How to get the best toms

Pruning, watering and feeding are essential

- Ruth Hayes

SO far, it has been a good year for our tomatoes, whatever the variety. We have more plants than ever before (they almost all germinated), ‘Tigerella’ from AG free seeds and the heritage cherry varieties ‘Black Baby’, ‘Toddler’ and ‘Bliss’.

As a result we have them growing in the greenhouse, on the patio and for the first time in our raised beds.

They all seem to be thriving, and we have been feeding and watering them all at the recommended rate.

This week I have also been pinching out, pruning and ‘stopping’ the greenhouse plants as they have grown tall enough to reach the roof panes and are starting to grow at an odd angle!

Tomato plants are stopped in August or September, depending on where you live in the UK and at what stage your tomatoes are at – see the panel below

Keep pinching out the thin shoots that sprout at the junction where the main stem meets the main branches. These are not needed and their removal helps the plant concentrate its energy into developing healthy flowers and fruits.