A method of growing tomatoes in open ground. Growing tomatoes in open and closed ground. Tomatoes grow in the garden.

Well? Maybe it's time for us to take a chance and try growing tomatoes in our home garden.

Of course, we won’t be able to grow enough vegetables at home to collect them in buckets, but you’ll definitely get a dozen or two red, tight fruits in the middle of winter.

In addition, they will become a real decoration for your apartment, and you will be able to feast on sweet tomatoes and admire the cheerful little garden with bright fruits, thereby satisfying your gardening cravings.

Want to? So, let's start growing tomatoes on the windowsill at home and create a unique, beautiful home garden full of vitamins.

Tomatoes on the windowsill have long ceased to be exotic. Growing and caring for them is quite easy, you just need to know the simple conditions of such original agricultural technology.

Experienced gardeners will be happy to share with you the secrets of growing indoor tomatoes. Creating a home garden will bring you real pleasure!

This is a very pleasant and exciting activity, and your children will be happy to help you in setting up your home garden and caring for it.

How to grow tomatoes on a windowsill? How to create the most favorable conditions for the ripening of tomato crops on the windowsill?

This is what further discussion will be about.

Choosing the right variety

For a mini-garden on the windowsill, of course, you need varieties of dwarf, low-growing tomatoes. Their fruits are light in weight, and the plants themselves readily inhabit small pots.

There are a great variety of tomato varieties of these types.

Experienced gardeners know that choosing the right variety of baby tomatoes does not happen right away; choosing the optimal one is only possible through trial and error. After all, each apartment has its own atmosphere, different climatic conditions.

Tomatoes in different homes will behave individually, this gives a certain touch of surprise to the upcoming chores.

So, choose:

♦ For a small window sill. For a small, standard size window sill, tiny dwarf varieties of tomatoes would be ideal:

Minibel. The height of the bush is about 30 cm. Tomatoes weighing 20-40 g are collected in compact clusters of 8-10 pieces.
Florida Petit. The height of the plant is up to 30 cm, the bright red fruits weighing 30-40 g are very sweet. In one brush, up to 15-20 tomatoes are collected.
Balcony miracle. One of the most popular ultra-early ripening domestic varieties. Pink tomatoes weighing 20-30 g will delight you with a bountiful harvest after 80 days.
Balcony red. Bright red small tomatoes will be ready for the table 90-95 days after planting. The fruits are very sweet and aromatic.
Bonsai. Each bush about 30 cm high will bring you 500-600 g of bright, tasty small tomatoes.
Bonsai micro. The smallest tomato variety on the windowsill. The bushes grow up to only 15 cm. They can be grown in a hanging basket, admire the beautiful view and feast on the fragrant tiny fruits.
Pinocchio. If you plant small cherry tomatoes in September, by New Year's holidays The harvest of fragrant fruits will be ready. This variety is considered one of the best for creating a garden at home.

♦ For an insulated window sill. If your window sill is wider and has a good area for placing boxes or flowerpots, you can create a garden on the windowsill from tomato varieties with larger fruits and tall stems.

Balconies Yelou. The variety will delight you with the first harvest of round yellow tomatoes after 100-110 days. The tomato tastes sweet with a slight sourness, the bush grows up to 45-50 cm.
The pearl is red and yellow. The culture grows up to half a meter and has excellent decorative qualities. Red Pearl fruits have a sweeter taste. Their weight reaches 50 g.
Hermitage Museum. This productive variety is recommended to be grown in the northwestern regions. The fruits are quite large, their weight can reach 100 g.
Native. Early view of tomatoes. The fruits are raspberry-colored, large (up to 180 g). This variety is particularly resistant to cool conditions.
Igranda. An early variety, high-yielding and resistant to sudden changes in temperature conditions. The fruits are fleshy, round and bright red. Their weight can reach 150 g.
Russian Troika. Tomato bushes are small, they grow up to 60 cm. But the fruits are very large and fragrant, their weight sometimes reaches 300g!

At first, you can try planting several varieties of tomatoes on the windowsill at once and observe how the tomatoes behave in order to settle on the ideal types for your apartment.

Arranging a vegetable garden on a windowsill

♦ Which window sill is best? Tomatoes love light (if there is not enough light, flower buds will fall off), so the best home the most illuminated window sills will be for them (best on the south side).

Growing on a windowsill should be carried out with additional organization of artificial lighting for your garden (use fluorescent lamps, energy saving).

It will be great if you use sources of short-wave radiation of red-blue light (phytolamps).

Additional lighting must be placed at least 25-30 cm from the top leaves of the seedlings. The daylight hours for tomato babies are 13-16 hours.

Lamps should be turned on for tomatoes on the windowsill when the weather is cloudy outside. They should be used early in the morning before dawn and in the evening after the sun has gone down.

♦ When to sow seeds. There are two terms for sowing tomatoes:

Summer-autumn. Seedlings are grown in July-August, you will already receive fruits in November-December.
Winter-spring. Seedlings should be started in November-December. The first harvest will await the owner in March-April.

Features of cultivation

When you purchase seeds, be very careful about the quality of the planting material. Always check expiration dates.

Expired seeds may remain in the ground, or you will end up with weak, stunted plants.

♦ Seed disinfection. Immediately before planting, we need to disinfect the seeds and prevent them from late blight infection.

To do this, soak the seeds for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then, to increase germination and stronger growth, we will use “Epina” or any other growth stimulant - the seeds should be kept in it for about 10-12 hours.

