Farming

By; Shakur Mpuuga

Easy growing. Passion fruits

a.

Transplanting Seedlings
o Choose the right location.Ideally, you should find a spot that
receives full sun and one that does not have any competitive roots,
like tree roots, nearby. "Full sun" means a full six hours of sunlight
daily, if not more.
The area should also be free of weeds. If there are a few weeds, make
sure that you remove them before planting.
The vines need space to climb and spread, as well. Ideally, you should
look for climbing structures already set in place, like a wire fence,
balcony, or pergola. If none of these are available, you could
o Amend the soil. Passion fruit needs light, deep soil that contains
plenty of organic material. The stuff in your yard probably is not of
high enough quality to do the trick on its own, so you'll need to
made a few improvements before you can plant either seeds or
vines.
Mix the soil with compost before you do any planting. Compost improves
both the texture and nutritional value of the soil. You could also try
organic rotten manure, leaf mold, or other green plant waste.
If the soil is especially dense, you could lighten it by mixing in a handful
of coarse sand.
Pay attention to the pH of the soil, as well. The pH should be between 6.5
and 7.5. If the soil is too acidic, mix in ground dolomite or agricultural
lime.
o Transplant each seedling into a large hole. Dig a separate hole for
each seedling. Each hole should be twice as wide as the current
width of your plant, and the depth should be at least as deep as

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the container your seedling currently rests in.

Carefully dig or slide the passion fruit seedling and its root system out of the
container.
Place the root system in the center of the hole, then loosely fill in the rest of the
hole with soil until the plant feels secure.
Handle the roots as little as possible during the transfer. The roots are very
sensitive, and if you damage them during the process, you could destroy the
plant.
o Mulch and fertilize around the plant. Spread pellet chicken
manure or another organic, slow-release fertilizer around the
base of the plant. Also spread an organic mulch, like straw
or wood chips, around the base of the plant.
The entire root system needs access to the fertilizer and mulch. For best
results, gently push or dig some of the cover into the top layer of the soil after
spreading the fertilizer and mulch around the plant's base.
o Water well. Use a watering can or garden hose to gently
water the seedlings after they have been planted. Make sure
that the water is very moist, but do not allow muddy puddles
to form, since this could be an indication that you have
provided more water than the soil can absorb and drain.
b. Daily and Long-Term Care
o Feed regularly. Passion fruit plants are heavy eaters, so you will
need to provide plenty of water and fertilizer throughout the
growing season.
You should apply fertilizer in the spring and once every four weeks
throughout the summer season. A final feeding should also be done in
the mid-autumn. Use organic, slow-release fertilizers that are low in
nitrogen. Chicken manure pellets are a good option.

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By; Shakur Mpuuga

If the area you live in gets plenty of rainfall, you might not need to water
the plant too often. If you are going through a drought, though, or if you
only live in moderately moist conditions, you will need to water the vine
at least once a week. Never allow the surface of the soil to completely dry
out.
o Train the vines. As the vines spread out, you may need to train
them to climb up along your fence, trellis, or other support
structure. The plant will be healthiest if the vines are encouraged
to climb, and a healthy plant will produce the greatest yield.
Training the vines is a fairly simple process once you get the hang of it.
When fresh vines or feelers begin to stretch out, tie the vine around its
base and around the wire of your structure using thin rope or string.
Keep the knot loose to avoid choking the vine.
When the plant is new, lateral branches that come from the main stem
should be nipped off to the level of the wire. The two side branches
coming from the main stem should then be bent around the top wire of
your structure and forces to grow in opposite directions.
Once the side branches are spread apart, lateral branches can develop
from them and hang down loosely.
o Weed around the plants. Since passion fruit plants require so
much food and water, the enriched soil often becomes a target for
unwanted weeds. You need to remove as many of these nearby
weeds as possible so that resources are not being directed away
from the passion fruit plant.
Keep 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm) of space around each side of the vine base
weed-free. Use organic methods of weed removal and do not use
chemicals. Mulch can help prevent weeds from shooting up out of the
ground, and hand-pulling weeds that do sprout is another good option.
The rest of the garden can have other plants and weeds in it, but you

