Summer tomatoes

Summer has finally arrived and the tomatoes are changing colour. After a difficult start to the year with the extreme weather in June, it is nice to see the green tomatoes become yellow and red. Tomatoes need about 6 hours sunlight per day to ripen but can suffer from too much direct sun.

In this garden tomatoes are grown in containers and in the raised soil bed. The containers are placed around the garden (these ones in direct sun) while others sit in stairwells and in more shaded spots. The raised bed tomatoes are grown under a canopy of beans to protect them from heavy rain.

The cherry type tomatoes in the raised bed grow in bunches on long vines supported under the canopy of beans. This has proved successful over several years as the plants get afternoon sun (almost side on). This shading also protects the tomato flowers from excessive sun that can spoil the flowers.

These miniature heirloom tomatoes (about golf ball size) are firm and well flavoured. The plants will produce new fruit through until October with each plant producing up to 50 fruit. The fruit will keep well off the vine and at the end of the season any green tomatoes will finish (turn red) in the house.

These types of tomato benefit from regular picking. At this time of year that can mean a bowl full each day. Removing ripe tomatoes early encourages the plant to set new fruit and avoids the risk of fruit splitting. The tomatoes are ideal for salads or using in sauces.

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