♦ Germination. Having selected the required tomato varieties, we begin the process of seed germination. Place them in a small bowl, cover with moistened gauze and leave in a warm place for 3-4 days.

As soon as our tomatoes have put out small roots, we need to plant them.

♦ Where we plant. For growing tomato seeds, plastic or peat cups with a volume of about 200 ml are best suited.

Shallow trays can be used. Fill the containers with soil:

You can use an earthen mixture (45% black soil, 5% sand and 50% humus). Add a little manganese to it for disinfection. Make sure the soil is not clayey.
Or use a mixture of soil, humus (5 parts each), sand and peat (1 part each).

Add urea to the finished soil (8-10 g of urea per bucket of soil). Stir in wood ash (1-2 cups), superphosphate (40 g) and potash fertilizer(40 g).

Mix the earthen mixture thoroughly and pour into cups.

♦ Disembarkation. We place the tomato seeds in small depressions at a distance of about 2 cm between each seed. They should be placed at a depth of 1-1.5 cm.

Lightly moisten the soil before sowing. Cover the sown seeds with film or glass; such a covering will retain moisture in the soil well.

We place the containers in a dark and warm place (+25-30° C) and wait for germination. The soil can sometimes be moistened.

♦ Transplantation. After the tomatoes have sprouted the first shoots, we transfer the containers with them to the windowsill and create a daytime temperature of +22-25° C, a night temperature of +15-17° C. We remove the covering.

And when two true leaves appear, the tomatoes must be picked and planted for permanent residence.

The volume of permanent pots for young tomatoes on the windowsill should be about 7-10l.

♦ Care. Small tomatoes are afraid of drafts and watering cold water. Excessive watering also harms them (they can contract infectious diseases).

Tomato seedlings can be carefully ventilated on too hot days.

To provide the tomatoes with normal humidity, place a glass filled with water next to them when ventilating. After ventilation is complete, the glass is removed.

With further care, our tomatoes should be regularly watered and fed (dilute 1 g of potassium sulfate and urea and 5 g of superphosphate in a liter of water). Fertilizers need to be applied every 7-10 days.

Plants can also be fertilized with mullein diluted with water (the ratio is 5 parts water and part mullein), chicken droppings (15 parts water per part of the droppings).

Use water for irrigation at a comfortable room temperature (+20-25° C). Plants should be watered as the soil dries.

We water our tomatoes on the windowsill generously, wetting the entire soil, while it is advisable to pour water on the soil near the bush, but not at the very root.

After watering, be sure to loosen the soil - this will slow down the evaporation of moisture.

We begin to fertilize as soon as the tomato grows 5-6 true leaves, at the beginning of flowering, and also during the formation of the ovaries.

Don't forget to loosen the soil around the roots. But do this very delicately - the roots of the tomato are still too tender and can be damaged.

Simultaneously with loosening, hill up the plants - this will contribute to the formation of new roots. If the soil has settled a little, add a portion of fresh soil (peat or nutrient mixture).

Sometimes some varieties of tomatoes may develop stepsons (additional stems). They need to be carefully removed (stepchildren). Pinching will improve the nutrition of tomato fruits.

We will also remove dried leaves (especially those located closer to the roots of the plant - dry leaves inhibit the access of moisture to the root system).

We are waiting for the harvest

During flowering, our tomatoes can occasionally be slightly shaken and a gentle feather brushed over the flowers - this will improve the pollination process.

After fruit set, the top of the stem and inflorescence should be removed to help the fruit form more quickly.

To protect young tomatoes from late blight (this fungal disease threatens tomatoes even in winter), tomato leaves and stems must be periodically treated with an infusion of manganese and garlic (3 liters of water, ½ g of potassium permanganate and half a head of garlic).

Experienced gardeners also use another technique to more quickly form tomato fruits on the windowsill.

It’s called “pulling the roots”: take the tomato by the lower region of the stem and very carefully pull it up, as if you want to pull the plant out of the ground.

During this movement, small roots break off. After the procedure, the plant should be watered and hilled.

During the flowering of tomatoes, experienced gardeners advise additional spraying of the second and third tassels of plants so that the fruits are better formed and set. Spray the tomatoes with a solution of boric acid (dilute a gram of the substance in a liter of water).

When our tomatoes are already ripening, the branches of the plant should be tied to pegs. Otherwise, the stems may break under the weight of the fruit.

It is advisable not to wait for the tomatoes on the bushes to fully ripen, but to harvest them when they are brown.

IN room conditions The tomatoes will ripen quickly, and the bushes will ripen the next crop better and faster.

Balcony miracles

You can also use your own loggia as a home greenhouse. If you have them insulated, you can successfully grow tomatoes on the balcony from early cool spring to gloomy late autumn.

On insulated balconies/loggias, it is best to sow tomatoes in early March; if your balcony is open, move the event to the end of April.

The most ideal loggias and balconies for tomatoes are southern or southeastern. On northern windowsills, and even on balconies, tomatoes can freeze, and on southwestern ones it will be too hot in the summer heat (if you grow tomatoes in such places, shade your plantings on hot days and ventilate them).

A balcony or loggia gives plants more space to grow. Therefore, in such conditions it is possible to breed tall, small-fruited cherry (cherry) and cocktail varieties of tomatoes:

Minibell, Tiny Tim, De Barao, Carlson, Angelica, Pearl, Butterfly, Ballerina, Romantic, Verlioka, Red Banana, Gina, Max, Cascade Red and many other varieties.

