How to feed tomato seedlings to produce plump fruits? Good and early harvest You can get it if you fertilize the plants in a timely and correct manner. Top dressing can be root and foliar. It is carried out using special fertilizers according to special schemes.
Thick and juicy tomatoes
Tomato feeding is carried out to grow strong and high-quality seedlings. It should have short thick stems, and the first brush should be located as low as possible from the ground. Tomato care requires careful care if the soil is not too fertile. It is constantly filled with micronutrients, substances that the plant cannot do without.
Tomato seedlings need to be fed at certain intervals and in prescribed amounts. There should be no excess or lack of fertilizers. Excessive quantity Nitrogen is dangerous for any variety of tomatoes. Nitrogen can provoke an excessive increase in green mass, after which the bushes will grow tall, and there may be practically no harvest.
Following the advice of experienced gardeners, tomatoes should be fed with nitrogen once if they have a strong enough stem and the leaves are colored dark green color with a purple tint. This feeding for tomato seedlings is necessary approximately 8-10 days before planting in the ground. permanent place growth.
A number of symptoms indicate a lack of fertilizer. Due to the lack of nitrogen or its minimal presence, the leaves on the seedlings acquire a yellow color and become lethargic, but if the gardener does not take any measures, they will fall off. Deviations from the norm occur at low air temperatures or excessive watering.
Tomato seedlings turn purple if there is a lack of phosphorus. When the growth rate of leaves does not deviate from the norm, no measures should be taken. But at the slightest inhibition of growth, the gardener must feed the plants with phosphorus.
With a lack of iron, the plant suffers from chlorosis. The leaves take on a pale green color and clearly defined veins appear on them.
Fertilizing technology
The first feeding of tomato seedlings is carried out approximately 2 weeks after picking the seedlings (they are planted in separate containers from a common container).
How to feed a plant to achieve maximum effect? To manipulate you need to prepare special solution: for 1 liter of water you will need 1 tbsp. l. Nitrofoska fertilizers. The components of the mixture are mixed well. The prepared solution is enough to feed about 35-40 bushes. In addition, you can use fertilizers that have a similar effect, for example, it could be Agricola No. 3.
The second feeding is carried out approximately 14 days later. Revealing secret tips for growing tomatoes, experienced gardeners It is recommended to take into account the thickness of the main stem. In some cases, the stems may become excessively elongated. To eliminate this deviation, you need to use superphosphate. To prepare the solution, take 3 liters of water and 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate.
Among the many products that are sold in specialized stores, many choose Atlet. It is used for one-time feeding of tomatoes.
If the plant looks healthy outwardly and grows without deviations, it still needs to be fertilized in order for the harvest to be plentiful. For this purpose, the drug Effecton O is used. Each subsequent feeding of the bushes is carried out after 10 days. Actions are stopped approximately 7 days before planting the plant in open beds.
Feeding for tomatoes is not needed if the seedlings are too small size. The gardener must wait until at least one normal leaf is formed. Excessive amounts of certain substances in seedlings negatively affect the process of their further growth.
Taking into account all the advice provided, the gardener should apply foliar fertilizers. To prepare solutions, you can use preparations that are suitable for root dressings. After carrying out the manipulations, the plant is sprayed with water after about 6 hours.
Algorithm of actions
In order for all the efforts and labor invested to be justified, the feeding scheme must be correct. First you should wait until the seedlings are well established. Approximately 2 weeks should pass from the moment shoots appear. At this time, you need to pick. Plants can be planted directly in the garden, in open beds or in a greenhouse (greenhouse).
Top dressing for tomato seedlings is carried out in 3 stages every 14 days. There are slight differences between feeding plants that are planted in a greenhouse and in open beds.
So that the seedlings are not thin, they should be fed useful elements. When seedlings are transplanted into a greenhouse, they are allowed to be fed for the first time 20 days after transplantation.
What fertilizers should I feed tomatoes for the first time? For this they use . The solution consists of 10 liters of liquid and 1 tbsp. l. fertilizers Adding nitrogen substances to given time contraindicated.
Next time the manipulation is performed in greenhouse conditions no earlier than 10-12 days. How to feed tomatoes? Use a solution of grade A or A1. For a bucket of water (10 l) you will need 45 g of the drug. The use of such products is recommended when bushes bloom profusely, when the ovary begins to form.
