Detailed instructions for growing tomatoes on the windowsill in winter and summer. Planting tomatoes in open ground

The technology of growing tomatoes in the country, it would seem, has been honed to the smallest detail. And still, every year gardeners learn about new methods of cultivating these vegetable plants. Many of them deserve special attention, for example, the so-called "Chinese technique", when crops that are forcibly stressed try to reproduce the crop as quickly as possible. Of course, you can and should listen to the advice on growing tomatoes, but it is better to develop your own methodology that is relevant specifically for your summer cottage.

Of the nightshade crops, the next most popular vegetable after the potato is, of course, the tomato. This word comes from the Italian "porno d'oro" - a golden apple (varieties with yellow fruits were bred as ornamental plants). "Tomato" comes from the Aztec "tomatl" - a large berry.

Tomatoes, like potatoes, were introduced into Russian horticulture by Andrey Bolotov, one of the founders of Russian agronomic science. He also developed the system seedling cultivation and caring for tomatoes, allowing you to harvest this heat-loving crop in middle lane.

This article is devoted to how to grow tomatoes correctly.

Features of growing determinant and indeterminate tomatoes

There are countless varieties and hybrids of tomato. The fruits of this culture are diverse and beautiful, but about the taste and nutritional value and you don't have to speak. Of course, care when growing tomatoes in the country requires some effort.

According to the type of growth and bookmarking of inflorescences, tomatoes are divided into determinate and indeterminate. In determinant varieties, growth is limited and the top of the plant ends with an inflorescence. These are low bushes of ground or ornamental varieties. Their inflorescences are located through 1-2 leaves. Plants of indeterminate varieties have unlimited growth and reach a height of several meters. Their inflorescences are usually laid through 3 leaves. There are also semi-determinant varieties, the plants of which have an intermediate height, as well as super-determinant ones - dwarf ones. The latter are very decorative, have a compact bush strewn with small fruits. They are intended not so much for consumption as for decorating the kitchen, window sill or balcony.

Most modern varieties and hybrids for greenhouses are indeterminate, for open ground they are determinant. When studying information about the characteristics of varieties of tomatoes for growing in the country, do not forget about such a division of tomatoes, this determines the place for planting seedlings. It is not rational, for example, to plant in a high greenhouse undersized plants, for a better development of the entire volume, tall ones are suitable. Overgrown seedlings are planted in grooves, leaving only the crown.

There are special varieties of tomatoes, the cultivation of which allows you to sow seeds directly into the ground, for example, Snowdrop.

The yield of tomatoes varies greatly depending on the variety and growing conditions: in open ground it is usually 3 kg per 1 m2, in greenhouses - up to 30 and even up to 50 kg. The weight of one fruit also depends on the variety.

Many hobbyists prefer to grow it large-fruited varieties good tomatoes, as practice shows, the mass of some fruits reaches one kilogram. However, it is much more convenient for consumption and especially for canning medium-sized fruits, which are the majority among tomatoes. I like yellow, orange, and also pink tomatoes.

Here are some new varieties - Mikado, De Barao black, F, Master Garden, Orange, Golden Bullet, Orange Heart, Aladdin's Lamp, Bull's Heart, Emerald Apple.

These photos show varieties of tomatoes intended for cultivation in the backyard:

Be sure to write the names of the varieties on the pots themselves, in which you pick, or on the labels.

Agrotechnics for growing tomatoes: features of planting tomatoes

Agrotechnics for growing tomatoes in the middle lane involves planting seedlings in a greenhouse in early May, and on open beds or under temporary shelters - in early June, when the threat of frost is over, although these dates may be slightly shifted depending on the weather. Times may vary in other areas.

The correct technology for growing tomatoes is aimed at obtaining strong, low plants that give early harvest. Stretched, with long internodes, “walkers” after landing in the ground will come to their senses for a long time, and later sown plants that receive more light will overtake them in growth, begin to bloom earlier and give a better harvest.

To grow a good crop of tomatoes, as practice shows, the right time sowing seeds for seedlings at home is mid-March (for further planting in a greenhouse) or early April (for planting in open ground).

When sowing tomatoes, try not to confuse varieties, and when picking - seedlings!

It happens that in the spring, tomato seeds germinate that have fallen into the soil with compost or with fallen and unharvested fruits. Seedlings, as a rule, are very strong, give an early harvest. Of course, with such "self-seeding" one cannot be sure that they belong to a certain variety or hybrid.

To grow tomatoes the way the right technology suggests, plants need to be fed. From fertilizers, tomatoes in large doses need superphosphate. With its deficiency, the stems and veins of the leaves from below acquire a blue-violet color, development slows down. Quick top dressing with an extract from superphosphate can help, which is prepared as follows: pour a handful of superphosphate with boiling water at night, then drain the solution and dilute it with water. At low soil temperatures, superphosphate is poorly absorbed, and top dressing may not give the desired effect.

Tomatoes also need potassium, so ash is a very valuable fertilizer for them.

See a photo of how to fertilize tomatoes when grown in the country:

With nitrogen fertilizers this culture has complex "relationships": if you give too much nitrogen during the period of growing seedlings and after planting, then the plants will begin to "fatten" to the detriment of flowering. But with a lack of nitrogen, the stems become thin, the leaves become smaller or even turn yellow, few flowers form, and they can crumble. Therefore, it is worth feeding the tomatoes with infusion chicken manure if such signs appear. It contains, in addition to nitrogen, many necessary trace elements.

