Growing tomatoes in open ground. Growing tomatoes in film greenhouses: secrets of planting and care

In Ukraine, growing tomatoes in open ground practiced in two ways: by planting seedlings - the so-called. seedling method and sowing seeds directly into the ground. Until now, the first method has become the most widespread in our country.

Seedling method of growing tomatoes in open ground
To grow tomatoes in open ground, it is necessary to choose areas protected from the prevailing winds and warmed by the sun, with deep structural and fertile soil, flat or with a slight slope to the south.
The soil for tomato crops must be deeply loosened, so its cultivation begins with autumn plowing. The soil surface after plowing is not harrowed, but is left in open furrows for the winter. In early spring, as soon as it becomes possible to go into the field, add required amount mineral fertilizers, after which they cultivate, harrow and prepare the area for early spring “pre-cultures” (radish, lettuce, etc.) or leave it empty until tomato seedlings are planted in the ground.
When growing early ripening tomatoes in open ground in the climatic conditions of southern Ukraine, seeds are sown in warm greenhouses from mid-February to early March. In the north two, three weeks later.
Picking is a mandatory technique when cultivating early ripening tomatoes, which is carried out in semi-warm greenhouses in the phase of two or three true leaves in greenhouse soil at a distance of 10-12 cm or in peat pots. The latter method gives much better results than the first, since seedlings picked into pots suffer less when planted in the ground than those picked without pots.
For mid-early tomato cultivation, seeds are sown in semi-warm greenhouses approximately at the end of March in rows with a distance between rows of 4-5 cm. To provide seedlings for a plot of 1 acre, it is necessary to sow 1.5-2.0 g of seeds. To get good, strong and hardened seedlings, seeds should not be sown too thickly. Shoots usually appear 5-7 days after sowing the seeds. When grown average early tomatoes Seedlings are usually not picked.
When growing late-ripening tomatoes for autumn ripening, seeds are sown in cold greenhouses or open beds in early June. In this case, the seedlings are also not picked.
Caring for seedlings consists of maintaining optimal heat, light and air-gas conditions and normal soil moisture in greenhouses. The optimal temperatures for growing tomato seedlings are the following: during the day in sunny weather 20-25°C, in cloudy weather 15-20°C, and at night 8-10°C, but in any case not higher than 12°C. If during the day the air temperature outside the greenhouse rises to 12°C, then the frames are removed in the morning and put back in place only at night. A week before the danger passes spring frosts, the frames are removed at night. However, in this case, you should always be prepared to take timely measures to protect the seedlings from possible frosts.
Maintaining the optimal thermal and air-gas regime of greenhouses is achieved by their timely ventilation.
For growing good, strong and hardened seedlings, the normal light regime of greenhouses is extremely important. Insufficient lighting causes seedlings to “stretch,” which is quite often observed among amateur vegetable growers. This should not be allowed, as otherwise the result will be frail seedlings with abnormally elongated internodes; such seedlings cannot provide a high yield. When planting in the ground, elongated seedlings have to be buried in the soil in an inclined position to a depth of 10-12 cm, so that the first inflorescence is 10-15 cm from the surface of the ground. In seedlings planted in this way, the buried part of the stem is quickly covered with adventitious roots, as a result of which the root system of the young plant strengthens and becomes more powerful.
Very often, seedlings stretch out one to two weeks before planting them in the ground. This occurs when seeds are sown too early, which is practiced by inexperienced vegetable growers in an effort to achieve earlier fruit ripening. In this case, the seedlings develop prematurely, they have to be planted too early, the young plants greatly shade each other and stretch out. The danger of spring frosts existing at this time or bad weather does not allow planting seedlings in the ground. Stopping watering in such cases does not help much, since seedlings grown in ordinary deep greenhouses have quite deep roots, which supply them with a sufficient amount of moisture that penetrates into the greenhouses from the soil.
Therefore, you should not rush with sowing seeds and picking.
Perhaps earlier planting of seedlings in open ground, especially when cultivating early tomatoes, is of great interest from an economic point of view, since this allows the plants to be used for a longer period of time. long term the whole complex of growth factors, as a result of which the fruits ripen earlier and the yield increases. Of great interest is the hardening of seedlings before planting them in the ground, which has long been practiced by vegetable growers in order to increase the resistance of tomatoes to low temperatures and spring frosts. By subjecting seedlings to proper hardening from the moment they emerge before planting in open ground, you can significantly increase the cold resistance of tomatoes: hardened plants can withstand temperatures down to 4-6 C. The essence of the method is the gradual and long-term hardening of tomato seedlings at low temperatures (7-15 ° C ) from seed germination to planting seedlings in open ground.
An important agrotechnical technique when growing seedlings is feeding them with organic and mineral fertilizers. Feeding seedlings also helps to increase yield and dry matter content in tomato fruits.
Immediately before planting seedlings in open ground, the soil is prepared depending on the method of growing the crop - in furrows or in a strip method. To cut tapes, the soil must first be very well processed and leveled.
The planting pattern greatly affects the size of the harvest and the quality of the fruit. Tall varieties of tomatoes are grown in almost all regions of our country at the following distances: when planted in furrows, 80-85 cm between rows and 30-35 cm in rows; with tape planting, 100 cm between tapes, 80 cm between rows and 30 cm in rows.
Growing indeterminate tomatoes without stakes and without pinching, as is often practiced in Ukraine, can give very good results only with strip planting at distances of 100 cm between strips, 60 cm between rows in strips and 40 cm between plants in rows.
It is better to grow determinate type tomatoes in ribbons according to the following scheme: 70 cm between ribbons, 50 cm between rows in ribbons and 30-35 cm in rows. The design of ribbons and planting of seedlings is carried out as follows: the area is cut into furrows at a distance of 60 cm, after which the seedlings are planted on both sides of every second furrow slightly above its bottom. The distance between plants of two adjacent rows should be 50 cm, and in rows 30-35 cm.
Caring for tomatoes during the growing season consists of timely inter-row cultivation - loosening the soil and weeding, as well as regular and timely watering, pinching, tying to stakes (when growing tall varieties) and fighting diseases and pests.
Inter-row tillage should be carried out regularly, especially after rain or watering. The soil should be loosened to a shallow depth to avoid damaging the roots. Simultaneously with loosening and weeding, the lower part of the stems is lightly hilled, which helps to strengthen them in the soil and strengthen the root system, thanks to the development of numerous adventitious roots.
Great importance When growing tomatoes, they have timely and properly watered. In the climatic conditions of Ukraine, watering tomatoes, especially those grown by seedlings, is necessary to ensure sustainable, high and high-quality yields. The best results are obtained when irrigating with river or pond water, which is poured over the furrows. The rates and timing of watering depend on the weather, the type of soil and the phase of plant development.
Fertilizing tomatoes significantly increases their yield and improves the quality of the fruit. Feed with slurry, a solution of mullein in water in a ratio of 1:6. The first feeding is carried out 15-20 days after planting tomato seedlings, and the second and third every 15-20 days.
Another important agrotechnical technique when growing tomatoes is the regulation of growth and fruiting. Throughout growing season plants continuously form new shoots (stepchildren) in the leaf axils, as well as new flowers and fruits. This is especially evident when growing late ripening varieties tomatoes, in which plant development continues until late autumn and stops only with the onset of frost. By controlling the growth of the bush, you can influence the timing of ripening, as well as the size and quality of the fruit.
Managing the growth and fruiting of tomato comes down mainly to the following two agrotechnical techniques, which have long been used in practice by vegetable growers:
1) to pinching, that is, the elimination of lateral shoots-stepchildren that have just formed in the axil of the leaves;
2) pinching the growing tip of the tomato.
Depending on the number of stepsons left, one-, two- and three-stem bushes are obtained. Practice and Scientific research It has long been shown that pinching accelerates the ripening of fruits, but that, on the other hand, with fewer stems the yields are lower than with more. In areas with a long growing season and favorable conditions development, non-stepped tomatoes produce higher yields than stepsoned ones, but their fruits are smaller and ripen later.
Unlike tall forms, varieties low-growing tomatoes, grown without stakes, do not stepchildren. The number of fruits formed and simultaneously growing in the case of a splitless tomato crop is very large and often reaches 60-80 on one bush. For normal development of fruits it is necessary large quantities easily digestible nutrients, normal water regime, as well as a well-preserved assimilation apparatus of the plant.
Tomatoes of both types - determinate and indeterminate - get the so-called. early dry spotting of tomato leaves, and in the second half of the growing season - late blight (caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans) and Alternaria (caused by Alternaria solani). These diseases, under optimal conditions for the development of the causative fungus, can cause large damage and significantly reduce the yield. Therefore, protecting the leaf system, which is the assimilation apparatus of the plant, is crucial to ensure the yield and quality of fruits from the beginning of the growing season to the end of their harvesting. This is especially important for stakeless tomato crops, the lodging stems of which are more easily susceptible to damage caused by these fungal diseases. To protect against infection and to maintain a healthy leaf system, which is necessary to achieve sustainable, high and high-quality yields, plants should be sprayed with fungicides in a timely manner.

