Here is a picture of one of my plants. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Some of the common varieties of tomatoes grown in Kenya include;eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'value_co_ke-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',109,'0','0'])); The choice of the variety that you should plant should be based on several factors that include; Tomatoes can grow in a variety of climatic conditions and soil characteristics. This will equip you to deal with the challenges and ensure your tomato farming enterprise is profitable. In this comprehensive guide to tomato farming, we will take you through the required practices from tomato seedling to post-harvest handling of tomatoes. Choosing the right crop to intercrop with your tomatoes is crucial as it will affect the health of your tomatoes. Indeterminate varieties will raise your costs of materials and labour as you will be required to build the supports for the plants. It produces red, blocky shaped fruits. Premature dying and slowing in leaf development. Often times you will see pictures of tomatoes grown in rows stacked up very closely. Work aisles between pairs of tomato rows are normally 36 inches. Why Genetically Modified Tomatoes Should Stay Away. (1994) found no yield differences between in-row spacing of 12 and 30 inches in field-grown tomato. As much as it won't fix broken hearts, vitamin A, vitamin B, and potassium in tomatoes aids in reducing cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, which clogs up arteries. While tips for growing roma tomatoes are helpful, the end goal is to harvest roma tomatoes. This is a determinate variety that produces red coloured fruits with an oval shape and is known to be sweet. They require substantial staking for support. Basket-weaving is the most common way to trellis determinate tomatoes in open field or protected culture, and it is occasionally used for indeterminate tomatoes. Basil helps repel insects such as fruit flies and diseases. Correct Spacing The correct spacing for tomato plants depends partly on how you grow them. Each system was planted with a cover crop and amended with compost and organic fertilizer (pelletized chicken manure or feather meal) each year to reach the recommended 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre. will reduce air circulation around the plants and may result in disease . Tomato diseases can result in considerable losses in terms of the quality and quantity of your produce. You should apply 10 grams of CAN per every plant (80kgs per acre). Ask seed supplier for details. The researchers conducting the fresh-market tomato work in North Carolina found in their work, as well as in previous studies in the literature, that as in-row spacing was wider (lower populations), fruit size and number of fruit per plant tended to increase, but early yields and total yields were likely to decrease. Ten grams is about two bottle tops of the used soda bottles you're hoarding under your kitchen sink. Ensure you dig the planting holes to a depth of 15cm. That was before the internet though, so I learned the hard way. They just had a passion for gardening. Before transplanting in the holes you have prepared, apply 10 grams of DSP to each hole. The typical average yield for hydroponic tomatoes is about 40 pounds per square foot per year. Three-stem pruning coupled with closer intra-row spacing (20-40 cm) may be recommended for higher production of tomato variety (Roma VFN) in the Sudan savanna of Nigeria. You can as well spray your crop with calcium chloride to boost calcium levels in your farm. Fertilizer plays a vital role in the development of excellent and healthy tomato plants. Tomato Plant Spacing – 12″ Radius If you are able to grow all year and you have seeds planted, your roots are going to be larger. Irrigation methods such as overhead irrigation encourage the spread of diseases such as early blight. You can also use garlic sprays to aid control late blight. The fruit has a 21day shelf life, thereby giving you adequate time to seek its market. Greenhouse tomatoes should be thought of as alto-gether different from field-grown crops. You can see now why no one wanted to consume tomatoes as food. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'value_co_ke-leader-1','ezslot_3',114,'0','0'])); In addition to maximizing your returns on your farm, some plants may be beneficial in controlling pest and disease attacks. When I first started on my tomato gardening journey, I made a big mistake and planted my garden EXTREMELY densely. Depending on your farm, you should also consider whether the variety is determinate, indeterminate, or semi-determinate. String trellising. This variety has the potential to yield up to 12tonnes per acre, Cal J is also known for its easy transportability to the market. Kilele F1 can yield up to 35tonnes per acre. With consistent market demand, both for the fresh tomatoes and processed tomato products, farming tomatoes can be a profitable venture. It is crucial to quickly identify any disease attacks and mitigate them before the disease spreads all over your farm. Hybrid varieties give higher yields but are costly in terms of the cost of seeds. If you aren’t expecting a ton of sun all the time, you’ll want to optimize the amount your plants get by giving them room to bask in the glow. The stage you will harvest your tomatoes in is dependent on your client's desire and the distance from your farm to the market. The harvested fruits should be placed in a cool shaded, and ventilated area to prevent heat and ethylene buildup, which speeds up the ripening process. It is tolerant to Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus and nematodes. Depending on the variety, dig up holes of 30cm with recommended spacing