Tomatoes also respond well to green manure. In the area where it is supposed to next year to grow them or other late vegetables, you can sow winter green manure in the fall. In the spring, two weeks before planting the seedlings, the green mass is mowed and embedded in the soil. Mowing and embedding in the soil can also be carried out in autumn, if green manure plants have time to grow before frost. Green manure left on the surface of the soil will serve as mulch.

One of the features of growing tomatoes is timely hilling, after which additional roots form. If sealing plants are sown on a tomato bed, then it is inconvenient to hill the bushes, but if your garden is occupied only by tomatoes, be sure to hill them, the work will pay off with a high yield.

This video shows important agricultural care practices when growing tomatoes in the country:

Tomato is a self-pollinating plant, and its pollen is heavy, and it is good to shake the plants in the morning to improve pollination. Take advantage next secret growing tomatoes: for better fruit set and to protect against shedding, it is useful to spray the plants with a solution boric acid- 1 g per 5 liters of water. There are also special preparations, for example, "Ovary", for different cultures, including tomatoes.

On plants of some varieties, fused, ugly flowers are formed (usually the first ones). It is better to remove such flowers, as deformed fruits develop from them.

For seeds, fruits are selected from the second brush, ripe, corresponding to the variety in all respects.

In autumn, tomato tops (only healthy ones!) Can be crushed and planted in the soil in those beds where this crop is supposed to be grown next year. That is, tomatoes themselves can serve as green manure.

For the proper cultivation of tomatoes of medium and tall varieties, plants need a garter. If you can put stakes in the open field, then in the greenhouse it is better to tie the plants with twine. It is convenient to do the garter like this: stick a wire pin into the ground near the base of the stem, tie a rope or twine to it, and wrap it around the twine as the stem grows. The rope must be strong in order to support the weight of ripe fruits, and it can reach ten kilograms or more in tall varieties.

Another secret of growing tomatoes is the timely pinching, that is, the removal of side shoots. Many stepsons are formed, and if they are not removed, the flowers on them will take a lot of strength from the plant, and you will not get an early full-fledged harvest. There are low-growing varieties with medium-sized fruits that do not require pinching.

To grow tomatoes as strong as possible, stepchildren are plucked or cut as early as possible so as not to weaken the plant. On the bags with seeds, they write how to form this variety. If in one stem, then all stepchildren are removed, if in two stems, one stepchild is left, growing under the first flower brush. In the open field, in good conditions, some litter. and you can lead in three stems. Then it is also worth leaving the lowest stepson, near the ground, preferably on the opposite side of the bush. Stepsons are formed after the start of fruiting, although to a lesser extent. Sometimes, due to weather troubles or other reasons, flowers and even fruits crumble on the lower, most productive racemes. Then you can leave "alive" a couple of additional stepchildren and get at least some compensation for the harvest.

Tomatoes have the ability to form adventitious roots anywhere on the stem. This is very convenient in the event of, for example, a plant breakage.

In the open field in early August, you need to pinch all the tops, leaving one sheet above the last brush.

Watch a video on proper care when growing tomatoes in your garden:

There is a method of growing tomatoes, developed by the engineer-inventor Igor Maslov, following which stepchildren should not be removed at all, but this does not mean that the bushes should be left to themselves. However world practice tends to use pinching, with a greenhouse culture it is mandatory.

Tomatoes like to keep the soil moist and the air dry. The soil underneath can be mulched all kinds of materials- film, mowed grass, needles (it remains from sheltering with spruce branches of roses). In hot weather, you need to water more often. If the watering is uneven when the fruits ripen, the fruits may crack. It is highly undesirable to water tomatoes in the evening.

Gardeners often discuss the question of whether to remove leaves on plants during growth. Most tend to think that they should be removed first of all in order to reduce the likelihood of the spread of diseases, especially in rainy weather, and secondly, to improve the illumination of plants by the sun. After all, gardeners usually violate the norms for planting seedlings in the direction of thickening.

In the process of growing bushes, they begin to cut off the lower leaves first, then they remove everything up to the first flower brush, then those that are in contact with neighboring ones, and finally those that shade the fruits. Removing leaves encourages fruiting. It happens that in a rainy, cold summer, even in a greenhouse, tomatoes do not ripen in any way. One has only to cut the leaves, as they turn red before our eyes.

Signs of late blight and other diseases appear primarily on the leaves. Of course, in such cases they should be removed immediately.

In September, as a rule, frosts are already possible. In the greenhouse, bushes can also hold out, but it is better to remove them from open ridges.

How to grow a good crop of tomatoes: the fight against tomato diseases

In tomatoes, like potatoes, the number one enemy is late blight disease. you will grow beautiful seedlings, you will do everything right, but - from the neighbor's potatoes, the pathogen may well pass to you on tomatoes. Spray treatments will help save the crop. At proper cultivation tomatoes, the first spraying is carried out when the fruits are poured on the first brush, then two more treatments with a two-week interval. Effective remedy- Bordeaux liquid. It is also good because proper processing bluish stains remain on the fruits and leaves. Even small children will not pull such a vegetable into their mouths, as if he himself is shouting - “wash me!”. Other copper-containing drugs, for example, oxychom, also help. He, like many other pesticides, does not leave traces, but this does not mean that it is not necessary to wash the fruits.