You should germinate seeds and replant tomatoes for permanent residence in the same way as when growing tomatoes on a windowsill. Since taller tomatoes can be grown on the balcony, we will form them into two stems:

To do this, we will leave one stepson under the very first inflorescence. We tie the stepson to an additional peg or to a trellis. Lower-growing varieties can be formed into 2-3 stems (in addition to the first stepson, we leave the second one).

It’s better not to cut off the stepson tomatoes on the windowsill, and also on the balcony, but carefully break them off with your fingers. Break off carefully, trying not to touch the leaves and the central shoot.

Additional stems should be removed as soon as they can be grasped with your fingers.

At the same time, leave 2-3 cm of column from the stepson. It is best to carry out such an event in the morning.

Tomato stems are long and can break off easily. To prevent this, as the tomato seedlings grow, we will tie them to a trellis or stakes.

In the future, the tomatoes are tied to the stakes two more times, and when using a trellis, it is necessary to twist the tops of the tomatoes weekly around the twine tied to the trellis.

Do not forget to ventilate your pets after each watering by opening the balcony doors. If suddenly your tomatoes begin to curl their leaves during the day, don’t worry. This is quite normal for tomatoes.

But if the leaves rush straight up, located at an acute angle, without curling at all, this should alert you.

The reason for this behavior of tomatoes may be too dry soil, insufficient ventilation or poor lighting.

You should not be overzealous with watering and fertilizing (especially with fertilizers containing nitrogen and organic matter).

At the same time, the tomatoes begin to “fatten” – they sprout powerful, thick stems and grow strong shoots.

But at the same time they form weak flower brushes.

To correct the situation, use the following techniques:

Do not water your pets for a week or a week and a half.
To delay growth, foliar fertilize tomatoes with superphosphates (3 tbsp per 10 liters of water). Tomatoes are treated at the rate of one liter of mixture per plant.
Increase the ambient temperature to +27-28° C.
The flowers of such plants should be pollinated by hand using a soft brush.

Otherwise, caring for and caring for balcony tomatoes is no different from our actions when growing tomatoes on a windowsill.

Of course, not all vegetables can be grown at home, but still there are quite a few that feel great when visiting us.

This includes all kinds of greens (), citrus fruits (, tangerines), and vegetables (, cucumbers, etc.). Growing at home will be discussed in the next article in the series “Vegetable garden on the windowsill”

See you soon, dear readers!

Improperly grown or early planted seedlings will not produce a rich harvest. Flower buds of elongated, fragile sprouts develop poorly, and fewer flowers are produced. Only healthy and strong seedlings quickly take root in the ground, actively bloom and produce tasty and large fruits. How to properly plant tomatoes for seedlings to ensure a high-quality harvest?

Preparing tomato seeds

No matter how experienced a gardener is, he will not be able to grow an enviable fruit from a bad seed. Therefore, you need to approach the choice of seeds responsibly and it is better to purchase several different types, in case any variety turns out to be unsuccessful.

Before sowing the seeds, they are sorted. Empty, damaged and small copies are removed. Experienced gardeners recommend filling them with salt water (60 grams of salt per liter of liquid) and removing from the total mass those seeds that float to the surface. To make it easier to choose in the future best variety, it is better to store and plant seeds separately or in groups and marking which type is where.

To prevent seed contamination, it is necessary to carry out a disinfection procedure. To do this, the seeds are placed in a container with a solution of acetic acid (0.8%) for a day, after which they are dipped for 20 minutes in a cup with a solution of potassium permanganate (2 grams per glass of water). After the manipulations to protect the seeds are completed, they must be thoroughly rinsed with running water.

Video - correctly planting tomato seeds for seedlings

Ways to improve seed germination

Warming up

A bag of seeds is placed in a thermos with hot water for several hours or the seeds are washed under hot water.

Enrichment with mineral fertilizers

The seeds are soaked for 24 hours in a special solution, which can be found in a specialty store or prepared independently. In one liter of clean water you need to stir a mixture of copper sulfate and ammonium sulfate. Boric acid, potassium salt and superphosphate should also be added there.

After the seeds are processed and disinfected, they are placed in a damp cloth and germinated, constantly making sure that it does not dry out.

To better adapt the sprouts to the climate, it is recommended to harden the seeds. The swollen seeds are sent to the refrigerator for 1–2 days, this is how resistance to low temperatures is developed.

Video - the process of sowing and soaking tomato seeds for seedlings

Preparing soil mixture for seedlings

In order for tomatoes to be large and healthy, they need to be planted in turf soil mixed with humus and sand. To maintain normal acidity, resin and chalk should be added to the soil (for every ten kilograms of soil: resin - 0.5 l, chalk - 100 g). But you can buy a ready-made soil mixture or peat tablets in the store (about two seeds per piece), the main thing is to choose a trusted manufacturer.

The seeds must first be planted in one large container, and then the best sprouts must be picked into a separate container. Pickled sprouts can be planted in special containers, which are sold in gardening stores, or plastic bottles can be used for this. Be sure to make drainage holes in the bottom of each container.

How to grow seedlings correctly

When growing seeds, the main thing is to follow the rules for planting them, the temperature regime and follow the recommendations regarding watering and providing lighting to the sprouts.

