TL: Where do you grow your tomatoes?
Patricia: In a greenhouse (unheated) in my back garden in Surrey. I’m halfway between London and Gatwick.

TL: How long have you been growing tomatoes?
Patricia: 20 years or so. I started in the late 80s in my back garden when I was living in North Hampshire, growing 3 plants in a growbag outside my backdoor which was situated on the south side of the building.

TL: Do you grow from seed?
Patricia: Yes.

TL: When are your sowing dates and what do you sow in?
Patricia: I sow in mid March – often on St. Patrick’s Day. I sow in multi-purpose compost, using 3×3 modules which I then sit in windowsill propagators. I also sow my summer bedding seeds at the same time.

TL:  What varieties have you grown? Any favourites to recommend?
Patricia: I started by growing one variety a year. Either a cherry or medium variety, such as Gardeners Delight or Alicante. To begin with I was growing for taste which is why, for example, I chose Gardeners Delight . But then I got the showing bug and started entering local horticultural shows and to grow to win at a local level, the variety to grow was Shirley.

When I married a man with a greenhouse -  I was then able to increase the number of plants I grew; to have 3 growbags with 2 – 3 plants per growbag – although as not actually liking tomatoes himself – I had to make sure I still left space for his cucumbers and melons!

This year I grew something different. I grew Legend from Thompson & Morgan. And for my cherry tomato – Sungold F1. It was very different from growing Gardeners Delight but very tasty. The difference was that I found the skins fragile. When it was just ripe they were fine but because of its yellow-orange colour it takes a bit of experience to know when to pick, as mentally you’re thinking it’s not ripe. As do some people who you then offer it to !

TL: How many plants do you grow per year?
Patrica: I sow about 12 to 15 seeds, utilize 9 and then the rest I pot on and donate to the local horticultural plant sale. The local plant sales are a great place to get different varieties.

TL: Between sowing and planting-out do you repot?  If so how many times ? Size of pot etc.
Patrica: Two to three times. From the propagator I pot them on into individual yoghurt pots, still on the window ledge and then when their leaves touch, I pot them on to 3 and a half or 4 inch pots. I’ve learnt through experience to use no bigger than a 4 inch pot.

TL: Where and when do you plant out your tomato plants?
Patricia: When I start seeing the 1st truss I will then plant them out into the growbags, this is usually at the end of May if day-time light and night-time warmth levels are right. At this stage they will be about 18 inches high and will have been supported by a little bamboo cane whilst still sitting indoors on a sunny windowsill throughout the month of May.

TL: How do you support/stake/tie your plants?
Patricia: A bamboo cane in the ground each side of the growbag and string tied across between the two.  I’ve also used metal spirals which I’ve found very effective. The plant winds itself up the spiral and is kept vertical.

TL: What is your feeding and watering regime?
Patricia: I water well when planting out and then leave for a couple of weeks to allow the plants to establish a good root system. Once established, the frequency of watering depends on sunshine levels but as the plants are in a greenhouse in sunny Surrey, it tends to be daily! I want the compost to be damp but not soggy.

Once a truss has set and I can see some marble-sized fruit, feed is either Tomorite or home-made comfrey twice a week.

TL: Do you have an approach to managing pests and diseases?
Patricia: When it gets to that point in the summer when blight is arrives, I switch from watering with rainwater (collected from waterbutts) to using tapwater.

TL: Do you stop your cordon tomatoes?
Patricia: Yes, when they reach the ceiling of the greenhouse. This is usually is around 4 – 5 trusses, about 5ft tall and is what I and the plant can support.

TL: What are your favourite ways to enjoy your tomatoes?
Patricia: In salads and shows! In the mid 90s when I moved from Hampshire to Surrey I joined the Cheam and Cuddington Horticultural Society and it was in their summer show that I entered my first fruit and vegetable classes. In 1994 my husband won 3rd prize for 10 Cherry Tomatoes and in 1995 I was successful with a Dish of 5 tomatoes.

When we later moved south of the M25 and entered our local village show I won 1st prize in 2005 for cherry tomatoes. The fun of exhibiting is never knowing until the day how everyone else has got on.

TL: And what will you now be looking for as a judge when you evaluate a tomato entry?
Patricia: As a judge I will be looking for freshness. For something picked that day or the day before, with the calyx intact and half an inch of stem; the skin should free of blemishes. And then the most difficult part for the grower – uniformity in shape and size – are they a “matching group”?

