Sunday, July 3, 2022

Growing tomatoes in high wind areas.

 The tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum) is delicate and is well known for not liking high winds or coastal sites. However I grew them successfully when I lived in on a hilltop by the sea that got regular hurricane force winds, over 100 km almost daily, sometimes with salt spray from the sea about half a kilometer away.

I grew varieties that normally require staking but just let them sprawl on the ground, I didn't stake them. Due to surrounding grass around 20 cm high the wind went over the top of them. Most of the tomatoes were still held a few cm off of the ground by the stems so did not rot, though some touching the ground did rot.

I also grew tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa), which grows a little taller without support, in holes, the wind went over the top of them in the same way.