THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603080111
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT STIFFLER, GARDENING COLUMNIST
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
IN THIS AREA, as in all of the country, tomatoes are the favorite fruit. And for the best flavor, many people prefer to grow their own.
To grow tomatoes from seed, plants need to be started around mid-February, so if you haven't already started them, it will be better to buy plants at a garden center.
Plants can go in the garden beginning in mid-April. If the weather is still cold then, protect the tomatoes from winds. Garden centers sell ``water walls,'' plastic tubes filled with water that help warm the plant when the sun is shining and protect it when winds blow.
Or, immediately put a tomato cage around the plant and wrap it with clear plastic, such as a dry cleaning bag.
Plant tomatoes in a well-drained site that receives plenty of direct sunlight, preferably all day, but at least seven to eight hours. Louisiana State University officials say that when tomatoes receive too little sunlight, few blossoms form and many that form fall off before setting any tomatoes. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.
When transplanting, pour one cupful of a starter solution in the hole. You can buy it at garden centers or make your own by mixing 1/2 cup 8-8-8 fertilizer in 2 1/2 gallons of warm water. Stir well. A starter solution encourages a strong root system and faster growth.
Tomato vines are determinate or indeterminate. The latter are long and vining and continue to grow all season. Better Boy is popular. Other indeterminate favorites include Fantastic, Terrific, Jet Star (which is low in acid) and Supersonic.
Determinate varieties grow to only about 4 feet tall. Popular are Celebrity, Floramerica and Mountain Delight. For canning, University officials recommend Royal Chico, Roma VF or Hybrid 882-N.
Most cherry tomatoes will produce early and set better in bad weather. Good cherry types are Sweet 100 and Sweet Chelsea. Many gardeners believe cherry tomatoes are sweeter and more tasty than the large varieties.
Tomatoes require a lot of water, up to 4 gallons a week, and even more in drought. They also perform better if their roots are mulched. MEMO: The Miracle-Gro $100,000 challenge continues, for the largest tomato.
Write: Miracle-Gro, c/o Nationwide Consumer Testing Institute, 1415 Park
Ave., Hoboken, N.J. 07030.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ROBERT STIFFLER
Most tomato cages are not big enough or heavy enough to hold
varieties like Better Boy. Robert Smithwrick makes and sells these
heavy-duty cages at Abner's Ace Hardware in Oceana.
Graphics
PROPER SPACING BETWEEN PLANTS
When planning a vegetable garden, it's important to consider the
recommended distances between plants and allow enough room for the
various vegetables to grow and thrive.
Type of vegetable Inches between plants
Snap beans, bush 2-3
Snap beans, pole 6-12
Beets 3-4
Broccoli 6-18
Cabbage 12-15
Cauliflower 12-18
Carrots 2-3
Bell pepper 12-18
Celery 6-8
Collards 6-12
Sweet corn 8-12
Lettuce, head 12
Okra 6-12
Onions 3-4
English peas 2-3
Irish potatoes 12
Shallots 6
Sweet Potatoes 12
Tomatoes 18-24
Louisiana State University
JOIN THE CLUB
If you really want to get into tomato growing, you may want to
join The Tomato Club. You receive a newsletter six times a year
filled with tomato advice.
To join, send $11.95 to 114 E. Main St., Bogota, N.J. 07603. Fax
(201) 489-4609.
KEYWORDS: WEEDER'S DIGEST by CNB