Growing tomatoes

In short: Tomatoes need sun, warmth, water and nutrients. They are started indoors from March, planted out after the Ice Saints, and must be tied up and have side shoots removed.

In more detail: They are heavy feeders. Even watering prevents split fruit and blossom-end rot.

In detail

• Location: Sunny, sheltered from rain (roof or film), which reduces blight.
• Planting: Plant deep; the plant forms extra roots along the stem.
• Pinching out: Remove side shoots in the leaf axils on cordon tomatoes so energy goes into the fruit.
• Feeding: Weekly with tomato feed after flowering, not excessively.
• Watering: At the base, not over the leaves, in the morning, evenly.
• Harvest: When the fruit is fully coloured. Ripening indoors is possible.
• Diseases: Late blight is common. Spacing, air and dry leaves help (aussaat-und-pflanzzeiten).