Monty Don’s tomato-growing tips for May will give you trusses of fruit this summer

Monty Don shares the essential jobs for tomato plants in May, from perfect planting timing to removing side shoots for a bountiful harvest

Monty Don’s tomato-growing tips for May will give you trusses of fruit this summer(Image: mikimad via Getty Images)

May is an excellent month for gardening enthusiasts, as summer approaches rapidly. Numerous tasks remain to be completed, including pruning and maintaining the lawn. However, one of the most crucial activities is transplanting tomatoes, and getting the timing spot-on is essential.

Cultivating tomatoes in your garden is extremely satisfying, with a single plant delivering abundant yields throughout the summer months. Yet they can prove challenging to maintain and demand plenty of sunshine and moisture to develop properly. In a blog entry from May 2024, Monty wrote: “It’s time to plant out tomatoes in a greenhouse-although wait until the end of the month for outdoor ones.”

While mild days might entice gardeners to plant outside, tomatoes remain delicate plants.

Tomatoes can be planted outside at the end of the month(Image: Getty)

Monty added: “Tomatoes hate too much temperature fluctuation, and May nights can be chilly, especially if the days are warm.”

The difference between warmer conditions and cold evenings can place strain on young plants, potentially harming the eventual harvest, reports the Express.

Once conditions are suitable, planting methodology proves equally important as timing.

The gardening specialist suggests planting them deep, burying them down to the lowest leaf.

The buried portion of the stem will produce additional roots, establishing a sturdier, more robust plant able to sustain a heavier crop later in the season.

Monty said: “As the young plants grow, they form shoots between the leaves and the stem, and these are known as side-shoots.”

These shoots can develop rapidly and display signs of tomatoes, yet they drain energy from the plant and “reduce the overall harvest”, while causing a cordon plant to become “straggly”.

Monty advised removing these shoots as soon as they emerge.

When done consistently, this encourages the plant to focus on producing delicious fruits while maintaining a neat, tidy shape.

The expert noted: “The best way to do this is in the morning when the plant is turgid, simply breaking them off with a finger and thumb.

“In the evening, they will be limp and may tear the plant, so they should be cut off with a knife.”