Best time to plant seeds

Tomato seeds usually take 1.5–2 months to germinate, and accordingly, the planting time depends on the area in which they are planned to be grown. If you rush into planting, the sprouts will form before the weather stabilizes and it will simply be impossible to plant them in the ground due to the cold weather. If you plant the seeds too late, the sprouts will not have time to grow stronger and will not survive after being transplanted into the ground. Early spring is the optimal time for planting tomato seeds for seedlings.

Seed planting process

Pour the prepared mixture into the container and lightly press it with your palms. Afterwards, water the soil a little, cover the container with a plastic bag and leave overnight so that the moisture is evenly distributed. After the surface of the earth is leveled, I make grooves 0.5–1 cm deep at a distance of 4–5 cm from each other. The seeds are carefully placed in the depressions and covered with soil and watered again.

Temperature

Then the container is covered with glass or a bag and sent to a warm place where the temperature is not lower than 22 degrees - to a radiator or to a windowsill (in the sun). After 5–7 days, when the first shoots hatch, the glass (film) can be removed and the seedlings can be sent to a cooler place (up to 16 degrees) for approximately the same time. And when the sprouts get stronger, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime - up to 24 degrees during the day, not lower than 12 at night.

It is also worth remembering that humid air is harmful to tomatoes. The room in which containers with seedlings will be placed should be regularly ventilated. To prevent plants from dying, drafts and sudden temperature changes must be avoided.

Picking tomato sprouts

The formation of the first leaves is a sign that it is time to remove weak and non-viable shoots from the container. The root is pinched during this procedure to accelerate the growth of the root system.

But there is no need to rush into picking. Before starting the process of sorting the sprouts, you should make sure that they are sufficiently strong and the bases should be thick. Otherwise, the picking should be postponed.

Picking is done in seedling cups, the sprouts go deep into the soil up to the cotyledon leaves. Using this procedure, you can reduce the stretching of sprouts. To do this, you need to add more light to the sprouts.

Lighting

In order for the seedlings to be strong and green, they need good and long-term lighting, and in the first days even around the clock. If the windows are on the sunny side, then there will be enough light for the seedlings placed on the windowsill. If there is not enough sun, you need to install several special lamps. Tomatoes are very demanding of light, so additional lighting is required.

Watering seedlings

Soil moisture must be constantly monitored. At the initial stage, a few tablespoons of water are enough, after which the volume gradually increases, but in cold weather you need to water less often. Tips for watering the soil:

Do not allow the soil in containers to dry out;
It is not recommended to spray the sprouts;
It is better to water with a weak solution of mineral fertilizers instead of water.

With excess moisture, the leaves become yellow and the roots gradually die. In addition, with frequent watering, the sprouts can stretch, which will have a bad effect on the quality of future tomatoes.

Planting tomato seedlings

Before transplanting the sprouts into the ground, they must be hardened off. To do this, seedlings are gradually accustomed to cold air: ventilation is increased, and the windows are left open at night.

It is recommended to plant seedlings in late spring - early summer, when frosts have passed and the temperature does not drop below 15 degrees. How to determine that the sprouts are ready to “move”? If the sprout has 5-6 leaves and its stem is thick and strong, then it’s time to replant it.

Features of growing large tomatoes:

Seedlings should be planted in a well-lit place, protected from the wind;
the most suitable watering regime is 2 times a week;
It is better to use light, sandy and loamy soils;
plant the sprouts in pre-prepared and spilled holes at right angles;
sprouts should be planted at a distance of 30–40 cm from each other;
Before planting, it is necessary to prepare the soil and fertilize it;
A peg should be inserted next to each sprout for support;
There should be at least 60 cm between rows.

Harvesting occurs when the tomatoes turn red. If you pick tomatoes when they are green, this will affect their taste.

Video - how to properly plant tomato seedlings in a greenhouse

Mistakes when growing tomato seedlings

The main mistakes of a bad tomato harvest:

low-quality seeds;
planting seeds for seedlings too early or, conversely, very late;
non-compliance with temperature conditions;
improper watering (too much or not enough);
poor lighting quality;
refusal of hardening procedures.

A good harvest directly depends on the quality of the seedlings. Therefore, you need to take a responsible approach to the choice of seeds; it is better to take several varieties and subsequently choose the best one, most adapted to your area and weather conditions. Before planting, sort out the low-quality seeds and process the good ones. Prepare the soil mixture, plant the seeds and provide them with proper care. Only if you follow the recommendations described above can you hope for a large and tasty harvest.

Tricks of growing tomatoes in open ground from A to Z. Do you want to know how to make “living water” for watering tomatoes or how to harden not only seedlings, but also fruits (!) at the end of the season for greater shelf life? Read this wonderful material by T.S. Morkovina, expert of the Russian Agricultural Center of the Voronezh Region

Tomatoes or tomatoes are the most common vegetable crop in the world.

Depending on the region, they are planted either directly with seeds in the ground or as seedlings. Since in our area (Voronezh region) spring is accompanied by frosts on the soil, large amounts of precipitation, and summer is not rich favorable days For the growth and development of tomatoes, getting ripe red fruits by August is possible not only with good seedlings, but also with proper planting in the ground and care.

How to choose a place for a tomato bed and prepare the soil?

The ideal place for growing tomatoes in open ground are areas protected from the wind, well-lit and warmed to the south.

Predecessors for tomatoes are: pumpkin, cabbage, legumes, as well as root vegetables and onions. After growing nightshade crops (peppers, eggplants, potatoes), the area can be allocated for tomatoes only after 3 years.

