Tomatoes. Cultivation and care

Growing tomatoes in open field are engaged as often as in the protected one. The timing of the start of fruiting with such cultivation is postponed for a couple of weeks, but this does not in the least affect the quality of the crop and its quantity. A lot of attention will have to be paid to caring for tomatoes in the ground, but the result will certainly justify all the labor costs.

Spring usually brings surprises and early production is questionable. You will learn how to properly grow tomatoes in the open field and avoid common mistakes by reading this material.

Agrotechnics for growing tomatoes: planting seedlings in open ground

Tomato seedlings are planted for outdoor cultivation after the threat has passed. return frosts, which usually occurs at the end of the first decade of May. It is recommended to plant seedlings at the age of at least 55 days for tall varieties and hybrids, for short ones - 40-45 days. Planting continues until the end of May, and seeds are sown directly into the ground. Seedless late tomatoes will go by autumn for winter harvesting.

In the presence of films such as spandbond, agrospan care is easier, planting seedlings in the ground can be done 10-12 days earlier than the average.

The best predecessors for tomatoes are cabbage, cucumber, legumes. The beds are best placed in well-lit, warm areas with highly fertile soils, but light and medium-textured soils are quite suitable for tomatoes.

To facilitate care, planting tomatoes in open ground undersized varieties and hybrids are produced according to the scheme of 25-30 cm in a row and with row spacing of 60-70 cm, tall according to the scheme, respectively, 50-60 x 70-80 cm.

Before starting to grow tomatoes in the ground, on the eve of planting, already hardened seedlings are abundantly watered with a solution of the microbiological preparation Extrasol and the next day they are planted with a clod of earth. According to right technology growing tomatoes in open ground, a row is cut along a cord to a depth of 10-12 cm, up to 0.5 kg of an organo-mineral mixture is added under each plant or a special fertilizer for tomatoes is added. The plant is planted as deep as the first true leaves. If the seedlings are overgrown, then it is advisable to plant them obliquely and cover the root system with no more than 3-5 cm of soil from above. Remember that the agricultural technique for growing tomatoes in open ground does not provide for deep planting of overgrown plants in cool soil, from which the lower roots may die . Of course, the plant will not die in this case, but it will linger for at least two weeks in growth, during which time new additional roots will begin to form in tomatoes on the buried part of the stem.

The technology of growing tomatoes in the open field involves the mandatory watering of plants after planting a small amount water with Extrasol (10 ml per 10 liters of water) and sprinkle with fresh earth or any available mulch. The bacteria contained in the Extrasol preparation settle on the roots of the plant, create a certain polysaccharide shell, enhance the immune system, prevent decay, stimulate growth, have a transport function and move nutrients to growing points.

How to grow tomatoes in open ground: plant care

After 3-4 days after planting, adding soil to the roots of plants can be carried out without fear. The soil is already warm by this time, root system young plant is in a comfortable state, and additional roots immediately begin to form. Further care for tomatoes in the open field consists in regular watering and subsequent loosening of the resulting soil crust, removal of stepchildren and stem formation, hilling, weeding, pest and disease control.

Tomato plants should be watered moderately, avoiding waterlogging and dryness of the soil. Irregular watering of plants in hot summers often leads to fruit diseases with blossom end rot and cracking. It is desirable to water in the morning and, if possible, by the end of the day, carry out light loosening, which means removing excess wet vapor and avoiding fungal diseases.

Observing the rules for caring for tomatoes when grown in open ground, loosen the soil after each rain or watering. In hot, dry weather, loosening helps to reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil, and in rainy cold weather it provides better gas exchange between air and soil, and reduces the possibility of fungal diseases.

To give the stems reliable stability, to enhance the growth of the root system, during the care of tomatoes in the open field, 2-4-fold hilling with moist soil is carried out.

Growing tomatoes in the Moscow region: the secrets of top dressing in the open field

When growing tomatoes in open ground in the Moscow region, the first top dressing is carried out 10-14 days after planting the seedlings in the garden.

The second - at the beginning of mass flowering. Fertilizers are better to use water-soluble with a set of trace elements in chelated form. For example, Aquarins (Junior, Color, Fruit) Master or Fertika Lux, as well as calcium and potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate and magnesium sulfate, a series of Raykats Start, Development, Final or Nutri-vant. Once every two weeks, Extrasol is added to the tank mixture to water-soluble fertilizers at the rate of 10 ml for every 10 liters. In this case, fertilizers are given 40% less. Watering with such a composition can also be carried out through drip irrigation, and droppers are not clogged, and such watering is more efficient and economical compared to other methods. Good results are obtained by using the Rostock humic preparation after one watering. The products are of high quality and with the lowest content of nitrates.

