Growing
Tomatoes the Lazy Way
The standard way to grow tomatoes is to
stake the plants individually or tie them to a trellis. The process
involves cutting off the unwanted laterals side shoots that
grow from the main stems of each plant. If you are very
short of space or only want to grow a couple of tomato plants then this is
an excellent way to grow them.
However the tying up of the stems and the removal of the laterals is a
painstakingly consuming activity and no matter how diligent
I am at some point in the season the laterals get away from me.
For this reason I prefer to use another method of growing tomatoes which I
describe as the 'horizontal trellis method' a technique I have
nicknamed 'tomatoes the lazy way!'
HORIZONTAL TRELLIS METHOD
This involves supporting a length of steel mesh in a horizontal position
about 20cm above the ground. The holes in the mesh should be big
enough so your hand can slip through them to reach tomatoes hanging below
the trellis, I use mesh with
20 X 20cm holes. The size of the mesh being one metre wide by as long space permits,
mine is two metres long.
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Horizontal trellis with Tomatoes
in the early stage
of growth. |
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Cut all the laterals below the mesh and leave all
growth above to grow freely. |
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Building
the Trellis
I use heavy duty concrete reinforcing mesh which is strong enough to stand
on it's own. It is supported above the ground by two vertical
lengths of mesh thirty centimetres high 10 centimetres of the mesh being
pushed into the soil to give the support by two metres long.
However heavy duty concrete reinforcing mesh is expensive if you have
to buy it new. A cheaper alternative are the lighter weight garden
trellis meshes, but these will need to be supported by some sort of light
wooden frame.
Growing the Tomatoes
1.
Plant tomato seedlings in two rows about 30cm apart. In my case
every second 20 x 20 cm hole in the mesh is planted with a tomato.
2. Stake the tomato plants with small stakes to give them support
until they get above the trellis.
3. Cut all the laterals off below the trellis as the young plants
grow. Once shoots are above the trellis then just let them grow.
At this point the supporting stakes can be removed as the trellis provides
all the support the plants need.
Until the plants are above the trellis it is possible to cover the
frame with UV resistant clear plastic to create a mini greenhouse.
That way the tomatoes can be planted up to a month earlier then tomatoes
planted without protection.
Suitable tomato varieties.
I mainly use Rouge de Marmande, KY1 and Roma varieties but any of the bush
tomato varieties should be suitable.
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