Tomato is a crop that is less demanding on soil fertility than other vegetable crops. Its peculiarity is the ability to deplete the soil due to increased removal of nutrients from it (especially with high yields).

Therefore, compost or humus (4-6 kg per 1 m2) is added to low-fertility soils in the fall.

With the annual application of organic fertilizers, it is permissible to grow tomatoes in one place for 2-3 years (unless the tomatoes of the previous year suffered from late blight or other diseases).

And yet it is better to return them to the same place no earlier than after 3 years. You also need to apply fertilizer just before planting the tomatoes.

This is done a week before planting, on 1 square meter 1 cup of wood ash is added. After this, the ground must be disinfected. For this purpose, abundant watering of the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate in the amount of 1 tbsp is used. l. for 10 liters of water. 1-1.5 liters of solution are consumed per 1 m².

If the site is not fertile enough and organic fertilizers were not given for spring digging, then rotted manure or peat compost can be added to the hole before watering at the rate of 0.5-0.8 kg per plant (a bucket of fertilizer for 8-10 plants).

Before planting seedlings in the ground, you should prevent possible diseases. To protect against fungal infection, dilute 1 tbsp in a bucket of water. l. copper oxychloride. Treated several days before planting in a permanent place.

How to plant tomato seedlings correctly

I plant the seedlings in the beds as soon as the soil at the depth of the root system warms up to +9 ° or higher. Tomatoes are planted when there is little sun. For example, you need to wait for a cloudy day or start planting in the afternoon. Such conditions are necessary for the seedlings to take root faster.

To plant seedlings, prepare holes and fill them with water. In each hole you can put several pellets from mole crickets (THUNDER or Medvetok, for example). Strong tomato seedlings are planted at right angles. Stretched, as well as seedlings of tall varieties - at an angle of 45°. The holes with plants are covered with soil, lightly compacted and watered.

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

- for indeterminate(tall) varieties and hybrids - 3-4 plants per 1m2;

- for determinant(with limited growth of the main stem) varieties when grown into 1 stem - 6-10 plants per 1m2, when grown into 2-3 stems - 4-6 plants per 1m2.

After planting, each bush is attached to a support.

After this, the tomatoes need to be mulched. Hay or straw is used as mulch. These materials will allow you to retain the moisture necessary for tomatoes longer. Since hay tends to rot, like any other plant, this will serve as additional nutrition for tomatoes.

How to make “living water” for tomato plants

When planting tomato seedlings is completed, proper watering should be organized. Tomatoes do not tolerate drought, just as they do not tolerate excess moisture, so they need to be provided with moderate regular watering.

One thing you need to remember is that “rain” should never be used to water tomatoes; moisture should not fall on the leaves of the plant at all, and watering is always carried out only at the root.

Tomatoes get sick less often and grow better if you add a little ash to the water for irrigation (a couple of pinches per ten-liter bucket).

They will bear fruit better if, as soon as the ovaries begin to appear, you sprinkle the soil around them with ash (also about a handful per 1 m2).

How to care for tomatoes in summer

Loosening the soil between bushes and between rows should be carried out several times a season - every 10-12 days, in order to destroy the crust formed on the surface.

Simultaneously with loosening the area, emerging weeds are removed.

The first hilling of tomatoes should be carried out 8-12 days after planting the seedlings in the ground, the day after watering. The tomatoes are watered and hilled a second time two and a half or three weeks after the first.

You need to feed tomatoes at least three times a season, and even better - do it constantly, every two weeks.

You can use different fertilizers, the main thing is that they contain less nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium, for example: 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 50-60 g of superphosphate and 30-40 g of potassium chloride per 10 liters.

Plants with weak leaves and stunted growth need to be given foliar feeding, that is, sprinkle the leaves with the following solution: dilute 1 tablespoon of urea in 10 liters of water.

You can use slurry or manure.

Feeding is done once every 2 weeks. A 100-liter barrel of water requires 1 bucket of manure.

You can use a different composition: 250 g of bird droppings per 10 liters of water. The prepared mixture is kept for 24 hours and each plant is watered with 2-3 liters. Fertilizing begins during the period of flowering and fruit set.

Of the microfertilizers, they need magnesium and boron most of all: magnesium - constantly, and boron - when they bloom, because if there is a lack of it, flowers and ovaries may fall off.

Is it necessary to plant tomatoes?

Forming a bush and removing stepsons are techniques that are needed not by the tomatoes themselves, but by us, in order to get more good fruits.

Tomatoes need to be pruned constantly, no matter how many stems they have left. There is, however, one important limitation: during too much summer heat, it is better to temporarily refrain from tearing off leaves and pinching, because bushes in such conditions do not tolerate injury well.

But if there are prolonged rains in the summer with cold weather, it is advisable not only to root the tomatoes, but also to remove parts of their shoots and all the lower leaves so that the bushes warm up faster and are better ventilated.

Tomato diseases and protective measures

The most common diseases of tomatoes are: late blight (regular and southern), from which tomatoes dry out, spotting (brown, brown, black and white), rot (white, stem, gray and apical), mosaic, from which tomatoes crumble, verticillium, tracheomycosis , streak and bacterial cancer.

Control measures include spraying plants with garlic infusion during fruit set every two weeks (grind 50-100 g of cloves, leave for 24 hours, dilute with water up to 10 liters), regular treatment of plants with 1% Bordeaux mixture, phytosporin, spraying with 0.3- 0.4% calcium chloride, and at the first signs of illness - treatment with a 10% solution of table salt.

