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May is a great month for the garden, with summer just around the corner. There are many jobs to complete, such as pruning and mowing the lawn. But one of the most important jobs is planting out tomatoes, and the timing is everything.

Growing tomatoes in the garden is incredibly rewarding, with just one plant providing a bountiful harvest throughout the summer. But they can be tricky to look after and require lots of sun and water in order to grow. In a blog post from May 2024, Monty wrote: "It's time to plant out tomatoes in a greenhouse-although wait until the end of the month for outdoor ones."

While warm days may tempt gardeners to plant outdoors, tomatoes are sensitive plants.

Monty added: "Tomatoes hate too much temperature fluctuation and May nights can be chilly-especially if the days are warm."

The contrast between warmer weather and cold nights can stress young plants, potentially damaging the harvest.

When the time is right, planting technique matters just as much as timing. The gardening expert recommends planting them deeply, burying them right up to the bottom leaf.

The buried section of the stem will develop extra roots, creating a stronger, more resilient plant capable of supporting a heavier crop later in the year.

Monty said: "As the young plants grow, they form shoots between the leaves and the stem, and these are known as side-shoots."

These can appear fast and show signs of tomatoes, but they take energy from the plant and "reduce the overall harvest" as well as making a cordon plant "straggly".

Monty recommended removing these shoots as soon as they appear. Done regularly, this keeps the plant focused on producing tasty fruits and growing nicely and tidily.

The expert noted: "The best way to do this is in the morning when the plant is turgid, simply breaking them off with a finger and thumb.

"In the evening, they will be limp and may tear the plant, so they should be cut off with a knife."