xt72804xj503 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dipstest/xt72804xj503/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station.  journals kaes_circulars_004_518 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 518 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 518   2014 true xt72804xj503 section xt72804xj503   ~
G ° T 1
_, II`I €I1lZUC y
` K k 1
ucky
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nendcd
t 20 By J. Edward Klinker
iendcd
1. 11
1. 1*
xt. 20
mended
. 1
Circular 518
ncmlcal
pt. 20° `
pt. 20*
ct. 1 ’
ct. 20
mciidcd ‘
ct. 20
tt. 11
rt. 11
Cooperotive Extension Work in Agriculture ond Home Economics i
‘ College of Agriculture and Home Economics, University of Kentucky _
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating 1 _
FRANK J. WELCH, Director
lssued in furtherance of the Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914.

 i
w l
E · contents
5 Page
i Varieties .i..............4..... . ..,...,....,...,..i.........,..,.... . ....,...,....,........,...,................... 3 T
l To grow or buy plants .r.......r...,4..,4......r,..r.........,...4..,................4...........,4......... 4 [ll€
I Steps in growing plants .......,...............,............,......,4..,........,...........4...4...,4.... 5 [lll?
V Soil management ...........4....4.,............,...,...,...........,..., . ..............,...4.......r,..,4..r. 8 gmx
Transplanting (setting) ...4............r....,4..........r..r....,....,.....,.4........,...4...4.......,4... l3 l
l Cultivation ........4.......4.....r.,.......,..,...,4..............,4...4..,.4..,............,......,........,........ l7 l0 P
l Irrigation and mulching .....4...4.... . ..,...,,..,...............,...............4»......,4.....r.,....... l8 i Slx  
Pruning and staking ..t,......,................,..,...,.......,....,..........,...,....,...,.......t........ l9 wml
E Diseases ..,4..4,.............,..................................................,.................4..t,4...4,.....4... 20  
lg Insects ..,4...,..V.4.,4..,...t,...........,...,...,.....4..........,..,4,.,...,.....4..,...4,.......,..,4...4......t... 28 ` L
Blossom dropping ......4.....t............,4..,........,...,...4...4,..............,...............,....t..t,.. 3l  V HlC_
E matt
  dep:
· turn
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plan
y and
l tom
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Amer
The cooperation of the following in permitting use of
photographs is gratefully acknowledged:
Bureau of Plant lndustry, Soils, and Agricultural Engi- g
neering, USDA, Fig. 1, 3, 4B, 4D, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Tl
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, USDA. WT
Fig. 10.  ` P-mq
Department of Plant Pathology, California Agricultural ‘ pm
Experiment Station, Fig. 4A, 4C, and 5. nre

  . u
Growing Tomotoes In Kentucky
_ By J. Edward Klinker
J; The soils and climate of Kentucky are generally favorable to
4 the production of tomatoes. Since they and tobacco belong to
5 the Solanaceae, or nightshade family, it is not surprising that
8 good tobacco soils are ideal for growing this crop.
B Whether you grow a few plants or several acres, a yield of
U 10 pounds per plant per season is not an unreasonable goal. From
18 * six plants you could therefore hope for one bushel of red—ripe
19 tomatoes—or 500 bushels (15 tons) from 3,000 tomato plants on
20 one acre. \‘Vhile 10 pounds per plant may be more easily achieved
28 ina small garden, yields of 15 tons per acre by commercial growers
are 110t uncommon in many states.
3] There is no secret or magic in attaining good yields of to-
inatoes. Successful production, as with most other food crops,
. depends on following a number of rather simple but sound cul-
tural practices which have grown out of the combined experience
of generations of gardeners, and the patient research of many
plant scientists. The purpose of this circular, therefore, is to list
V and discuss the various practices considered essential to growing
tomatoes for the home garden, for early market, and for com-
. mercial canning.
af
Varieties
zi- A
There are literally hundreds of different tomato varieties.
