, heads and guts (sorry, this is grossing even me out) contain lots of these beneficial nutrients that decay fast for a quick boost of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium for your plants.

As the protein of the fish breaks down all these super nutrients are released into the soil directly to your plants supporting root and foliage growth.

Insider tip: If you freeze the fish before using, you won’t have to deal with any unpleasant smells! 

fish around watering tubes for tomatoes

We used two large fish per PVC tube.Tom and family are big into fishing as are his co-workers so getting fish was a breeze for us.But you could contact your local restaurant and ask what they do with their leftover fish parts. Most are happy to oblige after a few blank stares!

Why use crushed eggshells to grow bigger tomatoes?

Eggshells are loaded in calcium.Eggshells provide this boost of calcium to the soil to be soaked up by your plants as well as helping level off your soil pH.Eggshells do not break down well on their own so use your hands to crumble them first and spread around the tubes.

They also help fend off blossom-end rot in tomatoes and other nightshade fruits! Here’s another fantastic way to use eggshells. 

organic tomato fertilizer

Next, we added fertilizer as tomatoes love fertilizer. We ended up scattering a cup of Dr. Earth fertilizer (4-6-3) around each tube that is a safe fertilizer for both people and pets.
worm casting

Add a scoop of worm casings. Remember worm poop is gardener’s gold!

A scoop goes a long way to help make the biggest and best tomatoes.
blood meal as fertilizer for tomatoes

For just a little extra nitrogen, we added just a pinch of blood meal around each tube to get those plants to flourish.
They were quite leggy and weak by the time we actually got them planted! Besides, if too much nitrogen is added, I depend on the carbon in the leaves to balance things out.
bone meal

Double the amount of bone meal to blood meal. Bone meal is another excellent source of calcium.
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Why use aspirin to grow disease-free tomatoes?

Aspirin boosts the immune system of the tomato plants similar to how we would take zinc or echinacea to ward off a cold.Except the tomatoes are keeping leaf spot and blight at bay.The salicylic acid of aspirin mimics a hormone in tomato plants. The hormone naturally triggers a defense response in tomatoes.

So you are tricking your tomatoes into triggering a defense response by giving it aspirin before diseases arrive.

There are two basic ways to use aspirin

1.) Put them whole down your tubes (or place a few whole in your tomato/nightshade hole prior to planting)

​2.) Make an aspirin spray to squirt on your tomato plants 2-3 times monthly. We use 1 (325 mg.) aspirin per 1 gallon of water. {You will need to grind them up first for the spray}

End result:

Bigger yield due to stronger, thicker tomato leaves that are less susceptible to the spores of diseases.

Salicylic acid encourages plants into releasing their natural defenses against harmful fungi, bacteria and viruses. 

leaves for growing tomatoes

Leaves are packed with trace minerals.When added to your garden, leaves feed earthworms and beneficial microbes. They also lighten heavy soils and help sandy soils retain moisture.A fabulous source of carbon, leaves balance the nitrogen in the compost pile around your tubes.

We got lazy and dumped them in whole, but ideally they should be chopped first. The more rotten…the better!

We typically chop ours by riding them over with the lawn mower and then dumping them into the garden. 

covering watering tubes with topsoil

Your trenches or holes are dug deep enough so that you’ll be able to bury your ingredients before actually planting.You’ll want to add some topsoil to cover your amendments and then plant your tomatoes. The topsoil will also help stabilize those pipes prior to planting.
how-to prune tomatoes

We also pinched off the new shoots off the bottom half of the plant leaving only the topmost leaves to foster the best root growth possible.We want those roots to grow strong and deep first! Those lower leaves would have gotten buried sapping strength from the plant that now we’re forcing to the roots.Insider tip: Before dropping the plant into the hole, first gently loosen the root ball with your hands untangling a few roots if possible. This gets the plants acclimated and ready to grow quicker! 

filling tubes with water

After burying the tubes and placing those tomato plants deep it’s time to fill your tubes. We created our own compost with our green and brown waste in plastic compost bins.T
This first gets added directly into the tubes. Then pour water into the tubes. As the water funnels through the tubes and leaks into the holes, it absorbs much of the nutrients from this compost.Essentially, you are watering with compost tea! Are you ready to grow the biggest and best tomatoes ever?

