Solanum lycopersicum 'Alicante' is a Half-Hardy Annual and one of Britain's most enduringly popular greenhouse tomato varieties. It is an indeterminate (cordon) type, meaning it produces a single main stem that continues to grow throughout the season, requiring support and regular pinching out of side shoots to direct energy into fruit production.

The 'Alicante' Advantage: This variety was bred for British growing conditions — a relatively short, unpredictable summer — and it excels in both heated and unheated glass. The fruits are borne in neat, uniform trusses and ripen reliably even in a cooler year, which is why it became the default choice for kitchen gardeners throughout the 20th century and remains a staple today.

Flavour Profile: 'Alicante' is prized for its classic British tomato flavour — a well-balanced sweetness with just enough acidity to make it equally good for slicing fresh, cooking into sauces, or preserving. The skin is smooth and tender, with none of the toughness you sometimes encounter in commercial varieties grown for shelf life rather than taste.

Tomatoes need warmth and a long growing season — sowing early indoors is the key to a successful harvest.

How to Sow:
Sow indoors from late January to March, into small pots or module trays filled with good-quality seed compost. Sow seeds approximately 5mm deep and maintain a consistent temperature of 18–21°C for germination. Seedlings typically emerge within 7–14 days. Pot on as soon as the first true leaves appear to avoid root restriction.

Transplanting:
Once plants are 15–20cm tall and all risk of frost has passed (usually late May to early June), transplant into their final growing position — a greenhouse border, large pot (minimum 30cm diameter), or growing bag. Space plants 45–60cm apart. Insert a sturdy cane or attach to a vertical string at planting time.

Ongoing Care:
Pinch out side shoots every week to maintain a single cordon. Feed with a high-potassium liquid tomato feed once the first flowers appear, and water consistently — irregular watering is the primary cause of blossom end rot and fruit splitting. When the plant has set four or five trusses, pinch out the growing tip two leaves above the final truss.

Harvesting:
Harvest from July to October. Fruits are ready when fully red and yield slightly to gentle pressure. Pick regularly to encourage continued fruiting. At the end of the season, any remaining green tomatoes can be ripened on a sunny windowsill or wrapped individually in newspaper.

'Alicante' is a sociable plant — these companions from our range will actively improve your harvest:

• 🌿 Basil Classic Italian: The Timeless Partnership. Tomato and basil are one of the great companion planting marriages of the kitchen garden. Basil planted at the base of tomato plants is widely believed to repel aphids and whitefly, while the two together on a summer plate are simply unbeatable. Sow basil in the same greenhouse or polytunnel for mutual benefit all season long.
• 🌼 Borage: The Pollinator Magnet. Borage is one of the great companion plants for tomatoes, attracting the bees and hoverflies that improve fruit set and helping to repel pest insects. Its starry blue flowers add a beautiful wildness to the kitchen garden in summer, and the edible flowers make a lovely garnish alongside freshly sliced 'Alicante'.
• 🌻 Marigold (link coming soon): The Pest Deterrent. French Marigolds planted alongside tomatoes are a time-honoured method of deterring whitefly and soil pests. Their pungent roots are particularly effective at keeping nematodes at bay, and their warm amber and gold flowers make the vegetable garden look every bit as beautiful as the flower border.

Sow indoors in late winter for a long, fruitful harvest of sweet, classic tomatoes from midsummer right through to the first frosts.