A They may be red, pink or yellow, and range in size from the tiny
i red. currant-type varieties to the very large red Beefsteak and
p`nl; Ponderosa types. Although home gardeners usually have
‘Hl P€YS<>l1al preferences as to color or type, the ordinary red ones
are by far the most widely grown. '
EARLY cRor>: Valiant and Early Giant Hybrid for home gar— ·
:3 V

   4
l
l P den and early fresh market. Pritchard,* though somewhat later-
Q maturing than the first two varieties, is still considered an excel-
lent, old-standby variety. gm
l P RIAIN error: Garden State, Marglobe,* Longred, and Rutgers? offe
l Rutgers is probably the most outstanding variety for all purposes. r rosi
I It is especially suitable for commercial and home canning. ing
a Pearson, although tested only one year, has shown outstanding
y quality and yields under severe drouth conditions. Sm
Lmzoi;-Fiwirisn PINK Vmzmriesz \Vinsall and Ponderosa. ls P
e
l Yrzuiow on Orzrxuois Vmuizriizsz jubilee (or Golden ]ubilee» ie?
° and Sunray. cuss
y To Grow or Buy Plants
l Should I grow or buy plants, is a question often asked. ll ish
li you grow a few plants to several dozen, it will probably be nrorc V mgi
y convenient and less expensive to purchase the plants from a re- mm
l liable local plant grower or garden supply store. If you grow
l several acres of canning tomatoes, it will probably be more prac- ’ I
i tical to buy certihed, disease—free, southern-grown plants. The me
risk of bringing in diseased, off—type varieties from other states hui FX1;
been greatly reduced in the past few years, since most soutlierll gl
plant-growers are now producing moderately priced, excellent  
plants, according to the standards and supervision of their strut in
agricultural experiment stations. Many prospective growers ol , ( C
canning—tomatoes will find a very fair and convenient arrangement U _
for buying southern-grown plants through their local canning [HP lm
tory. It cannot be too strongly emphasized that these plants NNN exf
be certified, disease-free. ml
\Vhat of the market gardener and the home gardener, \\'ll" Em
wish to grow their own plants? There are tomato growers in [lll gas
lnilrliet-garden areas of Kentucky who produce extremely llllf i mf)
plants in accordance with the methods of their fathers and g1`illlll‘ · ii?
fathers. To them little additional information can be 0lJf€1`@‘l· pm
To the inexperienced, however, detailed instructions for g1'l“‘” mh
ing tomato plants would seem appropriate. i  
* Resistant or partially resistant to Fusarium \rVilt. du"

 · F
5
. later- Steps in Growing Plants
Cxcfi 1, Buy certified seed from a reputable seedsman to insure good
germination and trueness to varietal type. Many seedsmen now
tgmg offer seed treated with hot—water or bichloride of mercury (cor-
1-POSCS, ( rosive sublimate) . These seed treatments are helpful in prevent-
;_ ing seed-borne diseases, such as early blight and Septoria leaf spot.
andiug 2. Treat seed with red copper oxide (cuprocide), Arasan, or
Semesan to aid in preventing damping—off. This simple treatment
is performed by shaking a pinch of cuprocide with the tomato
i seed in a glass jar until seeds are evenly coated with a layer of
Ubil€€* red dust. Diseases mentioned in paragraphs 1 and 2 will be dis-
cussed under the headings "Diseases" or "Insects."
