Tomatoes for greenhouses and open ground: 7 popular varieties

The greenhouse provides the gardener with excellent conditions for growing tomatoes. Tomatoes grown in greenhouse conditions ripen faster, retaining all the taste qualities of the planted variety. But to get a good harvest and provide optimal conditions for the development of tomato seedlings, you will have to work hard. It is necessary not only to build a greenhouse and plant seedlings in it. You need to have an idea of what proper care of tomatoes in a greenhouse involves. We will look in detail in the article on how to get a rich harvest of tomatoes in a greenhouse!

↑ When to sow tomatoes or plant them in a greenhouse

It is necessary to plant seeds or seedlings of tomatoes in a greenhouse at the “right” time of year. After all, when planting in the winter months, the gardener faces a lot of difficulties in order to obtain a good harvest. The best time is spring. The optimal time for sowing seeds and planting seedlings is considered to be the second ten days of April. At this time, there are no frosts or cold winds, the temperature is optimal, and there is enough necessary humidity inside the greenhouse structure.

Important! The optimal temperature for germination of tomato seeds and survival of seedlings in a greenhouse is not lower than 20 °C and not higher than 25 °C both inside and outside the structure.

Experienced gardeners advise planting seedlings when they have the following signs:

seedling height from 10 to 25 cm depending on the variety;
6-10 true leaves;
1-2 formed inflorescences;
age from germination 45-50 days.

But many gardeners plant tomato seedlings much earlier, and they produce excellent harvests! You need to focus on a specific year: did spring come early or late, is it warm or cold, are there frequent night frosts, etc.

Now everyone is trying to use the lunar cycles for sowing and planting. Let's consider favorable days when it is best to plant them to get a good harvest of tomatoes.

Tomato seedlings planted these days quickly adapt and develop healthy, strong and resistant to pests and diseases.

how to grow a good tomato crop. planting, pinching, fog treatment, etc.

Tatiana Tsivilskaya

Read this... Interesting. . Experience of Olga Nikanorova 1. Tomatoes were grown using the technology of growing tomato trees, with the exception of the system for supplying plant roots with oxygen, since the process turned out to be too labor-intensive. The plants were planted in plastic bags (there were no barrels). I glued the bags myself from the thickest film with a thickness of 200 microns. The result was a package 1.5 meters long and 0.9 meters wide without a bottom. 4 stakes were driven into the ground and a pipe bag was put on them. I folded the package slightly from the bottom and pressed the edges with bricks. The stakes are needed to prevent the package from falling on its side under the weight of the soil. The upper long part of the package served as a greenhouse-dome in May (it was tied into a bun with a rope). After the threat of frost has passed, the bag can be lowered and wrapped. Tomatoes bear fruit from late June to late October. The early production of tomatoes is due to the fact that the seedlings were planted at the usual time, and with the use of EM technology they developed more intensively. To extend the fruiting period in October, the tomato trees were covered with film or lutrasil. The tomato tree develops several powerful trunks that have strong leaves. There are too many leaves and the bush is not ventilated. To avoid the disease of tomatoes with Phytophthora, all leaves from which the shoots have appeared are removed. And once a week, tomatoes are sprayed with Baikal solution (without adding a nutrient medium). As a result, crop losses were avoided at a time when neighbors in the country and many acquaintances were complaining about the loss of most of the crop from late blight. Every year I look for new varieties of tomatoes suitable for growing using this method. “Sprut” performed well. Tomatoes from two trees were eaten and stocked for two families. The tomatoes are all even, each weighing exactly 100g. The taste is normal and is excellent for preservation. This year, the “Wild Rose” and “Oxheart” varieties gave amazing results! The fruits were up to 950 grams instead of the promised 400, extraordinary taste, without veins and green spots. “The Yellow Giant” also pleased me! But the “Goldfish” and “Red Icicle” varieties produce good fruits, but have limited growth and do not use all the nutrients that EM compost gives them. Hybrid varieties grow well, but as a rule have limited growth (except for "Octopus"). I had high hopes for the “Mazarin” variety, bought the seeds very expensively... but the variety did not justify itself! This year, only four of the tomato trees produced fruit at full capacity. and this was enough for food, for preparation and for sale on the market. Moreover, on the market, the products grown using EM technology looked different from the rest and were bought with pleasure at the maximum price. This year I planted 3 tomatoes using this technology..

