Growing your own Tomato plants - Varieties and seed suppliers

Growing Tomatoes from seed or seedlings in the home garden is fairly simple given appropriate conditions, a humus rich well drained but moist soil and lots of sun. . Growing tomatoes from seed is easy, especially if you have a hothouse to start the seeds in. Tomatoes are popular as a home grown plant due to the fantastic flavour that tomatoes grown at home give and to the relative ease that tomatoes are grown. Heirloom tomato varieties are increasing popular for flavour as well as appearance.

Remember that tomatoes are really a fruit, but are treated by many as a vegetable. Tomatoes can easily be grown in containers or in the ground. Tomatoes are suitable for growing hydroponically or in tomato grow bags. Tomatoes can be grown from seed or from seedlings. Growing tomatoes from seed is increasingly popular due to the wide range of heirloom tomato seed varieties available.

Growing Tomatoes from Seed

Once the weather warms up remember to mulch tomatoes well to retain moisture.

Tomato growing basics

• Tomatoes require sun, humus rich moist soil and good air circulation to produce good crops.
• A minimum of 6 - 8 hours sun a day is best.
• Tomatoes can be grown in the ground, in pots, or hydroponically.

Growing tomatoes in the ground.

• Prepare the soil in a sunny position, dig in well rotted compost and some cow manure 3 -4 weeks before planting seedlings. Place stakes 24inches apart and the plant seedlings at the base of each stake. Water in well with a liquid fertilizer or compost tea.
• Pinch off the lower leaves from the seedlings when they are 6 - 8 inches tall. Tie tomato plants to the stake as they grow for support.
• Mulch tomato plants to help retain moisture and prevent weeds.
• Try to keep moisture levels even, tomatoes do not like to dry out, and they do not like to be waterlogged.
• Avoid fertilizers that high in nitrogen, nitrogen promotes foliage growth, you want fruit, so look for fertilizers that are balanced or high in phosphorus. We use liquid fertilizers once every two weeks.

Pomodoro San Marzano (San Marzano Tomato) is a favourite variety with Italian Gardeners.