Growing tomatoes outdoors. We grow a high yield of tomatoes in open ground

Growing tomatoes outdoors can be difficult for beginner gardeners, as the plant is quite demanding to care for. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the culture in preparation for planting, watering and feeding tomatoes, as well as provide them with protection from pests and diseases.

For the reader's reference

Tomato (lat. Solanum lycopersicum) belongs to the Solanaceae family. The fruits of the plant are berries, but the culture belongs to the vegetable, so the tomato is equally correctly called both a berry and a vegetable. The birthplace of culture is South America.

When to plant tomatoes outdoors

The culture does not tolerate frost, so it is necessary to plant seedlings in open soil with stable average daily temperature. Do not rush: bushes planted early will get sick and lag behind in development.

• In the southern regions of Russia, start the procedure for planting seedlings early ripe varieties possible at the end of April;
• In the Urals and Moscow region - in the first half of May (landing time can be shifted by 10-15 days with nighttime air temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius);
• Mid-ripening tomatoes are planted later: in the South - in early May, in middle lane Russia - in early June.

Most auspicious days for planting tomatoes lunar calendar are 1-3, 9-10 and 19-20 May. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the afternoon, it is better - in cloudy, but not rainy weather.

Features of choosing a place and preparing soil for tomatoes

When choosing a garden plot for planting tomato seedlings, it is recommended to give preference to well-lit southern slopes that are protected from the wind. Since the culture does not like waterlogging, you should choose elevated places with light loamy soil of low acidity.

Crop rotation rules for tomatoes

Crop rotation allows the land to rest and restore the trace elements consumed by the plant. Therefore, the place of planting tomatoes should be changed annually. It is important to consider which plants grew earlier.

Tomatoes grow much better, growing and caring for them in open ground in the beds where they grew: legumes, greens and root crops. Crops such as potatoes, peppers or eggplants are undesirable. They can cause contamination of the land with late blight, which will pass to seedlings.

Soil preparation for tomatoes in several stages

Soil disinfection can be carried out in the fall. For the procedure, a solution of copper sulfate is used: 1 tablespoon of copper per 10 liters of water. Consumption is 1 liter per square meter beds.

In spring, the soil is fertilized with organic matter and mineral salts: they are applied per square meter of soil in equal proportions, 1 bucket each: peat, humus and sawdust. Add 2 tablespoons of phosphate and a couple of glasses of ash.

The soil is dug up well, watered warm solution bleach for disinfection (2 liters per square meter). The preparation of the ridges must be carried out in advance: 5-7 days before transplanting tomatoes into open soil.

Tomato planting and care in the open field

The quantity and quality of the crop often depends on more than proper care. It is necessary to properly prepare the seeds before sowing and take care of the growing seedlings, and after planting in the soil, ensure good watering and top dressing.

A set of pre-sowing measures

Tomato care starts with seedbed preparation seeds. You can follow all the described procedures, or those that you consider necessary.

culling

The seeds are placed in a saline solution (1 teaspoon per 0.2 l of water), mixed thoroughly and left to stand for 10 minutes. For planting, choose full-weight seeds that have settled to the bottom of the container, they are washed with water and dried.

warming up

The seeds are placed in fabric pouches and warm up on the battery for several days before the sowing procedure.

Disinfection or dressing

Necessary for disinfection of planting material. Seeds are soaked for 20 minutes in a 1% iodine solution.

Seed nutrition

Soak for a day in ready-made nutrient solutions (Epin or potassium humate). You can use potato juice.

soaking

The grains in a gauze bag are placed in warm water for 10-12 hours. Every 3-4 hours it is necessary to change the liquid, and let the grains breathe.

Germination

planting material placed on a damp cloth or paper towel. It is important to ensure that the material does not dry out and periodically add liquid until the seeds swell and begin to hatch;

hardening

To ensure friendly seedlings, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator for the night, and during the day they are kept at a temperature of 20 degrees. Celsius, the procedure is repeated three times.

Planting tomatoes in open ground

Grown seedlings should be prepared before transplanting. It is necessary to carry out hardening in the air and accustom the sprouts to sunlight, otherwise the fragile sprouts may die from a sudden change in conditions. For 2-3 days, do airing, then take out the seedlings for a week Fresh air gradually increasing the time.

You can plant tomatoes in open ground when the height of the bushes reaches 20-25 cm, and the stem has 7-9 large leaves.

Before transplanting, tomato seedlings are well moistened. The procedure is carried out in the following way: the beds are marked in advance: for high varieties of tomatoes, the distance between the bushes should be up to 60 cm, and the same between the rows, and for undersized ones: 40 and 50 cm, respectively. The holes are made 25-30 cm deep, filled with water and allowed to be completely absorbed.

Ready seedlings removed from containers and planted together with wet earthy clod. If the bush is very long, the lower pair of leaves is cut off on it and the stem is buried in the hole, but so that it does not bend or break.