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should keep away plants that could spread disease or attract pests.
Legume plants, in particular, are dangerous to keep around passion fruit
plants.
o Prune as needed. The main reasons for pruning the plant are
simply to keep the vines in check and to provide adequate sunlight
to the lower portions of the plant.
Prune in the spring every second year. Make sure that you do so before
the plant flowers. Pruning after flowering has occurred can weaken the
plant and limit its yield.
Use shears to cut away branches that are below 2 feet (60 cm). Doing so
clears away weak, old growth while also improving air circulation around
the bottom of the plant.
When pruning, make sure that you are not removing a major branch by
following the stem along to its base before you cut it away.
Leave three to five nodes near the base of a branch when you cut it off.
New growth can emerge from the stump this leaves behind.
o Assist in the pollination process, if necessary. Usually, bees will
take care of the pollination process without any additional help
from you. If there are no bees in your area, though, you might need
to do some work yourself.
To hand-pollinate the plants, take a small, clean paintbrush and collect
the pollen from male flowers. Wipe the collected pollen onto female
flowers using the same brush.
You could also touch the anthers and stigmatic surfaces of each flower
with your thumb and index finger as you walk along the rows.
o Protect the passion fruit from pests. You should not use
insecticides until you identify the early stages of a pest problem.
When you do use pesticides, use organic options since chemical

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options can ruin the fruit produced and make it unsafe for
consumption.
The biggest pest-related problems are aphids, vine girders, and
coleopteran beetle larva.
Aphids can usually be discouraged by sprinkling red pepper around the
base of the plant.
Get rid of vine girders by mixing an organic insecticide in a tar base.
Spread this solution around the base of the main stem, and get rid of
damaged vines.
To get rid of beetle larva, you will need to use a systemic insecticide
before the plant goes to flower.
o Protect the plant from disease. There are a handful of diseases you
should try to prevent. When you spot signs of plant disease, you
also need to do what you can to get rid of it and prevent the
disease from spreading.
Passion fruit vines can fall victim to rot and viral diseases.
Cellar rot and root rot must be prevented ahead of time by providing
adequate soil drainage.
You can attempt to treat virus-infected plants with a commercial
solution, but usually, you will need to cut off and burn the affected vines
in order to preserve any of the remaining plants. Passion fruit mottle
virus, passion fruit ringspot virus, and cucumber mosaic virus are your
most common threats.
o Harvest the fruit. It can take a year to a year and a half before your
plant will produce any fruit, but once it does, you can harvest this
fruit and eat it.
Typically, ripe passion fruit will drop from the vine as soon as they are
ready for consumption. The drop itself does not hurt the fruit, but you

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should collect the fruit within a couple of days after it drops to ensure
the best possible quality.
If you have a variety that does not drop its fruit, simply pluck off each
fruit once you notice the skin beginning to wrinkle.

c. Things You'll Need

*Plastic sheeting

*Ripe passion fruit (if collecting seeds) *Top soil

*Mature passion fruit plant (if
collecting cuttings)
*Container for nursery or sand bed
*Knife or garden shears
*Burlap

*Sand
*Compost
*Shovel or trowel
*Organic pellet fertilizer
*Watering can or garden hose

*Trellis or other support

*Small paintbrush (for pollinating)
*Insecticide (as needed)

Easy GrowingIrish Potatoes

Preparation of Seed
Irish potatoes are not grown from seed like most other vegetables. Instead,
pieces from the potato itself start new plants. Home gardeners should purchase
good seed potatoes that are free of disease and chemicals. Do not buy potatoes
from a grocery store for planting.

