My experience of growing tomatoes has been relatively trouble-free. My outdoor plants often get blight towards the end of the season, but even then it doesn’t seem to affect the crop too much. Once my plants refused to grow after I transplanted them. Not for a couple of weeks, as you would expect when plants exhibit a ‘check’ in growth, but for about two months. I eventually threw them out and replaced them.
I’m something of a tomato counsellor for my friends, whose attempts at growing tomatoes are commendable, if nothing else. There are friends who grow the plants indoors and wonder why they don’t fruit (the flowers need pollinating); friends whose plants flower and fruit but the tomatoes rot at the ends (blossom end rot caused by irregular watering); friends whose indoor plants ‘got bugs so I threw them in the bin’ (I give up) and my poor friend Eli, whose plants flowered and fruited but the tomatoes kept splitting as they ripened (no amount of arguing convinced me she’d been watering them enough).
It’s not just my friends, I once viewed a flat and the prospective landlady pulled out a dead tomato plant that had been growing on her window sill, asking me why it hadn’t fruited. From what I could tell it was a cordon type and was planted in a 10cm diameter pot. The poor thing didn’t have a hope.
So to recap: if you grow tomatoes indoors you will need to pollinate them. This is easy as the male and female parts are contained within each flower. Just give the plant a good shake to dislodge the pollen. Water your plant regularly and feed once a week with diluted tomato fertiliser when flowers appear. This encourages the plants to keep flowering and produce more fruit.
Find out whether your plant is a cordon or bush type. Cordons usually produce regular-sized tomatoes and need staking and growing in large pots or growing bags (three plants per bag). Bush types may be grown in smaller containers and usually produce cherry tomatoes and don’t need staking. Popular cordon types are ‘Moneymaker’ and ‘Gardeners’ Delight’ (which confusingly produces cherry tomatoes), and bush types to try include ‘Tumbling Tom’, ‘Gartenperle’ and ‘Red Alert’.
Please don’t worry about ‘bugs’. Indoor plants can be misted with water to increase humidity and halt red spider mite infestations. Anyway not all bugs are bad, last year some shieldbugs raised a family on my outdoor tomato plants. This was very cute.
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This is my first year of trying to grow tomatoes – will need to keep this blog and refer back to it. I do love this site, so great to just click the mouse and get so much free info!
Did get blight last year and ruined the plum toms and affected some others but still had a pretty good crop of mixed varieties. The bush toms were completely unaffected.
Haven’t grown any toms for a few years but have been inundated with packets of seed, so will just have to grow some this year. Our patio faces South and gets very warm in Summer. Just have to keep up with the watering.
my 1st time 2 years ago i brought 2 tomatoes beefeater and money maker put them in my front garden and my kids ate 1 each on the way to school lovely but last year all mine got blight its luck of the draw weather wise going to try a small net circle to block the cold wind from them this year see how that goes
This will be my third year of growing tomatoes. The first year I grew them inside my greenhouse and outside on my veggie plot, the ones outside got blight and then it was transferred into the greenhouse (probably by me), I lost about 30 plants. So last year after thoroughly disinfecting the greenhouse I only grew them inside in grow bags-12 plants of assorted varieties. I didn’t pollinate them myself, but I did grow lots of marigold’s with them, to stop whitefly and I left the door and window’s open during the day so the bees could do the pollinating for me. I had such a huge crop that I had to give lots away even after making more tomato sauce than my freezer could cope with and having tomatoes with nearly every meal. My husband said he didn’t want to look at another tomato, so I promised him I would cut down on the number of plants I grow this year – probably!! I keep telling him how good they are for you, full of cancer fighting Licopene.
Mmmm sounds good Dahlia Lover. I’d love to be able to grow so many tomatoes that I could make pasta sauce to freeze to use over the winter. I’ve got about 10 plants growing at the moment but am resisting the urge to sow more seeds as I really don’t have the space. Hope you avoid blight this year!
Whitevan I’m jealous of your south-facing patio – your tomatoes will love it!
Good luck Laineyfaefife!
Kate
Cute. Hmmm. That’s a very curious adjective Kate. I’ll have a look through some of my shieldbug monographs, but I doubt I’ll find that one used. I once, rather flippantly, dismissed the green shieldbug as a harmless garden ornament, and I was immediately harangued by some poor gardener who’d had her broadbeans ravaged by them. Oops.
Ha ha! Yes I remember that Richard. Oh come on, you’ve got to admit they’re cute. When they’re little babies and they run around on the plants and fall off? They’re like little turtles. Brought me no end of amusement last summer. I hope I managed to bring some with me when I moved house. Kate
This is my third year of growing tomatoes. The first year I only grew gardeners delight and had a good crop. second year I grew gardeners delight and Alicante both indoors and outdoors and we had a bumper crop. We had tomatoes right up to October last year. eventually we got fed up with them and threw them in the compost bin. I must must say that the tomatoes were lovely and all the family and neighbours enjoyed them. hope to get a good crop this year.
