How to care for tomatoes in a greenhouse?
The greenhouse method of growing tomatoes allows you to harvest during periods when it is impossible to do it outdoors. Using a modern polycarbonate coating, plants can be grown in early spring without additional heating. Consider what includes caring for tomatoes in a polycarbonate greenhouse.
Planting tomato seedlings
Caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse begins with planting prepared seedlings in a place of permanent growth.
The further successful development of adult plants and the yield of tomato fruits depend on the quality of the planting performed in the ground.
For planting, tomato seedlings should have the following parameters:
- plant height 25-35 cm;
- the presence of the first bud (possibly the opening of the first flower);
- dark green color of shoots and leaves;
- the diameter of the main stem in the area of the root collar is not less than 1 cm;
- the presence of at least 7 well-developed true leaves;
- the root system completely enmeshes the lump of the substrate and has only white live roots.
It is necessary to plant according to a certain scheme, which depends on the characteristics of the cultivated variety. With a thickened planting, the plants will shade each other, stretch, which will lead to a predisposition to the development of diseases and a decrease in yield. With a very sparse arrangement of seedlings, the greenhouse area will not be used, which will lead to a shortage of the total crop.
Therefore, it is necessary to choose the optimal landing pattern and it is recommended to use the following parameters:
- Early ripe determinant varieties with formation of 2-3 stems are planted according to the scheme 60x40 cm.
- Determinant tomatoes with 1 main stem are planted denser - 50x30 cm.
- In indeterminate tall tomatoes, the planting pattern is sparse - 80x70 cm.
Cups with high-quality seedlings are planted in holes, deepening to 3-5 cm. If the plants are overgrown, then the tomato stem can be placed in the soil at a depth of at least 10 cm, while digging a ditch. Additional roots are easily formed on the stem, which can more intensively feed an adult plant.
How to care for tomatoes in the greenhouse after planting?
Many factors affect the survival rate of seedlings and the further growth of the tomato plant. Consider in detail the important points when caring for tomatoes.
Temperature
During the period of adaptation of seedlings in new greenhouse conditions, the air temperature must be kept within the optimal range from +22 to +25 degrees, while the soil should already warm up above +15 degrees. Under such conditions, plants quickly give new roots and they begin to grow intensively.
Caring for tomatoes in a polycarbonate greenhouse includes the need to constantly monitor the temperature. Polycarbonate has high thermal insulation properties and good light transmission, therefore, in sunny weather, the air temperature during the daytime can rise sharply and reach critical for plants (above +35 degrees). Opening doors and transoms will reduce the temperature.
If there is no constant heating in the greenhouse, then in case of a probable onset of frost, an additional heat source must be installed. In its capacity, various types of burners, heat guns or simply kerosene lamps can be used.
Watering
Before planting, it is advisable not to water the seedlings for 2-3 days. It will not be brittle and will receive additional hardening.
Immediately after planting the tomatoes, it is necessary to water abundantly. This is one of the important rules for caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse. It is necessary to create contact between roots and soil. If this is not done, the plants can stick and then hurt for a long time, which ultimately will negatively affect the yield.
Further watering is carried out when the topsoil dries up. The moisture level is kept at 85% of the full moisture capacity. The easiest way to determine is by squeezing the soil into a fist from a layer below 10 cm.If after opening the palm, a non-scattering lump forms and it does not smear on the hands, then the moisture is optimal, when the lump scatters, watering is required.
On hot days in summer, daily watering is sometimes necessary, or even twice a day.
Excessive soil overflow is detrimental to the roots, therefore, in cool weather, watering should be carried out no more than once every 3-4 days.
Fertilizer
When planting seedlings start fertilizer must be poured onto the bottom of the hole. To do this, use 20 g of nitroammophoska containing N16P16K16. The roots should not come into contact with the granules due to the danger of burns, so they are mixed with the soil.
Top dressing is one of the most important jobs in the care of tomatoes in the greenhouse. They are carried out weekly with subsequent watering. Tomatoes are very demanding on the content of nutrients in the soil, especially phosphorus. In the arsenal of a tomato vegetable grower, there should be monopotassium phosphate and potassium nitrate. These are two fast-acting fertilizers that will meet the macronutrient requirements of the tomato plant. They take 20 g of each, dissolve in a ten-liter bucket of water and water at least 10 bushes.
Pollination
Caring for tomatoes during the mass opening of buds includes operations that improve the formation of ovaries. Tomatoes have self-pollinating flowers. For the pollen to spill out and get on the pistil, just shake the tomato plant slightly. This operation is performed in the morning in sunny weather.
During airing, insects fly into the greenhouse, which help the flowers to pollinate. Bumblebees do it very well. You can put a hive with bumblebees in the greenhouse to increase fruit setting.
Observing all the described rules for caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse, you can get a bountiful harvest of delicious tomatoes.
The article is interesting and informative. Everything is written correctly, but I will add a few practical tips, since the greenhouse has special growing conditions. If in spring and autumn it is a protection, then at the height of summer, despite the ventilation, it is hot there.
Gradually, from the moment the bush takes root, we remove the lower leaves in order to organize the heating of the earth in the spring, followed by airing. If the leaf plates of two bushes are fighting for lighting, they should be cut in half. At a temperature in the greenhouse above 35 degrees, the pollen of the flowers is sterilized, and there will be no ovary. At this time, you need to use a fruit stimulant to help set the fruit faster. If it's 30 degrees outside, in the greenhouse it's about 40, and you can't do anything.
Foliar top dressing with microelements in the greenhouse is required. Through the leaves, nutrition will arrive in 3 days, through the roots, the result is visible in 2 weeks for any feeding. Tomatoes cannot be watered every day. The land needs to be saturated with water, mulched and watered no more than once every 5 days. Otherwise, late blight and root rot are inevitable. If the redness is delayed or the staining is uneven, you need to give potassium dressing with nitrate or sulfate salt.
Hello, tell me, please, and how often should you water if you only planted seedlings in the soil (greenhouse)?
Hello! The first watering should be abundant for the plant to take root quickly.Further, as the soil dries up. Tomatoes do not like swamps and do not do well in dry soil. Check the soil at a depth of 10 cm. Watering frequency depends on the soil composition and the climate in your greenhouse. In hot weather, watering should be done more often.
Very interesting stuff. Thank you.