3. Although sand or vermiculite may be used with good re-
7 sults in starting seedlings, a soil mixture of one-third each of rich
hed` ll top soil, sand, and compost or well-rotted manure is probably the
*2 mm . most popular and successful medium for starting seedlings. These
m A mi  A materials should be thoroughly mixed before using.
u gl.? . This special soil mixture should be sterilized with heat or
ZC   ‘  chemical gas to control disease-producing soil organisms, nema-
gtcslm ` totles (see description under "Diseases"·), and weeds. If only a
;)uth€m ( few plants are needed, mound up the soil mixture in a flat, bury-
`(ceucm  » mg a fairly large potato in the center of the mound; place in a
gh stm V ‘i0U°F-oven until the potato is done. Remove Hat from oven and
myers Ot  · allow soil to cool before sowing seed.
igemem ‘ l Where several thousand plants are needed, treating seed beds
(mg [M with methyl bromide (containing 2 percent chloropicrin) gives V
nts must €Xeellent results. Directions are given on the container. To treat
_ Soil for pots or flats, mound the soil mixture (which should be .
ier, who fairly moist) in a pile on a concrete {ioor. Since a pound-can of
YS in me _ gas treats 50 Cubic feet of soil, the mixture might be piled in yi
my {W » ¤i0uiicl·4 feet wide, 12 feet long and l foot deep. This would be
d gm). . 4S Cubic feet. These dimensions may be changed, but do not
offered. _ Pile more than l foot deep. Cover the pile with a piece of poly- .
Ol. qmiv  1 ffhlem? Him (the same as used in fumigating tobacco beds) and
` llmroiiglrly seal by eovering the edges of the film with soil. Under
’ the cover, release a pound-can of methyl bromide (according to ·
directions on container) and keep sealed at least 24 hours. Re- V .

 l l  V`.
  `
l i f Q °._,'         · , :—» ,   f A   ~a  "  ` V "“‘
* ‘   .  .  " Q, ,> ·1. .·¢:,     ·~ '.
l l A       , .    ,’44   { 1 Q  A     Cu
i   <. .. T   ’‘‘’      tif    » ¢¤ ’V‘V `  i     A
I ~     at . p  3     _V»_ · V   l ll»`·»-   . tm;
I   »»=Y   if     . S   ‘ » .-‘. Y    6 ‘·.,   Y is   ·  °  mc
li v‘·» {-ii-? eff irv f Wi if '--          il" V .·.’ Y ` ,‘‘  e ` ,     be
  C5 ‘V·’   Tr   . V;. ~ I »,’: j,   ·     1 *—   _- `ff   tau
` A Fig. l.- Sowing tomato seed in u well-prepared seedling flut of soil. Pg}
. . . . . , die
l move cover, being very careful not to mix any unsterilized soil Pri
with that just treated; let the pile stand in the open air 72 horns
before using. Soil temperature should be over 60°F at the time UO
l of fumigation with methyl bromide to insure proper sterilization. , hm
l. Unless handled properly, methyl bromide is EXTREMELY A Oy
HAZARDOUS; therefore, be sure to observe all precautions given · gre
e in the directions on the package.
l 4. Six to 8 weeks before time for setting in the field, prepare  . Sm
  a seedling flat of convenient size, such as l2xl8x3 inches deep. I do,
fill with sand or vermiculite or the special sterilized soil mixture   sui
mentioned in Step 3 above. Sow seed in this flat at the rate off g WC
to 8 seeds per inch of row with rows 2 inches apart (Fig. 1) . Cover hm
% inch deep with vermiculite, or % to Syg inch with sand or soil. A Ol-
After seeding, soak flats with water from a sprinkling can, being  . wh
careful not to wash seed from the soil. Keep the Hat in a well ‘
lighted room at an air temperature of (55°—70°F. After seed gernn- t
nates, avoid keeping seedlings too wet. Soil surfaces should be
allowed to become dry between waterings. \Vater on morningi
of clear, bright days, soaking thoroughly, rather than sprinkline
If germination is reasonably good, each flat should yield 400 in p
GOO seedlings for the first transplanting. '
Some growers prefer to use the space under one or two snsli  _
of their hotbeds to sow seed in rows from 4 to 6 inches apnn.
rather than using seedling flats. If this method is used, give care-
ful attention to ventilation on sunshiny days after the seedlingi
have come up. Use the same precautions for watering as r€€0m‘  _ Fi
mended for flats. For further information concerning hotbedi Tfai

 T l
7
  `lVq€ my  and cold frames, see Kentucky Agricultural Extension Service
  ~ Circular 276.
