With tips for growing the best tomatoes on the block, gardening expert Mark Cullen makes sure you can reap the rewards of your hard work this summer.
“You planted your tomatoes, you weeded them and water them when needed. What more can you do?" Well, glad you asked.
- Stake your tomatoes and double your crop. When you get the plant off the ground the fruit is exposed to sunshine and opens it up to wind and moving air. This helps to ripen fruit and minimizes the likelihood of insect and disease becoming a problem with maturing fruit.
- Add 5 to 6 cm. of mulch. Cedar bark or straw works (though, straw needs to be about 30 cm. thick)
- Apply Bordo mixture (‘copper’ spray). It makes all of the difference as it reduces the likelihood of contracting early or late blight - the #1 and #2 problems with tomatoes across Canada. Apply it now and re apply it every 2 weeks until harvest.
Speaking of insect and disease control, be sure to apply sulphur and insecticidal soap one every two weeks to all fruit trees and berry bushes. You may not harvest ‘perfect’ looking fruit but you will enjoy edible fruit in any case.
For more information go to www.markcullen.com
