Bitter tomatoes are a type of vegetable that is used for many purposes such as vegetables, medicine, etc. This crop thrives in areas with different temperatures in Tanzania.
This crop thrives well in temperate climates with moderate temperatures ranging from 25 ° C to 35 ° C, it prefers well-drained and fertile soil. If you will be able to use manure and compost or natural fertilizers together with industrial fertilizers, then bitter tomatoes grow very well.
There are two main types of bitter tomatoes, hot-loving bitter tomatoes and warm-cold bitter tomatoes. Both species are cultivated in Tanzania.
Bitter tomato seeds are prepared in the nursery first before being sent to the field. The following are instructions for preparing bitter tomato nursery.
- Choose an area to start the nursery in areas with easy access to water.
- Raise the nursery soil to a height of 20 cm and a width of 1 meter and any height. Crush large lumps of soil to get smooth soil.
- Put well-rotted natural compost, mix one big bucket of 20 liters of compost for an area of 1 meter by 1 meter (1 m2). So if your nursery embankment is 5 meters long and 1 meter wide, you will put 5 buckets of natural fertilizers.
- If it is summer, water your embankment for 3 days in a row until the soil is well mixed.
After your embankment is well wet, the next day do not pour water but do not sow the seeds. The following are instructions on how to sow the seeds correctly.
- Make trenches with a depth of 2 cm to cut the embankment, the space between one trench and another is 15 cm or half a ruler.
- Plant your seeds in the trenches, then cover with soft soil.
- Place grass mulch over the embankment to block direct sunlight and water droplets.
- Water your nursery on the lawn in the morning and evening every day. But it is recommended to water your nursery in the evening.
- Bitter tomato seeds germinate after 10 to 14 days from sowing. After the seeds have germinated, apply grass mulch and then place the mulch between the rows of seedlings.
- Make a shade of grass mulch over the one meter tall nursery, the shade of grass must be at least slightly translucent to allow light to reach the seedlings.
Seedlings are ready to be transferred to the field after one month to one and a half months since the seeds germinate. The space for transplanting bitter tomatoes is 1 meter by 1 meter (ie 1 meter stem to stem and 1 meter row to row)
Before transplanting the seedlings, dig holes of a moderate size, put well-rotted manure as much as one hand full, and then cover the soil. After covering the soil, transplant your seedling, one seedling in each hole. If it is summer, transplant in the evening, after transplanting, water well.
Vegetables, including bitter tomatoes, do not like weeds in the field, so make sure you weed all the time to ensure weeds do not affect the plant's well-being.
Manage various diseases and insects that affect this crop, using various drugs and the use of various fertilizers to fertilize the plants when necessary such as salt fertilizers (UREA, NPK, CAN etc.) or water fertilizers (BOOSTER).
Important *
Various diseases and insects that affect this crop I will add in the next period, keep visiting this blog to get many good things that will build you.
Bitter tomatoes are ready to harvest within 90 to 120 days from transplanting. Depending on market demand, bitter tomatoes can be harvested 1 or 2 times a week. The harvest of bitter tomatoes can last up to six months if you take good care of your plants. Bitter tomato fruits should be harvested before they change color from white to pale yellow. Bitter tomato fruits should be harvested in a good order to increase production.
Harvested bitter tomato fruits should be used within one week of harvesting. Also these bitter tomato fruits can be processed into flour. To process bitter tomatoes into powder follow the following steps;
- Choose the best bitter tomatoes and wash them in water
- Cut the bitter tomatoes into small pieces, then spread the pieces on a clean mat or canvas
- Bake those pieces of bitter tomatoes in the sun until they dry.
- After the pieces dry well, grind them using a mill or a hand machine until they become powder.
- Store the dough in a clean, airtight container.
- You can use the flour on beans, nuts, meat and other vegetables, the vegetables put in this bitter tomato flour are very sweet and have enough nutrients. ................................................ ..............................