Evgenia Taratutina

To grow a good tomato crop, you need to do everything on time. Plant, water. pass. tie up

How to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse in winter
How to grow a tomato on the balcony
How to grow tomatoes on the balcony in summer
How to grow a large harvest of tomatoes in a greenhouse
To grow a good tomato crop in a greenhouse
Grow tomatoes without seedlings
How to get a good tomato harvest in a greenhouse
How to grow tomatoes in open ground
How to grow tomatoes on the balcony video
What type of tomato to grow on the balcony
How to grow tomato seeds
How to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse
Grow tomato seedlings
Grow tomato seedlings
How to grow tomato seedlings video
How to properly grow tomatoes in greenhouses

↑ Review of tomato varieties for greenhouses

These varieties are recommended by gardeners. All of them have proven themselves well when grown in greenhouse conditions:

“Miracle of the Earth” is a popular, early-ripening variety that produces high yields. The seedlings are tall and require staking. The fruits are distinguished by their sweetness, the shape of the fruit is very interesting - in the shape of a heart. The fruits reach a weight of 800-900 grams. The bushes are resistant to drought and sudden temperature changes.
“Major” is a high-yielding, indeterminate (that is, unlimited growth) variety of tomatoes. Fruits with dense pink pulp and a pleasant smell. “Major” is resistant to tomato diseases and many unfavorable conditions.
“Gondola” is an indeterminate, medium-ripening hybrid variety. The weight of ripe tomatoes reaches 200-500 grams. Since the pulp is dense, tomatoes have excellent shelf life and transportability. In the photo there are other popular varieties:
“Silhouette” is a mid-early and high-yielding hybrid variety. Fruits with an unusual flattened shape have excellent taste characteristics. The hybrid is resistant to temperature changes and many tomato diseases.
“Kokhava” is a high-yielding and ultra-early ripening variety. The fruits may be small, from 150 to 200 grams, but a lot of them are formed on the bush. The first tomatoes are harvested on the 90th day after germination. Seedlings are resistant to fungal diseases.
“Hurricane” is an early ripening variety, abundant harvest with small fruits (80-90 g). Harvesting begins 86-90 days after planting. The seedlings are resistant to unfavorable conditions.
“Dina” is a productive, medium-ripening variety. The seedlings are medium-sized, the very sweet fruits are large, round in shape, weighing 150-200 grams. The color is unusual - bright orange. Dina tomatoes are resistant to disease and drought.
“Long Keeper” is a high-yielding variety, but late-ripening. The seedlings are medium-sized, the harvest is large, round-shaped fruits, weighing up to 300 grams. The tomatoes are storable, with good ripening after being picked unripe.
“Lelya” is a new variety that has proven itself to be high-yielding and early ripening. Fruits weighing up to 100 grams with bright red sweet pulp. The variety is resistant to unfavorable conditions.
“Bull's Heart” - this variety is known to many gardeners! There are many varieties of the variety: red, pink, and black fruits weighing up to 300-400 grams. Excellent taste, fleshy pulp, high yield and resistance to many diseases - this is why the variety has remained popular for decades.

Tomatoes for canning

Tomatoes should be small in size and easily fit into containers. With a dense peel, which prevents tomatoes from cracking during blanching. If salad tomatoes are valued for their juicy pulp, then for canning you need tomatoes with less juice content. Let's give an example of the most productive tomatoes suitable for canning.

Watercolor

Early ripening, on average 105 days, unpretentious, with a yield of up to 8 kg per plant. Belongs to standard varieties, no more than 50 cm in height, plum-shaped tomatoes, covered in clusters on a small bush. Undemanding in care, tomatoes from 50 to 80 g, with elastic pulp, are perfectly stored, transported, and ripen for a long time when picked. It can safely be considered one of the most productive, unpretentious varieties of tomatoes that do not require labor-intensive care.

