Page 17 - Simply Veg 1 2024

Photo 4a
2nd trusses), to make them come again (see photo 3). It is easier to speed them up, than it is to slow them down, when you want them to peak for a specific show. I have even grown them with two stems on a plant to see how the plant will perform – you’d be surprised what you can learn from experimentation like this. The more you experiment with your own tomatoes, the better grower you will become.
Feeding and growing on
I start feeding, once the flowers are on the 2nd truss. I feed with a really good tomato fertiliser that is intended for tomatoes only and has a good range of trace elements that are essential for a high yielding healthy crop. I water at half strength for every watering.
Always keep an eye on the leaves of your tomato plants as these are an indication of your tomato plant’s health. Any discolouration in the leaves means that something is wrong. The leaves should be as green at the bottom truss (see photo 4a) as they are at the top of the 7th Truss (see photo 4b).
When growing for exhibition we all
want good sized, blemish free tomatoes,
so it will sometimes be necessary to thin down the quantity of fruits on a truss to improve size and avoid unsightly blemishes caused by “touching fruits”. As a result, it is recommended to restrict each truss to 5 or 6 fruits, however, as explained previously, every variety grows differently so thin down trusses appropriate to the variety.
I also NEVER take any leaves off during the growing stage, I only ever do this if
a) I wanted to stop the tomatoes growing
and help ripen them quicker or
b) just before show day, if I can’t see the tomatoes very well, I’ll cut off only the
offending leaves that are in the way. I have yet to see Mother Nature cut off leaves during the growing stage as they are the solar panels of your plant, so always keep them on.
Class 10 - Tomatoes – 1st Keith Chambers – Maisey
Harvesting and Selection
By the time “showtime” approaches I will have a pretty good idea as to which plants are producing the show contenders and I will commence harvesting and selecting as near as possible to my departure time for the show. By doing this the harvested and selected tomatoes will be as fresh as they possibly can be, as condition (especially the calyx’s) will start deteriorating as soon as they are cut from the truss.
To keep the tomatoes calyx’s flat and as fresh as possible, I place a well moistened cotton material on each calyx at an early stage once selection has been concluded.
Remember to always take spare tomatoes with you in case of any mishaps during transit or at staging time. Example; if a plate of 12 is asked for, take 15.
Transport and Staging
In order to prevent any damage during
the transporting of my tomatoes to the show, I use a special purpose built carrying box with well-lined/cushioned individual compartments for each tomato. This guarantees a very safe environment for my exhibits during transit to the showground.
Lastly, if you’ve spent 6 to 7 months nurturing your tomatoes from sow time to show time, then it is important to devote a suitable amount of time when staging your tomatoes. Staging is an art on its own, so spend time to show your tomatoes off to look their best by positioning correctly with calyx stems all facing the same way and each fruit sitting squarely on the staging boards or plates. Remember you want to catch the judges eye and staging properly is key to achieving this goal.
Pests and Diseases
I don’t suffer from many pests and diseases as I always practise good housekeeping by keeping my greenhouses very clean and
Photo 4b
well ventilated.
However, I do employ an “early warning
system” in the greenhouse by growing an aubergine plant alongside the tomatoes as I have found that if there are any pests or diseases about, then the aubergine plant is ALWAYS the first to suffer from them.
I therefore closely examine the aubergine plants on a daily basis and if anything is found then I quickly take appropriate action before they get to my tomatoes. Remember prevention is always better than cure.
In Conclusion
I know that not everything in my methods of growing tomatoes will suit everyone but I hope there are some things in this article that will have been of interest and you may want to try. Whatever you decide to do, always remember, to achieve success in growing tomatoes, it’s attention to detail that really counts.
An excellent article I wish more exhibitors would write similar ones – Ed
Simply Vegetables 17