Tomato (Regular) Growing Guide

Solanum lycopersicum

Crop Rotation Group

Solanaceae (Potato and tomato family) ●

Soil

Rich soil with plenty of added compost.

Position

Sunny position.

Frost tolerant

No.

Feeding

When flowering starts, spray weekly with foliar seaweed spray and side dress with a slow release high potassium organic fertiliser

Spacing

Single Plants: 50cm (1' 7") each way (minimum)
Rows: 45cm (1' 5") with 60cm (1' 11") row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Frost areas: sow under cover 6 weeks before last spring frost. Plant out in late spring, when the weather is settled and warm. Frost free areas: Sow seed directly or in seed beds/seed trays in spring
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalised calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

Tie upright types to canes with string to support the weight of the fruit. Remove side shoots which grow in the angle between the leaf stems and the main stem of the plant.

Harvesting

Pick regularly as soon as the fruits are ripe. This encourages production of more tomatoes.

Troubleshooting

Blossom end rot patches on the bottom of fruits are a nutritional disorder best prevented by growing tomatoes in well-prepared soil with constant light moisture. Yellow leaves indicate lack of magnesium, so apply liquid feed.