The roots are covered with earth, a little rotted manure is added and sprinkled again. Then they tamp with their hands and water: 1-2 liters for each bush.

Immediately after planting, the beds should be covered with foil for 6-8 days. During this time, the plants will get stronger and take root, watering is not recommended yet. After, the shelter can be removed and the landing moistened.

Caring for tomatoes in the open field

Tomato bushes must be regularly weeded, hilled and loosened the soil. A peg is placed near each plant in advance. For the most high grades the height of the support must be at least 80 cm. It is recommended to use a synthetic thread that does not cause rotting of plants.

Watering tomatoes in open ground

Tomatoes do not like excess moisture; stagnant water can cause the development of fungal diseases. Until the ovary appears, it is recommended to only slightly moisten the soil, avoiding drying out.

Watering tomatoes in open ground when ovaries appear is carried out every 7-8 days, 1 liter per plant is enough. During the period of growth and ripening of fruits, the frequency of watering is increased to 5-6 days, the amount of water is increased to 2 liters per bush. It is necessary to pour water under the root, avoiding contact with the leaves, as this can cause vertex rot. Drip irrigation is recommended.

It is recommended to add to water during irrigation (with drip automated watering you can sprinkle the beds) a couple of pinches wood ash per 1 bucket, such top dressing of tomatoes in the open field will strengthen the immunity of plants and accelerate their growth.

Water should be taken from a well or well, and tap water should be defended. It is best to water in the afternoon. The water must be warm, as cold water will only harm the plants.

Top dressing of tomatoes in the open field

The procedure is carried out every 2 weeks. For fertilizer use 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium per 10 liters of liquid. For one bush use 1 liter of solution. It is important when fertilizing that the amount of nitrogen does not exceed phosphorus and potassium.

Top dressing for tomatoes in open ground folk recipes, will help to abandon the use of chemicals and pesticides. The most popular among gardeners:

• Nettle infusion on water will saturate the soil with microelements such as potassium, calcium and manganese.
• A solution of wood ash will help protect the tomatoes from pests such as slugs and snails, while saturating the soil with potassium and phosphorus.
• An infusion of nettle yeast or other green fertilizer will greatly increase the release of methane and nitrogen, which are beneficial to plants.

How to tie up tomatoes, care and pinching

Caring for tomatoes in the open field is not only about watering and feeding. Immediately after removing the film shelter from the garden, it is necessary to put a peg near each tomato bush.

It is placed on the north side at a distance of 10 cm from the stem and driven into the ground by 30-40 cm. Aboveground part the support is usually 1 m. The bush begins to be tied during the period of its active growth. It is unnecessary to tightly tie the stem to the support, the twine should simply support the plant in vertical position. As you grow, the garter is raised higher.

In order for the fruits to be larger and they ripen faster, it is necessary to form bushes. Most often, one main stem is left on the plant, and the extra shoots are removed. The stepping procedure must be carried out regularly.

Young sprouts coming from the base of already growing brushes must be removed, as well as all leaves below the first branches. They are simply pinched off with two fingers.

Outdoor tomato care video

Prevention from diseases and pests of tomatoes

Growing tomatoes outdoors makes them particularly vulnerable to common diseases and pests. Compliance preventive measures will partially avoid problems.

• Observe crop rotation, try not to plant tomatoes next to potatoes;
• Dig the soil well before planting and disinfect;
• Plants affected by diseases or pests must be removed to protect healthy bushes;
• When watering, make sure that drops do not fall on the leaves;
• Refrain from watering during a period of severe temperature drop;
• Give preference to new varieties and hybrids that are resistant to common diseases;
• Use folk remedies to repel pests that damage plants and carry diseases (an infusion of garlic or onions).

Choosing a variety and growing tomatoes in the open field video

Outcome

Growing tomatoes, planting and care in the open field will seem simple and a pleasure if you provide the culture with everything you need and follow agricultural practices. And as a result you will get excellent harvest.

Do not be afraid to experiment and try new varieties bred by breeders, grow tomatoes that will be much easier to care for due to their resistance to diseases and temperature extremes.

Many gardeners prefer outdoor tomatoes. These vegetables are distinguished by a special taste and aroma, which cannot be achieved when growing bushes in a greenhouse way.

In regions where summer is short and rains predominate, growing a vegetable in open ground is difficult, so breeders develop varieties that ripen quickly.

The weather is not the only difficulty. About how to do everything right and grow delicious tomatoes to your table and we will learn from this article. How to grow tomatoes outdoors?

So, how to grow tomatoes outdoors? Let's start with preparation.

Seed selection

The choice of seeds must be approached with special responsibility. Most importantly, the variety must be adapted to the conditions of your area, its climate and soil characteristics. Detailed information can always be found on the package with seeds. If you have doubts about this, then you should once again ask about the selected variety from a consultant or on the Internet.

Growing tomatoes in the open field involves early and mid-season varieties, however, in the southern regions, where the summer is long and warm, it is quite possible to grow later ones.

