How to grow tomatoes outdoors in the south?

Hello dear friends!

We continue the tomato theme. After reading the previous article, I hope you learned something new about tomatoes, about the variety of varieties of this wonderful plant, about how to prepare tomato seeds and the timing of their planting, about caring for seedlings.

In this article, we will discuss how to grow an excellent tomato harvest in our summer cottages, provided that the plants are planted in open ground.

So, the topic of our today's article is - growing tomatoes in the open field.

Soil preparation for tomato princes

For a rich harvest, we need, first of all, to find a good place for our pets. Tomato plants love indirect sun and will thrive in sunny but sheltered areas.

• The best predecessors of tomatoes are carrots, cucumbers and onions. And if you plant your pets next to strawberries, both cultures will benefit from this. The yield of tomatoes and fragrant berries will increase several times, and the fruits will become larger.

But the places where potatoes, eggplants and peppers grew should be avoided by tomatoes. Pathogens of various diseases can accumulate in these areas.

Our country is huge. And the quality of the soil is different in all regions (even in different fields). And tomato princes are very demanding and whimsical to the land. Therefore, we need to find out the quality of the soil in our garden.

◊ Check the acidity. A pH test can be purchased from any garden department. The lower the indicator, the higher the acidity. Neutral ground has a score of 7.0.

• Tomatoes need soil with an acidity of 6.0 to 7.0.

In the case of a lower indicator, we add lime to the soil (0.5-0.8 kg per square meter), if the level is higher, sulfur in the same amount.

◊ We estimate the amount of nutrients. Analysis for the presence of trace elements can be ordered and carried out in special laboratories. This is very useful information for gardeners.

It is necessary in order for the cultivation of tomatoes in the open field to take place without losses and to please with a rich harvest.

Nitrogen	Potassium	Phosphorus
Has an effect on the health of tomato leaves. With a lack of it, the tomato will have yellowed, sluggish leaves.	This substance gives tomatoes strength and health. It increases the immunity and resistance of plants to diseases. With a lack of potassium, tomatoes do not grow well and look stunted.	Helps strengthen the root system and regulates seed formation. With its lack, tomatoes give sick, unripe fruits.
If there is a nitrogen deficiency, add fishmeal, compost or inorganic substances such as calcium nitrate, ammonium sulfate or sodium nitrate to the soil.	To compensate for the lack of potassium, supplement the soil with sand, granite dust or wood ash (bucket per square meter).	Add superphosphates, compost, and bone meal to the soil to raise phosphorus levels.

♦ Compost - ideal for soil preparation. It also attracts many earthworms, which do an excellent job of loosening the soil and, in turn, attract and create favorable conditions for the parthenogenesis of beneficial bacteria.

Prepare the land for growing tomatoes in the open field you need to start in the autumn after thorough cleaning of all previous plant residues. We dig the area selected for plants to a depth of 30 cm.

• Autumn top dressing. To a depth of 20-25 cm, we apply organic (bird droppings, humus, peat or compost 5 kg per sq. M) or mineral fertilizers (potassium salt 20-25 g, superphosphate 40-50 g per sq. M.).
• Spring top dressing. To a depth of 15-20 cm, we introduce a mixture of 1 kg of poultry manure, 1.5 kg of wood ash and 20-25 g of ammonium sulfate per sq. m. Or mineral dressing (superphosphate 55 g, ammonium nitrate 20 g and potassium chloride 15 g per sq. m).

For a successful growing tomatoes the earth must be thoroughly dug up 2-3 times (preferably with a pitchfork) and harrowed. Tomato plants and humus will like it.

But it is better to refuse manure (tomatoes, having tasted manure fertilizers, begin to actively grow their tops, while the growth of fruits fades away).

• If the soil does not warm up enough, you can cover the area with black film or plastic. The black color perfectly attracts the light of the sun and absorbs it, warming up the soil underneath.

On the prepared site, 5-6 days before planting, we form ridges (width 100-120 cm, height 15-20 cm) in the north-south direction. This will help to achieve uniform illumination of the seedlings.

Maintain a distance between the ridges of about 70 cm (for all varieties).

Growing tomatoes in the open field

As soon as the spring frost comes to an end (usually it is the end of May - the beginning of June), we will plant young tomatoes in the open ground.

It is ideal to carry out this procedure on a cloudy, gloomy day. If it's sunny outside, wait for the evening.

Plant young shoots in two rows with a distance between them for classic planting:

• For low-growing boles and determinant species (row spacing 40-50 cm, between plants 30-35 cm).
• For medium-sized ones (row spacing 50-60 cm, between tomatoes 40-45 cm).

Square-nesting fit

This method will greatly facilitate the care of our tomatoes (it will become easier to loosen them), and the plants themselves will create the most favorable living conditions: it will improve the absorption of nutrients and increase the illumination. As a result, we will achieve a good harvest. We plant it according to the following scheme:

• Standard and determinant varieties: 70x70 cm, 2-3 plants for one nest.
• Early maturing species with a spreading bush: 70x70 cm, a couple of plants in one hole.
• Mid and late ripening: 70x70 cm, 1 bush in one nest. Or 90x90 cm (100x100 cm) - 2 plants each.

Ribbon-nest landing

This method of growing tomatoes in the open field makes it possible to place more bushes in one area.It becomes easier for them, crowded in one hole, to withstand bad weather conditions.

As it grows, weaker shoots thin out.

• With this method, irrigation furrows are cut every 140 cm. Plants are planted on both sides of the furrows (from a row of 60 cm, in the row itself after 70 cm, a couple of bushes in one nest).

Focus on the final growth of the bush. Ideally, for good development, one tomato should be given about 0.3 sq. m.

On average, for a plot of 100 sq. m. will need approximately 340-420 early tomatoes, and late and medium varieties 240-290 pieces.

Getting started disembarking

First of all, you need to moisten the soil well in pots or boxes with seedlings. This will help to easily remove them from the seed container and prevent accidental damage to the root system.

Prepared holes for growing tomatoes in the open field should have a depth of 10-15 cm.

We water them (a bucket of water for 8-10 holes) and apply mineral fertilizers mixed with humus (proportion 1x3).

1. Turn over the container with seedlings, grasp the trunk of the tomato with your middle and forefinger and remove it from the container.
2. Tear off the leaves of the seedlings, leaving only 2-3 leaves on top (this will stimulate root growth).
3. Place the plant with a lump of root soil vertically in the hole and cover with compost. In this case, the stem of the tomato must remain open. Only the roots or a pot of soil are placed in the ground.
4. Press down firmly around the plant and cover the compost with dry soil.
5. After planting, we mulch the soil (for this, mowed, slightly withered grass, sawdust, straw or newspaper leaves are suitable). The mulch layer should be about 10 cm high.

When the planting of tomatoes in the ground is over, we will leave them alone for 8-10 days. During this period, the plants take root and master in a new place.

