How to grow tomatoes

Tomatoes are an edible fruit that is believed to have been domesticated by the indegineous people of Mexico. They are a popular plant to grow because they are easy to grow, take up little space, and are versatile. They are also a popular food - used in salads, sauces, drinks, or alone!

CATHERINE DAVIS, u/SonVoltMMA, specialtyproduce.com, mercedesfromtheeighties

Types of tomatoes:

• Cherry - very small bite-sized juicy tomatoes
• Roma - also called plum tomatoes, bigger than ‘cherries’ and commonly used in sauces
• Beefsteak - a big ‘beefy’ tomato, grown to be sliced - in burgers, salads, and more!
• Heirloom - possibly the most well known tomato with great variety with colour, taste, and size. If you want to stray away from hybrid varieties, you would probably find an heirloom to suit your taste

Lamorna Thomas, alsagarden, Sandra Swiatek, amishlandseeds.com

Unusual tomatoes:

• Black Cherry
• Banana Legs
• Green Zebra
• Pear
• Speckled roman

u/4wezomeness

Sowing: (a general guide)

• Start indoors between February and mid March - as it starts to get warmer
• If you’re growing them outside, start them between late March and early April
• They should germinate in two weeks
• Once they’ve germinated, uncover and place in full sun to prevent them growing leggy

Savvygardening, u/nothingbutreddead

Planting:

• Plant in an area with full sun and protection from winds
• Water well and often to maintain moisture
• Fertilise with potassium every 10-14 days once fruits begin to grow

Prune for a bushy plant

• Avoid removing side shoots
• Once fruiting, remove any branches without fruit to increase airflow
• If the fruits are causing shoots to bend, tie it to a stake for support

Prune for a tall trained plant

• Train plant by gently tying it to a support as it grows
• Prune side shoots to keep the plant as one vertical stem

Harvesting:

• Waiting until the plants are fully ripe on the plant improves the flavour
• Fruit is ripe once it is fully coloured - red, green, yellow, ect.
• Once the weather gets colder, pick the fruit to allow them to ripen indoors

Marin Independent Journal, u/HungryDinoCat, u/mopscotch

Problems with tomatoes:

• White fly - a problem in greenhouses. They drink the sap from plants and leave behind a sticky liquid that creates moulding
• Blossom end rot - caused by a lack of calcium in the plant, giving the fruit a dark and leathery patch on the blossom end
• Split fruits - infrequent watering causes the fruit to split. It will shrivel slightly when underwatered, then burst slightly when suddenly rehydrated. They are safe to eat
• Tomato blight - this is a disease that causes fruit and leaves to rot (most common in wet weather). To prevent grow resistant cultivars, and prune to increase airflow
• Moulding leaves - rarely seen in outdoor plants as greenhouses keep moisture in. provide more ventilation to prevent and remedy

Where to buy tomato plants and seeds:

Plant supports, £8 | Tomato grow kit, £16.99 | Moneymaker tomato seeds, £0.50 | Sarah Raven tomato seeds, varied prices

Pack of 6 plugs, £14.95 | Potted tomato plant, £29.99 | Tomato plant marker, £2.49 | Hand painted plant marker, £3.85

--> Thank you for taking the time to read this post, Nate

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