Gull

Early ripening, on average 100 days, determinate tomato, with a low-growing strong bush, up to 60 cm. Among the most productive, tasty, compact varieties of tomatoes for canning, with good taste, it is in the first row. In addition, the plant is resistant to diseases. Fruit weight is up to 100 g. They do not crack when ripe and are perfect for preservation. Harvest up to 7 kg from one bush.

Attention! Gardeners give it preference because the seedlings do not wither and take root well.

Evgeniya

Tomato, which is characterized by early ripening, 95-105 days. Standard type, low bush, up to 30 cm, yield 7 kg per bush. Tolerant to temperature fluctuations and dry weather. The fruits are round in shape from 70 to 120 g. They belong to the bouquet type of tomatoes. The dense skin and the pulp not too saturated with juice make it a suitable variety for canning.

Solerosso

It is classified as a super-yielding, low-maintenance tomato variety of Dutch selection. Up to 10 kg of fruits are collected from one plant. It belongs to determinant varieties, is undemanding in care, and takes root well. Small tomatoes, on average 50 g, have a pleasant aroma, a sweetish taste, and do not crack. Tomatoes are canned, salads and other dishes are prepared.

Roma

This is a group of varieties of Italian breeders. Tomatoes are popular in the West due to their good yield, interesting shape of the fruit, an elongated cylinder with a small spout. The seeds of the most productive tomato varieties in this group are small, small, but germinate quickly. It is noted for its good transportability and long-term storage, which is why it is grown en masse for sale. From a low bush, fruits hang in clusters, 60-80 g, similar to large plums. Universal varieties that are suitable for canning and preparing culinary products. Productivity reaches 8 kg.

↑ How to properly grow tomato seedlings

Even for novice gardeners, it is not news that a good harvest begins with high-quality seedlings. And strong seedlings that are resistant to adverse conditions can only be obtained from high-quality seeds.

↑ Preparation of seed material for sowing

Many experienced vegetable growers advise sowing tomato seeds for seedlings from the beginning of February to the beginning of April. The timing of sowing depends on the crop variety:

If these are early varieties, then sow at the end of March.
When choosing mid-season varieties, sow seeds throughout March.
Late varieties are sown in February.

Today you can buy different seed material: from ordinary seeds to coated seeds, which the manufacturer has already processed for sowing. Such seeds are immediately sown in the ground.

Before sowing, ordinary seeds are treated for 15 minutes in a Fitosporin solution. It is recommended to soak in a solution of a growth stimulator for 15 minutes. Simple preparation will allow the seedlings to sprout faster and grow into strong seedlings with proper, but completely uncomplicated, care.

↑ Preparation of substrate for seedlings

Tomato seedlings do not require special soil; they grow well in loose and nutritious soil mixture. You can buy it for sowing at a garden store, for example, “Tomato and Pepper” or “Living Earth”. Such soils have already been treated against pests and fungi. If you use independently prepared soil, then it must be disinfected by calcination for 20 minutes in the oven. The substrate should include: turf (from your garden), humus, river sand in an amount of 2:2:1. You can find many recipes for soil mixtures for tomato seedlings. The main thing is to treat it either in the oven, or steam, or with disinfecting solutions.

Step-by-step sowing of seeds for seedlings:

Choose a container: cups, containers, boxes, peat tablets. The container needs either drainage (up to 2 cm) or holes to allow excess moisture to escape and air access to the roots.
Pour the prepared substrate into the container.
We make a groove 1-1.5 cm deep. When sowing in boxes, there should be a gap of 5-6 cm between the grooves.
Water the soil with warm water.
Place the seeds in the grooves, sprinkle with soil, compacting it a little with your hands.
Cover the container with film or glass to create greenhouse conditions.
We place the boxes on pallets and move them to a warm, well-lit place.

↑ Caring for tomato seedlings

Shoots will begin to appear 6-7 days after sowing. To prevent the seedlings from stretching, the conditions of detention are changed. The place must be lit, the containers must be rotated every day, otherwise the seedlings will stretch in one direction.

