May is a fruitful month for tomatoes in the UK. The weather starts to warm up, the light stretches into the evenings, and the first real signs of tomato season start to show — whether you’re growing them yourself, shopping local, or just dreaming of summer salads.
Here’s what’s happening in the world of UK tomatoes this May!
- Planting, Hardening, and Early Flowers
For home growers, May is a busy time. If you’ve started tomatoes indoors or in a greenhouse, this is when you begin hardening them off — gently introducing them to the great outdoors.
Top tasks in May:
- Move seedlings outside during the day, but bring them in at night if it’s still chilly.
- Prepare final growing spots — whether it’s a greenhouse bed, pots, or a sunny garden patch.
- Start staking or caging your plants now to support future growth.
- Some early varieties might even start showing tiny yellow flowers — the first promise of summer fruit!
The golden rule for May? No rushing. Tomatoes are warm-weather lovers, and a sudden cold snap can set them back badly.
- The First Wave of UK Glasshouse Tomatoes
While outdoor tomatoes are still gearing up, British glasshouse tomatoes are already making their grand entrance.
Thanks to the protection of modern greenhouses — heated, ventilated, and perfectly lit — growers can produce sweet, ripe tomatoes earlier in the season. By mid-to-late May, you’ll start seeing British-grown tomatoes appearing in farmers’ markets and supermarkets.
What to look for:
- Vine-ripened tomatoes (fuller flavour, deeper red colour)
- Heritage varieties like Tigerella (stripy) and Black Russian (deep purple)
- Cherry and plum tomatoes bursting with early-season sweetness
Choosing local tomatoes now means fresher flavour and a lower environmental footprint compared to imported ones.
- Flavour Is Building — But Patience Pays Off
In May, UK tomatoes are on the cusp of greatness. The increasing sunshine and longer days mean tomatoes are busy building up their natural sugars. The flavour will keep intensifying through June and July.
If you’re growing your own, now’s the time to:
- Water deeply and consistently (no letting them dry out then drenching!)
- Feed with a balanced fertiliser until flowers set, then switch to a tomato feed.
- Keep an eye out for pests like aphids — young plants are vulnerable.
Resist picking too early — the best tomatoes stay on the vine as long as possible, basking in that beautiful late-spring light.