On at this stage During the growth of the plant, fertilizing for tomatoes is carried out using potassium sulfate. Gardeners fertilize with bird droppings or liquid mullein (you need to take 0.5 liters per bucket of water). For 10 liters of sulfate water you will need 1 tbsp. l. natural fertilizer.
Tomato fertilizing is also carried out for preventive purposes. With their help, you can prevent the appearance of blossom end rot, which can cause significant harm plant, and this will affect the reduction in yield. A solution is prepared for spraying the plant. The manipulation is performed during the flowering period of the bushes. To do this, you should dilute saltpeter (1 tbsp) in 10 liters of water.
In the process of growing vegetables, it is important to take into account that feeding tomatoes is carried out after watering the plant. This way, the taste of the variety will significantly improve, and fruiting will be guaranteed.
Options for foliar manipulations
Foliar feeding of tomatoes is essential for an early harvest. This event allows you to additionally feed tomato seedlings with irreplaceable elements that will strengthen them. Thanks to this, the vegetable is able to resist various diseases and pests.
If you feed tomatoes correctly, the result will not take long to arrive. performed every 7 days. It is important to alternate it with fertilizers that are dissolved in water.
What fertilizers should I feed the plant with? It is permissible to use:
- Urea.
- Nitrate (calcium or potassium).
- Potassium monophosphate.
- Aquarin.
For a bucket of water (10 l), 1 tsp is enough. drug Aquarina. Feed the plant better in the evening, since the dew that appears on the plant in the morning promotes rapid and good absorption of the active components of the products.
After in open ground Fertilize at least 4 times. After 3 weeks from the moment of picking, for good growth of tomatoes in open ground, you need to carry out root feeding.
At this stage, tomato seedlings can be fertilized with liquid solutions.
The mixture includes:
- liquid mullein - 0.5 l;
- Nitrophoska - 1 tbsp. l.;
- water - 10 l.
Approximately 500 g of the prepared mixture should be used for each bush. Repeated manipulation is performed after the flower brushes bloom.
The first feeding and the second are different. The second time you should use the following ingredients to prepare the mixture:
- chicken droppings - 0.5 l;
- superphosphate - 1 tbsp. l.;
- potassium sulfate - 1 tsp;
- water -10 l.
To treat each bush you will need 1 liter of solution. The last manipulation is carried out after 14-15 days. It is necessary to dilute superphosphate (1 tablespoon) in a volume of 10 liters of water. This amount will be enough to feed vegetables planted on 1 square meter. m area.
Important information
Reviews from gardeners who grow vegetables indicate that without proper and timely feeding of plants, it is difficult to obtain positive results.
How to feed seedlings? You should use proven recipes that allow you not only to achieve the maximum quantity, speed up the harvest time, but also get tasty fruits. It is for this purpose that you need to make an infusion based on banana peel. The fruit peel is dried, then 1 kg is filled with water (3 l). The infusion will be ready for use in a few days.
Another infusion can be used if root feeding is performed. It is prepared from egg shells. A 3-liter container is filled 1/3 with shells, then filled with water.
The container with the mixture should stand in a room with an air temperature of 20-25°C. Next, the mixture is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3.
A vegetable garden can be made more fertile with ash. For 1 tbsp. l. component you need to take 2 liters of heated water. The infusion will be ready in a day. It is filtered before use.
Feeding, if the tomato seedlings do not grow, can be done by herbal infusion. In a convenient container you need to place about half of the nettles, waste from cooking, and weeds. Fill everything with heated water. To infuse, the vessel with the liquid is placed in the sun, where it should remain for 5 days. The nutritional value of the mixture will increase if a small amount of mullein or dung is present in the composition.
It is best to place the container in a greenhouse. You can not only feed the bushes with mash, it is beneficial during the cooking process, as it releases carbon dioxide. Thanks to this, a beneficial effect is exerted not only on tomatoes, but also on other vegetable crops that have a growing season, for example, bell pepper and cucumbers.
When growing tomatoes in open ground, humates are often used. Ready-made solutions or dry mixtures are sold; they only need to be diluted with water according to the instructions for the drug.
