Tomato Growing Tips

Growing tips

Unless you are growing a bush tomato, the aim is to create a single-stemmed plant. To do this, snap out shoots that grow in leaf joints and when your plant has produced four sets of flowering trusses, pinch out the growing tip. This will ensure all its energy goes into producing fruit. Water plants daily and once flowers have started to appear, feed with tomato fertiliser every week to ensure the best fruit.

If you find yourself with a glut of green tomatoes at the end of the growing season, try putting a few in a kitchen drawer with a banana to encourage them to ripen.

There are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes, from tiny cherry tomatoes to huge beefsteak types. Why not try a few different varieties every year.

• 'Cream Sausage' - creamy coloured, plum shaped and very sweet
• 'Black Russian' - a large, dark skinned variety
• `Gardeners Delight` - popular for its abundance of sweet fruit
• `Sungold`- masses of cherry-sized fruits ideal for salads
• `Marmande` - a classic beefsteak tomato