This tomato expert has some top tips for growing a great crop | Gardening 101 | Gardening Australia
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 พ.ย. 2021
- Tino catches up with a Tasmanian tomato hero to get all the tips for growing a bumper crop. Subscribe 🔔 ab.co/GA-subscribe
Margot White has been a horticulturalist at the RTBG for over forty years and has grown hundreds of varieties of heirloom tomatoes for the annual RTBG seedling sale. She is a guru when it comes to all-things tomatoes!
Margot's Top Ten Tips for Terrific Tomatoes:
When do you actually plant tomatoes - While there are many different anecdotal dates for tomato planting (Melbourne Cup Day in Vic, Hobart Show Day in Tassie), it all comes down to temperature. Ideally, tomatoes should not be planted out into the garden until the soil temperature reaches a minimum of 16 degrees, and 18-20 degrees is even better. Make sure you plant after the latest chance of frost, eg. In cold areas this is usually the first week of November.
Indeterminate vs determinate - We get asked this a lot, and while the answer is simple, it can make a big difference to which varieties home gardeners choose to plant.
- Determinate or Semi-determinate: If you haven't got a lot of space, try a determinate or semi-determinate variety. Also referred to as 'bush tomatoes' - they are generally more compact, ideal for pots and small plots.These tomatoes are high yielding and hold most of their fruit all at once over a short period, making them perfect for preserving.
- Indeterminate tomato plants keep growing until the end of the warm weather, and the fruit ripens over a long period of time, so you can graze on toms whenever you like. Most get VERY big, over 2 meters, so make sure you've got the space for them as well as some sort of stake or frame.
Stakes: how tall should they be - For an indeterminate tomato, the taller the stake the better - at least 1.8m - 2m. Stick them in at planting time to avoid root damage.
Perfect position to plant - In Tassie, full sun is the go, we want to aim for about seven hours of sun a day, for loads of fruit and healthy foliage. In really hot areas, (say those in tropical climates, arid spots or where the sun has a real sting) it's a good idea to give tomatoes a bit of coverage, especially from the hot arvo sun, to prevent them getting sunburnt. Soil wise, you want well prepared, fluffy, full of compost and with a neutral pH.
Deep planting - how and why - When we plant our tomatoes out at the Patch, we use a method called 'deep planting'. This means planting the seedling much deeper than the soil line of the pot, so that just the top few leaves remain above the surface. This enables the plant to develop adventitious roots along the stem, from the hairs present, which results in a healthier, stronger plant that is better able to withstand changes in soil moisture and temperature, as well as being better able to hold loads of fruit. When deep planting, remove any leaves that will be below the soil surface, just to minimise risk of disease.
To prune or not to prune - That is the question! When we talk about pruning toms, especially the big guys, it's about 'thinning the laterals' - removing those shoots that appear between the main stem and the leaf branch. The idea is that removing this excess 'leafy' growth will result in more fruit and flowers, and airflow to prevent disease.
Can you replant those laterals - If they are big enough - definitely! Some people will pop them into water to develop rots, but you can just bung them straight into the ground.
Pests and problems - The common problem with tomatoes is fungal issues, caused by overcrowding. Spacing plants sufficiently and removing older leaves allows better airflow, which can reduce this. Another common problem faced by tomato growers is Blossom End Rot - those soggy ends of the fruit. People generally associate it with a calcium deficiency, but it's almost always caused by poor watering techniques - too much, or not enough. Consistent watering is key.
Featured Plant:
TOMATO - Solanum lycopersicum cv.
Filmed on palawa Country | Hobart, Tas
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I will be watching this segment over and over when I'm closer to getting my garden done. Thank you
Have been growing tomatoes in the same areas, for over 10 years, and always had great crops, apart from one year when the sun and temp was over 40 for a month !!
Hey Friend
What do you feed them?
Are you the organic type or do you use NPK pellets to improve flowering and fruit setting?
Thanks..😊
A few other tips are use a little potash, diversify the plants around your tomatoes so you can grow in the same area each year and use organza bags if you live in a fruit fly prone area. Also the best way to save seed is similarly dry a few of your favourites on paper towel and label.
Is potash organic?
What about nematodes, if I plant in the same place all the times I would bring on those little blitters wouldn't I? I was hoping tho be able to get 2 4m long raised beds as well as them being filled. I want to start a 3 part compost bay, just like Costa does. Plus 6 dwarf fruit trees. I'm hoping anyway. Big dreams in a wheelchair.
@@shaneildyall5498 yes it is, it is made from wood. But it must be not treated wood.
Yeah my potatoes and tomatoes are in the same spot. Didn’t have to plant they just germinated from last season. Newbie grower
Love growing tomatoes
Home grown fruit and vegetables is always best
Tino, you're the BEST. thank you for this video.