Feeding tomato seedlings (video)
Natural preparations
Is it possible to feed seedlings? chemicals? Yes, but it should be taken into account that they can cause harm to human health. Therefore, it is better to use natural ingredients. When a bush grows poorly, it needs a growth stimulator. This may be the drug Immunocytophyte.
The product is highly effective. It helps prevent the development of diseases, protects the plant from negative influence environment. Because the drug is made domestic producers, he has affordable price. The seeds are soaked in the preparation before sowing. This way it will be possible to protect the plant from many ailments that threaten it in the first stage of life, for example, from blackleg disease.
Due to Immunocytophyte, growth rate increases vegetable crop, flower buds are laid as quickly as possible. Growing tomatoes is carried out with the obligatory spraying of the vegetable during the last frost, on hot May and June days, if the air temperature differences between day and night are significant. The product creates a protective barrier for the plant against late blight, rot and other diseases.
Any varieties of tomatoes can be fed with an equally high-quality product of natural origin Epin. The drug is used for spraying bushes. With its help, the plant quickly adapts to stress conditions associated with planting and picking. Thanks to the active components, the seedlings take root as quickly as possible and it is possible to cope with sudden temperature changes. You cannot do without the drug Epin if there is an unfavorable environmental situation in the areas where the vegetable grows.
Folk remedies
Feeding tomato seedlings can be done using yeast. This is a safe and cheap remedy. You can use yeast no more than 3 times per season. First proper feeding can be produced when buds are formed. The next manipulation is performed 20 days from the moment the seedlings are planted in open beds. Growth is stimulated by yeast thin seedlings thickens, becomes stronger, the root system develops well.
Feeding tomatoes has a positive effect, provided proper preparation solution. The package with yeast is poured into warm water. The pack is enough for 10 liters of water. The mixture should brew well. All the bushes are watered with the resulting mash.
Tomato fertilizers are sometimes prepared with ammonia. A high concentration of ammonia tincture is obtained. The compound contains a lot of nitrogen, the plant absorbs it quickly, so additional processing is not required. Ammonia is used for preventive purposes in order to prevent a deficiency of the substance and make up for its deficiency.
Ammonia helps eliminate such deviations in plant development:
- pale, yellow leaves;
- leaf size does not correspond to growth stage;
- slow growth process or stoppage;
- thin stems that break easily;
- no flowering.
Having gone out into the garden and seeing at least some deviations from listed symptoms, you should be wary. Nitrogen deficiency causes a significant reduction in yield. The deficiency must be corrected without delay.
Tomatoes are fertilized with ammonia every week. For this, 3 tbsp. l. the compounds are dissolved in a bucket of water. Initially, prepare a solution with a low concentration. Next, it is necessary to observe the development of culture. According to this parameter, the dosage and frequency of use of the composition are varied.
With the help of nitrogen, the production of chlorophyll by the plant is improved. If the seedlings are very small, then the dosage is reduced by half. After picking, feeding is carried out after 2 weeks. To do this, the stems must have 4 formed leaves. When transplanting seedlings into beds, pour 0.5 liters of diluted ammonia into the holes. For approximately 1 liter of water you will need 1 ml ammonia. This will allow you to overcome the mole cricket.
Tomato seedlings: adjusting growth (video)
More information
Feeding tomato seedlings is carried out using the drug Vermikofe. The preparation contains a complex of the most useful components:
- vitamins;
- fulvic acids;
- natural phytohormones, etc.
The composition contains phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen. In the manufacturing process, the products use exclusively natural ingredients that stimulate the growth of vegetable crops. Positive influence provides the drug to metabolic processes, photosynthesis, which provokes an increase in the number of fruits.
Treatment of the plant with the drug is carried out according to the instructions given on the packaging. Vermikofe product allows you to reliably combat dry spotting, late blight, and other ailments.
What fertilizer should I use to grow great tomatoes? Needed mineral fertilizers. There are a lot of them. Azofoska is considered one of the best. It perfectly combines the necessary active substances in the same quantity. Azofoska can be used in any type of soil. It will be needed during the process of sowing seeds, when planting and germinating tomatoes.
With the help of the product, the stems become thick and are nourished with minerals. For tomato seedlings, the drug can be used in combination with other fertilizers or individually.
Thanks to the tool, the following indicators are improved:
- Root system.
- Vegetable resistance to negative factors external environment.
