What can be used to support tomatoes. Description of means for watering tomato seedlings. Irrigation frequency and technique. How to water tomatoes at different times of the year
Tomatoes are without exaggeration the favorite vegetable of all gardeners and summer residents. seeds early varieties begin to prepare for planting in mid-February. Later varieties are sown a month earlier. To grow healthy plant and get a good harvest juicy tomatoes, it is necessary not only to plant seeds on time. You need to know how to water tomato seedlings so that they grow strong and healthy and can please you with tasty and sweet fruits. The power of the root system depends only on the care and proper watering of seedlings. This is important when transplanting seedlings into the ground. With untimely watering, they may die. To do this, consider how to water tomato seedlings, how to strengthen and feed seedlings.
How to water tomatoes at different times of the year
At home
At home, seedlings take up space on the windowsill. After sowing, cover the pots with seeds with glass or film to maintain a sufficient level of moisture. So that small sprouts do not die and do not stretch, we determine how often to water seedlings of tomatoes on the windowsill while they are young.
Tomato sprouts are watered in certain deadlines. If available in the room heating appliances, which dry the air, it is necessary to additionally humidify the air in the room. Watering seedlings on a windowsill is very different from watering adult bushes that grow on open ground or in a greenhouse. Excess water during irrigation is just as terrible for plants as a lack of moisture.
Tip: “At the bottom of the container in which the seedlings grow, there should be drainage and holes. Through them excess water will flow out and will not stagnate in the pot.”
Lack of drainage will lead to excess moisture, cessation of air circulation. From a lack of oxygen, root rot will develop in the root system, and the seedlings will die.
in the greenhouse
In two months, seedlings on the windowsill grow up to 30 cm. Then they are transplanted into a greenhouse. Planting of seedlings begins in mid-May in prepared moist soil. For such work, it is desirable to choose a cloudy day.
After transplanting, the tomatoes are not watered for two weeks. There must be a certain atmosphere in the greenhouse, which must be constantly maintained. Any deviations will lead to the death of young plants. Seedling watering tips:
- in order not to increase the level of humidity in the greenhouse itself, watering is carried out in the morning;
- to eliminate the greenhouse effect in the greenhouse, immediately after watering, ventilate the room;
- to slow down the evaporation of water, the ground is covered with fine straw, dry grass or sawdust;
- Before harvesting, watering is stopped so that the fruits grow more resilient.
In the open ground
Before planting in open ground, seedlings must be watered abundantly. This is done to preserve the root system of tomatoes. Then a two-week pause ... At the first irrigation, water is directed under the root of the plant. Only then can tomato seedlings be watered over the entire surface of the soil occupied by the plant, since root system very strongly developed and quickly captures large area earth. The following watering of planted seedlings is carried out as follows:
- Until the seedlings bloom - once a week. The water consumption in this case is about 6 liters per 1 m².
- During flowering, water once every three days. Water consumption is increased by 1 m² to 15 liters.
- When the fruits appear, the volume of water is reduced to 5 liters.
What water is better to use for irrigation
For irrigation use settled, room temperature tap water.
It is poured in advance into a small container and allowed to stand for a day. Then carefully pour into jars, leaving the precipitate formed in the dishes.
Tip: Instead of tap water for irrigation, you can use thawed or rainwater. It must be at a certain temperature, not lower than 20 degrees - otherwise the plant will get sick.”
Timing of the first watering
The first watering of seeds is carried out on the second day. When the pots are on the north windowsill, the moisture from the surface of the earth evaporates slowly and therefore the soil should be moistened when it is dry. On sunny side moisture evaporates faster. In this case, in order not to dry out the soil and not to destroy fragile seedlings, frequent watering. There are various suitable folk remedies that can be used to strengthen the root system. They are used so that the seedlings grow strong, and the seedlings have plump trunks.
Watering seedlings
Water the germinated seeds with a spray bottle. In the first week produce one humidification. If the room is hot, water every three days.
In order not to damage or break young shoots, it is necessary to water from a spoon, starting from the edges, and at the same time try not to drip onto the leaves.