The third top dressing when growing tomatoes in the ground is done during the period of fruit formation.

When cultivating tall tomatoes, at least two additional top dressings will be required. Simultaneously with top dressing, foliar top dressing is also given and, in parallel, measures are taken to protect tomatoes from fungal diseases such as late blight, alternariosis and others, as well as against pests (mites, scoops and whiteflies).

Watch a video about growing tomatoes in the open field, which demonstrates how to properly feed the plants:

How to grow tomatoes in the open field: pinching

Another secret of growing tomatoes in the open field is the correct pinching. The formation of plants begins with the regular removal of stepchildren. Tall tomatoes are usually grown in one stem, but under certain weather conditions and features of a variety or hybrid - in two stems. In this case, the second stem is the shoot under the first flower brush. All other stepchildren are removed, the main stem is the first. As the fruits of tomatoes form and set on the first two brushes, they begin to alternately remove the lower leaves to the first flower brush, then to the second, etc. No more than 3-5 leaves are left at the top. When laying at any tomato, 5-7 brushes pinch the tops of the plants. This technique is called topping and is carried out in order to accelerate the ripening of fruits during a protracted growing season in a cool summer.

Low-growing early ripe tomatoes can be grown without pinching, but to get an earlier and more friendly harvest, the first two stepchildren are removed, and if tomatoes are cultivated in the northern region, then they must not only be pinned, but also tied to a trellis or stakes.

As shown in the photo, when growing tomatoes in open ground with the onset of hot weather in July, it is advisable to shade the plants from scorching rays translucent breathable films:

It is also useful in the heat to spray with growth and fruiting stimulants to avoid shedding flowers and burning fruits.

How to grow good tomatoes outdoors: fertilization

During the care of tomatoes when grown in open ground, plants react strongly to soil fertility and the application of mineral fertilizers.

These plants are demanding on soil fertility. But nitrogen plays a special role in the period of growth and development. Timely feeding of tomatoes with nitrogen fertilizers contributes to the excellent formation of all vegetative parts of the plant, fruit formation and fruit filling. With a lack of nitrogen, the growth of stems and leaves is sharply delayed, especially during the period of growing seedlings. Plants become pale green, then turn yellow, starting from the main vein towards the edges, the lower leaves become grayish yellow and fall off.

With an excess of nitrogen, the plants “fatten”, which leads to a decrease in fruit formation and tomato resistance to disease.

Timely addition of phosphorus to initial period cultivation contributes to the development of a good root system and the formation of generative organs.

With a lack of phosphorus, the assimilation by plants of not only nitrogen, but also other nutrients, which leads to a slowdown in their growth, the formation of ovaries and the ripening of fruits. A reddish-violet color appears on the underside of the leaf, then their color becomes grayish, and the stems and petioles of the leaves become lilac-brown. To prevent phosphorus starvation of plants, phosphate fertilizers must be added to the soil before planting seedlings.

Potassium is necessary for tomato plants in the early stages of development for the formation of stems and ovaries. You need to know and remember that top dressing with potash fertilizers increases the cold resistance of plants.

The combined application of phosphorus and potassium accelerates flowering, fruit ripening and increases disease resistance. With potassium starvation, the leaves begin to acquire a dark green color at first, then yellowish-brown spots form along their edges, which then merge into a continuous marginal border of dead tissue. The growth of the stems stops, spots and uneven ripening may appear on the fruits.

Other nutrients also play an important role: calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, boron, sulfur, molybdenum, zinc, chlorine, iodine, copper. Most of them are found in Fertika Lux fertilizer.

Remember that for normal growth, development and fruiting, you need to uninterruptedly give the plant the necessary fertilizers. Weakened plants are more likely to get sick, the yield and its quality are sharply reduced. The lack of fertilizers is easy to eliminate if you know the secrets of growing tomatoes in the open field and carry out foliar top dressing with Fertika Lux, Raikat Final, Razormin. But an excess of fertilizer can be very harmful, especially in dry weather. Therefore, strictly observe the norms and terms of fertilization recommended by the instructions.

Tomato fruits begin to be harvested as they ripen from the end of June. Fruiting can be extended until cold weather, if you follow the correct agricultural technology and plant protection. With the onset of cold nights and morning growth in August, it is advisable to cover the planting of tomatoes with films such as spandbond.