- Duration and abundance of flowering.
- Protective forces of culture against diseases and pests.
- Yield volume.
Azofoska persists for a long time in the plant. It is difficult to wash it away with sediment. How to properly feed tomatoes with this preparation? Usually for every sq. m area apply 40 g of fertilizer.
What to do if you overfed the plant? You can water the beds to flush out the nitrogen. This will help if bird droppings or manure were used. However, it is important to note that tomatoes do not like too high level humidity.
In order for tomato seedlings to grow faster, you can go the other way and remove several large lower leaves or one upper one. This will affect the process of fruit laying.
Feeding schedule for tomato seedlings (video)
Support material
In order not to change supports every year, choose them from durable materials. They must withstand the weight of the fruit and not break.
Wood. Rot-resistant acacia and chestnut will serve you well for a long time. Lightweight and durable, it has many branches from the main twig. This will help keep the rope from slipping when tying it up.
Bamboo. Lightweight and durable, it is ideal for creating support structures. But it is too smooth and the ropes can slide off it.
Metal. It is very convenient to use steel reinforcement. It is durable and the garters on it do not slip. The disadvantage is that they become covered with rust and do not look aesthetically pleasing.
Types of supports
Straight rods or stakes 1.5-2 m long. Suitable for tomatoes formed into one trunk. It is convenient to tie the stem with a rope to a support as the plant grows approximately every 30 cm. You need to tie it to the support with a soft rope and not tightly, so as not to damage the stem. The rods need to be deep enough into the ground so that they do not fall under the weight of the fruit. Rope garters in a greenhouse. It is necessary to tie the rope to the crossbar of the greenhouse roof and to the base of the tomato trunk so that it is not taut. As the plant grows, wrap its stem around this rope. The rope will need to be tightened, so do not make double knots, tie it in a bow. This type of support can also be used in open ground by installing a crossbar over a row of planted tomatoes, to which the stems are tied with ropes.
Trellis made of twigs. Place the stakes in a row and firmly tie the crossbars between them at different heights. The result is a lattice of twigs, to which you can tie not only one stem, but also heavy branches and bushes formed into 2-3 stems.
"Hut" made of twigs. For those planted in two rows, install a support for each plant at an angle to the adjacent row. Tie the tops of these supports. For more greater strength of this design, install a horizontal crossbar along the top of these supports.
“Cage” for tomatoes made of wire mesh. Allows tomatoes to grow inside a round net without being tied up. The diameter of the “cell” can be adjusted as the tomato develops. It can be covered with covering material when it gets colder. The support method is very developed in the USA. A very convenient, but expensive method. For each plant you need to purchase at least 1.5-2 m. mesh 1.5m wide. The mesh must be secured to the ground with small pegs and tied in height with wires.
In order for the tomatoes in the garden to grow strong and plump, they need adequate and competent feeding. The plant needs many nutrients, and it is important to start introducing additional nutrition into the tomato diet already at the seedling stage. In the article we will look at the features of feeding tomatoes, aimed at ensuring a rich, plentiful harvest of juicy, fleshy fruits, we will find out what mineral and organic matter best used for this purpose.
Technology
Let's find out how to schedule the introduction of fertilizers for tomatoes.
To get excellent harvest plump large tomatoes, it is necessary to feed the plants throughout the growing season. For this purpose, the following fertilizers are used:
- ash- 200-300 gr;
- ammonium nitrate- 20-25 g;
- potassium sulfate- 25-30 gr;
- superphosphate- 50-60 gr.
Fertilizer volumes are given per 1 m2 of bed.
Grown tomatoes receive additional nutrition a couple of weeks after picking. This time the plants require nitrophoska - a special mineral composition aimed at accelerating growth. Preparing the solution is simple: you need to dilute tbsp in a liter of water. spoon of fertilizer. This volume is enough to feed 35-40 tomato seedlings. In addition to nitrophoska, you can also take Agricola No. 3 - the effect will be similar.
The video shows the feeding technology:
For the first feeding of greenhouse tomatoes, it is good to use potassium monophosphate. The solution must be prepared in the following proportion: per bucket of water, one tbsp. spoonful of fertilizer.
Should not be fed tomato seedlings if she is still small. As long as there is not at least one leaf, there is no need for fertilizing.
