Secrets of growing tomatoes in open ground

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 plant seedlings in open ground necessary for 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 central Russia - in early June.

Most favorable days The dates 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 beds.

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 starts with pre-sowing preparation seeds 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 is placed on a moistened 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 low-growing ones: 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. Recommended to use drip irrigation.

It is recommended to add a couple of pinches to the water during watering (with automated drip irrigation, you can sprinkle the beds). wood ash for 1 bucket, 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.

Let's continue the tomato theme. After reading the previous article, I hope you learned something new about tomatoes, the variety of varieties of this wonderful plant, how to prepare tomato seeds and the timing of their planting, and caring for seedlings.

In this article we will discuss how to grow an excellent tomato crop on our summer cottages, provided that plants are planted in open ground.

So, the topic of our article today is growing tomatoes in open ground.

Preparing the soil for tomato princes

For a rich harvest, we need, first of all, to find a good place for our pets. Tomato plants love indirect sun and will thrive in sunny but sheltered areas.

• The best predecessors of tomatoes are carrots, cucumbers and onions. And if you plant your favorites next to strawberries, both crops will benefit from this. The yield of tomatoes and aromatic berries will increase several times, and the fruits will become larger.

But the places where potatoes, eggplants and peppers grew should be avoided by tomatoes. Pathogens of various diseases can accumulate in these areas.

Our country is huge. And the quality of the soil differs in all regions (even in different fields). And the tomato princes are very demanding and whimsical to the soil. Therefore, we need to find out the quality of the soil in our garden.

◊ Checking the acidity. You can purchase a test to determine the pH level at any garden department. The lower the indicator, the higher the acidity. Neutral ground has an index of 7.0.

• Tomatoes need soil with an acidity level of 6.0 to 7.0.

If the level is lower, add lime to the soil (0.5-0.8 kg per sq.m.), if the level is higher, add sulfur in the same amount.

◊ Assess the amount of nutrients. Analysis for the presence of microelements can be ordered and carried out in special laboratories. This is very necessary information for gardeners.

It is necessary to ensure that the cultivation of tomatoes in open ground occurs without losses and delights with a rich harvest.

Nitrogen	Potassium	Phosphorus
Affects the health of tomato leaves. If there is a lack of it, the tomato will have yellowed, limp leaves.	This substance gives tomatoes strength and health. It increases the immunity and resistance of plants to diseases. With a lack of potassium, tomatoes grow poorly and look stunted.	Helps strengthen the root system and regulates seed formation. If it is deficient, tomatoes produce diseased, unripe fruits.
If there is a lack of nitrogen, add fishmeal, compost or inorganic substances to the soil: calcium nitrate, ammonium sulfate or sodium nitrate.	To compensate for the lack of potassium, supplement the soil with sand, granite dust or wood ash (a bucket per sq.m.).	To increase phosphorus levels, add superphosphates, compost and bone meal to the soil.

♦ Compost– ideal for soil preparation. It also attracts many earthworms, which do an excellent job of loosening the soil and, in turn, attract and create favorable conditions for the parthenogenesis of beneficial bacteria.

Prepare the ground for growing tomatoes in open ground you need to start in the autumn after thoroughly cleaning all previous plant debris. We dig up the area chosen for the plants to a depth of 30 cm.

• Autumn soil feeding. To a depth of 20-25 cm we apply organic (bird droppings, humus, peat or compost 5 kg per sq. m.) or mineral fertilizers (potassium salt 20-25 g, superphosphate 40-50 g per sq. m.).
• Spring fertilizing of the soil. To a depth of 15-20 cm we add a mixture of bird droppings 1 kg, wood ash 1.5 kg and ammonium sulfate 20-25 g per square meter. m. Or mineral fertilizing(superphosphate 55 g, ammonium nitrate 20 g and potassium chloride 15 g per sq. m).

For successful growing tomatoes The ground needs to be carefully dug up 2-3 times (preferably with a pitchfork) and harrowed. Tomato plants and humus will like it.

But it’s better to refuse manure (tomatoes, after tasting manure fertilizers, they begin to actively grow tops, while the growth of fruits fades).

• If the soil does not warm up enough, you can cover the area with black film or plastic. Black color perfectly attracts the light of the sun and absorbs it, warming the soil underneath.

On the prepared site, 5-6 days before planting, we form ridges (width 100-120 cm, height 15-20 cm) in the north-south direction. This will help to achieve uniform illumination of the seedlings.

Maintain a distance between beds of about 70 cm (for all varieties).

Growing tomatoes in open ground

As soon as the end of spring frosts comes (usually the end of May - beginning of June), we will plant young tomatoes in open ground.

It is ideal to carry out this procedure on a cloudy, gloomy day. If the weather is sunny outside, wait until evening.

Plant young shoots in two rows with a distance between them for classic planting:

• For low-growing trunks and determinate species (row spacing 40-50 cm, between plants 30-35 cm).
• For medium-sized ones (row spacing 50-60 cm, between tomatoes 40-45 cm).

Square nest planting

This method will greatly facilitate the care of our tomatoes (it will become easier to loosen them), and will create the most favorable living conditions for the plants themselves: improve the absorption of nutrients and increase illumination. As a result, we will achieve a good harvest. We plant according to this scheme:

• Standard and determinate varieties: 70x70 cm, 2-3 plants for one nest.
• Early ripening species with a spreading bush: 70x70 cm, a pair of plants in one hole.
• Mid- and late-ripening: 70x70 cm, 1 bush in one nest. Or 90x90 cm (100x100 cm) - 2 plants each.

Tape-nest planting

This method of growing tomatoes in open ground makes it possible to place more bushes in one area. Crowded in one hole, it becomes easier for them to withstand bad weather conditions.

As they grow, weaker shoots are thinned out.

• With this method, irrigation furrows are cut every 140 cm. Plants are planted on both sides of the furrows (from a row of 60 cm, in the row itself after 70 cm, a pair of bushes in one nest).

Focus on the final growth of the bush. Ideally, for good development, you need to provide one tomato with about 0.3 square meters. m.

On average for a plot of 100 sq. m. you will need approximately 340-420 early tomatoes, and 240-290 late and medium varieties.

Let's start landing

First of all, you need to thoroughly moisten the soil in pots or boxes with seedlings. This will help you easily remove them from the seed container and prevent accidental damage to the root system.

Prepared holes for growing tomatoes in open ground should have a depth of 10-15 cm.

We water them (a bucket of water for 8-10 holes) and apply mineral fertilizers mixed with humus (proportion 1x3).

1. Turn the container with the seedlings over, wrap your middle and index fingers around the tomato stem and remove it from the container.
2. Tear off the leaves of the seedlings, leaving only 2-3 leaves on top (this will stimulate root growth).
3. Place the plant with a ball of root soil vertically in the hole and sprinkle with compost. In this case, the tomato stem should remain open. Only the roots or soil pot are placed in the ground.
4. Press the soil firmly around the plant and cover the compost with dry soil.
5. After planting, mulch the soil (cut, slightly wilted grass, sawdust, straw or newspaper leaves are suitable for this). The mulch layer should be about 10 cm high.

When planting tomatoes in the ground is finished, we will leave them alone for 8-10 days. During this period, the plants take root and become accustomed to the new location.

There is no need to water them yet. But you need to be prepared for frost. To do this, immediately after planting, we will cover our young tomatoes with transparent film.

It will remain until the threat of frost disappears (for the middle zone this usually happens by June 5-10). You can make holes in the film with a diameter of 10 cm. This will reduce the risk of late blight infection.

After 10 days, we water the seedlings and at the same time plant a new one in place of the dead one. The first hilling when growing tomatoes in open ground can be done two weeks after planting the seedlings.

In the future, we will hill up the plants as they grow.

How to tie tomatoes

Place pegs 50-80 cm high above the rows with planted tomatoes (depending on the height of the bush).

The pegs are placed on the north side, retreating about 10 cm from the stem. We will tie each bush to them using a sponge or twine.

Plants begin to be tied up when they grow 4-5 true leaves. In total, 3-4 garters are produced during the tomato growth period.

Plants are tied only under the cluster with fruits. This allows them to be well lit and receive more heat and sunlight, which speeds up and increases productivity.

The fruits, without being in contact with the ground, are less susceptible to attacks by pests and are better protected from diseases.

Trellis method

For medium-sized, large-fruited and richly fruiting plants, it is best to use trellises rather than garters.

This method of growing tomatoes in open ground makes it easier to care for the plant, harvest the crop, and also extend the fruiting period of tomatoes. Plants are less likely to develop fungal infections. This method allows you to use your garden plot more efficiently (especially when it is small in size).

To do this, install pillars in rows about 1.2-1.5 m high (the more often the posts are driven in, the stronger the structure will be).

Drive nails into the posts every 20-25 cm. Attach horizontal slats to them using twine or wire.

When the tomato seedlings begin to grow (this will happen about two weeks after planting), carefully tie the plant’s brush to the slats with soft twine or cord. Continue tying them up every 15-20 cm as they grow.

• This method is ideal for growing tall tomatoes in greenhouses (we will talk in more detail about caring for greenhouse giants in another article).

With the trellis method, further care of the plants will be very simple: timely tying of fruit-bearing shoots and their stepsons to the slats.

