Tomates

La planta de tomate es una fruta, pero generalmente se trata como un vegetal a efectos de uso culinario.

Para un jardín abundante que alimentará a una familia durante los meses más cálidos, cultive entre ocho y 15 plantas de tomate. Los tomates extra que no pueda usar siempre serán aceptados de buen grado por los vecinos.

Cultivo de tomates

Decide si quieres crecer a partir de semillas o plántulas. Si cultiva a partir de semillas, comience temprano para asegurarse de que las plántulas estén listas a tiempo para atrapar el comienzo de la estación cálida.

Las semillas necesitan calor para germinar, por lo que si vive en un clima fresco o frío, primero plante las semillas en macetas pequeñas o contenedores de semillas en el interior.

No saque las plántulas hasta que no haya más riesgo de heladas. Las plántulas no pueden hacer frente a las heladas. Alternativamente, coloque una cubierta para ellos, por la noche y en caso de que ocurra algún clima adverso durante el día.

En el jardín

Elija un lugar soleado en el jardín. Los tomates aman y prosperan con mucho sol. Prepara bien la tierra. Excave compost de jardín podrido, gránulos de aves de corral o estiércol bien podrido en un suelo que drene libremente. Las plantas de tomate prefieren suelos ricos y fértiles.

Tomato plants can handle both light and heavy soils but the soil must be able to drain. There is no need to add lime unless the pH is 5.5 or lower.Space tomato plants 50cm or more apart. This space is required to accommodate the fruit, of which hopefully you'll get plenty. This includes small tomatoes, such as cherry tomatoes, as these form in plentiful bunches that still take up plenty of room.

In a container

Tomatoes grow well in containers, provided the container is sufficiently large and the soil used drains easily. The container should be placed in full sun, as for growing in the garden.

Ongoing care for tomatoes

Give the tomatoes stakes. Vine and bush tomato varieties need to be attached to a stake in order to be able to bear the fruit and stay upright. Use soft cloth or soft ties, so as not to damage the stems. Old clothes, pantyhose or thrift store supplies of ribbon, yarn, etc., make for excellent sources to produce homemade ties.

Water and feed tomatoes regularly. They cannot be left to grow without sufficient water. Consider a top-up of homemade fertilizer or well-rotted compost/manure. At the first sign of fruit, feed with tomato liquid fertiliser. It is vital that the plant does not dry out from the time the fruit sets until you pick it.

As the tomatoes grow, removing a few leaves assists the growth. It is recommended that you do the following:

• Pinch out the laterals (small side shoots on leaf axils on the tomato's main stem). This will encourage vigorous and bushy growth.
• Remove the growing tip from the top of the main stem when a good four to five trusses are formed. This helps the plant to concentrate most on fruit production and less on continuing to grow leaves and stems.
• Pull away the lower leaves that are obscuring the fruit. This allows more light to reach the fruit. If grown in a container, the container can be moved around to allow the fruit to get more light too.

Problems

Tomatoes can impacted by the following pests: Aphids, leafhoppers, red spider mites, whitefly and thrips.

Diseases that can affect tomatoes include: Food and root rots, tomato ghost spot, spotted wilt virus, blossom end rot, tomato blight and leaf moulds.

[A separate article needs to be created to address these problems, addressing both conventional and organic approaches.]

Companion planting

Tomatoes and basil grow well together. They taste brilliant served together too.

Harvesting

A healthy, average tomato plant will produce around 4 to 5 kilograms of fruit.

Although harvesting occurs when the fruit is ripe (red), it is possible to use green tomatoes that aren't likely to ripen in time by season's end, turning them into pickles, fried dishes, and so forth. You can also ripen those last green tomatoes indoors.

Uses for tomatoes

Tomatoes have many culinary uses. They are ideal enjoyed fresh in salads, on top of pasta and in sandwiches. A bountiful harvest of tomatoes can be made into tomato sauce, tomato ketchup, pickles, tomato jam, puree, pasta sauce, and so on.

Tomato varieties

There are many varieties of tomatoes, some of which are listed following.

• Beafsteak
• Better Boy
• Big Boy
• Brandywine
• Cherry
• Heirloom
• Plum
• Roma

See also

• Food
• Preserving Tomatoes (FAO, 35 p.)

External links

• tomatoes without irrigation - video
• tomatoes without irrigation - discussion thread