Tomato
How do I sow tomatoes under cover?
To sow tomatoes under cover, it is advisable to start as early as February or March, to give the plants a head start before they are transplanted outdoors. You can use peat pots to sow your seeds, filling them with good quality potting soil. Sow one seed per cup at a depth of 1 to 2 cm, then water gently to moisten the soil. Place the cups in a bright, warm place, at a temperature of around 20°C.
Make sure the soil remains constantly moist, but not soggy. Once the plants have developed several leaves, you can transplant them into larger individual pots, again without using chemical fertiliser. Continue to expose them to light and water them regularly.
Once the risk of frost has passed, you can finally transplant your tomato plants into the ground. Make sure you acclimatise them well to their new environment by gradually taking them outside for a few hours a day. With a little patience and care, you'll be able to enjoy delicious tomatoes grown naturally in your garden.
How to plant tomatoes
To grow tomatoes successfully, it's important to choose a sunny location with well-drained soil rich in organic matter. The best time to plant is in spring, once any risk of frost has passed. Before planting your tomatoes in the ground, work the soil by decompacting it and adding compost to improve its texture and fertility.
It is advisable to space tomato plants around 50-60 cm apart to allow them to develop properly. When planting, be sure to bury the stem up to the first leaves to encourage the formation of additional roots. Then mulch the base of the plants to keep the soil fresh and limit weeds.
When it comes to watering, it's important to keep the soil slightly moist at all times, without soaking it. Finally, to encourage healthy growth and limit disease, you can also mulch with nettle or comfrey leaves as a natural fertiliser.
How to harvest tomatoes successfully
For a good tomato harvest, it's important to plant them in spring when the risk of frost has passed. Tomatoes can be harvested from June until September. To know if they're ready, simply pick them when they have a nice, even red colour and are firm to the touch. It's best to pick them by turning them slightly to detach them from the stem without damaging them.
Once harvested, tomatoes can be kept for about a week at room temperature, away from direct light. They can also be kept for a few days longer by placing them in the vegetable crisper in the fridge. For longer storage, we recommend freezing them or making them into a sauce or jam. By following these simple tips, you can enjoy delicious fresh tomatoes all summer long.
Tomato
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Fruiting vegetables
- Botanical Family : Solanaceae
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Full Sun
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Sensitive
- Cultivation Difficulty : Medium
- Adult Height : 150 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Recommended
- Sowing Depth : 0.5 cm
- Plant Spacing : 60 cm
- Row Spacing : 80 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Moderate
- Water Requirements : High
Seeds
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Insect-pollinated
- Propagation : Sowing