A large tomato crop can only be obtained with optimal plant care.
First of all, it depends - on correctly selected seeds of a suitable variety and on the quality of seedlings.
For the ripe fruits of this crop in our climate, it is possible only when grown with seedlings.
We grow tomatoes: the choice of seeds
Often, beginning gardeners choose tomato seeds only from a beautiful picture on the package or buy a variety advertised by the seller. Such an acquisition is likely to disappoint you - completely different fruits will grow, the seeds will turn out to be of poor quality or the variety will be unsuitable for your climate. But you can partially insure yourself against the first two troubles by buying seeds from a trusted supplier, then choosing a variety requires carefully studying the characteristics of various tomatoes.
In order for the picture on the package to turn into many delicious fruits, it is necessary to take into account several of their most important qualities:
• Taste of fruits;
• Resistance to diseases;
• Resistance to low temperatures;
• Compliance with the climate of the region;
• Possible crop yield.
Choosing a variety for growing tomatoes on your site, it is necessary to determine the purpose of the fruit, because the properties of grown tomatoes in different varieties can vary greatly, for example, for transportation, for preservation or for summer salads, it is necessary to plant seeds of completely different varieties.
We grow tomatoes: possible yield
For most gardeners, the most important characteristic is that you don’t have to wonder how many tomatoes can be grown, simple counting is necessary. The bulk of traditional varieties give an average of 1 m2 - 12-15 kg. When growing F1 hybrids with the same area, you can get 20 kg or more, the maximum yield declared by the seed supplier is possible only if all the rules of agricultural technology of this crop are met.
Often F1 hybrids better tolerate errors in care and minor changes in the microclimate. With changes in temperature and insufficient lighting, they can give a decent crop, get sick less often (F1 tomatoes are mainly grown in greenhouses).
Growing tomatoes: type of bush, formation and other characteristics
In greenhouses, it is better to grow tall plants or, as they are called, indeterminate, they can grow up to several meters. The bushes grow in a lianate form, bear fruit for a long time and give a large crop. Such varieties are planted on 1 m2 for 2-3 plants. The bush is formed into one stem, timely cutting off stepchildren, leaving "hemp" 1-1.5 cm long, you can slow down the growth of new stepsons in this place. Such an operation makes it possible to save strength and time for the growth of a fruiting shoot. The first inflorescence on tall varieties is formed over 7-12 leaves, the next - through three leaves.
But the positive properties of tall plants is not a reason to forget about stunted (determinant) plants. This type of tomato includes varieties with a short stem, fruiting in most cases earlier than indeterminate varieties. In early plants, the bulk of the fruit ripens on the first 2-4 hands. The planting system of such varieties when growing tomatoes in one stalk - 4-5 bushes per 1 m2 and when forming in two or three stems - 2-3 plants per 1 m2.
Weight and size of fruits
Large-fruited tomatoes are intended mainly for the preparation of tomato juice, the preparation of salads. Fans of preserving vegetables and making pickles need to pay attention to varieties with many small fruits of the same size. Cherry tomato varieties are suitable for this, which look very attractive in a jar and will become an ideal snack; these are ideal raw materials for preparing unusual snacks and preservation.
Disease resistance
If the soil is infected with diseases such as mosaics, late blight, etc., then, most likely, a significant proportion of the fruit will be damaged, the infection remains in the soil for several years, and fungal spores also serve as pathogens. And if, when growing tomatoes in open ground, changing the beds during growing tomatoes is available, it is difficult to do this in a greenhouse.
Appearance
Of course this is not the most significant characteristic of tomatoes, but it’s nice to pick a beautiful fruit from the bush. And some hybrids and varieties, ways to surprise, known for the original form of the variety "Lorraine handsome" similar to slices of mandarin, or elongated fruit "Etoile striped." And the variety of coloring of the tomato is impressive, sometimes changing it beyond recognition. In addition to the familiar orange, yellow and pink tomatoes, there are white fruits, green in color and aronia. In the "Olympic flame" and "Fireworks" and at the same time several colors are combined
How not to make a mistake during the purchase of seeds
Let's say you have picked the right varieties for growing tomatoes and are ready to buy them. How to buy high-quality planting material? You need to remember these rules forever:
• Do not buy seeds on the market from unverified distributors. You can buy in the packaging a reliable producer, cheap seeds purchased in bulk;
• In stores, select products from a reputable manufacturer. It happens that the manufacturer sins in separate batches with low-quality products, re-grading or sowing material which has expired. For this reason, you need to buy seed bags from a trusted organization;
• Examine the information indicated on the package, the most important is the expiration date, you can still find out whether the variety is actually easy to care for, its characteristics, or whether it is indicated in the literature.
Remember! When choosing seeds, even completely insured against a mistake, you should not be completely sure of the variety. It is impossible to completely insure against the acquisition of low-quality seeds. You can not be left without a crop if you select at least four varieties for sowing. It is useful to test new varieties annually, selecting from them those that grow better in your climate.