Seedless method of growing tomatoes
To grow tomatoes without seedlings, you should choose leveled areas with deep, fertile and structured soil, free from weeds.
Soil preparation should begin in the fall with autumn plowing, to a depth of at least 22-25 cm.
The fertilization system for seedless tomato crops is the same as for crops with seedlings planted.
Sowing of seeds is carried out in the spring 10-15 days before spring frosts(in the south of Ukraine - in early April, and in the north - in the first half of May). Seeds of low-growing varieties are sown in two-line or three-line tapes at a distance of 60-70 cm between tapes and 50 cm between lines. With this method of sowing, 20-25 g of seeds of low-growing varieties are sown per hundred square meters, and 20-30% less of tall varieties. The distances for tall varieties should be slightly larger - 80 cm between lines and 100 cm between ribbons.
Shoots appear when the soil warms up enough and its temperature reaches 14-15°C. In order for the seedlings to more easily overcome the soil crust, it is recommended to mix quickly germinating seeds, for example, lettuce, radish, oats, etc., the so-called lighthouse plants, with the tomato seeds. The seedlings of the lighthouse plant soon mark the rows, which allows even before the emergence of the tomatoes to begin the first inter-row tillage, i.e., breaking the crust and destroying the weeds, without damaging the rows with the emerging tomatoes.
Simultaneously with sowing the seeds, it is recommended to fertilize the rows with granulated superphosphate, the admixture of which to tomato seeds is also useful in that it promotes uniformity of sowing. This mixture is prepared as follows: a certain amount of tomato seeds (20-25 g/area) is mixed with the seeds of the lighthouse plant (for example, 2-5 g of salad seeds) and 0.4-0.5 kg/area of ​​granulated superphosphate. This entire mixture is sown on an area of ​​one hundred square meters at certain distances between rows and ribbons.
Thinning of young tomato plants after emergence is carried out two to three times. The last time the rows are thinned out is when the plants reach the height of well-developed greenhouse seedlings, and the plants are left in rows (rows) at a distance of 30-35 cm from one another for determinate varieties and 40 cm for indeterminate varieties.
You can also sow seeds using the nesting method at a distance of 60 x 70 cm and 10-15 seeds per nest. After the emergence of seedlings, they are thinned out, leaving 2 plants in the nest.
With the seedless growing method, tomatoes are less affected by the disease, also known in our country as “stolbur”; it affects the tomato crop en masse during periods of prolonged drought, accompanied by elevated temperatures and low air humidity. Since when grown without seedlings, tomatoes develop a very deep and powerful root system, then they are supplied with water and nutrients regularly. Therefore, on deep, moisture-absorbing, structural and fertile soils, it is possible to successfully grow tomatoes without seedlings, even without watering or with a limited watering rate.

Harvesting tomatoes
Tomatoes have a long fruiting period, which lasts 2-3 months. On the same plant there are fruits in different phases of development and ripeness, as well as buds and flowers. The fruiting period of low-growing varieties is comparatively shorter than that of tall varieties, however, if the leaf system of plants is preserved, then low-growing varieties can bear fruit until autumn frosts.
In the case when tomatoes are to be consumed soon after harvesting, they are picked at the so-called consumer ripeness, without waiting for the fruits to limp.
The beginning of tomato harvesting depends on the time of sowing the seeds. For example, harvesting of early tomatoes grown in unprotected soil usually begins in the southern regions in the first half of June, and in other regions of the country - two to three weeks later.
Harvesting of late-ripening tomatoes, that is, grown from thickened, unpicked seedlings, begins, depending on the area and climatic conditions usually in late July - early August. Harvesting of the latest ripening tomatoes, intended for ripening or for pickling, must be done before the first frost.
Great care should be taken when harvesting tomatoes. They are collected in baskets without stalks, being careful not to crush or scratch them. At the same time as healthy ones, all deformed, diseased and damaged fruits are removed.

Kulikov Yu. A., Ph.D. agricultural Sciences, Kiev Experimental Station PA NSC "IMESKh"

Real Owner, Kyiv

Tomatoes are considered one of the most popular vegetables, so it is difficult to find a garden that does not have them. However, not every owner can boast of a generous harvest and large fruits. The main part of the problem of growing tomatoes is non-compliance with the rules of agricultural technology.

To get a rich harvest, you need to care for the plants properly, because in order to grow a vegetable in different regions, not just any variety will do.

Many amateur gardeners believe that all care for tomato beds consists of watering and weeding. In fact, with such scant attention, even the most fertile and disease-resistant hybrids will not produce high yields. Let's try to understand in more detail the generally accepted rules for growing tomatoes.

Agricultural technology for growing tomatoes consists of the following points:

• selection of seeds (in particular varieties) – Certain varieties of tomatoes are suitable for each region;
• preparing seed for planting (soaking for the purpose of disinfection and growth stimulation);
• creating conditions for growing seedlings (lighting, temperature, watering, fertilizing);
• picking seedlings;
• choosing a place for a garden bed and preparing the soil;
• transplanting seedlings into beds;
• watering;
• fertilization;
• disease prevention;
• weeding and loosening the soil;
• formation of bushes and pinching, staking of tall plants ( even if the tomato is undersized, you should not deviate from these rules);
• harvesting.

Choosing seeds and varieties of tomatoes is one of the first stages of agricultural technology

In addition to the main stages, additional activities, contributing to better development of culture:

• mulching the beds;
• treatment of seedlings with growth stimulants;
• construction of a temporary shelter for protection from spring frosts (from film or agrofibre);
• planting crops in the neighborhood that drive away pests.

To adhere to plant care regimens, experienced gardeners draw up an action plan at the beginning of the season.

What kind of soil do tomatoes like?

Tomatoes can grow on almost any soil, the question is the amount of preparatory work.

The best cultivation results are noted on nutritious loose soils with good moisture and breathability. Loams, for example, have these qualities. The medium should be neutral or slightly acidic, but not acidic.

Before boarding you need check pH level using laboratory tests or litmus paper. If the indicator exceeds 5.5-6.5, then treatment should be carried out to adjust the acidity. To do this, dolomite flour or crushed lime is sprayed onto the soil surface, which is then carefully mixed with the soil using a rake.