Diseases of tomatoes in the open field when grown in the suburbs

The most common diseases of tomatoes when grown outdoors under conditions Moscow region are: late blight, tobacco and cucumber mosaic viruses, root rot. There are varieties and hybrids relatively resistant to viruses and root rot. For late blight cultivated plants stability is missing.

Signs of tomato disease with tobacco mosaic virus: leaves become covered yellow spots, the crown of the plant becomes thinner, the leaves are formed filiform, the fruits are small, the flowers are double, deformed. Such plants must be immediately removed and destroyed. The virus is not curable. You just need to sow seeds after a two-year shelf life. The tool must be disinfected during operation. Use for growing varieties and hybrids that are resistant to this disease. These include varieties F1 Dobrun, F1 Kineshma, F1 Grandma's gift, F1 Funtik, F1 Kirzhach, F1 Rosemary and tomatoes from other manufacturers.

Using the tips for growing tomatoes in the open field, you will never make the following mistakes:

• Return to the original place not earlier than after 4 years.
• Soil disinfection is not carried out. To do this, it is necessary to carry out spraying before planting on dry soil of future beds with a solution of Alirin-B with Gamair or a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
• Before planting and after planting, they did not shed the soil with Extrasol (10 ml per 10 l of water). Planting seedlings is desirable to carry out in cloudy time and without deepening the root system.
• Remember! Top dressing and watering should be carried out regularly in the morning and, when dried, loosen and spud with moist soil.
• Remember! After each spraying, be sure to carry out protective measures with the addition of growth and fruiting stimulants.

In this video on growing tomatoes in the open field, recommendations are given by experienced vegetable growers for caring for plants:

The main secrets of growing tomatoes in the open field

Many vegetable growers are interested in how to grow good tomatoes in the open field and avoid their "greasing"?

Intensive plant growth, dark, almost black leaf color, thick stems, twisted leaves at the top of plants and the absence of fruits are signs of excess nitrogen nutrition. Tomatoes "fatten"! Most often, this picture is observed with excessive application of organic fertilizers for crops and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content.

Often the seedlings are pulled out. This is due to the lack of light, too high temperature, with abundant watering and thickening. Seedlings must be properly spaced before the leaves close. With obvious stretching of seedlings, watering should be limited, the temperature in the room should be reduced to about 18-19 ° C, it is these factors that cause excessive growth with a lack of light.

And how to properly limit the growth of tomatoes in order to grow them in open ground strong and productive? The fruiting period of the indeterminate tomato is quite long. In country conditions and depending on the region of residence, it is impossible for such plants to completely wait for the end of growth and fruiting, unless, of course, the plants get sick or die from early autumn frosts. Pinching is carried out about a month before the final harvest. Two leaves are left above the last inflorescence for the full filling of the fruit that has set. Usually, in the conditions of the southern region, fruits have time to pour and ripen on 10-11 inflorescences.

One more important question- how to grow tomatoes outdoors and avoid drying out of the leaves? The drying of the lower leaves of seedlings can be caused by several reasons. The first is the presence of sucking pests. The fight against them can be carried out both with the help of chemicals and in cases of the beginning of the maturation of products using biological agents: Fitoverm, Fitosporin, Bitoxibacillin. The second reason is too high a concentration of salts in the soil, while the rest of the plant's leaves droop. The third reason is lack of nutrition. In all likelihood, it is necessary to make urgent top dressing with small doses of water-soluble fertilizers such as Fertik Lux or humic preparations or microbiological preparation Extrasol.

To grow tomatoes in the open field as it suggests correct agricultural technology need to deal with pests. The most harmful of them are nightshade miner, whitefly, garden (cotton) scoop, tomato moth. For the most part, this is the result of a lack of preventive measures during the cultivation of tomatoes. Get rid of these pests in advance with one of the approved drugs. One of the main secrets of growing tomatoes in the open field is the use of only high-quality biological preparations.

Tomato is one of the most beloved crops that is found on the site of almost any summer resident. In order for the harvest of this extremely tasty fruit to fully please, planting a tomato must be correct.

It is impossible to know absolutely everything about growing your favorite tomatoes without watering, as well as feeding them and planting them in open ground or in a greenhouse, but everyone who dreams of a rich harvest should know the basic secrets of care.