TL: Any other tomato tips or tricks that you’d like to pass on?
Patricia: Freeze excess tomatoes whole – all varieties, then when you’re ready to use thaw and they’ll be all nice and soggy and just perfect for using in favourite dishes such as homemade Spagetti Bolognese.

Many thanks to Patricia for sharing her tomato growing experience. And again many congratulations on moving from showing to judging. Tomatolover wishes you every success as both grower and judge next year.

Photo by photofarmer

TL: Where do you grow your tomatoes?
Neil: In Surrey, in my back garden, and always in the greenhouse.

TL: How long have you been growing tomatoes?
Neil: 45 years !

TL: Do you grow from seed?
Neil: Yes.

TL: When are your sowing dates and what do you sow in?
Neil: I sow a few in February but mostly in March and April. This is because I no longer invest in heat to heat the greenhouse. When I grew for the local Horticultural Association and I had to have 200-300 plants ready for May then I would sow in January and heat all the time. But the sheer cost of the heat makes it very expensive.  So now I sow the majority mid-end March, although it doesn’t mean that I get such an early crop. I now start picking about the beginning of August.

I sow in half trays – at about 20 or 24 cells to a half tray – and use multi-pupose compost. But I’m particular about what multi-purpose I use. I think Roffey is really good quality. And Bulrush.

TL:  What varieties have you grown? Any favourites to recommend?
Neil: Each year I grow 3-4 old established varieties and then I like to try something new as well. For medium fruit I grow Shirley F1. It’s expensive seed but the best. For Cherry tomatoes I grow Sungold – sweet and lovely. For the Horticultural Association I grew Moneymaker, Alicante, Alisa Craig, Gardeners Delight. For showing I would grow Cedrico – although it’s hard to get hold of – or Goldstar.

For a beefsteak; Costoluto Fiorentino – making sure I got  Seeds of Italy seeds. And for hanging baskets I now sow Garden Pearl - it’s very early and I now prefer it to Tumbler which I think was the original variety developed for baskets.

TL: How many plants do you grow per year?
Neil: 27. Between 9 Planters ( giant growbags).

TL: Between sowing and planting-out do you repot?  If so how many times ? Size of pot etc.
Neil: From seedlings I prick out into 3 inch square pots and from there into the planters.

TL: Where and when do you plant out your tomato plants?
Neil: I use planters as they are twice as thick as growbags and specially formulated for the vegetable type and I plant out in mid-May. I also use Growpots with the planters.  I then buy an extra planter and use the compost from that to fill up the GrowPots. I plant deep, to the leaf.  To date I’ve always put the compost in, all in one go as I want the plant to get maximum light so that the stem is shorter and thicker at the beginning of the plants growth; by filling the GrowPot right up I’ve always felt the plant is getting plenty of light. But the other approach is to fill the GrowPot up with compost gradually so next year I might experiment and see how that works.

TL: How do you support/stake/tie your plants?
Neil: I use canes and I have wires running across the greenhouse. Initially I use a flowerstick and then replace it with a cane when the plant grows.

TL: What is your feeding and watering regime?
Neil: My approach is moist but not drowned. Mustn’t over-water but at the same time not allow the roots to dry out. This will cause calcium deficiency and Blossom End Rot. With GrowPots you water the roots and feed the stem and the adventitious roots take the food up.

I feed with Tomorite and start when the 1st truss has set. I feed alternate waterings but it’s also dependent on the weather and heat.

TL: Do you have an approach to managing pests and diseases?
Neil: I have a Whitefly problem which I manage with yellow sticky traps. I very seldom spray.

Because of blight I only grow under glass in the greenhouse. At our allotments we now have a voluntary agreement not to grow tomatoes outdoors – to avoid blight and the crossover to potatoes.

TL: Do you stop your cordon tomatoes?
Neil: Once they get to a certain height in the greenhouse I stop them.

TL: What are your favourite ways to enjoy your tomatoes?
Neil: Cheese and Tomato roll.  And the tomato has to be slightly underripe !

TL: Any other tomato tips or tricks that you’d like to pass on?
Neil: For best uniformity and size look to the tomatoes on the 2nd and 3rd truss. That’s why some growers will take off the bottom truss. Also for attaching the cane to the tomato plant I highly recommend a Max Tapener. It’s quick and easy – and the perfect present if you’re wondering what to get a gardener for Christmas !