The soil for tomatoes should be fertile, enriched with potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, zinc and other microelements.

When applying fertilizers at the stage of preparing a site for planting seedlings, both organic fertilizers and complex mineral fertilizers are used. However, it is worth considering that You shouldn’t get carried away with nutritional formulas, you can burn out young shoots or provoke intensive growth of greenery to the detriment of fruit formation.

When choosing a place for a tomato bed, you need to take into account what crops were grown on it last season.

Predecessors can deplete the soil so much that it is unlikely to produce large tomato fruits. The same applies to the rule of crop rotation; planting crops in the same area is not recommended.

How to prepare soil for tomatoes

Depending on the degree of nutritional value of the soil and its structure, optimal options fertilizers

In the greenhouse

To get rid of possible pests in greenhouse soil, it needs to be disinfected

You should start preparing the soil in the greenhouse in the fall. For starters, it's worth get rid of all plant debris, pests and pathogens successfully overwinter with it.

To obtain vermicompost, it is recommended immediately after harvesting. plant green manure(for example, mustard). By winter they will have grown and can be cut back. You will be able to evaluate the results of your work in the spring; the soil will be healed and cleared of weed and enriched with nutrients.

If disease outbreaks are noticed during the season, the soil will need to be changed. To do this, a 20-30 cm layer is completely removed and taken outside the greenhouse. All surfaces of the structure must be treated with fungicides. Additionally, a sulfur bomb is used.

A new layer of healthy soil should be enrich with manure, compost or complex mineral fertilizers. The best soil mixture for a greenhouse includes the following components:

• fertile garden soil;
• peat;
• coarse river sand;
• compost;
• rotted manure.

In the spring, the surface of the greenhouse needs to be cleaned again, and handle special solution (for example, Baikal-EM) for disinfection, and water the bed with boiling water to warm the earth.

2 weeks before planting seedlings, superphosphate (30 g) is introduced into the soil, ammonium nitrate(20 g.) and potassium sulfate (15 g.). Fresh manure is not used in the spring; it provokes the growth of tops, slowing down the formation of fruits.

To obtain an early harvest, warm beds are set up. With this method, the planting dates are shifted 2-4 weeks earlier.

In the open ground

A garden bed in open ground is also prepared in the fall. To do this you should remove all plant debris and dig up the soil with the depth of immersion of the tool on the bayonet of the shovel. Simultaneously with digging introduce organic matter(compost, manure) at the rate of 6-8 kg per 1 m2.

In the spring, the bed is dug up again and 1-2 weeks before planting the seedlings processed with hot solution copper sulfate (for disinfection). To prevent the soil from cooling, it is covered with film before planting the seedlings.

During planting, a nutrient mixture is poured into each hole: humus, compost, peat, wood ash.

Rules for growing tomatoes to get a good harvest

Fertilizers

During the growing season, tomatoes must feed several times, then the yield can be significantly increased.

In the open ground The first portion is administered a week after planting the seedlings. A solution of 10 liters of water, tbsp., is more suitable for this. l. nitrophoska and 500 ml of liquid mullein. Each bush consumes about 0.5 liters.

The second time complementary foods are introduced during the flowering period. At this stage, a solution of 10 liters of water, 500 ml of liquid chicken manure, tbsp. l. superphosphate, tsp. potassium sulfate.

After 10 days, the plant can be fed with a solution based on Agricola Vegeta or Signor Tomato. After another 10-14 days, the beds are enriched with a product based on 10 liters of water, 1 tbsp. l. potassium humate (or sodium).

In the greenhouse The first feeding is applied to the holes when planting seedlings; the hole is filled with compost, humus and wood ash.

The second portion of the nutritional mixture is introduced after 2-3 weeks. Fertilizers are diluted in a bucket of water: nitrogen (25 g), potassium (15 g), phosphorus (40 g). 1 liter of working solution is poured under each bush.

The next feeding is applied during the period of mass flowering. Of the nutrient mixtures, a composition based on water (10 l), liquid mullein (500 ml) and potassium sulfate (15 g) is suitable. 1-1.5 liters of liquid is poured under each bush.

Subsequent procedures are carried out at intervals of 10-14 days (nitrophoska, potassium humate and other agents are used).

Bush formation

To prevent the plant from wasting its energy, it is recommended to form bushes with 1, 2, 3 stems.

The main stem comes from the root, from it below there are leaves, in the axils of which stepsons are formed. Thanks to them, the plant branches out, taking on most of the nutrients.

The whole process occurs to the detriment of the formation of ovaries and fruits due to lack of nutrition. That's why Stepchildren must be removed every 5 days, and form a tomato with a certain number of stems.

This procedure is carried out regardless of the place where the crop is grown, be it open ground or a greenhouse.

Proper watering

Irrigation on open beds held 1-2 times a week. In hot, dry weather, watering frequency increases up to 3-4 times. However, the decisive factor is the degree of soil moisture. High moisture content provokes the development of fungal infections, so you should not get carried away with irrigation.

In a greenhouse, watering rates are regulated depending on air and soil humidity. As a rule, procedures are carried out using a drip or underground irrigation system.

Loosening and mulching

To enrich the soil with oxygen and prevent the formation of crust in greenhouses and open ground, loosening is carried out, which is often combined with weeding.

The first procedure is carried out after the first watering with immersion in the soil to a depth of 8-10 cm. Subsequent loosening involves a depth of 3-4 cm. Frequency of activities - 3-4 times per season, but until the bushes grow. After complete formation, extra passages between plants can injure them.

In the greenhouse, the first loosening is also done after watering. Subsequent procedures are carried out every 2 weeks until the ranks are closed.

To retain moisture in the soil, tomato beds are mulched with dry straw, sawdust or peat.

The thickness of the layer should be within 6-7 cm(after the material has settled). The following are also used as mulch: burlap, newsprint, shredded tree bark, dried mown grass, etc.

Secrets of growing tomatoes and getting a rich harvest of fruits

Every experienced gardener has its own secrets that guarantee high yields even under unfavorable conditions weather conditions. The following tips stand out as effective and interesting.

• To increase productivity during the flowering period of the second and third clusters, it is recommended spray the plant with a solution based on boric acid(weak concentration). Boron promotes pollen germination, ovary formation and fruiting.
• Most tomatoes are self-pollinating. But under unfavorable conditions, the pollination process is poorly carried out, so the plant could use human help. To do this you need a little shake the bush once every 3-6 days.
• Mulching beds with tomatoes prevents the soil from drying out and the formation of crust on the soil surface. In addition, mulch reduces the growth rate of weeds, the main enemy of vegetable crops.
• Autumn soil preparation ensures an increase in yield if compost and manure in combination with peat are used as fertilizers.
• For many gardeners, pinching remains an unexplored activity, so not everyone succeeds in getting fruits with the characteristics described on the seed label. Removing useless shoots redirects the flow of nutrition and energy to produce larger tomatoes. In addition, they have time to ripen before the end of the season.

In general, agricultural technology is not complicated, although it has some peculiarities, but it is quite possible to increase the yield. After gaining experience in growing tomatoes, you can justifiably make your own adjustments and developments to the care rules, and then share them with them on forums.

In almost every letter with an order for tomato seeds, readers ask about how I grow seedlings, are interested in the features of agricultural technology and methods of plant formation, etc.
I will try to answer all the questions asked to me in letters, taking as a basis the agricultural technology of the experience of growing tomatoes in the Ural-Siberian zone, a famous gardener in the Chelyabinsk region, Nadezhda Alekseevna Stukalova.
In her book, she shares her secrets and how to obtain harvests. Many years have passed, the book was published in 1998. I have never seen such simplicity of presentation for beginners and experienced gardeners.
I have already written in my articles that every gardener has his own agricultural technology, his own experience, his own habits of growing this or that crop. But everyone is united by the desire to grow their unique “I”. To embody your “I” “in the tomato business,” grow very large ones, about one kilogram or more.

