Growing brilliant tomatoes

Since arriving in Brisbane, I have enjoyed eating an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables. We’ve visited many quality restaurants and had the opportunity to attend some great Aussie barbecues where everyone talks and eats outside in the late afternoon sunshine. It’s true about the flies; they’re a proper hazard for English visitors although I’ve been told that a concoction of native mint and eucalyptus oil is superior to any other repellant.

Tomatoes grown in this part of the world taste brilliant. There are numerous varieties to choose from and they appear to be a favourite with local organic growers. It’s no surprise, since salads are prepared for most meals and firm, ripe tomatoes are the best accompaniment for leafy summer greens.

Despite almost ideal conditions, there are few commercial growers and the local market for quality organic produce is reasonably competitive. In my opinion, that’s sufficient reason to plant a row of tomato seeds and water them twice daily for about three months. Okay, there’s a little bit of work ahead, but please don’t underestimate the simple pleasure of picking fresh salad ingredients straight from your own garden.

Most varieties of tomato require plenty of sunshine and warm soil temperatures. They are reasonably versatile in terms of preferred soil characteristics although are inherently susceptible to fungal problems when tried in particularly heavy or poorly drained soils. Experienced growers tend to recommend lighter sand based soils with decent supplies of organic material incorporated prior to germination or the transferal of seedlings. Aim for a soil pH between 5.8 and 7. If you can hit around 6.4, most of the locked trace minerals become accessible to plants, enabling them steady growth and superior resistance against pest and disease organisms.

I’m not fanatical about companion planting yet consider the practice worth trialling in some situations. Here in Brisbane, local growers seem to recommend Nasturtium, Carrot, and Marigold as suitable companion species for the humble tomato. Nasturtiums are believed to repel white fly and aphid. Their orange flowers are frequently included in salads, mainly for decoration, but also on account of their delicate peppery flavour.

Over recent years, many gardeners have appreciated the simplicity of the miniature cherry size tomatoes. I’m a huge fan of these, particularly the yellow ones I grew at home last summer. Because of their compact size and shape, many of the grape and cherry tomato varieties will fruit longer than a traditional vine variety. They also require less maintenance and are usually suitable for large containers carefully positioned on a patio or balcony.