Tomato Moneymaker

Growing your own tomatoes is easy, and we have a range of tried and tested varieties to suit all tastes. In the UK tomatoes will do best in a greenhouse or conservatory. They can however be grown successfully outside in the right conditions. If you are going to plant your tomatoes outside, wait until the danger of frost has passed. Choose a sunny but sheltered spot, at the front of a south facing wall is ideal. If you are growing tomatoes in a grow bag, give this a good shake to break up the compacted compost. Make some holes in the bottom of the bag to allow for drainage. Now cut out the pre marked planting holes and scoop out enough compost to allow the tomatoes to be planted. The top of the root ball should be beneath the top of the bag and have a light covering of compost. Firm in your plants and water. Unless you are growing a bush type tomato, the aim is to create a single stemmed plant. To achieve this your plant will need to be trained up a cane or piece of string. Tie the tomato plant to the cane or string every 10cm (4") To train a single stem, snap out any shoots (side-shoots) that grow in the leaf joints. When your plant has produced 4 sets of trusses, pinch out the growing tip. This should make sure that more of the energy produced by the plant goes into producing fruit. Tomatoes need a lot of water. Generally they will need watering every day, make sure that they get a good soaking on hot and sunny days. If you are out all day and hot weather is forecast, make sure to open the greenhouse door and windows before going out in the morning. Once flowers have started to appear, feed with tomato feed around twice a week to ensure the best quality fruit. Before you know it your tomatoes will be ready for picking- enjoy!