If the disease manifested itself on the fruits, there is only one way out: remove and process all healthy fruits hot water. In a net or colander, dip them for about a minute in water heated to 60 ° C, cool and dry. Then most of crop will be preserved.

And how to grow a good crop of tomatoes if you do not want to use pesticides? Opponents of "chemistry" as preventive measures and to combat ailments, they also use infusion of garlic (1.5 cups per bucket of water), tinder fungus (100 g of mushroom per 1 liter), kefir or whey (1 liter per bucket). Treatments with these mild remedies need to be repeated often.

Almost ripe and ripening tomatoes can be protected by "salting on the vine" - a method of treating bushes with a 20% salt solution. After this procedure, the plant loses leaves, the fruits ripen quickly, and the film of salt on the fruits protects them from disease. However, a high concentration of salt destroys unripe small fruits and flowers, in addition, in rainy weather, the plants need to be closed. Sick fruits, as well as tops, are burned or deeply buried.

And in conclusion, look at a selection of photos on how to grow tomatoes in the garden:

Tomato is one of the most popular vegetables. In most countries, it is considered the second most consumed vegetable after the potato.

Tomatoes can be salted, pickled or eaten raw.

Ways to grow tomatoes

There are 3 ways effective cultivation tomatoes:

In the ground. Tomato is a capricious vegetable, it loves light and heat, does not accept wind and excess moisture. Get a good harvest in the open field, observing simple conditions not difficult. There are three rules for getting excellent tomatoes: you need to choose a variety suitable for the area, choose a sunny place, ensure regular watering.

In a greenhouse. The technology of growing in a greenhouse has its own characteristics. Warm and humid climate favorable conditions not only for the development of tomatoes, but also for the propagation of pests and pathogenic microflora. Prevention of problems of this kind will be crop rotation (alternating the cultivation of different crops in one place), humidity control and periodic ventilation.

Upside down. Seedlings are placed in a pot or an inverted bucket and sprinkled with soil, then hung and watered. In this case, there is no need to loosen, weed the soil, apply pesticides. This method makes it possible to plant tomatoes where there is little space or infertile soils.

How to choose a variety of tomatoes

Currently, there are a huge number of varieties of tomatoes. According to the method of planting, they are divided into: street, greenhouse, balcony and home. There are varieties of giant and miniature; red, orange, black or yellow.

Which variety is better? Each gardener has his own. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, decide where you plan to plant the variety (small-fruited varieties have a chance to ripen in open ground, large tomatoes can be grown in a greenhouse), take into account climatic features (each region has its own varieties of tomatoes) and plans for use harvest (for harvesting it is better to grow medium-fruited plants). Experienced gardeners constantly experimenting with varieties, trying new ones and be sure to record the results.

According to the speed of ripening, all varieties of tomatoes are divided into:

Early ripe (ripen at the end of July);

Mid-season (ripen at the end of August, at the beginning of September);

Late varieties (ripen at the end of September).

Seedlings of tomatoes at home. Growing and diving tomatoes

In order to provide themselves with tomatoes for the whole summer, gardeners plant bushes with different speed maturation.

How to grow tomato seedlings

Seeds are sown in low boxes about 10 cm high. The poured earth must be allowed to settle for 2 days, otherwise the seeds will be at a shallower depth than they were planted. Grooves 2-3 cm deep are considered optimal for sowing tomatoes. The distance between the furrows is 3-4 cm. Seeds are sown at a distance of 0.5 cm from each other. You can water before and after sowing seeds.

Tomatoes Sowing seeds for seedlings

Ideal seedlings, ready for planting in the ground or greenhouse, should be 40 cm high, have the first brush in bloom and a developed root system.

Place for planting tomatoes

The ideal place for growing tomatoes in the open field is protected from the wind, sufficiently illuminated, heated areas. Tomatoes are less demanding on soil fertility than other vegetables. Therefore, for successful cultivation suitable for almost any soil with a neutral and slightly acidic environment. Preference is given to light and highly fertile soils of sandy and loamy type.

Compost or humus is introduced into infertile soils in the fall. When making organic fertilizers annually, it is permissible to grow a tomato for 2-3 years in one place (last year's tomatoes did not get sick).

Tomato abundance. From seed to harvest

Good forerunners of tomatoes are: cucurbits, legumes, cabbage, onions and root vegetables. The plot after growing nightshade crops (eggplants, peppers, potatoes) on it is taken away for tomatoes after 3 years.

planting tomatoes

For planting seedlings, it is necessary to prepare and water them with water. The depth of the hole is similar to the height of the seedling glass. strong seedlings planted in the soil at a right angle. Seedlings of tall varieties and elongated - at an angle of 45 °. Then the holes with plants should be covered with soil, compacted a little and watered. Next to the stem of the plant, you need to install a peg, which will be a support.

When planting between rows, an interval of about 60-70 cm is observed, and between plants 30-40 cm. The planting density of tomatoes is:

For indeterminate (tall varieties) or hybrids - plant 3-4 plants per square meter;

For determinant varieties (with limited growth of the main stem) when grown in 1 stem - 6-10 plants per square meter, and when grown in 2-3 stems - from 3 to 6 plants.

Planting a tomato, how to plant a tomato

Watering and feeding tomatoes

The most favorable combination for tomatoes is the soil moisture under the bush is about 85-90%, and the air humidity is 50%. It is better to water tomatoes under the root in the early morning. warm water. It is better to mulch the soil.

