Re: Ripe Tomatoes Was: Ripe oranges
- To: B*@monterey.edu, medit-plants@ucdavis.edu, j*@dnai.com
- Subject: Re: Ripe Tomatoes Was: Ripe oranges
- From: t*@picknowl.com.au
- Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 20:24:52 +0930
- Priority: normal
Date sent: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 23:24:39 -0700
From: Richard Starkeson <johnsaia@dnai.com>
To: Barry_Garcia@monterey.edu, medit-plants@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Re: Ripe Tomatoes Was: Ripe oranges
Send reply to: johnsaia@dnai.com
Barry Garcia wrote:
> the backyard is a very weedy tangle of Kikuyu grass, annual Eropean grasses
> and ice plant. Just this year i decided to clear out a patch and grow
> something (Currently Indian corn and Tomatoes). It was hard work just
> clearing out the ten by ten foot patch i did manage to dig up.
Next time you have such a patch to dig up, try covering the ground with black
plastic, under the hot sun for two weeks or so. Most all plants are killed
and even start to decompose, and the digging becomes child's play.
I don't even bother with black plastic. Try using newspapers about
10 pages thick, cover with a good layer, say 2 inches, of straw,
stable litter, straw and the good stuff from rabbit hutches, guinea
pig cages, hen coops etc. Leave it for 3-4 weeks then knife through
the lot to make a planting slit, pop in the plant and a stake if you're
planting vine tomatoes, water in and 'Bob's Your Uncle'. Tomatoes
shouldn't get too much water, especially once flower buds are set;
once a week is recommended here or just after the plants show
signs of wilting and stress - still about once a week here where we
get no summer rains and day temps around 30C +. The thick
mulch helps retain ground water and keeps the roots cool-ish
allowing rapid recovery overnight after high day temps.
Trevor Nottle
Garden Historian, Garden Writer, Designer, Consultant
WALNUT HILL, 5 Walker Street, Crafers, SA 5152 AUSTRALIA
Tel./ Fax. 61 8 83394210