Growing tomato seedlings
Before planting seeds, they must prepare for sowing:
1. Pour the contents of packages with seeds onto a sheet of paper and select very small and broken seeds. Full seeds can be selected by lowering them for 5 minutes in a container with salted water. All seeds floating on the surface are unsuitable, they are empty. Only need to be sown to the bottom. They must be washed with water;
2. After this, the seeds are dipped in a warm solution of potassium permanganate in pink, after 10-15 minutes we take out. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use hydrogen peroxide (add 100 ml of peroxide to 100 ml of water);
3. Sometimes the seeds are hardened before sowing; for this, the swollen seeds are placed in the refrigerator for 1-2 days;
4. After this, the seeds are laid out for germination on a damp cloth, it is advisable to arrange them so that they do not touch each other. In a warm place after about 2-3 days, the first keys will appear on the seeds.
Tomato cultivation: preparation of soil mixtures
The soil for growing seedlings can be prepared in several ways, the main condition is to create a loose mixture. This can be done using loosening components by adding them to the turfy ground, for example, rotted sawdust or peat will do. Seedlings grow well in coconut fiber, which has many beneficial trace elements.
Examples of soil mixture:
We take the same amount of peat, rotted humus and soil from the garden. Add 0.5 l of wood ash to 10 l of the mixture, two matchboxes of superphosphate and slightly moisten the mixture with water.
We take the same amount of rotted compost, peat, river sand and soil from the garden. Dissolve in 10 l of water 30 g of superphosphate, 10 g of urea and 20 g of potassium sulfate.
You can plant seeds and purchased soil for vegetables, it does not need to make additional additives.
After this, it is necessary to prepare a container for growing seedlings. Plastic cups, wooden drawers or pots are suitable, you can buy a mini plate for growing seedlings.
Tomato is a heat-loving plant, for this reason, choose a warm and well-lit place for it, the temperature is suitable for tomato seedlings 22 degrees warm.
Growing Tomatoes: When and How to Sow
Sowing dates
Sowing in January-February is not worth it; experienced gardeners advise March as the most suitable month for this. During this period, already enough sunlight, seedlings will develop in the most suitable conditions.
It is possible to keep seedlings in closed ground for no more than 60 days, for this reason sowing dates are calculated depending on the climate of the region. It is permissible to sow the earliest ripe varieties in the first ten days of April.
Sowing
Sowing seeds is simple, prepared soil is poured into the container, watered and covered with a film. After 5-6 hours, grooves are made in boxes in 5 cm depths of 1 cm, pits are made in pots. Seeds are carefully lowered into the recesses, it is convenient to do this with a toothpick. In the grooves, seeds are placed after 2 cm, sprinkled with soil and moistened with a spray.
So that the crops sprouted faster, they are covered with a film, after 5-7 days (after the appearance of the first seedlings), the film is removed.
Growing seedlings
Leaving is an important moment when growing tomatoes, at first you need to maintain the temperature in the room with seedlings within 22-23 degrees. If it is necessary to irrigate crops with settled water, rain or snow water can be used for this.
After a week has passed, you need to gradually reduce the temperature until it drops to 17-19 degrees. At this time, it is necessary to carefully ventilate the room, without creating drafts. After the appearance of two real leaves on the seedlings, it is necessary to transplant the tomatoes. It is advisable to shorten the main root of the seedling by 1/3 in order to provoke the growth of lateral roots. If sunny days are not enough, you need to highlight the seedlings with fluorescent or LED lamps for 18 hours.
In order for the root system of seedlings to develop normally, do not forget to water it about once a week (judged by the state of the soil). If the seedlings began to stretch, it is necessary to lower the temperature and less often to water. Before planting in open ground, seedlings are hardened, increasing the ventilation of the room. Then it is desirable to transfer it to the greenhouse and keep it in it for several days. After that, you can plant the plants in the ground without fear.
Growing Tomatoes: Planting Seedlings
First of all, it is necessary to moisten the soil well in boxes or pots with seedlings. This will allow seedlings to be removed without problems and reduce the risk of root damage. On a dug up bed, 10-15 cm deep holes are prepared. They are also watered (for 8 holes 10 l of water) and introduced by rotted humus and mineral fertilizers (in a proportion of 1x3).
1. Turn the container with the seedling, holding the seedling with the index and middle finger, and so remove it from the container;
2. Tear off the cotyledon leaves;
3. Dip the plant in the hole without destroying the lump of earth, and cover the roots with compost, the stem of the plant should not be covered;
4. Compact the soil around the plant and sprinkle dry soil on top;
5. After transplanting seedlings, the bed is mulched with a layer of 10 cm (you can use newspapers, straw, sawdust, sluggish grass);
After planting tomatoes in the ground, they do not bother for 8-10 days, during which time the plants take root in a new place. At this time, watering them is unnecessary (watering produced when planting seedlings is enough). It is necessary to protect tomatoes from possible frost, for they prepare a transparent film, cover it with a bed for the night. After 1.5 weeks, the tomatoes are watered, two weeks after planting, the tomatoes are added for the first time, the next hilling of the plants is carried out as they grow.
Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse
Features of planting seedlings
In greenhouse conditions, seedlings of tomato for rapid development require the creation of certain conditions:
• It is necessary to warm the soil before planting seedlings, otherwise the roots will not develop, the plant will take root much worse;
• The temperature of the soil should be 12-15 degrees, for this you must first cover the soil with a black film. You can also heat the water and pour it into the holes before planting;
• When planting tomatoes, they cannot be deeply buried in the ground, a sprinkled stem will give strength to the development of new roots, and plant growth will slow down;
• You can not give large doses of nitrogen fertilizers, this may cause the bush to grow shoots and foliage instead of the crop;
• Carefully inspect the plant, leaves yellowed and with signs of illness, remove;
• Tomatoes should be planted on a cloudy day or in the evening.
Landing pattern
Tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse, observing a certain pattern of planting, beds are made along the length of the greenhouse, with a width of 60-90 cm. How many there will be depends on the width of the greenhouse structure, 60-70 cm is left between the beds. Plant formation and variety determine the scheme of their placement, tall are grown in one stalk planting through 40-50 cm, 2-3 shoots are left on the undersized.
Tomato Care
Experts recommend not to water the first time after planting, it is necessary to wait until the seedlings are taken, about 10 days.
Important! Before flowering, tomatoes need to be watered every 4-5 days, pouring 4-5 liters per 1 m2. When the tomatoes bloom, water more often on 1 m 2 of 10-13 liters. Plants should be watered in the morning under the root, watering the tomatoes in the evening is not worth it, at this time condensation will form, and drops of water will fall on the tomatoes.
Removing stepchildren
Lateral shoots growing in leaf axils on tomatoes are called stepsons. They obscure the plant, as a result, diseases develop, the fruits ripen too early. Stepsoning is a simple operation; you just need to gently break the stepson. It is necessary to do this in the morning so that the wound dries up.
Growing tomatoes in the ground
After the spring frosts pass, tomato seedlings are planted in the garden. It’s best to do it on a cloudy day.. If the sun shines brightly every day, then wait for the evening.
Seedlings are planted in two rows with gaps between them:
• For determinant and standard varieties of row spacing - 40-50 cm, in a row - 30-35 cm;
• For plants of medium row-spacing height - 50-60 cm, in a row - 40-45 cm.
Square Nest
Facilitate the care of plants, and create optimal conditions for them using this method.
Landing is performed according to the scheme:
• Undersized and standardized after 70x70 cm, 2-3 seedlings are planted in each well;
• Early ripening varieties with a wide bush through 70x70 cm, two seedlings per hole;
• Late ripening through 70x70 cm, one seedling per hole.
Tape-nesting method
Growing tomatoes using this technology allows you to plant more plants on the same area. With this method of planting, furrows for irrigation are made after 1.4 m with 60 cm aisles, seedlings are planted along the edges of the furrows. Ideally, for rapid seedling growth, you need to leave one tomato on an area of 0.3 m2.
On 100 m2, 340-420 seedlings of early ripe varieties, and medium and late ripe 240-290, will fit.
Pests and diseases of tomatoes
Blackleg. In diseased seedlings, the root neck becomes thinner, acquires a dark color, then this place rots and the seedling dies.Ways of prevention - moderate watering, seedlings and adult plants can not be planted densely, water the seedlings with Fitosporin-M solution.
Late blight. At first, the symptoms are practically not noticeable, after-treatment can save only a small amount of the crop. For this reason, disease prevention is important. Low temperatures at night and in the daytime together with high humidity are optimal conditions for the development of the disease. Before the pick, add Gliocladin tablet per pot into the ground. You can use the folk struggle - a glass of garlic, grind, dilute in a bucket of water, spend 0.5 l of the composition on 1 m2.
Mosaic. Tomato disease of viral origin, the bulk of modern varieties are resistant to the disease. The leaves wrinkle and twist in the plant, chlorotic areas appear on them. Sick plants are uprooted and burned. For prevention, seedlings are treated with skim milk every 10 days (1 liter of milk per bucket of water, then 10 g of urea is added).
Cracking fruit. Damage due to a sharp change in soil moisture. The skin cells rupture due to the rapid increase in pressure inside the fetus. The method of struggle is stable watering at certain intervals.
Gnawing scoop. At night, caterpillars 30-40 mm long injure leaves and stems. The method of struggle is the manual collection of caterpillars, deep digging of the site and the destruction of weeds.
Slug. The biting ovaries and leaf margins of mollusks mainly harm indirectly, opening the way for various infections. Against them pollinate the soil with lime or collect in the dark by hand.
Medvedka. The insect grows up to 50-80 mm long, with clearly visible digging legs. Hot pepper infusion is used against it - 150 g of hot pepper passed through a meat grinder are added to a bucket of water, the composition is kept for two days. 0.5 L of infusion is poured into the passages noticeable on the bed. Do not leave piles of manure or compost on the site for the winter; the pest likes to winter in them.
