1. Do not harden off seedlings
Hardening off your seedlings is one of the most important things you can do to ensure their survival. Without it, your seedlings won't be able to adapt to temperature changes or exposure to the elements, such as wind and rain. Here are a few ways to make sure your seedlings are ready for the outdoors:
-Gradually increase your seedlings' exposure to the elements about a month after the seeds have germinated.
-On the first day of exposure, keep your seedlings out of direct sunlight or rain, and don't take them out in the cold. Bring them indoors after a few hours.
-Seedlings will need increasing exposure to the elements over a period of around 7 to 10 days to be fully hardened off and ready for the outdoors.
2. Planting too close together
Planting your tomatoes too close together not only stunts their growth and causes a drop in fruit production, it also makes it too difficult for the sun to penetrate through the plants. This means your tomato plant suddenly becomes the ideal breeding ground for plant diseases that love moist conditions. Here's how to make sure your tomato plants are spaced far enough apart:
-Tomatoes grown vertically in cages need at least 1 ½ feet between them, although 2 feet is ideal. Spread tomatoes will need twice as much space. While it's okay to leave your plants slightly unsupported, never let the plant touch the ground.
3. Planting bad tomatoes
Now that we've covered spacing requirements, the next step is to choose the right type of tomato for the space you have available. There are two main categories of tomato plants:
-Determinate tomatoes only grow up to a certain size. They can be grown with or without support and do not require pruning. These plants generally produce all their fruit, then stop growing and die.
-Indeterminate tomatoes grow about as big as you'll let them. They therefore need more space and must be supported by a stake or cage. These plants will produce fruit all season long.
Choosing the right type of tomato for your planting area will ensure that your plants stay healthy and produce fruit all season long.
4. Planting in the shade
Like other fruit-producing plants, tomatoes need at least 7 hours of sun a day. By placing them in a shady area, you deprive the plant of the amount of sun it needs, and this will have an impact on its growth.
Fruit production requires an enormous amount of energy. Like all plants, tomatoes draw this energy from the sun.
Plants that don't get enough sun produce lots of foliage, but little fruit. As pretty as those leaves are, you can't put them on the dinner table.
5. Don't prune
If you have more space and have opted for indeterminate tomatoes, part of your plant maintenance will involve pruning. Here are a few reasons to prune:
-Since overcrowding facilitates the spread of plant diseases, neglecting to prune indeterminate plants can be detrimental.
-The foliage of overcrowded plants will dry more slowly, encouraging the development of various problems.
-Plants should be pruned so that nutrients are directed towards fruit growth rather than new leaf growth. Not only will plants produce smaller tomatoes at a slower rate if left unpruned, but overgrowth can also provide a perfect environment for plant diseases.
If your plants look diseased, sterilize your shears after use to avoid spreading the disease to healthy plants.
6. Not ready for mildew
Late blight can leave your plants completely devoid of foliage, and if you're not ready to treat it, this problem can quickly get out of hand.
Downy mildew first appears on the oldest lower leaves. You'll see brown spots that look like targets, and the leaves will turn yellow around them. Eventually, the whole leaf turns brown, dies and falls off.
To prevent mildew from devastating your plants, try crop rotation - moving them to another area of the garden with cool soil. However, if your plant is already infected with mildew, you can treat it using an organic fungicide.
A photo of tomato fruit in a field
7. Over-fertilization
Feeding your plants is important, but overfeeding can be just as bad as not feeding at all. If used too frequently, fertilizers can build up in the soil and cause problems.
Fertilizer provides plants with nitrogen, which is great. However, too much nitrogen can cause your plants to devote more energy to growing leaves than tomatoes.
To combat this problem of over-fertilization, look for fertilizers specially designed for tomatoes, or opt for a shovelful of natural compost.
8. Not watering properly
Irregular watering can lead to a host of problems for your plants, including blossom-end rot. To water your plants correctly, remember to :
-Provide your plants with a consistent watering schedule. Make sure they can dry out a little so they don't drown, but make sure they don't dry out completely.
-Water early, before the sun is at its zenith. Wet leaves may suffer burns or other problems due to persistent water.
These tips won't solve all the problems you may encounter in your garden, but they are a good starting point for healthy plants. A good garden is the result of a combination of time, effort and preventive measures - it's not just a matter of planting a seed and watching it grow.
Contact Shamba Vibes 🇨🇩 at +243971493524 for advice and consultancy in your agribusiness projects.
Email: shambavibes@gmail.com
Photos 📸: Illustrative images
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