Flavorite Hydroponic Tomatoes - Growing at home

For the best results follow these tips:

1. Soil should be well drained. If not, mix 1/3 sand or potting mix with the soil.
   
2. To avoid disease the soil should not have had tomatoes grown in it before.
   
3. Plant in a warm position with direct sunlight and protected from the wind.
   
4. During cold nights (below ten degrees), cover the plants with plastic.
   
5. Plants will need support from a stake or other means.
   
6. To ensure a good fruit size, always remove the side shoots.
   
7. Include a small amount of fertilizer (Follow directions from the fertilizer label) with each water. Keep moist. Recommended : The use of Dynamic Lifter under the seedling at planting, then the use of phostrogen (following label directions) as well as during the life of the plants. Side dress with dynamic lifter as fruit comes on.
   
8. Pick fruit when fully ripened.
   
9. Don't refrigerate picked fruit. Store out of direct sunlight.

One of Australia’s great gardeners offers some really practical tips for growing tomatoes in the home garden.

Be patient – don’t plant too early

(In Victoria, Melbourne Cup Day is ideal)

1. Don’t overfeed; otherwise you’ll get big leafy plants and poor crops which come late. Tomatoes have a low need for high-nitrogen fertilisers.
2. Give each seedling a good pinch of sulphate of potash and water in well. This mineral promotes early flowers, toughens foliage and gives plants more pest and disease resistance.
3. Space tomato plants, especially vigorous varieties, about a metre apart when planting out.
4. Drive stakes around vigorous “tree” tomatoes so that major branches can be trained. Smaller “bush” varieties may be left unsupported. They usually flop over a clean straw mulch as they grow so the heavy tomato trusses are kept out of direct contact with the soil.
5. Avoid using any mulching materials until well into December, otherwise the soil will be kept too cool and growth stunted.
6. Old straw or hay can be safely pushed close to the stems, which will send out extra roots.
7. A tight fistful of sulphate of potash around every plant, every six weeks helps produce early tomatoes that taste like tomatoes used to taste.

Most of Flavorite’s greenhouse varieties grow well in the soil if well looked after.