Page 2 - LEAD MAGNATE - TOMATOES

HOW TO STAKE TOMATOES HOW TO

PREVENT
Whether you’re growing bush or indeterminate varieties, fol-
low the golden rule: Stake the plant while it is small. BLOSSOM END
ROT

You can use traditional stakes, but tomato cages work really
well for both types of tomatoes. If you are growing an indeter-
minate variety, ensure that you get an extra tall tomato cage. This is a problem that
Make sure that you have a second pair of hands to help insert tomatoes are prone to,
the ‘legs’ of the tomato cage. More on staking indeterminate especially the Roma varie-
tomatoes in the next section. ties. It comes from a lack

of available calcium in the
soil. If you use eggs in the
Check the plant at least weekly, if not twice a week. They will kitchen, then you have the
grow very quickly and attempt to ‘escape’ the cage. If they do, solution at hand.
then just thread it into the cage higher up. Tomato stems are
quite brittle; handle them gently. Here’s what you need to

do. Save your egg shells.
To get rid of any bacteria,
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR bake them at 175° for
about 30 minutes. This will
TOMATOES TO FRUIT dry them out. Break them

down by crushing them. If
This varies – there are varieties that mature early from 50 you have a blender, then
days onwards; in contrast, the late-maturing varieties may pulverize the shells.
take 85 – 100 days to set fruit. If your growing season is short, Take 1 tablespoon of the
then you will want to avoid these late maturers. Alternatively, crushed eggshells and
you can extend your growing season by using season extend- mix it with 1 tablespoon of
ers like row cover and a hoop house. vinegar.

Let it sit for about 8 hours,

Early maturing varieties include the well-known ‘Early Girl’, or even overnight, to allow
‘Gardener’s Delight’ and ‘Manitorba’. Late-maturing varieties the vinegar to react with
include ‘Brandywine’, ‘Cherokee Purple’, ‘Mortgage Lifter’ and the eggshells.
‘Ponderosa Pink’. Fill a 2-gallon watering

can and mix the solution
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TOMATOES into the water. Water the
soil – about ½ gallon per

tomato plant. Apply this
Tomatoes are divided into two types, based on their growth treatment proactively
habit: when the plant is about 3

 Determinate (bush) weeks old. Repeat at
monthly intervals. You can
 Indeterminate (vining) also use this treatment for

peppers .