Top Tomatoes To Grow

One of the most popular crops to grow in the UK is the tomato and once you have tasted one straight from the vine, instead of from the fridge, you will never go back to shop bought tomatoes again. The flavour is divine, almost like eating sunshine!

As long as you give the growing plants a little attention, they are not a difficult to grow. Sow a couple of seeds to a small pot of compost and remove the weaker of the two after germination. Plant the seedlings in pots or grow bags when they are about 8ʺ tall and the first truss of flowers is just opening.

A cordon type tomato will need the main stem supported and all the side shoots removed as it grows but the bush varieties do not require any pinching out or support making them a little easier. Growing in popularity are the varieties suitable for hanging baskets as the trusses of fruit dangle decoratively over the sides.

There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, some producing tiny fruit of a few grams and others giants weighing in at ½ kilo. The colours can be pale green, yellow, orange and red to almost black.

Here we have 9 of the best tomato varieties; something for everyone that will not disappoint.

Tomato (Beef) Pink Wonder F1 Hybrid

An early maturing, high yielding pink fleshed beef tomato. Wonder has a distinctive meaty flesh and fabulous flavour. Pink Wonder is an absolutely fantastic for summer barbeques and salads; a superb variety.

Tomato Pannovy F1 Hybrid

Pannovy is an excellent cordon-type tomato. Vigorous and high yielding it will produce an abundance of smooth bright red fruit. Pannovy can be grown in the greenhouse or outdoors

Tomato Rambling Red Stripe

A vigorous trailing variety suitable for growing in large hanging baskets, or to grow cascade style over the edge of a large container. Red Stripe has a great flavour with a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. It produces huge amounts of fruit right through the year and is sure to be a talking point either in the garden or at the dinner table

Tomato Super Sweet 100

A superb small tomato producing masses of sweet flavoured cherry sized fruit. Super Sweet is the full package; it is highly disease resistant giving your crop protection from potential problems. It produces masses of fruit right up to the first frosts, definitely the one to grow.

Tomato Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig can be relied upon to give a good crop of medium sized fruit whether grown in a greenhouse or outside – which is why it remains so popular

Tomato (Beefsteak) Marmande

The large, irregular shaped fruits of Marmande have a great taste and are ideal for cooking, sandwiches and salads. A favourite in the Mediterranean, it usually performs well in British conditions.

Tomato Shirley F1 Hybrid

This greenhouse tomato is hard to beat, and has rapidly established itself as the nations favourite. The plants are heavy cropping, robust and disease resistant, and the good sized fruits have a lovely taste and texture. It is also a splendid variety for exhibitors. Shirley simply will not disappoint you.

Tomato (Cherry) Sweet Million F1 Hybrid

Living up to its name, Sweet Million produces masses of small, round, richly coloured fruits whether in a greenhouse or grown outdoors. Expect up to 50 delicious cherry tomatoes per truss.

Tomato Moneymaker

Moneymaker has been a hugely popular choice of tomato with gardeners for many years. Perfect for growing in a greenhouse or outside, it can be relied upon to give a heavy crop of delicious, medium sized fruit

Here at Birstall Garden and Leisure Centre we stock only the very best quality seed from Suttons and Unwins, guaranteed to be fresh giving you the best possible start. Take a look at our online store for a great selection of flower and vegetable seeds.

Published February 12th, 2015 by Jordan. Article ref 3652

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