Grow Your Own: Tomatoes

Whether an amateur in the vegetable patch or a seasoned professional, tomatoes are definitely one of the greatest fruits to be plucked, ripe and juicy from the garden. Available in an abundance of varieties from short bushy species such as Scotia and the strikingly yellow Taxi, to cordon types such as Money Maker or Alicante, many rush in, not taking the time to inform themselves on how to grow these red gems only to met with disappointment. Reigning from hot and dry climates, the tomato is a nutrient guzzling growing machine. Bearing this in mind, growing plants should be suitably, and constantly, watered and fed for best results.

Using a seed tray, partitioned or open, gently place the individual seeds approximately one to two centimetres under the soil. Tomato seeds are relatively large making planting them singly easy. This saves the need to prick out the weaklings at a later date, and if planting in a partitioned seed tray allows full maximum growth without root disturbance. Make sure that the seeds are covered over with a fine layer of soil and are kept warm and moist, watering daily, or covering with a plastic bag to maintain humidity.

Most tomatoes will begin to germinate at approximately two weeks. These young seedlings are particularly prone to cold, wet weather so if possible keep them in the greenhouse or on the windowsill for as long as possible. This will encourage vigorous growth and help create hard, sturdy plants.

Once the roots of the young plants start to appear through the bottom of the pots, transfer them into a larger pot or, depending on size, into their final positions whether it be grow bags, pots or a suitable patch of earth. To further encourage strong plants, plant the stem below the surface of the soil, up to the first leaf nodule. This will cause the plant to put out new roots from the buried stem, giving it a healthier and more solid start to life.

Once growing vigorously, young tomatoes will need some care and attention to encourage that bumper fruit crop. If using bushy varieties no pricking out of shoots is needed, but if growing cordon varieties this will need to be done. As each plant puts out branches you will notice small further shoots developing between the "V" of the original stem and the branch. Nip these off to make the plant put its energy reserves into the flowers and tomatoes and the strong branches. This should be done for all side shoots, and once your tomato plant has put out four branches (six if keeping in the greenhouse), or trusses as they are also known, nip out the top of the plant.

Cordon varieties will also need caning, or staking in. Due to their height they bend and snap if left without any support, so using a firmly placed cane, tie in each plant using string at each of the branching points.

Tomatoes require a large amount of nutrients, especially if being grown in pots or hanging baskets. Weekly additions of a fertiliser should be used, which can be bought from many garden outlet shops, or even made yourself if using the spectacularly effective Comfrey method (see additional article).

Before long the tomatoes small yellow flowers will start developing into ripe tomatoes. Water in the morning and pick early in the evening for best results and to gain a fantastically flavoured crop.