Care for growing tomatoes in open ground

Operation	How often to do	Adviсe
Growing tomatoes (or shaping)	It is necessary to remove side shoots constantly, starting from an early age of the plant. By the time the fruits ripen, there should be no more stepchildren.	They must be removed before the shoots reach 3-5 cm in length. It's best to do this in the morning. In southern, sunny regions, you don’t have to remove the stepsons completely, just don’t tie them up. But in the north, this operation is mandatory (leave only 2-3 stems for each bush). This procedure cannot be performed in extreme heat.
Top dressing tomato	Once every 10 days. The first time we feed tomatoes is two weeks after planting.	The first feeding is a solution of mullein (1x10) or chicken manure (1x20). We re-fertilize with mineral fertilizers (nitrophoska 60g + water 10l). Quantity: before flowering, 1 liter for each bush, after flowering, 2-5 liters.
Watering tomatoes	Abundant but infrequent watering.	In spring and early summer, water your tomatoes once a week. In the warm summer time limit yourself to one watering every 2-3 days. Water the bushes at the roots in the evening.
Spraying	We spray every week, alternating liquid compositions. The first spraying immediately after planting in open ground ( Bordeaux mixture).	Alternate Bordeaux mixture and homemade onion tincture.

How to plant tomatoes. When removing stepchildren, do not pull them out, but carefully break them out by grasping them with your index finger and thumb. Gently pull them sideways and break them off.

If they have grown too large, cut them off with a sharp knife or razor. First of all, get rid of the stepsons growing under the trusses (otherwise the tomato may lose its ovary).

For better harvest When growing tomatoes in open ground, at the end of summer, pinch the tops of all shoots with fruits.

Also remove excess flower clusters where fruits have failed to form.

Preparation of Bordeaux mixture. We do not extinguish in water slaked lime(100 g) and add water (about 5 l). In another container in a small amount hot water dissolve copper sulfate (100 g) and add 5 liters of water.

Then pour the vitriol solution into the slaked lime. The correct liquid will have a sky blue tint.

Just in case, measure the alkaline reaction with an indicator (Bordeaux mixture should be neutral or slightly alkaline).

• Any iron objects can be used for testing. If the metal is covered with a layer of copper, you have made too acidic a solution. You need to add more lime. But do not overdo it, otherwise the liquid will lose its beneficial qualities.

Preparation of onion tincture. Grind the onion and garlic with a meat grinder (100 g each). Transfer the mixture into a 3-liter glass container and fill it ¾ with water. Close and leave for 3 days.

Shake it periodically. At the same time, pour bird droppings (200 g) in a plastic bucket with water and leave to infuse. Before use, both mixtures are mixed and filtered.

For fertilizing when growing tomatoes in open ground, it is useful to use fermented nettle and ash.

Also, feed the plants with microelements a couple of times during the fruiting season (crush 5 tablets and stir them in ½ liter of water, then add another 10 liters of water). Consumption 1 liter for each bush.

Banana fertilizer. We are preparing a natural, very healthy fertilizer, enriched with calcium and phosphorus. This product is made from banana peels.

1. Line the oven tray with food foil. Place banana peel on top outside down (so it doesn't stick). Place the tray in the oven.
2. After frying and cooling, grind the peel into flour and place in a sealed bag.

Sprinkle banana flour on the soil near the roots of the plants once every two weeks.

To get an excellent harvest of tomatoes, you need to do more than just water and feed them correctly. They need pollination.

Pollination of tomatoes

Tomato is a self-pollinating plant. When growing tomatoes in open ground, these plants create a lot of high-quality pollen, which is also enough for neighboring flowers.

To help with pollination, attract helper insects (bees, bumblebees).

To do this, plant bright annual honey plants between the tomatoes: rapeseed, coriander, basil and mustard. By the way, these crops also improve the taste of the fruits themselves.

But it is not always possible for a tomato to self-pollinate. There can be many reasons:

• Temperature drop at night (below +13° C). Under such conditions, deformation of the anther occurs.
• The daytime temperature is too high (above +30-35° C). When it's hot, flowers fall off and pollen grains die.
• Peculiarities of the structure of the pistil of some large-fruited varieties (it protrudes outward and pollen does not fall on the stamens). Or the pestle is too wide.

In such cases, we need to help our tomatoes pollinate. You can tilt the buds with the protruding pistil down and lightly shake the flower. Or lightly tap on a trellis or flowering brush.

• The best time for artificial pollination is 10-14 hours, at a temperature of +22-27° C. Ideal air humidity is no more than 70%. Repeat the pollination procedure after 4 days.

Immediately after pollination, water the tomatoes or spray the flower with water (so that the pollen sticks to the pistil). The flowers that appear last are usually empty and underdeveloped. It is better to remove them immediately.

Secrets of growing tomatoes. An amazing tomato has one feature - it is completely unpretentious.

And it can bear fruit even if your care is limited only to watering and weeding.

But the tomato is very responsive. And the more carefully you take care of your plants, the more harvest they will give you.

But don't overdo it in your quest to please him. Golden Rule for growing tomatoes - everything is good in moderation!

Caring for tomatoes should be within reasonable, competent limits!

Now, my dear friends, you know how to grow our precious tomatoes in open ground. Next, we are going to learn about growing tomatoes in a greenhouse and about possible difficulties (diseases and pests) when growing them.

I also suggest you look short video with some useful tips for growing tomatoes.

See you soon, dear friends!

Tags: Current, tomatoes

Bright and juicy tomato fruits are valued for their pleasant taste and vitamin composition. Proper planting and caring for tomatoes in open ground will require compliance with a number of agrotechnical rules. To obtain a high-quality harvest, it is important to use seeds of zoned varieties, grow strong seedlings and create optimal conditions for abundant fruiting.

Selection of tomato seeds for open ground

When selecting varieties, be sure to take into account climatic features region, soil quality and site location. They also pay attention to the growth pattern of tomato bushes: will they require formation, installation of trellises and staking.

Features of development

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

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

Ripening time

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

Varieties and hybrids of tomatoes for open ground:

1. Early ripening: Podmoskovny F1, Northern Miracle, New Transnistria (determinate).
2. Mid-season: Appetizing, Bull's Heart, Pioneer, Monomakh's Cap (determinant).
3. Late ripening: St. Andrew's surprise, De Barao (indeterminate).

Attention! Hybrid tomatoes usually produce an early harvest High Quality, but are more demanding on growing conditions. The seeds of such tomatoes grow into bushes that differ from the hybrid for the worse.

When choosing seed material Regional suitability must also be considered. If tomato varieties are not zoned, then they will not show their best qualities, designed for cultivation in a certain climate.

Growing seedlings for planting in open ground

This method is optimal for obtaining a tomato harvest in a short time for cultivating plants in the northern regions.

Sowing tomato seeds

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

How to sow:

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

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

Shoots

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

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

To prevent the seedlings from stretching, they need a temperature of no higher than 16°C during the day, and about 14°C at night. The optimal temperature for leaf formation is 18–20°C.

Proper care of young plants before planting in open ground

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

Hardening of seedlings

Young plants become stronger and elongate less as a result of exposure low temperatures. The seedlings are hardened off in April to prepare for planting in open ground in May. During the day, open the window for a short time or take the boxes out onto the balcony or terrace. Temperature for such air baths should not be lower than 10–12°C.

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

Selection of purchased seedlings

Purchasing from nurseries or growing it yourself? The answer is most obvious for those who do not have enough time to sow in pots and harden plants. In addition, when purchasing seedlings, it is possible to purchase plants different varieties and timing of ripening. Cultivation and labeling large quantity seedlings at home is a troublesome task.

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

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

The appearance of the seedlings determines whether the plants are sick or healthy. Signs of disease are spotted, deformed leaves and shoots. You should not hope that after planting it will be possible to quickly correct defects by spraying with pesticides.

Soil preparation

Tomatoes prefer open, well-lit areas and fresh, fertile soil. Tomatoes do not grow well in lowlands or in high places exposed to wind. In crop rotation, it is better to grow tomatoes after peas and other legumes. Good predecessors are root vegetables: beets, carrots. Areas where potatoes and eggplants were grown in the previous season are not suitable.

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

Planting seedlings in open ground

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

Plants are placed in the hole at a slight angle or vertically. The first method is more suitable for tall seedlings. The root ball or peat pot is completely buried in the soil. The soil around the seedlings is pressed with your hand to the roots. Then water and sprinkle with humus. After two weeks, the lower part of the plant is hilled to a height of 10–12 cm for better formation of adventitious roots.

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

Single- and double-line plantings of tomatoes are practiced, on beds and without them. For low-growing varieties and hybrids, the distance between plants in a row is 40 cm, the row spacing is from 40 to 50 cm. Tomatoes of medium height are placed 40–45 cm from each other. The row spacing is 50 cm.

Tomato care

Tomato roots take root within 7–10 days after planting the plants in open ground. If frosts are expected, then cover the seedlings overnight with film or trimmed plastic bottles. Caring for tomatoes also includes watering and fertilizing, removing weeds, loosening row spacing and pinching.

Watering, fertilizing and fertilizers

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

The first time is carried out root feeding 20 days after planting the seedlings. Use universal liquid fertilizer and nitrophoska granules: add 1 tbsp. l. on a bucket of water. The tomatoes are fed a second time after the flower cluster blooms. Pour 1 liter of solution of the same composition as used for the first feeding under each plant.

