There are a couple of ways for approaching tomato growing in a greenhouse, you can either dig and prepare the soil of the greenhouse ready to accept the tomato plants or you can grow the plants in a container such as a plant pot (12″ diameter) or growbag.

Realistically most growbags that are available which can be 35 or 40 litres in size are only enough to support two plants. There are ways in which you can push this out to 3 plants but for the cost of a growbag its probably as well just to stick to 2 plants, particularly if you take good care of them and produce lots of fruit.

If you go for pots then you should steralise them before use, to do this you can use a dilute solution of a suitable disinfectant, something like Jeyes fluid is perfect for this task.

While we are on this subject, you really should wipe down the inside of your greenhouse with disinfectant as well to ensure any residual contaminants that could also cause disease are removed from the glass.

One of the reasons I am suggesting using large pots or growbags for growing tomato plants is because the soil in the greenhouse is going to need to be dug out and replaced every 2 or 3 years anyway to ensure that you get rid of any build up of disease and also because the soil will be pretty much spent in terms of nutrients.

Space is limited in a greenhouse so the best option for plant varieties is to use the indeterminate variety of tomato plant i.e. a vine plant. You can prune the plant to the required size, leaving about 4 to 6 trusses on the main stem, which is about 6′ to 7′ in height, greenhouse size allowing. This will give you lots of fruit over an extended period.  You will have to pinch out the main stem when you have enough trusses to stop further growth.

As an aside, using the bush variety is less convenient for greenhouses because they, as the name suggests, form a determinant size of bush without pruning which is probably a little too large in diameter for the average greenhouse. The fruit also has a tendency to all come at once.

Irrespective of the growing method you choose, you should start to feed the tomatoes at the first sign of fruit and for the duration of the growing period, twice a week should be sufficient. Also as you are in a greenhouse regular and consistent watering is also very important and I recommend 2 to 3 times a day with water that has been allowed to warm in the greenhouse.

As the end of the season nears a way of helping the last remaining fruit ripen is to hang a couple of bananas in the apex of the greenhouse. If that fails to ripen the last bit of fruit you can always use the green tomatoes for making a delicious chutney.

When growing tomatoes your success can be boiled down to just three methods. The methods we will discuss are not difficult, but do require some planning on your part. So, if you’d like to grow disease-free, plump and juicy tomatoes, then just try these three methods and be amazed with the harvest. Tip #1: Location: The tomato plant is a sun loving vegetable. So, whether the plant is grown in a container, earth box or directly in the ground, make sure the area will receive full-sunlight. In order for your tomatoes to reach maximum growth and crop yield, they need at least six hours of sunlight.Tip #2:Feeding: As with all living creatures, food plays an important role in good health and growth. If you ever hope to grow tomatoes to die for, the plants nutritional needs must be met. By working the soil with compost, worm castings, or fertilizer before planting, the seedlings will have all the nutritional support needed to get a healthy start in life. Used coffee grounds placed around the base of the plant will add nutritional value.Tip #3: Watering: Do remember we said earlier tomatoes like plenty of sun? Well they also require frequent watering. This is due partially because the amount of sun they receive, and of course their genetics. You want to allow the soil to completely dry out before watering. A better approach is to keep the soil moist but never soggy. You can accomplish this using a drip system or getting the hose out and spraying the soil at ground level. Do not water the leaves under full-sunlight because it can burn the foliage.Tip #4: Support: Tomatoes are vine plants and need support. A Stake or cage should be installed early in the plants growth. This will limit the damage to the roots as the plant matures. These support systems keep plants from growing along the ground where fungus and disease are more easily spread. In addition, your tomatoes will not get dirty and bruised from ground debris.There you have it. 3 growing tips that virtually guarantee success-growing tomatoes. Keep these tips in mind the next time you start any tomato plant. Before long you’ll have a plentiful supply of fresh, safe to eat tomatoes for the whole family. Enjoy.

