There’s nothing more magical than eating fresh produce straight from the plant. The mouth-watering taste of freshly harvested tomatoes is unbeatable. Not to mention it’s one less item to add to your shopping list if you grow your own. It's easy to see why many of us have them as part of our allotments.
Below, Kate Turner, Gardening-Guru at Miracle-Gro explains everything you need to know about how to grow tomatoes.
Before planning on growing, it’s worth noting that there are several different types: salad tomatoes (the round, red, average-sized tomato you’ll see in supermarkets), small and sweet cherry tomatoes, oval plum tomatoes with few seeds (ideal for cooking), and large, juicy, flavoursome beefsteak tomatoes. There are two types of tomato plant - vine and bush.
Bush tomatoes are easier to grow, because vine tomatoes grow upright so they need support and training as they get taller.
How to grow tomatoes from seeds
You can sow indoors from early spring. The seedlings like to be kept around 18˚C, so keep them on a sunny windowsill, in a plastic bag or propagator.
- Fill 9cm pots ideally with seed compost or multi-purpose such as Miracle-Gro Premium All Purpose Compost.
- Sow a seed on top of the compost in each pot, then cover it lightly with a thin layer of compost.
- Water the pots, cover with clingfilm and place in a heated greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill.
- Once the seeds have germinated, remove the clingfilm. Water the pots regularly to keep the compost moist.
- When the seedlings are about 15cm tall, they are ready to be planted in their final location.
How and where to plant tomatoes outdoors
Before planting outdoors, make sure you wait until there will be no more late frosts - usually around late May.
Preparing the ground first is key, so make sure you dig in lots of compost – which enriches your soil ready for planting. To help your plant settle into life outside, it is important to harden them off for a week before you plant them out. This is done by putting the plant outside in their pots during the day and bringing them back inside at night.
Once your plants are ready, plant them in a sheltered and sunny spot to help them thrive. You can plant them directly in the ground, in a rich, fertile and well-drained soil or grow them in pots filled with a good multipurpose compost.
.png?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse
Growing in a heated greenhouse gives you a longer growing season. For tomatoes, this means you can grow seedlings from late winter - February onwards. Growing them in an enclosed heated greenhouse also helps reduce the risk of diseases such as blight. But make sure to open the doors of your greenhouse regularly to ventilate as it can help deter pest and diseases.
How to care for tomatoes
The secret to caring for your tomato plant is to regularly water and feed it. Consistent watering is the key, ideally giving them a good soak in the morning at the base, never watering the leaves. Use an all-purpose feed to start with such as Miracle-Gro All Purpose Liquid Feed and then when they start to flower switch to a tomato feed such as Tomorite and use weekly.
If you’re growing vine tomatoes. also known as cordons, tie the main stems to support canes as they grow, and remove the small side shoots that appear in the angles between side stems and the main stem. Once five trusses (side stems with flowers and fruit) have developed, pinch off the growing tip of the main stem. This will focus the plant’s energy on producing more fruit. For bush types, there’s no need to remove side shoots or pinch out growing tips. However, you may need to support heavily laden branches with canes.
When and how to harvest tomatoes?
Greenhouse-grown tomatoes should be ripe by mid-summer. Tomatoes grown outdoors will ripen in mid to late summer, depending on where you are in the UK. You will know when your tomato has ripened as it will be the same colour all over. They can be left on the plant for up to two weeks, so you can pick them as and when you need them.
Tomatoes will eventually stop ripening on the plants when the temperatures drop in autumn. However, you can still ripen them indoors if you wish to do so. In October, simply cut off all remaining tomatoes and place them indoors in a paper bag with either a banana or an apple. Both fruits give off gas called ethylene, which encourages the tomatoes to ripen. This process takes about two weeks- check the bag periodically and remove tomatoes as they ripen.
.png?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Common tomato problems
Tomatoes are quite an easy fruit to grow, but there are several common problems you might face. Below are the main problems and how to fix them:
Tomato blight
Blight is the biggest problem for outdoor tomato growers. This is an air-borne fungal disease that can occur in warm, humid conditions. Brown patches on leaves are the first indication of blight and should be removed and disposed of immediately.
Unfortunately, there’s no treatment for tomato blight but there are precautions you can take to reduce the risk. Firstly make sure you choose disease-resistant varieties such as Lizzanno – as these have been bred to have increased resistance to blight, although no varieties are guaranteed to be totally resistant. Avoid watering foliage and make sure there is enough space around each plant for good airflow. Dispose of all infected plants and do not compost.
Whitefly
Whitefly lives on the underside of the tomato leaves and weakens the plant by sucking the sap of plants. Whitefly is a greater problem in greenhouses so ensure there is good ventilation. You can also plant basil among your tomatoes as the smell helps to deter whitefly. Sprays tend to be ineffective against a large infestation, but you could try Bug Clear Fruit and Veg if it’s proving unmanageable.
Tomato leaf mould
Tomato leaf mould is a common fungal disease mainly seen in greenhouses. Brown leaves and fruit, as well as bleached spots on the flower petals, are typical symptoms. To help fight the disease simply remove and destroy all affected plant parts. If your plants are growing under cover, increase ventilation and, if possible, the space between plants. Don’t let the soil dry out and always avoid watering the leaves.
Blossom end rot
Blossom end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the fruit. A circular patch varying in size and colour (from brown to black) at the bottom of tomato fruits is the classic symptom of blossom end rot. To limit this problem, water consistently which helps with calcium uptake, avoiding a drench to drought regime.
How to store tomatoes
Tomatoes need to be stored in a cool but not cold place. Avoid direct sunlight and if possible don’t store in the fridge as this affects the flavour. If you don’t have the option of putting them anywhere else, simply take them out of the fridge a couple of hours before eating them.
A handy hint is to store tomatoes upside down. The part of the fruit nearest to the steam is sturdier than the delicate bottom. By placing them upside down you can avoid them bruising heavily and rotting. It is also important not to stack them on top of each other as the pressure can be enough to bruise them.
.png?auto=format&w=1440&q=80)
Top tip if you’re short on space:
Even if you’ve just got a balcony or small urban garden, there’s still plenty of opportunity to grow your own produce.
The Tumbler variety of tomato such as Tom Thumb is a small trailing bush type, which grows well in hanging baskets and when it comes to feeding, Tomorite Concentrated Tomato Food will fit handily under the kitchen sink.
No matter what space you have available, there’s plenty of opportunities to grow your own tasty tomatoes. Once you do, you’ll never go back to shop-bought.