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Botanically, tomato fruits are berries, from 1.5 to 7.5cm across or more. Each has at least two chambers of small seeds in jelly-like pulp. Encyclopaedia Britannica: tomato In Nix v. Hedden, decided on 10 May 1893, the US Supreme Court held that tomatoes are “vegetables” and not “fruit” under the Tariff Act of 3 March 1883. U.S. Reports, Nix v. Hedden, 149 U.S. 304 (1893), Library of Congress (PDF of the printed opinion) But in everyday language, the court said, they are vegetables: usually served at dinner with the main part of the meal, and not, like fruits generally, as dessert. U.S. Reports, Nix v. Hedden, 149 U.S. 304 (1893), Library of Congress (PDF of the printed opinion)

RHS sowing times: late February to mid-March for a greenhouse crop, or late March to early April for plants that will grow outside. RHS: How to grow tomatoes Garden Organic’s calendar: sow indoors March/April, plant out late April to early June, harvest July to October. Garden Organic: Tomatoes growing guide

Tomato seeds need about 18°C (64°F) to germinate: use a heated propagator, or a warm windowsill with a clear plastic bag over the top. RHS: How to grow tomatoes Seedlings usually appear within a fortnight. Then uncover them and give them as much light as possible, so they don’t grow thin and leggy. RHS: How to grow tomatoes

Plant tomatoes into their final position in early summer, once temperatures are reliably above 16°C (60°F). RHS: How to grow tomatoes UMN: plant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. University of Minnesota Extension: Growing tomatoes in home gardens

RHS spacing in the ground: 45–60cm (18–24in) apart, depending on how big the plants will grow. Check the seed packet for exact spacings. RHS: How to grow tomatoes Garden Organic: outdoors, harden plants off and plant them 30–45cm apart when the first flowers open. Garden Organic: Tomatoes growing guide

Plant tomatoes deeply, with the first leaves just above the soil: the buried part of the stem grows extra roots. RHS: How to grow tomatoes UMN: for a sturdier plant, dig a trench three to four inches deep, lay the plant in it and bury the stem up to just below the lowest remaining leaves. University of Minnesota Extension: Growing tomatoes in home gardens

Cordon (indeterminate) tomatoes are vigorous, very tall plants that need tall supports. Bush (determinate) tomatoes are naturally more compact, great for smaller spaces. RHS: How to grow tomatoes On cordon tomatoes, pinch out the side-shoots that sprout from the joint between each leaf and the main stem. Check each time you water. RHS: How to grow tomatoes Bush tomatoes are more compact, and their side-shoots should be left to grow. RHS: How to grow tomatoes

When cordons reach the top of their support, or have set seven trusses indoors or four outdoors, remove the growing tip two leaves above the top truss. RHS: How to grow tomatoes

Water regularly to keep the soil or compost evenly moist. Up-and-down moisture levels can cause splitting or blossom end rot. RHS: How to grow tomatoes Plants in containers dry out quickly and may need watering every day in hot weather. Curling leaves can be a sign of a thirsty plant. RHS: How to grow tomatoes

Feed plants in containers every 10–14 days with a high potassium liquid feed once the first fruits start to swell. RHS: How to grow tomatoes

Blossom end rot is a round patch, greenish brown to black, at the flower end of the fruit (the end furthest from the plant). It becomes sunken as it grows. RHS: Blossom end rot It is caused by a lack of calcium in the fruit, but the RHS says soils very rarely lack calcium. The real problem is an irregular water supply. RHS: Blossom end rot

The RHS says splitting and cracking in late summer is difficult to prevent, and links it to up-and-down moisture levels. RHS: How to grow tomatoes

At the end of the season, ripen unripe tomatoes somewhere warm and dark, or in a drawer with a banana. RHS: How to grow tomatoes UMN: ripen unripe fruit at room temperature, one layer deep and not touching. Warmth matters more than light. University of Minnesota Extension: Growing tomatoes in home gardens

Trailing types can even be grown in windowboxes and hanging baskets. The RHS calls these the easiest type to grow. RHS: How to grow tomatoes Kew says small, tumbling varieties can be grown in a hanging basket or a pot on a balcony. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Tasty tomatoes (25 October 2019)