1. General rules growing tomatoes.

To have good harvest at minimum costs, beginning gardeners need to determine a few simple rules for themselves.

Rule one. Keep a workbook. In your notebook, note the varieties, planting time, fertilizing, weather conditions, etc. and whatever you deem necessary.

Rule two. Select varieties, knowing their characteristics: stem height, fruit weight and color, yield per bush, disease resistance, etc. Decide for yourself how you will use the harvest.

Some gardeners are keen on making salads, lecho, and ketchup; of course, this requires large, fleshy fruits. For juices and pickling, medium-sized fruitful ones are suitable. Small and medium “cherries” are good for filling jars.

Finally, when choosing varieties, consider climate zone, in which you live, and the place where you will grow plants, in a greenhouse, in warm beds, in open ground. And, most importantly, the possibilities of growing, taking into account time, health, age. As a rule, in our time, it is not young people who work on the land, and that is why everyone fell in love with such a wonderful variety “Mongolian Dwarf”.
Yes! These are not sugar fruits, not giants. These are ordinary tomatoes, but they don’t require any care, just plant and pick.
WHERE TO GET SEEDS?
Don't buy from random people! Large-fruited, signature varieties are best purchased from well-known gardeners.
There are good “master tomato growers” ​​in every collective garden and village. Standard varieties can be purchased from well-known agricultural companies. I purchase varieties of “Novosibirsk selection” and “Altai selection”.
Rule three. Constantly monitor variety updates.
Rule four. Having purchased a new variety, you grow a few specimens for now, and occupy the main area with your tried-and-tested varieties.
Rule five. To extend the life of tomatoes, grow varieties that different terms maturation: early, middle and late and long-lasting. Then you will be the first to try in June, and the last to decorate the New Year's table.
Rule six. Grow seedlings yourself, smaller is better, but more reliable. Once I bought luxurious pepper seedlings at the market, but I never saw the fruits, it was sown too late, and to marketable condition, fed urea.

2. What types of tomato plants are there?

I cannot help but raise this issue, because when prescribing seeds, or especially buying them in stores, they do not always understand how to form plants.

According to the nature of growth they distinguish indeterminate, determinant And semi-determinate types of plants.

For indeterminate“Hybrid” varieties are characterized by continuous growth of shoots; such bushes must be formed. They are high-yielding, and as a rule they are written about (For greenhouses and open ground), although in open ground they yield less, and the fruits are not so significant. In determinate varieties, shoot growth is limited. The shoot ends in an inflorescence. The height of the bush is from 30-80cm. But among determinant varieties there are 3 groups. This is where gardeners begin to get confused. If it says determinant, then it is considered to be short (30-50cm).
Superdeterminant.
These are early ripening, the bush is compact and low. The harvest from the bush is small, the fruits are usually small, but they ripen at the end of June. “Mongolian dwarf” ripens on June 20 for me. There are a lot of varieties of such tomatoes.
Actually determinant. They begin to bear fruit later than the superdeterminate ones. After the formation of 4-6 sometimes more inflorescences, the plant stops growing. The height of such plants is 60-80cm.
Semi-determinant.
After the formation of 8-10 inflorescences, the growth of the main shoot is limited, these include “Pink Elephant”, “Grandma’s Secret”, “Batyanya”, etc.
Varieties and hybrids of these two groups are usually high-yielding with large fruits. “Favorite Holiday”, “The Tsar’s Gift”, “Southern Tan”, “Monastery Meal”, “Mammoth”, “Keg”. The height of such plants is from 80 to 1 m. 20cm. They work well in greenhouses and protected tunnels, but they also produce a good harvest in open ground.

4. Growing seedlings.

I wrote about my method of growing seedlings, but I receive questions in almost every fourth letter about growing seedlings. I will briefly introduce the method of growing seedlings, care and other activities of Nadezhda Alekseevna Stukalova.
The soil mixture for seedlings should be air- and water-permeable, rich in nutrients.
Such a composition; 1 hour turf soil, 1 hour. leaf humus, 0.5 parts river sand or washed construction material, 0.5 hours. peat Per bucket of mixture 0.5 liters of ash. Disinfection of the soil mixture is mandatory.
If this condition for growing seedlings is not met, it may “fall” due to the “black leg”. Reliable way- action of water vapor.
Place a herring jar with the convex side up at the bottom of an old bucket or pan, having first punched holes in it. You can put a metal circle with holes or a lattice, or an old sieve or colander on the fragments of bricks. Pour water into the bottom of the bucket. Pour the soil mixture onto the grate (above the water) without compacting it. Place the bucket on the fire to warm up for 50 minutes. The resulting steam penetrates the entire thickness of the soil mixture, disinfecting it.
I prefer my way. I prepare the soil in the fall and bring it home several times during the winter, waiting for the weeds to appear. Then I take it out into the cold again.
4. 1. Seed preparation.
Tie the seeds of each variety separately in a piece of cloth, leaving a long tail on the tail, stick a patch and write the name of the tomato variety on it.
I do not treat the seeds with anything if they are fresh and if they are grown by me. I keep the seeds in the solution for 12 hours. "Epina" - 3 drops per 100g of water. There are others active substances, containing growth stimulants and microelement salts (Humix, Gibersib, etc.). But strictly follow the concentration suggested on the label. Then sow each variety in a separate jar, label or number the jars according to the variety sown in them.
4. 2. Seedlings.
To grow quality seedlings, calculate the number of plants that you can fit on window sills or on special devices. Each plant must have enough light.
Our apartments are dry and hot, and tomatoes need a temperature of no more than 14-18 degrees C at night.

When should sowing be carried out? Each type of plant has its own deadline. Determine the period using the table.


I plant the seeds to the depth of growth of two seeds. The soil in containers should be moist, but not waterlogged. The container must be covered with polyethylene and placed in a warm place. The optimal temperature for seed germination is +25+27 degrees. Shoots appear in 3-4 days, you need not to miss this moment and place them on sunny place otherwise the seedlings will stretch out very quickly. It’s good if each variety is sown in a separate container, you can remove from under the film those in which the seedlings have sprouted.
The seedlings should be watered sparingly, with settled water warmer than room temperature. It happens that seed shells remain on some seedlings. Try to wet the “cap” and carefully remove it with the blunt side of a sewing needle.
Sow seeds with a reserve so that you always have the opportunity to select the strongest, most robust plants with large cotyledon leaves. In a good soil mixture, you don’t need to feed them before picking.

