How to plant, grow and care for tomatoes in the open field
Growing tomatoes in the open field is not difficult. Tomatoes can be found in every garden bed, and if the climate is more or less warm, then you can harvest a decent harvest. The features of care may differ, it all depends on the variety planted, weather conditions, soil quality and other factors.
Comfort and convenience in a permanent place
Planting tomatoes in open ground should take place in a place where warm light from the sun freely enters. Many varieties do not like through winds and begin to slow down development.
How to grow tomatoes so that no problems arise? It should be taken into account what kind of culture was planted in the summer cottage. It is not recommended to plant tomatoes where corn, peppers, potatoes, eggplants used to grow. They are exposed to the same infectious diseases. The good development of tomatoes is facilitated by the land on which carrots, legumes, spinach, and onions used to grow.
Growing tomatoes in the open field begins with the autumn digging of the selected area to a depth of 28 cm.
It is useful to mix dug soil with humus, bird droppings, wood ash, or compost. From mineral fertilizers, you can choose potassium salt or superphosphate.
In the spring (May is considered the best time), you can dig up the earth again. A mixture of wood ash, bird droppings and ammonium sulfate can be used as a nutritious food. Before transplanting tomatoes into the ground, furrows are made at intervals of about 65 cm.
When you can plant tomatoes outdoors depends on the weather. If the cold weather has not yet receded, then it is better to move the dates, otherwise the harvest will be lost. They also take into account the method of growing tomatoes in the open field and the boundaries of their ripening.
Suitable variety of species
To learn how to grow tomatoes in the open field, you need to choose a variety and familiarize yourself with the features of caring for it. There is a wide variety of varieties of the studied vegetable crop. What types of tomatoes are better for planting is decided by the grower himself. All of them differ in size and shades of fruit, stem height, taste, ability to withstand bad weather or disease.
Which tomato varieties are suitable for open beds? When breeding, take into account the height of the bush. There are determinant (varieties with limited growth) and indeterminate (growth and development continues throughout the growing season) tomatoes.
Stems of undersized (determinant) species rarely reach 110 cm high. Most often, their height is 60-70 cm. They do not require the removal of lateral branches, they do not need to be tied up.Usually such varieties have a short ripening period, so the plant rarely catches the spread of diseases.
Planting tall tomatoes (indeterminate) can impress with their growth, which sometimes exceeds the 2 meter mark. The plant requires the formation of two or three stems, it is imperative to tie them up, do not forget to remove lateral shoots in time.
Growing tall tomatoes begins in May. When to sow tomatoes for seedlings? It is better to start sowing large tomatoes two months before transplanting the grown seedlings, the time falls around the end of February. Seed planting dates may shift to early March.
Which tomatoes are best planted outdoors can also determine the ripening limits. Mature varieties can be enjoyed after 90 days (early ripening varieties), 110 days (mid-ripening varieties) or 120 days (late ripening varieties). The most popular tomatoes for open ground.
Ground tomatoes Riddle characterized by early ripening of fruits. The trunk is strong. Bushes grow up to 45 cm in height. The variety is resistant to diseases and a shaded planting site.
Among low-growing tomatoes, the Sanka variety is popular. The fruits ripen early. The height of the bush is only 50 cm. It is characterized by high productivity, resistance to diseases and cold.
Grushovka has medium ripening borders. It stretches up to 45 cm. The weight of the fruit can reach 200 g, so you need to tie up the stem.
The highest yield can be enjoyed by varieties with the formation of large fruits. Their weight can reach 700 g. Among large-fruited tomatoes, such good tomatoes as Oxheart, Grandee, Orange King, Honey Spas, Buyan, De Barao are widely known.
Home seedlings
There are two options for planting tomatoes outdoors. Planting in a permanent place can be done with seedlings or seeds. But it is best to plant tomatoes in open ground with seedlings. At home, seedlings are grown and, with the onset of heat, they are transplanted to open beds.
Growing seedlings begins with the correct selection of seeds. Only large and dense seeds are chosen. Planting a tomato is not complete without preliminary seed treatment. A large number of fungi and bacteria live on the shell of the grains, therefore it is recommended to lower them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes.
After disinfection, tomato seeds for seedlings are soaked in nutrient solutions. You can use sodium humate, Epin or natural aloe juice. These solutions stimulate plant development.