It is necessary to observe the correct watering regime: after planting, the seedlings are watered and left for three days. Then it is watered 1-2 times a week quite abundantly, however, taking into account the variety, size and weather conditions.

Types of fertilizers that are best suited for tomatoes:

Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers will help to get tomatoes with a low content of nitrates.

Potash fertilizers (potassium sulfate or ash are suitable).

Microfertilizers containing boron and magnesium are the most optimal for tomatoes.

Organic fertilizers will contribute to the yield. Use compost, humus, fermented green grass, infusion of mullein or bird droppings.

Ways to ripen tomatoes

For the ripening of green fruits, we select medium and large healthy fruits. We put them in 2-3 layers in a container and shift them with dry sawdust or paper. Optimum temperature ripening is about 12-15 C, and the humidity is 80%.

After placing in containers, close the top of the tomatoes, as they like to ripen in the dark. The process takes 30-40 days. As a rule, large tomatoes ripen first.

The editors of the site recall that the shelf life directly depends on the degree of ripeness of the tomatoes: red tomatoes are stored for no more than 4 days, pink - up to 5, milk - up to 7, and green - about 10 days. Brown and pink fruits tolerate long transportation better.
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Due to the fact that the tomato is a light-loving vegetable, it will be quite difficult to get a good harvest without a greenhouse. Moreover, the greenhouse itself must be properly positioned - the chosen place must be well lit, the rays of the sun must enter the structure throughout the daylight hours. Otherwise, you can forget about a full-fledged harvest.

So, today we will tell you how to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse, get acquainted with the step-by-step instructions and consider important points process.

The peculiarity of cultivating this culture in greenhouse conditions The fact is that even when using a conventional film structure, the crop will be almost 2.5 times more than if vegetables were grown in open soil. And if we add to this earlier fruit ripening (at least 2 weeks) even in an unheated greenhouse, as well as increased resistance to late blight, it becomes obvious why the yield in this case becomes more solid.

Seedlings - how to grow

Perhaps the most milestone the entire process is considered to be the cultivation of seedlings. And it is not surprising, because the yield depends on how developed and strong the seedlings are! Seedlings can be purchased ready-made, but many gardeners prefer to grow them on their own. If you chose the first option, you can skip this step, and if the second, then be patient and follow the instructions below.

Step one. We prepare the seed

The process traditionally begins with seed preparation. If the seeds you bought are brightly colored (coated), then in no case additional processing they don't need.

If the grains are untreated, then place them in the Fitosporin-M solution (prepare in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions) for 20 minutes, then, without washing, hold in the growth stimulator solution and sow in previously prepared containers with soil.

Step two. Sowing seeds

The period from the beginning of February to the end of March is optimal time for sowing seeds. Specific dates depend on which varieties will be grown. If we are talking about early varieties, then they are sown in the last days of March, it is better to sow mid-season varieties in early-mid March, and late ones in February.

1. For sowing, prepare containers 6-7 cm high.

   

2. Prepare a soil mixture consisting of sod, humus and peat (in equal proportions).

   

3. Moisten the mixture, then add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of superphosphate, the same amount of wood ash and 1 liter river sand(proportions are indicated for 10 kg of soil mixture). If you wish, you can use ready mix, which does not need additional fertilization.

   

   

4. Pour the prepared mixture into the container and compact it. Make furrows 1.5 cm deep on the surface, pour with a solution of sodium humate and sow the seeds.

   

5. Sprinkle seeds on top a small amount soil mixture, then transfer the containers to a well-lit place with a temperature of about 22 ° C.

Note! In order for the sprouts to sprout faster, 5 days after sowing, you can cover the containers with film caps.

The first 20 days the foliage will practically not develop, but then its development will noticeably accelerate. After another 35-40 days, the leaves will begin to grow intensively, so you will have to take a number of measures, thanks to which the sprouts will not stretch too much.

1. Keep the temperature between 15-18°C for the first week.
2. Rotate the seedlings 180° every day, otherwise the seedlings will stretch in one direction.
3. For the whole week, water the plants only twice or thrice, preferably under the root. The first time - when seedlings are formed, the second - after 1.5-2 weeks, and the third - just before the dive. Also note that the water should have a temperature somewhere around 20 ° C.

As for top dressing, it is not required during the cultivation of seedlings.

Tomato seedlings - photo

Step three. We make hardening

In April, start hardening seedlings by opening the windows for a while. On warm days (if it is more than 12°C outside), you can take the containers out to Fresh air, occasionally leaving for the whole night (having previously covered with a film, of course).

Note! The soil during hardening should be wet so that the seedlings do not fade. As a result, developed and hardened seedlings will acquire a blue-violet color.

5 days before planting, it is recommended to treat seedlings with a solution of boric acid (at the rate of 10 g per bucket of water), which is preferable to do in the early morning. So the buds will be preserved on the first brush, and the yield, accordingly, will increase markedly.

Stage two. We transplant seedlings

In the greenhouse where tomatoes will be grown, there must be large vents, both at the ends and in the upper part, since this crop requires thorough ventilation during the growing season. Also, the greenhouse, as noted earlier, should be well lit by the sun throughout the daylight hours.

Step one. Preparing the ground

Make longitudinal beds (their number depends on the dimensions of the entire structure). Break them about a week before the expected date of disembarkation with a width of 60-90 cm and a height of about 40 cm. If we talk about the width of the passage, it is better if it is 60 cm - it will be more convenient.

