The Tomato Cart: Grow Your Own Greatness!

When I was younger, my parents bought me and my sister a greenhouse.

I can still vividly remember the excitement of visiting our local garden centre to choose a selection of seeds we were going to plant. Every day, I would eagerly visit the greenhouse and see if any progress had been made (I’ll admit, I was impatient at times and wanted everything to grow just a little bit faster!) – and rush to tell my parents about the slightest change.

I still think there is something so rewarding about being able to grow your own produce (and you can’t beat the taste of fresh fruit and vegetables!).

A few months ago, I visited a local market and met Jacob, the Owner of The Tomato Cart – a local business that offers a range of beginner-friendly tomato kits and plants, allowing you to grow your own tomatoes!

While some people may find the idea of growing your own produce daunting, Jacob’s tomato kits allow you to take your first steps in the world of gardening with ease!

I spoke to Jacob about the journey of The Tomato Cart, the beauty of gardening, the products he sells and his plans for the future.

When did The Tomato Cart begin (and what was the inspiration behind this)?

The Tomato Cart really started during Covid, when we were all at home and decided to dig up part of our garden in Sprowston and turn it into a competition.

It was my parents vs me, my brother and my little sister. We all picked different vegetables and had to grow them ourselves. No cheating.

Everyone else’s plots died, but mine didn’t.

That was when I realised I was actually quite good at growing things, and I really liked it. There’s something about watching something grow because of your own effort that just sticks with you.

Not long after that, my brother got a paper round and started earning money. I wanted my own income too, but more than that I wanted to be my own boss. I liked the idea of earning money while I slept.

I started talking to my dad about having my own garden centre one day, filled with plants I’d grown myself. I decided tomatoes were the best place to start. They’re easy, fun, and you actually get something you can eat at the end of it. I also like the idea of getting more kids into growing their own food.

I found a greenhouse on Freecycle and went to collect it from North Norfolk. But, on the way home, a car pulled out in front of us and we had to brake hard. Some of the glass smashed, so I ended up with half a greenhouse.

My dad suggested setting up a GoFundMe to help finish it, and that’s when things really changed. One morning, just after my brother had gone out on his paper round, my dad said I should think about doing the same. But overnight, the GoFundMe had raised money, and I remember saying, “I can earn money while I’m sleeping.”

We picked up the greenhouse two days before my 13th birthday in December 2024, and that’s when The Tomato Cart really started in my mind.

After that, I found a trailer base on Gumtree and used the remaining money to buy it. We built the cart together so I could cycle to markets, carry my plants, and have a lid that doubles up as a sign.

I also started using social media to help make decisions, like what colour to paint the cart, and as more people followed, the business kind of grew with it.

And it’s just kept growing from there 🍅!

What products do you offer (and what is included in these kits)?

There are quite a lot of rules around selling plants and seeds, so I made sure I did things properly from the start.

I’m registered to sell plants face to face, which is honestly one of my favourite parts, just chatting to people who like growing things as much as I do. I sell a wide range of tomato plants at local markets, and I keep the price at that “it’s cheap enough to give it a go” level, which feels important.

The plants did really well in my first year, but tomatoes are seasonal, so things naturally slow down over the summer, which actually works quite well because I like to spend that time at the beach!

As autumn came, I wanted to build something that could run all year. That’s when I came up with the idea of tomato grow kits, so people could grow at home wherever they are.

I applied for a seed marketing licence so I could repackage and sell seeds across the UK, which was a bit of a turning point.

I launched my Etsy shop in January 2026, and now I sell a range of tomato grow kits with different varieties. Each kit includes:

• Tomato seeds
• Coco coir soil discs
• Pots and plant labels
• A step-by-step growing guide I designed myself
• A printed seed guide for the bespoke kit

Everything is designed to be really simple for beginners, but still good enough if you already know what you’re doing.

From my earlier plant sales, I knew the seeds grew really well, so I was confident I had the right supplier. I work with Just Seed, who have been really supportive.

I’m that confident in the seeds that I include a germination guarantee. If they don’t grow, I’ll replace them. No questions.

What do you love most about growing plants (and where did you learn)?

Growing plants is actually a bit addictive, especially from seed.

At the start, you keep checking the soil every day waiting for that first little green shoot to appear. It becomes a bit of an obsession, even though you don’t really understand why until you’ve done it.

