TRELLIS TOMATOES 



Figure 2. Adequate Plant Growing Structure. 



started. As more growers have built better plant-growing structures, there has 

 been a tendency toward later planting. At the Waltham Field Station seed is 

 sown in flats in a 60° F. greenhouse usually about April 1. The plants are pricked 

 out in benches in the same greenhouse 2x2 inches. When 4 inches tall, and 

 about May 1, they are moved to the cold frame and set 4x4 inches or, if space 

 is available, 6x6 inches. Figure 3 shows the stages at which the plants in this 

 experiment were transplanted the first and second time. 



Even when seed is planted as late as April 1, the plants are sufficiently large 

 to set May 28 to June 1. If seed is sown thinly in the seed bed, the plants are 

 not so likely to become spindly. One ounce of seed will produce at least 3,000 

 plants. 



There are many different opinions as to how many times a plant should be 

 transplanted. The more times the plant is moved the more branched and com- 

 pact the root system becomes. Setting over twice, as practiced at the Waltham 

 Field Station, has produced a very satisfactory plant. 



"Are potted plants worth the cost and trouble?" is a frequent question. To 

 obtain the answer, some plants were set in 4-inch clay pots at the time of trans- 

 planting to the cold frame. When ready to set in the field the pot was well filled 

 with roots and the soil did not break apart. Figure 4 shows a well-grown pot 

 plant. 



Other plants were grown 4x4 inches apart in the bed. These were dug when 

 the soil was very wet and a ball of soil was pressed around the roots of each plant. 



The potted plants, which received no check in growth, produced the largest 

 early yield, x^t Waltham this increase in yield amounted to 38 percent; while 

 at Amherst the increase was much greater, being 83 percent. Since this early 

 fruit is the part of the crop that brings the highest price, these increases are cer- 

 tainly worthwhile. The increase in total yield was not so great: 10 percent for 

 Waltham and Amherst combined. 