for either determinate or indeterminate varieties in preparation for transplanting. However, Santos et al. Tomatoes are top dressed in two phases;eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'value_co_ke-box-4','ezslot_2',111,'0','0'])); Take your time and apply the fertilizer in a circular band around the stem. You are never going to know what is perfect until you try it. Space plants 12–18” apart in the row and 24–36” between rows. They don't require much space, produce a high value for the small amount of space and are a consumer favourite. grower of field tomatoes would have difficulty in growing greenhouse tomatoes without a significant amount of learn-ing time. How To Start Poultry and Chicken Farming: Record Keeping. Weed control is vital in reducing competition for nutrients between weeds and tomato plants. It is characterized by; Water with a dark appearance oozes when a cross-section of the stem of a wilted plant is cut open. It also improves the growth of your tomatoes and its flavor. - This is a bacterial disease that spreads through infected soil. In Kenya, tomato demand is usually highest between December and April during the onset of the long rains. You should prepare a good nursery seedbed to ensure proper plant establishment and vigorous early growth. How to cite this article: A. Muhammad and A. Singh, 2007. Also, thrips cause distortion of young shoots. The eggs hatch into larvae, which then causes damage to the fruit. This will divide your harvested produce into grades to reap maximum benefits. Fertilizer plays a vital role in the development of excellent and healthy tomato plants. Talking about good coming from a bad family, the tomato belongs to the nightshade (Solanaceae) family of plants, where some members are known to be highly poisonous. The first phase of topdressing should occur four weeks after transplanting. Some of the attributes Rio Grande variety holds include; The Rio Grande matures in between 75–85 days. Therefore you can consume tomatoes without worrying about poisoning, witchcraft and it giving you an aphrodisiac high. Also, the fruit type in terms of shape, size, and colour. Some of its attributes include; This variety is tolerant to diseases such as Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus, Tomato Mosaic Virus, Verticillium, Fusarium Wilt, and Nematodes. Dig the planting holes to a depth of 6 inches. Plant spacing in the row should be 3.1 to 3.4 square feet per plantand narrower rows may sometimes result in greater yields, the value ofthe increased yield often does not offset the cost of the increased laborrequired to care for the additional number of plants. Intercropping is essential in ensuring you maximize your returns from your farm. Other characteristics attributed to Assila F1 include; Assila F1 is an early maturing variety taking 75days to mature after transplanting. The Basket Weave or Florida Weave is a common way to stake field tomatoes. Clear the field of weeds before planting. The tomato was rumoured as an essential item in witchcraft and as an aphrodisiac. It took a supreme court ruling to overturn this classification, to the much annoyance of botanists, who scientifically classify the tomato as a fruit. One good tip I will give you is to ask others in your area. In Europe, when plates for rich people were made out of pewter (lead), the acid in tomatoes would react with the lead, resulting in lead poisoning and eventual death. Reducing your watering sessions will help harden the seedlings. Tomatoes yield best in clay or loam soils that are well drained and high in organic matter. Flower abortion in cases where the thrips have attacked the buds. Use a … (2010) determined that higher yields of field-grown tomatoes were obtained by using smaller in-row spacing. Tomatoes benefit from crop rotation. You should plough the field to a fine tilth by giving one to two ploughing. Planting tomato in closer interrow spacing (60 cm) resulted in 50% yield increment than the widest (120 cm) space between rows. If you are a tobacco smoker (you should stop by the way), avoid handling cigarettes while handling your tomato plants as the disease can spread even from processed tobacco. Smaller and lighter fruits produced by the plant. The soil can only sustain so many roots. In about 8-10 days, your seeds should start sprouting. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'value_co_ke-medrectangle-4','ezslot_13',110,'0','0'])); Before fertilizer application, you must carry out a soil test analysis on your farm to know the nutrients that are insufficient for the optimal growth of tomatoes. The tomato in modern times has become one of the most famous ingredients in food. Tomatoes are also suitable for expectant women as it contains folate that protects babies from the development of neural tube defects. Think: no space between the plants. These are slender winged insects whose both adult and nymph feed on the bottom side of the leaf, buds, flowers, and also the fruits. The main four stages you can harvest your tomatoes in are; You should try as much as possible to harvest your fruits early morning when the temperatures are still cold. Outline 2 • Cropping Schedule • Plant Spacing and Extra Stems • Crop Management …Training I am not starting with seeds, and I generally have a shorter season because I am in Chicago. Garlic helps repel red spider mites. It involves the removal of extra flowers, side shoots, fruits, and diseased leaves weekly. Soils should be prepared early by incorporating organic matter and cover crops well before the planting season. C and optimal night temperatures of 15 – 17, C. Extended periods of cold temperatures below 12, C may lead to chilling injury, while temperatures above 27. Prostar F1 is a hybrid indeterminate variety that does well