Thanks Tino and Margot !,I enjoyed your humour mixed with great tips.
Well, I learnt from an Italian market gardener back in 1960 about tomatoes. He grew fiercely good tomatoes, and we're talking five or six tons a year, and he planted in the same place every year!
I'll stick with a pro's advice.
Brilliant video which will help me lots with my first ever planting of tomatoes after the possible snow this weekend in Tassie passes :)
Glad it was helpful!
Good luck this summer guys. Heard it's going to be a stormy one. Hope your frost risk is over now Scott. Can't wait to enjoy all the berries and currants.
Well, I have found a good average is
about 10 to 12 tomato plants per person
is about right.
!
0:43
I love how those yellow flowers slowly grow and turn into tomatoes!
(I tried to grow tomatoes at home and failed, that's why i stopped trying to grow tomatoes at home)
Thanks so much for that valued information.
Awesome !!! Information and its presentation.
👍👍👍
Thanks a lot 😊
Excellent tips and advice, thank you so much!
You're welcome! Thanks for watching :)
Great advice. Temperature query: is 16-18-20 degrees before planting the daytime high or early morning low? Thanks.
Tino great video mate, Margo is lovely. I’ve got the black Russian growing and powering on, in Sth east Qld. Using all your tips, thanks.
loved the extra long video! would love to know margo's favourite variety and with planting time does she grow in greenhouse seedling tray or direct sow once you hit correct temp? is she a fan of those heirlooms? great video again with one of my favs :)
Great show people just grow them best taste 👍👍👍👀👀👀
Great vid.
I have 1 of the mini plastic green houses from Bunnings.
When should I start germinating tomato seeds up here in Rocky?
Also when they start growing and after picking off the little suckers and trimmed branches near the ground, can they be put into some seed and cutting mix to grow a new tomato plant?
Regards, Jas.
vk4fjgs
Rockhampton Queensland Australia
If it works for tomatoes, it will work for.....other things. Thanks, Margot!
Anyone know when that optimal soil temperature is measured? ie: daily average, minimum, morning etc???
Please help me with info for growing in a pot. Thank you.
Wow that was so interesting & boy I think I have watched every single video regarding Tomatoes (my favorite plant) from all over the world, but I still have no success here in Brisbane Qld even after 6yrs. HELP HELP HELP !!!!. I can all my left over produce from my vegetable garden -after supplying Family & Friends & grow all from seed (no Pesticide either ) & have an amazing "Canned Pantry" including soups. I cover my garden every year with a Big Sail so the extreme heat is kept (slightly) at bay. Great video Thanks. Cheers Denise- Geebung Brisbane
@@guidedandblessed Thank you & yes I am about to plant tomatoes so cross your fingers for me please. Cheers Denise
You great 👍 👌
Is it better to have one leader or two or more?? These tomatoes seem to have many. I may be over-removing any laterals...
Hello again.
Harlequin bugs are the main pest I have at the moment attacking my tomato's and strawberries any tips?
use Yates Pyrethrum Insect Pest Killer Concentrate, spray the edge of the garden or planting area, most the time they are hiding in the gap of rock, brick, timber and under the pot. you need flip them for a clear check as much as you can for the best result , even cover the surface could help, but never need to spray on the plant, it is not hard to clear them out.
This is not appropriate to this post but I don't know where else to ask.
Can the flame tree leaves be composted. I have a huge tree and around 1 million leaves which are thrown out. Seems a waste to me but I don't want to compost leaves that are no good for vegetables.
Any info will be well received. Thank you.
fine
What about pest management. I have something eating my tomatoes before I can.
pick the tomatoes when they still half green and half red, don't wait for it fully red, and just wait for a week they will become all red.
I've planted slices of tomato and got heaps
Seriously? I want do this
@@rachelgraham444 of course
@@rachelgraham444 you can also break branches off tomatoes and many more things and put in water and roots will grow and you have a whole new clone plant. I've got pineapple tops in cups with roots now. Plants are so cool.
Put your pots on a tray and stop watering when you see it in the saucer. Otherwise you're washing away the nutrients. On a really hot day the saucer can be filled up.
Hello Margo from Vanny
My first tomatoe got stolen by a caterpillar
A metre spacing wtf
50cm
It's what all the tomatoe seed packets say
not wrong, if i have big land i would prefer 1 meter spacing, with only 50cm, the branches are easy to grown to about 40cm and will cross to each other when fully grown. but it waste a lot of space, so doing with 50cm will still have a very good growth and this is what I am doing. 🤣
I really hate to be a whiner here… however if I didn’t feed my dog it’d die or leave… how come zero information on nutrition on different parts of growth cycle?
Tomatoes can grow wild from self seeding but really excel with care.
Care = food in anybody’s language so while we have access to a premium expert maybe we can at least look into nutrition?
Like I say excuse the whinge please…😊