  . 5. \Vhether Hats or hotbeds are used, seedlings should be
  transplanted ("pricked off") the first time after they are about 2
  inches high and the first true leaf appears (Fig. 2) . Seedlings may
L;} - be transplanted into flats, bands, or pots in 3x3—inch spacings in
  ` the hotbed or greenhouse, but much stockier plants can be ob-
Qi tained in spacings 4x4 inches. Tar-paper plant bands impregnated
I with fertilizer usually give a more satisfactory plant than plain
. i paper or wooden bands of the same size, or clay pots of the same
y diameter. If possible, use sterilized soil in these containers at
ned 50ll ‘ pricking-off time.
2 l1l11`5 ’ In experiments at the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Sta-
l1€ time  A tion, plants grown in the special soil mixture mentioned above, in
.iZ21il0¤- l hotbeds maintained at a soil temperature of 60°-65°E by means .
ZMELY  , of electric heating cables were of a quality equal or superior to
1S gl\’€ll  K greenhouse-grown potted plants.
6. Approximately one week before transplanting to the field,
pt€pY1l`€ start hardening plants by removing sash to expose them t0 Out-
2s deep. ` door conditions, and water only sparingly. Prolonging conditions
mixturt suitable for hardening much beyond one week may actually
ate off reduce early yields. The purpose of hardening (often called
. Corel A hardening-off) plants before transplanting to the iield is to firm
lor soil. 1 or harden the tissues to help the plants withstand insect injury,
n, bein;  _ whipping, and hot, drying winds.
i a well "
tl gC1`llll‘   A I g  
¤¤r¤i¤¤* a          
  i    
. » 2 ~   ‘‘.-‘ » ·t·i’` *"   s~~‘*.        Y}
~~¥e.;;f*   ‘ ”"v¤·.=} » ··'·"' "t’” A \-*—~*sw»» ·
tW0 wl     .......   ..... .    
;iV€C3l€'       _. ” , ·
Seedlingi ,   . ,   . _ ,  . .  .,.   , ,,   ... .. .     N ,   i Q t
is recom, HQZQT   ·   ,.., ' w ,,,.,,   l g g
hotbeds V msi; th€0pT:£;r;i;¢;2n5,i with Iirst rang leuves developed und at u height of 2 inches. V
p|’IC Ihg 0 .

 t
t ‘ l t
Ta 8 t
l
l Soil Management enc
l It is absolutely essential that soil for tomatoes be well drained in i
This means that an extra early crop should be planted on a sandy
l A loam rather than silt or clayloam, since sandy loam soils can be Or!
l worked in the spring much earlier than those which are heavier.
U A sandy soil can be used for an early crop, but requires the use ` Th
E of more commercial fertilizer. For a mid—season and late crop, ing
y p heavier silt loams or clay loams, provided they are well drained, CTO
should be used since they hold moisture better and usually are $0l
more fertile than light soils. the
  Soil reaction (pl-I) is of utmost importance in growing to- ml
l matoes. A pl-I of 6.0 to 6.5 (slightly acid) is an ideal range. U mf
although good growth is usually obtained from a pH of 5.5 to 6.8. be
L In general, one will seldom find Kentucky soils too alkaline (nn- mh
lv less previously over—limed) for growing tomatoes, but those which the
are too acid are frequently encountered, especially on rolling land _ me
y and on the lighter soils. The surest method of insuring proper (lh'
l soil reaction is to have the soil tested. If lime is needed, it should Em
  be applied in the fall previous to spring planting. iw
1 l (
Rotation Sm
Since tomato diseases (in spite of spraying or dusting) and Fir:
nematode infestations become more and more severe when t0— * Th
matoes are grown year after year on the same land, it is best that ° init
tomatoes be grown no more often on the same land than once in “ nit
four years. Practically any crop rotation may be used, but it is por
especially desirable that tomatoes follow a legume or pasture cmp ein
turned under the previous fall. Planting tomatoes on early spring are
plowed land, on which tobacco was grown the year before, is _ her
the next best to following a legume. The home gardener with ine
limited space cannot follow this program, but planting the garden · a r
to a winter cover crop, such as barley and vetch, in the late snnt .