Many thanks to Neil for sharing his know-how. It’s great to hear the views of a grower with deep expertise but who also likes to keep trialling new methods. Neil has also lent me a GrowPot so I can read and share the instruction label in more depth in another post. In the meantime there’s something about a GrowPot at rest that says ‘ cover me in tinsel and repurpose me for some kind of Christmas decoration – a wise king’s crown perhaps ?’

TL: Where do you grow your tomatoes?
Kevs: In my backgarden, in sunny Northamptonshire, in central England.

TL: How long have you been growing tomatoes?
Kevs: About five years from seed, probably fifteen from ready-grown plants. My late father grew tomatoes from ready-grown plants – I merely took an interest. For the past five years I’ve been growing from seeds.

TL: Do you grow from seed?
Kevs: Yes, I grow from commercially-packed seeds and seeds I’ve saved myself. 2009 was the first time I’d saved seeds from Gardener’s Delight and Black Cherry. This was successful and I’ve saved more this year. I don’t buy ready-grown plants anymore.

I’ve also experimented successfully with cuttings. Last year I kept a cutting of Gardener’s Delight through the winter. By the time I planted out, ” The Clone” was 32 inches long compared to 12 inches of the seed-grown plants. But that method can perpetuate disease so I’m being careful!

TL: When are your sowing dates and what do you sow in?
Kevs: I sow between late February and April in multi-purpose potting compost. I use flower pots between three and six inches, yoghurt pots, vending cups and other handy receptacles.

TL:  What varieties have you grown? Any favourites to recommend?
Kevs: This year (2010) I grew Gardener’s Delight and Black Cherry from saved seeds which originated from Unwin’s and Thompson and Morgan’s respectively. From Real Seeds came Gold Medal, a multicoloured beefsteak and their own Lettuce Leaf, a small red standard with a lovely deep flavour. I’ve not been disappointed with any variety I’ve grown yet, but there’s always a first.

TL: Any that you didn’t get on with?
Kevs: I’ve never had a variety-specific disaster. However, Gold Medal seems vulnerable to blossom end rot but that’s probably my fault!

TL: How many plants do you grow per year?
Kevs: Between twenty and thirty. I aim for six of each variety but I always sow more than I need. I give excess plants away to friends and family, so it depends how many they have room for.

TL: Between sowing and planting-out do you repot?  If so how many times ? Size of pot etc.
Kevs: Yes, I have to because I sow multiple seeds in each pot. I separate the plants when they get their second set of true leaves, giving each plant a small pot each. When they reach six inches in height I move them into larger pots of six inches and upwards, which they’ll occupy until planting out time. I have some larger pots if they go really mad.

TL: Where and when do you plant out your tomato plants?
Kevs: Depending upon the weather, in early May I place my plants outside in their pots in a sheltered spot to harden off. In late May I will plant them directly into the soil in my back garden. I am wary of sneaky late frosts, as have happened two years in a row here.

TL: How do you support/stake/tie your plants?
Kevs: I support my plants by tying them to metal poles or canes about three feet high. This year, I found that Gold Medal needed extra support for those large fruit.

TL: What is your feeding and watering regime?
Kevs: The plots in my garden have wood ash from bonfires dug into them, and latterly I’ve dug in rotted garden compost. When the plants are established I water every second day if the weather has been hot. Otherwise I’ll leave it for every third or fourth day. I water in the evenings so the water can soak into the soil and benefit the roots rather than evaporating away in the sun.

I feed with a general purpose powdered feed like Gro-More added to the watering-can once a fortnight.

TL: Do you have an approach to managing pests and diseases?
Kevs: Yes. I got annoyed with late blight destroying my crops that I devised a polythene cover (or poly-shelter) to stop rain getting onto the plants. Blight is caused by Phytophthora infestans, a fungus-like spore that cannot grow or spread without warmth or moisture. Since it’s everywhere , I accept that my plants will be infected and aim to slow this down. I sink a series of three feet high white poles into the ground. Then I attach a sheet of clear polythene  to them, firmly tying onto the tops of the poles with string. This will keep rainwater from collecting on the plants and the open sides will prevent humidity building up. I’ve found that this works very well. Although some plants still get blighted, the cover extends my growing season until well into October.

After mid September, I pick fruits at the first sign of ripening and take them indoors.