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The seed potato contains buds or eyes which sprout and grow into plants.
The seed piece provides food for the plant until it develops a root system. Too
small a seed piece produces a weak plant. Large seed potatoes for the spring
crop should be cut into pieces which weigh about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces (about the
size of a medium hen egg). Each seed piece must have at least one good eye (see
figure 4). Cut the seed 5 or 6 days before planting. Hold the cut seed in a wellventilated spot so it can heal over to prevent rotting when planted in cold, wet
or very hot weather. Plants killed by a late spring frost will not come back if the
seed piece is rotten. One pound of seed potatoes will make 9 to 10 seed pieces.
For fall-grown potatoes, most Texas gardeners plant small, uncut potatoes
since they are more resistant to rotting in hot weather than cut potatoes.
Potatoes have a rest period which must be broken before they will sprout. The
rest period is more easily broken in small, mature potatoes. Select mature
potatoes about 1 1/2 inches in diameter for fall planting. To be sure the rest
period is broken, store the small seed potatoes under warm, damp conditions
for 2 weeks before planting by placing them in a shady spot and covering them
with moist burlap bags or mulch. The potatoes should have small sprouts at
planting time.
Seed usually is more available in the spring than in the fall. Many gardeners
choose to buy extra seed in the spring and hold it over for fall planting. To do
this, keep the potatoes in a cool, humid spot such as the bottom of a
refrigerator. Do not save your potato seed more than one year. This can cause
buildup of virus disease which will reduce yield.
Planting
Potatoes should be planted when the soil temperature 4 inches deep reaches
about 50 degrees F, or about 3 weeks before the last spring frost. Potatoes
should be planted in February or early March in most areas of Texas. If planted
too early the tops can be frozen off by spring frost. For a fall crop, plant about
110 days before the first expected frost, or mud-August in most areas. Use a
hoe or stick to open a trench about 3 inches deep down the center of the bed.
Drop seed pieces 10 to 12 inches apart in the trench (see Figure 5). Step on
each seed piece after dropping it to assure good contact with the soil. cover the
seed about 3 inches deep. If covered too deeply, the plants will be slow to break
through the soil and will be more subject to disease and seed decay.
Varieties

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By; Shakur Mpuuga

The most common type of Irish potatoes are red or white. Most red varieties
store longer than white varieties. Most white varieties have better cooking
qualities than red varieties. Many gardeners plant some of each in the spring.
The whites are used first and the reds stored for later use.

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By; Shakur Mpuuga

Easy Growing Watermelons

Watermelons

Farming
By; Shakur Mpuuga

Watermelons are a distinct fruit due to size, inviting colour and juiciness.
Water melons are a popular fruit accompanying lunches, breakfasts and fruit
salads. Water melons require a diligent eye when planting however this is a
simple process as follows:

Source watermelon seeds that are healthy and disease resistant.

Prepare your soil by digging organic matter into it to provide the

conditions watermelons need: a light, sandy, fertile loam soil that is welldrained yet retains moisture.

Plant the water melon seeds after both air and soil temperatures have
reached 65F usually two to three weeks after the last rainfall.

For each plant, dig a hole two feet in diameter and a foot deep, and add at
least a shovelful of compost or well-cured manure and a trowel or two of
bone meal. Following this, prepare a soil hill in which the seeds will be
sown.

Set hardened-off transplants (if transplanting from a nursery) into the

ground at the depth they were growing in their pots.

Allow plenty of space between plants. Cover the spaces between hills with
black plastic sheets (covers) to keep the soil warm.

Water thoroughly with compost tea. Aim for the roots and not the actual
plant to prevent the leaves from being affected by disease.

Apply a thick organic mulch to hold in moisture.

Remove all covers as soon as flowers appear so that bees and other
insects can pollinate the plants, and begin fertilizing with compost tea
every three weeks and should be ready to pick about 3 months later.

The spot where the melon rests on the ground turns greenish-yellow as
the melon reaches maturity.

Watermelons can offer great returns with prices ranging between UGX 3000
and UGX 7000 depending on the size and where one buys from. There is a
growing market for fruits such as watermelon country wide especially in urban
areas. Water melons can be supplied to Fruit vendors, markets, hotels,
supermarkets, canteens.

Easy growing . Cabbages

Farming
By; Shakur Mpuuga

For anyone with some land measuring as little as just an acre and eager to
make quick money, growing cabbages is not a bad idea to try out. Cabbages
may even be grown on hired or borrowed land. With a relatively small amount
of money to invest, it is possible to reap big profits. Cabbages in Uganda
generally grow fast because of the favourable climate and naturally fertile soils.
We have three common types of cabbages in the country: Gloria, Copenhagen
and Drum Head and all of them may be grown and harvested within just four
months or less.

