I’ve grown tomatoes outside for many years and by choosing the right varieties I’ve usually seen them thrive, despite our damp climate. Nothing beats the flavour and scent of a tomato picked straight from the vine. With a high yield for their small footprint, they’re always the first on my ‘must grow’ list.
Last season, I trialled 14 cordon varieties and three bush types, growing one of each outside in our exposed and elevated Yorkshire hillside garden. I also grew one of each inside my polytunnel for comparison. Some were disease-resistant varieties and the majority were types recommended for growing outdoors.
I sowed and grew them on in pots of peat-free compost before planting them out in early
