TRELLIS TOMATOES 



Robert E. Young, Assistant Research Professor of Vegetable Gardening^' ^ 



Tomatoes are one of the most important marliet garden crops in Massachu- 

 setts. They are marketed almost entirely in local stores; very few are shipped 

 or canned commercially. 



During recent years there has been a change from the old method of culture 

 in which the vines were allowed to grow untrained and unpruned. Under the 

 new system the plants are supported on trellis or stakes, much as they are in 

 the greenhouse. The only difference between the trellis and stake methods is 

 the manner of supporting the plants. Some of the first growers of trellis tomatoes 

 grew two rows in a hotbed, keeping the sash on until the plants were quite tall, 

 and much of this fruit went to market as greenhouse tomatoes. 



The shift from flat culture to trellis by the general market gardener started 

 about 1930 and is still continuing. Because of the increased income, growers are 

 willing to go to the expense and trouble of constructing a trellis on which to sup- 

 port their tomatoes. Fruit of better quality, greater early yield, and larger total 

 yield result. 



Trellising tomatoes increases the cost of production. More plants per acre are 

 required; posts, wire, and string are necessary; and considerable labor is needed 

 for pruning and training. These added costs are offset in part, at least, by (1) 

 easier spraying of the plants to control insects and diseases, and (2) more efficient 

 picking of the fruit since the degree of ripeness can be more accurately deter- 

 mined. Growers who have adopted the new system obtain fruit which stands up 

 longer on the market — a matter of much importance in getting fruit of first 

 quality to the consumer. W ith the new method of culture came a change to a 

 small variety of fruit; and with the smaller, firmer tomatoes produced on the 

 trellis, growers are in a better position to meet competition from other areas. 



A number of factors must be considered when making the decision to grow 

 the tomato crop on trellis. In many cases the most important are the facilities 

 to be found on individual farms. Good soil and irrigation are necessary. Many 

 growers have been reluctant to make the change because of a lack of information 

 as to methods of culture which would produce the greatest returns per acre. 

 The experimental work described in this bulletin was conducted to obtain practical 

 information in this regard. 



Comparison of Trellis and Flat Culture 



Studies were conducted concurrently over a period of four 3'ears at Waltham 

 and Amherst, Massachusetts, in order to compare the effect of different soils 

 and climate on trellis tomatoes. Plots were replicated three times at each loca- 

 tion. Waltham Forcing was the variety of tomato selected because it represented 

 the type being grown on trellis, and the supply of seed was uniform and constant. 



One part of this experiment was a comparison of flat-grown and trellis toma- 

 toes, and the effect of trellising on the yield of fruit is shown in Table 1. Although 

 the difference in total yield is not very great, it is in favor of the trellis method. 



■Located at Waltham Field Station, Cedar Hill, Waltham, Mass. 



^The writer gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Professor Alden P. Tuttle and William 

 Lachman, Department of Vegetable Gardening, in conducting the experimental plots at Amherst. 