For the third time, tomatoes are fertilized when their third flower cluster has blossomed. The fourth feeding of tomatoes - after 2 weeks. A solution of liquid is used universal fertilizer. You can feed it in July with urea and nitrophoska (1 and 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water).

How to shape and plant tomatoes?

You can leave one stem and remove all side shoots. This technique is called stepsoning. There should be 5 or 6 flower clusters on the main shoot.

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

How to tie tomatoes in open ground?

A peg is installed near each plant that is planned to be tied up later, or strong stakes are dug in along the edges of the row and a wire or cord is pulled between them. The material used for gartering is twine, thick synthetic threads that do not rot. Pegs can be wooden or metal.

The tomatoes are tied to a wire or peg not too tightly, making a so-called “figure eight” of twine in front of the stem (intertwined). There are other options for strengthening the stems: a cap made of rods, a lattice and a mesh.

Main problems associated with cultivation

Tomatoes are highly susceptible to low temperatures and do not tolerate excess moisture and lack of light. Even the best zoned varieties have little resistance to adverse environmental factors if they do not receive proper care.

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

Diseases and pests of tomatoes

Fungal, bacterial and viral diseases. To combat the first group of pathogens, tomatoes are treated once a decade against late blight and fusarium wilt with Bordeaux mixture. You can use strong fungicidal agents 2 times per season.

Tomatoes affected by bacterial infections are treated with solutions of Bactofit or Fitosporin. The second remedy is also used against fungus. Biological products are less dangerous to humans and are used for spraying until harvesting.

Most effective method combating viral diseases of tomatoes - removal resistant varieties and hybrids. Be sure to disinfect the seeds before sowing with a solution of potassium permanganate (if you can purchase this antiseptic at the pharmacy).

Dangerous pests of tomatoes are mole crickets, wireworms, Colorado potato beetles, and nematodes. Cutworm moth caterpillars can destroy crops by eating the fruits from the inside. Control measures and means used are the same as for other nightshade crops.

Harvest and storage

In July, August, and 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.

If we are not talking about the southern regions, but, for example, the Urals, the Leningrad region or Siberia, then growing tomatoes even in greenhouses sometimes causes a lot of problems, not to mention planting them in open ground. However, some vegetable growers manage this quite successfully even against the backdrop of a constantly worsening climate. To get a good harvest, you need to know some secrets of growing tomatoes in these conditions.

Selection of location and soil preparation

Tomatoes are photophilous, but do not like direct sunlight, so a slightly shaded area would be the ideal place for them. fruit tree or a greenhouse bed. It is highly desirable that there are no drafts.

Good predecessors for tomatoes are onions, cucumbers, carrots, and planting after potatoes is fraught with infection various diseases late blight type.

Growing tomatoes in open ground makes the task of preparing the soil easier, since healthy, strong roots will find food on their own. Before planting, it is important not only to ensure the application necessary fertilizers, but also to normalize acidity, as well as the structure of the earth. Otherwise, the bushes, even with timely fertilizing, will ache and wither. A test for determining soil pH can be purchased at specialized stores. The ideal range for tomatoes is 6 to 7.

To reduce the acidity of the soil, lime is added (half a kilo per 1 m2), and to increase it, sulfur is used (in the same proportions).

Planting tomatoes in the same place for 2 years in a row is not recommended, but not everyone has the opportunity to change the location. In such cases, it is useful to reclaim the soil in the fall. To do this you need:

1. dig up, remove all plant debris from the soil;
2. Apply fertilizers to the depth of the shovel bayonet: bird droppings, peat, humus, compost or potassium salt, superphosphate;
3. sow rye, white mustard or other green manure in the beds;
4. spill with humic solution (this will help activate beneficial microflora).

You should not dig unripe compost into the soil, as this will attract not only worms, but also wireworm larvae, which can damage the roots of young tomato seedlings.

Pre-winter tillage will get rid of weeds and late blight, and also provide oxygen saturation. In spring, all seedlings of green manure are buried in the ground. White mustard saturates the soil well with phosphorus, which tomatoes are very fond of. You can also apply fertilizers (calculation per 1 m2):

• 1 kg of bird droppings;
• 1.5 kg of ash;
• 20-25 g ammonium sulfate.

Mineral additives for tomatoes:

• 55 g superphosphate;
• 20 g ammonium nitrate;
• 15 g of potassium chloride.

To avoid oversaturation of the soil with individual elements, you can order a detailed soil analysis in a special laboratory. It is better to underfeed tomatoes than to overfertilize them.

In the southern regions, there are usually no problems with warming up the soil, but, for example, in the Urals, Siberia or the Leningrad region, frosts and cold weather can last until summer. Any black material, if covered with it around the middle of May, will significantly speed up the process.

The beds for tomatoes are formed about a week before planting the seedlings. It is advisable to follow the direction from north to south. The height must be at least 20 cm.

Before planting tomatoes (2 weeks before), it is recommended to water the soil with a solution of copper sulfate.

Proportions for preparation: 1 tablespoon per ten-liter bucket of water.

Consumption: 10 l per 10 m2. This measure will disinfect the soil.

Landing technique

In the southern regions, tomatoes can be planted in open ground in May, but in the Urals, Siberia, and Leningrad region, tomatoes are planted in June. If spring is warm, then it’s possible on the 1st. The landmark is the blossoming leaves on the birch trees. Some gardeners first transfer seedlings to a greenhouse, waiting for stabilization temperature regime. But usually the weather lets us down; return frosts are possible until the 10th. Ideally, tomato seedlings should be hardened off several days before planting: taken out into the air for a day, and if the temperature allows, then left outside overnight.

Before planting, it is useful to spray the seedlings with a solution of the drug “Fitosporin-M” to prevent fungal diseases. Subsequently, you should regularly water and spray the tomatoes with it every 2 weeks. You can also process the sheet with Epin. This non-toxic natural adaptogen will help young tomatoes cope with unfavorable weather, temperature changes in June, and accelerate growth.

Planting scheme

Regarding the distance at which to plant tomatoes, there is a single recommendation - 70 * 70 cm with the square-nest method (it is most convenient for tall species tomatoes). However, in practice, the planting pattern of tomatoes is largely determined by the variety. Currently, very miniature species have been bred that can be planted within a radius of 40 cm from each other.

Planting using the classic method is done in 2 rows, with different patterns used for each type of tomato.

• For low-growing plants, the average distance between bushes is 30-35 cm, and between rows - 40-50 cm.
• For tall and medium-sized tomatoes, all parameters increase by 10 cm.

In some cases, the strip-cluster method of planting is used: furrows are cut for irrigation at a distance of 140 cm, and tomatoes are planted 2 bushes per hole on both sides of them.

Hole preparation and planting

If fertilizer has already been applied to the soil, then there is no need to add anything else directly to the hole. It is advisable to spill it with a solution two days before planting tomatoes. boric acid(the procedure is especially relevant for sandy loam infertile soils). Recipe: 1 g of boric acid is diluted in a liter of hot water and allowed to cool completely.

Some vegetable growers recommend placing a small fish at the bottom of the hole before planting, covering it with soil. Tomatoes are very fond of this type of feeding, which provides them with potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. But the hole needs to be made about 60 cm deep so that the cats do not dig up the fish.

When planting tomatoes, the following technology is used.

• A depression is made slightly larger than an earthen coma of the bush, and watered with warm water. In this case, it is advisable to use a fertilizer based on ultrahumate. Humic and fulvic acids in its composition transform nutrients in the soil in forms accessible to roots.
• If the seedlings are not elongated, then the stem is buried 2-3 cm into the hole.
• If the bush is overgrown and thin, then a small trench is dug and planting is done at an angle so that the plant can quickly grow stronger due to the growth of additional roots.

When landing early early ripening varieties tomatoes, it should be taken into account that deep deepening will slow down the appearance of the crop for 2-3 weeks, since the bush will grow new roots.

The soil around the newly planted bush is slightly compacted, but not watered for two reasons:

• the resulting crust will not allow the roots to breathe;
• an unflooded root system will quickly expand in search of moisture.

The second watering is done about a week later with warm, settled water.

Unconventional growing methods

An alternative to garden beds is to grow tomato bushes in various containers: a barrel, a large canister, or even ordinary buckets. This original way makes it possible to receive in a limited area big harvests from one plant (30-50 kg of fruits). This result is explained by good heating of the roots and availability of food. In both the barrel and buckets, the emphasis is on a single tomato seedling, which grows into a spreading “tomato tree.”

In barrels

Tall tomato hybrids with powerful stems and a developed root system are suitable for growing in a barrel. Agricultural technology is quite simple.

• In a barrel (you can take an old, rusty one), about 15-20 holes are knocked out on the sides to provide oxygen access to the roots, and the bottom is cut out.
• At the very bottom you need to put a 20-30 cm layer of urgasy (organic fertilizer - a mixture of food waste and the Baikal EM1 preparation) and compost (mixed in a 1:1 ratio).
• Pour about half a bucket of fertile soil in the center.
• At the end of May, a strong seedling is planted in the prepared mixture in a spilled hole and covered with glass or film, which is removed in June.
• The bush is pruned until the top appears above the edges of the barrel, all this time a nutritious soil mixture with compost is added in portions. Over the summer, 20-30 bunches should form on the tomato.

It is not necessary to place Urgas if the soil is nutritious. You can pour compost directly into the hole.