The second feeding is done two weeks after the first. If the thickness of the stem by this time is insignificant, it is recommended to fertilize with superphosphate. To prepare the correct solution of this substance, you need to dilute one tbsp in a three-liter container with water. spoon of fertilizer.
After the second feeding, all subsequent feedings are carried out at equal intervals, namely every ten days. A week before moving the seedlings to permanent beds input additional food it is recommended to stop.
When the ovaries begin to appear en masse, it is also necessary to feed the tomatoes: for this it is better to use mineral compounds with potassium and phosphorus. And during the period of fruit ripening, you also need to feed the plants: use organic matter, but in small quantities.
Feeding with drugs
Let's consider the most popular and most effective chemical and herbal preparations for the successful ripening of tomato fruits.
Vermicoffee
This drug is used primarily for feeding tomato seedlings. It contains a high content of vitamins, useful acids, phytohormones and other important and necessary substances - including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. This is a completely natural plant-based drug, which ensures its safe use.
Vermicoffee
The drug has a positive effect on photosynthesis processes, which leads to a significant increase in tomato yields, as well as improved taste qualities fruits
Azofoska
This fertilizer is ideal for feeding tomatoes, since the nutrients in it are optimally combined. This fertilizer can be used throughout the entire growing season of plants. Azofoska thickens the stems of bushes, making them strong and fleshy.
Azofoska
The drug has exactly the same effect on fruits. In addition, Azofoska can strengthen root system, protects tomatoes from external adverse influences, makes them more abundant flowering, increases the harvest volume.
Nitrophoska
To increase productivity and sustainable development bushes, it is recommended to combine nitrophoska with mullein. Already 1 liter ready solution mullein use Art. a spoonful of mineral.
Nitrophoska
Fertika Crystalon
This drug is successfully used for feeding tomatoes, suitable for, and in a greenhouse. It contains nitrogen, sulfur, magnesium, potassium, iron and other mineral components.
Fertika Crystalon
Experts consider this fertilizer to be one of the best for tomatoes today - it contains optimal proportions of nitrogen and other minerals.
Hello
This composition contains nitrogen, magnesium and potassium, as well as trace elements in optimal quantities: molybdenum, zinc, copper, manganese and boron. It is important that this remedy does not contain chlorine, so its use in the proper amount can be considered harmless. Zdraven improves the taste of tomatoes, makes the fruits more juicy, tight and elastic.
Hello
To prepare the correct composition of Zdravenya, you need to dissolve 15 grams of the substance in a bucket of water (for irrigation) or 10 grams in a bucket of water (for foliar feeding).
Immunocytophyte
This drug is a natural composition and is used when tomato bush grows poorly. Being, in fact, a growth stimulator, Immunocytophyte will effectively and quickly “make” your tomatoes grow and ripen. In addition, the drug also protects plants from damage by pests, as well as from some diseases.
Immunocytophyte
Feeding with boron
When growing tomatoes, fertilizing them with boron is a mandatory procedure. This mineral increases the number of flowers and ovaries, and also improves the sugar content of fruits, making them thicker and fleshier. You can feed tomato bushes with boron either by watering or by spraying. Note that the latter option is better, since when sprayed, boron is absorbed by plants much faster and better.
Feeding with boron
It is best to use as a suitable fertilizer boric acid, which is sold in any pharmacy. The spraying solution should be slightly warm - this way it will be better absorbed by the plants. Best used boron fertilizing during the flowering period of tomatoes, and carry out only a one-time procedure. No repetition needed.
Organic compounds
Let's find out what fertilizers you can prepare yourself in order to use them to provide additional nutrition to tomato bushes. The recipes below have a natural composition, so they can safely and effectively create for tomatoes best conditions for growth and development.
Organic compositions for feeding
Banana infusion
This natural composition can accelerate plant growth, as well as improve the taste of fruits, making them juicier and stronger. To prepare the product, you must first dry the banana peels, and then pour three liters of water over a kilogram of the resulting raw material. This infusion will be ready for use in three to four days.
Banana infusion
This product is used for foliar feeding of tomatoes.
Egg shell infusion
This product is recommended for root feeding, and it perfectly saturates the plant with useful calcium. To make such an infusion, you need to take a three-liter container and fill it a third of the volume with peeled and washed shells.
