One of the varieties of vegetables, containing a huge amount of nutrients - tomatoes. Before you start growing tomatoes outdoors, it is important to learn agronomic rules. If you follow all the recommendations, then a real, albeit very small, plantation with bright, ripe, and most importantly, he althy and tasty tomatoes will unfold in the garden.
Which variety to choose for open ground?
The first question that arises for a novice gardener is what good and stable variety of tomatoes for open ground to choose for planting. After all, if you choose the wrong seeds, then all the work will eventually turn out to be empty, and the crops will not bear fruit. Therefore, when choosing seeds, factors such as climatic conditions, site location, soil quality must be taken into account. Also, depending on the choice, you need to decidewhether the bushes need a garter. Consider further the best varieties and growing tomatoes in the open field.
Division of varieties
All tomatoes are divided into three main varieties - indeterminate, determinate and superdeterminate.
The growth of indeterminate tomatoes falls on the summer-autumn period. In the warm season of the city, they begin to bloom, and closer to autumn, fruits begin to set. They are not limited in growth and may well reach about 2 meters in height. In the southern part of the country, indeterminate varieties are common, but in the North they cause a lot of trouble, as they do not have time to ripen.
Superdeterminant culture requires a minimum amount of maintenance. This species includes low-growing varieties of tomatoes for open ground. They have about 3 inflorescences.
The determinant variety differs from its "brother" in a much lower height - from 40 to 80 cm. This crop is suitable for any climatic conditions. At low temperatures, you can safely grow them in a greenhouse. The fruits appear on the bushes very early and ripen quickly. True, they are quite small. But there are also late varieties, then a variety of shapes and colors of fruits opens up before the gardener - elongated, round, yellow, pink and even close to black.
Planting tomatoes in open ground has some features, without knowing which it is difficult to get a good harvest. First of all, you need to choose the right variety of this crop. After all, each one is different.certain characteristics.
The best varieties of tomatoes for open ground
Today there are many good varieties of tomatoes.
Here is a list of the most productive outdoor tomatoes by maturity:
- With early fruits: Northern Miracle, Podmoskovny and Novelty of Transnistria. They belong to the determinant species.
- Mid-ripening: Bull's Heart, Monomakh's Hat, Appetizing and Pioneer. They are also determinant varieties.
- The best varieties of tomatoes for open ground late ripening: De Barao, Andreevsky surprise. These are indeterminate cultures.
The best large-fruited tomatoes for Siberia for open ground - Pride of Siberia, Eagle's beak, Favorite holiday, Pink honey, Siberian troika.
All large-fruited varieties have great taste and huge size.
It is worth noting that when choosing hybrid varieties of tomatoes, you will have to constantly care for the crops, as they are very demanding. But the quality of the fruit is many times different from the usual. They have a taste advantage and reach large sizes.
There is also a division according to varietal characteristics:
- Non-standard tomatoes. This is the most common type. It has a thin stem and increased branching. Can't hold on without support.
- Standard tomatoes have a dense stem and small growth. The root system of this species is small. Such varieties are resistant to poor lighting. Most often referred to as earlyoutdoor tomatoes.
- Potato tomatoes. Got this name because of the sheet form.
To determine the variety, it is necessary to focus on the growing area. Since if you give preference to an unregional culture, then the best properties are lost due to climatic conditions.
Using seedlings for planting tomatoes
This method is a priority for the northern regions and allows you to get a crop in a short time. Consider further how to plant tomatoes in open ground.
The process of growing from seeds
To plant tomato seeds for open ground, you will need plastic containers in which special soil is placed. They should have a diameter of about 10 centimeters. Here you can use both purchased seedling pots and ordinary plastic glasses.
Procedure:
- In warm water it is necessary to stir vegetable fertilizer, with a ratio of 1 tbsp. l. to 10 liters of water. The resulting mixture needs to be watered into the soil.
- A pair of holes for seeds is made in the center of the container filled with soil.
- One seed is placed in each hole.
- After that, it remains only to sprinkle the holes.
February is suitable for the start of planting seedlings in the southern regions, and the whole of March is suitable for this in the middle lane.
What to do after germination?
