Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables – and that’s not surprising since the taste fresh from the vine is divine.

Though growing-bags are the favoured growing medium, they take a lot more careful looking after than those growing in pots or in the ground.

Outdoor tomatoes are well worth growing using cultivars that are more tolerant of outdoor conditions.

Sowing

Sow at 18C (65F). Sow in either seed trays or small pots. Transplant into 7.5-9cm (3-3.5in) pots when two true leaves have formed.

For greenhouse cultivation: sow from mid-January to early February (heated greenhouse) or late February to mid-March (unheated greenhouse).

For outdoor cultivation: sow in late March to early April.

Young plants are available from garden centres in spring

Growing

Transfer to 23cm (9in) pots, growing-bags or plant 45-60cm (18-24in) apart outside when the flowers of the first truss are beginning to open.  Plants for growing outdoors should be hardened off first.

Tie the main stem to a vertical bamboo cane or wind it up a well-anchored but slack sturdy string. Those grown as bush or hanging basket types do not need support.

Remove sideshoots regularly when they are about 2.5cm (1in) long. Those grown as bush or hanging basket types will not need to have sideshoots removed.

Water regularly to keep the soil/compost evenly moist. Feed every 10-14 days with a balanced liquid fertiliser, changing to a high potash one once the first fruits start to set.

Remove yellowing leaves below developing fruit trusses.

Harvesting

Start picking when the fruit is ripe and fully coloured.

At the end of the growing season lift the plants with unripe fruit and either lay them on straw under cloches or hang them in a cool shed to aid ripening.