Egg shell infusion
Ash
Tomatoes respond gratefully to fertilizing wood ash. This natural material contains many essential minerals, and in optimal proportions, so solutions containing it are very useful. To prepare the correct solution, you need to dilute a tablespoon of dry substance in two liters of heated water.
Ash as fertilizer
Then leave to infuse for a day, strain, and can be used immediately. Before spraying or watering ash solution tomato bushes, it must be strained. But how to treat tomato seedlings against diseases, and what the most effective means are, is outlined
Mullein
This organic fertilizer- a wonderful option for tomatoes at any stage of their growing season. Mullein is best suited for tomatoes in open ground, since the spread of harmful microorganisms in the greenhouse is possible. Mullein can be used either alone or in combination with other mineral and organic fertilizers.
Mullein as fertilizer
The best composition for tomatoes today and recommended by many gardeners is the following: half a liter of mullein per bucket of water and a tbsp. spoon of potassium sulfate. There is no need to dilute the resulting solution; no more than one liter of it should be poured under one bush. It will also be useful to learn about late blight on tomatoes.
Iodine
Oddly enough, but this is known to everyone pharmaceutical preparation You can also fertilize tomatoes, and very effectively. To prepare the composition, you need to dissolve 5-6 drops of the alcohol preparation in a bucket of water. The bushes should be watered with the resulting mixture immediately after preparing the latter.
Iodine as fertilizer
In addition to improving the taste of fruits, a solution with iodine will help prevent the development of many dangerous diseases: including powdery mildew, various kinds rot, and it also prevents the development of pathogenic microflora.
Often iodine solution It is not advisable to use it - no more than once a week. Do not pour more than two liters of solution under one tomato plant at a time.
Important points
Among other things, feeding tomatoes can also be done for preventive purposes. Specially selected compositions will help protect fruits from rot and fungal diseases. As a rule, for preventive purposes, tomato bushes are sprayed using a solution of calcium nitrate (a tablespoon of the substance per bucket of water). No less important. This will help solve some problems with fungal diseases.
Apply root feeding after watering. In pre-moistened soil nutrients will be able to dissolve more quickly - and positive result it will be more noticeable in the end.
Combine root dressings with foliar ones. In this way, you can achieve a more impressive result, making the fruits plump and elastic, and the harvest abundant. In addition, spraying bushes with nutrient solutions accelerates the ripening of fruits and protects plants from pests and diseases.
In the video - how to strengthen tomato seedlings so that they are plump:
Be careful with nitrogen - it is, of course, necessary, but overfeeding the plant with it is unacceptable.
So, we have looked at the features of feeding tomatoes, aimed at thickening their fruits, giving them juicy properties and large sizes. As you can see, to get good harvest, you will have to tinker a lot. However, the result deserves it - thanks to timely and competent feeding, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest wonderful, tasty and juicy tomatoes. In our other articles you can read about on a summer cottage.
The stem of tomatoes is strong and durable, but no matter how strong the stems of tomatoes may be, gardeners, nevertheless, advise be sure to tie tomatoes in open ground. Methods of modern garters require practically all varieties tomatoes, especially tall ones, reaching a height of up to 2 m.
Low-growing varieties practically do not require garter, but according to gardeners, their percentage of fertility is reduced in comparison with tall varieties that produce high yield. Every farmer tries to make the most efficient use of every available square meter land of your plot. Therefore, with the same level care, labor costs, landing area sizes experienced gardeners strive to use high grades tomatoes, reasonably considering them as more rational and profitable compared to their low-growing counterparts.
Why do you need a garter?
Since in modern private gardening, as we have already mentioned, tall varieties of tomatoes are mainly used, sooner or later the question arises about the need to garter them. Gartering tomatoes is not some kind of folk tradition. This is a real production necessity. For all its banality, this event is one of the mandatory procedures that allow you to increase the size of the future harvest.
Benefits of tying tomatoes
Thanks to the garter you can achieve the following results:
Considering all the listed positive aspects of tying tomatoes, experienced gardeners always remember this event. You should start building a device for garters in advance, after about two to three weeks after planting the seedlings in open soil. Over the entire growing season, you will need to strengthen the stem 3, maximum 6 times, tying it to pre-installed supports. The number of supports will depend on the growth height of the variety chosen by gardeners for cultivation.
