When should I plant out my tomatoes in the UK?

Wait for the last frost in your area — mid-May in southern England, late May in the Midlands, early June in the north of England and southern Scotland, and end of June in Highland gardens. Harden tomatoes off for 7–10 days before planting out by leaving them outside for longer each day. Plant 60 cm apart for bush varieties and 45 cm for cordons. Water them in well and stake cordons at planting time, so you don't damage the roots later.

Do tomatoes need full sun in the UK?

Yes — tomatoes need at least six hours of direct sun a day to fruit reliably. They will grow in partial shade but the crop will be small and slow to ripen. South-facing walls and sheltered south-facing patios are the best UK positions, especially north of the Midlands where summer warmth is unreliable. Under glass or polytunnel cover, tomatoes will fruit further north than they would outdoors. East-facing gardens manage; north-facing rarely do.

What's the best tomato variety to grow outdoors in the UK?

Choose a blight-resistant variety if you grow outdoors anywhere damp. Crimson Crush, Mountain Magic and Lizzano are bred specifically to resist Phytophthora infestans. For flavour and a long pick, Sungold (cherry) and Gardener's Delight (cherry) are the long-running UK favourites and crop reliably outdoors in southern England. Plum varieties like San Marzano need a warm summer and tend to do better under glass. Bush (determinate) varieties suit shorter seasons because they ripen all at once.

Why are my tomato leaves curling?

Leaf curl is usually heat stress or uneven watering, not disease. Tomato leaves curl upwards in hot dry conditions to reduce water loss — they recover overnight. Persistent downward curl means erratic watering: tomatoes want consistent moisture from a deep mulch and regular base-watering, never on the foliage. If the curl comes with yellow streaks, mottling or stunted growth, suspect a virus and remove the plant to stop it spreading.

How do I stop blight on my outdoor tomatoes?

You can't stop blight in a wet UK summer, but you can buy time. Choose blight-resistant cultivars (Crimson Crush, Mountain Magic, Lizzano). Space plants 60 cm apart so air moves between them. Water at the base only, never on the foliage. Remove the lower leaves up to the first truss to keep splash-back off the plant. Once you see brown patches on stems and leaves, the crop is on borrowed time — pick everything green and ripen it indoors before the rot spreads.

When is the harvest window for tomatoes in the UK?

Outdoor tomatoes start cropping from late July in southern England, mid-August further north, and run until the first cold nights — typically early October down south, mid-September in Scotland. Under glass or polytunnel cover, you can pick from early July through to October. Pick fruit when the colour is fully developed but the texture is still firm; tomatoes continue ripening off the vine. The last green fruit will ripen on a windowsill or in a paper bag with a banana.

Tomato — Grow

Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

vegetable☀️ full-sun🪴 rich loam📏 medium🌡️ RHS H1c

📋Quick Facts

Height

1.5-2.0m

Spread

0.5-0.6m

Water

💧💧💧 Frequent watering

Hardiness

Zone 2

About

Sow tomato seeds indoors from late February to early April — earlier under glass, later for outdoor crops. South-coast gardeners can start in mid-February; upland Scotland from early April. Plant out once the last frost has passed: mid-May in southern England, early June in the Midlands and the north, end of June in Highland gardens. Tomatoes are frost-tender (RHS H1c) and the foliage will die at the first touch of frost, so timing matters. They want a sunny, sheltered spot with deep, rich, well-drained soil and consistent watering once flowering begins. Outdoor crops fruit from late July to October; under cover, picking starts a fortnight earlier and runs until the first cold nights see them off. Cordon varieties give the longest pick; bush types are best where the season is short.

Top tip

Grow in full sun with rich soil, remove lower leaves, and support stems; water regularly at the base.

Also known as: Pomidor sałatkowy, Solanum lycopersicum, Tomato (slicer), Pomodoro da insalata, Vleestomaat / gewone tomaat, Tomate

How to grow tomato

1
Sow seed
Sow tomato seed indoors from late February for greenhouse crops, mid-March to mid-April for outdoor. 18–22°C in a propagator or warm windowsill. Germination takes 7–10 days.
2
Prick out
Prick out into 9 cm pots when the first true leaves appear, about three weeks after sowing. Handle the seedlings by their seed leaves, never the stem. Keep above 15°C.
3
Pot on
Pot on to 1-litre pots when roots fill the smaller pots. Water when the surface dries. Move to a cooler windowsill once seedlings are sturdy — too much heat makes them leggy.
4
Plant out
Plant out after the last frost: mid-May in southern England, early June further north. Harden plants off for 7–10 days first — outside in the daytime, in at night, gradually lengthening the outdoor time. Space 60 cm apart for bush varieties, 45 cm for cordons. Stake cordons at planting time so you don't damage roots later. Water in well.
5
Pinch out side-shoots (cordons only)
Pinch out side-shoots weekly on cordon varieties from late June. Side-shoots appear in the V between leaf and stem — snap them off with your fingers while they're small. Bush varieties don't need this.
6
Feed and water
Feed weekly with a high-potash liquid feed once the first truss sets fruit. Water at the base of the plant, never on the foliage. Mulch heavily to keep moisture even — erratic watering causes blossom-end rot and split fruit.
7
Watch for blight
Watch for blight from mid-July, especially after warm humid nights. Brown patches on leaves and stems mean it's already there — remove affected material immediately and pick any green fruit to ripen indoors. Blight-resistant cultivars (Crimson Crush, Mountain Magic, Lizzano) reduce the risk on outdoor crops.

Common questions

Pest Resilience

2/5 — Somewhat vulnerable

Blight is devastating in wet summers; also whitefly, aphids, and red spider mite under glass.

Companion Planting

Grows well with

Herb basil sweet Marigold Nasturtium Parsley

Keep apart from

Fennel bulb Fennel perennial Potato

Visual Characteristics

Fruits

Yes

Harvest: Summer to autumn / fall

🍳

Culinary

Culinary Use

Salads, sauces, soups, roasting, bruschetta, sandwiches, pizza

The tomato year in your garden

Dispatching imaginary bots to check your garden out...

What to do now

How to Propagate

🌰Seed

Easy

✂️Cutting

Moderate

This plant produces viable seeds for propagation

Hardiness Zones

H1a (tender)H7 (very hardy)

H1a

H1b

H1c

RHS H1c

USDA 10–11 equivalent

Tomato

Tomato

📋Quick Facts

About

How to grow tomato

Common questions

Pest Resilience

Companion Planting

Visual Characteristics

The tomato year in your garden

How to Propagate

Hardiness Zones

Names in Other Languages(7)