Step two. We make fertilizers

In the case of clay soil before diving, apply wood ash or humus (consumption 10 kg/m²). If the beds are already peat, then cover them with sawdust (the ratio is the same). Also add potassium sulfate and superphosphate (1 and 2 tablespoons, respectively), then dig well. Right before planting, water the beds with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g / 10 l), its temperature should be approximately 60 ° C. Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use the special tool "Barrier" (250 ml / 10 l of water), pouring 500 ml of the prepared solution into the wells.

A few days before planting seedlings, cut off 3 lower leaves on each plant - this will not only reduce the risk of developing diseases, but also increase ventilation efficiency. In addition, the first flower brush will develop better.

When the height of the plants reaches 25-30 cm, transplant them into the greenhouse.

Step three. We plant seedlings

When transplanting, follow a few simple but extremely important requirements.

Table. Seedling transplant rules

Requirement	Short description	Illustration
	It must be preheated. Cold soil is unacceptable here, because. root system will not grow, but rot, and the survival rate will noticeably worsen. The soil temperature should be between 12°C and 15°C, which can be achieved by covering the beds with dark PET film. Alternatively, you can warm a large number of water to pour it into the wells immediately before transplanting.
	Seedlings should be transplanted to beds in cloudy weather or in the evening. The soil must be moistened and processed as described in the previous step.
	Do not plant seedlings at a great depth (no more than 12 cm), otherwise the part of the stem sprinkled with soil will begin to take on new roots, which will stop plant growth.
	Planting holes are often filled with excessive amounts of manure, urea, or droppings. But because of this, instead of juicy red tomatoes, violent tops can grow.

The specific planting pattern depends on the variety, as well as on the method of formation.

Note! For overgrown seedlings in the hole, make another one corresponding to the height of the pot. Next, place the pot with the overgrown plant in the smaller hole and cover with soil. After 14 days, you can also fill in the first hole, because the seedlings will already take root during this time.

We also note that it is impossible to grow tomatoes with cucumbers in the same greenhouse, since these crops have different requirements for moisture and temperature conditions. In extreme cases, you can block the structure with a film into two parts and grow cucumbers in one and tomatoes in the other.

Step four. We carry out a garter

12 days after transplantation, you can tie to the trellis (the height should be approximately 1.8-2 m). As a rule, the culture grows in one stem, and the number of brushes averages 7-8 pieces. Break off all stepchildren that have grown to 8 cm, leaving only one lower one. Stepchildren, by the way, are easier to break off in the morning.

Features of further care

One of essential conditions a good harvest of tomatoes is also proper care, which must be started immediately after disembarkation. Below are the highlights.

Watering

The first few days after transplanting, it is better not to water. Wait 10 days for the plants to take root, and only then start watering. The water you use must be room temperature. Before the start of the growing season, water once every 4-5 days (approximate consumption - 4-5 l / m²). After the beginning of the flowering phase, increase the consumption to 10-13 l. Water the tomatoes under the root, and preferably in the morning, and not in the evening, when the fruits are covered with drops of liquid due to condensation.

Fertilizer

14 days after planting, fertilize the tomatoes for the first time with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium top dressing (1 tbsp. L / 10 L) or mullein (0.5 L / 10 L). Pour about 1 liter of the finished product under each plant.

After another 10 days, fertilize the crop a second time using Fertility and potassium sulfate (1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon per 10 liters, respectively). For the entire season, fertilizer should be applied 3 or 4 times.

Tomatoes are not afraid of drafts, therefore, airing can be done by any accessible method: open the vents or ends, tuck the film from below, etc. AT without fail ventilate the structure a couple of hours after watering. This moment is especially relevant in the flowering phase (wet pollen will not fall into the pistil, which means pollination will not occur).

Note! On sunny and warm days, gently shake the brushes - this will contribute to artificial pollination.

We are harvesting

If tomatoes were grown in winter, and the first fruits ripened in spring, then harvest every 2-3 days until summer. If this happens from summer to autumn, then harvest the fruits every day.

Do it right:

• pick tomatoes without stalks;
• remove pink or red fruits (the first option is preferable, because the brushes ripen faster after assembly);
• use special boxes for this.

As for the storage of tomatoes, it is advisable to wrap each vegetable in soft paper, and layer the fruits placed in boxes with hay, sawdust or peat.

If you follow all these tips, you can get a really good crop of tomatoes that will delight you in the summer. delicious salads, and in winter - jars of pickled fruits.

Video - Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse

In order to provide themselves and their families with environmentally friendly products, many people began to grow vegetables, berries, and fruits on their own.

A frequently asked question: “how to grow tomatoes at home, and is it possible to do it somehow?”. Very simple! At present, it is not necessary to have country cottage area, grow whatever you want, you can even in an apartment. This article provides a detailed description of how to grow a tomato at home on a windowsill, while spending a minimum of time and effort.

Growing tomatoes is fairly easy if you stick to the right conditions. Before planting tomatoes at home in winter, you need to consider some features, namely:

Planting seeds for seedlings

Planting seeds for seedlings will not cause any difficulties, but it will take a lot of time. Growing a tomato from seeds at home can be divided into the following stages:

Soil disinfection can be done in the following ways: hold the soil for a couple of minutes in microwave oven or 10-15 minutes in the oven; shed the soil with boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate.