Caring for the “tomato tree” is simple: two supports are driven into the sides of the barrel, onto which the tomato brushes and branches will be tied. Watering is done a couple of times a week, and after a month and a half the plant is fed with a mixture of compost and water (1:4).

There is also an interesting agricultural technology for growing tomatoes in a barrel using the Tarasov method, in which the yield of the bush reaches 70 kg. The bottom line is that a bag with a nutrient mixture is tied under each stepson, that is, additional independent bushes develop on one mother bush.

In buckets

Growing in buckets is carried out according to the same principle as in barrels, but the bottom can remain in place, then holes are knocked out at a height of 2-3 cm from it. You can fill it halfway with soil and compost. One plant is planted in a watered hole. Low-growing varieties of tomatoes are suitable for growing in standard 10-liter buckets.

When cultivating tomatoes in buckets, it is advisable to shade the container, but do not wrap it in black material.

It has been noticed that tomato fruits in buckets do not crack, have a dense structure, and are not watery. Plants are not afraid of slugs and other pests, and the risk of late blight infection is reduced. Such tomatoes begin to bear fruit in June and finish at the end of September. No other care other than gartering and watering is required.

There is another very original, but scientifically based agricultural technique: growing tomatoes in barrels or buckets with their roots upside down. Using this method is unacceptable for tall tomatoes. The essence of the method: a hole about 8 cm in diameter is cut at the bottom of buckets or barrels, and the containers are hung on a strong support. A seedling is threaded into the hole, the roots are sprinkled with a nutrient mixture to a depth of 5 cm, then a layer of compost, then soil again. And so lay it in layers to the top. Such tomatoes in buckets look very original and bring a high yield. Care consists of watering and 1-2 fertilizing per season.

You can sow herbs on top of the buckets. This will keep the soil from drying out.

Space is very limited. Ampelous tomatoes can be planted even on the balcony and in just 50 days you can get a harvest. The fruits are small (20-30 g), but if agricultural techniques are followed, there will be quite a lot of them.

Ampelous tomatoes of the cold-resistant variety “Talisman” (fruits 40-80 g) can be grown without problems in the Urals or Siberia. Seedlings are planted at the end of May or June, and in case of frost, the containers are covered or brought indoors.

Ampelous tomatoes will grow well in a soil mixture of the following components (in equal parts):

• turf land;
• peat;
• humus.

It is useful to add ash and potassium sulfate, and spill the hole with Fitosporin-M before planting. Ampelous varieties do not tolerate waterlogging, so a drainage layer must be placed at the bottom of the container.

The technique of growing tomatoes in separate containers eliminates the question of at what distance to plant tomatoes, and also greatly facilitates care.

Popular varieties for open ground

Not only in specialized stores, but also on the shelves of hypermarkets today there is a wide selection of tomato seeds. All of them are mostly zoned, and many are suitable for planting in open ground. For the southern regions, the spectrum is almost unlimited, but for the Leningrad region and northern regions of Russia, where summers are colder and rainier from year to year, species that are resistant to fungal diseases and adverse weather conditions should be selected.

Let's give brief description varieties suitable for open ground.

Medium height (40-60 cm)

• "White filling". Frost-resistant, reaches a height of 50 cm. The fruits appear on the hundredth day after the first shoots. “White filling” is determinant, that is, growth stops after the ovary of a certain number of fruit clusters. No pinning required. The weight of the fruits of the “White filling” variety is from 90 to 120 g.
• "Sanka" ("Sanek"). Early ripening (about 80 days before harvest) and unpretentious. Forms bushes of about 50 cm. The fruits are small (80 g), but there are a lot of them. The “Sanka” variety is a determinant variety; all care consists of tying and several feedings. The “Sanka” tomato is zoned for planting in open ground in the Central Black Earth region, but, according to reviews, it also ripens well in the Moscow region and even in Siberia.
• "Persimmon". Large fruits (200-300 g) yellow color. There is positive experience of growing in open ground in the Urals. “Persimmon” is a mid-season variety. When planted without shelter it reaches 70 cm in height. “Persimmon” has a significant drawback - in humid summers there is a high probability of fungal diseases.
• "Gina." Mid-season variety. Fruits weigh from 180 to 250 g with a very dense peel. The Gina tomato is resistant to fusarium and verticillium wilt.
• "Red sunshine." An early ripening hybrid, fruit weight from 85 to 120 g. In the soil “Red Sun” grows up to 60 cm. The tomato is resistant to the tobacco mosaic virus and Alternaria. "Red Sun" was bred specifically for planting on open beds, so it can be safely planted even in Siberia.

Tall

• "Round dance". Early ripening variety. In open ground it reaches a height of more than 2 m. The fruits of the “Khorovod” tomato are small (5-10 g), but very sweet, and ripen together.
• "De Barao." Tall bushes that need to be tied up have excellent yields both in greenhouses and in open ground. There are several types that differ in the color of the fruit. "De Barao" black is not recommended for open ground in the Leningrad region, Siberia or the Urals, since it ripens late. Red and yellow (“Tsarsky” and “Golden”) are cold-resistant; in dry and warm autumns, fruits can be harvested right up to frost. The root system is very powerful, so it is necessary to water at the rate of 2 buckets of water every 4 days (in hot weather). "De Barao" is formed into 1-2 stems, pinching - as needed. The last watering is in mid-August, all existing inflorescences are removed.
• "Blagovest F1", "Verlioka" and "Bull's Heart". The bushes are tall (up to 2 m); pinching is required to form 2 stems. "Blagovest F1", "Verlioka" and "Bull's Heart" can grow in open ground, but the yield will be lower than in a greenhouse. For cold regions, planting in unprotected beds is not recommended. For these varieties, it is necessary to tie up not only the trunk itself, but also the clusters with fruits. "Blagovest F1" is early ripening, like "Verlioka", resistant to major diseases. "Bull's Heart" - mid-season. The “black” variety is less resistant to diseases and is not intended for open ground in the northern regions.
• "Machitos." These are tall (up to 2 m) powerful hybrids that can easily adapt to open ground. "Machitos" is not afraid of cladosporiosis, nematodes, and tobacco mosaic virus. Watering should be done in doses, otherwise the bush will begin to “fatten”. The fruits of the "Majitos" variety are large (230-400 g), so the clusters need to be tied up.

Short (up to 40 cm)

• "Broody". Does not require pinching or gartering. The fruits are 80-150 g, hidden behind the leaves. “Klusha” gives a yield of about 1 kg per bush. However, there are complaints - there are frequent cases of cracking of fruits in the area of ​​the stalk.
• "Pinocchio". A low-growing variety, like “Klusha”. In open ground it is more bushy and prolific. "Pinocchio" can even be planted in flower beds for decoration. There are many fruits, but they are not much larger than cherries. “Pinocchio” needs minimal care: only watering, no need to tie up or remove stepsons.
• "Silver Spruce". This shaggy bush, although not one of the tall ones, is too spreading, so it needs to be tied up. “Silver spruce” produces oval-shaped fruits, up to 30 pieces per plant. The variety is very responsive to fertilizing. Silver spruce is planted at the rate of 2-3 bushes per 1m2.
• "Pink Bush". An early ripening Japanese hybrid, resistant to diseases and sunburn. In open ground in Siberia or the Leningrad region, “Pink Bush” is planted according to the scheme of 4-6 bushes per 1 m2, since it does not grow in this climate (30-35 cm). Caring for the Pink Bush variety after planting is simple: no pinching is needed, only fertilizing and watering.
• "Oak tree." This variety, like “Gina,” is well suited for open ground. “Oak” is early ripening, characterized by abundant harvests (fruits 90-130 g). Forms stocky bushes that can be grown even at home. “Dubok” is planted in open ground in June according to the 60*40 cm pattern.

Care

Caring for tomatoes in open ground is easier than in a greenhouse, since watering is partly taken care of by rain, and the developed root system itself can provide food for the plant. It is important to ensure high-quality garter of bushes. For this purpose, for medium-sized varieties, a support is installed 10 cm from the hole immediately upon planting - pegs of 50-80 cm, and for tall varieties it is better to build trellises. The garter is made under the cluster with fruits.

As for pinching, low-growing varieties usually do not need this procedure; in the southern regions you can also leave a branched bush. But in Siberia, the Urals or the North-Western region, it is better to form a plant with 1-2 stems.

The first feeding is carried out 12-14 days after planting in the ground - with a solution of chicken manure in water in a ratio of 1:20. Then, once every 10 days, mineral fertilizers are applied: 60 g of nitrophoska per 10 liters of water.

Preventing diseases and increasing productivity

Tomatoes in open ground are just as susceptible to various fungal and viral diseases as in greenhouses, so they need regular treatments. To prevent late blight, spraying with Bordeaux mixture or boric acid solution is carried out. The first treatment is after planting, then weekly.

A solution of boric acid can also be used as a top dressing, since if there is a lack of boron, the tomato drops flowers without setting fruit. The first spraying of tomatoes with a solution of boric acid is carried out before flowering, the second - during mass flowering, the third - at the beginning of the appearance of ovaries. You can fertilize not at the leaf, but at the root.

If you know how to properly plant tomatoes in the ground and provide them with nutrition, you will get a good harvest even in cool regions. The main mistakes when growing tomatoes outdoors are: wrong choice varieties, neglect of disease prevention and fertilizing.