The temperature for germination should be:

The first 7 days: daytime – 16-18 °C, night – 13-15 °C.
Before 2-3 true leaves (picks) appear: daytime – 18-20 °C, night – three degrees lower.
After picking: daytime – 20-22 °C, nighttime – 4 degrees lower.
Before planting in the greenhouse: daytime – 18-20 °C, night – 3 degrees lower.

Water the seedlings in this way:

The first time the shoots appear.
Second time in a week.
The third time was before the day of the pick.
After picking, water once a week.

The water should be at room temperature; water the sprouts at the root.

↑ Picking tomato seedlings

When sowing in common boxes, seedlings must be picked. This is done when 2-3 full leaves are formed.

The same substrate is poured into pots or plastic cups as for sowing.
Water the soil with a solution of manganese (0.5 grams per 1 liter of water).
The strongest seedlings are transplanted.

When picking, the elongated sprouts are buried down to the cotyledon leaves.

After picking, the seedlings are fed:

After 7 days with a solution: per 10 liters of water 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska, spending ½ cup of liquid per 1 bush.
After 2 weeks: Signor Tomato solution, 1 tbsp. l. of the drug per bucket of water, spending one glass of suspension per 1 bush.
After another 15 days, nitrophoska solution: 1 tbsp per 10 liters of water. l. of the drug, consumption per bush - 1 glass.

Fertilizing is applied after watering. When the substrate settles, it is topped up.

↑ Preparing tomato seedlings for transplanting into a greenhouse

Before transplanting into a greenhouse structure, seedlings must be hardened off:

In the room where the seedlings are located, the windows are opened. Initially for 2-3 hours, gradually increase the time. Make sure there are no drafts.
When warm days arrive, containers with seedlings are transferred to the veranda or balcony. They start at two hours and add more time every day.

After hardening, the sprouts acquire a greenish-purple color, including the lower part of the leaves.

A few days before transplanting, the bushes are pinched. Remove the two lower leaves, leaving a “stump” of 2-3 cm. This should be done to improve air circulation.

↑ Selecting a greenhouse

Tomatoes are heat-loving plants, and they need a warm greenhouse. Greenhouses located on open ground should not be used. Such a greenhouse is suitable for growing tomatoes in open ground in summer to protect them from rain or strong winds.

The optimal material for covering a greenhouse when planting tomatoes is polycarbonate. The material perfectly transmits ultraviolet rays and is able to protect against cold and rain. When growing tomatoes in March or in the winter months, you need a double layer of material or installing a “warm floor” system.

Glass perfectly transmits ultraviolet radiation and serves as protection against cold weather. The greenhouse covering material is more expensive and much heavier, but will last much longer than polycarbonate.

When using polycarbonate or glass, choose a frame made of aluminum or metal profiles. These are the most reliable, stable and moisture-resistant materials.

Choosing a site for growing tomatoes and preparing the soil

The bed should be laid out in a well-lit place, the soil should be closer to neutral and rich in nutrients. Too heavy soil is diluted with peat or sawdust. It is better to place the plantings on the south side of the site and in such a way that the plants are not blown by cold winds. Often, gardeners make single-row beds along fences or outbuildings.

Every 3, or better yet 2 years, the planting site should be changed. Pathogens of various diseases remain in the soil, affecting both tomatoes and other nightshades. Therefore, when growing tomatoes in open ground, the best predecessors for them are: onions, carrots, garlic, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, and all types of cabbage. Do not plant after peppers, potatoes, and eggplants.

The beds for digging have been prepared since the fall. Manure or other organic fertilizers are added to the soil. If bed preparation begins in early spring, then manure cannot be used; it is replaced with humus or compost. You can also add minerals to the soil; per 1 m² you will need the following amount:

superphosphate – 80 g,
potassium chloride – 20 g.

You should not apply too much fertilizer “in reserve”; this will cause active growth of green mass, but will negatively affect fruit set.

↑ Preparing soil in a greenhouse for planting tomato seedlings

Greenhouse soil must be replaced once every five years, even with regular application of fertilizers for seedlings. In the fall, the greenhouse is disinfected with the following means:

1% solution of Bordeaux mixture.
1% suspension of copper sulfate.
Dolomite flour at the rate of 50 grams per 1 m2 of area.