The farmer will however need to understand a few facts about each type of
cabbage before deciding which one to grow. It is also good to know why he or
she wants to grow the cabbages. If the reason is solely to have cabbages for
personal consumption in a household setting, then it might not matter so
much whether the cabbages are compact or heavy.
The weight, compactness and shelf life after harvest seem to be more important
to a farmer growing cabbages for sale.
Henry Kawesa, Training and Youths Co-ordinator at Kamenyamiggo District
Agriculture Training and Information Centre (DATIC) in Masaka District, has
been teaching farming skills to young people for a long time. He says cabbages
require plenty of water to grow well. It is important to plant the seedlings at the
beginning of the rain season unless there is a provision for irrigation.
Gloria is the most tolerant to poor rainfall conditions of the three types of
cabbages and it may be ready for harvesting in about one hundred days after
planting, Kawesa says. It makes a characteristic sound when a slight tap is
made on it as an indication that it is mature and compact, which makes it
preferable to most buyers because they perceive it to give them value for money.
Gloria cabbages are normally heavy, each one weighing an average of two and
half kilograms. Since some schools and hotels buy them in kilograms, they are
not a bad choice to grow for someone doing business with such institutions.
Their other advantage is that, since they are compact, they may not take up so
much vehicle space during transportation. For a farmer intending to make his

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or her own cabbage nursery, a fact to bear in mind is that a seed packet for
Gloria cabbages costs around Shs10,000 compared to about Shs4000 for that
of Copenhagen or Drum Head cabbages.

Kawesa says that Copenhagen takes a shorter time to grow, being ready for
harvesting within about 70 days after planting. Like Gloria, it has a compact
head and is about the same average weight but it has a disadvantage of its
head bursting rather easily on the farm if not harvested in time. Its leaves also
wither quite fast after harvest a big drawback to most market vendors.
Copenhagen, like Drum Head, requires constant rainfall and any rain
shortages will reduce yields.
The Drum Head, Kawesa says, takes longest to be ready for harvesting. It takes
as long as 120 days or 150 days to harvest after planting. Given that it requires
plenty of rainfall to sustain a good crop of Drum Head, the farmer must strictly
plant at the beginning of the rain season. If the rain is insufficient the head is
likely to be rather hollow and soft and thus affects the weight.
However no farmer should be so lazy as not to water his cabbage crop
especially if his farm is located not too far from a water source, he says.
Modern and affordable rain water harvesting and irrigation systems are now
in place a topic for another day which can make cabbage farming
successful no matter what variety a farmer may choose to grow, rain or no rain.
The advantage of growing cabbages during the dry season, for farmers who can
afford irrigation, is that the farmer will get better prices since cabbages are
scarce during this time, which makes demand for them very high.
A cabbage farmer may have to contend with pests and diseases that attack the
crop. The common disease, Damping-off, is normally controlled by the farmer
spraying the cabbage seedlings when still in the nursery with such fungicides
as Indofil, Mancozeb and Greenzeb obtainable in most agro-shops. Other
herbicides which are more effective are: DithaneM-45 and Victory.
Some people use a mixture of cattle urine and hot pepper and ash to fight the

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pests. Other diseases that may attack cabbages include Downy Mildew which
appears in brown patches on the cabbage leaves; Dry Rot, a fungal disease,
which is normally prevented by quickly getting rid of the crop residues after
harvesting. It is always advisable for the farmer to be in regular collaboration
with the area agricultural extensions services provider for guidance on how to
go about fighting whatever diseases and pests may come up.
A cabbage nursery bed, according to Kawesa, is supposed to be in a shade and
should have no hard pieces of soil. It is advisable to mix a bit of organic
manure in the fine soil and then let it settle for two or three weeks before
planting the seeds. The seeds should be gently cast over the soil and then
lightly covered with more soil and left under the shade until the seeds
germinate after some 10 or more days.
As the seedlings grow, they should gradually be exposed to sunlight. The
watering of the garden should also gradually be reduced to prepare the
seedlings for the rough conditions of the vegetable field under direct sunlight.
However as the seedlings mature and get to about two or three inches they may
be generously watered so that the soil gets soft to allow gentle and smooth
uprooting of the seedlings for onward transplantation on the garden or farm.
If the soil is not fertile enough, a farmer is advised to apply some organic
manure at the time of planting. One or two handfuls of compost or animal
manure placed in a hole, some 10cm deep, just before planting should be
enough to sustain the cabbage plant throughout the growing season.
Agriculturalists advise spacing of two by two feet (2ftx2ft) in the case of Gloria;
2.5 feet by one and half feet in the case of Copenhagen variety and three by 2
feet for Drum Head. On an acre a farmer may grow as many as 11,000
cabbages. Even if the farmer sold each harvested cabbage at a minimum price
of Shs400, it would translate into Shs440,000. Its a good return on investment
and a sufficient reason for the farmer to smile.