How to keep fresh tomatoes longer

July and August are the time for ripening and harvesting.

The main thing in caring for tomatoes is to speed up the ripening of the set fruits and protect them from rotting. It is necessary to continue to remove newly appearing stepsons, excess leaves, pinch the tops of all fruit-bearing bushes, and remove flower clusters on which the fruits no longer have time to form.

It is also a good idea during this period (from August 15), in addition to all the main fertilizing, to additionally feed the tomatoes with the following solution: in 10 liters of water, dilute 1 teaspoon of urea, superphosphate and potassium sulfate or 2 tablespoons of nitrophoska, using 0.5 liters of solution each per plant.

The period from fruit set to reddening of early ripening varieties lasts 40 - 50 days.

If overripe fruits are left on the plants, the total yield decreases, and vice versa, if unripe (brown) fruits are regularly collected, the total yield increases.

Red fruits can be stored at a temperature of 5 - 10 ° C for 40 - 50 days, the air humidity should be at least 80%.

It is most advisable to remove all formed fruits from the bushes when they are brown, i.e. beginning to turn white, and set them aside for maturation. This simple technique will speed up the filling of the remaining green fruits on the bush.

Before laying for ripening, the fruits must be warmed to protect them from blackening.

This is done like this: first, the tomatoes are dipped in hot water (60 - 65°C) for 2 minutes, then in cold water, then wiped with a soft cloth, then laid. To speed up the ripening process, it is carried out indoors at a temperature of 18 - 20°C. The fruits are placed in small boxes in 2 - 3 layers, removing the pedicels. Add some red tomatoes to the boxes. They accelerate the ripening process of green fruits by releasing ethylene gas.

The optimal tomato varieties for growing in open ground are semi-determinate and determinate varieties. Such varieties are characterized by limited apical development. In addition, they practically do not require pinching. Tomatoes need good lighting and are heat-loving, but exposure to direct sunlight should be avoided, as this can have an extremely negative effect on fruiting.

Growing tomatoes with planting in open ground involves early date ripening, otherwise the tomatoes will not have time to produce a good harvest. Subject to the planting technology and further proper care, mid-season varieties can also be planted. The growing season for the ripening of such tomatoes takes up to 110 days. You can grow both low-growing plants and medium- and tall-growing ones, the main thing is to take into account the features of further care. Read the article about proper watering of tomatoes.

The optimal time for planting tomato seedlings is the end of May or the beginning of June. Planting tomatoes in open ground is not very difficult. For this purpose, you can purchase ready-made adult plants or plant tomato seeds for open ground, purchased in a store or at the market.

Before planting tomatoes in open ground, you need to choose the right site. To do this, it must comply with the following standards: Tomatoes are lovers of sunny and wind-protected areas. If there is shade on the selected bed, your yield will be significantly reduced. It is not recommended to grow the plant on heavy and clay soil. Then it will be constantly exposed to various diseases.

The best option would be a site located on a hill and with light soil. When growing tomatoes in open areas, crop rotation must be observed. This means that each time the crop is planted, it should be done in a new place. Tomatoes have many enemies, which over time become concentrated in the ground. As a result, the tomatoes will constantly be sick.

Tomatoes are not particularly demanding on soil nutrition. If the soil is oversaturated with fertilizers, the plant will begin to form lush leaves and shoots, which will negatively affect the fruits. Therefore, it is necessary to apply fertilizer according to the norm. For 1 m2 of territory, 1 bucket of chicken manure will be enough for you. Fertilize at the end of the season, then the fertilizer will have time to rot before planting.

Growing tomatoes in open ground includes proper planting. Low-growing tomatoes for open ground are arranged in rows. The interval between plants is 30-35 cm. A distance of 40-45 cm should be left between the rows. If medium-sized varieties are available, the distance increases by 10 cm.

It is better to plant tomato seedlings in open areas of land in the evening after sunset. A day before planting, the seedlings need to be watered with warm water; the soil on the ridges is watered after creating the planting holes. If you follow the soil preparation rules after planting, tomato seedlings will feel vigorous, will not wither and will not significantly slow down their growth. In this case, for two weeks after planting, tomatoes in open ground do not require special care. They only need watering.

Starting from a young age, tomato plants form side shoots - stepsons - in the axils of the leaves. The removal of side shoots from tomatoes is carried out so that nutrients are not spent on excessive shoot formation and on the growth of fruits doomed to unripe. True, most early ripening varieties can be grown without pinching. For mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties, this operation is simply necessary. First of all, the shoots are removed from the axils of the leaves located below the first brush. These shoots generally lag behind the main ones in development, they will not have time to produce a harvest, and the juices will be taken away.

After the first cluster, the shoots are left so that the bush, depending on the variety, grows into 2-4 trunks; the remaining stepsons from top to bottom are systematically removed at least once every two weeks. You should not cut off the shoots at the base - they will grow back in a few days. When removing the stepson, a “stump” of 1-2 cm is left.

Stepchildren should be removed when they have grown no higher than 3-5 cm, without allowing them to outgrow. If you pinch large shoots, a wound remains on the stem and the plant experiences stress. When the first tomato inflorescence begins to bear fruit, all lower leaves, especially those that touch the soil, must be removed. By the time the fruits on the first inflorescence ripen, not a single leaf should remain lower along the stem. It is advisable to remove leaves and shoots in sunny weather in the first half of the day so that the wounds have time to heal.

