
From Seed to Harvest 30 – Tomatoes
From seed to harvest, I share my knowledge about how to grow tomatoes.
This lesson is one of 30 that comprise my ‘Seed to Harvest‘ online course.
- Each lesson concentrates on one vegetable, occasionally more if you grow them in a similar way, and is structured in the same format – listed below.
- My aim is that you understand each vegetable’s special needs and qualities so that successful harvests are almost certain.
- The tomatoes lesson is 9650 words, with 111 photos and 1 exclusive video.
The structure follows these headings:
- Introduction to vegetable
- Harvest period
- Why grow them
- Suitable for containers/shade?
- Conditions for success
- Varieties
- Sow and propagate
- Sowing conditions
- Sowing time
- Pot on?
- Transplant, size, time of year
- Spacing
- Support
- Water – how often, how much, extra mulch to retain water?
- Container growing
- Feed
- Prune and train plants/thin fruit
- Harvest time and method
- Potential problems – which pests are likely and when, disease, other likely difficulties
- Clearing
- Follow with
Soil care
There is occasional reference to weeding, feeding and basic bed preparation. Thanks to no dig these are minimal jobs, and are almost the same for all vegetables.
If you are not yet practising no dig, it’s simple. The key part is to stop digging and loosening your soil. Then rake level and cover the surface with a thin layer of compost, into which you sow and transplant. Or, if you have many weeds, lay cardboard and cover with some compost.
Compost is anything decomposed and does not have to be perfect in appearance. It is organic matter which feeds soil life, maintaining soil with an aerated structure, and far more effectively than we can do it with tools.
On all soil types, you can grow fine tomatoes using the no dig method. And you will enjoy the process much more, thanks to there being many fewer weeds.
I have created a bank of useful information which can be used alongside any of my online courses, books or web pages.
It contains:
- Information on the seasons and weather
- A comprehensive glossary of gardening terms that I use, explained in a few words
- A table showing which vegetables belong to which plant family
- A harvesting timeline detailing the main months for sowing and harvesting
The glossary, plant family information and harvesting timeline can all be downloaded as PDF’s.
It is available to purchase for £6 here.
Billy Bowen (verified owner) –
Thank you again! Fantastic idea, money is tight for all and being able to buy the course i needed was a great option.
My first tomato harvest in my first year in my no dig poly tunnel has been great. Thanks to this well thought out quite intense coure i grow tomatoes with confidence not worrying about anything, just checked my notes if i wasn’t shore.
And right now my tomatoes tast and look fantastic thanks to this course! 10 out of 10.
[email protected] (verified owner) –
Wel, that was quick! Thank you.
[email protected] (verified owner) –
Only just started this course. Loks very impressive. Sholud there be a table of brix values? Or don’t I just see it?
Charles –
Thanks for being so observant Maarit, because you are absolutely right that the table of brix values somehow dropped out and nobody spotted its absence! I have put it back in and you should be able to see it now.