The old soil is removed and a new substrate is laid:

A 10 cm layer of sawdust or straw is laid on the bottom of the greenhouse. Rotted compost is poured onto this layer in a 10-centimeter layer. It turns out to be an insulating bedding for plants.
Garden turf is poured on top in a layer of 30-40 cm, forming a high bed.
Fertilizers are applied during digging: 1 tbsp. l. potassium magnesium, 1 tsp. sodium nitrate, 2 tbsp. l. ash, 3 tbsp. l. superphosphate per 1 m2.
If peat was used as soil, then additionally scatter: one bucket of wood shavings, turf soil, humus and half a bucket of coarse river sand per 1 m2.

In this way, the prepared greenhouse is ready for spring planting of seedlings.

↑ At what temperature should tomato seedlings be planted?

Transplantation of seedlings into a greenhouse is carried out at a temperature:

At a depth of 10 cm, the soil should be heated to at least +13 degrees.
The air in the greenhouse is heated to 20-25 °C.

When the greenhouse is heated, these temperature conditions are created artificially at the right time.

↑ Planting tomato seedlings in a greenhouse

Taking into account the vegetable grower’s preferences and tomato varieties, let’s consider how to plant seedlings in a greenhouse:

Early ripening and low-growing varieties, developing into 2-3 stems, are planted in a checkerboard pattern with a distance between rows of 50-55 cm, and between seedlings along the same line - 35-40 cm.
Standard, determinate varieties are planted between rows with a distance of 40-45 cm, between bushes of the same line - 20 cm.
Tall varieties are planted in a staggered arrangement according to the following pattern: between rows the distance is 75-80 cm, between bushes of the same line - 55-60 cm.

Step-by-step transplant procedure:

Holes are made 20-25 cm deep. When transplanting from cups, the width of the hole should be slightly larger than the diameter of the container.
The wells are watered with a warm solution of potassium permanganate (0.5 grams of potassium permanganate per 5 liters of water).
The seedlings are planted together with a ball of earth in a hole. If the tomatoes were grown in peat containers, the seedlings are not removed.
Low-growing seedlings are planted straight, while tall and overgrown ones are planted at an angle.
Each bush is covered with loose soil and compacted.
After planting, mulch is poured - straw, sawdust, hay.

↑ Caring for seedlings after transplantation

After transplantation, the seedlings do not need to be touched for 5-6 days. During this time, the seedlings adapt to their new place of “residence”. And after 6 days, loosening can be done to improve air access to the roots. A week after transplantation, they begin caring for tomato seedlings.

↑ Watering tomato seedlings in a greenhouse

Irrigation features:

Water moderately but often.
Mandatory ventilation and loosening after each watering.
For irrigation, use water heated at home or under the sun.
Water the plants manually using a watering can or hose. Many gardeners have been using drip irrigation in recent years.
Tomatoes are watered under the root system. The smallest droplets of moisture that fall can cause sunburn on the leaves.

When to start watering after transplanting:

After planting, the seedlings are not watered for the first week. The seedlings will only need the moisture that was poured into the hole during planting. Otherwise, adaptation will take longer, and the seedlings will begin to stretch
Seedlings are watered once every 5 days until fruit sets. Each bush is watered with four liters of water at a time. The soil should be wet to a depth of 15 centimeters.
With the appearance of the first tomatoes, watering is done more often: up to once every three days. But the water consumption per bush is reduced - 3 liters at a time is enough.

You can tell that a bush is suffering from thirst by the curling of its upper leaves. If there is an excess of watering, not only ripening tomatoes, but also young tomatoes will burst.

↑ Feeding tomatoes in a greenhouse

Greenhouse tomatoes should be fed 3-4 times during the season. The following schedule is recommended:

20 days after transplanting, one liter per bush of this solution: per bucket of water - half a liter of diluted cow manure and 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska.
After 10 days, feeding with solution: 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 1 tsp. potassium sulfate per bucket of water. Half a bucket of solution is used per 1 m2.
After 15 days, fertilize with a solution of 2 tbsp. l. wood ash, 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate per 10 liters of water. Use 6-7 liters of solution per 1 m2.
When tomatoes begin to ripen. Water with a solution prepared from 10 liters of water, 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate, 1 tbsp. l. potassium humate. Use half a bucket of the mixture per 1 m2.