The process of tomato formation in open ground directly depends on the tallness of the bushes. For low-growing tomatoes, simply removing the lower leaves is sufficient. The measure makes it possible to make plantings less dense and improve the natural circulation of air flows, preventing the development of fungal and viral diseases. Remove the lower leaves of the tomatoes to the nearest fruit cluster. The removal procedure is carried out once every 10-14 days, and 1-3 leaves are removed from the bushes at once.

To obtain a high yield and beautiful hearths, it is necessary to water the crop on time and correctly. This is the only way you can get juicier tomatoes. Maintain regular irrigation. If a dry crust or bay periodically appears on the soil surface, this will lead to the formation of blossom-end rot and will negatively affect the yield.

Each bush will require 2.5 liters of water per day. But not every gardener is able to carry out daily watering. You can irrigate 2-3 times a week, but consistently. Then watering should be plentiful so that the water can saturate even the deep layers of soil. After irrigation, it is worth loosening the soil. If this is not done, a salt crust will form on the surface. It does not allow the root system to breathe fully.

Loosening and weeding of bushes is carried out simultaneously with watering. With the drip irrigation method, this procedure is carried out more often, since there is no control over the condition of the soil. Loosening increases the flow of oxygen to the roots of the plant.

IN large quantities impossible to grow without fertilizers. Farmers actively use organic fertilizers and minerals. Organic matter, represented by manure or compost, is saturated with nitrogen. It can only be used to increase the green mass of tomatoes until flowering.

Tomatoes are fed based on their growing season. We have already said that in the early stages of development, plants need nitrogen fertilizers. If you have properly prepared the soil for seedlings and the soil on the ridges, then additional nitrogen fertilizing may be minimal. For example, a single watering with a solution of chicken manure, fermented infusion of grass, and well-diluted slurry.

If your plants grow too quickly, have powerful stems and large, juicy, dark green leaves, they are most likely fattening from excess nitrogen. The situation can be corrected by temporarily stopping watering the plants, increasing the temperature and adding phosphorus fertilizers (3 tablespoons of superphosphate per 10 liters of water).

Before flowering, the plant needs increased doses of phosphorus fertilizers, which are applied to the soil in advance. If you neglected to add phosphorus when preparing the beds, you can do this already during the flowering period in the form of foliar feeding.

At the height of flowering, fertilizing with ash is appropriate (1-2 cups of ash in a bucket of water, leave for 24 hours, spray on the flowers and leaves in the evening). This procedure, among other things, helps prevent tomato diseases.

the stem receives support, thanks to which it does not break when fruiting begins;
vertical position allows access to sunlight;
precipitation will not damage the crop;
the bush is easier to spray and carry out other care procedures;
watering is simplified; the risk of damage to fruits by rodents and slugs is reduced.

The support is placed 2–3 weeks after planting the seedlings. During the season, the stems are strengthened at least 3 times. For gartering, take twine or fabric cut into strips. Natural materials are not used because they can rot under the influence of moisture and sun, and also become a colony for fungal infections and mold.

Growing tomatoes and caring for them in open ground is complicated by the fact that the plants are not protected from the vagaries of the weather. With the onset of low temperatures and high air humidity, you should be wary of tomatoes becoming infected with various fungal and viral diseases. They can damage plants and fruits, reducing crop yields or destroying them completely.

The most common fungal disease in open ground is late blight. Its fungi are carried by wind and water droplets. Getting on tomato wounds, the fungus causes blackening and drying of leaves and trunks, and the appearance of black, dense spots on the surface of the fruit. Late blight and other diseases can be combated using preventive measures. For example, spraying bushes with a whey solution once every 10 days will reliably protect tomatoes from fungus and will not cause damage to the quality of ripening tomatoes. Among the chemical preparations, Fitosporin and Famoxadone are highly effective against late blight fungus.

In addition to late blight, other diseases can develop in open areas of soil, the main prevention of which is compliance with the rules for forming a bush, watering and fertilizing. When tomatoes are infected various diseases it is necessary to take measures to treat them, and, if necessary, remove plants from the beds. In the new year, before planting other crops in this place, it will be necessary to disinfect the soil by heating it over an open fire or watering it with boiling water or a manganese solution.

In early August, all flowers and newly formed ovaries must be removed from bushes in the open ground, especially late ripening varieties, since they still won’t have time to ripen. In the greenhouse this is done 1-2 weeks later. To stop growth, the tops of indeterminate plants must be pinched; the nutrients will be directed to the ripening of the fruit.

It is best to pick brown (beginning to turn red) fruits that have 4-6 days left to ripen. If you regularly harvest just such fruits, the overall harvest will increase significantly, since the remaining fruits will receive more nutrition and develop faster. On the contrary, when the fruits are overripe, the overall yield decreases.

Harvesting and storage In July, August, September, ripe fruits are collected for fresh consumption and canning. After night temperatures drop, green tomatoes can be harvested and stored at temperatures up to 18°C for ripening. Brown fruits that are exposed to light reach ripeness faster.

Place 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 tomatoes 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.

In contact with

Proper care of tomatoes in open ground contributes to an excellent harvest. Observing simple rules cultivation, which we will tell you about, you can easily plant tomatoes and provide them with the necessary conditions for stable growth and fruiting.

