The Sunday Mail
One of the cash crops to try is tomatoes.
First things first, you need to do a soil test to check the soil’s pH because tomatoes do well in soils with a pH between 5 and 7.
One needs to treat the soil against nematodes using Oxamyl. There are different tomato varieties, for example indeterminate varieties (growth that is not terminated) such as Star 9030, Star 9037, Trinity Star 9081, Star 9082.
Those who love jam tomatoes, you can do varieties such as Star 9062 or Star 9063.
After choosing your variety and the soil test, you need to transplant your hardened seedlings with Compound C using cup number 30.
Then the top dressing (ammonium nitrate) will be applied at the rate of 8g per plant after 14 days. From Day 35 apply potassium nitrate 8g after every 10 days.
Apply calcium nitrate at fruiting stage as a foliar spray at 1% solution (10g per 100 litres of water or 150g per standard 15-litre knapsack) after every 14 days.
Spray calcium nitrate early in the morning or late afternoons to avoid fertilizer burn. Rotate your chemicals to minimise the build up of resistance as well as to provide a better spectrum.
Pests found in tomatoes
Tuta absoluta
To treat tuta, you can use Ampligo, Belt, Tigard or Steward. Alternate these chemicals and spray early in the mornings.
Bollworm
Use Karate zion, Fenverlate or Dichlorvos.
Nematodes
Use Oxamyl and Steward
Tomato diseases
Tomatoes spotted wilt virus
Remove the affected plants so that the virus does not spread.
Blights
Alternate your fungicides and also remove the affected leaves then spray fungicides in the afternoon.
Pamela Kamuzonda is a holder of a BSc degree in Agronomy and is the founder of Unique Farming Solutions. She trains farmers, focusing on single mothers, widows and has trained over 700 farmers.
