Tomatoes

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculen-

turn) are a favorite crop in the
home vegetable garden. They
grow well in all districts of Vic-
toria except some mountain areas
where there are less than three
frost-free months.
They grow best in deep well
drained soil, as the plant has a
deep and extensive root system.
A good supply of water is needed
through the growing season, but,
on poorly drained soil, excessive
watering can quickly kill plants.
In the home garden, tomato
seedlings are transplanted when
there is no danger of frost and the
soil has begun to warm up. In
southern Victoria, October or
November is quite early enough
to plant out tomatoes and in the
north, planting can begin in Sep- Train tonlatoes b y removing tile laterals frorn tlze leaf axils. Trait1 large fr-rrited
tember. A major cause of failure varieties, suclt as Grosse Lisse, to three leaders.
is due to planting out too early.
Tomatoes flourish when tempera-
tures are high.
Most home gardeners aim to If garden area is limited tomatoes varieties require staking and prun-
harvest the first fruit by the end can be grown in pots. (See page ing.
o f December. The old dwarf varie- 38.) Plant tomatoes in a well exposed
ties KYI, Rouge de Marmande are Insects and disease can cause area of the garden so that they
suitable for early planting, but the severe losses, but regular spraying will have sunlight throughout the
quality of the fruit is not as good or dusting right from the time day.
as the newer varieties such as seedlings are planted out will keep Avoid growing tomatoes in areas
Burnley Metro and Burnley For- these troubles in hand. which have been planted before
tune. Late varieties can be har- with tomatoes or with potatoes,
vested u p until the end of May, in Varieties capsicums or egg plant. This will
frost-free areas. Early crop : reduce the possibility of disease
In the home garden not many Burnley Metro build-up. Tomatoes do well after
plants are needed to provide plenty KYI* a legume crop or in freshly broken-
of tomatoes, both for the table and Burnley Fortune up ground. Choose an area of the
for bottling. It is better to grow Rouge de Marmande garden with good drainage.
a few plants well, than to plant Burnley Surecrop Soil preparation and fertilisers
too many and let them fend for Burnley Gem* Dig the bed deeply to a full spade
themselves. Mid-season crop : depth some weeks before planting
Five plants of each maturing Burnley Surecrop so that trash is well worked in,
time should be enough for a family Burnley Gem* and clods are broken down. The
of four people, although ten Daydream bed should be brought to a reason-
plants of the mid-season or late Grosse Lisse ably fine tilth by planting time.
varieties may be needed for a good A p l l o Organic manure should also be
supply for sauces and bottled Roma* worked in before planting, if none
tomatoes. Late crop : has been applied for the previous
In the small home garden it is Burnley Bounty crop.
better to stake and tie all types of Salads Special Band 150 g of NPK 3 : 6 : 7
tomatoes, even those which are Potentate complete fertiliser to the metre
unpruned by commercial growers. * Unpruned bush types. Other along a small trench 100 to
 150 mm deep and then plant over Transplanting
this band. To avoid fertiliser burn Seedlings should be transplanted
be sure the fertiliser band is into the garden as soon as possible
separated from the roots of the after you buy them or lift them
transplants by at least 50 mm of from the seed bed. Scoop a hole
soil. This application can be made deep enough to take the plant's
to the side of the plant row, but roots and plant so that the junc-
the placement below the plant is tion of bottom leaves is just below
most effective early in the season ground level. Retain as much soil
when the soil is cold. as possible around the roots when
Apply a side-dressing of removing the seedlings from the
nitrogen fertiliser or fowl manure seed flat or seed bed.
after the first flowers have set Unstaked varieties are planted
fruit. Thirty grams of ammonium in rows about a metre apart and
sulphate or 15 g of urea to each 500 mm between plants. Staked
plant is sufficient. Fertiliser side- varieties are planted with 900 mm
dressings should be lightly worked between the rows and 450 mm be-
in around the plant and then tween plants. Water-in the
watered. plants with about a litre of water
or starter solution 50 g of NPK
Buying seedlings 18 : 12 : 18 soluble complete
Usually the small home gardener fertiliser to four litres of water.
finds that it is more convenient to Hot caps and polythene row
buy a few plants than to grow covers can be used to protect
them. Buy small plants which are early plants against moderate
well hardened off. They have dark frosts and to warm up the soil. Prune tomdoes by removing laterals
green leaves and stout bluish stems. See " Growing Early Vegetables ", (arrows).
Long, lank plants with light green page 36.
leaves, have not been hardened varieties, place a light wooden
,and do not stand the shock of Direct seeding stake 1.8 to 2 metres long at each
transplanting. Later tomatoes can be grown by planting site. As the plant grows,
Some stores offer plants for sale sowing seed directly in the garden it should be pruned and tied to
as early as July. Do not be bed in November and early the stake.
tempted to plant out too early. December. Tomatoes grown in Pruning is a simple operation
If you prefer to grow your own this way do not receive a setback. requiring the removal of the lateral
seedlings, see page 29. They may produce fruit as early growth which develops at the
as plants which have been trans- points where the leaves meet the
planted. Direct seeding is most stem. A natural branching of the
successful on loam soils. main stem usually occurs 150 to
Prepare the drill row. Sow into 200 rnm ab'ove the ground.
a moist seed bed with 6 to 8 seeds Prune to train two leaders or
at each plant site. Push seeds in growing points per plant. Grow-
about 5 mm and cover with a light ing points should be pinched out
layer of loamy soil. Mulch with when the leaders reach the top of
grass clippings. Make sure the the stake. Large fruited varieties
seed bed is kept moist. such as Grosse Lisse may be
The young seedlings are most trained to three leaders on
susceptible to insect attack, so keep
vigorous plants.
them well protected with insec- After pruning, tie the leaders to
ticide spray or dust. the stake with a broad piece of
Thin out the plants, first leav-material-such as an old stocking.
ing two or three strong plants and Loop the material around the
then thin to one plant to each plant before tying it to the stake,
plant site. to prevent the stem being rubbed.
Check the tie at regular intervals
Scoop a hole deep enough to take the
Pruning and staking to see that the stem is not pinched
roots during transplanting. Immediately after planting staking and the sap flow is not restricted.

