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Kitchen Garden: Grow tomatoes in your garden
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Environment
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 Tomatoes grow best in a climate that has plenty of sun and plenty of water, but doesn't get too hot. So it could be one of the easier vegetables to grow in Chennai and its surroundings, if you can manage "plenty of water".
The average tomato plant should grow to be one to four feet high and spread about two feet. Tomatoes need plenty of sunshine, water and some protection from wind.
The best time to plant tomatoes is just after the dry chillness leaves the air. Tomato plants should be started indoors. Since they are small and weak plants that need time to grow before being put out in the garden. Once they are transplanted outside when they're around five to six inches high, they should be spaced at least a foot apart, depending upon the space available.
Tomatoes need support to help keep the fruit off the ground and away from insects. You can use sticks to support the plants.
 The key to growing healthy, delicious tomatoes is consistency. Tomatoes require steady sunlight and regular watering. Water your plants regularly. Tomato plants need approximately 15 to 20 liters of water per week. Failure to provide your plants with consistent water can result in split skins. Give your plants a boost by adding compost (vegetable peelings and plant waste such as leaves and grass) or manure to the soil and by fertilizing regularly. Chemicals need not be used.
To help your plants produce more fruit, pinch off the top of the plant once it has produced four flowers bunches. The time it takes for tomatoes to mature depends on the particular type of tomato, anywhere from 50 to 100 days. Don't pick them when they're orange. A good way to tell if the tomato is ripe enough is to place a hand around it and pull very gently. If it comes off the vine readily, it's ripe enough. If not, leave it for a couple more days. Keep a constant watch for insects and worms that might destroy your tomatoes.
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