Glasses or slides with crops for greater convenience are usually placed inboxes that are before germination in a warm room, the temperature in which should not be below 22 ° C. Approximately about a week takes the appearance of the first shoots. After that, you can rearrange the boxes to a brighter place, for example, on a windowsill. But, in any case, not from the northern part. What to do if two seeds sprouted in a pot at once? In this case, priority is always given to a larger and even sprout. The second one is simply removed. So that the growth of seedlings does not stop at the initial stage, it is necessary to maintain the temperature no higher than 16 ° C. And at night, the average can fluctuate around 14 ° C. A temperature of about 20 ° C is quite suitable for the formation of leaves.
Seedling care
Tomato seedlings for open ground should be watered regularly, and also fed with vegetable fertilizers three times in a 50-60 day period. For the first feeding, it is necessary to use a whole complex, for example, nitrophoska. The second top dressing is already carried out with a mixture consisting of mineral fertilizer and organic. And for the third time, you will need superphosphate, or rather, its solution, the proportion is 2 tbsp. spoons to 10 liters of water. A week after all the events, you can start transplanting tomatoes in open ground.
Lower temperatures can ruin the entire crop. At a minimum, the culture will stop growing in height and will be in a sluggish state. To avoid this, it is necessary to harden the sprouts even before landing on an open surface. The hardening period most often occurs in April. This is done quite simply - a box with pots is transferred to the balcony or a window simply opens. The main thing is to keep track of the time and not let the seedlings stay in the cold air for too long, while the temperature should remain at least 120C. Thanks to this, plants gradually get used to bright direct light and outdoor climate. The soil in pots should always be in an average condition - not dry, but not too wet.
Selection and purchase of ready-made seedlings
If there is no time and money for self-growing seedlings, then the best option is to buy ready-made seedlings. But there are pros and cons here. So, for example, one cannot be responsible for quality. There is never an exact certainty that the purchased crop will give a good harvest. It's like playing the lottery. But growing a large number of seedlings at home is very inconvenient, so in some cases, choosing ready-made seedlings will be the right decision.
There are a number of rules, focusing on which, there is a greater chance of stumbling upon fruit seedlings:
- It is better not to go to private traders in the market for a purchase. These people also grew the seeds at home, so the fruits are likely to be small and not as bright and juicy. And there is also a great risk of stumbling upon an infected crop.
- Seedlings are recommended to be purchased already in special containers with soil. The height of one sprout should not be more than 30 cm, but not less than 25. If you choose already flowering sprouts, then the fruits will be premature. The stems of he althy seedlings should be as dark as possible andthicker and the roots intact.
- Also be sure to inspect the culture for diseases. Shoots, deformation of leaves and their spotted appearance will speak of low he alth. Once planted, even pesticides are unable to cope with the infection.
How to prepare the ground for landing?
Planting tomatoes in open ground is carried out as follows. First of all, it is necessary to determine the place to which the transplant will be carried out. It must be a well-lit area. It is desirable that it is not blown through - the wind adversely affects the growth of culture. Advice from experienced gardeners: the soil on which eggplants or potatoes were previously grown is not suitable for a tomato. The place is much better perceived after legumes.
Required for site preparation:
- Dig up the soil.
- Align it, for example, with a rake.
- The land can be fertilized with peat, humus or wood ash.
- During planting, for a good harvest, it is recommended to add a small amount of humus to each hole.
Disembarkation
As for the period that is ideal for transplanting, this is the second half of May. The main thing is that daily frosts recede. It is advisable to land on a cloudy day or move everything to the evening.
The plant should be placed vertically in the hole. If the seedlings are tall, then it is better to plant at a slight angle. The peat pot is completely placed in the hole and filled up. The earth for tamping can be lightly pressed with the palm of your hand. Leftjust water and add humus to the soil.
Outdoor care
Roots take about 7-10 days to take root in new soil. If frost still cannot be avoided, a film is required. You can even make a shelter from improvised materials - cut off plastic containers. The main stages of caring for tomatoes in the open field: watering, fertilizing, loosening and removing weeds.
Water for irrigation must be defended, and watering tomatoes during the heat every three days. If the weather is cloudy or it started to rain, then the interval between waterings increases. It is recommended to do this in the evening, in order to avoid the appearance of a crust on the soil. And if possible, then early in the morning. Early morning is considered the best time to water. Then fungal diseases of the culture will not be terrible.
It is necessary to feed the seedlings starting from the twentieth day after planting. Liquid fertilizers and granules are perfect for this. The next top dressing is carried out only after the appearance of flowers on the bushes. The composition is the same as for the first time.
Why is hilling necessary?
