by Jennifer Poindexter
There are many varieties of tomatoes . When you grow one variety show , you might assume you may get them all . However , there might be one potpourri you are n’t familiar with . Have you get a line of , or essay , a pineapple love apple ?
This is a low - pane tomato plant which throng a sweeter taste . It ’s also a vibrant tomato plant boasting unique colors on the inside and outside of its fruit . If you ’re interested in growing this type of tomato , you ’re in the right situation . I ’m going to walk you through all you must hump to grow healthy pineapple tomatoes .
Here ’s how you’re able to plant , like for , protect , and harvest a pineapple tomato plant in your dwelling house garden .
Growing Conditions for the Pineapple Tomato Plant
Pineapple tomatoes have exchangeable uprise conditions to other assortment of tomatoes . This plant life is an annual which can grow in planting zones two through twelve .
They prefer ardent weather and should be plant when the temperatures are 70 - degrees Fahrenheit or warmer .
Once you acknowledge the weather is warm enough to institute , you must insure your growing country will put up the tomato plant sufficiently .
Pineapple tomatoes demand well - draining territory . They wo n’t thrive if grown in systematically wet precondition . The grease should also be nutritious dense as these Lycopersicon esculentum are heavy tributary .
When the filth is right , you must also consider the light . Lycopersicon esculentum love sunshine . Therefore , Ananas comosus tomatoes should be planted where they receive full sunlight . This equates to just about six hours of sun per mean solar day or more .
Provide the right grime , sunlight , and temperature to get levelheaded and happy Lycopersicon esculentum plants in your garden .
How to Plant a Pineapple Tomato
Growing pineapple tomatoes is standardized to starting any plant life from seed . Start the source two months indoors , before the net frost date .
Place two cum in each prison cell of a grow tray . This is to ensure if one seminal fluid does n’t evolve , you have a substitute .
Plant the seeds ¼ in deep in the soil within the grow tray . Keep the ejaculate around 75 - degrees Fahrenheit and the soil moist .
obscure the soil with a spray bottle to keep it consistently damp without overtake your uprise set - up .
It ’s also a good estimation to wrap your maturate tray in plastic wrap . This create a greenhouse setting for your plant and will help retain moisture . Provide adequate ignition as well .
You should expect the seeds to develop in one to two weeks .
When all menace of frost is over , and the soil temperature is at least 70 - degrees Fahrenheit , you could prepare to move your seedling alfresco .
The seedlings should have two set of leaves and be hardened off for a week before transplant out of doors .
you may plant pineapple Lycopersicon esculentum in container , in raised beds , or in a typical inground garden plot . If plant in a container , you should only grade one tomato flora per planter .
If planting pineapple tomatoes in a seam , get out two feet of space between each industrial plant to secure they have an enough amount of growing room .
During transplanting , dig a hole deep enough to sustain the plant ’s etymon system . Place the plant life in the designated hole , cover the hollow with soil , and press steadfastly around the radical of the tomato to keep air from hit the roots .
Be certain to void planting pineapple Lycopersicon esculentum near lettuce or other Lycopersicon esculentum variety as they appeal some of the same pests . However , they can be planted near carrot and onions .
Now that your tomatoes are in their lasting growing placement , it ’s fourth dimension to get word how to properly care for these flora .
Caring for a Pineapple Tomato Plant
When grow ananas tomato plant , there are some basic things you must do to insure your plants grow to be as healthy as potential .
The first thing to do is mulch around the understructure of the plant . By doing this it helps to retain moisture and suppress widow’s weeds growing around your tomato .
Next , you should water your tomato plants deep . This means you apply weewee for recollective period of meter but for fewer day of the workweek .
This allows for the roots to meet an equal amount of water during the initial app . However , as the days progress with no H2O , the roots will grok deeply into the land to retrieve water from the basis around it .
In turn , this develop healthier and strong plant . Another affair you must do to handle for these plants properly is to fertilise them one time per calendar month .
As stated earlier , ananas Lycopersicon esculentum are heavy feeders . By providing the nutrient they need , you ’re encouraging them to thrive under your tending . Be sure to use a balanced fertiliser .
This will encourage profuse plant and fruit . If the nutrients become imbalanced , you could end up with gorgeous foliage but no fruit .
The final step in caring for pineapple plant tomato is to cage in them . This is an undetermined potpourri of tomato .