Do not water them yet. But you need to be prepared for freezing. To do this, immediately after planting, we will cover our young tomatoes with transparent film.

It will remain until the threat of frost disappears (for the middle zone, this usually happens by June 5-10). Holes with a diameter of 10 cm can be made in the film. This will reduce the risk of late blight infection.

After 10 days, we water the seedlings and at the same time plant a new one in the place of the deceased. The first hilling when growing tomatoes in the open field can be done two weeks after planting the seedlings.

In the future, we will huddle the plants as they grow.

How to tie tomatoes

Place pegs 50-80 cm high above the rows with planted tomatoes (depending on the growth of the bush).

The pegs are placed on the north side, retreating from the stem about 10 cm. We will tie each bush to them with a washcloth or twine.

Plants begin to tie up when they have 4-5 true leaves. In total, 3-4 garters are produced during the growth period of a tomato.

Plants are tied up only under a brush with fruits. This allows them to be well lit and receive more heat and sunshine, which speeds up and increases yields.

The fruits, not in contact with the ground, are less susceptible to pest attacks and are better protected from diseases.

Tapestry method

For medium-sized plants, large-fruited and richly fruiting, it is best to use trellises, not garters.

This method of growing tomatoes in the open field makes it easier to care for the plant, harvest, and also lengthen the fruiting period of tomatoes. Plants are less likely to develop fungal infections. This method allows you to more efficiently use a plot of the garden (especially when it is small in size).

To do this, install columns about 1.2-1.5 m high in the rows (the more often the columns are driven in, the stronger the structure will be).

Drive carnations onto the posts every 20-25 cm. Attach horizontal slats to them with twine or wire.

When the tomato seedlings start to grow (this will happen two weeks after planting), gently tie the brush of the plant to the slats with a soft twine or cord. Continue tying them as they grow, every 15-20 cm.

• This method is ideal for growing tall tomatoes in greenhouses (we will tell you more about caring for greenhouse giants in another article).

With the trellis method, further care for the plants will be very simple: timely tying of fruiting shoots and their stepchildren to the slats.

Care when growing tomatoes in the open field

Operation	How often to do	Tips
Grassing tomatoes (or shaping)	It is necessary to remove side shoots constantly, starting from an early age of the plant. By the time the fruit ripens, there should be no stepsons.	They must be removed before the shoots reach 3-5 cm in length. It is best to do this in the morning. In the southern, sunny regions, you can not completely remove the stepsons, just do not tie them up. But in the north, this operation is required (leave only 2-3 stems for each bush). In extreme heat, this procedure cannot be carried out.
Top dressing tomato	Once every 10 days. The first time we feed tomatoes two weeks after planting.	The first feeding with a solution of mullein (1x10) or chicken manure (1x20). We make repeated dressings with mineral fertilizers (nitrofoska 60g + water 10l). Quantity: before flowering, 1 liter for each bush, after flowering for 2-5 liters.
Watering tomatoes	Abundant, but rare watering.	Water the tomatoes once a week in spring and early summer. In warm summer, limit yourself to one watering every 2-3 days. Water the root bushes in the evening.
Spraying	We spray every week, alternating the compositions of the liquid. First spraying immediately after planting in open ground (Bordeaux liquid).	Alternate between Bordeaux liquid and homemade onion tincture.

How to pinch tomatoes. When removing the stepsons, do not pull them out, but gently break them out, grabbing them with your index and thumb. Pull gently to the side and break off.

If they have grown too large, cut with a sharp knife or razor. First of all, get rid of the stepchildren growing under the brushes (otherwise the tomato can shed the ovary).

For the best yield when growing tomatoes outdoors, pinch the tops of all the shoots with fruits at the end of summer.

Also remove excess flower brushes where the fruit has failed to form.

Preparation of Bordeaux liquid. In water, extinguish quicklime (100 g) and add water (about 5 liters). In another container, dissolve copper sulfate (100 g) in a small amount of hot water and add 5 liters of water.

Then pour the vitriol solution into the slaked lime. The correct liquid will have a sky blue tint.

Just in case, measure the alkaline reaction with an indicator (Bordeaux liquid should be neutral or slightly alkaline).

• Any iron objects can be used to check. If the metal is covered with a layer of copper, you made a solution that is too acidic. More lime needs to be added. But do not overdo it, otherwise the liquid will lose its beneficial qualities.

Preparation of onion tincture. Grind onion and garlic (100 g each) with a meat grinder. Transfer the mixture to a 3-liter glass container and fill it ¾ with water. We close and insist for 3 days.

Shake it periodically. At the same time, pour bird droppings (200 g) in a plastic bucket with water and set to infuse. Both mixtures are mixed and filtered before use.

Feeding Tips

For top dressing when growing tomatoes in the open field, it is useful to use fermented nettle and ash.

Also, a couple of times in the fruiting season, feed the plants with microelements (crush 5 tablets and stir them in ½ l of water, then add another 10 l of water). Consumption of 1 liter for each bush.

Banana fertilizer. We are preparing a natural, very healthy top dressing, enriched with calcium and phosphorus.This remedy is made from banana peels.

1. Cover the oven tray with food foil. Put the banana peel on top of the skin with the outside side down (so that it does not stick). Place the tray in the oven.
2. After roasting and cooling it, grind the peel into flour and place it in an airtight bag.

Sprinkle banana flour on the soil near the plant roots once every two weeks.

To get an excellent harvest of tomatoes, you need to do more than just water and feed them correctly. They need pollination.

Pollination of tomatoes

Tomato is a self-pollinating plant. When growing tomatoes outdoors, these plants create a lot of high-quality pollen, which is also enough for neighboring flowers.

To help with pollination, attract insect helpers (bees, bumblebees).

To do this, plant bright annual melliferous plants between the tomatoes: rapeseed, coriander, basil and mustard. By the way, these crops also improve the taste of the fruits themselves.

But it is not always possible for a tomato to self-pollinate. There can be many reasons:

• Lowering the temperature at night (below + 13 ° C). Under such conditions, the deformation of the anther occurs.
• The daytime temperature is too high (above + 30-35 ° С). In the heat, the flowers fall off, and the pollen grains die.
• Features of the structure of the pistil of some large-fruited varieties (it protrudes outward and the pollen does not fall on the stamens). Or the pestle is too wide.

In such cases, we need to help our tomatoes to pollinate. You can tilt down the buds with a protruding pistil and shake the flower slightly. Or it is easy to knock on a trellis or a flowering brush.

• The best time for artificial pollination is 10-14 hours, at a temperature of + 22-27 ° C. The ideal air humidity is not more than 70%. Repeat the pollination procedure after 4 days.

Immediately after pollination, water the tomatoes or spray over the flower (so that the pollen sticks to the pistil). The last flowers to appear are usually empty and underdeveloped. It is better to remove them immediately.

Secrets of growing tomatoes. An amazing tomato has one peculiarity - it is completely unpretentious.

And it can bear fruit even if your care is limited only to watering and weeding.