↑ Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse

The first pinching is performed before transplantation. In place of the removed leaf plates, 2-3 cm “stumps” must remain. They are needed to prevent new shoots from developing in this place.

Basic rules for growing greenhouse tomatoes:

The shoots are pinched with fingernails. Hands must be disinfected after each contact with seedlings.
The stems break off most easily in the morning. Therefore, stepsoning must be planned for the morning hours.
The frequency of pinching is once every 6-7 days.
After pouring the tomato, pinch out all the lower branches. This is necessary for air circulation and as a preventive measure against rotting of tomatoes.

If there are few seedlings, you should not throw away the stepsons. Using the torn end, lower the stepson into the water. After 3-5 days, strong sprouts will take root. They are planted in a greenhouse and even get a small harvest.

↑ Ventilation of seedlings

When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, you should not forget about their ventilation. It is important to ventilate the greenhouse after each watering. Tomatoes do not tolerate high humidity very well. In these unfavorable conditions, fungal diseases and late blight begin to develop.

The optimal level of air humidity in a greenhouse structure should be 60-65%. During tomato flowering, it is especially important to adhere to these indicators. The resulting condensation affects the taste and wateriness of the fruit.

↑ Garter of tomatoes in a greenhouse

When planting seedlings, install a support next to each bush. These can be trellises or pegs. They use slats made of wood, iron scraps, rods, and pieces of thin plastic pipes. The pegs should rise 20-25 cm above the plant. To make the peg stable, it is driven into the ground 20-30 cm. Tomatoes are tied up as needed.

When growing tall varieties, permanent trellises are installed. This saves space in the greenhouse, and increases the number of planted bushes per 1 m2 of area. In the aisles, stakes with a height of at least 1.7-2 meters are driven. A wire is pulled between the stakes every 40 cm. You can also use a strong rope. As the seedlings grow, they are passed between the supports.

↑ Mulching tomato bushes in a greenhouse

The fact that mulching increases tomato yield by 25% has been proven by many gardeners. What effect does a layer of mulch have on plantings?

it protects the top layer of soil well from crust formation;
hides tomato roots from sunlight;
prevents weeds from growing quickly;
mulch reliably retains moisture;
in the process, the mulch rots and becomes humus;
mulching plantings will improve the soil structure and increase its aeration;
a layer of mulch prevents the lower leaves of tomatoes from touching the ground, preventing the leaves from rotting in wet soil.

Take the time to lay out a layer of mulch around the plants. After all, caring for seedlings will be much easier.

Suitable for mulching: sawdust, straw, hay, dry grass, pine needles, bark, cardboard. The materials used for mulch should be periodically updated, since, for example, grass and hay decompose quickly. When laying out layers of leaves, you need to use only dry leaves, and it is better to water the sawdust with urea.

↑ Pollination of tomatoes in a greenhouse

The amount of future harvest directly depends on pollination. Tomatoes produce a lot of pollen to pollinate their own and neighboring flowers. When grown in a garden bed, pollination is aided by insects and wind.

In a greenhouse, wind pollination is possible when seedlings are ventilated. The quality of pollination is highly dependent on weather and temperature. At low temperatures, the anthers become deformed, and at high temperatures, pollen grains may lose viability. High humidity also prevents high-quality pollination.

In a greenhouse, tomatoes are pollinated in two ways:

Natural pollination. Honey-bearing herbs and flowers are planted between the rows to attract insects. Indoor flowers are also brought into the greenhouse. Also, during the flowering of tomatoes, a draft is created in the greenhouse so that pollen falls on neighboring flowers.
Artificial pollination. The weather is not always such that bees and other insects fly. Then pollination is performed artificially.