The shots after the tomatoes get the royal treatment!

I only ended up taking “after” shots of my cherry tomatoes but the photo’s still highlight how lush, green and humongous the plants got.And those plants produced lots of big, bold and beautiful tomatoes for my family, neighbors and friends!
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Secret code: bat

Here’s how to make these awesome DIY PVC pipe trellises. Works like magic!
Are you ready to grow the biggest and best tomatoes?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Richard says

    hello. this such valuable info. one question can i use salt water fish or should i use fresh water fish heads. thanks

    Reply

    • Michael says

      Ummmmm, big delicious 🍅 I’m in. Thanks for the all inclusive tips. I look forward to getting started and harvesting my tomatoes.

      Reply

  12. Betsy Pauzauskie says

    You have the best tips ever in an easy to read & follow format! And, we have a wonderful neighbor and provider of fish heads! Thank you!

    Reply

  18. Lisa Kerr says

    What a great way to grow tomatoes!! I haven’t grown any in years. But I plan on having a garden next Summer:)

    Reply

  24. Diane Sabatini says

    Your garden is lovely and thanks for the tips. My Dad has a vegetable garden that takes up half the backyard too.

    Reply

  25. Candy says

    What a great idea. I live by a lake and love to go fishing and homegrown tomatoes so I will definitely be trying this in the spring.

    Reply

  27. tesa shelton says

    I actually just harvested 2 big buckets of tomatoes, and I’m in Central Texas. They just kept growing after the summer, and I threw some fertilizer on them when I was fertilizing my pumpkins!

    Reply

  28. Angela Simmons says

    It is way to late for us to plant tomatoes in Colorado.. I’ll have to remember aspirin for the spring.

    Reply

  33. Debbie Welchert says

    What a lot of great tips. I didn’t know about the aspirin. I can’t wait to try them out in the Spring.

    Reply

  48. Sarah Bridges says

    I’m going to try some of this next year! I’ve only grown cherry tomatoes so far, but want to try larger ones in 2021.

    Reply

  49. Tracey Barfield says

    Thanks for the tips, I do not know much about gardening other than the basic of getting potting soil and sticking it in the ground as well as watering so I do need these tips. I love fresh garden tomatoes, you can never get that taste from a grocery store tomatoe

    Reply

  52. Pat F says

    My husband loves to garden and each summer we have a large garden. He loves reading all the tips and advice that you share TY !

    Reply

  56. Sharon Rooney says

    When my Dad used to grow tomatoes I believe he used to use fish heads. His tomatoes were always big and delicious.

    Reply

  59. Connie says

    Seems likea lot to add to get bigger tomatos. But if you fish thats free. and lot of the other stuff. SSince I don’t really grow any more. I will share this with my son who does garden.

    Reply

  63. Sandra McFadden says

    I have always used fish and egg shells and asprin in my planting medium. Works wonders also use coffee grounds and water sometimes with left over coffee when I have some…….

    Reply

  64. Margareth Wlodarski says

    Since I moved to Florida all I do is feed aphids and horn worms nothing tomato like has grown a hard green marble rotted on vine once

    Reply

  68. Lisa Cress says

    I planted crushed egg shells with my tomatoes this year and when I went to the garden the next day, some critter had dug up the plants to get to the eggshells! Thanks!

    Reply

  69. Jana S says

    Thank you for the great ideas!!! I already trench and plant tomato on their sides but never thought to keep them on their side for a couple days before planting. the pvc is an awesome idea. I will be implementing these next season.

    Reply

  75. Gayle Watkins says

    I wish we had a spot to grow tomatoes. This is great info and I would like to try your tips. Not sure I could stomach the fish heads though!

    Reply

  77. Lisa says

    I never knew about planting tomatoes on their sides. That’s a great tip. I have heard about using fish parts. I always heard that was something Native Americans did. Aspirin is something I did not know was good for tomato plants, however.

    Reply

  80. Mary Alletto says

    I have been growing tomatos for 40 years and am excited to try a new fertilizer. Fish heads sound great. I do use organic compost and will try your ideas. Thanks.

    Reply

  85. Dale Steele Nicolov says

    Great ideas!i will share these with my husband.I know this may sound strange to some people but I had a friend who said he tried an experiment. He feed some of his tomatoes with urine because it is high in nitrogen. The tomatoes he did this with grew better than those untreated. I guess it is not that different than using manure.

