Did you know that people grow tomatoes more than any other vegetable? (Well technically it’s a fruit, but most people think of it as a vegetable!) And with over 11,000 varieties to choose from – you’re bound to have your own favourites.

There’s the tiny cherry varieties – like the sweet  little Tommy Toe right through to the huge beefsteak varieties like Black Krim with charcoal coloured flesh. Some varieties have real ‘bite’ and others are deliciously sweet. The tasty Black Russian is very juicy and packed with flavour. The Tigerella has gorgeous striped red fruit and contrasts well in a salad with the Beams Yellow Pear.

Once you have tasted the delicious flavour of home grown vine ripened tomatoes it is difficult to return to buying the supermarket varieties. However growing healthy juicy tomatoes with lots of flavour is not always easy. . . There are all sorts of things which can go wrong and destroy the plants and fruit before you get to taste the first one.