But the tomato is very responsive. And the more carefully you take care of the plants, the more harvest they will give you.

But don't overdo it in your quest to please him. The golden rule for growing tomatoes is that everything is good in moderation!

Caring for tomatoes should be within reasonable, competent limits!

Now, my dear friends, you know how to grow our precious tomatoes outdoors. Next, we have to learn about growing tomatoes in a greenhouse and about the possible difficulties (diseases and pests) when growing them.

I also suggest watching a short video with some useful tips for growing tomatoes.

See you soon, dear friends!

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Tags: Actually, tomatoes

The bright and juicy fruits of tomatoes are valued for their pleasant taste and vitamin composition. Proper planting and caring for tomatoes in the open field will require compliance with a number of agrotechnical rules. To obtain a high-quality harvest, it is important to use seeds of zoned varieties, grow strong seedlings and create optimal conditions for abundant fruiting.

Choosing tomato seeds for open field

When selecting varieties, the climatic characteristics of the region, the quality of the soil and the location of the site must be taken into account. They also pay attention to the nature of the growth of tomato bushes: whether the formation, installation of a trellis and a garter will be required.

Development features

There are indeterminate and determinant varieties of tomatoes. The former are distinguished by unlimited growth, bloom and set fruits from summer to autumn; reach a height of 2 m or more. In the south, they manage to ripen in the open field, but in the northern regions they create problems.

The height of determinant tomatoes is from 40 to 80 cm. Tomatoes of this group are grown in open ground in the south and in the middle lane, to the north they are cultivated in greenhouses.After the formation of the last flower cluster, the shoot no longer grows in height. The crop ripens amicably in a relatively short time.

Ripening terms

In the southern regions, tomatoes of early, middle and late ripening are grown. In the north, precocious hybrids are preferred. Usually early tomatoes have red, medium-sized fruits. Among the late varieties, there is a wide variety of shapes and colors: round, elongated, pink, yellow and almost black berries.

Varieties and hybrids of tomatoes for open ground:

1. Early ripe: Podmoskovny F1, Northern Miracle, New Transnistria (determinant).
2. Mid-season: Appetizing, Oxheart, Pioneer, Monomakh Hat (determinant).
3. Late ripening: Andrew's surprise, De Barao (indeterminate).

Attention! Hybrid tomatoes usually yield high quality early crops, but are more demanding on growing conditions. Bushes grow from the seeds of such tomatoes, which differ from the hybrid for the worse.

When choosing a seed, it is also necessary to take into account the suitability of the region. If tomato varieties are not zoned, then they will not show their best qualities, calculated for cultivation in a particular climate.

Growing seedlings for planting in open ground

This method is optimal for obtaining a tomato harvest in a short time, for the cultivation of plants in the northern regions.

Sowing tomato seeds

They use plastic containers with a diameter of 8–10 cm filled with nutrient soil. The choice is wide enough: round and square seedling pots, special cassettes, plastic cups.

How to sow:

1. The soil mixture is watered with warm water with dissolved universal fertilizer for vegetables (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).
2. Two shallow pits (1 cm) are made in the center.
3. Place one seed on the bottom.
4. Sprinkle the seeds with soil.

In the south, sowing of seeds for seedlings is carried out in February, in the middle lane - from the beginning of March to the end of the month.

Seedlings

After sowing, individual seedling pots or glasses are placed in a box installed in a warm place (at least 22 ° C). After a week or earlier, sprouts begin to hatch. The box is moved to a well-lit place, for example, on a windowsill, but not on the north side.

Advice. If both seeds germinate, they leave a larger, more even seedling. Healthy stocky seedlings with 7-10 leaves take root better in the area.

To prevent seedlings from stretching, they need a temperature during the day not higher than 16 ° C, at night - about 14 ° C. The optimal temperature regime for the formation of leaves is 18–20 ° С.

Proper care of young plants before planting in open ground

Seedlings are regularly watered and fed three times for 50-60 days. For the first time, a complex fertilizer is used - nitrophoska (nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). The second time a mixture of organic and mineral fertilizers is applied. For the third feeding, a superphosphate solution is prepared in advance (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). After a week, you can plant tomatoes in open ground.

Hardening of seedlings

Young plants become stronger and less elongated as a result of exposure to low temperatures. Seedlings are hardened in April to prepare for planting in open ground in May. In the afternoon, they open a window for a short time or take out the boxes to the balcony or terrace. The temperature for such air baths should not be lower than 10–12 ° С.

Plants gradually get used to outdoor conditions and direct sunlight. In the early days, it is recommended to shade the seedlings. Do not overmoisten the soil in pots or leave it dry.

Selection of purchased seedlings

Purchase from nurseries or self-cultivation? The answer is most obvious for those who do not have enough time to sow in pots and harden plants. In addition, when buying seedlings, there is the possibility of purchasing plants of various varieties and maturity dates. Growing and labeling large numbers of seedlings at home is a hassle task.

It is risky to buy seedlings from private owners. If they prepared the seeds of hybrid tomatoes on their own, then the offspring will be less productive and earlier than the mother plant. There is a high risk of acquiring contaminated planting material.

It is recommended to purchase seedlings in containers with soil. The age of the plants should not exceed 60 days, the height - up to 25-30 cm. Although you can plant seedlings with flowers in the ground and get the first fruits early. It is desirable that the stems below are thick, darker in color. The root system must be well developed and free from damage.

By the appearance of the seedlings, it is determined whether the plants are sick or healthy. Signs of disease - spotty, deformed leaves, shoots. It should not be hoped that after planting it will be possible to quickly correct defects by spraying with pesticides.

Soil preparation

Tomatoes prefer open, well-lit areas, fresh fertile soils. Tomatoes do not grow well in lowlands or in high places that are blown by the wind. In a crop rotation, tomatoes are best grown after peas and other legumes. Good predecessors of root crops: beets, carrots. Areas where potatoes and eggplants were grown in the previous season are not suitable.

The site is prepared in advance: it is dug up, leveled with a rake. Poor soils need the addition of peat, humus, wood ash. You can pour humus directly into the hole during planting.

Planting seedlings in open ground

The second decade of May is best suited for planting tomatoes. It is important to avoid the threat of late spring frosts. If the weather is cloudy, you can start planting tomatoes in the open ground in the morning. On a sunny day, it is better to postpone this work to the evening.

Plants are placed in the hole at a slight angle or vertically. The first method is more suitable for tall seedlings. The root ball or peat pot is completely buried in the soil. The earth around the seedlings is pressed by hand to the roots. Then watered and sprinkled with humus. After two weeks, the lower part of the plant is spud to a height of 10–12 cm for better formation of adventitious roots.

It is important to consider mulching after each watering. This promotes the growth of additional roots in the surface layer, protects against moisture loss.

One - and two-line planting of tomatoes is practiced, on the ridges and without them. For low-growing varieties and hybrids, the distance between plants in a row is 40 cm, row spacing is from 40 to 50 cm. Tomatoes of medium height are placed 40–45 cm apart. The row spacing is 50 cm.