No less significant point is the purpose of the harvest. You need to determine in advance which varieties you are interested in:

• for salting and canning;
• in salads;
• universal;
• for long term storage.

seedling preparation

It is worth preparing seedlings about 60 days before planting in the soil. They germinate within 5-10 days, after the seedlings you need to keep at home for another 45-60 days, but you should remember some more nuances:

• It is important not to overexpose the young shoots at home on the windowsill, otherwise the bushes may stop growing or their yield will decrease.
• So that the planting does not hurt, you will have to cultivate the land and seeds in advance. Seeds purchased from gardening stores are most likely already processed. If not, then they must be kept in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (grams per 100 ml) for 15-20 minutes (no more), previously wrapped in gauze. After rinse in water.
• The soil (even bought in a store) also needs to be prepared, it must be shed with a similar solution or boiling water, there is also a method with calcination in an oven (you need to withstand 15 minutes at a temperature of 200 C).

After preparing the land, you should not immediately plant the seeds, it is better to wait about 10 days. During this time, beneficial bacteria will appear in the soil.

It is necessary to plan landing in the ground when the positive temperature is established on the street day and night, i.e. seedlings will need to be planted two months before.

Need to create favorable conditions tomatoes at home

• a lot of light (it is better if the windows face south);
• high humidity (use the sprayer every day a couple of times or maintain optimal humidity using a humidifier)
• it is important not to flood or overdry;
• watering is best done in the morning so that the sun does not dry the seedlings during the day;
• warm (temperature during the day 18-25 C, at night 12-15 C).

picking

The first pick (placing the sprouts in separate containers) is made when the first leaves appear on the 7-10th day, and you also need:

• Gently transfer the sprouts with a clod of earth into 200 ml cups.
• After another couple of weeks, you can dive a second time, in a larger container (optimally 1-2 liters of land per plant).
• If from the very beginning the seeds were in separate cups, then this pick will be the first.

If everything is done correctly, then your seedlings before planting will have a good root system, powerful stems, big leaves and developed flower buds.

Soil preparation

You can prepare the soil for planting in advance in autumn or spring:

1. It is worth adding humus or rotted manure to the ground in the amount of 5 kg per square meter.
2. Fertilizers may be required more or less, it all depends on the fertility and composition of the soil on the site.
3. Humus contains nitrogen, which is a growth catalyst vegetable crop and also warms the roots.
4. Tomatoes are very fond of phosphorus and potassium, which also need to be added to the soil.

Planting bushes

Bushes are preferably planted in a place where legumes, squash, cabbage, radishes or cucumbers used to grow. It should be sunny, and also protected from strong gusts of wind.

The distance between planting bushes depends on the selected variety. Recommendations for a distribution scheme can usually be found on the seed packaging.

Landing is best done in the late evening after sunset at a favorable soil temperature of 15 C.

To find out the temperature of the soil, it is enough to immerse an ordinary household thermometer in it for several hours.

The day before, you need to water the seedlings warm water and also shed the planting holes before moving into the ground. If you follow these recommendations, then the young shoots of tomatoes will feel great in the open field, will not wither and will not stop growing. For the next couple of weeks, they will only need to be watered.

Growing indoors

If the summer promises to be cold, then it is still better to give preference greenhouse tomatoes. They can be planted early, especially in heated greenhouses, they bear fruit earlier, and ripe tomatoes can be harvested until the first frost. However, it is worth recognizing that taste qualities greenhouse vegetables are incomparable with open field tomatoes.

Care rules

How to grow good tomatoes in open ground? Take care of them!

Watering

Tomatoes do not require close personal care, but extremes should not be allowed. The drying up of an earthy coma is as bad as high humidity. In both cases, the death of the bush is possible.

The highest fecundity in tomatoes grown with soil moisture in 80-90%

• it is better to water in the late afternoon, when the sun is no longer so active;
• basic rule: rarely, but plentifully;
• water temperature not lower than 20 C;
• on average, one bush requires 5-10 liters of water, depending on the variety;
• watering occurs under the root of the bush, or in special grooves between the rows;
• to exclude hit of water on fruits and leaves;
• in cold and wet weather, the bushes can not be watered at all.

Watering tomatoes is best two to three times a week, while upper layer the land should be dried, if this is not observed, then watering should be postponed. The worst thing for tomatoes is when they are watered often, but in small portions.

top dressing

There are many options for feeding tomatoes, they are divided into root and foliar. They differ in the way vitamins and minerals are delivered to the plant. Agronomists consider the first type of top dressing to be more preferable, when fertilizer comes with watering.

We recommend feeding at least once every 2-3 weeks with mullein infusion (manure infusion on water) or organic fertilizer Humisol to get a good yield. These are harmless fertilizers that do not contain chemicals.

