Tomatoes- how to grow

How to grow tomatoes?

Choosing Plants

There is a lot of varieties of tomato cultivars available in the market.

 You can grow huge tomatoes like big Zac, beefsteak; paste tomatoes like roma ; small ones like cherry tomatoes; pear tomatoes, bell tomatoes, etc in red, yellow, orange colors.



About 60 different varieties

 Whichever plant you choose, bear in mind that they have been bred to resist certain viruses, and fungal diseases. Many varieties bear the initials on the seed packs V.F.N.T, Verticillium Wilt, F Fusarium Wilt, N- Nematodes, T- Tobacco Mosaic Virus.

 Planting:

Tomatoes require Full sun at least 6 to 8 hours of hot sun per day for best production and growth. Select a sunny location, where water won’t collect in heavy rain. Add lime to soil before planting to reduce acidity in the soil. This will prevent end rot. Also be sure potatoes, peppers, eggplant, petunia, nicotiana etc which is their relative are not grown in that place for the last 1 year. Rotation of crops can control diseases such as early and late blight and improve plant growth.

Spacing. 



Tomatoes require support.

If grown in cages keep a space of 30-40 cm apart. If with support keep 45 cm apart. If no support ,keep 100 to 125 cm apart.

Grown in containers.

Use clean containers of 5 gallon buckets.

Support tomatoes when it grows.  Early Boy, Early girl, Oregon spring,  etc are good choices for containers.

 Watering

Keep the plants well watered.  Water them in the morning, not on the leaves but on the bottom preferably with a soft spray. If watered  in the evening  and water falls on leaves, and  the night temperature falls well below, it may lead to blight. It is better to water and soak them fully on one day and leave it to dry next day, rather than pouring little- little water every day. This will prevent fruit end wilts or blight.

 Fertilizing

Use fertilizer NPK  4-10-4, or 15-30-15 or miracle grow 18-18-21 tomato food. Different combinations are available in the market. There is another mix called 'Rapid Grow Tomato food' 7-11-17 which they claim will establish good root system. Don’t use stronger nitrogen fertilizer. 

Beautiful juicy delicious  tomato

 Fertilizer Labeling

NPK stands for N  Nitrogen, P Phosphorous, K Potassium Chloride . NPK 5-30-15 means Nitrogen 5 , Phosphorous 30, Potassium 15.
Nitrogen promotes growth of new tissues and leaves. Phosphorous stimulates root growth. Potassium improves overall vigor of plant and helps disease resistance. It regulates metabolic activities too. There are other minerals too that improves the overall growth of plant.

Pruning

Prune the sucker branches, and unwanted bottom leaves which waste the energy, and restrict fruit growth. Pruning helps air circulation, reduce fungus and improve sunlight to the plant.

 You can make new plant from sucker branches. Keep the cut branches in water for few days. It will get root. Plant them. See the pictures. Click the bottom URL 

http://motherkeralacom.blogspot.ca/2012/11/how-to-grow-tomatoe-plant-from-branch.html


Harvesting

The best tasting tomatoes are the ones ripened on the vine. Leave tomatoes until it is fully ripened. When heavy frost or continuous rain is forecasted it is better to pick all the fruits even those in green and allow to ripen in room temperature. Wrap them individually in newspaper or tissue place in shallow boxes stem side down. Check them frequently and remove the bad ones. Store them in fridge after they reach full colour.

Tomato diseases and prevention.

 1)      Blight is fungal disease of tomatoes and potatoes. This  disease causes tomatoes to have greenish- black, water soaked blotches on older leaves, leathery brown spots on fruit.

Blight affected fruits

What to do?

Don’t plant tomatoes and potatoes in the same place 2 years in a row. This disease overwinters in the soil and will infect next year crop.

Don’t encourage excessive leaf growth by adding high nitrogen fertilizer, or manure with high nitrogen.

Plant tomatoes and potatoes in full sun spots and allow good air circulation.

When watering, water the ground only not the leaves.Water in the morning not evening.

Spray tomato plants with copper spray when they are  15cm tall. Repeat every 7 -10 days. Do not spray one day before harvesting. Garden- sulphur too can be used.

Remove the affected leaves immediately. Throw them. Do not compost.

Other diseases and  Tips

When the weather turns cold, rainy and humid tomatoes  may get affected by blight. So when planting tomatoes select a time where there is less rains. In Kerala November to May is the best time to grow when there is not much rain. 

If the location is windy, try to establish wind breaks.

If the temperature fluctuates fast and the night temp goes bellow 13 Deg C, for a few days the leaves may get blight.

If the plant is inside where there are no flies, bees, shake the tree or hand pollinate with an ear-bud.

  Excessive nitrogen leads to lush growth and less fruits. So reduce nitrogen when it starts the first flower.  

Tomato leaves curling
Water thoroughly, rather than little and often to prevent his. If in pots ensure the whole compost is wet when watering.  Water the soil not the leaves.

Tomato fruit end black.
This happens mainly to tomatoes planted in pots.  Water them thoroughly. Add little chuna or lime.

Aphids
Crush two cloves of garlic in 500 ml water , strain and spray plants before aphids appear.


Wish you happy gardening. You can do wonders. Your food is the best medicine you body is looking for. Good food can prevent diseases. Medicine is not food. Grow organic food  make yourself  healthy and happy person.

The new varieties of tomatoes