How to grow tasty Tomatoes

How to grow tomatoes in a garden

Choose a sunny spot in the garden with well drained soil and enrich with Yates Thrive Natural Blood & Bone with Seaweed. Add Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite to help sweeten the soil and help prevent blossom end rot.
Sow seeds, lightly cover with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and water well. If growing from seedlings, they can be planted a little deeper, so that the bottom few centimetres of the tomato stems are covered with soil. Water in well.
Tall growing tomatoes will require stakes for support, so it’s best to put these in now to avoid damaging plant roots later.
As seedlings emerge and grow, feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Tomato Vegie Plant Food Concentrate. Mulch around the base with organic mulch like pea or lucerne straw, keeping it away from the main stem.
As larger staked tomatoes grow, gently tie the main stems to the stakes with a plant tie or old piece of hosiery.
Harvest tomatoes when the fruit is plump and red (or yellow, depending on the variety).

How to grow tomatoes in a pot

If you don’t have room in your garden to grow tomatoes, grow them in pots! Choose smaller varieties.

Choose a pot at least 400mm wide and deep and position in full sun. Fill with quality potting mix, such as Yates Premium Potting Mix.
Sow seeds, lightly cover with Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and water well. If growing from seedlings, they can be planted a little deeper, so that the bottom few centimetres of the tomato stems are covered with soil. Water in well.
Tall growing tomatoes will require stakes for support, so it’s best to put these in now to avoid damaging plant roots later.
Potted plants dry out quicker than in-ground plants, so it’s important to water potted plants regularly.
As seedlings grow, feed weekly with Yates Thrive Natural Tomato Vegie Plant Food Concentrate to encourage growth.
As larger staked tomatoes grow, gently tie the main stems to the stakes with a plant tie or old piece of hosiery.
Harvest tomatoes when the fruit is plump and red (or yellow, depending on the variety).

Yates varieties

Tomato 'Moneymaker' Heirloom

Famed as a reliable choice for setting fruit in all conditions, Great yields of firm, bright red medium-sized fruit.

Tomato 'Roma'

Italian heirloom producing deep red, pear-shaped fruit. Famous for hearty sauces, rich tomato paste and soups.

Tomato 'Big Beef' Hybrid

An award winning hybrid, Big Beef produces large, juicy tomatoes with old-fashioned beefsteak flavour. Long fruiting season, heavy yields and superior disease resistance.

Tomato 'Black Krim' (Organic)

This heirloom-type tomato has flattened, dark red-purple fruit with green shoulders. Flesh is very juicy, with a green tinge.

Tomato 'Grosse Lisse' Heirloom

An old favourite that does well in humid areas, Grosse Lisse produces medium to large fruit, full of juicy flavour. A tasty all-rounder.

Tomato 'Heirloom Favourites'

A lucky dip selection of heirloom tomatoes in a rainbow of extravagant colours, shapes and flavours.

Tomato 'Small Fry' Hybrid

Masses of sweet, bite-sized fruit on every plant. Spectacular in summer salads & antipasto, grilled, chopped into salsa, skewered on kebabs or as juicy treats for kids.

Tomato 'Tommy Toe' Heirloom

An old favourite, with a reputation for delightful tasting tomatoes. It sets a heavy crop of glossy bright red, apricot-sized fruit.

Growing tips

In cool climates, you can get a start on your tomatoes early by raising seeds in trays of Yates Black Magic Seed Raising Mix. They can be transplanted to the garden or pot when the weather is warmer.
A layer of mulch will help retain moisture in the soil.
To help prevent blossom end rot (when the bottom of the fruit looks sunken and rotten), apply fast acting Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite at planting time, which will help ensure a sufficient supply of calcium. The tomato is still perfectly fine to eat, simply remove and discard the affected parts.
If you didn’t apply lime at planting time, it’s not too late to do it during the growing season.
Certain tomato diseases are carried in the soil, so choose a different spot each year (avoid planting in the same part of the garden for at least four years).
When buying tomato plants or seeds, look for varieties that mention disease resistance.