Tomato care

Tomato roots take root within 7-10 days after planting in open ground. If frosts are expected, then the seedlings are covered with plastic wrap or cut off plastic bottles overnight. Caring for tomatoes also consists of watering and feeding, removing weeds, loosening row spacings and pinching.

Watering, feeding and fertilizing

In the heat, tomatoes are poured with warm, settled water once every three days. Reduces the amount of irrigation in cloudy and rainy weather. After watering, be sure to mulch the garden bed with compost or peat to a height of about 2 cm. It is recommended to water the tomatoes in the evening to avoid crusting on the soil, but it is better to do this early in the morning to protect the plant from fungal diseases.

For the first time, root feeding is carried out 20 days after planting the seedlings. Use a universal liquid fertilizer and nitrophoska granules: add 1 tbsp. l. on a bucket of water. Tomatoes are fed the second time after the blooming of the flower cluster. Pour under each plant 1 liter of a solution of the same composition that was used for the first feeding.

Tomatoes are fertilized for the third time, in which the third flower cluster has blossomed. The fourth feeding of tomatoes is after 2 weeks. A solution of liquid universal fertilizer is used.You can feed in July with urea and nitrofoskoy (1 and 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water).

How to shape and pinch tomatoes?

You can leave one stem, remove all side shoots. This technique is called pinching. The main shoot should have 5 or 6 flower clusters.

How to pinch tomatoes in the open field: leave a few leaves above the upper brush and pinch the top. Either the lower stepson is left, but then the number of flower brushes on the main shoot should be reduced to four, and on the stepson - to three.

How to tie up tomatoes outdoors?

Near each plant, which they plan to tie up later, a peg is installed, or strong stakes are driven in along the edges of the row and a wire or cord is pulled between them. Twine, thick synthetic threads that do not rot, are used as the material for the garter. The pegs can be wooden or metal.

Tomatoes are tied to a wire or a peg not too tightly, making the so-called "figure eight" from the twine in front of the stem (intertwined). There are other options for strengthening the stems: a cap made of twigs, a lattice and a net.

The main problems associated with growing

Tomatoes are highly susceptible to low temperatures, they do not tolerate excessive moisture and lack of light. Even the best zoned varieties are weakly resistant to unfavorable environmental factors if they do not receive proper care.

In conditions of a lack of water, the leaves turn yellow and dry, the fruits remain small and tough. Excess moisture is also harmful: roots rot, fruits crack. Bushes overfed with fertilizers build up vegetative mass to the detriment of fruit set. Leaves and fruits on a hot afternoon can get sunburn, which looks like whitish spots.

Diseases and pests of tomatoes

Fungal, bacterial and viral diseases are dangerous for tomatoes. To combat the first group of pathogens, once a decade, tomatoes are treated against phytophthora and fusarium wilt with Bordeaux liquid. Strong fungicides can be used 2 times per season.

Tomatoes affected by bacterial infections are treated with solutions of Baktofit or Fitosporin preparations. The second remedy is also used against fungus. Biological products are less dangerous for humans, they are used for spraying up to harvest.

The most effective method of combating viral diseases of tomatoes is the breeding of resistant varieties and hybrids. Be sure to disinfect the seeds before sowing with a solution of potassium permanganate (if you can buy this antiseptic at the pharmacy).

Dangerous pests of tomatoes are bear, wireworm, Colorado potato beetle, nematodes. The moth caterpillars are capable of destroying the crop by eating the fruits from the inside. The control measures used are the same as on other nightshade crops.

Harvesting and storage

In July, August, September, ripe fruits are harvested for fresh consumption and canning. After the night temperatures have dropped, green tomatoes can be harvested, stored at temperatures up to 18 ° C for ripening. Brown fruits, on which light falls, reach ripeness faster.

Put tomatoes for ripening in flat boxes in one or two layers. The stalks are removed, but so as not to damage the skin and pulp. Add a few red ones to green and brown tomatoes to speed up ripening. It is better to store ripe fruits in a cool dry place, but not in the refrigerator.

If we are not talking about the southern regions, but, for example, about the Urals, the Leningrad region or Siberia, then growing tomatoes even in greenhouses sometimes causes a lot of problems, not to mention planting in open ground. Nevertheless, some vegetable growers succeed in this quite successfully even against the background of a constantly deteriorating climate. To get a good harvest, you need to know some secrets of growing tomatoes in these conditions.

Site selection and soil preparation

Tomatoes are photophilous, but they do not like direct sunlight, so a garden bed slightly shaded by a fruit tree or a greenhouse would be an ideal place for them. It is highly desirable that there are no drafts.

Good precursors for tomatoes are onions, cucumbers, carrots, and planting after potatoes is fraught with infection with various diseases such as phytophthora.

Growing tomatoes outdoors makes it easier to prepare the soil as healthy, strong roots will find their own nourishment. Before planting, it is important not only to ensure that the necessary fertilizers are applied, but also to normalize the acidity, as well as the structure of the earth. Otherwise, the bushes, even against the background of timely feeding, will hurt and wither. A soil pH test is available from specialized stores. The ideal range for tomatoes is 6 to 7.

Advice

To lower the acidity of the soil, lime is added (a pound per 1 m2), and sulfur is used to increase it (in the same proportions).

Planting tomatoes in the same place for 2 years in a row is not recommended, but not everyone has the opportunity to change the location. In such cases, it is useful to reclaim the soil in the fall. This requires:

1. dig up, remove all plant residues from the soil;
2. apply fertilizers to the depth of the shovel bayonet: bird droppings, peat, humus, compost or potassium salt, superphosphate;
3. sow rye, white mustard or other green manure in the beds;
4. spill with a humic solution (this will help activate the beneficial microflora).

Advice

You should not bury unripe compost in the soil, as this will attract not only worms, but also the wireworm larva, which can damage the roots of young tomato seedlings.

Pre-winter soil cultivation will get rid of weeds and late blight, as well as provide oxygen saturation. In the spring, all seedlings of green manure are buried in the ground. White mustard saturates the soil well with phosphorus, which tomatoes are very fond of. You can also apply fertilizers (calculated per 1 m 2):

• 1 kg of poultry droppings;
• 1.5 kg of ash;
• 20-25 g of ammonium sulfate.

Mineral additives for tomatoes:

• 55 g superphosphate;
• 20 g of ammonium nitrate;
• 15 g of potassium chloride.

Advice

In order to avoid oversaturation of the soil with individual elements, you can order a detailed soil analysis in a special laboratory. It is better to under-feed tomatoes than over-fertilize them.

It is not recommended to add manure to the soil, because tomatoes love it and will begin to "fatten": all the power will go to building up the green mass, the tops will twist in a ring, and the yield will be small.

