Tomatoes - Growing Your Own / RHS Gardening

Watering

Water tomato plants regularly to keep the soil or compost Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. evenly moist. Fluctuating moisture levels can cause problems with the fruit, such as splitting or blossom end rot (see Problems, below). Plants in containers dry out quickly, so may need watering daily in hot weather. Curling leaves can be a sign that a tomato plant is short of water.

Top tip

Sink a 15cm (6in) pot into the ground alongside tomato plants and water into it, so the water goes directly down to the roots. The moisture doesn’t then sit around the neck of the plants, which can lead to rotting.

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How to water containersCollecting rainwater

Feeding

To boost fruiting of container plants, feed every 10–14 days with an organic high potassium liquid fertiliser once the first fruits start to swell. Tomatoes growing in enriched ground may not need additional feeding, but a fortnightly feed can help to increase yields.

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FertilisersHow to feed plants

Mulching

Mulch Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. plants growing in the ground or in a greenhouse border to help retain moisture and deter weeds. Lay a thick layer of garden compost Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost: • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own. or well-rotted manure around plants, but leave a gap around the base of the stem, to prevent rotting.

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How to mulch with organic matterMulches and mulchingOrganic matter: what is it?

Improving pollination

When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, open the vents regularly to give pollinating insects access to the flowers. You can also lightly tap or shake the flowers when fully open to aid pollen transfer within the flower. Misting flowers with water can also help.

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How plants reproduceGreenhouse: ventilation and shading