It makes sense to plant several species at once, the characteristics of which correspond to the conditions of a particular area. Can be used various ways growing to increase the yield and accelerate the ripening of tomatoes: in buckets, wooden tubs, barrels. The hanging varieties in hanging pots are also worthy of attention. With this approach, there will be many fruits with different periods of ripeness and taste.

Tomatoes are grown in open ground just as often as in protected ground. With this cultivation, the start of fruiting is delayed by a couple of weeks, but this does not in any way affect the quality of the harvest or its quantity. A lot of attention will have to be paid to caring for tomatoes in the ground, but the result will certainly justify all the labor costs.

Spring usually brings surprises, and early production is called into question. You will learn how to properly grow tomatoes in open ground and avoid common mistakes by reading this material.

Agricultural technology for growing tomatoes: planting seedlings in open ground

Tomato seedlings are planted for cultivation in open ground after the threat of return frosts has passed, which usually occurs at the end of the first ten days of May. It is recommended to plant seedlings at an age of at least 55 days for tall varieties and hybrids, low-growing - 40-45 days. Planting continues until the end of May, and seeds are sown directly into the ground. Late seedless tomatoes will go in the fall for winter harvesting.

If you have films like spandbond or agrospan, care is easier; seedlings can be planted in the ground 10-12 days earlier than average.

The best predecessors for tomatoes are cabbage, cucumber, and legumes. It is better to place the beds in well-lit, heated areas with highly fertile soils, but light and medium-textured soils are quite suitable for tomatoes.

To facilitate care, low-growing varieties and hybrids of tomatoes are planted in open ground according to a pattern of 25-30 cm in a row and with row spacing of 60-70 cm, tall varieties according to a pattern of 50-60 x 70-80 cm, respectively.

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

The technology for growing tomatoes in open ground requires watering the plants after planting with a small amount of water with Extrasol (10 ml per 10 liters of water) and adding fresh soil or any available mulch. The bacteria found in the Extrasol preparation settle on the roots of the plant, create a certain polysaccharide shell, help improve the immune system, prevent decay, stimulate growth, have a transport function and move nutrients to growing points.

How to properly grow tomatoes in open ground: plant care

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

Tomato plants should be watered moderately, avoiding waterlogging and dry soil. Irregular watering of plants in hot summers often leads to fruit diseases such as blossom end rot and cracking. It is advisable to water in the morning and, if possible, lightly loosen by the end of the day, which means removing excess moisture vapor and avoiding fungal diseases.

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

To give the stems reliable stability and enhance the growth of the root system, when caring for tomatoes in the open ground, hill them up 2-4 times with moist soil.

Growing tomatoes in the Moscow region: secrets of fertilizing in open ground

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

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

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

When cultivating tall tomatoes, at least two additional feedings will be required. Simultaneously with feeding, they are also given foliar feeding and in parallel, measures are being taken to protect tomatoes from fungal diseases such as late blight, alternaria and others, as well as against pests (mites, cutworms and whiteflies).

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

How to properly grow tomatoes in open ground: pinching

Another secret to growing tomatoes in open ground is proper pinching. The formation of plants begins with the regular removal of stepsons. Tall tomatoes are usually grown with one stem, but under certain weather conditions and characteristics of the variety or hybrid - with two stems. In this case, the second stem is a shoot under the first flower cluster. All other stepsons are removed, the main stem being the first. As the tomato fruits form and set, they begin to remove them one by one on the first two clusters. lower leaves to the first flower cluster, then to the second, etc. No more than 3-5 leaves are left at the top. When planting 5-7 bunches of any tomato, the tops of the plants are pinched. This technique is called topping and is carried out with the aim of accelerating the ripening of fruits during a prolonged growing season in cool summers.

Low-growing, early-ripening tomatoes can be grown without pinching, but to obtain an earlier and better harvest, the first two stepsons are removed, and if the tomatoes are cultivated in the northern region, then they must not only be pinched, but also tied to a trellis or stakes.

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

It is also useful in hot weather to spray with growth and fruiting stimulants to avoid shedding of flowers and burning of fruits.

How to grow good tomatoes in open ground: fertilization

When caring for tomatoes when grown in open ground, plants react strongly to soil fertility and application. mineral fertilizers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Remember that for normal growth, development and fruiting, the plant must be continuously fed necessary fertilizers. Weakened plants are more likely to get sick, the yield and its quality are sharply reduced. The lack of fertilizers can be easily eliminated if you know the secrets of growing tomatoes in open ground and carry out foliar feeding with Fertika Lux, Raikat Final, Razormin. But excess fertilizer can cause great harm, especially in dry weather. Therefore, strictly follow the norms and timing of fertilizer application recommended in the instructions.

Tomato fruits begin to be harvested as they ripen from the end of June. Fruiting can be extended until cold weather if proper agricultural practices and plant protection are followed. When cold nights and morning dews set in in August, it is advisable to cover tomato plantings with spandbond films.

Diseases of tomatoes in open ground when grown in the Moscow region

The most common diseases of tomatoes when grown in open ground under conditions Moscow region are: late blight, tobacco and cucumber mosaic viruses, root rot. There are varieties and hybrids that are relatively resistant to viruses and root rot. To late blight cultivated plants there is no stability.

Signs of a tomato disease with the tobacco mosaic virus: the leaves become covered with yellow spots, the top of the plant becomes thinner, the leaves become thread-like, the fruits are small, the flowers are double and deformed. Such plants must be immediately removed and destroyed. The virus cannot be cured. You just need to sow the seeds after a two-year storage period. The tool must be disinfected when working. Use for cultivation varieties and hybrids that are resistant to this disease. These include varieties F1 Dobrun, F1 Kineshma, F1 Grandma's Gift, F1 Funtik, F1 Kirzhach, F1 Rozmarin and tomatoes from other producers.

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

• Return to the previous place no earlier than after 4 years.
• Soil disinfection is not carried out. To do this, you need to spray the dry soil of future beds with a solution of Alirin-B with Gamair or a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture before planting.
• Before and after planting, do not spill the soil with Extrasol (10 ml per 10 liters of water). It is advisable to plant seedlings in cloudy times and without deepening the root system.
• Remember! Fertilizing and watering should be carried out regularly in the morning and when dry, loosen and hill up with damp soil.
• Remember! After each spraying, it is necessary to carry out protective measures with the addition of growth and fruiting stimulants.

This video, dedicated to growing tomatoes in open ground, gives recommendations from experienced vegetable growers on caring for plants:

The main secrets of growing tomatoes in open ground

Many vegetable growers are interested in how to grow good tomatoes in open ground and avoid “fattening” them?

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

Often the seedlings stretch out. This happens due to lack of light, too high temperature, with abundant watering and thickening. The seedlings must be positioned correctly before the leaves close. If the seedlings are clearly stretched out, you should limit watering and reduce the room temperature to about 18-19 °C; it is these factors that cause excessive growth in the absence of light.

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

Another important question is how to grow tomatoes outdoors and avoid the leaves drying out? Drying of the lower leaves of seedlings can be caused by several reasons. The first is the presence of sucking pests. The fight against them can be carried out both with the help of chemicals and, in cases where products begin to ripen, with the use of biological agents: Fitoverm, Fitosporin, Bitoxibacillin. The second reason is that the concentration of salts in the soil is too high, while the remaining leaves of the plant droop. The third reason is lack of nutrition. In all likelihood, it is necessary to urgently fertilize with small doses of water-soluble fertilizers such as Fertika Lux or humic preparations or the microbiological preparation Extrasol.

To grow tomatoes in open ground as expected correct agricultural technology, it is imperative to combat pests. The most harmful of them are nightshade miner, whitefly, garden (cotton) bollworm, and tomato moth. In most cases, this is the result of a lack of preventive measures in the process of growing tomatoes. You must get rid of these pests in advance using one of the approved drugs. One of the main secrets of growing tomatoes in open ground is the use of only high-quality biological preparations.

Many gardeners prefer tomatoes grown in open ground. These vegetables have a special taste and aroma that cannot be achieved when growing bushes in a greenhouse.

In regions where summers are short and rainy, growing vegetables in open ground is difficult, so breeders develop varieties that ripen quickly.

The weather isn't the only challenge. We will learn how to do everything right and grow delicious tomatoes for your table in this article. How to grow tomatoes in open ground?

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

Seed selection

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

Growing tomatoes in open ground requires early and mid-ripening varieties, but in the southern regions, where the summers are long and warm, it is quite possible to grow late varieties.

An equally significant point is the purpose of the harvest. You need to determine in advance which varieties you are interested in:

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

Preparing seedlings

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

• It is important not to keep young shoots on the windowsill at home, otherwise the bushes may stop growing or their yield will decrease.
• To prevent planting from getting sick, you will have to cultivate the soil and seeds in advance. Seeds purchased from gardening stores are most likely already processed. If not, then they need to be kept in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (gram per 100 ml) for 15-20 minutes (no more), first wrapped in gauze. Then rinse in water.
• The soil (even bought in a store) also needs preparation, it needs to be poured with a similar solution or boiling water, there is also a method of calcination in an oven (you need to stand for 15 minutes at a temperature of 200 C).

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

You need to plan to plant in the ground when the temperature outside is above zero day and night, i.e. the seedlings will need to be planted two months before.

