To get an early harvest, gardeners around the world use greenhouses. We plant cucumbers and tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, as well as other heat-loving vegetables in the greenhouse. But to get a rich harvest, it is important to choose the right varieties, as well as properly care for the plants. New hybrids appear every year, and it is quite difficult for novice gardeners to figure it out. What varieties of tomatoes are best planted in a greenhouse and how to properly care for them - in the article.
How to choose varieties of tomatoes for a greenhouse?
Harvesting until late autumn is only possible in a greenhouse. Neither ordinary summer residents nor novice vegetable growers can do without it. And if earlier it was possible to sort out varieties of tomatoes without much difficulty, since there were not too many of them, today this number is already more than a thousand, and it is quite difficult to choose the right ones from them.
The quality and quantity of the harvest largely depends oncompliance with growing technologies, from a properly selected variety, from weather conditions characteristic of the area. And if the weather conditions cannot be changed, but can be slightly adjusted with heated greenhouses, then everything else must be taken with all due care.
It is also important to choose the right planting material, and you need to be based not only on the external attractiveness of the seed package, but also on other factors. Planting material must be selected according to the following characteristics:
- climatic zone;
- yield;
- frost resistance;
- disease resistance;
- taste.
When choosing seeds, you need to determine in advance the purpose of the fruit - for long-term storage, for harvesting for the winter or for fresh consumption after harvest.
Planting greenhouse tomatoes
When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, you need to take into account their ability to grow strongly. Therefore, it is important to plant seedlings correctly, and not let them grow arbitrarily.
When to plant tomato seedlings in a greenhouse? Seedlings are planted in a greenhouse, as a rule, in the first decade of May. The air at this time is not yet warmed up too well, so the bushes need to be additionally covered at night. In early June, such additional shelters can already be removed.
It is very important to ventilate the greenhouse daily, as stuffiness and high humidity are detrimental to seedlings. Seedling beds are made along the greenhouse.
How to plant tomatoes correctlyin this case? The beds in the greenhouse should be at least 80 cm wide. The soil should be prepared 3 days before planting - dig up and shed with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. The distance between the tomatoes should be approximately 60 cm to make it easier to care for them.
Specific care of greenhouse tomatoes
To everyone who wonders if it is possible to plant tomatoes in a greenhouse, you can safely answer - yes! But to get a high yield of tomatoes, you need to work hard and take care of them responsibly. Proper care consists of three main steps: competent watering, pollination and regular airing.
You need to water the seedlings planted in the greenhouse already on the 12th day. Watering should be clearly normalized, as tomatoes do not like waterlogging of the soil. Before flowering per 1 sq. m takes about 4 liters of water, and when the fruits are already formed, 12 liters. The water should be warm enough - about 22 degrees. It is enough to water adult tomato bushes once a week.
It is impossible to increase the humidity in the greenhouse, as this prevents pollination. In general, greenhouse tomato varieties are pollinated naturally, but mechanical pollination, i.e. shaking the inflorescences, must also be carried out additionally. This procedure is carried out during the day in sunny weather. After pollination, the flowers must be sprayed and the greenhouse ventilated.
For greenhouse tomatoes, ventilation is very important, so greenhouses must be with vents. A comfortable temperature for tomatoes during the day is considered to be a temperature of 22 degrees, andat night - 20 degrees.
These simple rules will help you get a high yield. And now we will consider which tomatoes are best planted in a greenhouse.
Determinant and indeterminate tomato varieties for greenhouses
Many novice gardeners are frightened by unfamiliar inscriptions on packages with seeds - a determinant or indeterminate variety. Let's try to understand them and find out which tomatoes can be planted in a greenhouse.
Determinant varieties are characterized by small growth, that is, they grow for a short period of time, then the stem stops developing and growing. As a rule, the height of such tomatoes reaches 35-70 cm. An inflorescence is located at the top of the crown. Usually these varieties are early ripening and are often grown outdoors, but these tomatoes are also suitable for greenhouses.
Indeterminate varieties do not stop in development, but grow constantly, delighting the gardener with new inflorescences and additional stems. Plant growth can be stopped by pinching. The fruits of these varieties are usually large and juicy.
As a rule, it is indeterminate large-fruited tomatoes that are grown in greenhouses, since they can be used to harvest a good harvest - up to 15 kg of tomatoes per square meter. m.
Which tomatoes are best planted in a greenhouse from indeterminate large-fruited varieties? Here are some options:
- Mazarin. In industrial greenhouses, such tomatoes reach a height of two meters. Fruits of a beautiful crimson color and an interesting shape - hearts. Tomatoes are very large - an average of 600grams. Suitable for making salads.
- Bear paw. The variety is medium early. Distinguished by beautiful red fruits, round in shape and slightly flat. Tomatoes are also very large, weighing up to 800 g. Such crops need to be tied up and stepsoned in a timely manner.
- Goose egg. Relatively new variety. The fruits are rich red, the shape of the fruit is oval. It is considered a medium-large variety in size, the weight of the fruit is approximately 300 grams.
- King of Giants. The average height of the bush is 1.2 meters. Productivity - 8 kg from one bush. Well stored and transported.
Hybrid varieties of greenhouse tomatoes
If the question arises of which large tomatoes are best planted in a greenhouse, then the answer arises by itself: these are hybrids.
Hybrids require less maintenance than regular tall, large-fruited varieties. They are distinguished by a high yield even with sharp temperature fluctuations and insufficient light. Varieties with early and medium early ripening have a high immunity to diseases.
Here are some popular hybrid varieties:
- Ural F1. It is grown in film and glass greenhouses. A bush with round beautiful fruits, the weight of one tomato is up to 400 grams. The yield of a bush is about 8 kg. It is necessary to tie up and stepson in a timely manner.
