Tomatoes

It seems like everyone is growing tomatoes these days. What help can we give to ensure bumper crops?

Tomatoes certainly are a favourite home-grown vegetable or rather fruit! You can grow them in a greenhouse, in the veg garden, in pots on the patio or even in hanging baskets! A little care and attention now will ensure bumper crops throughout the summer. First you need to make sure they are kept well and evenly watered – if the soil or compost dries out then the crop is reduced, the fruit may split and even suffer from blossom end rot –that’s when the bottom of the fruit turns black. Crops growing in grow-bags are always the worst affected as the compost dries out so quickly. A drip watering system will help get over this. Tomatoes are also hungry feeders, and need a weekly diet of liquid tomato fertiliser – this not only improves the crop, but it improves the flavour too! Make sure your plants are well supported – so tie them in regularly to their supports, which should be strong and sturdy. Finally, always remove sideshoots from upright cordon varieties – this isn’t necessary, by the way, with the smaller bush varieties – then remove yellowing or dying leaves and watch out for pests and diseases and treat accordingly.