One of the main reasons for using a greenhouse when growing tomatoes is because of the climate you live in. If you cannot guarantee warm sunny weather for your tomatoes then you will need to consider using a greenhouse, this will help you control the climate for the tomato plants and give them a better chance of producing lots of edible fruit.

Clearly planting tomatoes in a greenhouse leaves you with limited options, for most people the greenhouse will be relatively small and probably only a little taller than the height of an average man, unless of course you have the space and money for a large more industrial sized greenhouse, but for the purposes of this article I am going to discuss the smaller option that is, I believe, more prolific in the home gardening environment.

This makes it much more difficult to use the tomato plant hanging option for your plants and in practical terms the only real option you have is to plant using the soil inside the greenhouse or to sit pots on the floor of the greenhouse, either way make sure you have a good mix of mulch, compost and fertilizer.

You will still need to be able to support the fronds of the tomato plant and with limited space a good way of doing this is to knock 3 stakes into the ground at each end of the planned run and to tie gardening string between the stakes. When the plants grow they pass through the strings and then hang over them a little like clothes on a washing line.

If you are inside a greenhouse the plants will be totally dependent on you for their water so you have a choice, invest in a self watering system or use hand watering. If you choose hand watering it is also good practice to leave the water in the greenhouse with the plants to allow it to warm a little before use. Takes a bit of discipline but as long as you refill after watering then leave overnight, that should do the trick and you will not shock the plants with cold water.

The final thing you need to take care of is not letting the greenhouse get too hot and or humid, if it is really sunny for a period you can paint the glass with a whitewash to reflect the sun away and you can open the roof light or door to let some of the heat get away but don’t forget to shut them again at night when it is cool.

Other than these few peculiarities the tomatoes should be treated in much the same as they would be if they were being grown outside, so in addition to proper soil preparation and watering, you need to take steps to keep them disease free, pest free and to give them access to plenty of nutrients via a feeding program.

Did you know that tomatoes are fruit rather than a vegetable? Yes, it’s true but most people are unaware of the fact. Tomatoes were once believed poisonous because they are members of the nightshade family.

On average a healthy plant can yield as much as 10 pounds of fruit. For a family of four, that’s more than enough tomatoes to feed on for a week.  The plants don’t need much space and can even be grown in containers, which easily moved around.

There are many advantages to growing tomato plants. Growing tomatoes on your own can save you money at the grocery store and ensure the fruit is as fresh as possible. In addition, you’ll know your eating tomatoes that free of pesticides and other dangerous chemicals.

When growing tomatoes you want the soil to be rich in nutrients. It is best if the soil naturally contains all the essential nutrients, however If necessary improve the quality of the soil with compost or fertilizer.

Tomatoes can be grown indoors or out, just be sure they have good drainage. It will help if your get the soil PH correct before you plant the tomato. The ideal range should be between 6.2 and 6.8. When growing tomatoes it’s a good idea to start the plant indoors, moving outside when above 50 degrees or warmer.

When planting tomatoes in the soil only the top two leaves should remain aboveground. This will allow the plant to be hardier and the roots will grow on the stem and branch out allowing the growing tomatoes to settle itself much easier. Keep a space of two to four feet between plants. This is especially helpful when it comes time to harvest the ripe fruit.

Tomato plants need to be staked to stop them from falling over under their own weight. The time to do this is when the plant is first planted in the ground so rot damage in minimized.

Tomato plant care:

When using fertilizer choose one that is richer in potassium and phosphorus than nitrogen. A mixture of 5-10-10 is ideal and can be found at any gardening or home improvement center. The best time to add the fertilizer is two weeks before you plant the tomatoes into the ground. This will allow the nutrients to make their way into the soil, which provide the young plants an immediate food source.

You want to water the plants regularly, and never allow them to completely dry out. It’s always better to give a deep soaking instead of a surface watering. Ideally you want the water to penetrate six inches into ground where the roots are likely found. During unusually hot and dry conditions water more often.