Formation of bushes

It differs depending on the variety, as the plants bear fruit and develop in different ways:

• For undersized tomatoes only the removal of the lower and dry leaves will be sufficient. Thanks to this, the bush will receive more sunshine and better air circulation. Repeat the procedure every couple of weeks, removing the lower leaves to the first fruit brush.
• Low-growing standard tomatoes that require a minimum of attention should be formed 1-3 stems per bush, which will extend the fruiting period.
• In the case of tall bushes, they will definitely have to be formed: stepson and remove the lower leaves. When cold weather approaches (a month before frost), the top of the main shoot should be pinched, which will stop growth and allow the fruits to ripen faster.

• High and medium-sized varieties must be tied up, as the shoots can grow to an impressive size, which can lead to a break in the branches and underripe or rotting fruits.

Protection against diseases and pests

To grow tomatoes, the basic rule is regular inspection of the leaves and fruits. It will help to identify the disease or lack of vitamins and minerals at an early stage.

Have your tomatoes suffered from fungal or viral diseases?

YesNot

The most common problem- fungal and viral diseases. They cause blackening (in the form of spots) of tomatoes, as well as drying out of leaves and stems. Painful spores enter the plant microwounds through rain and wind.

The best way to deal with such symptoms is regular prevention:

• A whey solution will do just fine if you spray the bushes every couple of weeks.
• There are also chemical analogues, which can be found in any gardening store.

Most diseases can be avoided by proper formation bushes, timely watering and feed the plants.

If one of the bushes died from some kind of disease, then it would be right to remove it, carry out preventive work on the remaining bushes and treat the place where the “sick” grew with boiling water or a solution of manganese.

New growing technologies

In Japan, they have developed a new approach to growing called "Octopus". A bush in the form of a tree (variety "Octopus f1") bears fruit up to 15 years in a row under special conditions, however, in our country only an annual can be cultivated in open ground.

You can also watch a video where they will tell you how to sow tomato seeds for seedlings.

Growing tomatoes outdoors requires close attention from a gardener. Approaching the question of how to grow tomatoes in the open field correctly will not work slipshod. We hope that the article will be useful and the resulting harvest will please you!

Bright and juicy fruits of tomatoes are valued for their pleasant taste and vitamin composition. Correct fit and caring for tomatoes in the open field will require compliance with a number of agrotechnical rules. To obtain a quality crop, it is important to use the seeds of zoned varieties, grow strong seedlings and create optimal conditions for abundant fruit.

When selecting varieties, the climatic features of the region, the quality of the soil and the location of the site are necessarily taken into account. They also pay attention to the nature of the growth of tomato bushes: whether shaping, installation of a trellis and a garter are required.

Development Features

There are indeterminate and determinant varieties of tomatoes. The former are characterized by unlimited growth, bloom and set fruits from summer to autumn; reach a height of 2 m or more. In the south, they have time to ripen in the open field, but in the northern regions they create problems.

The height of determinant tomatoes is from 40 to 80 cm. Tomatoes of this group are grown in open ground in the south and in the middle lane, and cultivated in greenhouses to the north. After the formation of the last flower cluster, the shoot no longer grows in height. Harvest ripens amicably in relatively short time.

Ripening terms

In the southern regions, tomatoes of early, middle and late deadline maturation. In the north, early maturing hybrids are preferred. Usually, early tomatoes have red, medium-sized fruits. Among late varieties there is a wide variety of shapes and colors: rounded, elongated, pink, yellow and almost black berries.

Varieties and hybrids of tomatoes for open ground:

1. Early maturing: F1 near Moscow, Northern miracle, New Transnistria (determinant).
2. Mid-season: Appetizing, bull heart, Pioneer, Cap of Monomakh (determinant).
3. Late ripening: Andreevsky surprise, De Barao (indeterminate).

Attention! Hybrid tomatoes usually produce early harvest High Quality, but more demanding on growing conditions. Bushes grow from the seeds of such tomatoes, which differ from the hybrid for the worse.

When choosing seed, it is also necessary to take into account compliance with the region. If tomato varieties are not zoned, then they will not show their best qualities designed for cultivation in a certain climate.

Growing seedlings for planting in open ground

This method is optimal for obtaining a tomato crop in a short time, for growing plants in the northern regions.

Sowing tomato seeds

Use filled with nutrient soil plastic containers with a diameter of 8–10 cm. The choice is quite wide: round and square seedling pots, special cassettes, plastic glasses.

How to sow:

1. The soil mixture is watered with warm water with dissolved universal fertilizer for vegetables (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).
2. Two shallow pits (1 cm) are made in the center.
3. Place one seed at the bottom.
4. Sprinkle the seeds with soil.

In the south, seeds are sown for seedlings in February, in the middle lane - from the beginning of March until the end of the month.

seedlings

After sowing, individual seedling pots or glasses are placed in a box installed in a warm place (at least 22 ° C). After a week or so, sprouts begin to sprout. The box is rearranged in a well-lit place, for example, on a windowsill, but not on the north side.

