Category: News

At R&L Holt, the sustainability of how we grow our tomatoes is extremely important to us. Below are five ways in which we grow our tomatoes in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way…

1. We use recycled woodchip in boilers to provide hot water to heat the glasshouses which is stored in buffer tanks.
2. Thermal screens work both in warm and cold temperatures as they shade crops during bright weather and keep heat in the glasshouse during the winter months.
3. LED lighting uses up to 40% less electricity than conventional lighting that is powered by on site CHP plants, so we do not depend on the National Grid supply.
4. Solar panels provide the power to run pumps that irrigate the crops and climate control helps to ensure we are not wasting energy.
5. We pack our crops in re-usable crates.

We hope that this information has given a more detailed insight into how we work sustainably at R&L Holt!

Here at R&L Holt, we installed the NFT ‘Hanging Gutter’ in 2005 and since then it has enhanced our tomato growth for nearly two decades!

An NFT Hanging Gutter enables the tomato plants to grow vertically in a high wire crop. This means that our plants have more space to grow healthily and effectively.

This is an extremely efficient way of growing that we are proud to use at R&L Holt and will continue to use in the years to come. 

Our variety of the month for July 2022 is the Roterno tomato, a premium medium vine tomato.

Roterno is a plump and flavourful variety which is the perfect addition to summer salads and sandwiches.

It is simple to grow as it develops steadily and is therefore uncomplicated to maintain. There are generally six fruits per vine and Roterno grows all year round, so why not try them for yourself and grow your very own Roterno tomatoes at home!

Here at R&L Holt, as well as our tomatoes, our customers are at the heart of our business, and we are grateful for all our loyal tomato-community. So, we thought that we’d share 5 facts about what we do here at R&L Holt so you can all get to know us better!

1.     We are a family run tomato business.
2.     We have been growing tomatoes since the early 1980s – for over 4 decades.
3.     All our tomatoes are grown hydroponically using Nutrient Film Technique
4.     We have 3 sites in the local area, Sandylands (Offenham), Hornsfield (Badsey) and Springhill (Lower Moor).
5.     We are the largest tomato growers in the Midlands!

If you have any more questions about what we do at R&L Holt, don’t hesitate to ask!

What do you know about Xylora?

Xylora is a new variety of tomato that we are introducing here at R&L Holt and to give you a chance to get to know this variety here are 5 facts about Xylora…

1.     Xylora is a premium cherry on the vine tomato
2.     It has a unique sweet taste with a soft fleshy texture
3.     It is a delicious treat alone or a great way to add flavour to mixed salads
4.     This truss develops in a uniform and compact way
5.     It is like Yelorita but has a softer texture

Have you learnt something new about Xylora and when will you be trying this variety for yourself?

Do you love the taste of tomatoes and want to grow them yourself?

Follow these 5 top tips on how to grow your very own tomatoes at home…

1.   Find a nice sunny spot in your garden -tomatoes should have 6-8 hours of sunshine a day.
2.   Plant the seeds in nutrient-rich soil for optimum growth.
3.   Water the roots every 3 days.
4.   Add organic fertiliser every 2 weeks.
5.   Remove the first yellow flower the tomato plant produces.

We hope these tips help you grow your own tomatoes, get in touch with us and show us how well your home-grown tomatoes are doing! 

We are excited to announce a new variety of tomato this month which is called ‘Delisher’!

With Delisher being a new collection of tomato, we thought that we could give you, our loyal and ever-growing followers, an introduction to this new form of tomato to develop a better understanding of this variety.

Delisher is a baby plum tomato with a sweet, crisp, and juicy taste that will leave you wanting more!

With this in mind, Delisher is the perfect tomato to encourage even the fussiest of eaters to try. It is the perfect snack tomato alone or accompanied with any dish such as salads as it adds a luscious flavour to anything it is paired with.

It is smaller than Strabena and has a completely different taste experience. So, what are you waiting for? Don’t hesitate to try Delisher and incorporate it into your meals just in time for Summer!

With over 10,000 varieties of tomato world-wide it is important to know how to trial and identify these different varieties.

How do I do this?

With trials it is effective to start with a few plants of a selection of types that you would like to compare with current ranges. When trialing varieties, ask yourself these questions…

• Are they different?
• Is the taste unique?
• Will this variety consistently produce annually?
• Are the plants more susceptible to P&D issues?
• Which customer will want to try it?

The answer to these questions decides whether the tomato will make it to a main variety, so they are extremely decisive in the status of a tomato. Deciding a tomatoes variety can take up to 5 years. So make sure that you stick to the questions!

This year the duration of British Tomato Fortnight is 23rd May – 5th June 2022, so why not take this opportunity to learn something new or build up your knowledge of British-grown tomatoes!

It can’t be denied that us Brits love tomatoes, which is evident from British people eating 500,000 tonnes of tomatoes every year! Keep reading to find out five facts about why we celebrate British tomatoes and see if you learn something new…

1. British- grown tomatoes are known for their flavour, because they’re grown locally, tomatoes are chosen for their taste instead of durability
2. The nutrition in tomatoes protects from illnesses such as cancer and maintains heart health
3. British tomatoes are good for the environment, because they are grown locally this reduces miles of transporting the tomatoes
4. Locally grown British tomatoes are kept on the vine for longer, meaning that they absorb more flavour
5. British tomato growers use eco-friendly methods to grow their toms such as nourishing their crops with rainwater and using bumble bees to pollinate plants

Did you find out something new this British Tomato Fortnight? Let us know and see you next time!

We are celebrating the British Tomato Fortnight in style!

EVG who we work with on packing and marketing our fruit, came up with the idea to get a tomato shipper into Sainsbury’s stores during the British Tomato Fortnight, 23rd May- 5th June. 

With Sainsbury’s being a long established customer of ours, it was a great opportunity for us to get on board and help promote British tomatoes. 

Since then, most Sainsbury’s stores now have a shipper like this somewhere in the fresh produce section. However, if you stop by Sainsbury’s in Leamington, you will see our very own Roly Holt.

After putting Roly’s picture on the stand, just a couple of days later, Stuart the store manager stated that sales of British tomatoes had increased by 120%. We are extremely happy about this and wish the growth of British tomato sales continue to increase.  

Let us know if you spot Roly in Sainsbury’s. Share on social media and tag us in your photos.