Urban Farming Oz

One of my fondest memories of my parents garden is the tomato plants. Huge tasty Grosse Lizzies, home grown, so soft so sweet. Absolutely nothing like those rock hard objects that the supermarkets of today pass off as tomatoes. Today's supermarket varieties were grown to survive shipping, not to taste good. If you want a great tasting tomato, find a farmers market or better still grow your own. They are amazingly easy to grow and can be grown·just about anywhere, even in pots on a home unit balcony. I have even read articles about growing them inside, in apartments, in inverted pots!

• Tomatoes need a warm position and sun, lots of it, at least 5 hours a day. They also love well manured soil. My Dad used to grow them in well rotted grass clippings, chook poo all mixed into the Sydney beach suburbs black sandy soil. They grew well in that mix. By the way I never could understand people who took and still do take lawn clippings to the tip.
• Water, yes loads of water especially on those long hot summer days. If you haven't already, consider collecting your own water. If they wilt you have left watering too late. Water morning and night if you are away from home all day.
• Stake them up and tie them well, their crop needs support, use wood not metal as metal gets hot in the sun, even black plastic can get too hot.
• Mulch them, keeps the soil moist, controls weeds, use those lawn clippings!
• Avoid windy positions if possible.
• When planting pinch off the lower leaves.
• As they grow pinch out the excess leaders to maximise cropping
• When they flower add potash
• If you have fruit flies in your area dust them at flowering time as well.
• Don't grow them where you grew tomatoes or potatoes last year (yes they are related) to minimise disease.
• Try a wicking box garden