It is necessary to create favorable conditions for tomatoes at home:

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

Picking

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

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

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

Soil preparation

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

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

Planting bushes

It is preferable to plant bushes in a place where legumes, squash, cabbage, radishes or cucumbers previously grew. It should be sunny and also protected from strong gusts of wind.

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

It is best to plant in the late evening after sunset at a favorable soil temperature of 15 C.

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

The day before, you need to water the seedlings with warm water, and also water the planting holes before moving them into the ground. If you follow these recommendations, then young tomato shoots will feel great in open ground, will not wither and will not stop their growth. For the next couple of weeks, all you need to do is water them.

Growing indoors

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

Rules of care

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

Watering

Tomatoes do not require close care, but you should not take them to extremes. Drying out a clod of earth is just as bad as high humidity. In both cases, the death of the bush is possible.

The highest fertility is in tomatoes grown at soil moisture of 80-90%

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

It is best to water tomatoes two to three times a week, while the top layer of soil should be dried; if this is not observed, then watering should be postponed. The worst thing for tomatoes is when they are watered frequently, but in small portions.

Top dressing

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

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

Formation of bushes

It differs depending on the variety, since plants bear fruit and develop differently:

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

• High and medium-growing varieties it is necessary to tie them up, since the shoots can grow to impressive sizes, which can lead to broken branches and unripe or rotting fruits.

Protection from diseases and pests

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

Have your tomatoes suffered from fungal or viral diseases?

YesNo

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

The best way to combat similar symptoms- regular prevention:

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

Most diseases can be avoided thanks to the correct formation of bushes, timely watering and feeding of plants.

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

New growing technologies

In Japan, they have developed a new approach to growing called "Octopus". The bush in the form of a tree (variety “Octopus f1”) bears fruit for up to 15 years in a row in special conditions, but in our country only annuals can be cultivated in open ground.

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

Growing tomatoes in open ground requires close attention from the gardener. It is impossible to approach the question of how to grow tomatoes in open ground correctly. We hope that the article will be useful and the resulting harvest will please you!

Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetable crops, which are widely grown for personal consumption, sale or further processing. Therefore, the topic of our article will be correct landing tomatoes, as well as growing and caring for the crop in open ground.

Seedlings are what directly determine the quality of fruits, productivity and value of the finished product. If you do not have the opportunity to grow seedlings at home, you need to take the choice of young plants seriously. You should remember a few “axioms” that should be observed when choosing seedlings: The age of seedlings should not exceed 45 days for early varieties and 60 days for late ones. If small fruit ovaries have already appeared on the seedlings, do not buy such plants under any circumstances, as they do not take root well, and in most cases the ovaries simply fall off.

The maximum permissible height, even for tall varieties, is 30 cm. At the same time, on early seedlings there should be about 6-8 true leaves, in the later one - 11-12.

We inspect the stem, leaves and roots. The stem should not be thick; the leaves of good seedlings have bright green color no damage or stains. The roots should be moist, without swelling or torn parts. Only in this case will the purchased seedlings quickly take root and have time to absorb the required amount nutrients and minerals.

Unscrupulous sellers. Some “smart” gardeners, in pursuit of profit, oversaturate seedlings with nitrogen fertilizers, which allows them to grow faster and ahead of schedule gain the required weight. An excess of nitrogen in a plant can be determined by downturned leaves that have an overly contrasting unnatural color (as if they were painted). Such seedlings cannot be purchased, because an excess of nitrogen will affect the quality of ripe fruits, which can lead to poisoning.

Try to buy seedlings whose roots are kept not in plastic bags, but in the ground. You don’t know exactly how long young plants have been in such conditions, and you certainly shouldn’t buy “half-live” seedlings.

Choosing a planting site: lighting and soil

Let's move on to the secrets of growing tomatoes in open ground, the main one of which is the correct planting location. The place should be open, protected from drafts and strong winds. The south or southwest side of the house is ideal, as the necessary sunlight and heat will be reflected from the white wall of the building. Thus, we choose the sunniest place on the site, which is protected from the wind either by buildings or tall plants.

Important! You cannot plant tomatoes in lowlands or on hills; give preference to a flat area without debris and plant debris.

In fact, tomatoes will grow in any more or less fertile soil, so there is no need to specially import black soil or add a lot of compost, but the soil structure is important for this crop. Tomatoes love crumbly soil, which allows moisture to pass through well and solar heat. Let's return to the fertility of the substrate. If the soil is completely poor in humus, then you will still have to add fertilizers for good growth of tomatoes when grown in open ground.

Good and bad predecessors of tomatoes

Another rule that you need to remember before growing tomatoes in open ground is the dependence of the crop on its predecessors and neighbors. Many owners know that after some crops it is better to plant something specific, and after others it is better to leave the land fallow for one year. So, tomatoes have good and bad predecessors, as well as neighboring crops that promote growth and development or inhibit tomatoes.

Good predecessors: all green manure, cucumbers, onions, carrots, beets, legumes. Bad predecessors: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers.

Important!Other cultures that are not included in any of the lists are “neutral” predecessors, the influence of which is insignificant.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that tomatoes cannot be planted in the same place for several years in a row, so this crop is listed as a “bad predecessor.” Now about the proximity of some crops to tomatoes. Good neighbors: greens, celery, asparagus, legumes, garlic, carrots, radishes and radishes. Gooseberries and red currants also go well with tomatoes.

Bad neighbors: potatoes and other nightshades, kohlrabi and fennel. It is worth remembering that the yield of tomatoes in open ground is highly dependent on neighbors and predecessors. If you cannot place “warring” crops in different parts of the site, you should pay attention to additional protection against late blight, which can infect tomatoes with bad predecessors and neighbors.

Preparing the soil before planting seedlings

Continuing the topic of how to grow tomatoes in open ground, let's talk about pre-planting soil preparation. We wrote above that the soil should be crumbly and have good drainage properties. However, this is not enough to reap an impressive harvest. What to do if the site is dominated by sandy soil? For tomatoes, such a substrate is unacceptable, although it has good drainage properties. To improve the soil per 1 sq. m should add 10 kg of manure humus or compost. This additive is applied in the fall so that by spring most of the fertilizers have time to release the necessary nutrients.

Clay heavy soils. Such a substrate does not allow moisture to pass through well and is not characterized by high fertility. To make it suitable for planting crops, it is necessary to add per 1 sq. m about 8 kg of river sand, 5 kg of peat and 5 kg of manure or compost. Such additives will improve the structure and fertility of the soil, after which other crops that are demanding on the soil can be planted on the fertilized area.

In the fall, you need to dig up the area to a depth of at least 20 cm (during digging, all fertilizers are applied), clean the area from debris and plant debris.

Important!There is no need to level the soil after digging. During frosts, most pests and weeds will die.

Planting tomato seedlings in open ground: timing and planting scheme

If the agricultural technology for growing tomatoes in open ground is the same for all regions, then planting dates vary depending on the climatic zone and average annual air temperature. For tomatoes, it is very important that during the transfer of seedlings there is warm, more or less dry weather. The temperature during the day should not be lower than 20 °C, at night - not lower than 16 °C. This is due to the fact that for the bush to develop normally, it must be warm outside, otherwise the plant will consider the conditions unacceptable for the growth of the fruit and will devote all its efforts to increasing the green mass. Picking seedlings of early varieties of tomatoes is carried out from April 15 to May 1 ( southern regions), and from May 1 to May 15 (mid latitudes).

The transfer of seedlings of mid-season tomatoes is carried out from May 1 to May 15 (southern latitudes), and from June 1 and later - middle latitudes. Planting of late tomato seedlings is carried out in the second half of May in southern latitudes, and in the second ten days of June in mid-latitudes.

Important! Many late varieties tomatoes are not suitable for medium and northern latitudes, since they need a lot of time to gain green mass and develop the fruit. As for the planting scheme, it makes no difference what climate you live in.

Low-growing varieties of tomatoes are planted according to a pattern of 50 x 50 cm, medium-growing - 70 x 60 cm, tall - 70 x 70 cm. On a flat area, tomato beds in open ground are placed from south to north in order to achieve better lighting during the daytime.

We chose good seedlings and made a pick on correct scheme into the required substrate. Now it’s worth learning about how to care for tomatoes in open ground.

Preventive spraying against diseases and pests

In order to ultimately harvest environmentally friendly tomato fruits, you need to prevent diseases and pests, otherwise you will then have to treat the beds with chemicals that will spoil the soil and the products themselves. Let's start with the disease mentioned above, which applies to all nightshade crops - late blight This is a fungal disease that results in darkening of leaves, shoots and stems. The fruits become covered with necrotic brown spots and begin to rot.

Prevention of the disease:

• spraying plantings with Bordeaux mixture (1%);
• treatment with “Quadris” and “Bactofit” preparations (1%);
• watering plants exclusively at the roots;
• treatment with garlic infusion.

Gray rot. Fungal disease, which affects tomatoes grown at very high humidity and temperatures above 22 ° C. The fungus also affects plants that have mechanical damage. Affected tomato bushes become covered with light brown spots that resemble morning frost. When neglected, the entire bush becomes covered in fungus and dies.

Prevention of gray rot:

• preventive treatment with fungicides “Fundazol”, “Kuproksat” and “Bravo”;
• covering the damaged parts with a solution of chalk and fungicide.

