Welcome to Tomato Growing where I share my experience of growing tomatoes, especially outdoors. Bush varieties are my favourite so I’ve included quite a few of these on the website. 

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How many of us have actually tasted the full flavour of a home-grown tomato just picked from the garden? If you have, then you will know that there is a world of difference between some of the bland tasting specimens in the supermarkets and your own produce that is also guaranteed to be healthy.

You can grow your own tomatoes outside in pots & containers (you don’t need a greenhouse or conservatory) and growing cherry tomatoes can be done on a balcony, window-box or even a sunny windowsill.

So, if you would like to discover real tomato taste, and be able to eat your own home-grown for up to four months each summer, then I hope you’ll browse these pages and have a go yourself at tomato growing.
 

If you are new to growing tomatoes from seed it’s a good idea to start with an easy variety to grow.

A good selection of tomato seeds and other vegetable seeds can be found at Seed Parade.
 
In the UK I would recommend the bush cherry varieties of Tumbler, Tumbling Tom, Red Alert and Garden Pearl. These bush types are sometimes called “determinate” and do not need their side shoots pinched out.

Among the easy to grow tall varieties, Alicante, Moneymaker and Gardener’s Delight are very dependable. These are also called “indeterminate” or “Cordon”.

The season so far has produced its usual challenges, namely, a hot spell in early summer followed by a very wet period in August. In the UK we’ve gone from plants getting grilled to a period of plants getting soaked. You may need the box below!
 

---- Help!  ----

      

If you have a long question, you may prefer to use the email link below:
nick@tomatogrowing.co.uk

Choosing The Right Varieties for Your Part of the World

Many tomato varieties are best suited to the weather conditions of the countries and regions they originally came from. For example:

• Siberian can cope with lower temperatures because it was developed that way - the name says it all!
• Moneymaker is an old English variety that excels in a moderate climate and is very reliable.
• Marmande originally came from France and requires the weather of the Southern Mediterranean to reach its full taste.

So if you grow tomatoes outside, choose varieties that will cope well in the weather conditions of your area.

You may also wish to choose a selection of varieties such as a cherry, a medium/salad and a large/beefsteak variety for slicing or the barbecue. Some large tomatoes can be eaten like melons they’re so juicy!

Bush varieties are great to grow in large pots and containers and can be positioned almost anywhere around the garden or patio without needing a wall to lean against. The plants themselves can be small or large (as well as the fruit) so a pot on a windowsill or a large container may be required.

 

A Selection of Tumbling Tom red and yellow, Maskotka and Garden Pearl. Join the Tomato Growing Newsletter for tips, advice and a tomato quiz or two! It’s all free! Sign Up Here Choosing which varieties to grow each season is one of the most enjoyable jobs to do in the Autumn and Winter. You can browse the seed catalogues, or surf online where you will find a huge collection of tomato varieties from different seed companies. There is a very good selection of plug plants and seeds at the links above.

           Seed Sowing Time:  Mid-March to end of April (UK).
       You can sow into May if you choose a variety that matures early or
                                 you have a greenhouse.
       For outdoor growing - always germinate seed indoors and in new compost.

Tomato tips for Mid to Late Season   How to avoid: Tomato Blight Blossom End Rot   Info. on: Watering Tomatoes Feeding Tomatoes

The Benefits of Growing Tomatoes in a Greenhouse

Extend the growing season with a greenhouse or polytunnel.

Seed Sowing Times - When To Sow

To produce a crop of ripe tomatoes, seeds need to be sown no later than the beginning of May in the UK (the best time is two months before your last frost date). It generally takes around two months from sowing to flowering, and two months from flowering to fruiting ... depending on the variety.

For outdoor growing, sow (indoors) at the beginning of April to produce fruit around the beginning of August. Sowing early (the beginning of March for example) to produce an earlier crop is a good idea if you have the time and experience to cope with the difficulties of the cooler, less favourable conditions.

Cherry bush varieties are ideal for sowing early as they are easier to manage because of their size and height. You can also sow as late as the middle of May if you choose a variety that is quick to mature like Red Alert.

I remember that when I first started to grow tomatoes I couldn’t work out from which part of the plant the fruit would grow from!

I still get excited when I see those little pea-like tomatoes appear and I’m amazed that I was able to produce a crop with the very little knowledge I had in my first season - more nature’s doing than mine!

Are tomatoes easy to grow? -  they can be if you choose the right variety. Try the cherry bush variety Tumbling Tom which comes in both red and yellow versions.

It’s best to use new, multi purpose or grow bag compost in a large pot or container and keep the leaves out of the rain. More tomato growing tips here.

Tomato plug plants are also a great way to begin growing tomatoes and avoid some of the problems associated with growing from seed.

Three Ways to Control Tomato Problems this Season