Organic Tomato Farming

One true benefit to eating an organic tomato is not having to worry about too many chemicals being on it. Pull the organic tomato straight from the garden and bite into it. The differences between organic tomato farming and conventional tomato farming begins with pest control.

PEST CONTROL

A spray of garlic and water can be used as a natural pesticide to control bugs instead of chemicals. Another way to control pests is with frequent crop rotation since this helps break up the pest life cycle. One example is rotating Solaceous tomato crops with non-Solaceous crops like corn and beans. This way, the same pest does not keep coming back because each plant attracts different pests. Planting trap crops around the tomato plant is also useful for controlling pests while the tomato is growing. For example, radishes can be planted to lure the flee beetle away from the tomato plants. Onions can be planted to help to repel slugs and sweet corn can help deter fruitworm.

Weeds, similar to pests, also can be controlled using several different techniques. Weeds growing in between the tomato plants can be lightly tilled or covered by living mulch. Organic living mulches are ideal because they add nutrients to the soil and help the soil retain its moisture while controlling weed growth at the same time. Planting the tomatoes on raised beds with plastic mulch is another technique used to control weeds. Dripping water into the plant roots is a more controlled method of water delivery rather than using a sprinkler which will splash water all over the leaves and ground thus increasing the chances of weed growth. In addition, the plastic mulch on a raised bed keeps the tomato plant off the ground and also allows for better drainage. Generally, tomato plants consume a large amount of water during their growth, but are very sensitive to sudden fluctuations in moisture which can cause the plant root to crack.

SOIL

Soil fertility plays a very important role and swine or poultry manures are generally recommended for tomato production. Tomatoes also prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of about 6.8 which can encourage fruit production. The manure should be applied as a base to the soil before the crop grows and then again after the tomato plants are seeded. Rock minerals can be added into the barnyard manure as a supplement. Tomatoes also need about 75 to 100 pounds of nitrogen in the soil which can be easily achieved by rotating crops of beans/legumes.

TOMATO TRAINING

Different tomato training systems have been tested and the “stake and weave” method gives a better tomato crop than the “ground method.” A stake is driven into the ground and twine is woven around the stake and between the tomato plants giving the crop support and stability to grow. This also helps reduce disease in the crop as the tomatoes grow up and away from the ground. With the ground option, the tomatoes sprawl out all over the bare ground as they grow without any sort of support system, which makes them more susceptible to disease and are they become more likely to rot.

Tomatoes are susceptible to disease at every stage of growth, but many bacteria and fungi commonly attack the root system, or the stem and foliage. It is may be necessary to spray a fungicide, but only a select few copper based fungicides are allowed for organic farming. Farmers continuously monitor soil copper levels, but still the use of fungicides remains controversial in organic farming.

The harvesting of organic tomatoes proves to be difficult as it is very labor intensive requiring an estimated 300 hours per staked acre. The tomatoes should be picked when the ends first begin to turn pink and optimal storage temperature is around 55 to 70 degrees.

END OF SEASON CHORES

Lastly, post season sanitation procedures are a necessity. Burning diseased tomato plants, sterilizing plant stakes, and destroying the vines are some examples of season end chores.

The primary goal of organic farming in general is to optimize soil life while balancing the natural systems of the earth. There is no guarantee that the crops will be completely free of pollution, but there is certainty that pollution will be at the minimum.

Besides the environmental incentives, that are other incentives such as selling the organic products for ten to thirty percent higher premiums. Since organic farming relies heavily on natural systems, there is less of an initial start up cost because there is no need to purchase heavy chemical pesticides or expensive fertilizers.

As organic farming became more popular and organic products became a high in demand, organic certification came around to standardize organic crop production. The Organic Foods Production Act ensured universal standards for organic farming as well as food labeling and certification.