Selecting the right variety

The variety of tomatoes is amazing. Fruits can be small, large, medium, elongated, round, pear-shaped, ellipsoid, oval and heart-like. The color scheme is also impressive. After the usual red tomatoes come orange, white, yellow of all shades and even almost black.

Any experienced housewife will tell you not only everything about growing her favorite variety, but also the fact that not every fruit is equally good in a salad and for harvesting for the winter.

Therefore, in addition to choosing early or late varieties tomato, you must also take into account its further purpose. For example, "Tigrovy", "Budenovka" and "Pink Honey" are best used in fresh in salads, and varieties " Scarlet Sails”,“ New Year ”,“ Beginner ”are ideal for harvesting for future use.

1. "Eugene".
2. "Aurora".
3. "Red Sun"
4. "Fat Jack"
5. "The little Prince".
6. "Hurricane".
7. "Admiral".
8. "Dandy".
9. "Spring drops".
10. "Shady Lady".
11. "Tsarskoye Selo".
12. "Harmony".
13. "Admiralty".

Tomatoes of late varieties:

1. "Vladimir F1".
2. "De Barao".
3. "Giraffe".
4. Cosmonaut Volkov.
5. "RIO GRAND".
6. "Titanium".
7. "Date fruit".
8. "The finish".
9. "Khutorskoy pickling".
10. Market Miracle.
11. "Octopus F1".

Popular pink varieties:

1. "Demidov".
2. "My family".
3. "Oh-la-la."
4. "Moscow pear".
5. "Sweetie".
6. "Supermodel".
7. "Petrusha the gardener".
8. "Scarlet Candles".
9. "Pink Stele".
10. "Slav".
11. "Monastic Meal"
12. "Dad".

Most delicious varieties for open ground:

1. "Golden Queen".
2. "Hope".
3. "Ballerina".
4. "Uncle Styopa".
5. "Ivan Kupala".
6. "Karatin".
7. "Laura".
8. "Kemerovo".
9. "Scarlet Mustang".
10. "Salting delicacy".
11. "Siberian trump".
12. "Sensei".
13. "Scheherazade".
14. "Pudovik".

The best varieties of tomatoes in the greenhouse:

1. "Yarilo".
2. "Blessing".
3. "Friend".
4. "Scorpion".
5. "Gina".
6. "Funtik".
7. "Semko-Sinbad".
8. "F1 Soyuz 3".
9. "F1 Soyuz 8".
10. "Semko-Sinbad".
11. "Red Cheeks".
12. "Pink cheeks".
13. "Cavalier".
14. "Shustrik F1".

Tomatoes for the northern regions:

1. "Verlioka".
2. "De Barao".
3. Olya F1.
4. "Ural F1".
5. "Admiralty".

In addition, you can choose specially varieties of tomato for wet soil, according to plant height, and even for transportation or long-term storage.

Back to index

Proper seed preparation

Proper planting of tomatoes always begins with the very careful preparation of its seeds. One of the interesting and effective advice po is the effect on the seeds of the contrast temperature. To do this, they are soaked for 12-15 hours between 2 layers of wet matter. The temperature should be around 20ºС. Then they are placed in the refrigerator for 8-10 hours. This procedure is carried out cyclically for 2 weeks. Thanks to this method, all weak seeds die. Tomatoes, the cultivation of which began with such hardening, always have high seedlings and a rich harvest.

For sowing seeds in the ground, it is necessary to prepare the following tools and materials:

1. Seeds.
2. Soil for seedlings.
3. Peat humus cubes or any available container 4-5 cm deep.
4. Watering can.
5. Settled water.
6. Cellophane film.
7. Spray.
8. Tablespoon.
9. Ruler or cardboard with a straight edge.

Step by step work:

1. Pour moist soil into peat cubes or your container so that about 1 cm remains to the top.
2. Compact the soil.
3. Moisten the surface of the soil with a sprayer
4. If a container is used, then a 2x2 cm grid is drawn on the ground with a ruler or cardboard. When sowing in peat cubes, this step is skipped.
5. Planting tomatoes is carried out according to the scheme 2x2 cm.
6. After distributing the seeds, they are sprinkled with dry soil by 1 cm and compacted lightly with a tablespoon.
7. The containers are covered with cellophane film and placed in front of the window.

As soon as the very first loop of seedlings appears, without waiting for the remaining ones to appear, the container is immediately moved to a cool and bright place. It is better not to plant seedlings close to the glass. She is cold there and will not absorb food. The film is removed during the day.

