How to Grow Tomatoes in Cool & Coastal Climates (Without a Greenhouse)

Vegetables
Written By Steven Biggs

Growing Tomatoes in Cool Climates

Growing tomatoes in a cool or maritime climate can feel like an uphill battle. It doesn’t have to be.

In this episode, I’m joined by tomato expert Holly Farrell, author of The Tomato Grower’s Handbook, to talk about how to get reliable, flavourful harvests even when summers are mild, damp, or unpredictable.

We dig into practical strategies for gardeners in places like coastal Canada, the UK, and the U.S. Pacific Northwest—where heat is limited and blight is always lurking.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why variety choice matters more than anything else

  • The difference between bush (determinate) and cordon (indeterminate) tomatoes

  • How to use microclimates (walls, courtyards, sunny corners) to your advantage

  • Simple ways to add protection—from cloches to greenhouses

  • How to reduce risk from blight in damp conditions

  • Tips for growing tomatoes in:

    • Balconies

    • Containers

    • Garden beds

    • Tunnels & greenhouses

  • How to deal with wind exposure (especially coastal winds)

  • Holly’s favourite tomato varieties for different uses

If you’ve ever struggled to ripen tomatoes or deal with disease pressure, this episode will give you a clearer path forward.

If you would like to see what Holly is up to in the garden, here is her Instagram handle.

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Steven Biggs

Recognized by Garden Making magazine as one of the "green gang" of Canadians making a difference in horticulture, Steven Biggs is a horticulturist, former college instructor, and award-winning broadcaster and author. His passion is helping home gardeners grow food in creative and attractive ways.


He’s the author of eight gardening books, including the Canadian bestseller No Guff Vegetable Gardening. His articles have appeared in Canada’s Local Gardener, Mother Earth News, Fine Gardening, Garden Making, Country Guide, Edible Toronto, and other magazines.


Along with over 30 years working in the horticultural sector and a horticultural-science major at the University of Guelph, Steven’s experience includes hands-on projects in his own garden including wicking beds, driveway strawbale gardens, and a rooftop tomato plantation—to the ongoing amusement of neighbours.


When not in the garden, you might catch him recording his award-winning Food Garden Life podcast or canoeing in Algonquin Park.

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