From the ingress of water, burns on the leaves may appear. If you have a large amount of seedlings, you can irrigate it from a small watering can with a volume of one and a half liters. Until now, gardeners different opinions, at what time of the day is it better to water the seedlings: in the early morning or in the evening? It all depends on the mode of operation of the summer residents themselves. The main thing is not to ruin the seedlings. In this case, it is necessary to take into account:
- cloudy or sunny weather;
- where are the seedling boxes placed: on the sunny side or in the shade.
One to two weeks after germination, the grown seedlings are transplanted into another container. Two days before transplanting, watering is stopped so that the earth dries up and becomes crumbly.
Watering after picking
With proper care of the seedlings, two leaves appear already on the 7-10th day. It is at this time that it is time to pick tomatoes. Three days before picking, we carefully moisten the containers with seedlings. We transplant seedlings into boxes and put them on pallets. We water the plants for 3-5 days. When a plant has five leaves, it is watered once every three days, gradually increasing the dosage. Using a watering can without a top nozzle, carefully pour water into the pan. This is done so that the roots of the seedlings take root well in a new place. They will tend to water and thus grow rapidly.
It is better to plant sprouts in plastic transparent cropped bottles and glasses. Roots will be visible through them, and it will be easier to determine when the next watering is needed. IN peat pots the walls get wet, the moisture evaporates slowly, the roots of the plant can grow through the walls. Can only be seen upper layer earth, dry or wet soil.
It is important to prevent the soil from drying out and flooding, otherwise this will lead to the death of the sprouts. To do this, the containers must have holes through which excess water will flow.
Important nuances
The very process of growing and caring for seedlings of tomatoes is simple, but there are points that you need to know: The temperature of the water used for irrigation should not exceed certain standards. For sprouts at home - 20 ° C. Seedlings growing in a greenhouse - 24-25°C. Melt and rain water is also suitable for watering. It is advisable to stock up on such water in advance in winter. Do not have time to do this, use settled tap water. After the next watering, it is desirable to ventilate the greenhouse.
For better growth, seedlings are watered abundantly, but rarely. With weak watering, the earth will be wet only from above, and from below it will dry out. As a result, the roots of the plant will die. In order for the entire root system of the plant to receive moisture, and the seedlings to grow faster, it is necessary to loosen the ground before watering.
Determination of sufficiency of watering
Young seedlings need to be moistened on time. The lack of moisture is dangerous, as young shoots have short roots. Lack of moisture quickly leads to drying of the root system. The roots of adult plants grow well and can get their own moisture at a depth.
The sufficiency of watering is determined by a wire with a bent end. We lower it into a box with earth to the very pallet, twist it a little and pull it out. If she gets her hands dirty, then water is enough. In this way we will determine the moisture content of the lower layer. The lack of moisture in the container can be determined using a newspaper. Put it on a pallet and put a box on top. If the newspaper is dry, then there is not enough moisture. With sufficient watering, the liquid will pass through drainage holes and wet the newspaper.
Tomato seedlings tolerate drought better than excess water.
Watering frequency
Some summer residents believe that tomatoes love water. This does not mean that they can be filled. From excessive watering, the seedlings will die, never having pleased with their harvest. If you correctly calculate the amount and frequency of watering seedlings, you can avoid drying and rotting of tomatoes. The first watering is carried out when sowing seeds. The second - two days after the first shoots. Further watering - as the earth dries. To understand when the plant needs another watering, you can by the following signs:
- leaves begin to curl;
- the topsoil is dry;
- containers with seedlings became light.
How to properly water tomatoes depends on the variety of tomatoes, the age and height of the plant. Large bushes are more drought tolerant. With their powerful root system, they will freely extract moisture from the soil.
They are watered about once a week. And young seedlings with short and fragile roots will simply dry out without water. Many people think that in order to get a strong and healthy seedlings, you need to have a lot of experience and certain skills. No need to be afraid. By following the recommendations outlined in this article, you can get healthy seedlings with a strong root system. Such tomatoes will please with their tasty and sweet fruits. Only compliance with the necessary rules for planting and processing seeds for planting, including hardening, proper watering, top dressing of seedlings will provide a quality harvest.
