Growing Tomatoes is fun and rewarding, resulting in masses of fresh, nutritious fruits that taste better than anything you can buy in the shops. The main bonus of growing your own tomatoes is the many different varieties you can grow, including cherry, plum and beefsteak, each with its own distinctive flavour, shape and culinary use.

Sow seeds February to April on the surface of a good, free-draining, damp, seed sowing mix and cover with a fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Place seed trays in a propagator until after germination. When seedlings gain 2 true leaves, transplant into individual 7.5cm pots, and grow on.

In a greenhouse tomato plants may be transplanted at the end of May or when the first flowers are showing, if earlier. Allow 3 plants per growbag, or one per 25cm pot, or plant directly into the greenhouse soil.

When growing tomatoes outdoors, wait until all risk of frost has passed before transplanting. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions before planting out from early June when plants are at least 20cm tall. Choose a sheltered position in full sun on fertile, reliably moist, well drained soil, and transplant at a distance of 60cm apart.