From The Kitchen Garden tomato

The tomato is one of the kitchen’s most versatlie fruits. From salads to pasta sauce and everything in-between, tomatoes are a kitchen staple that every home cook should have on hand. Growing your own tomatoes will ensure you have the juciest and most flavour packed fruit and, if you grow enough, you will be able to make sauces and chutneys to freeze and use in the kitchen all year around.

Location, Location, Location

Tomatoes grow best in full sun, try to position your tomato plants in a location that has up to 8 hours of sunshine each day. If you are growing tomatoes plants in a garden bed they will need staking as they continue to grow. Cherry tomatoes grown in hanging pots will need room to tumble down the sides of the pots.

Timing

Tomatoes like warm, sunny conditions so if you are in a cold climate region wait until well after the last frost in spring to plant your tomato bushes. In warmer climates you may be lucky enough to grow tomatoes all year around. If you are planting multiple tomato plants, try planting one each week so you will have a continual harvest of fruit over the summer months and into early autumn.

Water and Nutrition

Tomatoes will get thirsty during the summer months so make sure you water regularly. Tomatoes planted in pots will dry out more quickly, so make sure they are being watered well every few days. Fertilise in the early growing stage with a non-toxic, natural fertiliser.

Pruning and Harvest

Tomatoes typically take between 10-14 weeks to be ready for harvest. Pick tomatoes when the fruit has ripened to a glorious juicy red, but before they fall from the vines. If you allow tomatoes to stay on the vine for too long once they are ripe you may find that you are sharing your tomato fruit with some unwanted pests.

Companion P lanting

Garlic, onions and chives are great companion plants for tomatoes and will help to keep pesky critters away from your ripe fruit. Basil is also an excellent companion herb for tomatoes and makes a perfect compantion to tomatoes in the kitchen too.