Tomato farming

TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum L)
What to know:
There are two types of tomatoes
      a) Determinate-when they flower; there is no more vegetative growth
      b) Indeterminate-Elongation of stem continues throughout the growing season
CULTURAL PRACTICES
Nursery:
1M wide  by 4M long: avoid sitting the nursery where potatoes, brinjals, sweet pepper, chilies have been grown in the previous 3years due to disease risk.
Sow seeds in drills 20 cm apart ,1 cm deep, later thin out to have sturdy seedlings
A} TRANSPLANTING:
Seedlings are transplanted at 4 weeks (after they are sown)
NB: Spacing depends on whether one is able to supply the essential requirements for growth
B}NUTRIENTS:::: Tomatoes require  approx. 32-72kg N/acre(Nitrogen0
                                                                               32-80kgP/acre(Phosphorus)
                                                                                32-80kgK/acre(potassium)
How to apply
N:Generally ,apply in splits of more than2.best applied 3 weeks after transplanting, a second  application at the start of flowering s beneficial,but not when fruits are forming because it promotes vegetative  growth (Rem.Nobody sells/buys tomato leaves)
P:Applied or proper root development,fruit set, fruit quality, peel color, pulp color  and the quality contents
K:deficiency leads to ripening disorders .it is also important for fruit keeping quality. Apply fertilizers witha high K few weeks before flowering and during flowering to fruiting stage.(Foliar fertilizers do well)
Calcium and Magnesium: Low ca & high Mg in soil leads to blossom end rot.
C}TRAINING/STAKING
Applies mainly to indeterminate type. removal of suckers(desuckering) PRUNING IS ALSO DONE REGULARLY-removal of leaves especially those which are touching the ground(prune by cutting outside shoots as early as possible,leaving two main stems)
Flowering: tomatoes flower 5-7 weeks after sowing
MATURITY: A tomato fruit takes 6-8 weeks to mature