Growing tomatoes outdoors can be difficult for novice gardeners, as the plant is quite demanding to care for. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the crop when preparing for planting, watering and feeding tomatoes, and also 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 crop is a vegetable, so it is equally correct to call a tomato both a berry and a vegetable. The birthplace of the culture is South America.

When to plant tomatoes in open ground

The crop does not tolerate frost, so it is necessary to plant seedlings in open soil at a stable average daily temperature. There is no need to rush: bushes planted early will hurt and lag behind in development.

In the southern regions of Russia, you can begin the procedure of planting seedlings of early ripening varieties at the end of April;
In the Urals and Moscow region - in the first half of May (planting time can be shifted by 10-15 days if nighttime air temperature changes are below 15 degrees Celsius);
Mid-season tomatoes are planted later: in the South - in early May, in middle lane Russia - at the beginning of June.

The most favorable days for planting tomatoes according to the lunar calendar are May 1-3, 9-10 and 19-20. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the afternoon, preferably in cloudy but not rainy weather.

Features of choosing a location 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 crop 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 soil to rest and restore the microelements consumed by the plant. Therefore, you should change the planting location of tomatoes every year. It is important to take into account which plants grew previously.

Tomatoes grow much better if they are grown and cared for in open ground in beds where legumes, herbs and root vegetables grew. Crops such as potatoes, peppers or eggplants are undesirable. They can cause late blight to infect the soil, which will spread to the seedlings.

Preparing the soil 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 of bed.

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

The soil is dug up well and watered with a warm solution of bleach for disinfection (2 liters per square meter). The beds must be prepared in advance: 5-7 days before transplanting tomatoes into open soil.

Tomatoes planting and care in open ground

The quantity and quality of the harvest often depends not only on 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 fertilizing.

Complex of pre-sowing activities

Caring for tomatoes begins with pre-sowing seed preparation. You can perform all the procedures described, or those that you consider necessary.

Culling

The seeds are placed in a saline solution (1 teaspoon per 0.2 liters of water), mixed thoroughly and left to stand for 10 minutes. For planting, select full-weight seeds that have settled to the bottom of the container, wash them with water and dry them.

Warming up

The seeds are placed in fabric bags and heated on a radiator for several days before the sowing procedure.

Disinfection or etching

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

Seed feeding

Soak for a day in prepared 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 allow the grains to breathe.

Germination

Planting material place on a damp cloth or paper napkin. 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 vigorous germination, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator overnight and kept at a temperature of 20 degrees during the day. 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 air and accustom the sprouts to sunlight, otherwise fragile sprouts may die from a sudden change in conditions. Ventilate for 2-3 days, then take the seedlings out into fresh air for a week, 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 as follows: the beds are marked out in advance: for tall varieties of tomatoes, the distance between the bushes should be up to 60 cm, and the same between the rows, and for short varieties: 40 and 50 cm, respectively. The holes are made 25-30 cm deep, filled with water and allowed to be completely absorbed.

The finished seedlings are removed from the containers and planted together with a wet earthen lump. If the bush is very elongated, the lower pair of leaves is cut off 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 compact it with their hands and water it: 1-2 liters for each bush.

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

Caring for tomatoes in open ground

Tomato bushes must be regularly weeded, hilled and loosened. A peg is installed in advance near each plant. For the highest varieties, the height of the support must be at least 80 cm. It is recommended to use synthetic thread, which does not cause plant rotting.

Watering tomatoes in open ground

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

Watering tomatoes in open ground when the ovaries appear is carried out once every 7-8 days, 1 liter per plant is enough. During the period of fruit growth and ripening, 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 at the root, avoiding getting it on the leaves, as this can cause blossom end rot. It is recommended to use drip irrigation.

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

Water should be taken from a well or well, and tap water should be settled. It is best to water in the afternoon. The water should be warmed up, since cold water will only harm the plants.

Feeding tomatoes in open ground

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. Use 1 liter of solution per bush. When fertilizing, it is important that the amount of nitrogen does not exceed phosphorus and potassium.

Fertilizer for tomatoes in open ground folk recipes, will help you stop using chemicals and pesticides. The most popular among gardeners:

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

How to tie up tomatoes, care and pinching

Caring for tomatoes in open ground does not only involve watering and fertilizing. Immediately after removing the film cover from the garden bed, it is necessary to place 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 30-40 cm. The above-ground part of the support is usually 1 m. They begin to tie the bush during the period of its active growth. There is no need to tie the stem tightly to the support; the twine should simply support the plant in an upright position. As you grow, the garter is raised higher.

In order for there to be more fruits and for them to ripen faster, it is necessary to form bushes. Most often, one main stem is left on the plant, and excess shoots are removed. The pinching procedure must be carried out regularly.

Young shoots emanating from the base of already growing clusters must be removed, as well as all leaves below the first branches. They are simply plucked off with two fingers.

Caring for tomatoes in open ground video

Prevention from diseases and pests of tomatoes

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

Maintain crop rotation, try not to plant tomatoes next to potatoes;
Dig the soil well before planting and disinfect it;
Plants affected by diseases or pests must be removed to protect healthy bushes;
When watering, make sure that the drops do not fall on the leaves;
Avoid watering during periods 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 transmit diseases (infusion of garlic or onion).

Selecting a variety and growing tomatoes in open ground video

Bottom line

Growing tomatoes, planting and caring in open ground will seem simple and will be a pleasure if you provide the crop with everything you need and follow agricultural practices. And as a result, you will get an excellent harvest.

Don’t 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 changes.