Still time to plant

Press, 21 November 1986, Page 14

Still time to plant

Tomato varieties

Until very recently, Show Week-end was the almost generally accepted cue for planting various vegetable crops, but adherents to this concept are becoming fewer.

Perhaps the most noticeable change in this direction is in the planting of outdoor tomato plants, but rest assured, there is still plenty of time to plant and even catch some of the early starters. Bush and tall growing tomato cultivars are still readily obtainable, and include the following:

© Dwarf or bush, which do not need any training at all although putting black polythene or straw beneath the plant improves fruit quality. Included in this group is Patio, a very sweet, early maturing cropper; Fioramerica, a relatively , disease-resistant, large, globe-shaped fruit; Red Alert, which bears small, but exceptionally sweet, fruit.

• Tall-growing tomatoes require staking and regular delateraling, but produce a better end product. Such familiar and reliable croppers as Moneymaker, Potentate and Beefsteak do not need qualification. It is good to see both Russian Red and Grosse Lisse making very prominent comebacks in popularity, and if marble-sized fruit meet your requirements then Sweet 100 is a very prolific yielding, sweet tasting cropper which

will not disappoint Big Boy and Better Girl are two top quality producing hybrids at the other end of the size scale. And for those who would prefer less acid fruit then such yellow fruited forms as Golden Jubilee, Golden Ponderosa and Golden Queen should provide the answer.

Finally, a comment on the importance of maintaining a controlled moisture regime in the soil. Tomato plants are very susceptible to ripening disorders which are predominantly associated with fluctuating moisture levels so avoid subjecting plants to extremes.