In the southern regions, there are usually no problems with warming up the soil, but, for example, in the Urals, Siberia or the Leningrad region, frosts and cold weather can last until summer. Any black material, if they cover the tomato planting site approximately in mid-May, will significantly speed up the process.

Ridges for tomatoes are formed about a week before transplanting. It is advisable to stick to the direction from north to south. The height must be at least 20 cm.

Advice

Before planting tomatoes (2 weeks in advance), it is recommended to spill the soil with a solution of copper sulfate.

Cooking ratio: 1 tablespoon in a 10 liter bucket of water.

Consumption: 10 liters per 10 m2. This measure will disinfect the soil.

Landing technique

In the southern regions, tomatoes can be planted in open ground in May, but in the Urals, in Siberia, in the Leningrad Region, tomatoes are planted in June. If the spring is warm, then it is possible on the 1st. Landmark - blossoming leaves on birches. Some gardeners first transfer the seedlings to the greenhouse, waiting for the temperature regime to stabilize. But usually the weather fails, return frosts are possible up to the 10th. Ideally, tomato seedlings should be hardened a few days before planting: put out for the day in the air, and if the temperature allows, then leave it outside overnight.

Before planting, it is useful to spray the seedlings with a solution of the "Fitosporin-M" preparation for the prevention of fungal diseases. Subsequently, you should regularly water and spray tomatoes with it once every 2 weeks. You can also carry out processing on the sheet "Epinom". This non-toxic natural adaptogen will help young tomatoes cope with unfavorable weather, temperature extremes in June, and accelerate growth.

Landing scheme

Regarding at what distance to plant tomatoes, there is a single recommendation - 70 * 70 cm with the square-nesting method (it is most convenient for tall types of tomatoes). However, in practice, the tomato planting scheme is largely determined by the variety. Currently, very miniature species have been developed that can be planted within a radius of 40 cm from each other.

Planting by the classical method is carried out in 2 rows, while for each type of tomato its own schemes are applied.

• For the undersized, the average distance between the bushes is 30-35 cm, and between the rows - 40-50 cm.
• For tall and medium-sized tomatoes, all parameters increase by 10 cm.

In some cases, a tape-nesting method of planting is used: furrows are cut for irrigation at a distance of 140 cm, and tomatoes are planted 2 bushes per hole on both sides of them.

Hole preparation and disembarkation

If the fertilizer has already been applied to the soil, then nothing else needs to be added directly to the hole. It is advisable to spill it with a solution of boric acid two days before planting the tomatoes (the procedure is especially relevant for sandy loam infertile soils). Recipe: 1 g of boric acid is diluted in a liter of hot water and wait until it cools completely.

Some vegetable growers recommend putting a small fish on the bottom of the hole before planting, sprinkling it with earth. Tomatoes are very fond of such a top dressing, which provides them with potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. But the hole must be made about 60 cm deep so that the cats do not dig the fish.

When planting tomatoes, the following technology is used.

• A deepening is made a little more than an earthen lump of a bush, watering is performed with warm water. In this case, it is advisable to use a fertilizer based on ultrahumate. Humic and fulvic acids in its composition convert nutrients in the soil into forms accessible to the roots.
• If the seedlings are not elongated, then the stem is deepened into the hole by 2-3 cm.
• If the bush is overgrown and thin, then a small trench is dug, planting is done at an angle so that the plant can strengthen faster due to the growth of additional roots.

Advice

When planting early early ripening varieties of tomatoes, it should be borne in mind that strong deepening will slow down the appearance of the crop for 2-3 weeks, since the bush will grow new roots.

The soil around the freshly planted bush is compacted slightly, but not watered for two reasons:

• the resulting crust will not allow the roots to breathe;
• an unpoured root system will quickly straighten out in search of moisture.

The second watering is done about a week later with warm, settled water.

Unconventional growing methods

An alternative to the beds is growing tomato bushes in various containers: a barrel, a large canister, even in ordinary buckets. This original method makes it possible to obtain large yields from one plant in a limited area (30-50 kg of fruits). This result is explained by good heating of the roots, the availability of nutrition. In both the barrel and the buckets, the focus is on a single tomato seedling that grows into a sprawling “tomato tree”.

In barrels

Tall tomato hybrids with powerful stems and a developed root system are suitable for growing in a barrel. The farming technique is pretty simple.

• In a barrel (you can take an old, rusty one) about 15-20 holes are knocked out on the sides to provide oxygen to the roots, the bottom is cut out.
• At the very bottom, you need to put a 20-30 cm layer of urgas (organic fertilizer - a mixture of food waste and the preparation "Baikal EM1") and compost (mix in a 1: 1 ratio).
• Pour about half a bucket of fertile soil in the center.
• At the end of May, a strong seedling is planted in the prepared mixture in a spilled hole and covered with glass or film, which is removed in June.
• The bush is stepchild until the top appears over the edges of the barrel, all this time nutritious soil mixture with compost is poured in portions. Over the summer, 20-30 brushes should form on the tomato.

It is not necessary to put urgas if the soil is nutritious. You can put compost directly into the hole.

Caring for the "tomato tree" is simple: on the sides of the barrel, two supports are driven in, onto which the brushes and branches of the tomato will be tied. Watering is done a couple of times a week, and after a month and a half the plant is fed with a mixture of compost and water (1: 4).

There is also an interesting agricultural technique for growing tomatoes in a barrel according to the Tarasov method, in which the yield of a bush reaches 70 kg. The bottom line is that a bag with a nutrient mixture is tied under each stepson, that is, additional independent bushes develop on one mother.

In buckets

Growing in buckets is carried out according to the same principle as in barrels, but the bottom can remain in place, then the holes are knocked out at a height of 2-3 cm from it. You can fill it with soil in half with compost. One plant is planted in a watered hole. Low-growing varieties of tomatoes are suitable for growing in standard 10 L buckets.

Advice

When cultivating tomatoes in buckets, it is advisable to shade the container, but not to wrap it with black material for this.

It is noticed that the fruits of tomatoes in buckets do not crack, have a dense structure, and are not watery. Plants are not afraid of slugs and other pests, the risk of late blight infection is reduced. Such tomatoes begin to bear fruit as early as June, and end at the end of September. Other care, except for garter and watering, is not required.

There is another very original, but scientifically based agricultural technique: growing tomatoes in barrels or buckets with their roots upside down. This method is unacceptable for tall tomatoes. The essence of the method: a hole of about 8 cm in diameter is cut in buckets or barrels at the bottom, the containers are suspended on a solid support. A seedling is threaded into the hole, the roots are sprinkled with a nutrient mixture for 5 cm, then a layer of compost, then soil again. And so lay in layers to the top. Such tomatoes in buckets look very original and bring a high yield. Care consists in watering and 1-2 dressings per season.

Advice

You can sow herbs on top in buckets. This will keep the soil from drying out.

the area is very limited. Ampel tomatoes can be planted even on the balcony and in just 50 days you can get a harvest. The fruits are small (20-30 g), but subject to agricultural technology, there will be a lot of them.

