Temperature is the primary factor in the setting of tomato blossoms. 

 The tomato grows fastest at night when sugar, formed in the leaves 

 during th^ day, passes to the growing stem-tip, fruit, and to the root. 

 The best temperature for this sugar movement is 65'. Sugar transport 

 to both fruit and root slows down on hot nights. Root weight decreases 

 steadily as night temperatures increase. 



Length of day and intensity of light do not greatly influence the growth 

 of tomatoes, provided temperature and nutrition are properly con- 

 trolled. Earliana, Valiant and the Stokescross Hybrids adapt themselves 

 to a wide range of night temperatures. Rutgers is much more rigid in 

 its requirements, unsuitable temperatures often causing failure to set 

 the first two hands. 



Other factors responsible for the failure of blossoms to produce fruit 

 ore; blossom thrip, prolonged rainfall, lack of sunshine, high winds and 

 over-vegetative vine growth at blossom time. Inspect your tomatoes 

 for blossom thrip daily, between 10:00 a.m. and noon. For control 

 see page 3. 



spacing, nutrition, moisture, tem- 

 perature and the number of fruit 

 per plant. Heredity is controlled by 

 the tomato breeder. You can fur- 

 ther his efforts by selecting the seed 



best suited to your soil and climate. Spacing and nutrition are closely related. 

 A crowded plant is an undernourished plant— an undernourished plant will not 

 produce full size fruit. Allow a minimum of 15 square feet per plant. An adequate 

 and regular supply of moisture is essential. See irrigation suggestions on Page 2. 



High temperatures, day or night, will result in small tomatoes. Remember that an 

 official day reading of 90" means field soil temperature can be 1 15°. 



40 fruit per plant is considered on ideal load in field production. At a six ounce 

 average this makes 15 pounds of tomatoes per plant or 20 tons per acre. To secure 

 a 6 ounce average, aim for IVi ounce tomatoes on the first two hands. 



4 