After opening the seven-lobed leaves, the seedlings switch to independent nutrition using their own root system. During this period, timely top dressing is very important. mineral fertilizers. Of those offered on the market, you can use the following: Kemira-lux, AVA, Uniflor-growth. The film is finally removed. Tomatoes should be watered moderately with a watering can.

Proper lighting is as important as fertilizers, since at this stage the plant development program is formed. Fluorescent lamps are placed at a height of 7-10 cm above the seedlings. About 6-8 weeks after germination, tomatoes can be planted in open ground or a greenhouse.

Back to index

Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse

In order for the tomatoes in the greenhouse to feel good, not get sick and give bountiful harvest, you need to prepare the greenhouse itself for the season according to all the rules. Planting tomatoes is carried out in early May. At this time, the nights are still cold, so the greenhouse should have a double layer of film. It is important to make vents on all sides, remove upper layer soil, and disinfect the remaining soil blue vitriol. If growing tomatoes in greenhouses is planned in winter, then you need to take care of additional heating and lighting.

The beds are prepared a week before planting seedlings. The soil is loosened, weeds that have appeared are removed, humus is introduced. For poor soil per 1 m² you will need a full glass charcoal and 5-7 kg of humus, for fertile - 3-4 kg of humus.

Tips for growing healthy and productive tomatoes in a greenhouse are simple but important:

1. The soil for planting must be warm.
2. Seedlings should not be planted too deep.
3. Nitrogen fertilizers should be in moderation.
4. Landing and care must be timely. It is necessary to plant tomatoes in moist soil on a cloudy day or in the evening. Yellowed and diseased leaves are removed immediately.

The beds are usually broken along the greenhouse. Their width is approximately 50-90 cm. The number depends on the parameters of the greenhouse itself. A passage of 50-70 cm is built between the beds. A distance of 40-60 cm is left between the tomatoes. The planting pattern of this crop in the greenhouse is determined by the method of plant formation and its variety. The traditional scheme looks like this.

Experienced vegetable growers advise not to water in the very first days after planting a crop in a greenhouse. You need to wait a week until the culture takes root. In the future, it is important to adhere to the optimal for greenhouse tomato water temperature. watered with water 20-22 ° C. Before the flowering phase, the plant is watered after 3-4 days, while about 5 liters of water are needed per 1 m². During flowering, watering is increased to 10 liters per 1 m². It is best to water under the root. This should be done in the morning, and not in the evening, when condensation forms.

Another main condition for obtaining a rich harvest is maintaining humidity and optimal temperature conditions. Tomatoes are not afraid of drafts. You can ventilate the greenhouse in any way: open the ends, twist the film at the bottom, open the top and side windows. Be sure to ventilate the greenhouse 2 hours after watering, which is very important especially during flowering. Wet pollen cannot easily enter the pistil, so pollination will not occur.

Back to index

Growing tomatoes in the ground

Under planting tomatoes in the ground, an open sunny place is taken away, reliably protected from cold winds. Unsuitable for this purpose are damp and low areas, with close passage ground water, creating very unfavorable conditions for the root system of the culture.

It is not recommended to plant tomatoes where eggplant, pepper and physalis were its predecessors. Do not plant 2 years in a row and a tomato in one place. good predecessors potatoes, carrots, zucchini, onions, pumpkins, cucumbers and cabbages are considered.

Prepare the soil before planting. It is disinfected and fertilized. The simplest and accessible way to fertilize the soil is considered a mixture of ash and compost, at the rate of 1.5 cups of ash per full bucket of compost. Furrows or holes are well watered with this mixture.

Planting seedlings is best done in the evening. Overnight, she will get stronger and endure the procedure much easier. For planting, they dig trenches or individual pits. Next, the bushes are carefully removed from the seedling containers and transferred to a prepared place along with a clod of earth. It is extremely important not to damage the root system. For painless extraction, the plant is abundantly watered about an hour before transplantation. The distance between tomatoes in the ground and their beds is done similarly to growing a crop in a greenhouse.

Ground tomatoes are watered immediately regularly from the first time after planting. After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil between the rows of plants. This perfectly saturates the soil with oxygen. This procedure will improve the entire process of crop growth and the ripening of its future fruits. If you water the tomato irregularly, then there is a high probability of damage to the top rot and the fragility of the plant itself. Mulching around the crop will prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil.

It is no secret that tomatoes are the most beloved crop, which gardeners grow with love in their plots. There are special methods of agricultural technology of tomato crops. In our article, we have collected the most valuable suggestions for caring for tomatoes.