You can disinfect the seeds with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, soda (keep the seeds in this solution for a day) or Fitosporin (soak for a couple of hours). During soaking good seeds go down.

1. Germination of seeds. For quick germination in the soil, the tomatoes are germinated by placing and wrapping them in a damp cloth while keeping warm. After a couple of days, the seeds will take root, and they can be planted.
2. Disembarkation. After filling the container with soil, it is necessary to make centimeter furrows. Put the seeds in these furrows, no closer than 2-3 cm.

Another option: lay the seeds on the soil, then sprinkle with soil (1 cm).

1. Care. The containers should be covered with a film, this will allow a microclimate to form. The temperature where the containers are placed should be 25-30 degrees, humidity - 80-90%, the room should be lit. Germination is observed already in 3-4 days.
2. Seedling transplant. When 3 leaves appear, it is necessary to transplant the plant into a small container. This contributes to the formation and strengthening of the root. A month later, the seedlings are transplanted into separate large containers.

Care and pollination of tomatoes

When thinking about how to store tomatoes at home, it is worth remembering that caring for tomatoes begins with observing temperatures and lighting (described in the article above).

It is necessary to water the tomato bushes in the evening with water at room temperature, every 3 days.

It is better to feed tomatoes with organic fertilizers, namely ash, manure or mineral fertilizers. Fertilizers must be diluted with water and applied every 6-7 days. Can be fertilized during flowering.

If stepchildren form on the bush, they must be broken off. All varieties, except for undersized ones, require a garter.

Hydroponics as a way to grow tomatoes

Today, hydroponically grown cucumbers and tomatoes at home are not uncommon.

Hydroponics is a method that does not require soil. It has become quite popular and in demand by those people who are engaged in indoor plants in apartments.

start growing indoor tomatoes in a pot stands with the preparation of flowerpots. Flowerpots that will contain plants are filled with gravel, slag, moss, etc.

After planting the plants in small pots, they need to be placed in large containers filled with a nutrient solution. When roots appear, the solution is reduced to form an air cushion. Air bag will provide the plant necessary quantity solution.

A solution that provides the cultivation of a tomato at home using the hydroponic method is not difficult to make yourself. All you have to do is add different complex fertilizers adhering to the dosage.

Growing varieties "Rapunzel"

It is worth noting the peculiarities of growing, as well as caring for this variety of tomatoes, since Rapunzel's tomatoes at home are planted on seedlings in the usual way described in this article above.

Features of cultivation and care:

• the depth of the holes for this variety is 10 cm.
• for each bush it is necessary to install a high support, as they can have a considerable height;
• fertilize twice a month;
• necessary is preventive spraying with a solution of Bordeaux liquid (several times over the entire period) and regular spraying of the aerial part with a special infusion (onion-garlic-soap);
• harvest a ripe crop as it ripens.

Now, knowing how to grow tomatoes at home, you can please yourself and loved ones with environmentally friendly and constantly fresh.

It is hard to believe that although tomatoes, they are tomatoes, have been known to Europeans since the middle of the 16th century, they began to be eaten only at the very end of the 18th century. Prior to this, tomato bushes were grown exclusively as ornamental plant, and their fruits were considered poisonous. As early as 1774, gardening manuals warned that tomatoes would drive those who eat them crazy. Perhaps they were not so far from the truth: a delicious, juicy tomato can really drive you crazy. true gourmet!

, or are herbaceous or semi-shrub, annual or perennials belonging to the nightshade family. The tomato has a very developed root system, and its seeds remain viable for about nine years.

Growing seedlings of tomatoes

For sowing tomatoes, you need to use separate area: plastic containers, seedling cassettes, etc., which need to be disinfected before sowing. Before sowing seedlings, it is necessary to ensure good lighting, regular temperatures and air ventilation. Any seedling containers must have special drainage holes at the bottom, otherwise the plants will be susceptible to black leg disease.

For sowing tomato seedlings you can use any universal sowing substrate or compost from a mixture of sand and peat, taken in equal parts. It is not worth sowing tomato seeds too thickly, otherwise the seedlings will be thin and weak - they will stretch. If you are sowing seeds in a greenhouse, then sowing should be done in rows, this will allow you to use the lighting as much as possible.

Immediately before sowing, the substrate must be thoroughly moistened. The seeds themselves need to be warmed up - this will contribute to their disinfection, improve their sowing qualities and contribute to the appearance of faster, more friendly shoots. It is necessary to warm dry full-weight tomato seeds with variable temperatures: 48 hours - at a temperature of about +30 ° C, after that another 72 hours - at +50 ° C. Seeds can be sown dry or pre-soaked in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. We lower the seeds into a glass with a solution and stand there for about half an hour. After that, the seeds must be washed in running water about 10 minutes. Immediately after sowing, the substrate must be covered with a film or a 5 mm layer of vermiculite, this will help maintain soil moisture.