Then once it’s growing, you’re watching for flowers, because you know tiny tomatoes are next. Then you’re waiting for them to grow big enough to pick.

That moment when you pick them and take them to the table, or eat them before they get there, is honestly one of the best bits.

I also really like being outside. It’s a really good way to switch off from school. You just focus on something simple, get a bit muddy, and clear your head.

Most of what I’ve learned has come from just giving things a go and figuring it out. I’ve had some help from books, used the internet a bit, but social media has actually been really useful too. It’s helped me connect with people who know loads more than me.

It’s also made me start thinking properly about my long-term goal, which is to open my own garden centre one day and how I might get there.

How do you balance running your business along with school and home life?

My parents help me a lot with this.

The business has grown quite quickly, so it’s really tempting to just keep going all the time. But they help me slow it down a bit and make sure I’m still doing normal 14-year-old things, like seeing friends and not turning into a full-time tomato.

I’ve got a simple rule - school work first.

I get home, do my homework, then I work on The Tomato Cart. The only exception is mornings. I always water my plants before school because I can’t let my little babies suffer.

There are definitely times when things get busy and clash a bit, but my parents help me focus on what matters at the time.

The good thing is, growing is something I enjoy anyway, so working on the business doesn’t feel like a chore (unlike the dishwasher!).

What has been the most valuable thing you have learnt since launching The Tomato Cart?

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that you just have to give things a go.

That applies to growing plants, but also to starting a business. Opportunities come up, and you just have to be brave enough to take them, especially if they feel right.

I’m quite lucky because I don’t have big risks or bills, so I can make decisions and learn as I go. It’s probably a mix of courage and a bit of not knowing what I’m doing, but it seems to be working.

Being bold, but not cocky, has helped.

Social media has also been a big part of it. There are some downsides, but overall the support has been amazing, and my parents keep an eye on things.

One of the biggest things I’ve realised is that adults probably need to believe in themselves a bit more. You can grow a plant from nothing, and building something else isn’t that different.

Just be brave and start.

How important was your interview with BBC Radio Norfolk?

What’s been really nice is what’s happened after it.

I’d done some bits with Future Radio and local papers before, but this year it’s all felt a lot more natural. Since the BBC Radio Norfolk interview and being on BBC Look East, loads of people have come up to me and said how well I did.

People say I seem confident, but I don’t really think it’s that. I’m just talking about something I enjoy.

I do get recognised a bit now, which is quite funny, but that’s not really what I’m after.

The best bit is the conversations it’s created. Meeting more people who enjoy growing and just having a chat about it.

What has been key to your growth as a business so far?

Social media has been a massive part of it.

But it’s not really about selling. It’s more about sharing what I’m doing and letting people decide if they like it.

I’ve still got loads to learn, but I’ve started learning some of the business side through time served experience and local support, which helps.

I also use social media to test ideas. I’ve always got things going on in the background, and some of my followers help me shape them. They give honest feedback.

That way, when I launch something, I already know it works.

Feedback is really important. I don’t think you can do something like this on your own, and if you stop listening, you start missing the point.

For me, it’s about getting people to enjoy growing.

Grow Your Own Greatness.

What do you love most about attending markets across Norfolk?

Honestly, just talking to people.

I don’t try to sell to people. I just talk about what I enjoy, and that seems to work better.

I also love meeting other businesses. I’ve met some really good people, had ideas from them, and even worked with some on new products.

It’s also given me a lot more confidence. I’ll happily talk to anyone now, whether that’s helping someone grow tomatoes, showing them how to use a parcel locker, or just chatting.

There are so many good ideas out there locally, and I really like seeing other young people giving things a go as well.

Online is great, but it’s not the same as someone stopping by and saying hello.

What do you hope to achieve this year?

I’m not sure I’m that organised yet, so I take each thing as it comes, but you can’t ignore great ideas.

I’ve got some new ideas I’m working on, new kits, maybe another collaboration, but mostly I just want to keep trying things.

I want this to stay something I enjoy. A hobby that’s grown into a business, not the other way round.

I want to keep learning from other people, and keep encouraging others to give growing a go.

If someone grows something themselves, even just once, they start to understand it properly.

I’d also like to start doing a bit of my own research into growing better tomatoes.

But honestly, my biggest goal is simple - if I can get just one more person to try growing something themselves, that’s a win.

To keep up to date with the fantastic work of The Tomato Cart, you can head to their Instagram (@thetomatocart)!