    Reply

  89. Peggy Nunn says

    These are great tips and just in time. We have an early planting season in the South. Thank you for all the information.

    Reply

  96. Cheryl Larimer says

    Holy buckets that is a lot of great information! Some I have used (fish) and most I have not. I’ll be using these tips next spring when I plant my garden again. Thanks for the detailed info and pictures too!

    Reply

  98. Kimberly M says

    Wow I have to save this article for next year and my tomato garden. Thank you for the helpful hints to make my tomatoes the best.

    Reply

  102. Shannon Cherms says

    My honey loves his tomatoes! Heirloom tomatoes are his absolute favorite! Great information for his next grow!

    Reply

  103. Melton C McKinney says

    I use to have another brand of trash can like this and it never worked.
    This would be perfect for my apartment due to my limitations.

    Reply

  111. Michael Coovert says

    Tomatoes have to be my favorite summer produce. I eat all kinds in many different ways, but nothing beats just cold raw tomatoes.

    Reply

  112. K. Landers says

    Great tips! I have issues with squirrels and feral cats digging into my raised beds. I feel the added fish may make it worse.

    Reply

  114. Richard Dinwiddie, Jr. says

    Very thorough, I have never used all of these ideas at the same time, but never had great success either, I will give it a try!

    Reply

  116. Melinda Barlow says

    Love these ideas. Love the idea to lay plants on their sides for a couple of days. Going to implement these ideas next spring.

    Reply

  128. Laurie Nykaza says

    Thank you for these amazing tips to grow tomatoes that look so good. I didn’t know about doing the fish either. Will have to do the laying on there side and share this post with my family and friends so they can do it too.

    Reply

  135. Judy Rittenhouse says

    Thanks for these tomato growing techniques. I will definitely try the aspirin and fish head tips next tomato season!

    Reply

  139. LaDonna Dismuke says

    Thank you! I’ve learned more from this single page than I have learned in 15+ years of growing (or trying to grow) tomatoes. Thank you for all the info and all the great tips and tricks!

    Reply

  140. London says

    obviously like your web site but you need to check the spelling on quite a few of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling issues and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I’ll certainly come back again.

    Reply

    • Laura Sproull says

      Thanks for chiming in! I confess….I’m a one man….well woman team here. So I have no copy editor to go over my work. I’ll get there! Until then, I would be grateful if you could send a few examples of what you mean, I am always eager to fix my mistakes! As a former ELA teacher, I confess, it’s hardest to see your own mistakes. Much easier to see fresh writing that you haven’t read before. Once you’ve read a copy again and again….you fail to see the mistakes.

      Reply

  144. Bernie says

    Whomever discards the Walleye heads without removing the “fish cheeks” is throwing away one of the best parts. They are like scallops. Accumulate them, save them and make a batch, you won’t throw them away again.

    Reply

  145. Ina says

    I’ll immediately seize your rss feed as I can’t find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service.

    Do you have any? Please permit me recognize so that I could subscribe.
    Thanks.

    Reply

  146. Bruce W Howard says

    I save all my egg shells and after they are dry I powder them in the Kitchen aid. It absorbs quickly into the soil and the tomatoes and peppers love it.

    Reply

  152. Bruce Harper says

    Can you tell me how often you need to fill the water tubes? Also, you say 4 plants per tube, but the pictures of the tube looks like they are a lot closer? I have a 4×8 raised bed…and think 2 tubes should do well for 6 plants? Maybe I could do 8 plants….I didn’t want to crowd them

    Thanks,
    Bruce

    Reply

    • Laura Sproull says

      Definitely, don’t overcrowd, I think either 6-8 plants would work fine. But it does depend on variety. Huge beefy plants maybe 6, but smaller varieties 8. They do grow up the tubes as well. Make sure you stake them, too to allow for upward growth. I fill my tubes about once a week, but it depends on how much rainfall you get.

      Reply

  157. Sandy Weinstein says

    I have never seen dead fish put in the soil. I have use fish additives. I like the PVC pipe idea, very inexpensive and easy to do.

    Reply

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“And he who waters will be watered himself.”
• Proverbs 11:25 •