Advice. If both seeds sprout, then a larger and even seedling is left. Healthy stocky seedlings with 7-10 leaves take root better on the site.

So that the seedlings do not stretch, they need a temperature no higher than 16 ° C during the day, and about 14 ° C at night. Optimal temperature regime for leaf formation 18–20°C.

Proper care of young plants before planting in open ground

Seedlings are regularly watered and fed three times within 50–60 days. First time used complex fertilizer- nitrophoska (nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). The second time a mixture of organic and mineral fertilizers. For the third top dressing, a solution of superphosphate is prepared in advance (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). After a week, you can plant tomatoes in open ground.

Seedling hardening

Young plants are strengthened and less stretched in length as a result of exposure to low temperatures. Harden seedlings in April to prepare for planting in open ground in May. During the day, they open a window for a short time or take out the boxes to the balcony, terrace. temperature for these air baths should not be below 10-12°C.

Plants gradually become accustomed to street conditions and direct sunlight. In the early days, it is recommended to shade the seedlings. Do not over-moisten the soil in pots or leave dry.

Choice of purchased seedlings

Acquisition in nurseries or self-cultivation? The answer is most obvious for those who do not have enough time to sow in pots, harden plants. In addition, when buying seedlings, it is possible to purchase plants different varieties and maturity dates. Growing and labeling a large number seedlings at home is a troublesome task.

It is risky to buy seedlings from private traders. If they prepared the seeds of hybrid tomatoes on their own, then the offspring will be less productive and early, compared to the mother plant. There is a high risk of acquiring infected planting material.

It is recommended to purchase seedlings in containers with soil. The age of plants should not exceed 60 days, height - up to 25–30 cm. Although you can plant seedlings with flowers in the ground and get the first fruits early. It is desirable that the stems below are thick, darker in color. root system should be well developed, without damage.

By appearance seedlings determine whether plants are sick or healthy. Signs of diseases - spotty, deformed leaves, shoots. It should not be hoped that after planting it will be possible to quickly correct defects by spraying with pesticides.

Soil preparation

Tomatoes prefer open, well-lit areas, fresh fertile soils. Tomatoes do not grow well in lowlands or in elevated places, blown by the winds. In crop rotation, tomatoes are best grown after peas and other legumes. Good Predecessors root crops: beets, carrots. Areas where potatoes and eggplants were grown in the previous season are not suitable.

The site is prepared in advance: dug up, leveled with a rake. Poor soils need the addition of peat, humus, wood ash. You can pour humus directly into the hole during planting.

Planting seedlings in open ground

The second decade of May is best suited for planting tomatoes. It is important that the threat of late spring frosts is over. If the weather is cloudy, then in the morning you can start planting tomatoes in open ground. On a sunny day, it is better to move this work to the evening.

Plants are placed in the hole at a slight angle or vertically. The first method is more suitable for tall seedlings. Completely buried in the soil root ball or peat pot. The earth around the seedlings is pressed with a hand to the roots. Then watered and sprinkled with humus. Two weeks later spud lower part plants to a height of 10–12 cm for better education accessory roots.

It is important to provide for the possibility of mulching after each watering. This contributes to the growth of additional roots in the surface layer, protects against moisture loss.

One- and two-line plantings of tomatoes are practiced, on ridges and without them. For undersized varieties and hybrids, the distance between plants in a row is 40 cm, the row spacing is from 40 to 50 cm. Tomatoes of medium height are placed 40–45 cm apart. Row spacing is 50 cm.

Tomato care

Tomato roots take root within 7–10 days after planting in open ground. If frosts are expected, then the seedlings are covered with a film or cut off for the night. plastic bottles. Caring for tomatoes also consists of watering and fertilizing, removing weeds, loosening row spacing and pinching.

Watering, feeding and fertilizing

In the heat, tomatoes are watered with warm, settled water once every three days. Reduce the amount of irrigation in cloudy and rainy weather. After watering, be sure to mulch the bed with compost or peat to a height of about 2 cm. It is recommended to water the tomatoes in the evening to avoid the formation of a crust on the soil, but it is better to do this early in the morning to protect the plant from fungal diseases.

First time spent root dressing 20 days after planting seedlings. Use the universal liquid fertilizer and nitrophoska granules: add 1 tbsp. l. to a bucket of water. The second time they feed the tomatoes after the blooming of the flower brush. Pour under each plant 1 liter of a solution of the same composition that was used for the first feeding.

For the third time, tomatoes are fertilized, in which the third flower brush has blossomed. The fourth top dressing of tomatoes - in 2 weeks. liquid solution is used universal fertilizer. You can feed in July with urea and nitrophoska (1 and 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water).

How to form and pinch tomatoes?

You can leave one stem, all side shoots delete. This technique is called pinching. The main shoot should have 5 or 6 flower clusters.