4. 3. Picking.
It is better to pick when the seedlings are stronger (both stems and roots). At this time, 3-5 true leaves will grow.
Before picking, dissolve 0.2 hours of manganese in 1 liter of water and carefully, without over-watering, water the seedlings. It is better to dive in separate containers In such plants, the earthen ball is not disturbed during transplantation, and the roots immediately begin to work. On each container, mark the variety according to your catalog.
The soil mixture for picking can be left with the same composition as that used for sowing. You can change the composition with minor deviations. But be sure to put 2-3 granules of superphosphate in each glass. Divide the seedlings into low-growing and tall-growing. They need to be picked in different ways. For low-growing plants, fill 2.3-volume cups with soil mixture, make a depression in it with a pencil, lower the plant down to the cotyledon leaves, carefully compact the sides with the same pencil.
Tall varieties have taller seedlings. For them, fill the glass halfway with soil, lay the stem in a spiral along the wall, adding soil mixture. Water, when picking, take the seedlings carefully by the leaves, do not disturb the protective hair of the stem. I never pinch roots. The plant does not need unnecessary trauma. After picking, do not expose the plants to sunlight for 2-3 days.
4. 4. Caring for seedlings.
The health of a plant, like the health of people, is established early in life. The tomato is extremely demanding of light, arrange the cups so that you can rearrange them and swap rows. There are two ways to maintain seedling nutrition: filling the soil mixture for the entire period of seedling growth, I use this method, but it requires skills and experience. The second method is to add nutrients with watering throughout the entire period of growing seedlings.
Mostly amateur gardeners use the second method. Few people use infusions of mullein, chicken and horse droppings. The most convenient are liquid complex fertilizers with microelements. If you don’t find them, you can use a universal composition for all fertilizing (once every 10 days), 3-4 g of nitroammophoska per 1 liter of water. It is very convenient to use completely soluble fertilizers such as Kemira, rastvorin and others (a lot of them are now produced). It is good to water alternately with a weak solution of manganese and ash solution(1 liter of water, 1 tbsp of ash), boil, stand, drain and add to 2 liters.
When feeding, moisten the clod of soil and only then feed the plants. Increase the amount of fertilizing if the seedlings are pale and the lower leaves turn yellow. Do not under any circumstances increase the concentration of fertilizing mixtures; you may burn the roots. And yet, when grown without lighting, in insufficient lighting, the seedlings stretch out. Let it wilt a little. Carefully lay it in a ring along the wall of the cup, sprinkle with soil. Try it on 2-3 plants first, otherwise you may break the entire seedling. Under no circumstances should you water the seedlings at night, only in the morning or afternoon!
Be sure to loosen the soil in the cup, after scattering 1 teaspoon of ash on the surface. To protect plants from viral diseases, I spray them with skim milk once every 7 days (1 liter of water, 1 cup of milk and 2-3 drops of iodine). 3 weeks before planting, as soon as the weather permits, the seedlings need to be hardened, first take them out for 20 minutes, then for longer.
Before planting in the ground, to prevent late blight and brown spot, treat the seedlings with copper oxychloride (5 g of copper oxychloride per 3 liters of water or 1% Bordeaux mixture) against fungal diseases. Dilute as recommended on the package.

5. Biological features.
Tomatoes - heat-loving plants, of southern origin. They demand good lighting, heat and dry air optimal temperature 20-25 degrees C, during the day and at night -10-12 degrees C. At low temperatures, life processes proceed more slowly. At a temperature of 15 degrees C, tomatoes delay flowering, and below +8 +10 degrees, growth stops and pollen does not ripen.
High temperatures (above 35 degrees C) have a negative effect on plants.
Bright all-round light, optimal day and night temperatures, contribute to the development of a good root system and the formation of a large number of flowers, pollination of flowers occurs normally. Short-term night cooling down to +5 -6 degrees C does not significantly affect the growth and ripening of fruits. Except temperature regime and illumination, tomatoes have a high need for soil moisture. Soil moisture before fruiting begins - 70%, during fruiting - 75 - 80%. With a lack of water in the soil, the leaves begin to curl, photosynthesis and plant growth weaken, fertilizer is not used effectively, fruit growth stops, the yield and its quality decrease: the fruits become sick with blossom end rot, and then abundant watering are cracking.
It is also impossible to water the soil excessively, since excess moisture displaces air from the soil, and if there is a lack of it in the soil, the growth of roots stops and their respiration is impaired. Air is necessary for the life of microorganisms in the soil.
To provide the root system with air, the roots of tomatoes should be covered with a layer of loose mulch, dark film, I cover it with straw, or weeded grass.
Great value for good development plants have air humidity. Optimum humidity 65%, at high humidity pollination of flowers deteriorates, they begin to fall, the plants themselves are affected fungal diseases.
For getting high yields For tomatoes, in addition to organic fertilizers, mineral fertilizers are needed, including macro- and microelements. Among all vegetable crops, tomatoes are the most demanding in terms of digestible phosphorus, which accumulates in seeds and fruits.

In Russia, microelement fertilizers were used long before 1917.

Ash is added as a potassium fertilizer, and lime is added as a mineral fertilizer, which destroys acidity. The use of lime and ash is also good in that they help destroy eggs and larvae harmful insects, have a good effect on the quality of fruits and accelerate ripening.
Tomatoes are branching plants, self-pollinators. On the main shoot (depending on the variety) 7-12 leaves are formed, and on the side shoots - significantly fewer; the higher the shoot is planted, the fewer leaves there are on it. Therefore, when forming plants into 2-3 stems, the top, strongest shoots are often left.

6. Preparation of beds.
For tomatoes, best predecessors - perennial herbs, onions, carrots, legumes, various cabbage, green crops, cucumber, zucchini. Tomato plants cannot be planted after pepper, physalis, eggplant, and potatoes. Tomato grows well in slightly acidic and neutral soils (pH 5.5-7). Wood and plant ash, ground limestone, and dolomite flour are used as neutralizing materials. The main filling of the soil can be done in the spring. Under one plant, I put humus (superphosphate 20 g/m). If there are no mineral fertilizers, fill the soil with compost, adding 1.5 cups of ash to each bucket.
Depending on the size of the plot, the number of seedlings, cut the ridges 120 cm wide, the length is arbitrary, it makes sense to match the length of the ridge with the length of the covering material. There is a passage of 50-60 cm between the ridges. The orientation of the ridges is from north to south. It’s good to frame the ridges with boards, I use slate or brick, and fill the passages with sawdust (you can work after the rain).

7. Planting seedlings.
The success of obtaining an early harvest depends on when the seedlings are planted in a permanent place. You can plant seedlings when the soil at a depth of 12-15 cm warms up to +10-15 degrees. The earlier you plant the seedlings, the higher the harvest, the sooner you will get ripe tomatoes, but this is only if you have shelter. I wrote how to do this, in the most primitive way, but tested and reliable by me, they can withstand up to -7 degrees.
Tomatoes like to have a lot of light, air and nutrition, and the roots to be warm.
On the northern side of the ridges, plant a curtain of corn and tall flowers. Make furrows across the ridges at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other. Fill with humus and ash, scatter 40-60 granules of superphosphate in each furrow, and water. Sort the seedlings by variety. This is necessary in order to plant in the first row from the east the lowest varieties from the medium-sized ones in your collection, for example those that reach 1 m during the fruiting period. In the second those whose height is 1m 20cm, in the third 1m 50cm, etc.
Place the tallest ones 2m or more, such as “Tankina truffles”, “Astrakhanskie”, “Sexy” and others. With this placement, all plants will be properly illuminated.
Water wilted seedlings at least one hour before planting. Place one plant in each furrow on a slope. checkerboard pattern so that there are 3 leaves above the surface, the rest can be torn off. Place the seedlings so that the tops of the plants form even eastern and western rows, with distances between the tops of 50-60cm. Cover the seedlings with soil removed from the furrows. Carefully place a lump of earth under the top. Water a little and mulch the furrows. Don’t confuse the varieties; make a planting diagram, where you mark the plant numbers according to your catalog. In the center from north to south, a sun trap will form, the soil here will warm up better. Additional mulch from old sawdust and humus and ash will provide additional nutrition. Cover the middle part of the bed with black plastic film or old transparent one. Such planting will allow you not to loosen or weed throughout the entire season. In warm and moist conditions, tomato roots acquire additional suction, the mass of which is located under the mulching film. 2-3 times a season, remove it, add a layer of mulch and close it again.
Do not plant overgrown seedlings in deep holes by tying them to a stake; it is better to plant them tilted or lying down.
Place arcs of thick wire over the beds. Cover with film and secure tightly on all sides. If cold weather is approaching, provide additional cover for your plantings. If it is hot, the ends of the tunnels need to be opened early in the morning. Such a troublesome life until June 5-10, and then the film can be removed. It is good to cover the plantings with covering material grade 40 or 42 and then you can not look at the site for a week. Under such shelter, the seedlings will not burn or freeze.

