One recurring query I receive is regarding the probable health benefits or nutritional content of the edibles being grown. The health benefits of tomato consumption are also multi-faceted. From improving eye health to strengthening the bones through a combination of different vitamins, tomatoes are an essential component of a healthy diet across age groups.

With negligible calories and fat content, tomatoes are a very good source of vitamins, especially vitamins A, B, C, E and K. They are also a recommended source of calcium, potassium, folate and beta-carotene as well.

Antioxidants such as lycopene further enhance the health benefits associated with tomato consumption. Studies have shown that lycopene can protect tomatoes from ultraviolet rays of the sun and their consumption shields their consumers as well. Other antioxidants in tomatoes also work as a counter against diseases that can afflict various organs, especially in the respiratory and digestive systems.

Tomato consumption can also help lower or manage cholesterol level and reduce the risk of hypertension. They also improve the overall health of the heart. From gum diseases to cancers and everything in between, tomatoes have a very positive and impactful part to play in containing the different health parameters within desired limits.

When shifting individual tomato saplings to their permanent location, the trick is to sow them as deep down into the pot or the ground as possible

SAPLINGS INTO PLANTS

The column last week laid out how to individually shift the seedlings of the tomato plants from seedling trays, cups or small pots to a new place. It also underscored the importance of adding Epsom salt to the seedlings and to place them in direct sunlight, to ensure that they stay strong and do not become lanky with weaker stems.

Now, let’s focus on how to ensure these seedlings turn into productive tomato plants. Once the individual seedlings have been moved to a new location, they need a fortnightly supply of any nitrogen-based fertiliser. The nitrogen supply will ensure quick and better growth of foliage. The plant will grow more leaves and branches, which is a fundamental requirement at this stage of the plant life cycle.

To meet the nitrogen requirements, natural fertilisers such as decomposed chicken manure tea, vermicompost tea, compost tea or cow manure tea can be used, as these are quickly absorbed through the soil and are readily available for the growing seedling. Gradually, the roots will continue to increase and will fully occupy the small four-inch pot in which the seedling was newly shifted.

The roots will start to come out of the pot’s drainage hole beneath. By now, the tomato sapling should have grown many leaves and branches. It is likely to be around 10 to 12 inches. At this stage, with more leaves growing, the sapling needs to be shifted to its new and permanent location.

It is always better to grow the plant in an open area. Those constrained for ground space can also grow the plant in at least a 10-inch container. It is better to plant it in an even bigger-sized container.

In open space, the distance between each plant should be at least one foot on either side. Keeping this distance between the plants would ensure enough root-growing space, ample sunlight exposure, aeration between the leaves, and decreased susceptibility to pest attacks and plant infections.

There is a trick when transplanting the sapling to its permanent position, which many gardeners do not know. Whether the sapling is being shifted to open ground or within a pot, the trick is to place and grow it as deep down into the pot or the ground as possible. Leaving just two or four of the upper-most true leaves, all other leaves should be removed, as most of the stem part will go beneath the soil surface, into the ground. The advantage of this gardening technique is that many roots will come out of this part of the buried stem, making the plant stronger in the long run.

The trichomes or hair-like projections are present all over the tomato plants, especially on the stem. Those trichomes, which have gone beneath the soil surface, will support the newly growing roots and help in their development. Otherwise, trichomes protect the plant from pests, insects and other outside invaders, working as a defence mechanism for the tomato plant.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, February 16th, 2025