In the cultivation of each garden culture has its own subtleties. It is not enough just to sow the seeds in the ground and wait for the fruits to appear, you have to make a lot of effort to get a good result.
And tomatoes are one of the most demanding crops to care for. One of them is a tomato garter in a greenhouse.
We note right away: not all varieties of tomatoes need a garter. Early ripening and undersized tomatoes may well do without support, but it is usually tall and abundantly fruiting varieties that are grown in greenhouses - this is much more profitable, as it allows you to collect an excellent harvest from a small area of protected ground.
For reference. Not all gardeners believe that gartering tomatoes in a greenhouse is necessary, explaining their position by the fact that nature itself knows what is best. After all, a plant that is not tied up takes root and develops better.
However, growing tomatoes in a greenhouse in our climate is not in itself natural for them. And artificially created conditions dictate their own rules of care.
Here are the main reasons that speak in favor of the garter. And each summer resident has the right to decide for himself whether it is worth doing.
So:
- To prevent the growth of tomatoes, stepchildren should be removed from them (see Stepchildren of tomatoes). On these processes, ovaries and fruits are also formed, but they rarely have time to ripen, taking away a lot of strength from the plant.
Stepson tomatoes are more convenient when they are tied up, and not lying on the ground. - Tall plants are unable to support the weight of the fruit and may break.
- Tying up tomatoes in a greenhouse is also necessary to preserve the fruit. Lying on the ground, they are attacked by slugs and other pests.
In addition, they are affected by late blight - a disease whose pathogen is found in the soil.
- As you know, tomatoes do not like water on the leaves and ovaries, they should be watered under the root. It is almost impossible to do this when the plants are lying.
As you can see, without a garter, you can generally lose your crop, no matter how strong the root system is. Yes, and the gardeners themselves will be much more convenient to take care of the plants, and subsequently remove the ripened fruits from them.
Ways to tie a tomato
There is no difference between how to tie up tomatoes in a polycarbonate greenhouse or on open ground. Both the materials and the technology itself are no different.
How to tie up
All that is required is long stakes or metal rods, wire or strong twine, as well as the “dressing” material itself, which will come into direct contact with the plants. It must be strong and wide enough.
Wire, fishing line, harsh thread, thin twine - all this is not suitable for a garter, as it will crash into the stem as it grows, pull it, and you will destroy the plant with your own hands.
L It is best to use fabric torn into strips 3-4 centimeters wide. It can be old sheets or linens.
Some people like nylon stockings and tights more - they do not rot in one season and can be used repeatedly.
Attention! For use in the next season, the garter material must be disinfected by scalding with boiling water or washing laundry soap to destroy pathogens various diseases that attack tomatoes.
In addition, now on sale you can find various reusable plastic devices for both garter and for maintaining individual brushes with fruits. Their price is low, you can buy once and forget about this problem for many years.
If you are growing tomatoes for sale and you have a lot of them, you can get a special device - a garter that acts like a stapler, wrapping a tape around the stem of the plant and the support. It is very popular with those who grow grapes.
How to tie
There are different ways to tie vegetables in a greenhouse. Their choice depends on the power and height inherent in the cultivated tomato variety.
Watch the video in the article, read the recommendations below and choose the one that suits you best.
- The easiest and most affordable is to use individual stakes for each plant. These can be trimmings of reinforcement, and a metal bar, and wooden lath, and thin plastic pipe- what is at hand.
The length of the stakes should be 25-30 cm higher than the height of the plants - it is to this depth that they are driven into the ground a few centimeters from the bush.After that, the stem of the plant is freely wrapped with garter materials, its ends are crossed by a figure eight or twisted and tied to a support. The same is done with the brushes so that they do not break off under the weight of the fruit.
Note. This method is suitable for medium-sized varieties, since the support may not withstand heavy weight and fall along with the plant.
The disadvantage of this method is that you will have to repeat the described procedure several times during the season, moving the rope higher or new.
So:
- More complex, but also more reliable way involves the use of tapestries. How to tie tomatoes in a greenhouse to trellises can be seen from the diagram below.
