Tomato season is currently in full swing, and to get the best growth from your at-home plants there’s a quick trick that Alan Titchmarsh has recommended.
It’s prime season for your homegrown tomatoes to begin flourishing in gardens, and Alan Titchmarsh has dished out a top tip to help you harvest plump and luscious tomatoes. The seasoned British gardener and television host swears by one simple technique to boost your backyard bounty.
Starting off young tomato plants in a growth bag is standard practice, and it’s ideal for those who are tight on space. On an episode of Gardening With Alan Titchmarsh, the green-fingered guru said: “There is nothing more satisfying than biting into a sweet, juicy, sun-warmed, home-grown tomato. And I’m going to show you how to grow your own, whether you’ve got a large garden, a small garden, or no garden at all.”
He added: “The beauty of a grow bag is it can go in any garden or no garden at all. So if you’ve got a balcony, a terrace, a patio, a yard where it’s concrete, this is your man. Because just lay it on the concrete, plant into it, and you’ve got an instant pocket border.”
Grow bags offer incredible versatility and can bring life to balconies, terraces, patios, or anywhere—even without a traditional garden. But here’s the kicker: not everyone realises that pairing them with grow bag canes can take their tomato-growing game to new heights.
Bush tomatoes are one variety that stay grounded without needing support. However, cordon tomatoes, known for their singular tall stem, will need a bit of help to reach their fruitful potential, reports the Express.
Most of these bags are perfect for growing a variety of produce including tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and melons, and they’re versatile enough to be placed just about anywhere. Whether you pop them in a greenhouse, on a soil bed, or even on a concrete surface, they contain everything your plants crave.
Alan Titchmarsh’s clever tip involves using cane supports with the bags, which can be easily manoeuvred around the bag for a snug fit. A little wiggle might be needed to slot the bag between the support’s bars, but once done, it should encircle the bag perfectly.
Cordon tomatoes, known for their lofty growth, need sturdy canes for support, and it’s these varieties that Titchmarsh hails as “the best croppers”. He recommends: “One, a red one called Shirley, and the other, a sort of orange-yellow called Sunset. I like a bit of colour on the salad plate, and those two should do very nicely.”
Tomatoes burst with flavour, and among them, cherry tomatoes stand out, growing on lengthy vines instead of bushes or tall structures. You’ll find a rainbow of tomato types offering a spectrum of colours from red to orange, yellow, striped, and even black.
Gardening buffs also advise that tomatoes love nutrient-rich, moisture-holding soil and bask in warm, sunny spots. They should be planted deep and spaced out as per the guidance on their seed packets, which will tell you the precise spacing required.
The correct distance between your plants not only ensures they get ample sunlight but also enhances the air circulation in and around the soil. This can help to ward off any potential disease issues.
How to cultivate tomatoes in grow bags
Step one: Carefully cut slots out of the bag to expose the compost as small windows in which your plants will sit inside.
Step two: Use a trowel to scoop out a decently sized hole and take the plant out of its original pot to then place it in the hole you’ve just made.
Step three: It’s time for your canes for added support. Jiggle the support beams over your bag of compost so it sits nicely in inbetween two, stabilising it on any surface.