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Category:Tomatoes
Tomatoes are happiest in a greenhouse or polytunnel but can be grown outdoors.
The seeds need a warm place like a propogator, or kitchen windowsill, to germinate. The seedlings will be killed by frost and will not thrive when nights are cold. So unless you have a heated greenhouse or consrvatory, restrain yourself from sowing them till February or March. Later sowings have a way of catching up. Prick out the seedlings into 10cm pots when they have a couple of real leaves and keep them cosy until they are planted out in April (indoors) May (outdoors).
Tomatoes are hungry and need a lot of compost in the soil. At Brown Envelope Seeds we dig a trench in the polytunnel in spring and fill it up with well rotted FYM. The trench is covered up with soil again and then with ground cover. The ground cover has holes 60cm apart and the plants are planted through these holes. There are tons of other ways to grow tomatoes, in straw, in grow bags etc.
Most varieties are only suitable for greenhouse growing. They are grown as cordons or single stems, with all the side shoots removed. They need support in the form of a stake or a string from the roof.
They also need regular watering as sproadic drownings can cause Blossom End rot.
Most outdoor varieties are Bush varieties and do not need their sideshoots removed. They need a warm sunny spot. They may need support as the tomatoes start to swell.