Farming
By; Shakur Mpuuga

Easy Growing. Tomatoes.

This has 8 Parts: Preparing, Setting up planting plot, Placing Transplants,
Watering, Using Stakes and Cages, Fertilizing, Fruiting,
Are you learning to grow your own sweet, juicy tomatoes? Luckily for you,
tomato plants can grow almost anywhere, that is warm and a little damp. But
as with most vegetation that produce a fruit, a little "tender, loving care" or TLC
goes a long way. With adequate sunlight, water, and patience, you'll be greatly
rewarded with a six foot tall tomato plant with big (or cherry size), red, or other
heirloom colours, juicy tomatoes! Tomatoes take a long time to grow so you
must have great patience. That's all you need to do to get your tomato plant
growing. Have fun growing!
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Part 1 of 9: Preparing for Planting
Buy small tomato plants from a nearby nursery and transplant them
to your garden for the first-time grower. More experienced growers will
find it easy enough to start their own tomatoes from seed.
Begin to raise your own plants, if you wish, from seed, in a
greenhouse or sunny window indoors about a month before you
intend to set them out in the garden.
Use fluorescent lights or other lighting hanging a couple inches
(5cm) above the planting flat and keep raising it as the plants grow-in a not well lighted room. Raise these plants until they are about 6 to
10 inches tall (15 to 25cm) and then transplant them when spring
weather is appropriate for your zone.

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o Don't pay extra to buy the larger plants; there is not much reason,
unless you are getting a "latish" start, to catch up.
Get good first-time growers varieties including Better Boy, Creole,
Big Boy, Early Girl, Brandy Wine, Celebrity, Lemon Boy, or just about
any cherry or grape tomato variety. ~ Plant several varieties rather
than all of one type -- this ensures a steady harvest.
Grow two plants for each member of the family who will eat lots of
tomatoes, as a rule of thumb. If you plan on canning tomatoes or
making fresh and canned salsa, use up to four plants per person.
o Plants usually cost US $4 for one 8 inch (20cm) pot, or you can
buy 6 small plants in 6 plant packs of 1 & 1/4 inch (3cm)
compartmental trays.
Part 2 of 9: Setting Up a Planting Plot
Choose a sunny spot to place the plants to transplant them. Place
tomato plants in a site receiving full sun (7 hours or more daily).
Tomatoes need lots of warm sunshine for optimum taste.
o Caveat: In hot climates when the nights get to a low temperature of
about 75F (24C), then most tomatoes "quit setting new fruit". The
ones already set will grow great. But none will set when nights are
very warm through the wee hours really near sunrise.
o Don't wait more than a few days late to put them out past the
recommended dates for your climate zone, or it may be too late (if
there are such early warm/hot weather nights).
Prepare the garden bed by adding lots of well rotted--not green-compost (5 to 8 pounds per square foot/25 to 40 kilograms per
square meter) to the soil. Turn compost into the top 3 inches (6 to 8
cm). Tomatoes demand a growing medium rich in organic matter. If you
don't make your own compost, use store-bought compost or composted
manure available in the 40-pound bags. Compost or Manure is usually
less than US $5 per 40-pound bag.