I’ve sometimes seen black and green aphids around my plants, but they never seem to cause any real problems. I think the spiders eat them.

Slugs and snails love tomatoes, so a sprinkling of slug pellets will control these. I try not to use pellets unless I have lots of slugs or snails attacking my plants.

TL: Do you stop your cordon tomatoes?
Kevs: I usually snip out the side-shoots unless they’ve got set fruit on.  I remove the growing points and most of the flowers when I’m certain there’s no point in letting the plant grow any further, usually around late August.

TL: What are your favourite ways to enjoy your tomatoes?
Kevs: Sliced cheese and tomatoes and some home-made chutney (tomato or otherwise) placed upon a slice of thick bread and  toasted on one side. Cherry tomatoes – pick and eat. You can’t get any fresher than that !

TL: Any other tomato tips or tricks that you’d like to pass on?
Kevs: At the end of the season when removing green fruit, don’t automatically assume you must make chutney. Place them in a punnet or similar box no more than three layers deep, leave them on a sunny windowsill and they’ll happily ripen. Make sure the fruits are completely dry and discard any blighted fruits. Check them regularly for mould or moisture.  This way you can have fresh tomatoes after the frosts without resorting to the supermarket or greengrocer.

Many thanks to Kevs for sharing his know-how and enthusiasm for tomatoes – not only today but in the comments section as well. As we sit and shiver in these very un-growing like temperatures – it’s lovely to be reminded of the joys of sowing and growing.

( And if it’s of any consolation I’m not sure it is just you when it comes to Gold Medal – this picture was taken at West Dean – and I think there might be a little bit of rot on their tomato too!)

Today I’m drawing on 35 years of tomato experience by asking Jim – who grows tomatoes in Haddington, East Lothian – all about how he grows tomatoes.

TL: Do you grow your tomatoes from seed?
Jim: I always grow from seed, usually from Suttons. Sowing dates depend on holidays and the weather. If it is very cold in spring I delay until March to avoid high greenhouse heating costs but usually I sow in late February in proprietary multipurpose compost. I used to make my own compost but it is easier to buy it. I have tried different composts but I’m afraid that I keep coming back to peat based composts.

TL: What varieties do you grow?
Jim: My favoured variety is Shirley since this has given me best results at the local flower show. I occasionally win a prize in what is a hotly contested section. Last year I got 2nd prize but this year I failed. I blame the very cold weather we had in March. I delayed sowing until April and my tomatoes were just not ready for the show.

I also grow cherry tomatoes and have tried several different varieties. I intend to try a yellow tomato next year having seen how successful my neighbour was with them. Normally I have 12 plants spread between 2 greenhouses; 3 cherry tomatoes and 9 Shirley.

TL: Could you tell me about your approach to sowing and planting?
Jim: I normally sow individual seeds in multi-compartment tray inserts in bought peat based compost and pot them up once before final planting into growbags. For 2 years now I have been using “Grow Pots” which fit into the growbags and provide an additional collar of compost for root growth and a water reservoir. They certainly produce stronger and healthier plants. I plant into the growbag after any threat of frost has passed so that no heating is required. I have 2 greenhouses but only 1 heater. That means planting into growbags mid to late May.

TL: And how do you support or stake your tomato plants?
Jim: I use strings suspended from hooks or other greenhouse fixtures wound round the stems to support the plants. I have occasionally had a string break if the crop is heavy or the string is weak but it is never a disaster.

TL: What is your feeding and watering regime?
Jim: It depends on the size of the plants but once the plants are well established I used to water daily. Now that I have the “Grow Pots” which have a reservoir, I water every 2 or 3 days into the reservoir. From time to time I also have to put a little water around the root to stop the surface from drying out.

I use proprietary feeds, not always the same one, and follow the instructions – usually once per week after the first truss has set.

TL: Do you have an approach to managing pests and diseases?
Jim: During the winter, I wash the greenhouse with Jeyes Fluid and wash all trays and pots. Before starting to use the greenhouse I light a sulphur candle.

During the season, I spray with insecticide and fungicide 2 or 3 times, or as required if I get an infestation. My most common problem is whitefly although they favour my aubergines and peppers more than the tomatoes. I also get ants which sometimes colonise pots or trays. I try to keep them at bay by watching for ant colonies in the greenhouse and pouring some boiling water in. I know it sounds gruesome.

