Tomatoes – Cazaux’s Ten Commandments

The tomato plants are now down to one Sungold and a couple of Alicante. The rest having been struck down by the blight or spent of fruit.

I’m going to chop these down this weekend too.

Still I have had it good for a first year and many lessons learned. Must have had several kilos of delicious tommies so I will use what I have learned next year to improve the soil, spacing and general growing conditions.

1) Tomato plants need a lot of support; they need a good solid foundation. Especially when the fruits set as I learnt "the hard way". Next year I will separate the bush and vine types. For the vines I will create a structure similar to a runner bean system with solid supports at the end and in the middle. Around this I intend to use canes and lots of string to get some tension into the structure. This has to be done before you plant them or your tomato plants will look like a game of kerplunk come harvest.

2) I got the spacing all wrong too. With twelve plants planted four by four I don’t think it let enough air circulate inside the foliage which presented a few problems. The first being the plants grew so thick in foliage that I couldn't get into them to keep the side shoots pinched out which seriously restricted the air flow. My plants also grew over, into and around each other. I'm sure I could have avoided the transition of blight if they had been more generously spaced out. Next year I will be using the P=30-36" R=30-36" recommendation. I may even give them a little more.

3) Don’t bother with Beefsteak - This ain't the Mediterranean and I'm growing outdoors. Who was I kidding?

4) Pre-prepare the ground incorporating plenty of organic material a few weeks before you intend to plant out. This wont is a problem as I have about a half a tonne of rotting compost and more, lots more, to come.

5) Investing in the adjustable plant ties is a good idea. I have them now. I began tying with bits of string and that plastic coated metal but they cut into the stems as the plants grew. Also know your central growing stem from the branches. I mistakenly tied up the wrong bit on a few plants.

6) Keep on top of the side shoot removal. I wasn't and I think this was half the problem with the contamination. I know how to do it now. Don't be afraid to remove trusts after the fifth has set. How many tomatoes can you reasonably expect from one plant anyhow? This does not apply to Sungold. Just let them keep going. Don’t rip the shoots out; they should be pinched out to avoid stem damage. You can remove the branches below the lowest trust and any non productive ones. They make great compost as long as they are not diseased.

7) Mulch the plants with grass cuttings, newspaper shredding and compost to retain moisture and encourage stronger root development. Thankfully I did this and it probably was he difference between the crop I managed to harvest and having nothing at all due to high winds that kept snapping the cane supports.

8) Feed Feed Feed - Make a nettle tea or comfrey or buy tomorite if you must. When watering or feeding you should avoid the foliage (especially in the evenings) as the leaves may stay wet all night which encourages disease.

9) Chemical Warfare (Optional) - Once the disease has appeared the plants should be sprayed with mancozeb (Bio Dithane 945). Copper fungicides (Bordeaux mixture, Murphy Traditional Copper Fungicide) can also be used, but tend to harden the foliage and are best applied later in the season. Neither mancozeb nor copper is labelled for leaf mould control, but both are labelled for control of tomato blight, and if used as directed for this disease should give some control.

10) If the plant continues to deteriorate, destroy it before it spreads. You still have other plants, don’t become attached to them. They are not pets. You will not go to tomato hell. Encourage other plot holders to do the same. Too many lazy buggers on site who have left their rotting festering plants to keel over brought this problem about in the first place.