How to pinch tomatoes in the open field: leave a few leaves above the top brush and pinch the top. Or they leave the lower stepson, but then the number of flower brushes on the main shoot should be reduced to four, and on the stepson to three.

How to tie up tomatoes in the open field?

Near each plant, which they plan to subsequently tie up, they install a peg, or dig in strong stakes along the edges of the row and pull a wire or cord between them. As a material for the garter, twine is used, thick synthetic threads that do not rot. Pegs can be wooden or metal.

They tie the tomatoes to a wire or a peg not too tight, making the so-called "eight" (intertwined) from the twine in front of the stem. There are other options for strengthening the stems: a cap made of rods, a lattice and a net.

The main problems associated with cultivation

Tomatoes are highly affected low temperatures, do not tolerate excessive moisture and lack of light. Even the best zoned varieties weakly resist adverse factors. external environment if they don't get proper care.

In conditions of lack of water, the leaves turn yellow and dry, the fruits remain small, hard. Excess moisture is also harmful: the roots rot, the fruits crack. Bushes overfed with fertilizers increase the vegetative mass to the detriment of fruit set. Leaves and fruits on a hot afternoon can get sunburn that look like whitish spots.

Diseases and pests of tomatoes

Fungal, bacterial and viral diseases are dangerous for tomatoes. To combat the first group of pathogens, once a decade, a tomato is treated for phytophthora and fusarium wilt Bordeaux mixture. You can use strong fungicides 2 times per season.

Tomatoes affected by bacterial infections are treated with solutions of Bactofit or Fitosporin preparations. The second remedy is also used against the fungus. Biological products are less dangerous for humans, they are used for spraying until harvest.

Most effective method control of viral diseases of tomatoes - breeding resistant varieties and hybrids. Be sure to disinfect the seeds before sowing a solution of potassium permanganate (if you can buy this antiseptic in a pharmacy).

Dangerous pests of tomatoes are the bear, wireworm, Colorado beetle, nematodes. Scoop butterfly caterpillars are able to destroy the crop by eating the fruits from the inside. The control measures, the means used are the same as on other nightshade crops.

Harvest and storage

In July, August, September, ripe fruits are harvested for consumption in fresh and conservation. After lowering night temperatures, green tomatoes can be harvested, stored at temperatures up to 18 ° C for ripening. Brown fruits reach ripeness faster when exposed to light.

Lay tomatoes for ripening in flat boxes in one or two layers. The stalks are removed, but so as not to damage the skin and pulp. Add a few red ones to green and brown tomatoes to speed up ripening. It is better to store ripe fruits in a cool, dry place, but not in the refrigerator.

Tomato is probably one of the most beloved and popular vegetables. There is not a single kitchen in the world where it would not be used. Tomatoes are added to salads, snacks, cold and hot dishes, they are pickled and canned. A huge number of different varieties allows you to choose your favorite, and not just one. Therefore, each owner of a personal plot necessarily breeds tomatoes.

When growing tomatoes in the open field, it is worth remembering that the varieties for it are special, different from the crops for greenhouses, how the planting and care of the tomatoes differ, because in the first version, the vegetables are in more difficult conditions.

Varieties for greenhouses are afraid of temperature changes, so they will get sick on open ground, and vice versa, the tomatoes intended for her will not be able to get along in the greenhouse, giving a poor harvest.

In varieties intended for open ground, the ripening period is much shorter than in greenhouses, they are more hardy and resistant to cold. Most often this undersized and early maturing plants, sometimes - sredneroslye. The most suitable for growing in open ground are considered superdeterminant and determinant varieties.

A plus can be called the fact that the harvest ripens before the onset of cold weather, a minus - small fruits and short fruiting period. The second ones are later, have more inflorescences and larger fruits.

Those who have been planting tomatoes for more than a year have their own selected varieties that grow best on their soil. Seeds from them are carefully collected for harvesting for the next season from the healthiest and most productive bushes.

If you are buying seeds for planting for the first time, pay attention to all the nuances. Do not buy seeds in unverified places and carefully study the packaging - the right varieties will be labeled accordingly.

One of the key indicators is ripening period tomatoes. The easiest to care varieties that grow and mature quickly, but are usually smaller and taste worse than those that mature and saturate for a long time. useful elements. Late varieties they will bring an excellent tasty harvest, but caring for them is more difficult. For open ground, some of the most popular are:

All these tomatoes are quite easy to care for, bring a good harvest and are excellent at resisting diseases.

Seedling is an important stage of the future harvest

If in the southern places the seeds are usually sown directly into the soil, then in cooler latitudes, for a start it is necessary prepare seedlings. This is one of the most milestones, cheating on which you will not get good harvest even under all other favorable conditions.

Seedlings require a lot of light and are best kept on the south side of windows. If it is not enough, the sprouts must be provided with additional illumination.

Land for seedlings must be prepared in advance, since autumn, but you can buy it in the store. The soil for growing is better to take more light and not overly fertile, if it is too poor, dilute with humus with a small amount ash. If you take the soil from the beds, it is absolutely impossible to use the one that was under the tomatoes or potatoes.