Therefore , you wo n’t know how tall the plants will become . By staking or caging the tomatoes , you’re able to allow for financial support to keep the plant from breaking .
You may also reckon rationalise the tomatoes . Once they reach the top of your cage or stake , cut any foliage above a selected group of fruit .
guarantee you leave enough foliage to supply ghost for the remaining fruit . Since the industrial plant is indeterminate , it should grow back fuller and sizable . Keep in judgement , once you start prune , it will be an on - going cognitive operation .
These are the necessities a ananas tomato has . Be aware of these plant , and they should produce well in your care .
Pests and Diseases That Impact Pineapple Tomatoes
regrettably , pineapple tomatoes have a variety of enemies in most garden space . The disease which touch this plant life the most are typically fungal issues .
These tomatoes are susceptible to root hogwash and cast . If you think your plant has root rot , you should dig the entire ancestor organization up .
By examining the roots , you should see whether they ’re , in fact , rotting or not . If they are , you need to pick a new growing location . This occurs in areas where the soil does n’t drain properly . Ensure the new fix has well - drain dirt .
If you see signaling of mould , slay any impacted parts of the plant . You should reduce the amount of piddle being supply and increase the air flow around each plant as well .
The other disease which impact pineapple tomato is damping off . This most oft touch on seedlings .
Once the seedling have contracted this fungal disease , there is no way to keep open them . nullify this disease by starting semen in well - draining soil .
Avoid overwatering by misting the plants with a spray bottle . you may also splosh the soil with cinnamon bark . It has natural anti - fungous property which might aid keep the disease at bay .
Also , keep the seeds near a calorie-free source that ’s close enough to warm the soil . If you have cold-blooded , saturated stain , you ’re providing proper uprise conditions for fungous topic .
Now that you cognise which disease can touch your tomato plant , it ’s sentence to talk about which cuss can play mayhem , too .
The most common pestilence to impact pineapple tomato are nematodes and cutworm . nematode live in the grease of your garden . you’re able to treat them with an insect powder or of course drive them out of your garden by planting marigold around your tomato plants .
cutworm do exactly as their name suggests . They cut through the stems of your plant . If you see signs of this around your tomato , treat them with an insect powder as well .
remain alert to these threats by walking through your garden each evening or morning . This is the clock time when pests are most active , and you should be able to get issues before they do grave damage to your crops .
How to Harvest a Pineapple Tomato
You have made it through the most difficult parts of gardening . This include growing , caring for , and protect your plants .
Now , you get to love the fun part ! Harvesting is a time when you receive the welfare of your heavy work .
Pineapple tomatoes will make you waitress to reach this point , though . This is a late time of year variety of tomato .
Therefore , it could take three or more month to receive yield from these plants . You ’ll know the fruit is ready when the tomato arrive at their right people of colour .
Typically , pineapple plant tomato are chicken or red with orange stripes . They are a heavy beefsteak form and could count up to two pounds .
Along with producing a sweet tang , the interior of these tomatoes amount in an array of color which cast from red , orange , pink , or yellow . It ’s quite a unequaled tomato plant .
When the size and colors twin what I ’ve described here , it ’s time to cut the tomatoes from the vine . It ’s best to expend pair of scissors to crop the bow away from the plant as this keep off causing damage .
Once harvest , you could store the Lycopersicon esculentum at room temperature or in your icebox . If store in the icebox , be sure to set the tomatoes on the counter for a few hour prior to apply .
This will allow the juices to begin moving through the tomato plant again and develop the fruity smell most hoi polloi bonk about this diversity .
When done with the tomatoes , you may slice the spear carrier open and remove the seeds . Dry the seeds on a composition towel in the sun or in a dehydrator . This will give you more seeds to embed for next year ’s garden .
These are my tips for harvest home and saving seed for a pineapple love apple . If you sleep with these tomato plant , salt away seeds is an splendid means to keep the harvest going from yr to year .
Hopefully , these backsheesh will animate you and help you through many of the challenges nurseryman confront when turn this variety of tomato .
LearnMore About Growing Pineapple Tomatoes
https://extension.umn.edu/vegetables/growing-tomatoes
https://extension.unh.edu/resource/growing-vegetables-tomatoes-fact-sheet-1
https://extension.psu.edu/tomato-production
