Growing Tomatoes

By Mario Ritter
Broadcast: August 25, 2003
This is Bill White with the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
Plant scientists consider them fruit. Most other people think of them as vegetables. Whatever you call tomatoes, there are many different kinds of this popular and healthy food.
Each plant can produce about four to seven kilograms¹ of fruit. Growers can harvest a big crop with little space. Full plants with fruit take about eighty days to grow from seed. Cold weather can damage young plants, so they are often grown inside for four to six weeks.
A tomato plant can grow several thick 1)stems³ from its base. Only two or three stems should be kept. From the stems come smaller growths⁴ called suckers. New suckers that grow between the stems should be removed. There should be a full meter between plants with three stems, a little less for plants with two stems.
There are two general groups of plants. Small tomato plants grow to about one meter. They can be planted rather close together. Some short kinds do not require special care and are often harvested by machines.
Large tomato plants can grow over two meters tall. They also provide larger fruit. These plants need support. One method uses wires run along both sides of a row of plants. The wires help hold the suckers and fruit. The wiring is secured⁵ to strong posts on either side of the row. The wires are raised as the plants and fruit grow.
People who grow only a few plants can place wire 2)cages around each one. The cage can be made of wire fence⁶ material. The cage helps the plant grow taller and produce a bigger crop.
Tomatoes often need extra 3)calcium⁷, or the fruit may be ruined. Adding lime⁸ to the soil can prevent this problem.
Dry conditions may also ruin fruit. Tomatoes need water regularly⁹. The soil should never dry out completely¹⁰. Dried grass or leaves placed around the plant can help keep the soil wet and control unwanted plants.
Tomatoes are native to South America. The tomato is a member of the potato family. Like its relatives, the leaves of the plant are poisonous. Before the middle of the eighteen-hundreds, people only grew tomatoes as pretty plants. They called the bright red fruit a "love apple," but would not eat it.
The North Carolina State University Web¹¹ site has more about growing tomatoes. The address is www.ces.ncsu.edu. You can also find a link on our site, voaspecialenglish.com.
This VOA Special English Agriculture Report was written by Mario Ritter. This is Bill White.

注释：
1) stem² [stem] n.茎，干
2) cage [keidV] n.笼，槛
3) calcium [5kAlsiEm] n.（化）钙（元素符号Ca）

1 kilograms   

n.千克( kilogram的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• 2 kilograms of rice 2公斤大米
• Every tonne of coal contains,on average,30 kilograms of nitrogen. 每吨煤平均含30公斤氮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 stem   

n.茎，干，船首，词干，血统；vt.堵住，阻止，抽去梗；vi.起源于，发生

参考例句：

• Cut the stem cleanly,just beneath a leaf joint.把茎切整齐点，正好切在叶根下。
• The ship was in a blaze from stem to stern.整艘船从头到尾都着火了。

3 stems   

n.（花草的）茎( stem的名词复数 )；词干；（高脚酒杯的）脚；烟斗柄v.遏制[阻止]（液体的流动等）( stem的第三人称单数 )；封堵；遏止

参考例句：

• The present wave of strikes stems from discontent among the lower-paid. 当前的罢工浪潮起因于低工资雇员们的不满情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her interest in flowers stems from her childhood in the country. 她对花卉的兴趣产生于她在乡下度过的童年时代。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 growths   

n.生长( growth的名词复数 )；增加；生长物；经济增长

参考例句：

• Nails are thin horny growths at the ends of the fingers. 指甲是生长在手指头尖端的细薄角质物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Crown galls are cancerous growths composed of disorganized and proliferating plant cells. 冠瘿是无组织的正在不断增殖的植物细胞所组成的癌状物。 来自辞典例句

5 secured   

adj. 无虑的, 安心的, 安全的 adj. 牢靠的, 稳妥的 vt. 固定, 获得, 使...安全 vi. (海上工作人员)停止工作 vi. (船)抛锚, 停泊

参考例句：

• He secured the appointment of professor of English literature in the university. 他获聘为该大学的英国文学教授。
• By strengthening the embankments they secured the village from floods. 他们加固河堤让村子免受洪水之灾。

6 fence   

n.围墙，剑术；v.用篱笆围住，练习剑术，防护；[计算机]栅栏

参考例句：

• They put a fence around the garden.他们在园子的周围建起了篱笆。
• The thief jumped himself over a fence and escaped.贼纵身跃过篱笆逃走了。

7 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

8 lime   

n.石灰，酸橙，酸橙树，粘鸟胶，钙；vt.施石灰，涂上粘性物质，沾上粘鸟胶

参考例句：

• Lime exists in many soils.许多土壤中都含有石灰。
• A broad avenue of lime trees led up to a grand entrance with huge oak doors.一条栽有酸橙树的宽阔林阴道通向巨大的橡木门的雄伟入口。

9 regularly   

adv.有规则地，一丝不苟地，正式地

参考例句：

• Check the engine oil level regularly.要时常检查机油量。
• We meet regularly to discuss business.我们定期会面讨论事务。

10 completely   

adv.完全地，十分地，全然

参考例句：

• She never completely gave up hope.她从不完全放弃希望。
• I feel completely in the dark on this question.这件事使我感到茫然。

11 web   

n.网，蛛丝，蹼，织物，圈套，卷筒纸；vi.生蹼，形成网；vt.织蜘蛛网于，使落入圈套

参考例句：

• The spider weaves a web.蜘蛛织网。
• You mean the World Wide Web?你是说国际互联网？