BEING the daughter of commercial tomato growers, I’ve spent a lot of time among these plants. Breeding continually improves the selection available, so let’s take a detailed look at this must-grow crop.
These days, outdoor tomatoes are a cinch for beginners to grow. The increasing introduction of patio varieties (see page 20) allows you to plonk a plant in a pot, apply water and feed, pray for rays of sunshine, then wait for numerous fruits to form – no faffy pruning is required – bliss! Dwarf cherry varieties, in particular, are well catered for (like ‘Maskotka’, ‘Totem’ and ‘Tumbling Tom’).
If you hanker for larger-fruited slicing and beefsteak toms, then cordons are your answer (my favourites are ‘Ferline’ and ‘Tomande’ for flavour) – and the way these are grown is being revolutionised by grafted plants. These have super-charged roots, giving more vigour, plus earlier and longer cropping.