Adding mulch around the plants is helpful. It will protect the roots from becoming too hot and preserve ground moisture. Mulch can also keep diseases in the soil from being spread onto the plant leaves when watering.

The time it takes for your tomatoes to ripen will depend on the variety you have chosen to grow. Some varieties take three month before they are ready to harvest. A tomato is ripe when its color is the same as the type you planted, whether it is red or yellow. Look for color consistency throughout the tomato. With a gentle tug the fruit should easily come off the vine

Growing tomatoes isn’t always as easy as it first may seem. If you have given tomatoes a shot, you have either had great success or miserable failure. If you are one of those people who didn’t have much luck – here are a few tricks and solutions.1. Choose the Right Variety For Your Area – Tomatoes are susceptible to quite an assortment of diseases that include bacterial spot, botrytis fruit rot, bacterial canker, bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt, mosaic, septoria leaf spot, curly top, tobacco mosaic, and early and late blights.  Choosing disease-resistant plants as well as plants that are best for your climate zone is vital. In areas that are hot and humidity is high, certain diseases are more prominent. 2.) Give Tomato Plants Enough Breathing Room – Tomato plants need at least 1 1/2 feet between plants, preferably 2 feet, and that’s for plants that are grown upright on stakes or cages. Plants spaced too closely will produce few fruit and have more disease problems as the foliage stays wet. Supporting your plants with tomato cages will give them a little more room to grow. 3.) Give Tomatoes Plenty of Sun- Tomato plants need at least seven hours of direct sun. If you have less, you will have fantastic foliage but very few fruit. This brings up the topic of tomato wilt. People who have tomato plants that begin to wilt automatically assume they are getting too much sun. There are many reasons tomato plants wilt. The lack of or too much water is one. Tomato plants that stand in water for very long wilt. If soils stay saturated plants will die. This is why one should plant their tomatoes in well-drained soil or in raised beds.A third and prominent cause is a disease known as Bacterial wilt. Many gardeners describe plants with this disease as looking like they had hot water poured on them. They are fine one day and the next are permanently wilted. Bacteria actually clog the plumbing system of the plant resulting in a virtually drought.  There isn’t much that can be done for bacterial wilt except to remove and destroy affected plants. Future plantings should be made in a different location. Tomatoes may be grown in containers, but if roots grow from the bottom of the container into infected soil they may contract the disease. Do not reuse stakes or ties.Other common causes of tomato wilt include Southern Blight, Fusarium Wilt and Root Knot Nematodes. Nematodes and Fusarium may be avoided by planting tomato varieties that are resistant to both of these pests. Southern Blight, however, is another one of those “overnight” killers like Bacterial Wilt. It can be recognized by white fungal growth at the soil line or by beige “seed pearl” sized balls of white, beige or brown.4.) Feed Your Tomatoes Appropriately – Tomatoes like a balanced fertilizer, with similar amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Avoid using fertilizers that are intended for lawns. The high nitrogen will push the leaves at the expense of fruit. Look for fertilizers designed for tomatoes and follow the label directions. Or better yet, throw a shovel full of compost around the plants every other week.6. Identify your pest problems – Remember, it’s normal to see insects on your plants and chances are, most of them are not doing any harm. And every year, diseases will cause some yellowing and browning. But you should get more than enough fruit to satisfy your needs even with some pest damage. At the very least, learn to identify common tomato pests so that you can take appropriate action. Use chemicals as a last resort.7. Purchase Quality Plants – If you are buying tomato seedlings, be sure to purchase only those that look healthy and green with thick stems and no tomatoes or flowers.8. Thin Plants – As plants approach 3-feet tall, remove many of the leaves from the bottom 1-foot of the stem. These leaves receive very little sunlight and are often the first to develop fungal problems.By practicing these simple eight steps, you could be well on your way in becoming a successful tomato gardener. Growing tomatoes doesn’t have to be hard, it just takes knowledge and patience.