Marmande Tomato
Did you know that there is over 10000 tomato varieties that you can try growing? Some of the most popular varieties to grow in the allotment and garden is Alicante, Sungold, Shirley, Moneymaker, Tumbling Toms. A very popular tomato to try and grow in the UK is the Marmande Tomato.
One of the reasons why the Marmande Tomato is popular to grow in the UK is for the size of the tomato. Marmande tomato is a beefsteak tomato this means that is a large variety of tomato. These can ideally be used in cooking or slicing for sandwiches.
In this article we will be explaining how to grow Marmande tomatoes, tips for growing them successfully, how to care for them plus lots more.
Find out about different tomato varieties here.
Allotment and Kitchen Garden Book
Are you starting an allotment or planning on growing your own fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers in a kitchen garden? If so we highly recommend the book Allotment Month By Month. This does exactly what it does on the cover to help you with what you should be doing in the allotment and kitchen garden each month. Below you can see the link for Amazon where you can purchase the book directly. This book is extremely popular with all allotment holders as you will read in the reviews:-
You can check out all the allotment and kitchen garden books we recommend here.
Marmande Tomato History
Marmande Tomato dates back to 1897 and a French Heirloom tomato. These are grown in greenhouses where they a often thought that they are a specialty.
What are the health benefits of Marmande Tomato
Tomatoes are a healthy option for meals and drinks. Tomatoes have many great nutrients in them. They are a great source of Vitamin C and other antioxidants. They help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
How to grow Marmande Tomato
When growing any variety of tomato it is always great to know where you will be growing them. You need to know if they can be grown outdoors or indoors ( in a greenhouse or polytunnel) When growing tomatoes the best option is in a greenhouse or a polytunnel as the temperature is better and more humid which the tomatoes will thrive on. Here in this guide we will go through a step by step process on how to grow Marmande Tomato to get the best crops that you can from your plants.
When to sow, plant and harvest Marmande Tomato
Here is an easy table to show you the dates you need for your tomatoes. This chart is for the UK – remember that this is a guide and will all depend on the weather and how warm it is.
| Sow | February to April |
| Plant | May – June |
| Harvest | July to October |
Best place to grow Marmande Tomato
When growing tomatoes it is always best to grow them in a polytunnel or greenhouse. The reason for this is that it will be a lot warmer in there. Growing the Marmande tomatoes in the greenhouse will produce better crops and heavy crops. The ideal amount of tomato plants to grow will be around 5-6. This will give you a great amount to pick plus you most certainly will be giving them away to family and friends.
Best soil to grow Marmande Tomato
The ideal soil to grow your Marmande tomato in will be compost. You can either make your own compost in a compost bin or you can purchase some. You can either grow your tomatoes in grow bags which will fit three plants in or you can grow them in tubs adding the compost yourself. Just make sure that the compost has drainage holes in them. I would advise against growing them in the ground but if you do add plenty of well rotted organic matter to improve the soil.
How to sow Marmande Tomato seeds
Sowing your Marmande tomato seeds is an easy process and even the children or grandchildren could help you do it. We have included a video below on how to sow tomato seeds.
First you need a seed tray with a layer of compost in. Sprinkle the tomato seeds evenly across the top of the compost then cover with another layer of compost. Sprinkle the compost with water – do not over water them. If it is still cold in your greenhouse you can cover the seed tray with a layer of cling film. This will keep the soil warm and moist and help germination.
Planting your Marmande Tomato
It will take around 14 days for your tomato seeds to germinate. Leave the plants until they get quite big in the seed tray – around 8cm tall. Once they are big enough to handle you can pot them on into plant pots to grow and develop further – you only need plant pots that are around 8cm. Keep watering the tomatoes on a regular basis and keep them in a sunny position in the greenhouse. Always pot up more tomatoes than you actually need just in case any die – you can always give friends and family spare ones.
When your Marmande tomato plants reach the height of around 15cm in height you can now plant them in the final growing place. This can either be in grow bags or a big plant pot – again make sure it has drainage holes in the plant pot for your Marmande tomato plants. If you don’t have drainage holes you will end up water logging your tomato plant which you don;t want to do.
Looking after your Marmande Tomato
When growing any variety of tomato plant they require a lot of love and attention to get great crops from the plants.
One of the main jobs in looking after your tomato plant is to keep them watered they are extremely thirsty plants. They often require a drink of water every day. In extreme hot weather they might want a drink in the morning and at night, be careful not to get water on the leaves in the warm weather as this can scorch the leaves.
Make sure that you support your tomato plants by placing a cane in the ground at the side to fasten it too as they are top heavy and you can end up snapping the plant. You would not want to loose all your produce from the plant if it snaps and breaks.
As the Marmande tomato plant is a bush tomato you will not require to pinch the plant out.
If you notice any yellow leaves growing on the plant these can be cut off just in case they are diseased.
How to feed Marmande Tomato
Your Marmande tomatoes will require regualr feeding to get great crops from the plants. The most common ideal tomato feed is a liquid tomato feed. This is often give once a week when the plants are flowering. When the tomatoes are setting on the plant you can feed them twice a week. This will give you bumper crops and much healthy plants.
Below is a link to the recommended product we suggest for feeding your tomatoes.
Harvesting Marmande Tomato
The best part of growing MArmande tomatoes is when it comes to harvesting the tomatoes. The tomatoes taste delicious. You won’t just end up eating one but lots. When one turns red they will all start turning red. Pick the tomato off when it is fully ripe do not leave too long or it will go soft and split. If it is at the end of the season and they are not ripening hang some banana skins in the greenhouse or pick them and put them and place them in a draw with a banana.
Marmande Tomato Pests and Diseases
As with most tomatoes Marmande tomatoes are still prone to be affected by pests and diseases. These include:-
Marmande Tomato Pests:-
The pests which are common to affecting Marmande tomatoes are:-
- Aphids
- Leaf Beatles
- Slugs
- Snails
All bugs can be prevented from attacking your crops.
Marmande Tomato Diseases:-
Marmande tomatoes can be affected by late blight this is when the disease is spread by soil that has been hit by the water and splashed onto the plants. When watering make sure you are careful and don’t have too much pressure on the hose or watering can. If you were to spot any plants that have been affected by blight remove them immediately as it can kill crops overnight if not controlled.
Purchase Marmande Tomato Plants and Seeds
Here you can purchase your Marmande tomato seeds and plants though our website. The links will take you to Amazon so you know it is safe to purchase.
Seeds:- The link below you can purchase Marmande seeds these are the best ones worth growing where you will have great success.
Plants:- Here you can purchase Marmande tomato plants that are already growing so it saves you the hassle of sowing the seeds:-
Marmande Tomato Questions
Here we answer some of those Marmande questions that you may have.
Is Marmande a bush tomato?
The Marmande Tomato is a semi-bush plant that will require a bit of staking and support with canes as it produces a heavy crop of tomatoes. You will not need to pinch these plants out
How Tall do Marmande Tomato Plants grow?
Marmande tomato plants will grow to around one and a half metres tall, 150cm.
How do Marmande Tomatoes grow in the UK?
These usually are grown in warm greenhouses to get the best results.