I feel that my garden which is over 100 years old, harbours some endemic diseases and I can never keep my tomato plants disease free beyond mid/late September. As a result, I usually stop the plants about then and eventually pick the remaining crop to ripen indoors.

TL: And finally, what’s your favourite way to enjoy tomatoes?

Jim: Spread toast with olive oil, top with chopped tomatoes and warm it under the grill. For extra flavour, add basil or oregano.

Thank you so much to Jim for sharing his methods and many years of experience. It is especially useful to learn how to manage the greenhouse environment as it’s not something I have had personal experience of.  And I was very interested to hear what a postive difference  “Grow Pots”  make to the growth and health of growbag planted plants.

I wish Jim every success in next year’s flower show! Hopefully the weather will be kinder this spring and allow growing to get to an earlier, flying start.

( Just a footnote – when I started out reading about gardening – I was always thrown by the word “proprietary”. It’s not a word I’d seen regularly used before and wondered why it appeared with such frequency in gardening articles. I think Jim’s article illustrates its role in gardening terminology. A lot of gardeners would have made their own composts and feeds – so by stating something was proprietary it distinguised the homemade from the commercial.I think that’s right.. . It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve got things muddled -so don’t hesitate to correct me if that’s not its orgins !)

Today I’m drawing up a seat in Tomato Lover’s virtual potting shed with  Anne – who grows tomatoes in Hazelbank in the Clyde Valley (Scotland) – and who has kindly agreed to be gently quizzed on how her tomatoes grow.

TL: Do you grow your tomatoes from seed?
Anne: Yes I do; starting them from seed in trays, in compost, in the greenhouse. I sow them anytime from the end of March, with a little heating in the greenhouse.

TL: What varieties do you grow?
Anne: Moneymaker. I’ve also tried big beef tomatoes which were great and cherry tomatoes which were wonderful – although I can’t now remember which varieties!  I grow anything up to twenty plants.

TL: Where and when do you plant out your tomatoes – and how do you support/stake them?
Anne: The plants remain in the greenhouse but are planted in growbags when big enough to handle (about eight leaves). Support is with canes and garden cord attached to a wire running along the length of the growing area.

TL: What is your feeding and watering regime?
Anne: I keep the compost moist. I don’t feed until the fruit starts to appear and then I feed with tomato feed once a week.

TL: Do you have an approach to managing pests and diseases?
Anne: I just keep everything very clean, check daily for any signs of pests and make sure there is plenty of ventilation.

TL: What are the advantages of having a greenhouse ?
Anne: Having one makes life easier;  the tomatoes are ready quicker and not affected by the weather. When it’s cold at the start of the growing season I use pillar candles sitting on the floor of the greenhouse. It’s cheap and very effective. ( Intrigued I wanted to know more… ) Anne continues…I always purchase large candles which cost about £4 each . I use one candle at a time, they usually last for about four or five days and I leave them lit night and day. Whilst the heat isn’t great, it does keep the greenhouse frost-free and you can feel the difference as you enter the greenhouse. I do use a very small oil heater if it’s really cold but this costs more to run and I don’t like the smell !

TL: And finally, what’s your favourite way to enjoy tomatoes?
Anne: Just off the vine with a pinch of salt !

Thank you so much to Anne for sharing her methods and experience. I was so taken with the idea of the candles – both practical as an economical and simple source of heat – and to the romance of tomatoes being grown by candlelight…although I’m sure that going out to the greenhouse in Scotland in those early Spring months is in reality anything but….but hey !  I’m picturing a lovely, glowing greenhouse where summer’s tomatoes are just coming to life under the compost -  it’s making me feel cosy and rosy!

Photo by kitby

TL: Before I ask you about this wonderful structure and how it’s made – let’s talk about the tomatoes…
J: I plant my tomatoes in the hottest spot on the plot. Here it’s in this predominantly south facing position with the added bonus of radial heat from shed. To prepare the soil I chopped down nettles, of which there were plenty and dug them into soil with well rotted compost. I also prepare the ground with Q vitax and Growmore which is easy to rake in. I also use a product called Growaid . A natural slug defence, it’s sheep’s wool in pellet form. Plus it releases nitrogen back into the soil when it decomposes.  For me, really taking the time to prepare the soil well, makes the summer easier. I then plant the tomatoes close together so that they create their own canopy to prevent weed growth.

