Sweet, flavour-packed, and surprisingly simple to grow with a little know-how, tomatoes are a must-have for anyone diving into homegrown produce. Even better, this versatile crop is a kitchen favourite—perfect for everything from rich sauces to refreshing summer salads.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through each step to help you grow a bumper harvest of delicious tomatoes at home.
Types of Tomatoes
Tomatoes come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and flavours. Here are the main types to consider:
Cherry Tomatoes
Small, sweet, and perfect for snacking or salads.
Plum Tomatoes
Meaty and less juicy, ideal for sauces and cooking.
Beefsteak Tomatoes
Large and juicy, perfect for slicing and sandwiches.
Bush (Determinate) Tomatoes
Compact and great for containers or small gardens. They produce fruit all at once.
Vining (Indeterminate) Tomatoes
Require staking or trellising but produce fruit continuously over the growing season.
How to start growing tomatoes
There are two options when growing tomatoes - growing tomatoes from seed or buying more established tomato plants.
Typically, tomato seeds are sown between late February and mid-March if you plan to grow them in a greenhouse, or late March to early April if you're planting them outdoors.
Sowing Indoors:
- Fill seed trays or pots with seed compost.
- Sow tomato seeds 0.5cm deep and cover lightly with compost.
- Water gently and place in a warm, sunny location or under a grow light.
- Transplant seedlings into larger pots when they develop their first true leaves and are around 10cm tall.
Planting Outdoors:
- Choose a sunny spot with fertile, well-draining soil.
- Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for 7-10 days.
- Plant seedlings deeply, burying two-thirds of the stem to encourage a strong root system.
- Space plants 45-60cm apart for vining varieties and 30-45cm apart for bush varieties.
How about a tomato deep planter? Our Levington Tomorite planter 46L has space for three tomato plants and is full of nutrients for tastier, healthier tomatoes!
What kinds of soil for tomatoes need?
Tomatoes thrive in rich, well-draining soil that’s packed with nutrients and organic matter. The ideal soil is loamy—meaning it holds moisture without becoming waterlogged—and slightly acidic, with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.
A compost mix for vegetables will contain the nutrients that tomatoes require or why not use a tomato grow bag?
Taking care of tomatoes
Tomatoes thrive with consistent care and attention. Keep the soil consistently moist but avoid waterlogging, and always water at the base of the plant to prevent wetting the leaves, which can lead to diseases.
As very hungry plants, tomatoes benefit from a fertiliser, such as tomato feed, applied every 1-2 weeks once flowers begin to appear. For indeterminate varieties, pinch out the side shoots that grow between the main stem and leaves to direct the plant's energy toward fruit production.
Support vining varieties with stakes or cages to keep them upright and ensure the fruit stays off the ground, promoting healthy growth and easier harvesting.
Our tomato pot with support is a great option for helping vining varieties grow!
When to pinch out tomatoes
Pinching tomatoes means the plant will put all of its energy into growing fruit rather than growing foliage at the expense of fruit. This is the opposite to pinching out sweet peas to encourage bushier plants, as with tomatoes the aim is to stop the plant from growing super bushy but with little fruit.
Pinch out side shoots that appear between the main stem and leaves every few days. But, avoid removing the tomato truss which is the stem that carries the flowers that turn into lovely tomatoes. To recognise a truss, look for a cluster of smaller stems where flower heads or yellow flowers are developing. Tomato trusses always grow from a stem and never where the leaf joins the stem.
Harvesting tomatoes
Tomatoes can be harvested at the breaker stage - this is when tomatoes are about 50% ripe, meaning they've reached their full size and are starting to ripen, but haven't fully colored yet. However, most people harvest their tomatoes when they appear light red or full red.
Tomato FAQs
Do tomatoes need full sun?
Yes! Tomatoes thrive in full sun – aim for at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Can I grow tomatoes in pots or containers?
Absolutely. Choose a large pot (at least 30cm wide), use good quality compost, and support the plant with a cane or stake.
How do I prevent tomato blight?
Avoid overhead watering, ensure good air circulation, and consider growing resistant varieties. Remove and destroy affected plants immediately.
Growing tomatoes can provide you with tasty additions to your salads all summer - happy growing!