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Part 3 of 9: Placing Transplants

Transplant the tomato deeply. Bury about 50 to 75% of the plant
(especially for leggy plants, that became skinny in raising them before
transplanting). Its okay to bury some of its lower leaves. New roots will
emerge along the buried stem, giving the plant a developmental boost; a
new transplant needs to focus on root production.
Give each plant about 1 gallon (about 4 litres) of warm water (about
80 degrees F/ 27 degrees C) within ten minutes of transplanting to
avoid transplant shock.
Space tomato plants 18 to 36 inches (45 to 90 cm) apart; space
them half the suggested distance in warmer climates, especially if
using tomato cages. The normal distance recommended is for plants
allowed to bush out hugely on the ground, while planting closer together
in cages allows the plants to shade each others fruit, helping prevent
burn and allowing a sweeter flavor.
o Don't forget to leave yourself enough space to get in between the
plants to water, weed, and harvest. Those cute, little seedlings may
not remain that way for long.
Part 4 of 9: Watering
Water in the first 7 to 10 days after transplanting at about 16
ounces (about 500 ml) of warm water per plant every day.
Wait a week or two after transplanting, and then place a mulch of
straw, dried grass, or pine needles to control weeds and keep the soil
moist during dry weather. The mulch should be about an inch (2.5 cm)
thick and surround at least a circle 12 inches (about 30 cm) in diameter
around the stem. Pine needles are especially good for helping raise the
acidity of the soil.
o Caution: Do 'not keep the soil continuously wet or "soggy". That
will kill (smother) the roots and will cause a stem disease (fungus)
especially once it is really warm/or hot weather.

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Drip or soaker hose watering is better than overhead, which can

encourage diseases that tomatoes are particularly prone to.
Space water out more after 10 days and ensure that plants are
receiving 1 to 3 inches (2.5 cm to 7.6 cm) of rain weekly. If not, give
each plant about 2 gallons (about 7.5 litres) per plant "per week",
beginning by about the end of the second week after transplanting.
o Water deeply 2 to 3 times weekly (so, water each plant with about .
75 to 1 gallon each time (about 3 to 4 litres), increase water as the
plants get larger and when weather is hotter.
o It's okay in hot or dry weather to water even more frequently with
larger volumes.
Part 5 of 9: Using Stakes and Cages
Consider using a tomato cage or a tall stake to support the tomato
vine about 14 days after transplanting.
o A stake should be at least 0.5 x 2 inches (1.3 x 5cm) boards and 6
to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) long. Pound stakes about 12 to 24
inches (30 cm to 60 cm) deep, at least 2 inches (5 cm) away from
the plant. Secure the plant to the stake using "loosely knotted
double-loops" that won't strangle the plant. Stakes can be made of
bamboo, scrap wood, electrical conduit, or iron bar.
o While it is less common, "vining" type tomato plants can be tied
onto a trellis or fence, like grapes, beans, squash, and other vining
plants. This can produce especially large yields, but vining is less
popular because tomato plants grow so large and bulky (some are
called "indeterminate" but are not vines, and the third kind are
"determinate" type are shrub-like plants).
o A determinate tomato plant grows to a certain (determined), limited
size and then stops or at least slows its growth greatly. An
indeterminate plant keeps growing and spreading out.
o A cage should be at least 48 inches (1.2 m) tall, even taller if you
grow the plant well. Tying plants is unneeded. Some tomato plants
can be more than six feet (1.8 m) tall in cages (you may need to
stake and tie the cage to the stakes). Cages have a tendency to

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bend if the plants get heavy, and sometimes collapse in summer

storms. Carefully pull leaves and secondary stems inside the cage
as the plant grows. Some cages cost less than USD $4 each.
Make your own tomato cages, if you like. Get a roll of 4 feet height
(1.25 M) "welded-wire" garden fencing 2" X 4" rectangular openings (5cm
X 10cm) garden fencing with -- or 4" square openings (10cm) -- and soon
you can make it double height, tied to more stakes, so wind will not
knock them over as plants climb. Roll it into 18 inch wide (45cm)
cylinders to make your own, larger cages. Cut and bend the wire ends
around the uncut wires on the opposite end, making a circle. This type of
cage needs strong stakes well tied for support.
Part 6 of 9: Fertilizing
Choose whether to use chemical fertilizers. Do not use lawn fertilizer.
The ratio of minerals in lawn fertilizer is for growing stems and leaves.
Look for a vegetable fertilizer which is for stimulating fruit. Tomatoes can
grow very well organically, provided the soil is well enriched with organic
matter. If you do use chemical fertilizers, try using half the recommended
concentration per gallon (using package directions), but fertilize twice as
often, in order to avoid the stress caused by the feast-famine of the longer
fertilization gaps.
o Over-fertilization can cause plants to grow too quickly, leaving
them more susceptible to disease and insects.
o Remember that your goal in growing tomatoes is fruit, not just
leaves. Fertilizers, especially when used in excess, or the wrong
kind may cause the plant to produce more leaves and foliage than
fruit.
Shake your plant poles or cages gently once or twice each week for
about 5 seconds once flowering begins to promote pollination of the
blossoms (from one flower to another). According to the National
Gardening Association, shaking the tomato plant increases fruit
production by more evenly distributing pollen.

