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Simple Trick to Double Your Tomato Harvest And Save Space

Written by Author Tracey Besemer Published on July 2, 2025

I don’t know what it is about tomatoes, but they bring out the competitive gardener in me.

When it comes to my tomato plants, I want earlier tomatoes, more tomatoes, bigger tomatoes and tastier tomatoes.

There isn’t another plant in my garden that makes me feel this way. And before you roll your eyes, you know I’m not alone in this strange tomato mania.

So, what would you say if I told you there was a super-easy trick that could double your tomato harvest this year?

No, you don’t need to plant more tomatoes, and the best part is it won’t take up any more space than you already have allotted for your ‘maters. The catch? This trick only works if you’re string-training your tomatoes using the single leader method.

Which, of course, as many of us have learned, is truly the best way to grow tomatoes.

String training or growing tomatoes vertically via a single leader frees up so much garden space, which is huge if you have a small garden. It also allows you to plant more tomato plants closer together in that freed-up space, meaning more fruit in a smaller footprint.

String training also reduces pest problems and makes pruning and harvesting easier. If you’ve never grown tomatoes up a string, you can learn how here. (It’s easy!)

But there’s a way to do this method and enjoy double the harvest, simply by letting a sucker go rogue.

Friends, let me introduce you to the double leader.

Now, before you start picturing your tomato plant recruiting for a running mate in its bid for public office, let me explain. The double leader method is simply a way of training your tomatoes to grow with two main vines instead of one.

It’s easy. You choose a healthy sucker and allow it to continue growing alongside the main stem, training it in the same way you would the central leader. The result? One plant, two leaders, and if all goes well, double the tomatoes.

When you’re growing indeterminate tomatoes (the ones that keep growing and producing all season long), this method can make a lot of sense, especially if you’re tight on space but still want an abundance of tomatoes.

So, how do you do it?

It all starts with choosing the right sucker. The one you want is usually just below the first flower cluster. That’s because this particular sucker is in a strong position on the plant and tends to be the most vigorous. Once you spot it, give it your blessing to grow.

You’ll train this second sucker (that’s just been promoted to Second Lead) just as you would the main stem. You can either add a second string if you’re using a vertical trellis system, making it into a V, or add a second stake if you’re using the classic method. No matter which method you choose, you’ll need to treat it just like the main stem from here on out—prune off its suckers, train it upward, and keep it supported.

But Tracey, I’ve already pinched that sucker off earlier this season.

That’s okay, you can still use this method. Instead, leave the sucker that’s currently below the lowest set of flowers or fruit and begin training it up the new string/pole.

You will note that I am using string to start training the sucker to grow toward the second pole. In about a week, I’ll be able to tie it off to that second pole and start training it up.

Okay, Tracey, this doesn’t seem like rocket science (it isn’t), so why would I go to all this extra work when the single leader method is already such a reliable go-to?

Um, because double the tomato harvest without all the work of planting more tomatoes!

Many greenhouses use the double leader method to increase production with a smaller footprint. (Note the V lines coming up from each tomato.)

But yes, it’s a fair question. The truth is, the double leader method isn’t for everyone or every tomato. But it can be a smart strategy in the right situation.

Well, for starters, it’s ideal for gardeners growing in tight quarters. If you’ve only got space for four tomato plants, training each of them to have two leaders effectively gives you the production power of eight.

That’s a serious tomato upgrade without needing more ground space.

Also, there are some varieties of indeterminate varieties that are hell bent on world domination. They put out a foot of new growth each time you turn your back. And that growing output means a single lead can easily be taller than you by mid-summer.

I’m looking at you, Sungold, Brandywine and Cherokee Purple.

Giving overzealous varieties a second leader lets you direct their energy into two outputs, which means you won’t need a stepladder to harvest tomatoes by August.

Now, let’s talk about those trade-offs. (Because there are always trade-offs.)

Growing a tomato plant with two leaders instead of one means you’re asking more of the root system. Remember, what’s above ground is supported by what’s below. And that means double the foliage and double the fruit.

This means you need to be more diligent about watering and feeding.

The plant will use more nutrients with two leads. Fertilize regularly with a balanced fertilizer, such as Espoma Garden-tone. And water deeply to ensure the plant always has slightly moist feet. (Not soggy.)

There’s also a bit more upkeep involved.

Two leads also means more tying, pruning, and a slightly wider plant overall. Watch your spacing between the two leaders to ensure your tomatoes still have good airflow. This is less of a worry growing this way than it is growing staked indeterminate tomatoes. Weekly pruning is the way to go.

I know I probably don’t need to mention this, but just in case there are newer gardeners among us. (Welcome!) This will not work with determinate varieties, the single or double lead method. Determinate tomatoes are preprogrammed to grow to a certain height and set all their fruit at once.

So, should you double-lead all your tomato plants? It’s up to you. To me, it’s an easy bonus that gives me more fruit without having to sacrifice garden space to more plants. If you’re unsure, give it a try with one or two tomato plants this season and see how you like it. After all, that’s part of the fun of gardening is experimentation and trying new methods.

You’ve Been Watering Tomatoes All Wrong!

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Tracey Besemer

Hey there, my name is Tracey. I’m the editor-in-chief here at Rural Sprout.

Many of our readers already know me from our popular Sunday newsletters. (You are signed up for our newsletters, right?) Each Sunday, I send a friendly missive from my neck of the woods in Pennsylvania. It’s a bit like sitting on the front porch with a friend, discussing our gardens over a cup of tea.

Originally from upstate NY, I’m now an honorary Pennsylvanian, having lived here for the past 18 years.

I grew up spending weekends on my dad’s off-the-grid homestead, where I spent much of my childhood roaming the woods and getting my hands dirty.

I learned how to do things most little kids haven’t done in over a century.

Whether it was pressing apples in the fall for homemade cider, trudging through the early spring snows of upstate NY to tap trees for maple syrup, or canning everything that grew in the garden in the summer - there were always new adventures with each season.

As an adult, I continue to draw on the skills I learned as a kid. I love my Wi-Fi and knowing pizza is only a phone call away. And I’m okay with never revisiting the adventure that is using an outhouse in the middle of January.

These days, I tend to be almost a homesteader.

I take an eclectic approach to homesteading, utilizing modern convenience where I want and choosing the rustic ways of my childhood as they suit me.

I’m a firm believer in self-sufficiency, no matter where you live, and the power and pride that comes from doing something for yourself.

I’ve always had a garden, even when the only space available was the roof of my apartment building. I’ve been knitting since age seven, and I spin and dye my own wool as well. If you can ferment it, it’s probably in my pantry or on my kitchen counter. And I can’t go more than a few days without a trip into the woods looking for mushrooms, edible plants, or the sound of the wind in the trees.

You can follow my personal (crazy) homesteading adventures on Almost a Homesteader and Instagram as @aahomesteader.

Peace, love, and dirt under your nails,

Tracey