Alicante

Alicante Tomatoes

This true greenhouse classic is similar to Moneymaker but matures even earlier, producing reliable crops of medium-sized, uniform, fleshy tomatoes with that proper old-fashioned garden-fresh flavour. Sweet, juicy, and vibrant red, Alicante is a brilliant all-rounder — perfect for slicing, salads, sauces, sandwiches, and everything in between. It’s easy, dependable, and a favourite for beginners and experienced growers alike.

Best Time to Plant

• Greenhouse: April
• Outdoors: 3rd week of May, once all frost risk is gone
Frost may cause leaves to turn blue, but plants usually recover unless the main stem collapses (which is rare).

Harvest

Around 8 weeks after planting, once fruits are red, glossy, and fully swollen.

Growing Instructions

• Planting: Space 45cm apart in well-drained soil, a large pot, or a growbag in a greenhouse.
• Hardening Off: Without a greenhouse, grow in a bright window or conservatory until frost risk has passed, then acclimatise outdoors over 4–6 days.
• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist, especially during warm periods.
• Training:
– Use a 6ft vertical string or cane.
– Train stems clockwise around the support.
– Pinch out every side shoot as it appears.
– Once the plant reaches the top, loop it over and let it trail down.
• Feeding: Begin feeding only when 3–4 tomatoes per truss start to swell — not before.
• Maintenance: Remove any yellow or dead leaves. In mid-August, pinch out the growing tip to ripen the final fruits.

Top Tips

• Feeding Clues:
– Spindly top growth = not enough feed
– Curling top leaves = too much feed
– Split stem = way too much feed
• Watering Matters: Irregular watering can cause splitting, blossom end rot, and deformed fruit — keep moisture steady.
• Avoid Manure: Don’t use farmyard manure; herbicide residues can seriously damage tomatoes.
• Sunseekers: The sunnier the spot, the sweeter and stronger the flavour!