How to Grow Tomatoes: A Beginner's Guide in 8 Steps

Eight steps to a productive tomato plant, from picking a variety through to knowing when the fruit is actually ready.

The steps

1. Pick a Variety. Determinate: one big harvest. Indeterminate: fruits all season.
2. Give Full Sun. Six to eight hours daily. More sun, more fruit.
3. Plant Deep. Bury two thirds of the stem. Buried stem grows new roots.
4. Water Steadily. Keep the soil evenly moist. Water the base, not leaves.
5. Feed Regularly. Compost at planting time. Low-nitrogen feed once flowering.
6. Support It. Cage, stake or trellis. Add support on planting day.
7. Prune Suckers. Pinch suckers on indeterminates. Strip low leaves for airflow.
8. Harvest. Pick at full colour. Slightly soft to the touch.

Pro tip. Mulch two to three inches around each plant. It holds moisture, blocks weeds, and stops the soil splash that spreads disease onto the lower leaves.