mer and turning under about February will beneht not only tltrf leg
tomatoes but other vegetables as well. The location of KOIHHIOCS snr
in the garden should be changed each year, even if only a few l€€l· ~ Sin
to avoid increasing disease. \Vhere the same garden site is I0 bt SW
used year after year, digging up the roots of the old vines at tlt€ lor

   F
 . end of harvest should aid in preventing the build-up of nematodes
aimdn in the garden.
sandv _
Pm bg Organic matter
gavin.  » The importance of organic matter cannot be overemphasized.
AC use  , The action of decaying organic matter which results from plow-
Cmp ing under crop residues, manure, winter cover and green manure
amedl erops, leaves and compost is much the same as that of a sponge.
Hy am Soils high in organic matter absorb more water from spring rains
_ than do soils with a lower organic matter content. Later in the
png W season, this natural reservoir of water in the soil furnishes much
Time! — needed moisture to tomato roots, thus enabling good growth to
to (58. be maintained even during the hot, dry days of summer. On the
C (lm . other hand, plants growing on soils low in organic matter show
which drouth symptoms rather quickly with the declining rainfall of sum-
la land mer, and yields are reduced. Tomatoes growing on "drouthy" soils
SYOPCY i (those low in organic matter) generally show much more blossom-
Should end rot than those grown on soils high in organic matter. Or-
_ ganic matter also must be continually added to the soil so that
T it can be kept in good tilth.
Once organic matter has been added to the soil it immediately
starts decomposing, due to the action of the soil microorganisms.
g) and Finally, only a dark residue of the original organic matter remains.
hen to- . This residue, called humus, is more or less resistant to further
est that microbial breakdown. It has a dissolving power, which can react
once in ‘ with the minerals occurring naturally in the soil to release im-
rut it is portant essential plant nutrients, such as liming materials (cal-
rre crop cimn and magnesium) and potassium. These important nutrients `
V spring- 4 are then held rather loosely to the surface of humus particles, and
zfore, is   hence are very easily available to the roots. Soil nitrogen also is
ter wirli increased by the decomposition of organic matter in the form of
ggarden a manure or legume green-manure crop.
ite srnn i Animal manures, at the rate of 10 to 15 tons per acre, and
gnlytlli ltgume green-manure crops are probably the most important .
onratoes  . sources of organic matter for the commercial grower. For home
few fett S?U`€l€I1C1‘s, manure, leaf mold, compost, and p€3t all COHS[ltll[€ `
is to bt good sources of organic matter. They should be spread out uni- .
gs at the formly, 2 to 4 inches deep, over the garden, depending on the past .

   10
l productivity of the soil. In no case should fresh manure (par- K0
y ticularly chicken manure) be applied later than the fall before HCT
i spring transplanting of tomatoes. \Vell-rotted manure can be 1 tic
1 · applied at any time until spring plowing, but even where well UH
l rotted manure is used, applications should not be made later than i [10
l two months before transplanting the tomatoes. lt cannot be ern- » Hbf
l phasized too strongly that the plowing under of manure, fresh
` manure in particular, just before transplanting, will almost always Hb]
T delay maturity of tomatoes from several days to several weeks. th;
The excess nitrogen from the manure causes the tomato plants to 5O(
y produce heavy vines but little fruit. 5.]
