Unwrapping the joy of heirloom tomatoes - Dromana - 18 Oct 2026

Masterclass - Sunday 18 October - Dromana

About this experience

There is something magical about growing heirloom tomatoes - their happy pops of colour, delicious flavours and interesting shapes. The Diggers Club is very pleased to have Penny Woodward, author of the seminal work Tomato - know, grow, sow, feast return to present this special Masterclass. Join Penny to learn how to select, propagate and grow heirloom tomatoes just in time for Spring.
 
What you will learn:
  • Know your heirloom tomatoes, when to sow and how to grow them from seed and then as seedlings.
  • How many heirloom tomatoes are available.
  • What makes an heirloom tomato red, pink, yellow, orange, green, purple, brown and even blue and black.
  • What determines a tomato's flavour?
  • What makes a tomato blush, have strips and swirls.
  • What types of tomato plants to select. Indeterminate, determinate, bush or dwarf.
  • The best way to prepare your soil preparation.
  • Planting. Changing climate, changing planting times.
  • To Pruning or not?
  • The best tomatoes for pots.
  • Tomato fertilising, support, protection and disease.
  • Harvesting your collecting tomato seed.
  • Drying and storing your seed.
     
    This Masterclass is designed to ensure you have the knowledge and skill to grow delicious heirloom tomatoes this summer.

     

Your Host

Host image

Penny is a dedicated organic gardener with a degree in botany and zoology. She is the author or co-author of 8 gardening books, including the multi-award winning ‘Tomato – know sow grow feast’.

A life member of the Australian Garlic Industry Association, Penny is also a patron of the Victorian Herb Society and a member of the Horticultural Media Association and used to regularly give advice on the 3CR gardening show.

For eight years, she was the horticultural editor of ABC’s Organic Gardener magazine and their essential guides, calendar and diary. For 20 years, she has written and taken photographs for both the magazine and the Organic Gardener website organicgardener.com.au. She also has her own website on edible and useful plants at pennywoodward.com.au.

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