Guide to buying tomato plants
The trusty tomato is one of the nation’s favourite crops thanks to its versatility, bright colour and its sweet and tangy taste.
Growing tomatoes in the garden is very satisfying for many gardeners and while the keen ones will have planted seeds earlier in the year and will already be enjoying seeing them flourish, there is a quicker and easier way to grow toms.
There’s no need for seeds or growbags when you can pop tomato plants into a border or pot straight away after purchase. We’ve got some handy advice on what to look for when choosing your plants:
- When browsing at the garden centre, it’s important to pick the tallest plants with the most leaves and flowers as this means all of the plant’s energy will go into producing a tasty crop instead of putting on growth.
- ‘Tumbling’ tomatoes are perfect for hanging baskets and the sides of pots. They’re also great for beginners as they crop quickly and don’t need side shoots removed regularly.
- Bush types can be untidy but do not require the side shooting of the upright varieties.
- Cordon types, such as ‘Ailsa Craig, ‘Moneymaker’ and ‘Alicante’ are your classic tomatoes. As they grow they will need tying to a bamboo cane for stability and side shoots will need to be removed regularly to ensure more fruit.
- You can’t go wrong with a good old cherry tomato plant such as ‘Sungold’ and ‘Gardeners Delight’. The variety’s petite fruits are packed full of essential vitamins that are sweet and perfect for salads, sandwiches, picnics and lunch boxes.
Once you’ve picked your plants don’t forget to purchase plenty of tomato feed and, if you’ve never tried growing tomatoes before, make sure you have a watering can handy too.