TL: And how do you look after your tomatoes once there in?
J: I make up my own plant mixes, I mix comfrey and nettle. I also make up a feed with Marestail, it’s a silica rich plant and my hope is to help build up the plant’s defences against blight. I also feed weekly with the water soluble version of Tomorite when flowering starts. I water in the morning and only at soil level so no water splashes.
As the tomatoes are undercover it’s important to ensure that there is still ventilation. At very warm temperature, leaves will roast and burn. To help with air circulation I mostly take off lower leaves and any yellowing leaves.
But I haven’t done this for all the plants, for some I’ve created a support system by using plastic netting cut to size and wired together from which I’ve created a circular ‘cage’.  These I just leave alone.

TL: Tell me about the steps you have taken to protect your tomatoes against blight?
J:I spray with Bordeaux Mixture but have also created this protected environment. The idea is to keep blight spores off the plants. It’s made from corrugated plastic but the main feature is horticultural 25g fleece. This fabric allows light and air through but should provide a barrier to the spores. I can easily lift up the sides to water the ground and the structure is built on adjustable poles so the height can be increased as the plants grow upwards. It’s the first time I’ve used fleece as blight protection but I’m really hoping it works as lightweight and flexible and so straightforward to use as a covering.

TL: Many thanks to Jade for sharing her tomato know-how, her thoughts on planting for productivity and her unique tomato protection structures.

And don’t forget you can follow Jade and her allotment  on Twitter at  Toots2

(These pictures were taken at the very end of June – so I’ll also post updated ones with ripening  tomatoes.)

TL: When do you sow your tomato seeds ?
J: I sow in February or March. I choose 3 varieties and am always interested to see which one does best with my soil and environment. This year I’m growing Il Pomodoro, Gardeners Delight and Black Russian.
 I’ve now moved to sowing tomato seeds in root trainers. These allow for good root development resulting in a stronger plant. I’m happy using multipurpose compost for sowing and it’s cheaper than seed compost.

TL: When do you move the plant on from the root trainer?
J: I use the development of the plant as my guide, the diameter of the true leaves determining when the plant should move on and to what size of pot. When the leaves reach the edge of the pot, I pot on again. Before planting out I house the tomato plants in the greenhouse, standing them on capillary matting to provide moisture. I plant them out after the last frost which is often the late May Bank Holiday.

Next year I’m planning on experimenting with using Long Tom pots, placing crocks at the bottom and then using multipurpose or John Innes 1. I aim to sow, get good root growth and then plant out straight from these pots. It’s something the Victorians were into and it cuts down on the potting on.

TL: And you plant some at home in the garden and some on the allotment?
J: At home I grow determinate (bush) varieties in pots. My objective both at home and the allotment is to maximise productivity from my space and plants as well as protecting them from pests and disease. How this works in the garden is by under planting the tomatoes in pots with strawberry plants. The strawberries are a crop in their own right, spilling out over the sides of the pot but they also act as a mulch to keep the compost cool for the tomatoes.

TL: What sort of pot do you use?
J: Large terracotta pots, raised on little feet to ensure effective drainage. I put broken crocs at the bottom of the pot and then fill it with a mix of top soil and compost. The strawberries are in the pot through the winter (and get moved every 3 years) and then, when the time comes to plant them out ,I add the tomatoes, supported with a spiral stake. If the pot is bone dry at this point then I put the whole pot in a bucket of water so that the terracotta gets soaked through, otherwise when planted up I water at the base of the plant. I also grow tomatoes in pots with mint. Mint is hardy and can take aphid attack. When I walk past the pot I always crush a few mint leaves to attract the aphids to the mint and away from the tomatoes.

TL: I really like the idea of strawberries and tomatoes together. It’s space saving and produces an earlier crop from the same compost and pot.

Tomorrow I join Jade on the allotment to talk through her approach to growing tomatoes in the open soil.

In the meantime for more know-how from Jade on allotment growing in general, follow her on Twitter where she tweets as Toots2 .

Yesterday Linda shared her outdoor tomato know-how. Today is indoor tips. The plants grown inside would, but for the spectre of blight, also be outdoors. A talented home cook Linda doesn’t want to miss out on Sungella, a good flavoured variety which freezes well especially as a base for tomato sauce which works its magic at bringing the taste of summer back from the frozen depths in winter.

