Tomatoes

Homegrown tomatoes taste so much better, and completely different, to shop bought ones. Growing your own also means that you can try different varieties that you wouldn’t be able to buy at the supermarket.

How to Grow Tomatoes

• You can buy young plants, or you can grow from seed. Buying young plants may work best if you only want to grow a few tomatoes and don’t want a whole packet of seeds. However, seeds will last for a couple of years or so, so you could sow some the following year, or even sow extra and give away to family or friends. I always grow from seed as I like to grow a lot and try different varieties.

• Tomatoes can be sown from February-April. I have found the best time to sow is the end of February or early March (I have sown as early as January which has been fine in some years but in others is too soon with the plants flowering before the temperatures are suitable for planting them out). Tomatoes can then be harvested from July-October. One year I think mine extended into November – it was a good tomato growing year and one without blight!

• Tomatoes need heat to grow. Sow seeds in small pots of peat free compost, watering the soil before sowing the seed – this encourages root growth down into the compost. Cover with a thin layer of compost (no need to water after topping with soil as the seeds can get too wet, causing rotting and disease). Place pots somewhere warm and sunny – a windowsill or propagator is ideal.

• When seedlings reach 2-3cm tall repot them into larger pots and return to their warm positions. Keep potting on when necessary.

• Tomatoes can be planted outside from May, after the last frost. Again, plant them in a sunny, sheltered spot (the wind can really damage a plant) into the ground, into 30cm pots, or grow in a greenhouse.

• Although tomato plants can be grown in special tomato bags, they also do well in pots. If you do grow in bags make sure the compost is peat free and organic if possible. I have taken to growing mine in the ground which means less watering during the summer as the plants are able to dig their roots deeper into the soil in search of the water. I also find this produces hardier plants as they are not ‘pampered’ and have to fend for themselves more.

• Last year, after planting my tomatoes in the ground, I watered them a couple of times whilst the plants were young and settling in. I then didn’t water them for the rest of the year. We did have rain within that time though so I may have had to water them if we hadn’t - judge according to weather and the conditions. If you are planting tomatoes in pots they will need to be watered, and regularly, as all of the plants nutrients and water are confined to the pot. Compost at the top of pots, more often than not, looks dry so to check whether your plants need water push your finger into the soil an inch or so. If it is dry beneath this point, the plants will need watering but if the soil is still damp, leave until required.

• When tomatoes are fruiting, they will be sweeter if watered less as their flavour is diluted down the more water they receive. If your plants show signs of wilting they may need some more water (although, this can also be a sign of over watering as the plants are not able to absorb enough nutrients). Plants do need to be watered evenly as irregular watering can cause blossom-end rot – black patches on the bases (see below).

Cordon and Bush Tomatoes

There are two main types of tomatoes – determinate (bush) and indeterminate (cordon).

Cordon tomatoes – Cordon varieties are usually trained to grow tall and are supported by a stake. Side shoots are pinched out as the plant grows. Side shoots form at right angles at the junction between the plant’s main stem and where the branches grow. Once four trusses (clusters) of flowers have formed, the growing tip of the plant can also be pinched to limit the height of growth.

Bush tomatoes – Bush tomatoes have a sprawling habit and can be left to grow as they wish (side shoots do not need to be pinched out). It can help to nip off leaves if fruits are growing beneath them as it enables more sunlight to reach the fruits for ripening.

Diseases

Blossom End Rot – This is caused by a lack of calcium (which can be gained through water) usually due to irregular watering. To prevent, make sure to water regularly when the plants require water (see above).

• This tends to happen more with tomatoes grown in pots/grow bags as plants are reliant on the pot for all of the nutrients. I have never had this happen when I have grown tomatoes in the ground, even when they haven’t been watered for weeks, as plants are able to send their roots deeper into the soil in search of water.

Whitefly – These are small white/yellow flies that feed on the underside of the tomato leaves, sucking out the sap. If they occur in great numbers, it can weaken the plant which can in turn make the plant more vulnerable to diseases and viruses.

• I have found planting herbs, such as basils and calendulas, alongside tomatoes helps to prevent/reduce the numbers of whitefly and increase the number of pollinating insects. The more variety of plants you grow in the garden, the healthier the plants and garden will be overall. I do not often have too much of a problem with whitefly on tomatoes, as the whitefly instead feast on a variety of other plants.

Blight - This is the same fungus that causes potato blight. It is spread by airborne spores and is worse when it is warm and wet. Tomatoes and leaves develop brown spots that can quickly spread and destroy a crop.

• Try to keep the plants dry – growing in a greenhouse works best for this although is not always possible (we don’t have a greenhouse so our tomato plants are all grown outside).

• When watering, try not to get the foliage wet, direct the water at the roots. Good ventilation also helps. Make sure to space plants so that air is able to circulate between them.

• Removing the lower leaves of the plants to increase air circulation can also help. I remove leaves beneath the lowest fruits throughout the season, drastically removing leaves later in the season, to create more ventilation between plants.

• Do not grow tomatoes near potatoes as this increases the risk of blight.

• Remove any blight affected fruits/foliage as soon as you spot it. Blight spores need a living host to survive so compost the foliage away from crops.

• Grow tomatoes in a different spot the following year as crop rotation always helps to reduce the chance of diseases.

• I had not had a problem with blight until a couple of years ago. Our plants were really affected with it last year, though I kept on top of it by removing affected leaves as soon as I saw them and managed not to lose too many plants or tomatoes. I did have to remove the plants earlier than in previous years, though preserved any green tomatoes that were left and was grateful as we had a good crop throughout the year.

Harvesting

• Leave tomatoes on the plant to ripen, as this gives the best flavour. If at the end of the season you need to remove some which are not completely ripe, they can be ripened on a sunny windowsill. Towards the end of the season, it helps to remove foliage to allow more light to reach the fruits and prevent grey mould fungus.

• Avoid storing tomatoes in the fridge as this changes their texture and their taste. Their taste is just not the same when they are stored in the fridge and when you have gone through all the effort of growing them, they should be eaten at their best. If you do store them in the fridge allow them to get to room temperature before eating. I store mine on the kitchen windowsill which is a bit dangerous as I end up munching on them throughout the day!

• If you have gluts you can freeze tomatoes in sauces, make pickles, jams, chutneys or add them to curries, stews, casseroles-there's a whole range of recipes you can try.

• Green tomatoes can also be used to make jams, chutneys and pickles. Last year I pickled lots of green tomatoes that were left at the end of the season, adding garlic and herbs with them. I think this is the best way to preserve green tomatoes, but then, I love anything pickled!

Varieties to Try

• Tigerella and Golden Sunrise were my favourite varieties I grew last year, both tasty with a nice sweetness and they look beautiful too.

• Sungold are a classic and delicious, sweet cherry tomato that are good for making tomato sauce – though mine never made it that far! They were abundant the year first year I grew them. I used them in so many recipes and made chutneys and sauces and used the green tomatoes to make green tomato jam/chutney. In my opinion, eating them warm from the plant is always best though.

• I do like a nice beefsteak tomato and Super Marmande always seem to grow to a good size and are very tasty. I can’t believe how many fruit the stems will hold, bending over with their weight but still supporting them!

• This year I am also trying Cherokee Purple tomatoes which I am quite excited about.

• Choose a variety that you enjoy eating. Whatever you grow they will taste amazing - sun warmed and picked fresh straight from the vine. You just can’t beat homegrown tomatoes - so much better than any bought from the supermarket!