Rejuvenating old tomato plants

摘要

Keeping tomato plants young by removing old roots and allowing new ones to grow is a method which allows continuous production for several years. The system works but since commercial trials began some years ago cultivation techniques have been modified to lessen plant stress and bring about labour saving aspects. By rejuvenating the root system it is possible to use the same tomato plants for several years in succession. After one year and three months plants at a nursery in Rilland the Netherlandsare still going strong. "The plants are extremely sturdy and perform well," says Bas Eilander, manager of vine tomato growers Agrocare, who is supervising a trial on continuous production. However, the aim, which was to harvest the same amount of tomatoes as with intercropping between the rows all year round, has not yet been achieved. "And it's a drama as far as labour goes," he says.