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TomatoThe following article is Chapter 6 of the Texas Master Gardener Manual, 4th edition
Environmental Preferences
Tomatoes are valuable garden plants because they require relatively little space for large production. Each tomato plant, properly cared for, yields 10 to 15 pounds of fruit or more. For best results, choose varieties with disease resistance. Fusarium, and Verticillium wilt are common diseases that can destroy an entire tomato crop. Many varieties are resistant to these two diseases. Look for "VF" after the cultivar name, indicating resistance to the wilts. "VFN" means the plants are resistant to Verticillium, Fusarium and nematodes; "VFNT" adds tobacco mosaic to the list. The varieties of available tomato plants may seem overwhelming to a new gardener. Ask gardening friends for the names of their favorites; this will give you a good idea of what does well in Texas. Several major types of tomatoes exist that can be chosen according to your needs and preferences. Brief descriptions of these follow. Midget, patio or dwarf tomato varieties have very compact vines and are best grown in hanging baskets or other containers. These varieties may produce cherry tomatoes (1 inch in diameter or less); however, some produce larger fruit. These plants are usually short-lived, quickly producing their crop. Cherry tomatoes have small, cherry-sized (or a little larger) fruits and are often used in salads. Plants of cherry tomatoes range from dwarf (Tiny Tim' to 7-foot varieties (Sweet 100). One standard cherry tomato plant is usually sufficient for a family since they generally produce abundant fruits. Compact or determinate tomato plants may include cultivars of the above two categories. Determinate refers to the plant habit of growing to a certain size, setting fruit and then declining. Most of the early ripening tomato varieties are determinate. Indeterminate tomato plants are the opposite of determinate types. The vines continue to grow until frost or disease kills them. These are the standard, all-summer tomatoes that most people enjoy growing. For best results, they require some kind of support or the fruit will touch the soil and be susceptible to rot. Beefsteak tomatoes are large fruited types, producing a tomato slice that easily covers a sandwich. The whole fruit may weigh as much as 2 pounds or more. These usually ripen late, so plant some standard-sized or early tomatoes for a longer harvest period. Paste tomatoes have small, pear shaped fruits with very meaty interiors and few seeds. They are less juicy than standard tomatoes and lack a central core. Paste tomatoes are a favorite for canning since they are so meaty and do not have to be sliced. Some tomatoes are orange, yellow, pink or striped. Usually the only way to get these is by growing your own. Tomato plants can be started indoors from seed, or transplants can be purchased. If starting your own plants, use a light soil mix and give the plants plenty of light. Tall, spindly transplants are usually caused by low light levels in the home. Unless you have a sunny, south-facing window, supplemental light will probably be necessary. The seed are sown 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area. A few weeks before transplanting time, harden-off indoor grown plants by gradually increasing the number of hours they are outdoors each day. Bring plants in if there is danger of frost. When you are ready to plant homegrown or purchased plants, select stocky transplants about 6 to 8 inches tall. Set tomato transplants in the ground, covering the stems so that only two or three sets of true leaves are exposed. Horizontal planting of tomato plants is an effective way to make plants stronger, especially leggy ones. Roots will form along the buried portion of the stem, giving better growth and less chance of plant injury form a stem that is too weak. Do no remove the containers if they are peat or paper pots. If non-biodegradable containers are used, knock the plants out of the pots before transplanting and slightly loosen the roots. Press the soil firmly around the transplant so that a slight depression is formed for holding water. Pour approximately 1 pint of starter solution or dilute fish emulsion around each plant. If plants are to be staked or trellised, space them at least 24 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart. Though it initially requires more work, staking makes caring for tomatoes easier than letting them sprawl on the ground. Since they are off the ground, fruit rots are reduced spraying is easier and may be required less often, and harvesting is much less. Use wooden stakes 6 feet long and 1 ½ or 2 inches wide. Drive them 1 foot into the soil about 4 to 6 inches from the plant soon after transplanting. Attach heavy twine or strips of cloth to the stakes every 10 inches. As the plants grow, pull the stems toward the stakes and tie loosely. Prune stakes tomatoes to either one or two main stems. A new shoot will develop at the junction of each leaf and the first main stem. If plants are trained to two stems, choose one of these shoots for the second main stem (normally at the first or second leaf-stem junction). Remove all other shoots (suckers) weekly to eliminate all but these two main stems. Pinch shoots off with your fingers. Tomato plants can also be set along a fence or trellis and tied and pruned in a manner similar to that used with stakes. Growing tomatoes in wire cages is an ideal way to raise tomatoes because of its simplicity. Cage-growing allows the tomato plant to grow in its natural manner, but keeps the fruit and leaves off the ground, thus offering the same advantages of staking. Using wire cages requires a large initial expenditure and a large storage area, but many gardeners feel that the freedom from pruning and staking is worth it. The cages, if heavy duty, will last many years. Be sure to get concrete reinforcing wire or fencing with at least 6 inch spacing between wires so that you can get your hand inside to harvest the tomatoes. If tomato plants in wire cages are pruned at all, once is enough; prune to 3 or 4 main stems. Wire-cage tomatoes develop a heavy foliage cover, reducing sunscald on fruits. Caged plants are less prone to the spread of disease from plant handling since they do not have open wounds and must be handled less frequently than staked plants. However it helps to space the plants somewhat further apart (3 feet is good) to allow good air circulation between plants. Humidity is higher because of the foliage density, and diseases such as late blight spread rapidly in humid situations. If well-nourished and cared for, caged tomatoes can product exceptional harvests and make up for the extra space with high production. This type of culture is especially suited to indeterminate varieties. Common Problems
Additional Information: Easy Gardening? Tomatoes http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/easygardening/tomato/tomato.html Tomato Disorders http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tomatoproblemsolver/index.html | |
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