Growing tomatoes is an enjoyable and satisfying endeavour, yielding flavourful and nutritious tomatoes that surpass store-bought options. Tomatoes thrive in full sunlight and are very simple to grow – providing a great way to show children where are food comes from.
From cherry to plum to beefsteak, there is a wide array of tomato varieties to choose from, each offering unique fruit shapes, tastes, and culinary possibilities.
Which Tomato is right for you?
Tomatoes are categorised into two main growing types: determinate (bush) and indeterminate (cordon). Bush types are typically grown in pots or hanging baskets. Meanwhile, cordon types are encouraged to grow tall and are held up by a cane or stake.
If you opt to cultivate cordon tomatoes, you will require a stake, like a bamboo or willow cane, to prop up the plant. Additionally, you will need to remove side-shoots to ensure the plant continues to fruit on a single central stem. This makes bush varieties great for beginners as they do not need to be staked nor their side shoots removed.
Bush varieties to consider:
- Red Alert
- Tumbling Tom (Red or Yellow)
- Cherry Falls
- Veranda Red
Cordon varieties to consider:
- Tigerella
- Gardener’s Delight
- Moneymaker
- Sungold AGM
- Ailsa Craig
- Shirley AGM
How to Grow Tomatoes from Seed
Tomatoes can be purchased as young plants from Greenfingers from late March, but if you are interested in trying out more unique varieties, it is not too late to grow tomatoes from seed.
Sowing can start in late January and continue until late April. Plant the seeds in trays or pots filled with moist peat-free compost, sprinkle with a thin layer of vermiculite or compost, and then water. Place the pots on a warm, bright windowsill or in a propagator. Once the seeds have sprouted, remove them from the propagator and keep the compost moist. Transfer the seedlings to 5cm pots with moist multi-purpose compost when they reach a height of about 2-3cm. Place the pots back on the windowsill or in a greenhouse and continue to repot as needed. Use soft string to support the stems by tying them to a stick if required.
Planting out your Tomatoes
After the last May frost, it is time to transfer your tomatoes outdoors. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot with enriched soil for planting in a border. Another option is to plant them in large 30cm pots or grow three plants in a growbag. If you don’t wish to plant your tomatoes outside, you could always keep them in large pots or growbags in a greenhouse. When in a greenhouse, consider planting tomatoes next to basil, as they thrive in similar conditions and could help save space. Water regularly and feed weekly with a high-potash fertiliser once the plants start to flower.
Growing Tomatoes in a Greenhouse
The main difference from growing tomatoes outside versus in the Greenhouse is that you get a longer growing season growing them in a Greenhouse. However, you’ll need to shade your plants from extreme heat, which could cause tough skins, blotchy ripening and, possibly even blossom-end rot. Some possible fixes for this issue is putting up blinds, use shade paint, or hang woven shading fabric in your Greenhouse windows.
Harvesting Tomatoes
Tomatoes are very straight forward to harvest. Wait for them to ripen on the plant first before picking as this greatly improves flavour. Depending on the variety they will be Red, Orange, Yellow or even a chocolate brown so check your variety on your label (there will usually be a picture) so you know when to harvest. It may also be worth removing any extra foliage on large plants so that the tomatoes get more sunlight, as this is what ripens them.