Methods for gartering tomatoes in open ground
Thanks to the fact that gardening is recent years is developing especially actively, and also in connection with the breeding of new fruit crops and creation of new modern materials, today several methods of tying tomatoes have appeared and taken root in gardening. growing them in open soil. That's why frequently asked question“how to tie up tomatoes in open ground” today, one might say, has been completely resolved.
Each of the methods listed below has proven its effectiveness in practice. You can safely choose the method that is more convenient for you and best suits your needs. land plot. It will not be surprising if, after familiarizing yourself with all the methods listed below, it occurs to you to invent a garter method based on existing ones. Take a careful look at each of the options, which will show you how to properly tie tomatoes in open ground, and choose the most suitable one.
Before moving on to the description of the methods, it should be noted that all the methods we have chosen cannot in any way harm the plants, so you can safely follow the advice and you will not have problems with growing tomatoes.
Method of tying with stakes
One of the most common ways to secure tomatoes in open ground is by tying them to high stakes. The material from which these stakes are made can be completely different: metal, wood, plastic. It doesn't matter, the main thing is that they can be Right and use it on time. The only condition that must be met is to maintain the proportionality of the height of the peg for each tomato bush.
For low-growing and medium-growing varieties of tomatoes, the stakes can be 20-30 centimeters higher than the seedlings, but tall varieties require much longer stakes for gartering, which should reach 2-2.5 m.
Each peg must be fixed in the ground so that it stands securely and firmly. Usually it is deepened by 25-30 cm, departing from the tomato stem by about 10 cm. This precaution is necessary in order to reduce the risk of damage to the root system. The tying of the tomato should be loose. It would be advisable to first secure the rope to the stake, then wrap the stem and then tie it to the stake. Since the vegetable will grow upward, this process must be repeated several times.
Tying on a trellis
If you do not have a tomato plantation, it would be wiser to use another tying method rather than this one.
This method will require a thin beam or strong stakes, the number of which will be much less than in the method described above. The selected posts must be driven in at the beginning and end of the tomato bed, after which a rope or wire should be pulled between them. With this method, tying the stems will need to be done to the thread stretched between the stakes. rope. It makes sense to tie up plants this way if a tall variety of tomatoes was planted.
There are several ways to use this design:
- At a level of about 2 m from the ground, you need to pull a strong wire onto a high stake. In this case, the ropes and garters must also be long enough to reach both the supports and the stem. The tomato vines will wrap around these ropes as they grow.
- Stretch several rows of wire and secure them to stakes. After this, each tomato bush will need to be tied separately several times as it grows to the resulting stretch, or the stems will need to be passed through horizontally stretched strips as they grow, in order to create a kind of braided tomato network.
Whatever method is chosen, it is important to remember that the rope should be pulled loosely enough on the stem so as not to damage it. Let us mention that in a similar way You can also tie up the clusters with fruits themselves, since they very often turn out to be quite heavy.
If the bed seemed very long, it is necessary to strengthen the structures. To do this, it will be enough to drive in additional intermediate pegs, and then the entire suspension system no storm will be scary. If you place two beds parallel to each other at a fairly short distance, then the structure will be suitable for gartering tomatoes on both sides at once. That is, you should get a kind of wigwam from tomatoes.
Garter method: cages
If you need to frequently plant and care for tomatoes, it makes sense to create special cages. Entire structures can be built. They should be built separately near each bush. If everything is done conscientiously, the resulting cells can last up to several years.
In appearance they will resemble improvised cells. The design is created as follows. First, several circles of approximately the same diameter are constructed from dense reinforcing wire, after which they are attached at the same distance from each other to vertical wires. The result should be a cylindrical cage made of wire, which must be installed in the same way and at the same time as the stakes. Subsequently, as the bushes grow, it will only be necessary during tie the stems.
If the problem is that there is no necessary wire, then any frame will do, even one made of wood. The main thing is to fasten the stakes together like a stool (only without a surface for sitting). If you make a similar type of cage of spacious dimensions, then it will be possible to cover 4 tomato bushes at once and tie them to each vertical pin of the completed structure. This method of tying is much more reliable than stakes driven in separately.