Seedlings can be bought ready-made, but choose carefully! Sprouts should be strong, healthy, without signs of yellowness. Too elongated and overgrown plants do not the best choice for landing.

A few weeks before transplanting seedlings, it must be hardened off so that the sprouts can more easily adapt to open ground conditions. For this, seedlings periodically take out to the street, gradually increasing the time, at the end you can leave it overnight if the frosts are over.

Disembarkation dates

The timing of planting tomatoes in open ground depends from weather conditions in your area. The warmer and faster the cold ends, the earlier the tomatoes are planted. In the south, planting begins already in mid-May, in the middle lane it is the end of May - the beginning of June, but in the north, tomatoes are planted no earlier than the first decade of June and even closer to the middle of the month.

In addition to the above, the landing time also depends from a variety of tomatoes and their maturity dates. Early-ripening fruits are planted later, and those that ripen for a long time should be placed in the ground as early as possible.

Site selection and soil preparation

Not all areas are suitable for growing tomatoes in open ground. In order for tomatoes to feel comfortable and give a good harvest, the planting site must meet certain requirements:

For growing this delicious vegetable, soil with neutral acidity, light loamy and sandy rich in humus. The soil for tomato seedlings needs to be prepared in the fall. They fertilize it with manure, when digging they use superphosphate and potassium chloride, having previously cleaned it and removed weeds and plant debris.

If the soil was not fertilized in the fall, be sure to treat it with additional saltpeter in the spring (in addition to all of the above). Ashes and compost (1.5 cups per bucket) will also be a useful mixture for tomatoes. The main thing is not to overdo it with fertilizers, as this will cause increased plant growth, but the fruits will not set well. After fertilizing the soil, let it rest and warm up for a couple of days, and only then plant seedlings.

disembarkation

In order for the plants to sprout at the same time, plant them at the same depth. The depth of the holes should be identical to the height of the pots in which the seedlings germinated. In order not to damage the roots, seedling bushes are transplanted along with a clod of earth.

This process is best spend the evening, during the night the plants will rest and more easily endure the change of scenery. The seedling is placed vertically in the hole and covered with soil up to the leaves, compacting around the roots.

When transplanting seedlings from pots, the ground in them must be plentifully watered a day before this process. This will help to lose as few roots of seedlings as possible, acclimatize them faster and grow more actively, give an earlier harvest.

Weak plants are best removed, as they will not develop normally, but at the same time they will stretch useful material from the soil to the detriment of other bushes. Correct landing will help the sprouts to quickly take root and not lose the first flowers.

Tomatoes require a garter, so the pegs can be driven in next to the seedlings immediately and tied up at the height of the second leaf. In the future, tie up the bushes as needed. The height of the pegs depends on the variety of tomatoes.

Tomatoes do not like moisture, this can even lead to their death, but they endure drought quite steadfastly. Therefore, water the sprouts and adult plants with moderately warm (room temperature) settled water, allowing the soil to dry out until the next time. The first two weeks after planting, seedlings can not be watered at all.

Due to stress during the transplant process, the bushes may begin to wither, but do not be alarmed ahead of time, the plants will get used to the change of scenery and recover.

plant care

Proper plant care when growing tomatoes outdoors includes:

• frost protection;
• loosening the soil;
• watering;
• pollination;
• pest and weed control;
• fertilizer (top dressing);
• stepchildren and the like.

To protect tomatoes from the cold, cover them with burlap or paper caps. With prolonged frosts, tomatoes need spud high, after their completion - free the plants from the ground.

As already mentioned, tomatoes do not like an abundance of water, so they are watered much less often than other vegetables. Early-maturing varieties need only be watered repeatedly per season, and mid-season - once a week or a decade. Too much moisture can lead to disease and decay of the plant, and the fruits will become watery and sour.

If there are heavy rains, watering should be further reduced. But an insufficient amount of water will affect the quality of the fruit. For the health and strengthening of the bushes, you can add to the water potassium permanganate or ash. Watering tomatoes is best in the evening, under the root, without touching the leaves and stems.

Tomato flowers produce a sufficient amount of pollen, so pollination process they basically do it on their own. However, they can be helped a little by planting plants between the beds with tomatoes - mustard, basil or coriander honey plants. This will attract pollinating insects to the flowers. Pollen afraid of too low or too high temperature. In this case, the plants need help - lightly shake the bush or knock on the pole.

pasynkovanie

The formation of bushes is mandatory for tomatoes. Their bushes branch strongly, forming many side shoots - stepchildren, on which the ovaries also begin, but they do not have time to ripen, while pulling the nutritious juices of the bush to the detriment of other fruits. Therefore, such shoots need to be removed at least twice a month. Cut off not at the very stem, but retreating to a distance of about 1-2 fingers thick, while the shoots are young (3-5 cm). Longer branches are best pinched off.