Ampel tomatoes of the cold-resistant Talisman variety (fruits 40-80 g) can be grown without problems in the Urals or Siberia. Seedlings are planted at the end of May or in June, and in case of frost, the containers are covered or brought into the room.

Ampel tomatoes will grow well in a soil mixture of the following components (in equal proportions):

• sod land;
• peat;
• humus.

It is useful to add ash and potassium sulfate, and spill the hole with Fitosporin-M before planting. Ampel varieties do not tolerate waterlogging, therefore, a drainage layer must be placed on the bottom of the container.

The technique of growing tomatoes in separate containers removes the question of how far to plant tomatoes, and also greatly facilitates care.

Popular varieties for open ground

Not only in specialized stores, but also on the shelves of hypermarkets today, a wide selection of tomato seeds is presented. All of them are mostly zoned, and many are suitable for planting in open ground. For the southern regions, the spectrum is almost unlimited, but for the Leningrad region and the northern regions of Russia, where summer is colder and rainy from year to year, species resistant to fungal diseases and unfavorable weather conditions should be selected.

Here is a brief description of varieties suitable for open ground.

Medium height (40-60 cm)

• "White filling". Frost-resistant, reaches a height of 50 cm. Fruits appear on the hundredth day after the first shoots. "White filling" is determinant, that is, growth stops after the ovary of a certain number of fetal brushes. Stepson is not required.The weight of the "White filling" variety is from 90 to 120 g.
• "Sanka" ("Sanya"). Early ripening (about 80 days before harvest) and unpretentious. Forms bushes about 50 cm. Fruits are small (80 g), but there are many of them. Variety "Sanka" refers to determinant, all care consists in tying and several dressings. Tomato "Sanka" is zoned for planting in open ground in the Central Black Earth Region, but, according to reviews, it also ripens well in the Moscow region and even in Siberia.
• "Persimmon". Large fruits (200-300 g) are yellow. There is a positive experience of growing in the open field in the Urals. "Persimmon" is a mid-season variety. When planted without shelter, it reaches 70 cm in height. "Persimmon" has a significant drawback - in a humid summer, the likelihood of fungal diseases is high.
• Gina. Mid-season variety. Fruits from 180 to 250 g in weight with a very dense skin. The Gina tomato is resistant to fusarium and verticillary wilting.
• "Red sun". An early ripening hybrid, fruit weight from 85 to 120 g. In the soil "Krasno Solnyshko" it grows up to 60 cm. The tomato is resistant to tobacco mosaic virus and Alternaria. "Red Sun" was bred specifically for planting in open beds, so it can be safely planted even in Siberia.

Tall

• "Round dance". Early ripening variety. In the open field it reaches a height of more than 2 m. The fruits of the Round Dance tomato are small (5-10 g), but very sweet, ripen together.
• De Barao. Tall bushes that need to be tied up have excellent yields both in greenhouses and outdoors. There are several types, differing in the color of the fruit. "De Barao" black for open ground in the Leningrad region, Siberia or the Urals is not recommended, as it ripens late. Red and yellow ("Tsarsky" and "Golden") are cold-resistant, with dry and warm autumn, you can remove the fruits until frost. The root system is very powerful, therefore it is necessary to water at the rate of 2 buckets of water every 4 days (in hot weather). "De Barao" is formed in 1-2 stems, pinching - as needed. The last watering is in mid-August, all existing inflorescences are removed.
• Blagovest F1, Verlioka and Bull's Heart. Bushes are tall (up to 2 m), pinching is necessary to form 2 stems. Blagovest F1, Verlioka and Bull's Heart can grow outdoors, but the yield will be lower than in a greenhouse. For cold regions, landing on unprotected beds is not recommended. In these varieties, it is necessary to tie up not only the trunk itself, but also the bunches with fruits. "Blagovest F1" - early maturing, like "Verlioka", resistant to major diseases. "Bull's Heart" - mid-season. Variety "black" is less resistant to diseases, it is not intended for open ground in the northern regions.
• Mahitos. These are tall (up to 2 m) powerful hybrids that can easily adapt to open ground. "Makhitos" is not afraid of cladosporia, nematode, tobacco mosaic virus. Watering should be dosed, otherwise the bush will begin to "fatten". The fruits of the Mahitos variety are large (230-400 g), so the brushes need to be tied up.

Low-growing (up to 40 cm)

• "Broody". Neither pinching nor garter is required. Fruits 80-150 g, hiding behind the leaves. "Klusha" gives a yield of about 1 kg per bush. However, there are complaints - there are frequent cases of cracking of fruits in the region of the stalk.
• Pinocchio. Low-growing variety, like "Klusha". Outdoors, it is more bushy and fertile. Pinocchio can even be planted in flower beds for decoration. There are many fruits, but they are slightly larger than cherries. "Pinocchio" needs minimal care: only watering, tying up and removing stepchildren is not necessary.
• "Silver Spruce". This shaggy bush, although not one of the tall ones, is too sprawling, so it is necessary to tie it up. "Silver Spruce" produces oval fruits, up to 30 pieces per plant. The variety is very responsive to feeding. Silver spruce is planted at the rate of 2-3 bushes per 1m2.
• Pink Bush.An early maturing Japanese hybrid, resistant to diseases and sunburn. In open ground in Siberia or the Leningrad region, "Pink Bush" is planted according to the scheme of 4-6 bushes per 1m2, since it does not grow in this climate (30-35 cm). Caring for the Pink Bush variety after planting is simple: pinching is not necessary, only feeding and watering.
• "Dubok". This variety, like Gina, is well suited for open ground. "Oak" is early ripening, with abundant harvests (fruits 90-130 g). Forms chunky bushes that can be grown even at home. In open ground "Dubok" is planted in June according to the scheme 60 * 40 cm.

It is recommended to plant several varieties at once and observe which ones are optimal for a particular area.

Care

Caring for tomatoes in the open field is easier than in a greenhouse, since watering is partly taken over by the rains, and a developed root system can itself provide food for the plant. It is important to provide high-quality bushes. To this end, for medium-sized varieties 10 cm from the hole, immediately upon planting, a support is installed - pegs of 50-80 cm, and for tall varieties it is better to build trellises. The garter is made under the fruit brush.

As for pinching, undersized varieties usually do not need this procedure; in the southern regions, you can also leave a branched bush. But in Siberia, in the Urals or in the North-West region, it is better to form a plant of 1-2 stems.

The first feeding is done 12-14 days after planting in the ground - with a solution of chicken manure in water in a ratio of 1:20. Then, once every 10 days, mineral fertilizers are applied: 60 g of nitrophoska per 10 liters of water.

Disease Prevention and Yield Improvement

Tomatoes in the open field are also susceptible to various fungal and viral diseases, as in greenhouses, so they need regular processing. As a prophylaxis for phytophthora, spraying with Bordeaux liquid or boric acid solution is carried out. The first processing is after disembarkation, then - weekly.

