Diggers Seed Manager and heirloom tomato lover - Jac Semmler

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The recent spell of spring weather has sent a mild panic through my body and an utter preoccupation to GET THOSE TOMATO SEEDS STARTED! You could even describe it as a Spring Fever.

The weather starts to turn and the joy for the start of the growing season greets us. There is also an underlying rush to get hands dirty after the short days and hibernation of winter. Flavoursome tomatoes are the romantic and delicious ideal which captures a gardener. Who can deny the utter pleasure of harvesting superior tasting sun-ripened heirloom tomatoes at home this summer?

Despite best intentions, many a gardener – myself included - has been left behind at the start of the season, forgetting to get those tomato seeds in early and ended up with making quarts of green tomato chutney come Autumn. Well not this year!

Larger slicing beefsteak and saucing varieties really do need the longest season possible to ripen and produce their optimum yield. In colder regions of Australia this does mean getting them started now and in a small warm environment which is easy for a gardener to create at home.

Tomatoes are one seed which is best started in punnets and inside too - allowing for the seed raising mix to warm to 18 degrees C for a successful germination result. Once started, seedlings can be ‘potted on’ and up if conditions remain too cold outside, but be sure to get them transplanted in to prepared garden beds before the Melbourne Cup, a handy and memorable tradition.

Particular varieties perform best in sauces, sandwiches or delicious additions to salads or school lunch boxes. Tomatoes are typically classified by their use with different varieties being passed down from generations of gardeners for their attributes i.e. thin skins for cooking, sweetness for cherry etc. Why restrain yourself to only growing one when a whole kaleidoscope of varieties can keep you in tomatoes for every culinary occasion – passata to bruschetta to fried tomato steaks.

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It is truly a glorious time to celebrate the start of spring and the flavoursome harvest to come with getting your hands dirty with a packet of seeds. Time to get those tomatoes in and daydream of the summer season to come. Don't be late!