When the tomato growth process has already begun, it is necessary to actively support it. First of all, you should do the hilling of the beds. This increases and strengthens the root system of the bush, which affects the quality and size of the fruit. Water stays in the ground longer and is saturated with more minerals. In especially hot periods, hilling is indispensable.
Garter
Consider how to tie up tomatoes in the open field. The need for this procedure directly depends on the variety of tomato. In order for the fruit to grow well and develop properly, the bush must be in an upright position. And there will be much less damage. The amount of light that hits the plant also increases significantly. Before tying tomatoes in the open field, you need to prepare special trellises or any available materials in the form of a support. For the garter, twine or synthetic thick threads are used. Pegs are taken wooden or metal.
Some undersized varieties of outdoor tomatoes need not just a support, but a net.
Irrigation
Growing tomatoes in open ground requires mandatory timely watering. This should be done carefully: with a powerful jet, you can knock down the bushes. The flow of water must be directed between the rows. It is necessary to ensure that the soil does not erode, and the roots remain closed. The fruits and leaves must remain dry. Watering is recommended in the morning.
Additional pollination
Tomato belongs to the culture of self-pollination, and it is so plentiful that there is enough pollen for neighboring plants. To help with this, you can attract more insects - bees and bumblebees. This is done very simply - fragrant crops are planted between the rows in the garden - basil, mustard, etc. By the way, this also positively affects the taste of the fruits themselves. In doing so, they will attract a large number of insects for pollination.
But still, sometimes due to external conditions, problems with self-pollination may appear. What factors affect this:
- The temperature dropped sharply at night (less than 14 °C). The boot will immediately deform.
- The temperature jumped sharply during the day (from 30 °С). Then the flowers will just fall off.
- Some varieties have a very peculiar pistil, which completely eliminates the function of self-pollination in the culture.
If such difficulties arise, it is quite possible to cope with it without insects. The buds with the pestle are tilted down and shaken. It is recommended to do this in the time interval from 10 am to two o'clock in the afternoon. The air must not be humid. Repeat this procedure after 4 days. After artificial pollination, the plants are watered, and the flowers also need to be wetted.
Main problems in growing tomatoes
Growing a crop like the tomato outdoors can be difficult.
- Low temperatures. Tomato is a thermophilic culture, so low temperatures and frosts are disastrous for it. Therefore, be sure to monitor the temperature of the external environment and do not forget to cover the plants.
- Lack or excess of water. Even a novice gardener knows that if you do not water the planting, then there will be no fruit. The first sign of a lack of moisture is yellow and dry leaves. But with heavy rains or frequent watering, the roots begin to rot and the fruits crack.
- Overfeeding. If you overdo it with fertilizers, then the fruits will not form well.
- The scorching sun is one of the enemies of tomatoes. The plant burns very quickly from direct scorching sunlight. Damage looks like patches of white.
Pests and diseases
Even if the growth of the crop is successful, when growing tomatoes in the open field, unforeseen problems can appear - pests. Tomato diseases fall into three categories:
- Fungal. To overcome this infection, it is necessary to resort to the help of Bordeaux mixture. Fungicides are also great for this. They can be applied a couple of times per season.
- Bacterial infection is fought with the help of "Fitosporin" and "Baktofit" solutions. For humans, they practically do not pose a threat, so infected plants can be sprayed until the fruit ripens.
- Viral. The fight against them is carried out with the same solution as in the second case. But in order to avoid such problems altogether, experienced gardeners prefer hybrids. And potassium permanganate will allow disinfecting plants even at the seed level.
In addition to diseases, pests such as the bear, the Colorado potato beetle and other insects prey on tomatoes. Every season they encroach on the he alth of the fruit. You need to deal with them in general ways that apply to all nightshade crops.
Collection and storage
Culture rewards the gardener with a harvest from July to September. At this time, the tomatoes have already reached their maturity and are completely ready for consumption or preservation. If low temperatures descended on the region during ripening, thenit is recommended to separate all green fruits and place them in a warm, dry place until fully ripe. The more light a tomato gets, the faster it will ripen.
Flat boxes are suitable for storage, in which the fruits fit in two layers. The stalks are immediately removed, but this must be done very carefully so as not to damage the pulp. Next to green and unripe tomatoes, several ripe ones are always placed. This helps speed up the process. Storage should take place in a cool place, but in no case in the refrigerator.