1 It is to be remembered that manure furnishes considerable ‘ jus
plant food. Ten tons of manure has, in addition to organic mat- rox
E ter, a plant food value equal to 1,000 pounds of a 10-5-10 ferti- bar
l lizer, or 100 pounds of manure is equal to 5 pounds of 10-5-10. der
if lf manure is to be used as the sole source of plant food, add at on
least 50 pounds of 20-percent superphosphate for each ton 01 V cul
  manure applied, or 2% pounds superphosphate per 100 pounds wir
5 of manure. Where large quantities of manure fortified with super- av;
l phosphate can be used, not so much commercial fertilizer need on
be applied. plz
Commercial fertilizer my
Tomatoes require a high level of fertility, particularly of ph05· ' Su
phorus, to produce high yields, The analysis (also known H5 i fm)
. grade) and quantity of commercial fertilizer to be applied de- ‘ OE
pends on the state of fertility and physical condition of the S0ll· Em
An estimate of the phosphate and potash needs of the soil Call bf 20)
obtained by having the soil tested, but such tests do not measure PG
the nitrogen needs of the soil, Information regarding the WH) W sql
take a soil sample and the place it can be tested may be obtailwl 50
f1`Om yOur county agricultural agent. lf a soil is not tested, tl1€l`€ ‘ as
is danger that too little fertilizer will be applied to meet the needs LG
of the soil for producing a good crop. I do
lf the soil tests over 300 pounds of available phosph0fiC wl ph
311Cl OVC? 400 pounds of available potash per acre, little O1` UO of
commercial fertilizer need be added except some form of nitrogen. M
In this case, the nitrogen needs can be met by plowing down 200

 F
. 11
(Pap  ~ to 300 pounds of calcium cyanamid or sulphate of ammonia per
)€fOl.€ acre (or % to yi pound per 100 square feet) . If a heavy applica-
m be tion (10 tons or more per acre) of strawy-manure was turned
WGH under the previous fall, use only one-half this amount of addi-
I. than tional nitrogen. If the manure contained but little straw or other
,€ Cm _ absorptive materials, no further nitrogen may be needed.
f1‘€Sl1 More soils are likely to test from 100 to 200 pounds of avail-
&lW¤YS able phosphoric acid and 200 to 300 pounds of potash per acre,
weeks. than those that test higher. In this case, it is recommended that
UUSKO 500 pounds per acre (or 1% pounds per 100 square feet) of
5-10-10 or 6-12-12 fertilizer be broadcast on top of the ground
lerable ‘ just before plowing. At plant setting apply on each side of the
ic mat- row an additional 500 pounds of 5-10-10 or 6-12-12 per acre in a
) ferti- - band approximately 3 to 4 inches to the side and 3 to 4 inches
0-5-10. ` deep. This application can be made by the fertilizer attachment
add at __ on some kinds of setters, or by the side-dressing attachment on a
ton 01 cultivator. lf the latter method is used, apply the side—dressing
pounds within a week after transplanting, so that it may be immediately
isuper-  · available for plant use. For a small number of plants, place 2%
er need ounces of this fertilizer in a trench 3 to 4`inches away from the
plant and 3 to 4 inches deep.
‘ ln many areas of the state, soils may test considerably below
)£ PMA _ 100 pounds of phosphoric acid and 200 pounds of potash per acre.
I as 1 Such soils will require relatively heavy applications of commercial
8;:1 de _ fertilizer to produce the goal of 10 pounds per plant. One method
he SON. of meeting these needs is merely to increase th_e quantities of
kim be fertilizer recommended above where the soil test showed 100 to _
dieasme -00 p0unds of phosphoric acid and 200 to 300 pounds of potash
jwaym P€1`aC1‘e. Thus, plow down 1,000 pounds (2% pounds per 100 ,
bmmed ( iquare feet) of 5-10-10 or 6-12-12 per acre and apply an additional
d there · 000 to 7.50 pounds per acre (2% to 4 ounces per plant in 21 t1`€HCll
H; needs 0$(l€S61`ll)€d above for a small garden) in the row at plant setting.