Forgot to say that I always close the windows and door of the greenhouse when it rains because I understand that’s how blight spreads?
Sorry also forgot to say that when I plant tomatoes in grow bags I put tall pots with the bottom cut out in the bags and plant the tomatoes into the pot, this gives you more soil to grow in and helps to retain water too. The pots are the type that you buy roses in.
Whatever you are growing be vigilant about the vine weevil. I gather that they have just stated to be active in the Scottish Border area and the cold does not seem to discourage the very much. I believe that the organic methods don’t work till the soil warms up so I suppose the physical barriers are the only option for food crops. What does everybody else think?
Years ago when my father in law had a nursery and grew glass houses full of tomatoes, I sure I can remember him ‘nipping the tops out’ is this not done anymore, or did I dream it.
I always pinch the tops off my tomatoes when they reach the roof of my greenhouse, you have to be alert though because this stimulates new growth at the base and more between the leaf axles (I think that’s what you call it) which need to be pinched out also.
Thanks for that Dahlia Lover, I will bear it in mind. I do not have a greenhouse but am going to try one of those mini tomato houses this year, so will probably need to nip out tops and will follow you advice about keeping an eye on base
Hi
What are the top three tomato plants most resistant to Blight, as for the last 3 yrs I have had a terrible crop due to this problem, I want to give this years tomatoes a fighting chance to survive.
Do tomato seeds need light to germinate? Mine have been in the airing cupboard and only one has germinated.Or could it have been TOO warm…..?
I lost several years tom crops to blight. Last year I tried something I’d seen in gardens in the Black Forest, where they know a thing or two about wet summers. They grow outdoor tomatoes under a “roof” – make a framework of poles, then fasten clear plastic over the top (not down the sides) or use a rigid sheet of plastic for the roof. Think one of those mini greenhouses, but with just a roof, no sides. This protects the toms from excess rain splashing down on them, which spreads the blight spores. I tried it last year, and it worked!
all I hope is that by saying this I don’t put the mockers on things I grow tomato’s in the green house and in the garden and never suffered blight, just luck I suppose.
Thanks for all your comments, really good tips Dahlia lover and Anne, thank you. A few people have been emailing in asking which tomato varieties Toby Buckland sowed in the Gardeners’ World programme, including the blight resistant variety ‘Koralik’. Here’s the full list:
‘Rosada’
‘Koralik’
‘Sungold’
‘Black Russian’
‘Apero’
Kate
Hi Kate
Thanks for the list of toms, will try them all,
I need to know WHERE OR HOW you can get the Koralik tomato seeds!?
It seems that certain places don’t have it- even in a seed centre!
Can we get it online? instead?
Karen, Simpson’s Seeds and Organic Gardening Catalogue sell ‘Koralik’.
I’ve been a small time gardener & veg grower for a number of years but had never suffered the dreaded blight! It got my potatoes & tomatoes last years. For once I grew the greenhouse tomatoes in grow bags and due to new veg plot being put together my spuds were also in bags. Outdoor tomatoes straight into soil. However, NOTHING WAS SPARED!! Normally I’d tip the compost from bags back into garden & dig in, but I couldn’t make up my mind up whether this was a good idea or not & so the bags still sit there….. Is it safe & if not what to do with it??? Can somebody help me with this blight plight??
I was given an Azalea a couple of years ago and have kept it as a house plant. I put it outside last summer and brought it inside in September and it just finished blooming. I would like to plant it outside in my garden but wondering if it will die and if there are inside and outside Azaleas
I have several box plants taken as cuttings from bought plants. Some have turned a rusty brown but still very much alive.If anyone can shed some light on my plight I would be very grateful
I have planted tomato seeds ‘Minibel’ (which were free on the front of the magazine) and Thompson and Morgan ‘Ailsa Craig’.I started them of with a plastic bag over the top of the pot and they germinated really quickly. Both varities are doing equally as well at the moment.
We’re in our second year of growing tomatoes. Year 1, last year was a disaster when they all died. We’re not deterred and this year we’re aiming for success with our very own crop. This blog is reassuring and will be referring to at regular intervals to make sure we doing the right thing. Keep up with our joys and trials of growing, sowing and planting at http://www.giftboxgarden.co.uk. We’ve even attempted to grow a date palm!
i have been growning tomatoes from seed has anyone got any tips how to get young plants really thick and strong mine usually start off quite skinny
don’t foreget gardeners not to grow tomatoes and potatos near to one and other or you can spread blight from one to the other, and don’t foreget to take the bits that you nip out from your tomatoes and plant them up to make new plants they will fruit this year as they are the same age as exsisting plants.