A solution of boric acid can also be used as a top dressing, since with a lack of boron, the tomato drops flowers without setting fruit. The first spraying of tomatoes with a boric acid solution is carried out before flowering, the second - during mass flowering, the third - at the beginning of the appearance of ovaries. Feeding can be carried out not on the sheet, but under the root.

If you know how to properly plant tomatoes in the ground and provide them with food, then you will get a good harvest even in cool regions. The main mistakes when growing tomatoes in the open air are the wrong choice of varieties, neglect of disease prevention and feeding.

It makes sense to plant several species at once, the characteristics of which correspond to the conditions of a particular area. You can use various cultivation methods to increase the yield and accelerate the ripening of tomatoes: in buckets, wooden tubs, barrels. The ampelous varieties in hanging pots are also noteworthy. With this approach, there will be many fruits with different ripeness and taste.

Growing tomatoes in the open field is practiced as often as in the protected. The timing of the onset of fruiting with such cultivation is postponed by a couple of weeks, but this does not in the least affect the quality of the crop and its quantity. A lot of attention will have to be paid to caring for tomatoes in the ground, but the result will certainly justify all the labor costs.

Spring tends to come with surprises and getting early production is questionable. You will learn how to properly grow tomatoes in the open field and avoid common mistakes by reading this material.

Agricultural technology for growing tomatoes: planting seedlings in open ground

Tomato seedlings are planted for cultivation in the open field after the threat of return frosts has passed, which usually occurs at the end of the first decade of May.It is recommended to plant seedlings at the age of at least 55 days for tall varieties and hybrids, for low-growing ones - 40-45 days. Planting continues until the end of May, and sowing is carried out with seeds directly into the ground. Seedless late tomatoes will go to autumn for winter harvesting.

In the presence of spandbond films, agrospan care is easier, planting seedlings in the ground can be done 10-12 days earlier than average.

The best precursors for tomatoes are cabbage, cucumber, legumes. It is better to place the beds in well-lit, heated areas with highly fertile soils, but light and medium-textured soils are quite suitable for tomatoes.

To facilitate care, planting of low-growing varieties and hybrids in open ground is carried out according to the scheme of 25-30 cm in a row and with row spacing of 60-70 cm, tall according to the scheme, respectively, 50-60 x 70-80 cm.

Before starting to grow tomatoes in the ground, on the eve of planting, already hardened seedlings are abundantly watered with a solution of the microbiological preparation Extrasol and the next day they are planted with a lump of earth. According to the correct technology for growing tomatoes in the open field, a row is cut along a cord to a depth of 10-12 cm, up to 0.5 kg of an organic-mineral mixture is added under each plant, or a special fertilizer for tomatoes is added. The plant is planted to a depth of the first true leaves. If the seedlings are overgrown, then it is advisable to plant obliquely and cover the root system from above with soil no more than 3-5 cm.Remember that the agricultural technology for growing tomatoes in open ground does not provide for deep planting of overgrown plants in cool soil, from this the lower roots may die out ... Of course, the plant will not die in this case, but it will stay at least two weeks in growth, during which time new additional roots will begin to form on the buried part of the stem.

The technology of growing tomatoes in open ground involves the obligatory watering of the plants after planting with a small amount of water with Extrasol (10 ml per 10 liters of water) and sprinkle with fresh soil or any available mulch. The bacteria in the Extrasol preparation settle on the roots of the plant, create a certain polysaccharide shell, enhance the immune system, prevent decay, stimulate growth, have a transport function and move nutrients to growing points.

How to properly grow tomatoes in the open field: plant care

After 3-4 days after planting, adding soil to the roots of plants can be done without fear. The soil has already been warmed up by this time, the root system of a young plant is in a comfortable state, and additional roots begin to form immediately. Further care for tomatoes in the open field consists in regular watering and subsequent loosening of the formed soil crust, removal of stepchildren and formation of a stem, hilling, weeding, pest and disease control.

Watering tomato plants should be moderate, avoiding waterlogging and dryness of the soil. Irregular watering of plants in hot summer often leads to diseases of the fruit with apical rot and cracking. It is advisable to water in the morning hours and, if possible, by the end of the day, carry out light loosening, which means, remove excess wet vapors and avoid fungal diseases.

Observing the rules of caring for tomatoes when grown in open ground, loosen the soil after each rain or watering. In hot dry weather, loosening helps to reduce the evaporation of moisture from the soil, and in rainy cold weather it provides better gas exchange between air and soil, reduces the possibility of fungal diseases.

To give the stems reliable stability, to enhance the growth of the root system during the care of tomatoes in the open field, a 2-4-fold hilling with moist soil is carried out.

Growing tomatoes in the Moscow region: the secrets of dressing in the open field

When growing tomatoes in open ground in the Moscow region, the first feeding is carried out 10-14 days after planting seedlings in the garden.

The second is at the beginning of mass flowering. It is better to use water-soluble fertilizers with a set of microelements in a chelated form. For example, Aquariums (Junior, Color, Fruit) Master or Fertika Lux, as well as such as calcium and potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate and magnesium sulfate, a series of Raikatov Start, Development, Final or Nutri-vant. Once every two weeks, Extrasol is added to the tank mixture to the water-soluble fertilizers at the rate of 10 ml for every 10 liters. In this case, 40% less fertilizer is given. Watering with such a composition can also be carried out through drip irrigation, and the droppers are not clogged, and such irrigation is more efficient and economical compared to other methods. Good results are obtained by using the humic preparation Rostock after one watering. The products are of high quality and with the lowest nitrate content.

The third feeding when growing tomatoes in the ground is done during the period of fruit formation.

When cultivating tall tomatoes, at least two additional additional dressings will be required. Simultaneously with top dressing, foliar dressing is also given, and in parallel, measures are taken to protect tomatoes from fungal diseases, such as late blight, Alternaria and others, as well as against pests (ticks, scoops and whiteflies).

Watch the video about growing tomatoes in the open field, which demonstrates how to properly feed the plants:

How to properly grow tomatoes in the open field: pinching

Another secret of growing tomatoes in the open field is the correct pinching. The formation of plants begins with the regular removal of stepchildren. Tall tomatoes are usually grown in one stem, but under certain weather conditions and characteristics of the variety or hybrid - in two stems. In this case, the second stem is the shoot under the first flower brush. All other stepsons are removed, the first is the main stem. As the fruits of tomatoes are formed and set on the first two clusters, they begin to remove the lower leaves one by one to the first flower cluster, then to the second, and so on. No more than 3-5 leaves are left at the top. When laying any tomato 5-7 brushes pinch the tops of the plants. This technique is called vershkovanie and is carried out in order to accelerate the ripening of fruits during prolonged vegetation in a cool summer.

Low-growing early-ripening tomatoes can be grown without pinching, but in order to obtain an earlier and more harmonious harvest, the first two stepsons are removed, and if tomatoes are cultivated in the northern region, then they must not only be pinned, but also be tied to the trellis or stakes.