Less fertilizer would be handled by broadcasting and plowing
_ id 1 00WH 300 pouncls of calcium cyanamid or sulphate of ammonia, ‘
mc HC O Plus 500 pounds of 0-20-20, and applying an additional 300 pounds
0 Or H] Of 020-20 in the row at setting time, than if a straight 5-10-10 or A
lmggséé 0·l?·l2 analysis were used. ° l
ow -

 l l l V
  12 .
 ;
l Occasionally, more phosphoric acid will be needed than potash, A K0
y t or vice versa. Where the soil tests higher in phosphoric acid than OH
A in potash, one could substitute a greater quantity of 4-8-12 than pla
I V the 5-10-10 recommended and in that way furnish relatively more Sill
  potash than phosphoric acid. If potash tested high and phosphoric SVC
ly acid low, a greater quantity of 4-12-8 could be substituted for the »
l 5-10-10 recommended. Additional quantities of these elements
l can also be added separately, such as sulphate of potash or super-
r t phosphate. A more complete discussion of kinds, rates, and analy-
sis of commercial fertilizers may be found in Kentucky Agricul- dm
l tural Experiment Station Circular 70. gm
l In addition to the recommended rates of fertilizer applications · ga;
described above, a side-dressing of 200 to 300 pounds of 20 percent HC]
  superphosphate per acre should be made when the first blossoms Sm
  appear} This special phosphate side dressing should be made at [Ol,
l blossoming, even if the soil test showed phosphoric acid to be 300 V HP
pounds per acre or more. For a small number of plants, apply ig ,
y pound (4 heaping tablespoons) of superphosphate per plant in A bm
i trench around each plant, 6 to 8 inches from it and 2 inches deepi _ ma
l cover with soil without mixing the fertilizer with it, This prac- plz
tice will be particularly valuable if the vines are large and vigor- bw
ous with a deep green color. Such plants show they are receiving PO:
more nitrogen than they need. Unless extra phosphate is appliefl _) l_O(
to balance the nitrogen, blossoms from the first one or two clusters ' im
may drop, with a resulting delay in harvest and a decrease in yieltl- U is
Under SOITIC conditions tomato plants may develop a pale Pla
green color as the Hrst clusters of fruit begin to set. This is a Sigll pla
that they don’t have enough nitrogen. This condition is unliliell gu
to develop if the foregoing fertilizer recommendations have been Wil
followed, although it may develop on sandy or sandy-loam soili my
if the season is wet, due to leaching away of available nitrogen- U Pk,
To OVCTCOHIC Such a nitrogen deficiency, scatter by hand 011 lll? ml
soil 150 to 200 pounds of ammonium nitrate per acre (alter WU gh;
to three clusters have set), taking care not to cover any f0li¢i2l up
with the fertilizer. lf rows are 5 to 6 feet apart, it may be possible for
cet
1 E. M. Emm€Il—H0w to Prevent Blossom Drop of Tomatoes, Ky. Ext. l-'€·ll` ml
let H-4, ]u1y, 1942.

 , P
13
mash! · to make this application by means of the fertilizer attachment
a than on the cultivator. If s0, keep the sweeps as far as possible from
than ’ plants and barely scratch the surface of the soil. For a few plants,
nnnn gift 1 ounce (4 tablespoons) of ammonium nitrate on top of the
ahmn  A ground around each plant and water it with a garden hose.
or the
mmm Trunsplunting (Setting)
Super.   Tomatoes should be transplanted into the Held as soon as all
alight r danger of frost is past (probably from April 25 for southern Ken-
gmculi tucky to May 20 for northern Kentucky) because the tomato is
_ a warm—season vegetable and is easily injured by frost. For very
ZHUOUS ( early market, some risk may be taken and plants put out in the
’€l`C€m field 2 to 3 weeks earlier. This risk is considerably reduced if
Ossoms some kind of plant protec-
lad'? al tor is used. (Discussed under ( · r `
be 300 , "Plant Protectors.") ( ~ _ I _   (‘
lplli li Whether plants have been . Pi ·*·i·   {Y   an (
nt m H bought or raised at home,     M
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