It is better to plant tomatoes in the ground when the seeds have passed the hardening stage. The seeds are alternately placed in a warm, then in a cold place. Due to this, the planted plants will develop tolerance to temperature fluctuations.
Many experienced growers begin to germinate tomato grains before planting seedlings. The seeds are spread on a wet cloth, then covered with another layer of cloth and left until the first shoots hatch.
You can grow seedlings in a wooden or plastic box. In a prepared container with soil, holes are made at a distance of 2.5 cm. The sown seeds are covered with foil until most of the seedlings appear.
When to plant tomatoes in seedling soil? It is better to start sowing tomatoes in early March, but this is if the cottage is equipped with a structure with a film. When to sow tomatoes if you are not supposed to set up a shelter? It is better to sow seeds in the last days of March.
Transplanting bushes
When to plant tomato seedlings in open ground depends on the selected species and climate. Often tomato planting and care in the open field starts in May, on the 20th. If the soil has not warmed up enough, then it can be transferred to the beginning of June.Planting tomato seedlings in open ground should take place when the weather is cloudy, without bright sunlight. If there is no such day according to the forecast, then it is better to wait for the evening.
How to properly plant tomatoes in open ground? It is recommended to plant low types of tomatoes with an interval of 37 cm.When planting medium-sized and tall tomatoes, an interval of about 42 cm should be observed.The depth of the hole should be 12 cm.
Planting a tomato in the ground can be a square-nested version. Depressions are made in the form of a square, the sides of which are approximately 65 cm long. 2-3 seedlings are planted in one hole. If the planting of tomato seedlings in open ground will take place in a similar way, then in the future it will be convenient to loosen the aisles. And the vegetable will receive nutrition and light in full.
How to plant tomatoes in open ground? To facilitate the process of removing seedlings from a box or cups, as well as preserve the roots, you need to thoroughly moisten the seedling soil. Planting a tomato outdoors often consists of the following steps:
- planting tomato seedlings in open ground is accompanied by the introduction of any mineral fertilizers mixed with humus into each depression;
- to plant a vegetable in the ground with seedlings, you need to turn the glass with the seedling upside down and gently pull the stem;
- it is necessary to plant tomato seedlings in the hole together with an earthen clod, which is sprinkled with compost;
- only roots and an earthen lump are sprinkled with earth, the stem remains open, you can remove a few lower leaves;
- after covering the compost with a layer of earth, the space around the bush becomes slightly compacted.
Growing tomatoes and care in the open field for the initial 10-14 days involves protection from the hot sun and frost. During this time, the planted bushes adapt to new conditions and take root, they are vulnerable to adverse factors. But it is impossible to determine exactly when it is better to plant seedlings, therefore, shading is required on hot days, and on cold nights, cover the sprouts with foil.
How to grow a good tomato crop, you need to know the rules of watering. After 7-10 days, you can water the beds for the first time. In the future, you need to water it regularly, but not overdo it. If there is a lot of moisture, then the risk of developing a fungal infection, apical and root rot will increase.
When watering, avoid droplets of water on the leaves and flowers. It is necessary to water only with settled water in the morning or evening hours.
Tomatoes should be grown in open ground with three additional dressings for the entire growing season. The tomato is especially acute in need of trace elements during flowering and fruiting. If large-fruited varieties are grown, then a larger number of fertilizers are required.
You can use ready-made universal feeding or prepare it yourself. The main components are bird droppings, mullein, wood ash, herbal infusions from nettle or dandelion. Non-standard ingredients can be used, for example, potato tops, banana peels, eggshells, and whey.
Observing the scheme of planting tomatoes in open ground, you can avoid many mistakes, make grooming easy and take off a large harvest.
Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants. The secrets of growing tomatoes are that sometimes you may need outside help in this matter. To lure pollinating insects, you can water the bushes with a special sweet solution, which is made from sugar, water or jam. You can plant sweet-smelling plants, such as basil, mustard, between the vegetables.
On the part of the agronomist, help may consist in shaking the stem a little twice a day during the period of flower formation.
Seedless way
How to grow tomatoes in the open field if seeds are planted right away? If it was chosen to plant tomatoes in open ground with seeds, you need to choose those that could take root in natural conditions. Early-ripening varieties are better suited for planting tomatoes in open ground with seeds. Tomato varieties for open ground, time-tested by agronomists, take root well with seeds.
- Volgograd tomatoes boast good disease resistance and resistance to temperature fluctuations. The fruits begin to ripen at the same time. The average weight of tomatoes is 110 g.
