How to Grow Tomatoes (UK guide)
Tomatoes are a rewarding crop for gardeners of all levels, offering delicious, versatile fruits for salads, sauces and more. With so many varieties available, there’s a tomato for every taste and space—perfect for containers, greenhouses or sunny borders.
Growing Tomatoes in your UK garden
Tomatoes thrive in warm, sunny spots and prefer fertile, well-drained soil or compost. They can be grown outdoors after frost risk passes, or started early under cover. Regular feeding and consistent watering are keys to a bumper crop.
Grown Vegetables
Sweet, juicy homegrown fruit all summer
How to Grow Tomatoes from Seed
- 01Fill small pots or seed trays with moist, peat-free seed compost
- 02Sow seeds
- 035cm deep and lightly cover with compost
- 04Place in a warm, bright spot—ideally 18–21°C
- 05Keep compost moist and seedlings will appear in about 7–14 days
- 06Pot on the strongest seedlings when they have two true leaves
You will need
- 01Sunny location
- 02Free-draining, fertile soil or good compost
- 03Regular watering
- 04Support for tall varieties
- 05Weekly tomato feed
Pinch out sideshoots for best harvests
Pinch out tomato sideshoots regularly, especially on cordon varieties, to focus energy on fruit production rather than leafy growth.
Plant Calendar
Tomato growing essentials
Strong sunlight
Tomatoes need at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight each day for best yields.
Consistent watering
Keep compost or soil evenly moist to prevent split fruit and blossom end rot.
Nutrient-rich compost
Use a high-quality, peat-free compost or enriched soil mix to encourage healthy growth.
Support structures
Tall tomato varieties need canes, cages or string supports to keep plants upright.
Tomatoes: FAQs & Common Problems
Tomatoes FAQs
Tomatoes can be harvested several times a week once they start ripening, usually from July into September. Pick fruits when fully coloured and slightly soft to the touch for the best flavour.
Tomatoes grow well in containers. Use a pot at least 30cm (12in) deep and wide, filled with rich peat-free multi-purpose compost. Ensure containers have good drainage to prevent root rot.
Feed tomato plants weekly with a high potash fertiliser, such as tomato feed, as soon as the first truss of fruit begins to set. Regular feeding encourages strong growth and maximum fruit production.
Tomatoes can suffer from blight, especially in wet summers, as well as pests such as aphids and whitefly. Good ventilation, crop rotation and removing affected leaves help keep plants healthy.
GROW: Grow your own fruit and vegetables from the earth around you.