This is very interesting way tying tomatoes. You will need to build caps for it. They can be used not only for tomatoes. The essence of this method is that it is necessary to build a high and narrow hut, a kind of pyramid correct form from various available means. Anything can be used: wires, pegs, vines. The resulting cone must be tied like a cage. Caps must be installed at the time of planting seedlings. You can mount several bushes on them. Such pyramids should be placed at a distance so that avoid confusion of plants. Most often they are placed every 1 m or slightly more, if the size of the area allows.
This section will help avoid various mistakes and misunderstandings for those who have only recently taken up gardening.
The selected materials for gartering tomatoes may subsequently be suitable for some other plants, such as, for example, grapes. Remember that this works rule: the material for garter should be selected for one year, then it should be thrown away so as not to transfer possible infections or diseases to new seedlings next year.
It is advisable to grow tomato bushes, even low-growing ones, using a support. Exists
There are many solutions for installing such supports. Learn how to not only make growing tomatoes convenient, but also improve the design of your vegetable garden.
Tomato bushes need to be removed from the ground in order to:
- avoid illnesses
- simplify harvesting
- the fruits were clean and did not lose their presentation
— simplify pollination and plant care.
Wooden planks are a simple and inexpensive solution. You will need to tie them to a support. Be sure to use multiple boards to properly support your tomatoes.
There can be many options for supporting tomato bushes; below are several quite simple and convenient ones, you can choose one of them.
A well-made cage, like this welded one, can be a sculptural feature in the garden as well as structural support for tall tomato plants.
Stakes
This simple support requires only a little force to drive it into the ground near each bush and then secure it to the stake as the plant grows. Supports for tall varieties should be 1.5-2 meters in height. It is advisable to support such high supports with a shorter peg or dig deeper for stability. You can buy wooden, plastic, and bamboo stakes for this purpose, or make your own from tubing or other suitable materials.
This cage is made from reinforcing mesh for concrete.
You need to install such a support next to the bush when you plant it in the soil. If you want to wait until the bush grows, do not wait long, because you can damage the roots by installing a stake. Tie the main stem to the support loosely with soft rope so as not to damage the plant. Knitted strips are ideal for this purpose.
Create a unique focal point in your garden by installing high support for tomatoes in the form of a wigwam. Extra-long pieces of bamboo were used for support.
The stakes are installed at a distance of 60 -100 cm from each other, depending on the size of the bush of your tomato variety. The stakes are easy to remove at the end of the season; they are simply pulled out of the soil.
The bamboo slats are long enough to support tall tomatoes such as this variety.
Tomato cells
Plants growing in a cage do not need staking because the sides of the cage support the stems. You can buy pre-made wire cages, although they are often not large enough for tall varieties.
This good option for low-growing tomatoes
You can make a large tomato cage that will last for years. Such a cage can be quite simply constructed from ready-made lattice fabric, such as pasture fencing mesh. To create a cage you just need to cut a piece of mesh the right size and roll it to form a cone. The edges can be secured with wire, and the cage is ready.
Place the cage around the plants soon after planting while the plants are still small. This will ensure that you don't damage the roots.
First you need to plant a tomato bush, and then install a cage around it.
Set the cages at least a meter apart, depending on the size of your tomato variety. The cages are easy to remove at the end of the season.
In this garden, metal spirals hang from metal frame down. Enough original example supports for tomatoes.
Wire grating
Wire grating is a combination of the above two methods. To install the trellis, you need to dig or drive stakes into the ground at a distance of about a meter from each other. Make sure they are driven deep enough and properly secured to support the weight of all the tomato plants when they are ripe. The height of the stakes must be at least one and a half meters. After installing the support stakes, attach the mesh to them.
Support in rustic style made from ordinary tree branches.
Plant the tomatoes along the trellis, 60cm to one meter apart. Guide the stems so that they continue to climb up the trellis on their own, tying them up from time to time when necessary. The trellis can stay in one place for several years, and you can rotate tomatoes with beans and cucumbers to avoid problems with insects and disease accumulation in the soil. Unlike the other two support methods, the wire mesh is not mobile and is not easy to dismantle.
The posts are dug in with wire mesh stretched between them to form this tall and strong tomato trellis.
Permanent supports
Some gardeners install permanent trellises from rebar welded into a tall, rectangular frame. It is heavy enough to be removed at the end of the season and remains in place like a sculpture, even in winter.