Before the appearance of the first shoots of tomatoes, it is necessary to maintain a temperature not higher than +23 ° C. And immediately after their appearance, the film from the seedling containers must be removed. In order not to expose still very weak seedlings to excessive evaporation, it is better to remove the film in the afternoon. When watering seedlings, which must be done with a finely sprayed jet, it is impossible to fill it with water heavily. It is necessary to follow and temperature regime seedling cultivation. So, as soon as the first shoots appear, the temperature should be reduced to + 8-10 at night and + 10-15 during the day - within 3 days, thus hardening the seedlings from the first days of its appearance. It is necessary to harden the seedlings until they are transplanted into a greenhouse, but not less than 15 days for the entire time of their growth.

planting tomatoes

For cultivation tomatoes it is better to choose the southern, southwestern or southeastern sections. Good harvests give tomatoes planted near the southern wall of buildings or a fence. Tomatoes can be successfully grown in the same place even 2-3 years in a row, although then organic fertilizers must be applied for planting. The best predecessors for tomatoes, these are cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini and onions. It is not recommended to grow tomatoes after pepper, potatoes, eggplant and physalis. In those areas where these crops were cultivated, tomatoes can be planted no earlier than three years later. Otherwise, you will put the plants in danger of getting sick.

soil under planting a tomato in open ground it is necessary to prepare since autumn. So, if the acidity of the soil is increased, it is necessary to make an autumn digging per 1 square. m: 0.5-0.9 kg of lime, 5-7 kg of organic fertilizers (you can take compost, bird droppings, peat or manure) and 40-60 g of superphosphate. If you applied a sufficient amount of fertilizer - about 10 kg per sq. m, under the previous crop, then the area allotted for growing tomatoes only needs to be dug up.

Spring tillage for preparation for tomatoes should include application per 1 sq. m of soil 30-40 g of superphosphate, as well as 25-30 g potash fertilizers. Immediately before planting, already under the last loosening of the soil, it is necessary to add 1 sq. m 15-20 g of potash and 30-40 g of nitrogen fertilizers.

Planting tomato seedlings in the ground

from timely and quality fit hardened seedlings of tomatoes in the ground largely depends on obtaining a high yield.

It is necessary to plant tomatoes in the first decade of June, and only after the danger of frost has passed will warm weather be fully established. Both in combs and on flat surface plants should be placed in rows, with a distance between them of 30-40 cm with a distance between rows of 30-50 cm.

Before planting on the site, it is necessary to make holes and thoroughly spill them with water - 0.9-1 l per hole. Try to purchase tomato seedlings a few hours before planting so that it does not wither - withered seedlings take root quite poorly and get sick, lagging behind in development. Those who grow seedlings on their own should not have such problems; they have the opportunity to plant seedlings in the garden immediately after they are taken out of the cups or selected from the greenhouse.

It is necessary to plant seedlings a little deeper than it grew in a greenhouse. Experienced gardeners are advised to cut off several lower leaves from the plant and, when planting, bury them as much as possible - you can bury the plant up to half of the stem, and you need to plant it slightly with a slope to the northwest. The roots of the seedlings must be carefully compressed with earth, without bending them at the same time, so that the ends of the roots are directed to the bottom of the hole. After the tomato seedlings are planted, the plants must be watered, and the hole itself must be sprinkled with dry earth on top.

Excellent results are obtained by growing under simple film shelters and on insulated soil - fallow ridges, this allows for higher yields of early tomatoes, and also accelerates the ripening of fruits.

To make steam ridges, it is necessary to dig a pit with a width of about 60 cm and a depth of about 20 cm. Inside the ridges, you need to load biofuel, in simple terms - heated manure (a layer of about 5 cm), and cover it with earth 15 centimeters from above . Seedlings on steam beds should be planted in the same way as on open ground, the only difference is that planting should be started 20 days earlier, somewhere in the middle of May.

Quite often used and shelters made of transparent polyethylene film, the use of which, especially when combined with fallow beds, makes it possible to plant tomato seedlings as early as early May and, as a result, get a tomato crop as early as mid-July. Film-covered frames must be installed over the fallow beds immediately after, leaving them for the entire period of growing plants. Care for plants under the film is exactly the same as in the open field and consists of timely loosening, top dressing and the formation of bushes.

Tomato care

Caring for tomatoes primarily consists in hilling, loosening the soil, fertilizing and watering the plant, as well as forming a bush and timely control of diseases and pests.

The soil in the aisles and rows with tomatoes needs to be loosened - approximately every 10-12 days, but at least several times during the summer. When loosening, try to prevent the formation of a crust. If you are cultivating tomatoes in heavy soils, deep loosening is necessary in the first 10-15 days after planting.

The first time to spud tomatoes is necessary 9-11 days after the seedlings were planted. Watering should be done immediately before hilling: hilling the tomatoes with moist soil will accelerate the formation of new roots on the stem of the plant. The second hilling must be done 16-20 days after the first.

It is timely necessary to water the tomatoes. So, at first they are watered into the wells, the water consumption is 0.7-0.9 liters of water per plant. best time for watering is the afternoon and cloudy weather. It is imperative to water the tomatoes during the flowering period of the 1st and 2nd brush, without fail before loosening the soil and after applying dry mineral fertilizers under them. During the summer, tomatoes need to be fed several times with mineral and organic fertilizers.

Plants are undemanding to air humidity, but if the humidity is excessively high, plants can get late blight and brown spot.

The first top dressing should be carried out 10-12 days after planting - with a mixture of mineral and organic fertilizers. So, for a 10-liter bucket of mullein solution (for one part of mullein or slurry, you need to take 8-9 parts of water), you need to add about 20 g of superphosphate. One bucket of this nutrient solution should be used for 10 plants. The second and third top dressing (with an interval of 2 weeks) should be carried out with dry mineral fertilizers immediately after loosening or for hilling. On a plot of 1 sq. m area, you need to add about 20 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium salt and 10 g of ammonium nitrate.