So now Sungella (sown from seed) is confined to the safety of the conservatory along with a plant purchased variety, First in Field whilst Ferline and Legend do their blight resisting best outdoors.

TL: When do you sow your indoor seeds?
Linda: A couple of weeks early than the outdoor ones, so around the beginning of March. I only sow 2-3 for indoor planting.

TL: Do you look after your indoor plants differently?
Linda: Sowing is the same but when the plants reach about 4” in height I supplement the light available to them by using horticultural grow lights at night.  I have one solo light under which I can fit one plant and a larger light which will illuminate 3 plants. To start with I put the lamps on for 2 hours and then gradually decrease as day length increases, down to an hour. I stop altogether around the 2nd week of May.
I also bottom heat one plant by placing it on a heated mat which is actually an old wine pad, the kind used to place homemade wine demi-johns on.

TL: What do you grow the tomatoes in?
Linda: I pot them on to 5” pots when roots are showing through the bottom of the 3” ones. The final pot size will be 10”- 12” filled with John Innes 3. I prefer it to multi-purpose compost as when they are cropping the plants become quite heavy and I think the John Innes offers better support.
I do take the plants outside in their pots but bring in at night when it’s cooler and windy etc.

TL: And what do you regarding feed and watering?
Linda: I water every day. The pots are sat in saucers and I let the water run through to saucer. After 10 minutes I pour away any water that’s left in the saucer. It’s important the pots don’t sit in water as plant roots need oxygen. I start feeding when the first tomatoes begin to form and I feed once a week. For feed I use ½ strength urine.

At this point Linda and I digress to discussing the principles behind feeding with urine. Last year a long car journey had been enlivened by listening to a Radio 2 debate, sparked by the news National Trust gardeners were reviving this organic method. One point which was much debated but no conclusion reached was the preferred choice of plants for the urine of the male gardener over that of the female gardener!  Linda’s view: plants show no preference but did add that as a result of her vegetarian diet there’d be less nitrogen and higher potassium content - better for fruit and flower production.

TL: What other aspects of your routine are different for the indoor tomatoes?
Linda: I stop the indoor plants at 3 trusses. In fact I’ve already stopped these plants for this year. I’ll continue to pinch out the side shoots and you have to watch the top for regrowth. Last year I picked my first indoor tomatoes on the 19th June.

Talking to Linda about the tomato growing process really made me think about the amount of light her plants receive. And the earlier, indoor ones receiving extra light. Her plants are not tall but they’re chunky. You’ll feel you’d need to yell ‘Timber’ if they toppled over. Whereas some of mine maybe reaching for the stars but a huff and a puff and they’d be gone.
So my ‘light bulb’ moment has been about the amount of light my plants receive early on in the growing process.

Thank you again to Linda for taking the time to share her knowledge with Tomato Lover.  Really useful and Illuminating stuff !

So before getting trug happy; time to focus on tomatoes. Linda grows both inside and out. The indoor tomatoes thrive in large terracotta pots placed in a light filled, glass conservatory whilst outdoors the tomatoes are planted directly into the soil, in 1 of 5 rotating vegetable beds. This year it’s their turn to root down at the end of the (permanent) asparagus bed.

Today I’m asking Linda about outdoor growing. Tomorrow’s post will feature her approach to indoor growing.

TL: When and how do you sow your tomato seeds?
Linda: I sow mid March and use seed trays; John Innes seed compost and a heated propagator. A week after the seed leaves have developed I prick them out and move them on into 3” pots. I want to move them on before their roots have developed too much in order to avoid disturbing them.

TL: How do you look after the seedlings?
Linda: For compost I would ideally use John Innes 1 or if I’m short of that, John Innes 2 mixed with a little seed compost. During the day they sit on the conservatory windowsill and receive lots of light. At night because the temperature drops I put them back into a heated propagator to keep warm. Lid on when small; as they grow just as base heat.

TL: When do you move them outside?
Linda: I spend several weeks hardening them off by moving them, still in pots, outside during the day and back into the conservatory at night. From mid May, if the weather is looking as if the likelihood of frosts have passed, I’ll plant them out.

TL: Could you tell us your approach to planting outdoors?
Linda: When the plants are about 15” high I plant them out at 20” intervals, arranged in 2 rows which are 2ft apart.  I’ve 5 different beds which I rotate every 5 years. For support I am moving over from bamboo canes to strong, plastic coated steel canes.