Long stakes are driven into the ground along the beds at some distance from each other. Between them, a wire or strong twine is stretched horizontally with a step of 35-40 cm.
Stems and branches of tomatoes, as they grow, are tucked into the wire from one side or the other, according to the principle of braiding. Heavy brushes are tied to it or hung on hooks.
The advantage of the trellis method is that plants do not have to leave only one central stem; several stepchildren can be allowed to develop in order to increase the yield. This is quite possible in heated greenhouses, where tomatoes can continue to grow after the onset of cool weather.
- Another type of trellis garter is linear. In this case, the wire is pulled between the stakes only along the top, and a rope is tied to it above each plant.
Its lower end is attached to the stem. And that's it. You do not have to think about how to tie up tomatoes in a greenhouse - they will need to be wrapped around a rope as they grow.
Each of the described methods is quite popular and has its adherents.
Conclusion
Perhaps the instructions given in this article did not reveal anything new for experienced gardeners. But if it turned out to be useful to novice summer residents and helped them decide on independent cultivation most beloved in our country vegetable crop Let's assume that it was not written in vain.
In any garden culture there are subtleties and rules for growing. It is impossible to grow something in your garden without putting any extra effort into it, just by sowing the seeds in the ground. Today our attention is rewarded with tomatoes. As we know, tomatoes are a very complex garden crop that requires a lot of care to get good harvest. In this article, we focus on how to tie up tomatoes in a greenhouse.
So, you should first figure out why, in general, do you need a tomato garter in a greenhouse? It should be noted right away that not all varieties of tomatoes need a garter. These varieties include undersized and early maturing species. However, these tomatoes are rarely grown in greenhouses, more common are taller and more fruitful tomato varieties.
Some gardeners argue that, in principle, a garter is not needed for a tomato, they argue that nature itself should bring a quality crop without human intervention. However, this belief is wrong.
Let's figure out why, in general, tie up tomatoes?
- All tomatoes need to remove stepchildren. This prevents the consumption of excess plant strength. It is most convenient to do this when the tomatoes are tied up. This process will be described a little later.
- If the tomato variety is tall, then there is a high probability that the plant will not support its weight and will break.
- Fruits that lie on the ground are attacked by various pests. This will not happen with tied tomatoes.
- Tomatoes need to be watered at the root. It is much easier to do this when they are tied up.
Now you can make sure that if you do not tie up the tomatoes, you can, in principle, lose them.
How to stepson tomatoes in a greenhouse
Every gardener who decides to start growing a tomato should know everything about the process of stepping this beautiful garden crop. During growth, this plant forms side shoots who are called stepchildren. If you do not remove these stepchildren, they will begin thrive, turning your plant into a bush. In this regard, all the forces will be spent on greenery, which will lead either to a small harvest, or to the absence of fruits in principle.
The process of pinching is also called the process of forming a tomato. The tomato must be formed so that it has time to release about 7 fertile brushes. This process helps to accelerate growth and increase fruit. Stepchildren should be removed every 10–12 days, while shoots should not be allowed to grow up to 5 cm. It is very simple to do this, stepchildren need to be pulled down until they break themselves. It is best to do the process in the early morning. And, most importantly, remember that without pinching your plant will not bring a quality crop.
Some rules of quality pinching:
- Removal occurs with bare hands, without the use of additional tools. This is most easily done when the shoot reaches 5 cm.
- As mentioned earlier, the formation is done in the morning.
- During the entire summer season, stepchildren should be removed.
- In order to speed up the ripening of fruits and improve the air exchange of the plant, you can remove lower leaves. However, no more than 3 leaves can be removed at a time, otherwise the tomatoes will undergo deformation.
- Between 9 am and 11 am, you can shake the plants, this will help pollination. After shaking, moisten the soil.
How to tie tomatoes
It's time to still learn how to tie up tomatoes in a greenhouse. All we need is long wooden or metal stakes, wires, and ropes that the plant will use. tie to the rods. The rope should be torn into strips, and its total width should be about 2-3 cm. You can use old clothes, sheets, etc.
In order for the same material to serve you for many seasons, after each harvest you to be disinfected using boiling water and laundry soap.
