Grow tomatoes galore!

It’s official! Brits love tomatoes. When it comes to growing and eating them, we think they are tops and there is hardly a greenhouse, patio or veg patch that won’t be home to at least one tub or growing bag bursting with them. Surely, only the Italians can lay greater claim to their love of these sweet ripe fruits – but then they have the sunshine on their side, while we battle on no matter what the weather and how bothersome the blight.

Look to the seed catalogues and you’ll be offered two basic types – greenhouse and outdoors – although some have roots in both camps.

Greenhouse crops can be sown early – from January onwards – giving them a long growing season to ripen heavy crops and protection from the weather and that dreaded blight. However, these tender crops need lots of light and heat, which in our climate makes them expensive to grow well in the early stages.