Pollination is carried out early in the morning, as pollen matures at night. Choose one of the methods. This method is used throughout the entire flowering period:

Brush. The simplest method of pollen transfer. The brush is smeared with pollen and each pistil is touched.
Fan. An artificial wind is created using a fan. Carry a running fan between the rows.
Shaking. Hold the tomato bush by the bottom of the trunk and begin to shake it lightly. If the bush is tied to a trellis, then tap the wire with a stick. Pollen falls on neighboring flowers and pollination occurs.

To improve pollination, you can spray tomatoes with special preparations for the ovary.

We hope that our article will help you grow a good harvest of greenhouse tomatoes!

Growing tomatoes

Secrets for growing tomatoes

Those who have been growing vegetables for many years accumulate observations, tricks, and secrets. Here are some of them. Although tomatoes are quite unassuming, if you neglect them and allow late blight to take over them, your pets will die in a couple of days.

First of all, you need to make sure that the seedlings are strong, strong and healthy.

When growing in open ground, and not in a greenhouse, the plant must be covered with spunbond, but when the ambient temperature drops, it is replaced with polyethylene, and when it warms up, it is changed back.

It must be said that until the tomato seedlings have reached their optimal stage of development (the formation of a bud on the first flower cluster), they cannot be planted in open ground. But it is also not recommended to delay this, since under-ripening and over-ripening of seedlings will negatively affect the quality of the harvest. It turns out that seedlings intended for a greenhouse need to start growing earlier than those for open ground. Approximate dates will be developed in practice through trial and error, but for the Moscow region and neighboring regions this is the first quarter of March for greenhouses and the last quarter of March for open ground, but taking into account the characteristics of the variety.

Seedlings that have been in boxes for too long can stretch out, and in this case the upper parts of the plants, 20-25 cm long, can be torn off and placed in some container. After a couple of days, roots will begin to appear on the torn part and then it makes sense to replant it in the soil. There will be no negative effect from such procedures. Accordingly, the same can be done with the part of the plant that broke off during planting. The plant will grow just like the rest.

It is forbidden to plant tomatoes densely. The distance from one plant to another should be 60 cm or more. If there is a shortage of land next to the tomatoes, you can plant leeks. These two plants successfully coexist with each other.

As the tomatoes grow, their leaves will come into contact and this should not be allowed - the leaves are cut off. Those that are leaning towards the ground are also plucked. Do not hesitate with pinching and eliminating shoots growing from the root. Each leaf on the plant should be blown freely - this reduces the likelihood of late blight.

When planting tomatoes, it is recommended to deepen them so that the stem grows additional roots.

Tomatoes like potassium permanganate, so it is advisable to constantly water them with a bright pink solution, from which the fruits acquire a sweetish taste and increase their ability to resist disease. But once the plants begin to mature, you can stop watering them unless the weather is dry.

Tomatoes do not take much organic fertilizers; it is better to apply mineral fertilizers with microelements.

To avoid excessive use of chemicals against late blight, the plant must be constantly monitored. At the first symptoms of the disease, appropriate medications are used, but not in rainy weather.

Also, the risk of disease is greater if potatoes grow near tomatoes, which are directly involved in the spread of late blight.

❧ The productivity of tomatoes can be increased if, during the appearance of buds, flowering, and fruit set, you water them at intervals of 9~12 days, and during fruit ripening - at intervals of 15-20 days.

It has been experimentally revealed that low varieties of tomatoes are much worse than plants of medium and high growth. The fact is that the latter are less susceptible to diseases, have increased productivity, and are simply tastier. Although they are a little more difficult to care for, it pays off handsomely. You should not forget to tie them up, as due to their height they tend to fall over.

Without waiting for the immediate arrival of frost, it is recommended to uproot tall varieties of plants with fairly small fruits and hang them in some room with their roots up - for about a month these bushes will still be useful in the form of a tomato harvest.

It is best to compost dead plants, their parts, and any organic debris. However, it would be advisable to burn a plant that has suffered from a dangerous infection, and do it correctly: the tops are pulled out, dried away from living plants, and then burned on some object raised above the ground, for example, on a metal sheet laid on bricks. In this case, the surface of the earth will not burn out. After this procedure, the ashes can be collected and used as fertilizer for any plants, with the exception of nightshades.