Main types of care work

In order for tomatoes to please with their harvest, it is required to perform a set of specific work on caring for tomatoes after planting:

• loosening, mulching between rows and hilling tomatoes;
• destruction of weeds;
• watering;
• top dressing;
• garter of tomatoes;
• the formation of bushes (pasynkovanie);
• disease prevention.

Loosening, mulching row spacing and hilling

Periodic loosening garden plants equivalent to watering. After this operation, oxygen access to the root system and a better supply of nutrients increase.

The appearance of a continuous compacted earthen crust is not allowed. Row spacing should be mulched with grass clippings, sawdust, peat moss, newsprint and cardboard. It is useful to mulch plants with humus mixed with sawdust. Mulching is very useful for tomatoes, it helps to retain moisture.

During the growth period, tomatoes should be spudded several times. This procedure promotes the appearance of additional roots. The plant becomes stronger and more resistant to various adverse natural factors.

Weed control

Weed control is the key to growing a large and healthy tomato crop. As you know, weeds are spreaders of many tomato diseases: late blight, viral mosaic, bacterial spot, etc.

How to water

When planting a tomato, the hole should be spilled with a sufficient amount of water. The next watering should be done only after two weeks. Moisture during planting will be enough for reliable rooting and growth. The root will go deeper and in a dry summer it will be able to maintain the water balance of the plant. Otherwise, tomato bushes will grow a weak root system, which will not spread in depth, but on the sides.

Tomatoes like regular plentiful, but not frequent watering. Tomatoes are not recommended to be watered with cold tap water. It is better if the water is settled and warm. It is better to water the plants in the morning, under the root system. Sprinkling is an unacceptable way of watering a tomato; temperature differences in the atmosphere and on the soil can lead to shedding of flowers and cause diseases.

top dressing

For bountiful harvest tomatoes and large-sized fruits require fertilizing plants with fertilizers. Experienced gardeners feed tomatoes usually four times per season. It is important to know that top dressing is carried out after watering the plants in order to avoid burning the root system.

It should be remembered that fertilizers containing nitrogen enhance the growth of green plant mass and slow down the ripeness of tomatoes. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are good to use at the stage of fruit ripening.

Experienced gardeners prefer to feed tomatoes with organic fertilizers: cow and horse manure, bird droppings, fermented green grass contain many nutrients for plants and serve as a complete organic fertilizer.

We offer recipes for dressing tomatoes for the season:

1. The first time tomatoes should be fed 14 days after planting. Pour 500 ml of liquid manure solution and 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska into a bucket of water (10 l). Feeding rate - 500 ml per plant bush.
2. The second top dressing of a tomato is carried out at the stage of the appearance of a flower brush. In a bucket of water (10 l) pour 500 ml of liquid manure solution, 1 tablespoon of superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of potassium sulfate. Under each tomato bush you need to add 500 ml of the mixture.
3. The third top dressing is needed at the stage of formation of the ovary. In a bucket of water (10 l) add 1 tablespoon of potassium humate and 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska. 5 liters of top dressing is required per 1 sq.m.
4. The last top dressing is carried out at the ripening stage of tomatoes. In a bucket of water (10 l) add 1 tablespoon of superphosphate. The required feeding rate is 10 liters per 1 sq.m.

Garter

Proper garter of tomatoes will ensure ventilation of the crown of the bush, strengthen the stem of the plant and prevent it from breaking under the weight of the fruit. Pegs can be dug into the holes already when planting a tomato. The stalk of the tomato is attached to the peg with soft twine as the bush grows.

For tall tomatoes, you can use tying on a trellis. In this case, tomato bushes are planted in a row. After 70 cm, supports (wooden, plastic, metal) are driven in. A rope or wire is stretched between them at several levels with a distance of 30-40 cm. With subsequent growth, the plants are attached to the trellis with soft twine.

Tied tomatoes are easier to care for, fertilize, water and mulch the soil.

Formation of bushes (pasynkovanie)

The correct formation of a tomato bush ensures that ripe tomatoes are obtained much earlier than expected, and the quality and quantity of the crop exceed all expectations. Usually the plant is formed on 1 or 2 stems. When a tomato bush is formed in one stem, then all lateral axillary shoots are removed.

And if the plant is formed on two stems, you should leave a side shoot near the first brush. All other stepchildren are removed in a timely manner, preventing them from growing more than 4-5 cm. It is better to break out stepchildren, leaving a column 1 cm long. It will not allow to form side shoot In the same place.