Please can someone give me some basic advice about caring for tomatoe seedlings. i have been entrusted with my fathers tomatoe plants which are in his green house whilst he is away. he has now been delayed by the volcanic ash problem and i am worried i may let him down by not caring for these plants correctly. they are about 5 inches tall now, about three sets of leaves and some have flowers coming. they are in approx 3″ pots. i know at some point i am supposed to pinch out the tops, but when please. i will re pot them this weekend into slightly bigger pots. they are well watered and warm. any advice gratefully received ! BB93
hi i started growing some mint from seed and today i saw a little tiny leaf with a purply stem. is this a mint seedling or is it something to be worried about
has anyone grown toms in those upside down pots? I have 4 tiny plants in and already they are twisting to the light trying to right themselves!!HELP please.
just one point.
do i take off the side shoots on my tumbling tom tomatoes.
http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/jamie-oliver/jamie-at-home/how-to-grow-tomatoes_p_1.html
Tomatoes are one of the most common vegetables all over the world. They are quickly growing plants and are favorite among most amateur gardeners so as me.
I will start to grow tomatoes in my farm and now learning watever i can about them, thanks for information. I also
found another good site about tomatoes and so many other methods of agriculturing, i recommend you to take a look.
http://agricultureguide.org/
Most of our vegetables gardens have started producing at least some early crops, but many of us are still awaiting that vegetable gardening prize – the first ripe tomato. There’s still plenty of time to get some tomato plants growing this season.
is it ok to grow tomatoes and mint in the greenhouse
Hi
i have 3 tomatatoe plants in growing bags in the greenhouse. they have now reached the top of the geenhouse. Do i need to cut the top of each branch?
there are only flowers…do i need to pollenate them and if so how?
Thasnk you!!
oliver
Am growing San Marzano toms this year, outside. First time. Have hunted online for info about support and pinching out. Can anyone help – do I pinch out or let them run sideways? Have not done plum toms before. thanks v much
I grew Gartenperle tomatoes from seed. They are heavy with flowers and look great. They are on a south-facing patio. Unfortunately, though, not one fruit has appeared. Any advice please.
For those who are asking for some advice and tips on how to grow tomatoes. This site is good for you.. http://www.click-to-grow-tomatoes.com
Growing tomatoes is such a great and rewarding hobby. Home grown tomatoes also are much fresher and juicier than store bought tomatoes. You can just go grab one off the vine, and they will grow much bigger with some tomato growing tips.
i had the same problem last year. could not figure out for the life of me why i had so many flowers and no fruit.
i am also trying to work out when to pinch out the sideshoots. my plants are now fairly advanced and the outdoors ones are now flowering, but the sideshoots seem to be the only ones producing flowers. should i remove the lower leaf only stem instead to encourage fruit? utterly confused!!!!
Pinch out side shoots on tall varieties and you can also remove leaf branches up to the first truss. This keep the plants healthy and aerated around the base.
No need to remove side shoots on bush varieties like Tumbling Tom but some support may be needed when the plant is laden with fruit.
Free advice by email is available at: http://www.tomatogrowing.co.uk
Gartenperle is an absolutely amazing tumbler variety ! Have grown it for the last 3 years and it has always produced a huge crop on fairly compact size plants. Does well outdoots too.
Another bush variety I would strongly recommend is Lilliput – my seed is produced by Franchi / Seeds of Italy who do a lot of other interesting varieties like San Marzano etc
Their notes on Lilliput >
Lilliput F1 (Determinate Bush) (Italy)
Hybrid Cherry tomato. Heavy cropper with small round tasty fruits. Good for growing in containers if no room in the garden. Can grow to to 4 or 5 feet – it is more suitable to a container and usually needs to be supported.
Excellent disease resistance (Resistant to Verticillium, Fusarium and Alternaria) with fruits weighing 20-30g
“One of the most amazing cherry tomatoes around. Apart from being highly productive, this variety is packed with sweetness and flavour and is easy to grow.” http://peperoncino.co.uk
http://www.seedsofitaly.co.uk/catalogue/3
I have several very healthy tomato plants in grow bags on my patio. They are heavy with fruit, but are all green and none of them appears to be ripening. what can i do to speed the process up?
I’ve grown two tomato plants in pots on my patio for the first time this year. They’ve started ripening, but the skins are quite tough. How can this be prevented?
Thanks for the tip on the cordon or bush tomatoes plant.
I didn’t know about it until now.
The comments here about growing your own
are invaluable.
So thanks to everybody for sharing you issues and tips.
Thanks,
Aanee xxxx
my plum tomatoe plants have got rotten fruits can anyone tell me why