I types o f tornatoes in the Ilorne
rden may be stoked.
Tie the 1rnder.r t o (I s m k with rr broad
pie(:e o f material. Loop the material
to the plant before tying it to t11e stake.
112
Watering High temperatures, above
Tomatoes are affected both by 38O C , also cause flowers to drop.
lack of water and too much of it. The effect of high temperatures
The rootzone, which can extend to may persist for a week to ten
a depth of 1 to 1.5 metres should days. Lack of soil moisture, poor
be kept moist throughout the soil fertility, shading and pests
growing season. In many Mel- and diseases can also reduce fruit
bourne gardens the rootzone is set.
restricted by heavy layers of clay,
or even rock, and if a bed is over Harvesting
%atered the roots may be water- Tomatoes ripen satisfactorily
logged. after being picked if a pink color
In the first month after trans- has developed at the blossom end.
planting only one or two light For best quality, tomatoes should
waterings are needed, but as the develop a full pink color beforc
bushes get bigger heavier irriga- being picked. In most areas it is
tion is necessary. In hot sumrner necessary to pick at this stage to
weather, a fully grown plant may prevent Iosses of ripe fruit from
use 25 mm of water in three days damage by birds.
(that is the equivalent of 25 mm Late in the season fruit can be
of rainfall). picked at the green mature stage
Over-irrigation on poorly and stored in a dark, cool place.
drained soils kills the tomato These tomatoes can be ripened
plants by drowning the root and progressively by holding at a
encouraging root rotting fungus temperature between 18 and
diseases. Check the drainage by 21° C which will give the fruit a
digging down about 600 mm. If rich red color.
there is still free-water, one week Ripe tomatoes will only hold
after irrigation reduce the amount for one or two weeks in a
of water applied. refrigerator. Long periods of
Irregular watering aggravates a refrigeration cause cold tempera-
disease called " blossom-end rot ". ture injury and fruit breakdown.
This disorder is related to calcium
nutrition but is brought on by
water stress in the plant. I t is
seen as a dark sunken discolor-
ation at the blossom end of green-
fruit. Poor root growth limits the
amount of water which the plant
can take.
Mulching reduces the evapora-
tion of water from the soil surface.
It helps the penetration of
moisture by preventing crusting
and keeps the soil surface cool so
that the roots can grow near the
soil surface. Mulches also sup-
press weeds.
Fruit set
Flowers often fail to set during the
spring and early summer months.
Low temperatures are the main
cause of poor pollination but as
the nights become warmer and the
temperatures rise above 15OC
fruit set normally improves. Torrlato ~cc,rllirr,cv,grol~.rrir~rtrpc F trips.
Turnips
Turnips (Brassica rapa) are
useful additions to the family
menu during the winter. swede
tlirnips (Brassica napo-brassica)
are more popular in Victoria, and
when well grown and well cooked,
make an excellent vegetable.
Turnips grow rapidly in late
simmer and early autumn and they
are ready to harvest in six to nine
weeks. Swedes are sown by the
end of February in southern dis-
tricts, although, in hill areas,
January sowings give best results.
If sown too early in the winter or
early spring, cold temperatures can
cause bolting. However, in sandy
market garden areas, swedes are
sown in July and August.
Late summer and autumn sow-
ing~of white turnips can be made
six to eight weeks later than sow-
i n g ~of swedes. Spring sowings
can be made at about the same
time.
Soil requirementsand ferti1iseE4
Turnips need a richer soil than
other ^root crops, and there is no
danger in using large amounts of
organic manures. They are not a
true root crop-the turnip is a
swollen stem. A mixed fertiliser
should be applied as well as the
organic manure, using about 30 g
of NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete
fertiliser to the square metre.
Lighter applications can be used if
turnips follow a crop which has
been heavily fertilised.
control of most insect pests.
Maldison can be used within a
week of harvest,
Turnips yield well in most soils pro-
vided they receive adequate water and every year, otherwise the stems
fertiliser.
Watercress - I
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
is often found growing wild in 1
streams, but running water is not
essential. It can be grown in a
moist trench.
Watercress can be grown from
cuttings, root division or seed. Any
piece will strike readily in wet
ground. Take out a trench 600 mm
1
wide and 300 mm deep in a shady
position. Dig in a 150 mm layer
I1
of rotted manure and firmly I
trample the bottom of the trench. 1
Fill in 75 to 100 mm of soil on
the top of this, and fill the trench
with water 24 hours before sowing 1
or planting.
Watercress seed is sown in
spring or autumn, and cuttings or
divisions may be planted during
the spring and in the autumn. As
the stems grow to 150 to 200 mm
high, cut off the top 75 to 100 mm
for use as a salad. Past this stage,
,
watercress is hot and stringy.
The bed should be renewed
become coarse and woody. The
trench must be flooded at least
once a week during growth. It
will then yield throughout the year.

Sowing and cultivation

Sow white turnips in drills 300 mm
apart and thin to 75 mm when
they have two leaves. Late thin-
ning produces poor bulbs. For
Swede turnips allow 350 mm be-
tween rows and thin to 150 mm.
Do not sow large quantities at
any one time, as when too mature,
swedes and turnips have a strong
flavor.
Pest and diseases control
programs are similar to those for
cabbage. Maldison gives good