To get a tomato harvest, it is important to take care of the plants not only during the seedling period. Proper movement of plants into greenhouse conditions or into open ground will increase the abundance of the harvest. Getting your tomatoes to bear fruit is easy with the following helpful tips.
Disembarkation dates
In central Russia, seedlings are transferred to a polycarbonate greenhouse from May 1 to May 15. The period from May 20 to the end of the month is suitable for film shelters. The period for open ground will be from June 10 to June 20.
You also need to pay attention to weather conditions. Sudden frosts will destroy the seedlings.
Planting dates are also taken into account depending on the variety grown:
- Early ripening varieties - 40–50 days.
- Mid-season - 55.
- Late ripening - 70.
Seedling
For planting, seedlings with strong shoots and a strong root system are selected.
The height of the plant should be 25–40 cm, measured from the ground part to the top. A good plant is characterized by the presence of 8–10 true leaves.
It is better to transfer seedlings into the ground in cloudy weather and in the evening.
IMPORTANT! Do not use self-prepared hybrid seeds to grow tomatoes. They will not produce a good harvest.
Choosing a landing site
Varieties bred for cultivation in a greenhouse should not be planted outside in open ground.Temperature changes, poor pollination and high humidity will not give the desired fruiting result. And, conversely, greenhouse conditions are not suitable for open ground varieties. The area where tomatoes grow should be sunny.
Soil preparation
Dig up the soil onto the bayonet of the shovel. Carefully remove all weeds. The soil can be mixed with peat and compost. There is no need to add fresh manure to the soil before planting. The bush will become powerful with abundant foliage. And there will be practically no fruiting. The soil should be heated to a depth sufficient for roots to reach 12–15 ºС. You can measure the temperature using a regular thermometer placed in the ground. A lower figure will not create conditions for plant survival. And a soil temperature of 2 ºС will lead to the death of tomatoes.
Correct planting technology
There is an opinion that seedlings with inflorescences will give an early harvest. This is not true. When moving an overripe plant into the ground, it is worth removing the inflorescences and growing the root system. The plant is placed in the soil to the required depth so that the beginning of root growth is covered with soil. You can add a complex fertilizer for tomatoes to the hole before planting and watering.
Watering
Watering should be plentiful right before planting. If you do this one or two days too early, the stem will become brittle and brittle. Pour plenty of water into the hole and place the seedlings along with a clod of soil in the mud, so the plant will take root better. Do not spill the soil from above after planting to prevent a crust from forming. The plant is left without watering for several days.Planted tomato seedlings do not need daily moisture.
It is optimal to water the tomatoes once a week, but generously. You should also avoid getting water on the foliage to avoid the development of late blight due to high humidity.
Timely prevention
Tomatoes are easily susceptible to various diseases. There is no need to wait for this to happen. It is necessary to protect plants in advance from possible diseases and pests. The first such preventive measures are carried out after disembarkation.
IMPORTANT! Darkening of the leaves between the veins indicates a lack of magnesium. Foliar feeding of 0.5% magnesium sulfate will help the plant.
Don’t be upset if your first experience growing tomatoes was unsuccessful. It is necessary to take into account your mistakes next season, and then the tomatoes will delight you with good fruiting.