- It is better to plant Iceberg seeds in open ground. It continues to develop even in cool weather. The stem is strong and small, only 60 cm.Sweet tomatoes can weigh 200 g.
- Beta Lux is an early maturing, high yielding species. The height of the bush is about 47 cm. Fruits ripen on clusters of 5 pieces, weighing about 50 g. The plant is resistant to cold weather and major diseases.
- From seeds in the open field, the Dubok variety gives a good result. It will allow harvesting within 85 days after sowing the seeds. The height of the stem is about 50 cm. It is resistant to many diseases, unpretentious to the composition of the soil, and tolerates cold. The fruits begin to ripen together and weigh about 70 g.
When to plant tomatoes in open ground, if you plan to grow without seedlings? Sowing seeds in the prepared soil begins when the earth warms up, this is approximately mid-April. Make wide beds and add humus. Arcs are installed along the beds, on which then it will be necessary to stretch the film in case of frost.
When planting tomato seeds in open ground, leave sufficient space between the rows. It should be 48 cm. The tomato planting scheme involves digging shallow pits (about 5 cm) in the furrows, resembling a checkerboard arrangement. It is recommended to leave an interval of 28 cm between the grooves.
How to plant tomatoes correctly? 3 or 4 seeds are sown in each hole.
How to properly plant tomatoes has its own secrets. Some experienced vegetable growers soak part of the prepared tomato seeds in a nutrient medium. The other part of the seeds must remain dry. Wet seeds germinate better, but on condition that it is warm outside. If there are frosts, then they may die, then dry seeds come to the rescue, which are less sensitive to low temperatures.
There is one more important point on how to plant tomatoes correctly. As soon as the first leaves of the emerging sprouts unfold, thinning is carried out. Only mature plants should be left at a distance of 9 cm. The second thinning is done when the fifth leaf unfolds. The distance should now be increased to 14.5 cm.
Young sprouts need less watering than tomato seedlings in the room. The root system itself develops to provide itself with nutrition and moisture. Watering is necessary only in long, hot weather.
Numerous reviews of experienced vegetable growers indicate that even when planting tomatoes with seeds, you can collect a rich and tasty harvest: “We have been sowing for several years directly on garden beds. There is no need to spend energy on growing seedlings, all parts of the sprout are well illuminated, the root system goes deep and to the sides, there is no need to dive and stress the plant. "
Following actions
Outdoor tomato care begins from the moment of planting until the very last harvest. When planting tomatoes in open ground, the answer is not straightforward. In any case, it is recommended to install arches with a film near the beds, which will protect against strong wind and frost. There are a few important things to consider when caring for tomatoes outdoors.
The peculiarities of growing tomatoes in the open field include the procedure of loosening, pinching, tying, hilling.
In the course of growing tomatoes in the open field, so that the bush has a healthy and strong stem, and the leaves are rich green, hilling is necessary. Thanks to the procedure, the roots are also strengthened.
It is recommended to care for tomatoes in open ground with the mulching procedure - covering the soil with an additional layer. Straw, peat, chopped meadow grass, sawdust are suitable as mulch for tomatoes in the open field. The layer should be no thinner than 8 cm.
Tomato growing secrets include mulching. Thanks to the procedure, moisture evaporates at a slower rate, retains heat, does not disturb weeds, and reduces the spread of infections and pests.
After planting tomatoes in open ground, so that a dry crust does not appear, you need to loosen the ground between the rows. The best period for loosening is considered to be after rain and after watering. Thanks to the procedure, beneficial trace elements and oxygen are distributed faster throughout the plant.
You need to take care of tomatoes with the help of one more procedure. So that the plant does not grow, but gives all its strength to the formation of fruits, it is necessary to carry out pinching. Lateral branches are removed only in tall varieties of tomatoes.
How to plant high varieties so that the stem does not break, and the plant actively develops? Planting tall varieties requires a tying procedure. But sometimes even undersized ones may need support. Due to the large number of fruits, the stem may break. Trellis and nets are used as support. The procedure allows not only keeping the stem intact, but also provides free access of air and light to all parts of the plant.
Pegs are installed near each tomato bush, to which you need to tie a stem. Tying begins from the moment 4-5 leaves on the stem unfold.
Planting tomatoes in open ground is not difficult even for beginners in vegetable growing. The main thing is to follow the instructions, follow all the rules and step-by-step work related to soil, seedlings and care.