8. Benefits of a covered bed.
Even more reliable is the double cover of the ridge. The first layer is covered with covering material; you can attach it to the arches with wooden clothespins. The second layer - polyethylene film, so that it covers the ends; under such cover our plants are not afraid of -7-8 frost.
In August, with a sharp change in day and night temperatures, heavy dew falls. A “roof” can easily be constructed over such a bed, protecting the plants from dew, rain (often acidic, etc.). Old water pipes are driven along the sides, arcs are inserted into the pipes, the film is stretched, and can be secured with twine, clothespins, or wire.
Autumn is approaching, the main harvest has been harvested, but there are still many unformed fruits left on the plants. Which ones should I grow? Place armfuls of hay, straw, small branches on the black film that you spread in the middle of the ridge at the beginning of planting, carefully untie the plants from the stakes or trellis and lay them on a soft bedding, sprinkle with garlic infusion, “powder” with ash. And again, as in the spring, place the arches, cover with covering material, and on top with film.

The benefits of a covered bed with such planting are great.

1. When planting, seedlings are less injured.
2. Possibility of early planting of seedlings.
3. Watering and fertilizing are economical. They are carried out only in the root zone.
4. No weeds.
5. No need to loosen.
6. Good conditions fruit set.
7. It is convenient to organize drip irrigation.
8. Possibility of shelter in bad weather throughout the season.
9. Obtaining additional products from the same area.
10. Possibility of shelter for growing late harvest.

9. Watering.
If you have followed the recommendations for organizing the ridge and covered the middle part of the ridge with film (where the roots are located), water this part with a watering can or hose with low pressure; the soil should not be spilled so that the roots are not exposed.
Do not rush with the first watering; water 7 days after planting. Moisture deficiency stimulates root growth. Further watering is carried out depending on the weather, in drought - after 2-3 days. Watering should be plentiful, preferably in several doses and only in the root zone. Never water on the leaves; tomatoes may get sick. When there is a lack of water, plant growth stops. After finishing watering, return the film to its place.
As the plants grow, increase the watering rate. By mid-August it should be at least one bucket per tall bush. The watering rate is proportional to the height of the plant. Prevent weeds from growing.

10. Fertilizers.
Fertile soil contains the full range of nutrients. The main elements that plants require are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K); in slightly smaller ones - magnesium, calcium, sulfur, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Microelements include: iron, boron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc and copper. A deficiency of any of these will result in plants showing visible signs of deficiency.
This is how the famous soil scientist and agrochemist V.V. described it. Zerling, the influence of deficiency or excess of nutrients in particular tomatoes.
Lack of nitrogen (N) causes growth retardation: stems are thin and rigid; the leaves, starting from the lower ones, are yellow-green, yellow-brown, the flowers are small, many fall off; There are few fruits, poorly colored, urgently feed them with mullein.
With a deficiency of phosphorus (P), the old leaves of the tomato turn red below, and later the entire plant. The fruits are small, underdeveloped, and ripen later. Urgently carry out foliar feeding superphosphate. Excess phosphorus causes a general yellowing of the leaves and reduces the supply of microelements.
Potassium (K) deficiency causes “edge burn” lower leaves; the fruits are weak, small, with dark spots on the skin and inside the fruit! The leaves are finely wrinkled. Root and not root dressings potash fertilizers will help eliminate underdevelopment of plants.
With an excess of potassium, the leaves wither and fall off, and dull spots appear on them. With calcium (Ca) deficiency, tomato fruits have dark spots dead tissue. The upper leaves of the plants are whitish.
A deficiency of magnesium (Mg) is noticeable on the leaves, the leaf veins remain green and the leaf itself becomes discolored.
To avoid this, you need to regularly add magnesium sulfate to the soil every 10-15 days, in fertilizing (10-20g) per 10 liters of water. For iron (Fe) deficiency upper leaves become pale green or yellow.
The symptoms of molybdenum (Mo) deficiency are similar to those of nitrogen deficiency, the only difference is that the upper young organs become ill.
With a deficiency of (Zn), the leaves are small and yellowed; There are few fruits, they are small and ripen early. More often this disease is present in protected soil.

Once again about ash.
Black wood ash is rich in potassium and other mineral elements. Should be stored in an airtight container. When growing tomatoes, ash is often used: when filling the soil, for dusting plants and the soil surface, for root and foliar feeding. Phosphorus and potassium in the ash are contained in a form that is easily accessible to plants. In addition to potassium and phosphorus, calcium, the ash contains: sulfur, iron, magnesium, boron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc. For example, when adding 70g of ash per square meter, the plant's need for boron is fully satisfied.
Ash is a good alkaline fertilizer. Ash is used to combat powdery mildew, (300g of sifted ash, boil for half an hour, filter the settled broth and bring to 10l), against gray rot it is pollinated 2-3 times during the summer, 10-15g per plant. With a lack of phosphorus and potassium in fruits, the formation of sugar slows down. When applying these fertilizers, the quality of the fruits improves, they become sweet, brightly colored, and are better stored.
Now you should know why some gardeners have completely different fruits that should be sugary at break.
Boron fertilizers improve the taste of fruits and prevent cracking.
Magnesium fertilizers promote the accumulation of sugar and vitamin C. Fruits good quality are obtained only with balanced diet for all elements.

11. Feeding.

The growth of roots in tomatoes continues continuously until the end of the growing season, but the growth of above-ground organs is even greater by 160 times. This is why the harvest depends on fertilizing. Tomatoes do not like to go hungry, but overfeeding affects them even worse. Nitrogen has a great influence on the plant. Nitrogen is needed for the development of green mass, fruit formation and filling of tomatoes. If plants have increased growth of leaves, stems, shoots, and there are few fruits, it is necessary to exclude nitrogen fertilizers from fertilizing. Tomatoes remove the most potassium from the soil. Each gardener uses his own feeding scheme, but this is what N. Stukalova advises in her book.

The first feeding is 10 days after planting the seedlings with a solution of mullein (1:10) or chicken manure (1:20). Subsequent fertilizing is carried out depending on the condition of the plants every 10 days with full mineral fertilizer (60g of garden fertilizer mixture per 10l of water).

Before flowering, 1 liter of fertilizer is applied to the plant, then 2-5 liters. Fermented grass is used for fertilizing. The most useful is nettle (even dry). The ash can be used throughout the growing season, scattered in the root zone or in the form of an extract. Feeding with microelements 2-3 times per season is useful. Grind 5 tablets in a mortar, shake in a 0.5 jar, pour, stirring, into a 10 liter bucket, consumption 1 liter per bush.
Sometimes flowers from the first clusters fall off; losing the flowers of the first cluster means not having an early harvest.
It happens that the ovaries fall off. This happens if the ovary is not fertilized or the plant lacks moisture and food - it urgently needs to be watered and fed. At high humidity flowers may also fall off. You need to spray it with a solution of boric acid (1 g per 1 liter of water). Boric acid dissolves only in hot water.
The mistake of many gardeners is that after fruiting begins, they reduce watering, fertilizing, i.e. They themselves help the plants die. This is also my mistake; while the plant is alive, it must be cared for as at the beginning of its life.

