Tomato – Orange Queen

Growing tips

Conditions of germination:

• depth of sowing: 5 mm
• optimal temperature for germination: 21 to 32ºC
• time for germination: 7 to 14 days

When to sow:

• indoor sowing 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date in your area

Sowing technique: in pocket

• Inside the same hole, sow 3 to 5 seeds spaced about 1 to 2 cm apart; when the seeds have germinated and the seedlings have reached a height of 5 cm, keep all the plants if space is available or keep only the best plants. Transplant into individual containers while waiting for transplanting into the garden.

Transplanting in the garden:

• When there is no longer a risk of frost (10 consecutive frost-free days): after coating the plants for a few days outdoors, add compost to the planting hole. Remove the lower leaves on the plant, then bury the plant standing or lying on its side, leaving about 10 cm of stem sticking out of the ground. Water. Install support (stake, cage, rope), if needed.

Distance in the garden:

• between plants: 45 to 60 cm
• between rows: 75 to 90 cm

Plant height: 150 to 180 cm

Soil: rich in organic matter and well drained

Water: regular watering until the fruit starts to ripen, then watering should be spaced out to encourage ripening and not to diminish the flavor of the fruit. Avoid irregular watering and the fluctuation between dry and overwatering periods. This can prevent (in part) blossom end rot.

Exposure: full sun

Days to harvest (after transplanting): 70-75 days

General information about tomatoes:

• Indeterminate (climbing) plants continue to grow and produce fruit all season, while determinate varieties usually produce their fruit within a defined period of time and have a bushy habit.
• Pot culture possible in containers of about 40-45 liters, 40-45 cm wide and 40-45 cm deep.

Recommendations for planting:

• Rotate in the garden every year or space out plantings in the same location one year every two years to prevent certain diseases present in the soil.
• After planting, mulch at the base of the plants to maintain constant moisture and reduce disease.
• Apply a natural fertilizer 3 to 4 times during the summer season, avoiding those too rich in nitrogen that encourage foliage growth at the expense of fruit.