Carry out the procedure carefully so that there are no wounds that infections and diseases can get into, moreover, the plant will receive stress, which will affect its health and the taste of the fruit. The best time carrying out this process is the first half of a sunny day, then the wounds will have time to dry and heal.

Most of the early ripening varieties do not need pinching, while the rest need to pinch the stem itself, since further growth of the plant is not needed. This will save him the strength to form delicious tomatoes.

For the same reason, after the formation of fruits, lower leaves plants are removed so that they do not take away healthy juices bush. It will be enough to leave only a few upper leaves if the sun is moderate in your latitudes. If you are in the southern regions, leave the foliage to provide sufficient shade for the fruits.

Top dressing of tomatoes

Tomatoes are not picky and do not require abundant fertilizer especially if you have prepared the ground well. But, to get a good harvest, regular feed is still needed. It is best to combine it with watering, and then spud the earth around the plant.

The first is done no earlier than a decade (maximum a week) after disembarkation. Fertilize superphosphate and ammonium nitrate in a ratio of 10:5 grams per bucket of water. An excellent option for a tomato would also be a solution of mullein or chicken manure.

Monitor the condition of the tomatoes in order to carry out top dressing in a timely manner:

As soon as the plant begins to bloom, you need to spray the buds of the so-called foliar top dressing , to stimulate the formation of ovaries. It should be carried out in dry weather, best of all in the evening, with the following solutions:

• four parts baking soda to one part boric acid;
• one gram of boric acid per liter of water;
• a couple of glasses of ash in a bucket of water.

In addition to helping the ovaries, similar spraying excellent prevention plant diseases.

Harvesting and storage of fruits

Harvesting when growing tomatoes in the open field begins at the beginning of August. Throughout the month, fruits are actively harvested, without waiting for their final ripening, since by the beginning of September they have already ceased to ripen.

Slightly unripe fruits (brown and yellowish) will bounce back in a couple of days and remain just as tasty. green tomatoes they will also ripen if they are picked, however, they will be worse. Timely harvested fruits allow you to collect maximum yield.

For faster ripening, vegetables are stored in warm and light room. If you want to delay ripening, hide them in a dark and cool place (but not below 10 degrees, otherwise the fruits will begin to rot).

To get a decent harvest that will fully ripen, tomatoes are sown for seedlings back in February-March. You should not rush, wait for sunny weather and warm weather. to speed up the process, you can germinate, although without this measure they sprout perfectly.

Tomatoes are very responsive to picking and practically do not get sick when transplanted into separate containers.

The main conditions for good seedlings - frequent watering, a lot of heat and nutrient soil. If there is a forest nearby, forest soil mixed with garden soil will be an excellent basis for young seedlings. Before planting, harden the plants - take them out in the sun, increasing the period from five minutes to a permanent stay, leave overnight. The disadvantage of purchased seedlings is that we do not know if these procedures were carried out with plants.

Growing tomatoes in the backyard - garden work

In the spring, you will have time to tidy up the garden and vegetable garden - growing tomatoes in the open field should begin when the threats of returning frosts have passed. Try not to lose sight of the weather forecast after them. However, the landing site can also become a fatal mistake - in no case should you plant tomatoes on the ridges set aside last year for nightshade. Worthy predecessors for tomatoes are root crops, legumes.

The landing site should be sunny, protected from the north winds, with a deep bedding ground water. The tomato is not too picky about the soil, but loves it. It is especially important to introduce superphosphate into the soil in a timely manner - they do this even when planting seedlings. To provide the right amount nitrogen and potassium will be enough to make compost and humus.

Between tomato bushes, it is recommended to sow honey plants, such as mustard or rapeseed. In this case, your beds will have a lot of pollinating insects, in addition, it is believed that the proximity of these plants improves the taste of the tomatoes themselves.

Growing tomatoes in the open field - pinching

Pasynkovanie - the subject of controversy of many gardeners. Everyone agrees that it is necessary to pinch, but the ways of pinching are completely different. Someone suggests breaking off the first 2-3 leaves, someone prefers to remove side shoots. There is even a practice of pruning after the first two leaves of the main stem to encourage new growth. The most popular is breaking off side shoots, with the rest of the methods you can safely experiment on several bushes and observe the results. The main thing is not to allow unnecessary shoots to outgrow more than 5 cm.. The plant tolerates the removal of larger shoots more painfully.

Growing tomatoes is significantly accelerated if all the lower leaves are removed by the beginning of fruit ripening - upper bushes will be enough! Pasynkovanie should be carried out in the morning at sunny days. Watering early maturing varieties just a few times are enough: when planting, after 7-10 days, and repeat watering twice during the ripening period. Varieties with large fruits should be watered more often, especially if the weather is hot. It is also important to loosen the soil after each watering. However, if you have mulched, the soil will always be loose. At the time of ripening, watering should be discarded, otherwise the fruits will become too watery.