Tomatoes
The classic greenhouse and patio crop. Sweet, heavy cropping and endlessly variable — from tiny cherries to beefsteaks the size of a fist.
Tomatoes seeds
£2.99 in the shop
Calendar
Sow
Late February – early April, indoors on a warm windowsill
Plant out
Late May, once the last frost has passed
Harvest
July – October
Conditions
Sun
Full sun, 6–8 hours a day
Water
Little and often — keep compost evenly moist to avoid splitting
Soil
Rich, free-draining, pH 6.0–6.8
Spacing
45–60cm between plants
Containers
Excellent in 30cm pots or grow bags (2 plants per bag)
Indoors
Greenhouse growing gives earlier and heavier crops
Care and harvest
Feeding
High-potash tomato feed weekly once the first truss sets
Pruning
Pinch out side shoots on cordon varieties; stop after 5–6 trusses
Harvesting
Pick when fully coloured and slightly soft; twist at the knuckle
Storage
Room temperature for up to a week — never the fridge
Good companions: Basil, French marigold, Chives