If you do not remove the stepchildren, the tomatoes will grow strongly into a green mass with many shoots and flower brushes. Due to the short growing season, the fruits will not have time to ripen, they will be small and lose their taste.

Closer to the third decade of August, you should pinch the tops of the plants and remove the flower brushes without ovaries, which will allow the fastest ripening of the fruit. Tomato care in autumn: in early September, a tomato stem is cut at a height of 10 cm from the ground. This prevents nutrients from entering the stem of the plant and will cause fastest ripening tomatoes.

Disease prevention

It is easier to prevent tomato diseases than to treat them later. During the season, tomatoes should be sprayed 2-3 times with special mixtures to avoid the appearance of fungal, viral and bacterial diseases. We offer several recipes for preventive spraying of tomatoes from experienced gardeners.

1. From late blight, spraying plants with a solution of kefir helps. For 10 liters of water, 1 liter of kefir of any fat content is added. Plants should be treated for the first time 14 days after planting. Then three more times with a break of 7 days.
2. The soil under the tomatoes is sprinkled with ash. Or you can sprinkle the plants with sifted ash.
3. IN Lately among gardeners, "Magic Balm" is popular. This cocktail will serve as a good prevention against diseases, as well as perfectly feed the tomatoes. A bucket is placed in a 200 l barrel cow dung, 2 shovels of ash, 4 buckets of nettles, 3 liters of whey and 2 kg of yeast. Fill with water, insist 14 days. The consumption rate of the solution is 1 liter under a tomato bush every 10 days. They say that after such processing, tomatoes grow by leaps and bounds!

Features of care in the greenhouse

There are many similarities in growing and caring for tomatoes in the open field and in the greenhouse, but there are certain features. Plants grown in a greenhouse are more sensitive to temperature changes, drafts, and diseases.

The first watering of tomatoes in the greenhouse should be taken no earlier than 14 days after planting. You should strictly adhere to the norm of watering: 4 liters of water per 1 sq.m before flowering and 12 liters of water per 1 sq.m during the appearance of flowers and until the very formation of fruits. Watering should be done about once a week.

Regular ventilation in the greenhouse - important condition in growing tomatoes. high humidity prevents pollination of flowers and increases the risk of disease.

In greenhouses, along with natural pollination, artificial pollination is used. In sunny weather, tomato brushes are gently shaken, this process enhances the formation of ovaries.

Thursday, March 20, 2014 5:00 pm + to quote pad

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 a true gourmet crazy!

Tomatoes, or tomatoes, 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 seedlings of tomatoes, 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 the greenhouse, but not less than 15 days for the entire time of their growth.

planting tomatoes

For the cultivation of tomatoes, it is better to choose the southern, southwestern or southeastern areas. 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 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 after three years. Otherwise, you will put the plants in danger of getting sick.

The soil for planting tomatoes in open ground must be prepared in the fall. So, if the acidity of the soil is increased, it is necessary to apply under autumn digging per 1 sq. 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 tomatoes on the site, it is necessary to make holes and spill them well 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 tomatoes 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. Biofuel must be loaded inside the ridges, in simple terms - heated manure (a layer of about 5 cm), and covered 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 should be installed over the fallow beds immediately after planting the seedlings, leaving them for the entire growing period. 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 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, it is necessary to hammer stakes every four meters, between which you need to pull the thread

Pests and diseases of tomatoes

The most common diseases of tomatoes are late blight, macrosporiosis, streak, septoria, late blight, stolbur and blossom end rot.

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

The lack of most 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 the buds and flowering shoots of the plant 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 is 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. The color of mature fruits is bright red, and in the unripe state - milky white.

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.

The novelty of Pridnestrovie is a 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.

Fakel is a very high-yielding variety, characterized by a 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 - variety 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.

Tortila is an indeterminate (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.

Caring for tomatoes in the open field

Caring for tomatoes is at the same time very simple if you are not chasing a particularly large harvest, and at the same time troublesome if you want to get as many fruits as possible. The trick is that although the tomato itself is not too demanding (it can bear fruit even when it is only occasionally watered and protected from weeds), it is very responsive to almost all agrotechnical activities that are pleasant for it. The better you take care of him, the more fresh tomatoes he will give. But taking good care of a tomato does not mean that it needs a lot of everything, on the contrary, a sense of proportion in caring for a tomato is rule number one. After all, he does not like either excess water, or drought, or lack of fertilizers, or overfeeding them, especially nitrogen ones, from which the bush will immediately begin to “fatten”.

