Cherry tomatoes | Photos by the writer
Q. Can I grow tomatoes in pots, in Islamabad? What is the procedure?
A. Yes. As we are fast heading in to the hottest time of the year, I strongly suggest that you sow seed for cherry tomatoes and not other, larger varieties. Cherry tomatoes are small in comparison to plum and beefsteak tomatoes, for instance, but they are also far more weather-proof and virus-proof. The sheer volume of tomatoes they are capable of producing, more than makes up for their size.
Sow seed, try to space it at least two inches apart, just under the surface of good quality, humus-rich organic compost mixed at a ratio of 50:50 with sweet earth, in seed trays/pots. Keep the trays/pots moist but not wet; overly wet soil/compost leads to seedlings rotting/damping off and dying. When seedlings have developed four to six true leaves, above the initial seed leaves, carefully transplant them, one plant per 10-inch clay pot filled with the same soil/compost mix. Also insert a strong cane — or something similar about three feet to four feet tall — to tie the plants to as they grow.
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Transplanting should be done in the cool of the evening and the transplants watered well immediately. Tomato plants are brittle so handle with care. Water the soil around the plants each evening. Once they begin to flower, feed them, once a week, with an organic liquid fertiliser — this can be home-made compost tea or a seaweed-based purchased liquid tomato food diluted to the specifications on the bottle. Continue feeding weekly right through until harvesting is over in a few weeks, possibly even a few months’ time.
Tie the plants to their individual canes, using soft cotton twine so as not to damage the plant stem, as they grow. Some people swear that nipping out sideshoots to encourage the plant to gain rapidly in height is the best method, followed by nipping out the top-growing shoot when five to six bunches of tomatoes have set, but as long as they don’t get too overcrowded. I simply let them be as I think nature knows best. When temperatures soar above 35oC, move the plants into light shade and, when summer monsoon rains are around, move them to a place where they are protected from potentially damaging downpours.