12. Foliar feeding - ambulance plants.
Scientists have proven that leaves absorb nutrients, just like roots, but more selectively. They absorb from tinctures those nutrients that the plant lacks, but they do not replace root feeding. Some fertilizing can be done with mineral and organic fertilizers. The best concentration of mineral fertilizers for tomato is 0.4% (8.5 g superphosphate, 16.5 g potassium chloride, 15 g urea per 10 liters of water). K 10l aqueous solution macroelements add 1 liter of microelements solution according to the norm on the labels.
Foliar feeding with superphosphate affects fruit set and ripening.
It is very good to spray the plants during the flowering period with an extract of 0.5% superphosphate. You need to take 50g of superphosphate and pour it hot water, mix, keep for a day. For 50g they take 10l hot water. Spray the tomatoes with the settled solution. It is good to spray with an organic infusion using nettle, lupine, comfrey, lawn grass. Cut all components into a linen bag, place in a container, and fill with water. Turn the bag every 2 days. After a week, the tea is ready, dilute to the color of weakly brewed tea.

13. Formation of a bush.
Gardeners ask this question in almost every 4 letters. As I already wrote, tomatoes have the ability to branch heavily. From each bud located in the leaf axil on the main stem, a side shoot grows - a stepson. Removing these shoots (stepchildren) is called stepsoning. When planting, the plants form one, two, or three stems.
In the single-stem form, all side shoots on the main stem are removed; with two stems, also all side shoots, except one, the strongest, growing under the first flower raceme; with three stems, they leave another strong stepson located above or below the flower raceme. Apply every week, in the morning or afternoon, so that the wounds on the plant dry out. The stump from the stepson should be left 2-3 cm apart so that there is no shoot on the same sheet. We must remember that pinching accelerates the ripening of fruits, but the yield from the bushes will be lower.
I form tall ones into two stems. In addition to pinching, you need to pinch (i.e. remove the tops of fruit-bearing shoots) - this limits the growth of the plant, which helps accelerate the formation and ripening of set fruits. The top is cut off 3-5cm above the second leaf above the last cluster with ovaries. In June and July, plants grow 60-70mm per day, they need to be tied up; tying up the bush and brushes helps better illumination, which means there will be more fruits. There are a lot of garter methods - pegs, ropes, mesh.
But most in a convenient way The garter must be recognized as the organization of the trellis. The main thing is that the trellis is strong.

To sum it all up, remember:

Greenhouse varieties in open ground can produce low yields, and conversely, open ground varieties do not bear fruit well in a greenhouse.

By chasing the quantity of varieties, you can miss out on quality.

Sow varieties of different ripening periods at different times that are optimal for each variety.

Don't overdo the seed preparation. Not only frozen, you won’t have time to sow dry ones.

Do not rush to plant seedlings, the soil should warm up to +10 C. But do not tender the seedlings in the greenhouse until June. Late planting of seedlings will bring a lot of trouble and a small harvest.

Plant tomatoes in rows. During late return frosts, it is easier to protect the beds from the cold.

Don't skimp on food space. Biological pattern: the denser the plants are, the smaller the size of the fruits.

Tie up plants, even low-growing ones, in a timely manner. They will warm up better, have less contact with the soil, and get sick less.

Properly shape your plants. When choosing a variety, you need to know under what conditions of formation - one, two or three stems, with or without pinching, it gives the maximum yield.

The disease is easier to prevent. Sometimes it is too late to treat and the harvest is lost.

It is better to underfeed tomatoes than to overfeed them. "Fattening" powerful, beautiful plants with large leaves give a “skinny” harvest

Water your tomatoes regularly, not occasionally. Plants, like people, cannot get enough to drink.

Tomatoes like “wet feet” (roots) and “dry clothes” (leaves).

The material was prepared by Lidiya Iosifovna Ishimtseva. Using the literature of N.A. Stukalova “Golden Apples of Love”. Material for growing tomatoes according to the method of I.M. Maslova. And your own experience.

is one of the most popular events held annually at most personal plots. It’s understandable: tomatoes, being the youngest vegetable crop in our latitudes, they have become extremely in demand and loved for their rich taste, aroma and rather simple agricultural technology.

Conditions for growing tomatoes in open ground

There are a great many varieties of tomatoes: more than ten thousand, including hybrids. They are classified according to many qualities: by the type and length of the stem, branching, fruit size, early ripening. The conditions for growing tomatoes depend on certain plant characteristics, which in turn affects the quality of the crop.

So, for open ground it is better to choose determinate and super-determinate varieties that have a good dense stem. Tall semi-determinates grow well in greenhouses. Indeterminate varieties that have unlimited growth potential and are also characterized by very high yields are also suitable for indoor soil. However, working with them requires experience and a lot of labor, which is not always beneficial for the amateur summer resident.

As for precocity, there is a great choice. However, it should be taken into account that early-ripening varieties do not have high yields, and late-ripening varieties may not have time to bear fruit in all conditions.

Agricultural technology for growing tomatoes in open ground

In general, growing tomatoes in open ground is advisable, as is growing this crop in greenhouses. The plant needs enough light and warmth for growth and normal development.
In addition to good lighting, the following:

• cultivation through seedlings;
• transplanting grown seedlings to an area protected from the wind;
• soil fertilized with organic matter or mineral fertilizers;
• absence of nightshades in predecessors (potatoes, eggplants, peppers);
• transplanting seedlings after frost;
• watering as needed, without waterlogging the soil, the organization of drip irrigation is optimal;
• fertilizing with organic or mineral fertilizers;
• periodic weeding or early mulching with organic materials;
• stepsoning.

When to sow tomatoes

Growing tomatoes, including in open ground, is carried out only by seedlings. This is done due to the rather long vegetative period of the crop: on average, 100-120 days pass from germination to fruiting.

1. Tomatoes tolerate picking well (you can even pinch the roots with this procedure), so you can initially sow them in boxes. The timing of sowing seeds will vary for different varieties. The end of February is the time when it is time to sow tall and mid-season tomatoes. Early ripening and low-growing varieties are sown in March.
2. Prepared soil for seedlings or a special industrial composition is poured into the boxes and drainage is provided to avoid stagnation of water, which can cause seedlings to rot.
3. After sowing, the soil is watered, covered with film if necessary and sent to a warm place. Tomatoes germinate at room temperature, however, before the emergence of seedlings, it is better to exclude the possibility of cooling the crops with a draft.

Agricultural technology for growing tomatoes in open ground

Transplanting seedlings

Transplantation of seedlings is carried out at the stage of 1-2 true leaves. If you plan to grow tomatoes in open ground, they are transplanted into beds at the end of May-June, when the frosts have passed. By that time, the seedlings should have 6-7 true leaves.

Conditions for growing tomatoes

Planning beds

The beds are planned with gaps between plants of 30-50 cm, between rows of 50 cm. After transplanting the seedlings, the plants are watered warm water. After rooting, the seedlings are tied up. This always applies to tall varieties. Low-growing standard tomatoes can easily grow without support. In greenhouses, tomatoes can be grown on a trellis. Plants can also be mulched and lightly hilled a couple of times per season.

Stepsoning

Pinching is a prerequisite for growing tomatoes. Plants are formed into one or two stems, cutting out the remaining stepsons before they become more than 5 cm long. The procedure must be carried out sharp instrument, leaving stumps 1 cm high.

Growing tomatoes in open ground

When the fruits begin to actively ripen, usually in mid-August, flowers that do not have ovaries should also be removed.

Disease Prevention

To prevent diseases, tomatoes begin to be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or infusions made according to folk recipes. From Kolodar beetles, which periodically show attention to tomatoes, you can plant marigolds or calendula in the neighborhood.

