Tuesday, 29 December 2015

Tomato farming guide

Tomato - This vine plant is fairly easy to grow and will produce a
bumper crop with proper care. Its uses are versatile, however,
tomatoes are susceptible to a range of pests and diseases.
Tomato tree with fruits
Planting
-If you're planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you'll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date.
-Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern
regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least
6 hours of sun. For souther regions, light afternoon shade
will help tomatoes survive and thrive.
-Two weeks before transplanting seedlings outdoors, till soil
to about 1 foot and mix in aged manure, compost,
or fertilizer.
-Harden off transplants for a week before moving outdoors.

-Transplant after last spring frost when the soil is warm.
-Establish stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting.
Staking keeps developing fruit off the ground, while caging let’s the plant hold itself upright.
-Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling can also produce fine crops if you have the space, and if the weather cooperates.
-Plant seedlings two feet apart.
-Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and
plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest
leaves are just above the surface of the soil.
-Water well to reduce shock to the roots.
Tomato fruit
Care
-Water generously for the first few days.
-Water well throughout growing season, about 2 inches per week during the summer. Keep watering consistent.
-Mulch five weeks after transplanting to retain moisture.
-To help tomatoes through periods of drought, find some flat
rocks and place one next to each plant. The rocks pull up
water from under the ground and keep it from evaporating
into the atmosphere.
-Fertilize two weeks prior to first picking and again two weeks after first picking.
-If using stakes, prune plants by pinching off suckers so that only a couple stems are growing per stake.
-Practice crop rotation from year to year to prevent diseases that may have over wintered.

Pests/diseases
Tomatoes are susceptible to insect pests, especially tomato hornworms and whiteflies.
-Aphids
-Flea Beetles
-Tomato Hornworm
-Whiteflies
-Blossom-End Rot
-Late Blight
is a fungal disease that can strike during any part of the growing season. It will cause grey, moldy spots on leaves and fruit which later turn brown. The disease is
spread and supported by persistent damp weather.
This disease will overwinter, so all infected plants should be destroyed.
-Tobacco Mosaic Virus creates distorted leaves and causes
young growth to be narrow and twisted, and the leaves become mottled with yellow.

Unfortunately, infected plants
should be destroyed (but don't put them in your compost pile).
-Cracking - When fruit growth is too rapid, the skin will crack.
-This usually occurs in uneven water or uneven moisture due
to weather conditions (very rainy periods mixed with dry
periods). 
-Keep moisture levels constant with consistent watering and mulching.

Harvesting/storage
-Leave your tomatoes on the vine as long as possible. If any
fall off before they appear ripe, place them in a paper bag
with the stem up and store them in a cool, dark place.
-Never place tomatoes on a sunny window sill to ripen; they may rot before they are ripe!
-The perfect tomato for picking will be firm and very red in color, regardless of size, with perhaps some yellow remaining around the stem
-A ripe tomato will be only slightly soft.
-If your tomato plant still has fruit when the first hard frost threatens, pull up the entire plant and hang it upside down in the basement or garage. Pick tomatoes as they redden.
-Never refrigerate fresh tomatoes. Doing so spoils the flavor and texture that make up that garden tomato taste.
-To freeze, core fresh unblemished tomatoes and place them whole in freezer bags or containers. Seal, label, and freeze. The skins will slip off when they defrost.

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