Fusarium. A fungal disease that causes leaves to dry out and roots to rot. If the fungus is not removed in a timely manner, it will cause the death of more than one tomato bush. Prevention: maintain neutral or slightly alkaline soil acidity;
carry out deep digging of the soil;
treat plants with preparations such as “Fundazol” and “Fitosporin-M”.

Now let's consider preventive measures in relation to the most common tomato pests.

Medvedka. A well-known insect that feeds on the roots of plants, leading to their death.

Prevention of mole cricket appearance:

• refusal to introduce humus;
• planting plants that repel mole crickets (garlic, cilantro);
• mulching beds.

Wireworm. This is the larva of a click beetle that damages the root system and stem of the tomato. It is a caterpillar up to 2 cm long, painted white or grayish.

Prevention of wireworms:

• spring digging of row spacing with a spade;
• regular loosening and collection of weeds;
• planting marigolds, the smell of which repels insects.

Gnawing owls. Small caterpillars (up to 2 cm in length), painted off-white or bluish-gray. They differ from wireworm in thickness. They feed on leaves and thin shoots of tomato.

Pest prevention:

• deep loosening of row spacing;
• weed removal;
• treatment with specialized insecticides.

To prevent tomatoes from becoming infected during the growing process, you need to regularly inspect the bushes and promptly remove infected plants so that caring for tomatoes in the open ground is not complicated by pest control.

Formation of a bush and removal of stepsons

Pinching is the pruning of side branches (formed in the axils of the leaves), which can reach the length of the central stem and take a huge amount of substances necessary for the development of the fruit.

Pruning of stepchildren is carried out:

• for faster fruit ripening (relevant for northern regions);
• reducing the load on the bush (so that the shoots do not touch the ground);
• obtaining a small number of large fruits.

The best time for pinching is the formation of the first leaf on the “unnecessary” shoot. As soon as the stepson has reached a length of 5-7 cm, it is broken out manually in the morning; using a knife is not recommended. Typically, tomatoes are grown in 1, 2 or 3 stems, which determines the pinching.

It should be noted that the plant should form no more than 6-7 clusters, otherwise the fruits will not have time to ripen or will turn out to be very small. Now regarding pinching. We wrote above that the bush can be formed into several stems or left alone. Depending on this factor, different pinching is done.

We form 1 stem. We remove all the stepsons, leaving 5-6 brushes on the bush. After this, we make a pinch above the upper brush (we cut the stem). There should be about 2-3 leaves between the last brush and the pinching point.

We form 2 stems. We remove all the stepsons, except one, which is located under the lower fruit cluster. There should be 4 brushes left on the main stem. Pinching is carried out in the same way as in the case of forming into 1 stem.

We form 3 stems. We leave 2 lower stepsons, which should be located under the first brush. We leave 3 brushes on the main stem. We carry out pinching as described above.

Did you know? In Mexico and Peru, the tomato is grown as a perennial plant.

Watering

Let's move on to watering tomatoes in open ground. First, some statistical information that will help determine in fact whether watering should be carried out or not. Tomatoes require air humidity of about 45-50% and soil moisture of about 85-90%. You can determine the humidity as follows: take the soil near the tomatoes at a depth of 3-5 cm and try to form a lump. If it works, there is enough moisture; if not, irrigation is required.

Tomatoes do not need to be watered often, but every time the soil is moistened it should be plentiful. That is, you need to pour in a lot of water, but this should be done rarely. On average, watering is carried out 2 times a week. To prevent rotting of fruits that touch the ground, you need to water the bushes strictly at the roots or along the furrows.

Important!If water gets on the leaves, it can cause sunburn or the appearance of various fungi.

Plants should be moistened warm water(more than 25 °C) so as not to create a noticeable contrast between the temperature of the air and the liquid. Watering is carried out early in the morning or after sunset. This way the moisture will not evaporate and the roots will not be subject to hypothermia.

Top dressing

After we have transferred the tomato seedlings into the ground, we need to give them about 2 weeks to take root. After this period, we apply the first complex fertilizers, which include phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen (20 kg of each type of fertilizer per 1 ha).

Important!Do not overdo it with nitrogen fertilizers, as they accelerate the growth of green mass to the detriment of fruit development.

Fertilizing is repeated at the beginning of fruit formation with the same amount of fertilizer. Can be carried out foliar fertilizer, when the first brush begins to bloom. A 0.5% solution of double superphosphate is poured under the root (50 g of fertilizer is taken per 1 liter). To treat 1 hectare, use 600 liters of water with a diluted substance. During fruit ripening, nitroammophos can be used.

This fertilizer accelerates the growth and fruit set. Application rate – 30 g/bush. If you do not want to use the above fertilizers, then we suggest Alternative option: while maintaining the timing of fertilizing, instead of complex fertilizers, you need to apply a different composition.

If desired, choose the feeding option that is more convenient to “create”:

• We dilute 500 g of liquid mullein, 20 g of nitroammophoska in 10 liters of water (pour 600 ml under each bush);
• 20 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water (100 liters per 10 sq. m);
• 500 ml chicken manure, 20 g superphosphate, 1 tsp. potassium sulfate (norm – 500 ml per 1 bush).

Remember that using pure manure is strictly prohibited. An excess of any element leads to tomato diseases, so stick to the norm. Did you know? The tomato is one of the most popular vegetables; more than 60 million tons of tomatoes are produced annually in the world.

Weeding, loosening and hilling

Weeding and loosening of tomatoes should be carried out once every 2 weeks, depending on the rate of formation of a “crust” on the ground. All actions must be carried out after sunset or early in the morning so as not to deprive the earth of moisture. You need to loosen to a depth of 4-6 cm, simultaneously removing all weeds by hand. We carry out the first hilling 3 weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground. The next hilling is in half a month. It needs to be carried out so that the plants form strong adventitious roots and it “sits” better in the ground.

The role of mulch

Tomatoes need to be mulched to retain moisture in the soil. This procedure is especially relevant for the southern regions, where severe drying out of the soil is observed in the summer. Mulch not only prevents moisture from quickly replenishing, it protects tomatoes from weeds and some pests, and also nourishes the plants when rotting. You can mulch with sawdust, straw, grass clippings, humus (not recommended) or purchased mulch, which only has a protective function and does not rot. You can mulch tomatoes after they have settled in their new location and started growing. Removing mulch after harvest is an individual matter, since preserving the mulch material will reduce the amount of fertilizer applied in the future.

Tying bushes to a support

We finish the article with a garter of tomatoes when grown in open ground. Before installing the stake, it is worth remembering the maximum possible height of the bush of the variety or hybrid used and, based on this, make a support that will be 20-30 cm higher. They retreat about 10 cm from the bush and drive the stake 20-25 cm into the ground so that it holds firmly . After this, we tie the bush so that it hangs freely and does not adhere to the support. We re-garter as the tomato grows.

Don’t be afraid to overdo it in this matter, since it’s better to tie it up again than to watch a lopsided bush later. Now you know how to properly grow tomatoes in open ground and care for them. Many recommendations are based on the experience of gardeners who have been growing tomatoes all their lives. Compare the information described with real circumstances to make better use of resources and achieve unprecedented yields.

South America is considered the birthplace of tomatoes, where today you can find various types of this crop in nature. Due to its nutritional and taste qualities, variety of varieties and good yield, tomato is popular everywhere. It is most often grown in greenhouses, but in open ground you can get a fairly bountiful harvest. The main thing is to choose the right variety and provide the crop with the most optimal conditions for vegetation and fruiting.

It is advisable to prepare the soil for growing tomatoes in the fall: humus should be added to the soil, which will saturate the substrate with substances useful for the crop. Tomatoes grow very poorly in acidic soils, so at high pH levels it is advisable to deoxidize the soil using chalk or regular charcoal. If it is not possible to determine the acidity of the soil, know that sorrel or horsetail grows well in acidic soils.

In addition to humus, in the fall you should fertilize the soil with potassium and phosphorus types of mineral fertilizers. Potassium nitrate, which contains nitrogen, is especially useful for tomatoes.

It is advisable to choose those types of fertilizers that remain in the soil for a long time.

If you plan to fertilize the soil with ammonium nitrate, then it is best to apply it to the ground in the spring, since its ions very quickly dissolve in the substrate and are washed out of it.

It is advisable to choose the location for tomatoes wisely. Tomatoes need a long time daylight hours, feel good in direct sunlight. Because of this feature, you need to choose a place to plant the crop not in the shade, but in open, well-lit areas. You should also avoid lowlands where water accumulates in the soil after precipitation. This can lead to a number of diseases.

You cannot plant tomatoes in areas where nightshade crops and corn previously grew. It is also not recommended to plant tomatoes in the same place for several years in a row. The most useful predecessors of tomatoes are root vegetables, radishes, cabbage, lettuce, and legumes.

Transplantation process

Most often, tomatoes are planted as seedlings. Germinating seeds in open ground is associated with a number of problems, even in regions with a very mild climate: low germination, uneven germination of seedlings, inability to create optimal humidity and temperature, and so on. Therefore, the most popular method is seedlings sown in boxes at the end of February or beginning of March.

It is important to know! Seedlings that are planned to be planted in open ground must be well hardened. Otherwise, you may lose some of the shoots or due to sudden changes conditions will delay the growth of seedlings.

