Hartley Magazine

All the latest news, hints, tips and advice from our experts

Tomato tips from Texas

A garden and greenhouse expert has divulged some pearls of wisdom in a Texas newspaper.

Keith Hansen wrote in the Tyler Morning Telegraph that horticulturalists should be starting to think about how to deal with the August heat.

He suggested around now is the latest time to be planting tomatoes, as they take around 80 to 100 days to bear ripe fruit.

The article stated it is inadvisable to wait longer to sow the seeds as this will result in early winter frost, potentially spoiling the late harvest.

Mr Hansen suggested gardeners pay close attention to the spring tomato plants they may have left over outside or in their greenhouse.

Any diseased ones should be discarded, but healthy specimens can be pruned, fertilised and hydrated to help them bear a second instalment of fruit.

However, the expert urges caution when watering during hot weather.

“Fruit cracking can be a problem for tomatoes when the soil has been dry,” Mr Hansen wrote. “A sudden influx of water from you or a rain can cause the skin to crack.”

Meanwhile, Freep.com recently published an article advising people on the different varieties of tomato they may come across.