TL: Do you have a specific approach to feeding?
Linda: I put down a base dressing of chicken manure about 2 weeks before planting but apart from that with the outside plants I don’t really feed. My soil is rich, the result of adding compost and building up the soil level over 30 years. When I first started growing, the soil here was clay to less than a spade’s depth, including blue clay! Year by year I just kept digging, removing the clay and adding in compost. As a result I’ve now a good depth of soil; 2 plus spades depth and it’s more loamy than clay. But if I were to feed I’d use Chempak.

TL: And what about watering?
Linda: When I first plant out the tomatoes I water them in but again after that, I rarely water outside. The soil is good water retentive soil. I’d water in a really dry summer, always in the morning, that way the plant gets the water when it’s going to need it – in the morning and in the day. If it’s really hot, an extra drink in the afternoon is fine but with cooler nights you don’t want water lying about when the temperature drops.

TL: Which varieties are you growing and when you do expect to picking your first outdoor tomato?
Linda: I’m growing Ferline and Legend. I’ve chosen them for their resistance to blight. Last year my first outdoor tomatoes cropped on 8th July. My approach is to take the plants to 4 trusses and in late July pinch out the tops. I stop them when they are high enough to manage and when I look at the plants and weigh up if the flower buds coming through are going to have time to develop.

As you can see from the photos Linda’s plants are robust, stout characters. Their stalks have girth to write home about. Her method most definitely results in strong, healthy plants. Thank you to Linda for sharing her know-how and hard dug experience !

TL: How long have you been growing tomatoes ?

Lulu: This is my 2nd year.

TL: Where do you grow your tomatoes?

Lulu: Last year I grew them at the allotment and at home in grow bags and this year I am growing them on my allotment where they have their own tomato bed!

TL: Which are your favourite varieties to grow ?

Lulu: I don’t have a favourite yet. Last year I experienced the legendary generosity of other gardeners and was lucky enough to be given my plants by other growers on the allotment and they were delicious.  The three I have planted so far this year have also been given to me so I am hoping for more of the same.  They were all planted from seed.  But not by me!

TL: Do you buy tomatoes plants ?

Lulu: I haven’t done to date but I think I will this year to try some different varieties.

TL: How tomato plants do you grow each year ?

Lulu: Last year I grew 3 which gave me more than enough tomatoes.  It felt like masses!

TL: What’s your favourite way to enjoy your tomatoes once you have picked them ?

Lulu: Definitely straight off the plant but I also like them roasted in the oven with olive oil.

TL: Are there any mistakes you made as a beginner last year that you won’t make again this year ?

Lulu: I didn’t take the lower shoots off early enough last year and didn’t start feeding them early enough.

TL: Based on what you have learnt what would be your tips to pass on to a beginner ?

Lulu: Remember to pinch out the side shoots
Have your fertiliser bought and ready for when you need it.  I used Tomorite every couple of weeks and that seemed to work well.
If you are using a grow bag remember to keep watering and if you are going away remember to ask someone to stand in on watering duties for you!

Also think ahead to what you are going to do with your tomatoes when they start ripening.  When you get a glut it’s great to already have a list of people in your mind who would be happy to receive some tomatoes.
And along the same lines have some recipes ready that you want to make and everything to hand that you will need for making them.  Last year I decided to make chutney.  I had all my tomatoes ready but then had to go out and track down enough vinegar, pickling spices etc .
Plus I also had forgotten about jars and so ended up having to go out and buy them as I hadn’t been thinking ahead and saving them. 

TL: We’re in May – what tomato growing activities are on your to do list for May ?

Lulu: To buy some more plants and to spend as much time on the allotment as I can. There’s so much joy in planting something and seeing it grow.

Many thanks to Lulu for sharing her experience and time.

It was very reassuring for me to meet someone who had grown tomatoes for the first time last year, and despite getting a few things not quite right, had success in producing more than enough tomatoes to go round!  Also valuable were Lulu’s tips on thinking ahead.  I don’t get through many jars but those that I do normally go straight into the recycling bin.  Not now!  Now they’ll get washed out and stored ready for chutney making. I’ve also had fun researching and picking out recipes. If it’s not the tomato equivalent of counting your chickens before they’ve hatched then I’m planning on trying my hand at ‘Red tomato and apple’ and ‘Green tomato’ chutney.  Good tip !