TOMATOES IN THE OPEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26410, 14 March 1947, Page 4

TOMATOES IN THE OPEN

Tomatoes in the open growing against a wall facing west have done very well this season. At first, the weather was cold and wet, but by sheltering them from the cold S.W. winds by sheets of fibro glass, they never went back, and formed the first truss of flowers quite low down. This was sprayed with a substance called “ Fullset,” when the flowers were open and every one developed into a fruit These are just beginning to ripen now, and to hasten the process they will be taken in and placed in the tray under the heat storage range. The hot water circulator cupboard should be equally satisfactory. The plants have now formed four bunches of flowers and have been topped at two leaves beyond the last bunch of flowers. By spraying the flow : ers as they open a good set has been obtained all the way up, and though the first bunch of fruit is a little rough, those formed higher are smooth and a good shape and,size. The plants have not shown any sign of any kind of disease so far, the foliage is medium strong, and all the feeding they have received is a top-dressing of manure, composed of two ounces blood and bone, one ounce superphosphate, and one ounce sulphate of potash applied at the rate of a tablespoonful to each plant, lightly forked into the top soil and then watered in. The plants were sprayed overhead on all warm evenings and as they were growing against a wall under the overhanging eaves of the house they required watering frequently I should have mentioned that the plants were potted up into five-inch pots and grown on in a cold frame until they formed the first bunch of flowers, before they were planted out.