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TOMATO
(Lycopersicon Lycopersicuni)
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Full Sun
Requires six hours or more
of strong, direct sun per day. |
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Part Shade
Requires two to six hours
of direct sun per day. |
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 Popularity of the Tomato
A fine source of the vitamins A and C, the common tomato is easily grown in almost any backyard. Because of its food value, many uses and ease of culture, the tomato is probably the plant most widely grown by the home gardener.Growing the TomatoPlanting and gardening in the proper moon phase is part of the organic formula to growing great tomato plants. To grow perfect tomatoes remember that the tomato plant is only ready and willing to deliver if you give it the full range of conditions that it requires.Beneficial companion plantsPlants that are benificial to tomatoes for both growth and insect control are basil, chives, onion, parsley, asparagus, marigold, nasturtium, carrots and limas.. For information on other vegetable companion plants see the companion planting chart.
The proper soil for tomatoes:The most important factor in the growth of tomato plants is proper soil preparation. Roots breathe the way you do. Deprived of air, roots, or portions of roots die of suffocation. When tilling the soil make sure it is loose and friable, permitting good drainage for your tomato plants.Watering tomatoes:Neither too much, nor too little is key to the tomatoes water requirements. Too much water can drown tomato plant roots, especially if soil is heavy. Too little water can stop tomato production.Nutrient requirements of tomatoes:The daily requirements of tomato plants for fertilizers is small, but that amount should be available when the plant needs it. Always follow package or bottle directions of the fertilizer that you use for best results as you grow your tomato plants.Moon Phase Planting of TomatoesIf you are gardening by moon phases tomatoes should be planted when the moon is in the 2nd Quarter (i.e. waxing) and in one of the following Zodiac Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
The lunar planting cycleMoon phase gardening is a part of the cycle of growth. Once you have followed the lunar planting cycle, the continued hardiness of each tomato plant will be determined by the basic requirements outlined below.Maintenance of the Tomato GardenTo produce a bumper crop of tomatoes you will need to monitor their progress throughout the growing cycle. The following points are critical to growing the perfect tomato.
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Sunlight:To a plant, light is life. Sunlight is used by the leaves to convert raw materials into useable plant food, and provides the light requirements needed for photosynthesis. The tomato should have 8 hours of continuous sunlight, but can get along with less. However the less sun that the plants receive the more it will negatively affect their rate of growth and production. -
Temperature:Most tomatoes need night temperatures between 55° and 75° to set fruit. But there are varieties that will set fruit at lower and higher temperatures. Read the seed planting and growing tips found on your seed pack or plant tray. -
Protection of leaves and roots:Leaves and roots need protection from temperature extremes, strong winds, birds and beasts, weed competition, and pests and diseases. But if you've satisfied the first five requirements of organic insect control, the plant is in a good position to protect itself from any damager, and will require much less protection from the gardener.
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Growing the best tomatoesYou don't have to be a horticulturist to grow tomatoes or to put the basic rules of plant growth together. It seems to me that what trips up many a grower of tomatoes is a lack of concern with one or another of the needs of the plant. Actually, these fundamentals are one fundamental; all must act in unison.Interdependent needs of TomatoesYou can go into the garden, look at a tomato plant, and decide that it needs more fertilizer. Fine—but you should bear in mind that fertilizing, the nature of the soil in which the tomato vine is planted, and your watering habits are all interdependent.If you plant a six-pack of the tomato variety recommended by your garden store, and all plants grow and produce well, you can count yourself lucky. But if your experience hasn't been all that successful, the preceding advice should be helpful.
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