Tomatoes are one of the favorite vegetables found in almost every gardener. In addition to the correct fit, they should be competent care. The main secrets of courtship should be known to anyone who wants to get a rich and tasty crop, not hit by pests or diseases.
After reading this article, you will learn how to properly water the seeds, feed, fertilize, pinch, spud and prune tomatoes, as well as how to loosen and mulch the soil and protect the crop from pests and diseases.
How to care for tomatoes?
A good harvest of tomatoes can not be obtained without timely and proper care. There are certain works, the implementation of which has a significant impact on the growing season. Planted seedlings need regular:
- water;
- weed;
- loosen;
- feed up;
- handle.
Watering seeds
To the deficit and excess moisture tomatoes react equally, so they should be watered then when the soil dries. Before flowering, watering should be carried out once a week, as soon as the fruits begin to set 2-3 times. If it is necessary to water hot outside every day or every other day. It is recommended to do this work early in the morning or late in the evening, which is much better because the ground will be wet longer.
In order to prevent the development of diseases in the water is advised to add wood ash. And when the ovary appears, it can be poured around the bush. This will help improve fruiting.
Fertilizers and fertilizers
After 10-12 days after the tomatoes are planted they need to feed. A mixture of organic and mineral fertilizers is taken as a fertilizer.:
- 1 part manure;
- 8-9 parts of water;
- 20 grams of superphosphate.
One bucket of this solution should be used on 10 bushes of tomatoes.
For the entire growing season, tomatoes need to feed three times a day. If they grow on nutrient-poor soil, they should be fertilized 1 time in 2 weeks with mineral and organic agents with a high content of phosphorus and potassium. It is advised to use complex fertilizers in which there are:
- zinc;
- boron;
- magnesium;
- copper.
You can make the following composition by mixing:
- 10 liters of water;
- 30-40 grams of potassium chloride;
- 50-60 grams of superphosphate;
- 15 grams of ammonium nitrate.
When shedding inflorescences and ovaries, tomatoes require boron. Spraying with a solution of boric acid 1 g per 1 liter of water will help. The solution using bird droppings perfectly affects the development of the bushes.
We invite you to watch the video about the first tomato feeding:
Masking
It is advisable to perform this procedure, otherwise the bush becomes very branchy, the fruits are often small or do not have time to ripen. This is due to the fact that a plant with a large number of branches of force is not enough for all ovaries. Useless shoots must be removed when they reach a length of 3-5 cm.. When they already become too big, it makes no sense. This work is carried out at the beginning of August. You can eliminate the extra shoots every 10 days.
We invite you to watch a video about tomato staining:
Spraying against pests
Tomatoes must be sprayed both for preventive purposes and when pests are detected. Roots seedlings preferably before planting soak in insecticidal solutionFor example, Aktar, this will help protect them from:
- aphids;
- May beetle;
- wireworm.
Before the fruiting period comes, it is advisable to treat the fungi against fungal diseases (Ridomil Gold, Quadris). Good help spraying infusion:
- garlic;
- wood ash;
- onion peel.
Hilling and loosening
Experienced gardeners advise a little to loosen the soil after any watering, going down about 3 cm. Thanks to this procedure, oxygen will be supplied to the roots, and moisture will be retained in the soil. Loosening is carried out 1 time in half a month, and stop with the growth of bushes and narrowing the distance between rows. It is reasonable if this process will be combined with weeding. It is simply necessary to fight weeds, because pests love them, and because of them a shadow is formed.
Hilling is a necessary procedure for growing tomatoes.which stimulates the formation of new roots, which are formed from the lower part of the stem, but only in wetted soil. It is necessary to rake up a bush for the season several times.
The first time this is done when after planting the seedlings will be 14-21 days, the second - in another fortnight. It is desirable to combine hilling with weeding and loosening.
Forming bushes and breaking leaves
Caring for tomatoes should not forget about the formation of the bushwhich consists of timely pinching and pinching the top of the stem. Formation is carried out on those varieties of tomato, which branch. There are several ways to form bushes in 1, 2 or 3 stalks. When choosing an option, peculiarities of tomato varieties and weather conditions are taken into account. In the southern regions on the plant, you can leave more stems, but we must bear in mind that the fruits that form on the side shoots will be smaller.
- As practice shows, in order to get a good crop of tomatoes in the open field, you need to form a bush in 1 stem, leaving 2-3 brushes on it. It is necessary to remove all the stepchildren, the first thing those who grew up under the brushes.
- When forming a bush in 2 stems, a lateral shoot is formed, which is formed near the first brush. If the choice fell on the 3rd method, then gardeners are advised to leave the strongest stepson, who is under the second brush.
- The procedure for removing excess shoots should be performed regularly, but not in hot weather. The plant at such a time does not tolerate injuries. Picking off stepchildren must be carefully, taking them with your index and thumb. No need to pull to yourself, but just sharply and quickly pull to the side or cut with a sharp knife. When cutting off, it is advisable to leave 1-2 cm of the removed stepson so as not to touch the main shoot.Important! Tomato bushes must be tied up to a string or string tied up along rows, which are set 9-11 cm from the stem on the north side.
- The first time they attach tomatoes to the stakes immediately after the seedlings are planted and near the first leaf, and 2 and 3 times - where the second and third hands are located. Bushes will not be able to come into contact with the ground, which will protect the tomatoes from diseases. And the increase in ventilation of fruits will improve their taste.
- Experienced gardeners are advised to pick off the lower leaves of the bushes of tomatoes. But only those located in the depths and its northern part. The leaves, which are below the inflorescences, break off gradually, because the stem will continue to grow. The work on the breaking of leaves must be done before lunch and in warm weather. Then the wounds on the plant will heal faster, and microbes will not have time to penetrate them.
Mulching soil for a good harvest
Soil mulching helps reduce the amount of:
- watering;
- loosening;
- weed
Which is very convenient for summer residents. Besides:
- the soil is protected from drying out;
- weed growth decreases;
- the friability of the earth rises because under this kind of fur coat worms are better bred.
Mulch can be:
- sawdust;
- straw;
- dried leaves;
- peat;
- rotten compost
Artificial mulch is sold in specialized stores today.which can be used many times. It is necessary to cover with a layer not higher than 6-8 cm, the light should slightly penetrate through it.
We offer you to watch a video about tomato mulching:
A photo
In the photo you can see how the tomatoes look after planting.
Common Mistakes and Prevention Tips
- If the tomatoes are planted thickly, as well as in the presence of high humidity, the crop can get phytophthora. Spraying tomatoes with Phytosporin for 10 days will help to stop the development of the disease.
Important! If the fertilizer application mode is not observed and the temperature rises sharply, the top of the tomato fruit turns black, and vertex rot appears. It is necessary to remove the lower leaves and diseased fruits, and to spray all the bushes with a solution of wood ash.
- When tomatoes become weak, thin, then they lack fertilizer. If the green mass grows quickly, and the fruit is vice versa slowly, then it is a surplus of fertilizers, especially organic.
It must be borne in mind that it is impossible to abuse feedings. The excess of trace elements leads to the accumulation of nitrates in tomatoes, which is harmful to human health.
- It so happens that the plant leaves curled, there can be two reasons. The first is insufficient watering, the other is a viral disease, in which the bushes need to be immediately excavated and burned.
Tomatoes are considered a rather painful crop, especially if they grow in areas where the raw climate prevails. Because they need constant good care. Only paying attention to them can get tasty fruits.
