Sowing class for tomatoes

Some people may have done the deed already; others will wait for several more weeks. Each to his or her own, but I like to have germinated and growing tomato plants which can go out into the greenhouse no later than the start of May.

Then they have lots of time to get their act together, producing – hopefully – fruits from August onwards.

Tomatoes have been with us for more than 400 years.

What the originals looked like when they arrived in England from their home in South America, is anyone's guess, but those early plants were the start of our love affair with the "love apple".

Although it's easy these days to buy healthy plants from garden centres and stores, there's something rather special about growing your own from seed.

There's the ritual of actually choosing the particular variety, sowing the seed, watching it germinate, potting on the seedlings, feeding, watering. Protecting and, finally, eating the fruits of your labours. Basically, tomatoes are pretty easy to grow, and whether or not you sow seed or buy plants, the process is the same, although the methods of cultivation are numerous.

Some people grow them in beds of soil in a greenhouse; some grow them in bottomless buckets which stand on beds of gravel – the compost in the buckets is where the feed is applied while the gravel acts as a reservoir for water. It's called ring culture.

And some people grow their tomatoes in hanging-baskets or in growing-bags, or in big pots on the patio or against a sunny, sheltered wall.

The keys to success are watering, feeding and maintaining the right temperature.

As the plants grow, support them with canes or wire, remove unwanted side-shoots, get rid of diseased or dying foliage, spray emerging flowers with tepid water (it helps the fruit set) and watch out for pests like whitefly. Shade the plants from very hot sun.

When the plants have reached 6ft in height, or have started to set fruit on seven or eight trusses, pinch out the tops. Very rarely does the British summer last long enough to persuade every fruit to redden, but don't despair. You can pick green fruit and ripen it on a warm windowsill or use it for chutney.