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By; Shakur Mpuuga

Part 7 of 9: Dealing with Fruiting

Watch for fruit to appear 45 to 90 (about 60) days after
transplanting. Tomato plants usually have small, green fruit to start.
Wait until the fruit is of good size with a bright, deep coloring: This
means that the fruit is ripe and ready to pick. The texture of the fruit can
also determine when it is ready to pick. Ripeness is usually determined
by a slight softness. Be careful to only "palm the tomatoes"; do not
squeeze with the finger tips and bruise the fruit.
o Also, be careful of not allowing it to become overly ripe, which
results in a very soft tomato.
o Realize that birds, possums, raccoons and some dogs will take
ripened tomatoes, corn and sweet green peppers, etc.
Pick fruit earlier to ripen indoors if you like: Fruit may be picked any
time after it starts changing to its ripe color and set on a sunny
windowsill. This will reduce the chances of it rotting on the vine or being
eaten by a bird or squirrel.
o Tomatoes do, however, taste sweeter when ripened on the vine, so
you need to balance risk of threats versus taste.

Easy Growing.. Green Peppers

Growing green peppers can be an ideal option for any would-be gardener. With
a little hard work and care, you can nurture pepper plants into producing
vibrant and hearty green vegetables that will rival any you can find in the
grocery store or farmer's market. Because the plants require care to flourish,
knowing how to grow green peppers properly is vital to your success as a
pepper gardener.
Select a variety of green pepper that grows well in the area you live.
There are a number of different types of green pepper plants available on
the market, some more tolerant of heat or cold than others, so you will

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By; Shakur Mpuuga

need to choose a variety that fits best with your climate. Check the seed's
packaging for an indication of what regions they will do best in, or ask a
gardener or sales associate for help. You can also research which
varieties do well in your area online.
Plant green pepper seeds indoors. Start the seeds approximately 7 to
10 weeks before you're ready to plant them outside. Germination mats
are a great option for planting peppers in, as they will keep the seeds
warmer and damper than standard planters.

Keep the seed pouches in a location that is consistently warm. Water

them only when the soil is dry to your touch. If possible, place the seeds
under a heat lamp to help the seeds achieve a constant temperature of
80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) while they remain indoors,
which will help them grow faster.
Dig a trench. Aim to plant the young pepper plants approximately 7
inches (17.8 cm), and space them roughly 18 to 24 inches (45.7 to 61.0
cm) apart. The ideal location to plant will be in full sun with rich, aerated
soil.
Transplant your peppers in the trench. Try to do this 2 to 3 weeks
after the last spring frost in your area. The outside temperature and soil
should consistently be no less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees
Celsius). If you are buying semi-mature green pepper plants from your
local nursery, this is also the ideal time put them in your garden.
Cover the roots of the pepper plant. Use an even mixture of dirt
unearthed from the trench and compost, which will provide vital
nutrients to the growing plants.

Farming
By; Shakur Mpuuga

Water the green pepper plants regularly. The soil should be moist and
warm at all times to encourage the plants to blossom and grow.
Cover the plants with a row cover. Do this if temperatures drop below
65 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius) during any evenings. The row
covers protect the sensitive blooms and keep the plants warm.
Allow the peppers to grow to a minimum of 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to
10.2 cm) before picking. This takes approximately 50 to 70 days from
the time of transplanting, depending on variety of pepper.