The timing of transplanting young plants depends on the climatic region, since the seedlings will not withstand frost or too low night temperatures. Optimal time- all of May. When the air temperature drops, you can always protect the seedlings with special structures with film or agro-fabric.

After the area with the soil for planting the crop is completely ready, it is dug up, leveled, and you can begin planting the seedlings. It is best to do this early in the morning, when the sun is not yet too hot. The area for tomatoes should be divided into sectors and the places where holes for seedlings will be dug should be marked. The distance between the holes depends on the type of crop; if the tomato bushes are tall, then it is recommended to leave about 70 cm, if not too large, then 40-50 cm. If you plan to plant several rows of tomatoes, then it is best to place the plants in a checkerboard pattern, this will help save money square. The distance between rows should also depend on the variety (from 70 to 40 cm).

After digging holes that are not too deep, the soil should be disinfected. For these purposes, potassium permanganate is diluted in a bucket of water; the solution should be light pink. The holes are thoroughly watered with a disinfectant solution. After this procedure, you can additionally water the depressions so that the soil is very well moistened, since after planting the seedlings cannot be watered for several days.

Methods of planting seedlings

The vertical method is a classic method of planting. The seedling is removed from the container and placed in the hole, after which the roots of the plant are sprinkled with substrate and slightly compacted. This method is suitable for those young plants whose length at the time of planting does not exceed 40 cm.

The horizontal planting method is used for seedlings that have become too tall during cultivation. When planting, the seedling is tilted, the roots and part of the stem are covered with earth. It is believed that this method allows the development of an additional root system on the stems and thereby improves plant nutrition during the growing season.

Planting seedlings - diagram

After planting seedlings in the ground, it is not recommended to water them for the first 8-10 days. An exception can be made only if the weather is too hot and sunny. It is best to water the seedlings in the evening with settled water, which is heated by the sun's rays.

If weather conditions leave much to be desired, watering the seedlings after transplantation is prohibited. Watering will have a negative impact on the plants, they can become infected with late blight and you can forget about the harvest. This rule applies not only to young plants, but also to adult plants during the growing season and fruiting.

Adult plants should be watered periodically during the growing season, depending on the weather and appearance bushes When adding moisture to the tomatoes, you should pay attention to ensure that the water only gets to the root area. It is prohibited to water leaves and shoots.

When flowering and fruiting, tomatoes need increased watering, since a lack of moisture can cause the inflorescences to drop, cracking, or the fruit to shrink in size.

Plant care

During the growth process, tomatoes need constant care. Hilling is a very important process when growing tomatoes in open ground.

With periodic hilling, additional roots are formed in the plants, which contribute to greater absorption of nutrients from the soil. Hilling is especially important during the fruiting period, when the formation of fruits requires more oxygen and nutrients, and if there is a lack of which, plants drop inflorescences or newly formed tomatoes.

Tomatoes can be mulched. This will preserve moisture near the roots, which is important in dry summers. The only nuance is the bark coniferous trees increases the acidity of the soil, as it releases acids into the ground when wet. Therefore, it is best not to use it.

Fertilizer for tomatoes

Fertilizing significantly affects the yield of tomatoes. During the entire period after transplanting plants into open ground, it is recommended to carry out 4 feedings with mixtures that contain different fertilizers.

The first feeding should be carried out 21 days after transplanting the seedlings into open ground. It is recommended to dilute a tablespoon of nitrophoska and ready-made “Ideal” fertilizer into a bucket of water. 0.5 liters of solution is poured under one bush.

The second application of fertilizer is carried out when the second pair of inflorescences appears on the bushes. Plant growers recommend using ready solution"Signor Tomato" or fertilizer with a similar composition.

Fertilizer "Signor Tomato"

The third root application of fertilizers is carried out after the appearance of the third pair of inflorescences. The composition and dose of fertilizers are exactly the same as during the first feeding.

The fourth application of fertilizers is carried out 14 days after the third. 2 teaspoons of superphosphate are diluted per bucket of water and the mixture is applied under the root, the dose is a bucket of water per square meter of soil.

Garter of tomato bushes

Tomato varieties can vary in height, so very often tall bushes need to be tied up. This must be done so that the rather fragile shoots of plants do not break from the wind or from the weight of the fruit during the fruiting period. To secure the shoots, you can use ordinary wooden sticks, soft mesh, or trellises. It all depends on the height of the culture. Bushes up to half a meter in height should not be tied up; for two-meter giants, a trellis is best suited; for one and a half meter shoots, you can use an agricultural mesh made of soft material, which will not damage delicate branches.

It is also worth monitoring the condition of the shoots when the fruits ripen. U high-yielding varieties sometimes many fruits ripen on one branch, under the weight of which the plant can break. Therefore, it is recommended to take measures to save the crop.

Ways to increase yield

Under favorable conditions, tomato bushes tend to grow very strongly, forming many side shoots. Because of this, productivity decreases due to the fact that the plant spends a lot of nutrients on the growth of unnecessary branches. In case of strong growth, it is recommended to carry out pinching - removing side branches with ovaries.

Pruning is carried out during the growing season of plants. You should leave the main stem and the first stepson - the second well-formed stem. It is recommended to carefully remove the remaining shoots, which allows you to form a tall and strong bush. This procedure is recommended to be done every 10 days. If for some reason there are too many large side shoots, there is no need to break them off, as this may destroy the plant. In this case, it is recommended to stop the growth of the side shoot by pinching off the top.

By removing the tops from the main shoots, you can speed up the formation and ripening of fruits, since the plant will direct all its strength and nutrients not to the growth of the bush, but to fruiting.

Video - How to properly plant tomatoes

Pests and diseases

Late blight is a fairly common disease that affects tomatoes in open ground. It manifests itself as brown spots on the surface of leaves and fruits, a white coating under the leaves, noticeably reduces productivity and leads to the death of plants. Appears when high humidity or sudden changes in temperature. An effective remedy against late blight - the “Zaslon” composition, which needs to be used to treat tomatoes several times a season.

Mosaic is a viral infection that affects the green mass of tomatoes, causing the plants to quickly wither and die. Modern hybrids have resistance to mosaic, but when the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is recommended to use a solution of potassium manganese to treat the infection.

Gray rot appears at the end of the season, with changes or drops in temperature. It is manifested by the appearance of brown spots on ripe or green fruits. Tomatoes affected by gray rot cannot be stored and very quickly become watery and tasteless. Fungicides and removal of infected fruits from branches are effective in combating the disease.

Also, tomatoes very often become attractive to various pests, from which special preparations effectively help. The fruits and bushes of the crop can be affected by aphids, whiteflies, mole crickets, and cutworms.

Harvesting

Tomatoes tend to ripen very quickly and unevenly, so during the fruiting period you need to constantly ensure that ripe fruits are removed from the bush on time. Under unfavorable conditions, you can harvest in advance, despite the fact that the tomatoes are still green. If the plant is not infected with any infection, the fruits ripen normally in boxes or on windowsills, which does not affect their taste in any way.

The most adapted tomato varieties for growing in open ground

Table

Name	Description
	Enough new variety, which is characterized by high yield and quality of fruits. The bushes are not too tall - up to 40 cm, the shoots are strong and elastic, so they do not need tying up. The fruits are round, rich red in color when ripe, weighing up to 170 grams. Riddle is one of the fastest ripening varieties: 85-90 days pass from seedling germination to technical maturity of the fruit. The only drawback of this type of tomato is excessive pinching, which can reduce the yield.
	This variety is known for its large fruits- up to 700 grams. The fruits are lobed, without voids, light crimson in color. The stalk is buried deep in the pulp, tastes sweet, and the skin is thin. The bushes are strong, tall, and require obligatory garter. It is a mid-early variety: just over 100 days pass from the appearance of sprouts to the ripening of the harvest. The variety requires constant watering and is resistant to most diseases and pests.
	The variety is an early ripening variety, technical maturity occurs after 100 days. The bush is formed into several stems, the tomatoes are tied in clusters, due to which the variety is characterized by high yield. The average weight of the fruit is 200 grams. The shape of the fruit is slightly elongated, with a pointed tip, the color is red, the skin is dense, the flesh is juicy. In ripe fruits, the area near the stalk often remains green. With proper care, you can harvest up to 11 kg of fruit from one bush.
	This variety is mid-season - fruit ripening occurs 3 months after the appearance of the first seedlings. The bushes of this tomato variety are very tall - up to 2 meters, so they require obligatory garter. Tomatoes ripen on complex clusters; sometimes up to 25-30 fruits, weighing about 200 grams, can be formed in one bunch. The shape of the fruit is round, with a noticeable protruding tip, the color is scarlet, the flesh is juicy, sweet and sour. the skin is hard. Transportable well and used for canning.
	This tomato has an exotic shape and color and resembles a lemon in appearance. The variety is mid-season - up to 120 days of growing season. The bush is tall - up to 2 meters, blooms and bears fruit well. From one bush per season you can remove up to 12 kg of fruit. The tomatoes taste sweet, fleshy, with a thick skin. The variety is distinguished by uniformity of fruits, good preservation, and resistance to lack of watering.
	This honeycomb is early ripening: less than 3 months pass from seed germination to technical maturity. The height of the bushes does not exceed half a meter, the fruits are elongated and of medium size. Features magnificent taste qualities, resistance to septoria and blossom end rot.

Video - Growing tomatoes in open ground