Grow tomatoes
Alice Holden on everything you need to know to plant the perfect tomato
On a wintry February morning, I planted some golden seeds in compost and put them in my small bathroom. We shared this living space for months. It wasn’t until late July that I was able to reap the fruits of my labour, however, the months of patient watching and waiting were worth that first taste.
Tomatoes require a great deal of nurturing but, in return, you are hugely rewarded for your efforts. A sun-warmed tomato, the smell of the leaf, the greeny-black resin that coats your fingers when pruning, the satisfaction of pinching out virile side shoots that appear from nowhere — I love the whole process, right down to salvaging the last green tomato and, with some reluctance, pulling up plants to make way for winter salads.
There are climbing, bush and dwarf varieties. Often the most delicious varieties are not grown commercially because of their small yield or fragile nature. When growing at home you have more freedom to experiment.
Sowing Method
Sow seeds in module trays under cover, February to March.
Planting Out: April to June
After four or five weeks, when the plants have about four leaves and before the stems become long and flimsy, they can be gently re-potted into small pots. When they reach about 8 inches and have a few flowers beginning to open, plant outside in a sheltered and sunny position about 22 inches apart.
Harvest
July to October.
Tips
· Tomatoes are exotic plants from South America. They don’t like the cold, so start seeds off in late winter under gentle heat of about 20 degrees celsius. Houses generally offer this continual source of warmth, though make sure light is available.
· First growth is very slow. Be patient.
· When re-planting, leave a gap of approx. 0.2 inches of stem between the lower leaves and soil. The rest of the stem can be under the soil as tomatoes like to be planted deep.
· Provide some support; this is especially needed for the cordon variety. Canes can be used or, if you have a structure on which to tie it, a strong piece of string can be loosely noosed around the bottom or buried under the root ball when you plant out. Tie the top of the string to whatever structure — such as a wire, or poly-tunnel bar — you may have above. As they grow, plants can be twisted around the string or tied to canes, to help them train themselves upwards.
· Side shoots will appear between the stem and main leaf all through the season. Gently snap these out. The same goes for any shoots growing at the end of trusses (a fruit-bearing branch). Such growth will waste valuable energy and slow their fruiting. It will also create more shade and prevent air circulation, in turn increasing the chances of disease.
· With outdoor plants cut out the top of the plant when they have at least six trusses to save energy for fruit. I tend to remove the first lowest truss of flowers as otherwise it attracts slugs and gets damaged by dragging on the ground. You can also remove extra leaf, but remember what you are trying to achieve — a balance between having enough leaf for the plant to photosynthesise but also allowing in sun and air. You can experiment a bit with this as tomato plants can handle quite rigorous pruning.
· The key to success lies with the soil. Spread a layer of compost or well-rotted manure before or just after planting out. Tomatoes need a fertile soil that will easily hold moisture.
· Seaweed or comfrey tea is an extra source of potash for the plants. I grow a patch of comfrey which I let break down in a barrel of rainwater before diluting and pouring around the base of each plant. Using lots of compost can bypass the need to give tomato plants any supplementary feeds.
· Companion planting with tagetes (Chinese marigolds) can help deter whitefly as they hate the smell. Basil will also draw aphids away from your prize crop.
· Under-watering will decrease yield but intensify flavour. Over-watering can result in split tomatoes. Try and find the right balance.
· If you are not growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, be sure to get outdoor varieties and put them in your warmest, most sheltered spot. Against a south-facing wall is ideal. Use a grow bag if necessary, as warmth is essential.
· By the autumn, light levels and warmth will decrease. To help plants use their failing resources most efficiently simply pinch out the tops of all plants. Also water less often.
· With first frost pick any unripe tomatoes, and put on a sunny windowsill or in a sealed plastic container. The ethylene they give off should help them to ripen.
Soulmates
Olive oil, soft cheese, basil, sage, French tarragon, olives, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
Alice Holden, one of the UK’s most pioneering female growers, has spent her life outdoors working on small and large scales — from kitchen gardens to commercial farms. Currently she is Head Grower at Growing Communities, an urban organic food production site in London, England.
Adapted from Do Grow: Start with 10 simple vegetables. by Alice Holden. Copyright © 2013 by Alice Holden. Published by The Do Book Co.
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