Growing tomatoes in open ground

Tomatoes are harvested at the stage of technical ripeness, when the fruit begins to turn pink. With the first frost, all the fruits are harvested.

If the tomato stems are still affected by the disease, they are collected and burned. All diseased fruits are also promptly removed from the site. The soil after tomatoes is treated with phytosporin or another disinfectant.

• Name: Conditions and agricultural technology for growing tomatoes in open ground

Undoubtedly, one of the main advantages of this procedure is obtaining an early or even year-round tomato harvest. In addition, since the crop is planted in isolation from external environment, it is not threatened by diseases and pests.

Plus, other external factors do not affect the yield:

• air temperature;
• humidity and precipitation;
• contaminated air.

If pests are nevertheless found on plants, it will be much easier to deal with them in a closed space. But the main argument for supporters of natural products is greenhouse crops are absolutely safe and nitrate-free. While no one can guarantee you the quality of store-bought products.

However, with all the advantages, such cultivation also has some disadvantages. It is worth saying that in terms of taste greenhouse tomato inferior to tomatoes that were grown in open ground.

Reference! The main disadvantage of all greenhouse structures is increased flammability, so it is very important to monitor fire safety.

If you build a greenhouse according to all the rules, then the cost of such a structure will be quite high, which means that the tomatoes themselves will not be cheap, but you will be completely confident in their quality.

Manipulations to prepare greenhouse structures for spring planting include the following:

How to grow correctly: step-by-step technology

Planting seeds for seedlings

Before planting, the seed must be treated in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20-30 minutes. After extraction, the seeds must be washed and dried. It is better to plant tomatoes in prepared soil.. Be sure to place a drainage layer at the bottom of the container.

Seedlings can be grown in small plastic cups, in cassettes or a large general container. Before sowing, the soil must be moistened. Use a pencil to make indentations in which you need to put two seeds, in case one of them does not germinate. Cover the container with film and place in a warm, bright place.

Care

To properly care for tomatoes, seedlings need to be illuminated for 12-13 hours a day. The first few days the air should be warmed up to 23-25 ​​degrees Celsius. After the first shoots appear, the temperature should be reduced to +16-20 degrees. Night air should be cooler than day air by about 5 degrees.

You need to moisten the soil often - tomatoes do not like drought.. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the fragile sprouts. Choose settled water for irrigation; the optimal temperature for growing tomatoes is room temperature.

As soon as even small seedlings sprout, make sure that water does not get on their leaf blades - this can lead to rotting.

Air humidity should be between 60-70%.

Disembarkation

After planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, they need to be provided with the most comfortable conditions possible. so that the seedlings can more easily survive stress. Is it possible to transfer seedlings to a greenhouse - it is possible, but only when the air in it warms up to at least +15 degrees. It is advisable to warm the soil before this procedure.

Experienced agronomists advise planting tomatoes at a distance of 30 centimeters from each other, and retreating at least half a meter between rows.

Tying and pinching

Most often planted in greenhouses tall varieties , since they take up as much space as low-growing ones, and produce a little more harvest.

Before starting this procedure, remember a few rules:

• You need to tie up the tomato as it grows;
• support is necessary not only for the trunks, but also for the remaining branches;
• It is impossible to knit fastenings tightly.

In no case do not use fishing line, thick thread or wire for tying. Because the tomatoes will rest on the support with all their weight and because of this they may be damaged.

Most suitable look supports - soft wide rope, strips of fabric or plastic. Metal and plastic pipes and wooden sticks can be used as support. The frame itself is stretched onto these same supports.

Stepchildren are shoots that are superfluous. They begin to get rid of them two weeks after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse and then repeat this procedure every 15 days. The stems that are responsible for the formation of the form should not be more than 3 on the shoot, and the flower clusters should not be more than eight.

You can get rid of your stepson as soon as he reaches 5 cm in length. It is best to simply break off the shoots rather than trim them. But you shouldn’t break them completely; we recommend leaving stumps up to two centimeters long, which will prevent the appearance of new stepsons.

More information about tying and pinching tomatoes is described in this video:

Pollination

This can be done in two ways: natural and artificial. Natural pollination involves creating air movement and attracting insects. For the first process, in windy weather, open the windows and doors of the greenhouses so that a draft occurs.

And in order to To attract insects, you need to plant flowers in the aisle. It is advisable if these are marigolds, since they not only attract insects, but also improve taste qualities tomatoes.

Artificial pollination methods include the following manipulations.

• Shaking. You can carry out this procedure with each bush separately. And if the tomatoes are tied under one support, just knock on it, and then the reaction will reach all the bushes.
• Fan. It must be worn between crops - this way you will get a draft effect.
• Using a brush. It can be used to transfer pollen manually.

How to water and what to feed, how often?

After the agronomist has just transferred the seedlings to the greenhouse, they do not need to be watered for a week. And then the soil is moistened every five days. The first fertilizer is applied after the first leaf appears. This should be foliar feeding.

Potassium monophosphate is best suited (a tablespoon of the drug is diluted in 10 liters of clean water).

After a week after the first fertilizing, tomatoes can be fertilized with the following preparations:

• Urea.
• Calcium nitrate.
• Potassium nitrate.
• "Aquarin".

Collection rules and storage methods

Slightly unripe tomatoes should be picked– they will have a light brown tint. After a few days they will be ready in boxes. Tomatoes need to be harvested with their stems intact - this way all the minerals and nutrients will be preserved. Keep harvested needed in wooden boxes with holes for air circulation. There should be thick paper under each layer of tomatoes.

Photo

Secrets of growing large sweet tomatoes from A to Z

Early in an unheated room

To do this, you need to add compost to the soil in the fall. For early planting, you need to choose the place where cucumbers used to grow, since after them the soil will be saturated with manure. Before planting, you need to add a mixture to each hole. wood ash and fertilizers for tomatoes, as well as 10 granules of superphosphate.

Indeterminate varieties

In the process of growing such crops, the most important thing is to tie up the bush in time, and also pinch it to stop upward growth.

Tomatoes are grown and pinched depending on the height of the bush. You also need to apply a lot of fertilizers, since the large size requires good nutrition.

In Kuban

The weather conditions of this region allow the tomato harvest to be harvested almost all year round. The air temperature in the greenhouses there rarely drops below 3 degrees Celsius - many varieties can still withstand such indicators. Therefore, do not be afraid to plant tomatoes before winter; the main thing is to provide good lighting.

No watering

In order not to water tomatoes throughout the season, it is enough to try once and provide them with the necessary conditions. To do this, before planting, you need to remove all the leaves from the lower half of the trunk. The hole must be deep. Half a bucket of compost, a handful of wood ash and a gram of potassium permanganate are placed in it - mix all this and add 5 liters of water.

After absorbing moisture, the seedlings are placed in the holes almost horizontally and sprinkled with a small layer of soil. Once again water each bush with a bucket of water. This will be enough for the whole season. As soon as the stem grows, its top must be tied vertically.

All year round

If we talk about large-scale production, then to produce tomatoes all year round, you need to properly equip the greenhouse: install electricity, make ventilation, install an irrigation system, install climate control.

Compatibility with other crops

A tomato will do well if you plant any kind of lettuce, onion, parsley and even watermelon next to it. However do not place cucumbers, fennel and dill next to tomatoes.

Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse is troublesome. However, it is pleasant when you can treat someone to a fresh vegetable at any time, and profitable if this vegetable can be sold.

Video on the topic

More information about how to grow seedlings, care and planting tomatoes in a greenhouse is described in this video: