Tomato advice ahead of food-growing course

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is set to host the Success with Fruit course at its Garden Wisley site on Monday (June 22nd).

Staff will teach attendees the principles of growing fruit in gardens and greenhouses, with pruning, training and management all covered.

As preparation, gardeners may be interested to hear some tips on caring for tomatoes from the RHS.

It explained those planning to grow the plants from seed should sow them under glass in February or wait until March if doing so outside.

The body said: "Ideally, grow on in a glasshouse, spacing plants so that their leaves never touch."

For horticulturalists who have already carried out the sowing process and have been caring for the seedlings in a greenhouse, now is a good time to transplant them into the outdoor soil, leaving around 16 inches between each.

If they are to be kept in growbags or pots, the plants may require extra attention with the watering can, with roots needing to be kept moist, but not waterlogged.