In the North-Western regions, in the process of caring for tomatoes, great attention must be paid to the formation of a plant bush - its timely stepsoning, as well as pinching the top of the stem. The practice of many gardeners has shown that excellent harvest mature tomatoes in the open field can be obtained by forming a plant bush into one stem, leaving 2-3 brushes.

Tomato plants need to be tied to stakes or a special rope stretched along the rows. Stakes should be placed on the north side with a distance of 9-11 cm from the stem. Plants must be attached to the stakes in three stages: the first time - immediately after planting the seedlings (not far from the first leaf), the second and third - as the plant grows - we raise the cord to the level of the 2nd and 3rd brush. If trellises are used to grow the plant, stakes must be driven in every four meters, between which a thread must be pulled.

Pests and diseases of tomatoes

The most common diseases of tomatoes: late blight, macrosporiosis, streak, septoria, late blight, stolbur and top rot.

Pests: wireworms, whitefly, mole crickets, gall nematode, scoops.

Lack of Majority nutrients in tomato plants can be defined as follows:

• with a lack of nitrogen, the color of the stem, leaves, and also the fruits of tomatoes themselves change. The leaves become smaller, yellowish in color, the veins below the leaf become red-bluish, the fruits become harder and smaller;
• if the tomatoes lack phosphorus, the leaves of the plant are wrapped inside;
• with a lack of potassium, the sheets become curly;
• a lack of calcium leads to the fact that young leaves are completely covered with yellow spots, and the old ones become larger and change color to dark green. Often in such cases, tomato plants undergo blossom end rot, most often this occurs when the humidity of the air is increased;
• with sulfur starvation, the leaves first become pale green in color, after which they intensively turn yellow, and sometimes turn red. Sulfur starvation appears first on young leaves, while the stems of plants become extremely brittle and fragile;
• lack of boron leads to blackening of the growing point of the stem, and the fruits are affected brown spots;
• if tomato plants lack molybdenum, the tomato leaves turn yellow, gradually twisting upwards, and the entire plate of leaves is completely affected by chlorosis;
• in case of iron deficiency, tomatoes completely stop growing. Their young leaves are affected by chlorosis. In the most severe cases, the leaves of the plants turn completely white.

harvesting tomatoes

Three weeks before the final harvest, both buds and flowering shoots plants must be removed, this will contribute to the early ripening of the bulk of the fruit. Harvesting of tomatoes must be done selectively, and first of all, ugly fruits must be removed. To keep the tomatoes for a longer time, they need to be harvested not red, but brown, and only then they are put to ripen. Tomatoes must be removed from the bushes until the nighttime air temperature drops below 8 ° C. This is due to the fact that at low temperatures the risk of diseases of tomatoes increases significantly.

Varieties and hybrids of tomatoes

According to the structure of the bushes, tomatoes are divided into non-standard, standard and potato-shaped. Non-standard tomatoes are distinguished by thinner stems that lie down during the fruiting period, as well as large, slightly corrugated leaves. Standard tomatoes are distinguished by compact bushes and, conversely, have a fairly thick stem, heavily corrugated leaves, medium in size, with short petioles. Potato-like, otherwise large-leaved tomatoes are quite rare, and they are called so because they have leaves that resemble potato ones in shape.

Today, there are more than 70 varieties and hybrids of tomatoes, and this is only for cultivation in open ground, as well as over 40 varieties for greenhouses. The most common of them are listed below.

Early ripe varieties

White filling- one of the most productive varieties. The bushes of the variety are relatively small and do not need pinching. The fruits are round or round-flat, fleshy, smooth, slightly ribbed at the stalk, weighing up to 130 g. Mature fruits are bright red in color, and milky white in the unripe state.

Ground Gribovsky A variety that is resistant to both diseases and low temperatures, drought tolerant, but high humidity very susceptible to late blight. It gives high yields not only when grown through seedlings, but also by sowing seeds directly into the ground. The fruits of the variety are round or round-flat in shape, smooth, medium in size, and weighing up to 100 g.

sparkle- low, medium-branched tomatoes. The fruits are elongated-oval, their weight reaches 110 g, and the growing season is up to 115 days. The variety is one of the most high-yielding, with tender fruits.

Mid-season and mid-late varieties

These varieties are most suitable for outdoor cultivation, the fruits ripen in 100-130 days.

New in Transnistria- medium late and extremely productive variety. The bushes have an average height and medium-sized fruits weighing up to 60 g. The fruits themselves are orange-red or bright red, elongated-oval in shape, smooth, have a thick and rather dense shell. Resistant to blossom end rot.

Torch- the variety is very high-yielding, characterized by friendly ripening of fruits. Bushes are compact, medium-sized. The fruits are very easy to separate from the stalk, round and smooth, red in color, weighing up to 100 g.

Late-ripening varieties

Late-ripening tomato varieties are best grown in the southern regions of the country, since their growing season reaches 150 days. Late-ripening varieties are significantly superior in yield to early and mid-season ones.

Ermak- grade undersized tomatoes with round-oval and red fruits, weighing up to 140 g and have a rough skin. Crack resistant, stable high yields and friendly maturation. The fruits of the variety are stored on plants for a long time.

tortilla- indeterminal (tall), non-standard hybrid. It is best grown in a greenhouse, fruiting all season. It has flat-round fruits weighing up to 100 g. The fruits of the variety are extremely resistant to viruses, root rot and brown spot.