Tomatoes: Part II

It has been a few weeks since we finished planting the tomatoes. The next step in growing and harvesting them successfully was to install a series of metal poles to which we will be building a support system for the tomatoes to grow up (vertically) instead of out (horizontally). Luckily, Steve took care of this quite laborious task on our behalf.


Then this past week, we went about desuckering all of the tomatoe plants - which I estimate to be about 5000. By preventing the plants from pouring its energy into growing out along the ground, we are ensuring that the plants grow upwards which will allow for an easier harvest.



To further encourage the upward growth, we have even started tying the tomato plants to provide lateral support while they grow. To do this, we use cord and run a figure eight around each of the plants. This cord is tied taught between the metal poles so that it provides ample support to the tomato plants while growing as well as when we will be harvesting the tomatoes themselves. When you return down a row, you wrap the cord around the plants in the opposite figure eight configuration so that the plants are supported from both sides. From what I can see, I understand we will be doing this again once the plants grow a little taller.

In the green house, a different system is used where we have hung cords from the ceiling and wrap the plants around these cords as they grow. The interior tomato plants have had an ample head start, and we have already started to send little orange cherry tomatoes to the market. I am eager to try one, however we still have a freezer full of tomatoes below our appartment which my roomates and I are trying to eat our way through before this years harvest ripens. Tomato soup and tomato puree have become a staple in our fridge.