As shown in the photo, when growing tomatoes in the open field with the onset of hot weather in July, it is advisable to shade the plants from the scorching rays with translucent breathing films:

It is also useful in the heat to spray with growth and fruiting stimulants in order to avoid shedding flowers and burning fruits.

How to Grow Good Outdoor Tomatoes: Fertilizing

During the care of tomatoes when grown outdoors, plants react strongly to soil fertility and the introduction of mineral fertilizers.

These plants are demanding on soil fertility. But nitrogen plays a special role in the period of growth and development. Timely feeding of tomato with nitrogen fertilizers contributes to the excellent formation of all vegetative parts of the plant, fruit formation and fruit filling. With a lack of nitrogen, the growth of stems and leaves is sharply delayed, especially during the period of growing seedlings.Plants acquire a pale green color, then turn yellow, starting from the main vein towards the edges, the lower leaves turn grayish yellow and fall off.

With an excess of nitrogen, the plants "fatten", which leads to a decrease in fruit formation and tomato resistance to diseases.

Timely introduction of phosphorus in the initial period of cultivation contributes to the development of a good root system and the formation of generative organs.

With a lack of phosphorus, the absorption of not only nitrogen, but also other nutrients by plants is disrupted, which leads to a slowdown in their growth, the formation of ovaries and the ripening of fruits. A reddish-purple color appears on the underside of the leaf, then their color becomes grayish, and the stems and leaf petioles become purple-brown. To prevent phosphorus starvation of plants, phosphorus fertilizers must be added to the soil before planting seedlings.

Potassium is necessary for tomato plants in the early stages of development for the formation of stems and ovaries. It is necessary to know and remember that feeding with potash fertilizers increases the cold resistance of plants.

The combined application of phosphorus and potassium accelerates flowering, fruit ripening and increases disease resistance. With potassium starvation, the leaves begin to acquire a dark green color at first, then yellowish-brown specks form along their edges, which then merge into a continuous marginal border of dead tissue. The growth of the stems is suspended, spots and uneven ripening may appear on the fruits.

Other nutrients also play an important role: calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, boron, sulfur, molybdenum, zinc, chlorine, iodine, copper. Most of them are found in Fertika Lux fertilizer.

Remember that for normal growth, development and a raft of fruiting, you need to continuously provide the plant with the necessary fertilizers. Weakened plants are more likely to get sick, the yield and its quality are sharply reduced. The lack of fertilizers can be easily eliminated if you know the secrets of growing tomatoes in the open field and carry out foliar feeding with Fertika Lux, Raikat Final, Razormin. But excess fertilizer can be very harmful, especially in dry weather. Therefore, strictly observe the rates and timing of fertilization recommended by the instructions.

Tomato fruits begin to be harvested as they ripen from the end of June. Fruiting can be extended to cold weather, if you follow the correct agricultural technology and plant protection. With the onset of cold nights and morning growth in August, it is advisable to cover the planting of tomatoes with spandbond films.

Diseases of tomatoes in the open field when grown in the suburbs

The most common diseases of tomatoes when grown outdoors in conditions Moscow region are: late blight, viruses of tobacco and cucumber mosaic, root rot. There are varieties and hybrids that are relatively resistant to viruses and root rot. There is no resistance to late blight in cultivated plants.

Signs of tomato disease with the tobacco mosaic virus: the leaves are covered with yellow spots, the crown of the plant is thinning, the leaves are filiform, the fruits are small, the flowers are double, deformed. Such plants must be removed and destroyed immediately. The virus cannot be cured. You just need to sow with seeds after two years of storage. The tool must be disinfected during operation. Use for cultivation varieties and hybrids that are resistant to this disease. These include F1 Dobrun, F1 Kineshma, F1 Grandma's Gift, F1 Funtik, F1 Kirzhach, F1 Rosemary and tomatoes from other manufacturers.

Using the tips for growing tomatoes outdoors, you will never make the following mistakes:

• Return to the previous place not earlier than after 4 years.
• Soil disinfection is not carried out.To do this, it is necessary to spray before planting on the dry soil of future beds with a solution of Alirin-B with Gamair or a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
• Before planting and after planting, the soil was not spilled with Extrasol (10 ml per 10 l of water). It is advisable to plant seedlings in cloudy times and without deepening the root system.
• Remember! Top dressing and watering should be carried out regularly in the morning and, when dry, loosen and huddle with damp earth.
• Remember! After each spraying, it is imperative to carry out protective measures with the addition of growth and fruiting stimulants.

This outdoor tomato grower video provides tips from experienced growers for plant care:

The main secrets of growing tomatoes in the open field

Many vegetable growers are interested in how to grow good tomatoes outdoors and avoid fattening them?

Intensive plant growth, dark, almost black color of the leaf, thick stems, curled leaves at the top of the plants and the absence of fruits are signs of excess nitrogen nutrition. Tomatoes are "fattening"! Most often, this picture is observed with excessive application of organic fertilizers for crops and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers with a high nitrogen content.

Seedlings are often stretched out. This is due to a lack of light, too high a temperature, with abundant watering and thickening. The seedlings must be properly arranged before the leaves close. With a clear extension of the seedlings, watering should be limited, the temperature in the room should be reduced to about 18-19 ° C, it is these factors with a lack of light that cause excessive growth.

And how to properly limit the growth of tomatoes in order to grow them in the open field strong and productive? The fruiting period of indeterminate tomato is quite long. In suburban conditions and depending on the region of residence, it is impossible from such plants to completely wait for the end of growth and fruiting, unless, of course, the plants get sick or die from early autumn frosts. The pinching is carried out about a month before the onset of the final harvest. Two leaves are left above the last inflorescence for the complete filling of the set fruits. Usually, in the conditions of the southern region, they manage to fill and ripen the fruits on 10-11 inflorescences.

Another important question is how to grow tomatoes in the open and avoid drying out the leaves? Drying of the lower leaves in seedlings can be caused by several reasons. The first is the presence of sucking pests. The fight against them can be carried out both with the help of chemical, and in cases of the beginning of the maturation of products with the use of biological agents: Fitoverm, Fitosporin, Bitoxibacillin. The second reason is that the concentration of salts in the soil is too high, while the remaining leaves of the plant droop. The third reason is lack of nutrition. In all likelihood, it is necessary to make urgent feeding with small doses of water-soluble fertilizers such as Fertika Lux or humic preparations or the microbiological preparation Extrasol.

In order to grow tomatoes in the open field in the way that proper agricultural technology suggests, it is imperative to fight pests. The most dangerous of them are the nightshade miner, whitefly, garden (cotton) scoop, tomato moth. For the most part, this is the result of the lack of preventive measures in the process of growing tomatoes. It is necessary to get rid of these pests in advance with one of the approved drugs. One of the main secrets of growing tomatoes in the open field is the use of only high-quality biological products.