The necessary care for tomatoes includes watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, tying tall varieties to supports and re-tying them as needed, light hilling, as well as weeding and, if necessary, protection from pests and diseases.

Watering a tomato

Tomatoes do not like either excess water or drought. They should be watered as the soil dries up, not allowing it to dry out completely, rarely, but plentifully, on average once a week, if there is no rain, and even less often when it rains. The most important thing is that the tomatoes have enough water from the moment the ovaries are formed until the end of the fruit filling. If at this time the tomato falls under drought, the ovaries may crumble, and the fruits that grow from those that survive will turn out to be atypically small. A little later, when they have already developed, a lack of watering can cause cracking of the fruit. Most of all, tomatoes like drip, or "underground", watering - where it is used, yields are usually higher. If you water them in this way, as well as under the root or along the furrows and only in the evening, they will never get sick with blossom-end rot. And here's another little secret: tomatoes get sick less often and grow better if you add a little ash to the water for irrigation (a couple of pinches per ten-liter bucket). They will also bear fruit better if, as soon as the ovaries begin to appear, sprinkle the soil around them with ash (also about a handful per 1 m 2). It is necessary to loosen the soil every time you notice a hard crust on it, and it usually forms after watering or rains.

top dressing

You need to feed the tomatoes at least three times per season, and even better - do it constantly, every two weeks. Fertilizers can be used differently, the main thing is that they have less nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium, for example: 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 50-60 g of superphosphate and 30-40 g of potassium chloride per 10 liters of water. However, for solution bird droppings they respond well too. Of the microfertilizers, they need magnesium and boron most of all: magnesium - constantly, and boron - when they bloom, because flowers and ovaries can begin to crumble from its lack. For top dressing, you need to take 1 g boric acid per 1 liter of water and spray the greens in the afternoon.

Tying bushes to supports

Tall tomatoes should be tied to pegs immediately after planted on permanent place the seedlings will take root well and start growing, and with the seedless method - when the seedlings have 5-6 leaves. Stakes should be driven into the ground from the north side to a depth of about 40 cm from the plant and at a distance of 10 cm from the stem. The height of the peg must be selected according to the height of the variety (usually from 1 to 1.5 m). However, some varieties can be tied not to pegs, but to a wire stretched horizontally between rows (trellis), tilting plants from adjacent rows in pairs to each other. Then their fruits will be a little larger (why - it's hard to say, but in practice it usually turns out like this), and it's easier to clean them. This applies not only to tall, but also to medium-sized varieties.

You need to spud tomatoes 2-3 times per season.

Tomatoes must be protected from weeds constantly, from the very first days, preventing weeds from growing. It is most convenient to do this together with loosening and hilling.

Formation of bushes

But the formation of a bush and the removal of stepchildren are techniques that are needed not by the tomatoes themselves, but by us in order to get more good fruits.

It is not necessary to form bushes for all varieties (for some, only one main stem grows anyway). Most often, one main stem is left, but varieties with powerful stems and medium-sized, but numerous fruits can be formed into two or three stems. The further south you live, the more stems you can leave, because the long southern summer will allow all the fruit that has begun to ripen. True, they may be smaller than on the main stem.

There is nothing difficult in the formation. If you need one stem, you need to remove all stepchildren that appear in the axils of the leaves as soon as they appear, not allowing them to grow to a length of 2-4 cm. First of all, you need to remove those stepsons that have grown immediately under the brushes, otherwise the tomato may drop flowers and ovary.

If you form a bush in two stems, leave a side shoot that will appear near the first brush, and if in three, then besides it, the strongest of those that are outlined under the second stem.

At the same time, stepsons should not be pulled out, but broken out, carefully clasping them with the thumb and forefinger, and pulling to the side, and not towards you. If they have grown too large, it is better to cut them off with a sharp knife or razor.

Tomatoes must be pinched constantly, no matter how many stems they have left. There is, however, one important limitation: during too strong summer heat, it is better to temporarily refrain from breaking off leaves and from pinching, because bushes in such conditions do not tolerate injuries well. But if they go in the summer heavy rains with a cold snap, it is advisable not only to stepson the tomatoes, but also to remove parts of the shoots and all the lower leaves from them so that the bushes warm up faster and better ventilate.

In addition, for better harvest somewhere in mid-August, it is worth pinching the tops of all fruit-bearing shoots and removing those flower brushes on which fruits have not started, then those fruits that have already started will pour better and ripen faster.