- Cavalcade F1. Tomatoes with early ripening, unpretentious, with large and tasty fruits.
- Volgograd F1. This variety has a very high yield - about 35 kg per 1 sq. m and good preservation of fruits. In terms of maturation, it is consideredaverage.
- Russian size F1 and Siberian F1. Varieties-supergiants. The average fruit weight is 500 grams. They have a wonderful aroma and taste.
Tall or short varieties?
As we have already found out above, as a rule, tall varieties (mostly indeterminate) are grown in greenhouses. These are tall liana-like bushes that give a big harvest. Such varieties require high greenhouses and careful care, only in this case the harvest will be plentiful.
Tall tomatoes are characterized by larger fruits and tall shoots that require a mandatory garter. It is good to grow them in combination with medium-sized ones. Such cultivation gives a continuous harvest.
Short varieties are suitable for low film shelters. As a rule, they are grown in the north of the country. The fruits of these varieties are medium and small.
Varieties of tall and short growing tomatoes
Which tomatoes are best planted in a greenhouse from tall varieties:
- Athos F1 - flat-round fruit, weight about 150 grams, good for canning.
- Samara F1 - has perfectly even and smooth fruits, weighing about 100 grams. Differs in sweet taste and ability to keep palatability.
- Mandarin - fruits with a bright orange color, weighing approximately 100 grams. This variety has a high yield.
- Yellow cherry - fruits are bright yellow, small. They have a very sweet taste.
From undersized varieties:
- Biathlon F1 - bright red fruits, weight 90gram. The variety has a high yield.
- Alaska. The fruits of this variety are tied in any conditions, their weight is about 90 grams, salads are mainly prepared from them.
- Boni is a rather unpretentious and super-early variety. Fruits of bright red color, weighing 80 grams. Due to precocity, it is almost not exposed to diseases.
- Peach. The fruits are yellow-orange in color, have a light pile. Fruit weight - about 100 grams.
Of course, such ranking of varieties is conditional. Regardless of the height of the tomato, they can be different in terms of ripening, in terms of fruit size.
Large-fruited, medium-fruited and small-fruited varieties of tomatoes
Which tomatoes are best planted in a greenhouse from large-fruited varieties:
- Abakan pink - fruits are beautiful, sugar, pink, weighing about 300 grams. Among the advantages of the variety, early ripeness and high yield can be noted.
- Bull's heart is a very famous variety with large fruits (fruit weight reaches 700 grams), fleshy, pink-red color.
- Two-color - fruits of yellow-red color, weighing up to 500 grams. High sugar content, sweet taste.
- King orange - fruits are sweet, bright orange, weighing about 800 grams.
From medium varieties:
- Watercolor - early ripe plum-shaped tomatoes, weighing up to 120 grams.
- Golden Queen - yellow fruits, plum-shaped, weighing up to 100 grams.
- Yellow Buyan - yellow fruits, egg-shaped, grownfor salads and canning.
From small-fruited varieties:
- Butterfly - fruits of raspberry-pink color, egg-shaped. Variety universal.
- Cherry Blossem - fruits are very sweet, weighing up to 20 grams. They do not crack and practically do not get sick.
Greenhouse tomato yield
Yield is the main criterion, which is a priority for most gardeners. The average yield per 1 sq. m of greenhouse tomatoes is from 9 to 13 kg. When planting hybrid varieties or with special care for tomatoes, the yield can increase up to 20 kg.
F1 hybrids are the most productive in greenhouses. They are undemanding to care for, easily tolerate temperature fluctuations, resistant to most diseases, give an excellent harvest.
New varieties of greenhouse tomatoes that have appeared in recent years are distinguished not only by their rapid ripening, but also by large fruits with excellent taste characteristics.
Varieties for unsuitable climates
Is it possible to plant tomatoes in the greenhouse in unsuitable climatic zones, and what can come of it? This question interests many beginner gardeners.
The Urals is considered a zone of risky farming. Its climate is considered not quite suitable for growing tomatoes in the open field. The frost-free period in the Urals is only 70-90 days. But you can still get a high yield of tomatoes in greenhouses here; for this, breeders have developed specialvarieties.
If you properly care for seedlings and adult bushes, you can get about 15 kg of tomatoes from 1 square. m. At the same time, varieties must be chosen that are able to tolerate frequent summer frosts.
The most suitable varieties for risky farming zone:
- Moldavian early - the variety has a high yield and good resistance to diseases. The fruits ripen quickly, are themselves round, fleshy and very tasty.
- Of the large-fruited varieties, Giant and Kyiv can be noted. Their fruits are large, yellow, very sweet. The bushes themselves are powerful, have a thick stem.
Tricky "tomato" tips
- To get large tomatoes from a determinate variety, you need to cut a few unripe tomatoes from each brush. The remaining fruits will grow larger.
- It is better to grow different varieties of tomatoes in one greenhouse. This, as a rule, guarantees yield, and in general will please the owner with variety.
- If there is not as much color on the tomato brushes as we would like, you need to cut off the lower ovaries. Perhaps the bush is hard, and freed, it will give twice as much harvest.
- To make tomato bushes bear fruit better, you can put several buckets of manure or fermenting grass in the greenhouse. As a result, the concentration of CO2 in the air increases2, and the growth of tomatoes is more intense.
As a conclusion, we can say that today there are a lot of greenhouse varieties of tomatoes, and every year a gardener can experiment with them. This articlecreated to help beginners figure out what varieties of tomatoes to plant in a greenhouse and easily get a good harvest.
