Tomato Red Alert

 WHEN TO SOW January to April

WHERE TO SOW Sow seeds underglass 0.5cm (1/4 in) deep in pots or trays of good seed sowing compost and lightly cover with a sprinkling of vermiculite or compost. Place containers in a propagator at a temperature of 18–21°C .

WHAT TO DO NEXT Prick out seedlings, once large enough to handle, into 9cm (3 1/2in) pots. Transplant to individual large pots, or 3 plants per growbag when 20cm (8in) high. Can also be planted outdoors once all risk of frost has past. Plants have a bushy habit and do not require sideshooting. Water and feed plants regularly with a high potash feed once the first truss has set.

MATURITY July to October

HANDY TIP for an early outdoor crop, plant out at the end of May under cloches then remove as the plants get larger.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES Packed with antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and lycopene.

TYPE Determinate - Bush type, do not remove side shoots. There can hardly be a glasshouse in the country that does not have a few tomato plants growing in it, as nothing tastes quite like a tomato freshly picked from your own garden. Even if you have a window box you can produce your own tomatoes. But, they are not without their problems; tomato plants are very delicate and can easily succumb to disease, they need a fair amount of attention and just a whiff of hormone spray from a neighbouring garden or field can result in deformed fruits and plants - but they are still always worth the effort!