HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-04-13, Page 47smaller mesh wire. If you do,
many tomatoes will be trapped in-
side the ring and difficult to reach.
"Plan the positioning of the
rings well in advance of the grow-
ing season. Allow 3- 5 ft. between
rings to provide full -season grow-
ing room and adequate ventila•
tion. As early as the ground can be
worked, plant fast -maturing crops
such as lettuce and peas between
locations.
To give plants a fast start and
keep them growing without set-
back, I always build an individual
compost 'heap' beneath each to-
mato plant. Two weeks before
planting, I dig holes 15-24 in.
deep and about a foot in diameter.
I fill each hole with water, •add y4
cup of fish emulsion (available at
garden centers) and let it soak in.
Just for good measure, I repeat the
pre -plant feeding twice more.
"At the bottom of the holes, 1
add about a 3 -in. layer of dried
grass clippings, then throw in a
couple of shovelfuls of compost or
manure (the dehydrated garden
center variety may be substituted).
All this is topped with a handful
of bone meal and another of su-
perphosphate or rock phosphate,
mixed together and dampened
with a sprinkling can. Replace the
soil until ground is level.
"With .the soil thus prepared, a
12- I5 -in. tomato plant can be
planted upright and very deep.
Roots will develop all along the
stem and this gives the plant the
extra vigor it needs for heavy pro-
duction over a long period. Pinch
off all leaves except for the top
14-2 in. This is all that is ex-
posed above the ground. Roots will
form 4-5 in. above the small com-
post 'heap,' which quickly heats
up and promotes gowth. Roots
eventually penetrate the compost
area and this supplies valuable
nutrients.
At the time of planting, rink
a 2-1b. coffee can with holes
punched in the bottom just inside
each ring. This you'll later use
for watering and feeding with
'manure tea.'
"Once the first blossoms and
fruit begin to appear, it's time to
mulch to prevent evaporation of
water, stabilize soil temperature,
keep roots cool, and prevent
weeds. Mulch with whatever is
handy. Around each plant and be-
tween rings, I use 6 -in. of hay or
straw mixed with grass clippings
and leaves.
Page 23
•
•
Cage that
tomato
Robert Sanders, an avid gardener
from central Iowa, has given us the
details for making cages to support
large-vined tomato plants:
"Elephant -size yields — up to 200
tomatoes per plant — can be pro-
duced by training individual
plants within 18 -inch diameter
'cages' of concrete reinforcing wire
with 6 x 6 in. mesh. Time-
consuming pruning, staking, and
tying are eliminated. Plants grow
naturally, like a tree, and can
reach a height of 7 ft. As tomatoes
are high and dry and protected by
the plant's own foliage, there's no
problem of sunscald, cracking or
rotting on the ground.
"Bonus production comes not
only from the increased vigor of
each plant but also from suckers
which you may have pruned out in
the past.
"But you can't just plop a plant
in the ground, throw a ring
around it and walk away. This
method, like others, has its own
'rules.' Here's the technique: First,
plan on only one-sixth to one-third
the usual number of plants, pro-
viding your garden ordinarily pro-
duces an average or 30 tomatoes
per traditionally pruned and
staked plant.
"Choose a vigorous, indeter-
minate main crop tomato variety.
(Compact, low -growing determi-
nate types, which include many
early varieties, don't need this type
of support.) I've had excellent re-
sults with 'Golden Boy' and 'Better
Boy' VFN, which is resistant to ver-
ticillium 'Wilt, fusarium wilt and
nematodes. In a recent test, just
eight plants of these two varieties
produced a total of more than
1,400 tomatoes, many over a
pound 'and some two pounds in
weight. More than 500 of these
were brought in just before a kill-
ing frost in October. Placed in a
cool basement and covered with
newspapers to keep out light, these
partially -ripened or green toma-
toes lasted until well after
Christmas.
"To make individual tomato
cages, count off 10 squares (5 ft.)
of concrete reinforcing wire, cut
the next 6 -in. section in half. Bend
and crimp this 3 -in. extension to
form a ring; cut off the remaining
3 in. and start a new ring.
"Many suppliers (see Yellow
Pages under 'concrete') will cut the
wire into 5 ft. 3 -in. lengths for you.
Don't be tempted to substitute a
tar
qui
•
ittawrzg
Robert Sanders and his tomato cages
New Lawngrasses Encourage Savings
New lawn cultivars are bred
for low, dense growth, and to
withstand disease. This saves
energy. Here's how: Mowing
intervals can often be extended -
saving fuel land time). Weeds
have a more difficult time com-
peting with vigorous grass, so
petrochemical herbicides are
conserved. Fungicide sprayings
are scarcely needed. And the
newer grasses aren't likely to
weaken in summer. even if fer-
tiliied, as often happens with
unpedigreed turf that must he
fed to hold color.
Fertilizer is immediately ab-
sorbed by flourishing lawngrass
or is temporarily fixed in the
soil. Used at recommended rates
it will not pollute grounda:;water.
ThYS' SUil 4fE' S! /111/N
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