Tomatoes are a favourite to grow in the home garden. Tomatoes love the warm weather and the plants are fast growing and fruits form and develop quickly once the conditions are favourable. Labour weekend is known as the traditional tomato planting time, but tomato seedlings are usually available from August

There are many varieties of tomatoes. There are different sizes from cherry tomatoes to large fruits such as Beefsteak or Oxheart. There are different colours, flavours, shapes and we can help to select the best varieties that suit your needs. Here are just a few of the favourites.

• Grosse Lisse is one of the best-known tomato plants. They are a tall growing variety that produce tasty crops of medium to large fruit that are full of flavour.
• Money Maker is a reliable tall growing variety. This is a heavy producer of smooth, medium sized flavoursome tomatoes.
• Mortgage Lifter is an old and proven variety that produces abundant crops of large sweet and flavour-filled tomatoes.
• Beefsteak is a very popular variety of tomato which produces very large, tasty tomatoes.
• Russian Red is particularly reliable in cooler conditions and produces heavy crops of good flavoured round fruits.
• Roma Acid Free tomatoes are full of flavour without the acid, and are an early-mid season variety with dark, red oblong shaped fruit.
• Golden Low Acid is another low acid tomato with large golden coloured tomatoes with a mild flavour.
• Oxheart is a very popular large fleshy tomatoes packed with flavour and very few seeds.
• Sweet 100 is a bushy tomato that produces an abundance of sweet and juicy cherry sized tomatoes that are perfect for salads and summer snacking.

Tomato plants are available in seedling punnets, cell packs or in single pots. These single pots are very popular as they allow a selection of different varieties to be made without ending up with too many plants.

Whichever variety you select, the fruits are all filled with nutrients, antioxidants and home-grown tomatoes are fresh, flavoursome and fun to grow.

Where to Grow

Tomatoes love plenty of light and require at least 4 hours of direct sun each day. A nice sunny garden bed with lots of air circulation is ideal. Plant tomato seedlings once the soil temperature reaches 15 degrees and the risk of frost has passed. Growing tomatoes in pots is very popular and gives the opportunity for an early start in a sheltered position before moving the potted plant out once conditions are right. Although most tomatoes will grow in a suitable size pot, shorter growing varieties such as Patio Prize and Dynamo are ideal without the need for tall stakes or trellis.

Prepare the Soil

If planting in garden beds, prepare the soil by digging through some quality garden compost and animal manure. To avoid problems, do not grow tomatoes in the same garden bed for two years running or in the same bed as potatoes.

If growing tomatoes in pots always use a premium quality potting mix with slow-release fertiliser added as well as water retention granules. There are some specialised potting mixes that are formulated for growing tomatoes, but a general premium quality mix will give great results.

The Need for Support

Other than a few smaller growing varieties and even some for hanging baskets, most tomatoes grow as a vine, so need to be supported as they grow. Many homemade structures are created but there are stakes, trellis and tomato cages that are much neater and easier. Bamboo or tea tree tepees are often used and can look very impressive – but whatever the method, ensure that the structure will hold a fully grown plant laden with fruit.

Planting your Tomato Seedlings

With the soil (or pots) prepared, the best plants for your needs selected, and the growing supports ready – it’s time to plant. Tomato seedlings can be planted a little deeper than they are in the seedling punnet or pot. Where the stem comes into contact with the soil, roots will form so burying the stem a little deeper will create a deeper and stronger root system.

Plant the young seedlings within or alongside the support structures and water in well with an organic plant tonic. Begin to fertilise the plants after about 2 weeks with a plant food high in potassium to encourage flower and fruit production. Too much nitrogen will result in massive plants with limited fruit. Ask us for the best advice.

Water

Keep the soil moist — neither dry nor wet. Water the ground and avoid wetting the foliage as this may cause some fungal problems.

Pests and Diseases

There are a few bugs to watch out for such as aphids and caterpillars. Safe sprays are available so ask us for the best advice.

Tomatoes grow quickly and generally a healthy well-fertilised and well-watered plant will not be prone to serious disease problems. If problems do occur, it is often best to discard the infected plant rather than risk the problem spreading to other plants.

Grow Your Own Tomatoes

Tomatoes are fun to grow. They grow quickly and supply an abundance of fresh, tasty, home-grown goodness that will delight the taste buds of the whole family.