in warm climates. Pre-soaking will ensure seedlings do not suffer from water stress. Watering reduces the risk of damaging the seedling while pulling it from the seedbed. Value Magazine was founded in 2018 by Mutuku Ndeti, a farmer with interests in poultry, horticulture, and fruit farming. They do however present a number of challenges for even the most experienced open-field grower. The fruit is also good for your heart health. The goal of Value Magazine is to offer beneficial content on agribusiness, value addition, manufacturing, and productivity. Whether the variety is hybrid or the open-pollinated one. Ideally, you don’t need to feed a million people and you can afford to “make your garden grow” as Robert “Plant” said on “Houses of the Holy. Ploughing should be deeply done, because tomato roots can penetrate up to 60cm deep. The space you need between plants depends on how strong your roots are going to go. It can be stored well and transported without much damage. ... You will want to space plants 18-24 inches apart in the row and drive a stake in every other plant or every three plants. For optimal growth, tomatoes will require; Proper land preparation in tomato farming is key to healthy tomato plants and optimal yields. Well distributed rainfall of 600mm throughout the growing season. The support system you decide to go with also tells you how much space you have to leave between the tomato plants. Attacks by bacteria and fungi from the holes left by the larvae, which lead to rotting of the fruit. There are a couple of answers. It is crucial to quickly identify any disease attacks and mitigate them before the disease spreads all over your farm. Slash or uproot the weeds to control weeds on open land crops between rows of tomatoes. After 20 years of growing tomatoes, I have learned that the optimal spacing between tomato plants for my garden is about a foot circumference around the plant. Tomatoes must be set out in the field as transplants after all danger of frost has passed. Easy peasy! What is the Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes. Your seedlings will take about one month before they are ready for transplanting. Some of the bulk buyers of tomatoes are companies that make tomato products such as juices, purees, tomato paste, and sauces. You should, therefore, use miticides with different modes of action and active ingredients and only use the recommended dosage. Pruning is a fundamental process, especially for an indeterminate variety of tomatoes. Red spider mites quickly develop resistance to pesticides when used continuously. To achieve success, you will need to be well equipped to deal with the management, production, and marketing challenges that are faced by tomato farmers. Your email address will not be published. Pull the seedlings from the nursery bed after watering well to soften the soil. Using calcitic lime or gypsum can help to maintain a base saturation for calcium or 65-80 percent. The other reason for spacing your tomato plants out is similar to the first, and it has to do with nutrition. The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly. Native to Mexico, and introduced to Europe in the 16th century, the tomato traditionally had a mixed reputation. Get to know people around you and see how they spaced their plants. If you apply manure, carefully incorporate into the soil before planting. TRANSPLANTING INDOORS: Provide 4–6 sq.ft. This is a determinate variety suitable for growing in the drier or humid regions. Copyright 2019 - value.co.ke . Good work guys. Given that almost all Kenyan homes use tomatoes as part of the ingredients of their daily meals, you are sure never to miss a market for your produce. Staking is important to reduce fruit rots, sunscald and foliar diseases. Its fruit is firm and elongated. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene antioxidant, which aids the human body to rid itself of toxins that are harmful to us. The complete guide to growing rosemary for home use and for profit, Okra (Ladyfingers) Farming Guide in Kenya, How to farm strawberries in Kenya in 2021. Indeterminate tomatoes allowed to spread over the ground will need a 3-4′ foot (0.91-1.22m) spacing between plants. Determinate tomatoes can be planted 1.5-2′ (0.48 – 0.61m) between tomato plants, and space rows 2-3′ (0.61-0.91m) apart. Some plants you can intercrop with tomatoes include; amaranth, basil, beans, carrots, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, onion, parsley, peas, sage, and stinging nettle. This variety has a high resistance to Alternaria stem canker, Verticillium, Fusarium wilt as well as nematodes. Transplanting should be done when seedlings are about 30cm high. It has a long harvesting period and excellent keeping quality. The open field tomatoes were trellised using T-posts and a basket weave method. Ensure you dig the planting holes to a depth of 15cm. Your row spacing should be around 15cm. You should then plant the tomato seedlings at a spacing of 45cm by 60cms. In the tomato fruit, tomatine is available in its non-toxic form. Thrips are also responsible for transmitting the Tomato Spotted Wilt virus disease. This variety can yield up to 23tonnes per acre. They stand on their own hence do not require staking for support. Site selection is an important initial step for IDM where well drained soil is preferred. In the case of your home garden, if you had plants stacked up, you would have to saturate it with fertilizer. This disease is characterized by; The shape of young leaves become distorted. If you plan on using a rectangular bed layout rather than a traditional row layout, use the upper end of each between the plant spacing for your chosen vegetable. Required fields are marked *. 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