Since gartering a tomato in a greenhouse has become commonplace, you can find entire sets of tools for this in many stores.
If your greenhouses are designed to grow a large amount of tomatoes for sale, it would be a good idea to purchase a garter. This device works in much the same way as a regular stapler.
So, now let's get acquainted with the process of gartering your crop in a greenhouse. There are many different ways garters, which depend on many factors of plants: their power, height, yield, variety. Worth choosing The right way so as not to harm the crop.
Tomatoes are very useful fruits for any organism. To get a quality and rich harvest in your greenhouse, you should know how to properly care for your garden to avoid any kind of crop problems. Garter and pinching are the most important processes that you need to do with your plants, otherwise the crop may turn out to be small, of poor quality.
From the very day when the famous traveler Columbus brought the sweet vegetable from America, the tomato has gained recognition in all countries of Europe, and later in Asia. small plant liked the local climate, resulting in a bountiful harvest of red juicy fruits.
Why is it necessary to tie up tomatoes?
Now it's hard to imagine without tomatoes dining tables. Skillful housewives not only serve them for dinner during the ripening period, but also roll them up for the winter in jars whole or in the form of juice. Despite the fact that the birthplace of this culture is the neighboring mainland, without them it is impossible to imagine many National dishes, just remember adjika or borscht.
Growing homemade tomatoes is very simple, but without proper care the plant will bear fruit sluggishly. Very important point in the cultivation of this vegetable in temperate climate is considered a fruit garter.
If this is not done, the harvest will not be very good:
- tomatoes can rot when lying on damp ground after rain or watering;
- slugs and other insects will happily eat fruits that come into contact with the ground;
- it is necessary to strengthen the plant, otherwise the stem will not withstand the weight of ripening tomatoes and will break.
Therefore, before planting tomatoes, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with how to tie up tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Greenhouse vegetables are good because they ripen faster than tomatoes on the open ground, and their yield is 2.5 times higher. However, regardless of where the bush grows, on the open ground, in a polycarbonate or film greenhouse, it must be tied up. Garter methods are different, they are suitable for different types cultivation.
Tying with pegs
This method is one of the most common and perhaps the easiest. In order to tie a tomato, you will need wooden pegs. Their number should correspond to the number of bushes. As for the length, it should be calculated depending on the height of the plant. For example, the average height of a tied plant is 50 cm. In addition, it is necessary to drive the peg into the ground by about 20 cm so that it is not broken by the weight of the bush. Also, do not forget that the tomato will continue to grow. Therefore, the peg must be at least 90 cm long.
In addition to stakes, it is also necessary to prepare ties. Better to use tape. synthetic material, for example, nylon tights, cut into strips. Synthetics do not rot as much as natural fabrics and are less likely to attract insects. It is better not to use ropes and wire, they crash into the stem of the plant, which may disappear as a result.
The peg must be driven in at a distance of 20 cm from the bush and tie the tomato with several loops at a height as close as possible to the crown.
So it is necessary to do with each plant. Over time, the tomato will stretch, so you will have to tie it up again with an additional ribbon to the same peg. Thus, the pegs play the role of a support, and the fruits will not lie on the ground. Since it is easier to tie up growing tomatoes outdoors than in a greenhouse, this method is not as convenient for closed method cultivation.
Garter trellis method
The tapestry method is also known as the linear method. It is intended for those who are interested in how to tie up tomatoes without pegs in a greenhouse.
The method is as follows:
- At different ends of the beds, large stable stakes are driven into the ground, ideal option there will be cuts of reinforcement or other profiles with a length of one and a half meters;
- A trellis is installed between them, strong enough to withstand the weight of the bushes located throughout the garden. Plants must be tied to this trellis;
- To do this, pinch the top with a rope and lift them up. As the bush grows, it will weave around the rope, so you won’t have to tie the tomatoes up again.
Lattice tie
The method is very similar to the previous one. This great option, for those who want to know how to tie tomatoes in polycarbonate greenhouse or film. Here you also need to prepare cuts of reinforcement for support and a coil of wire instead of a trellis. The wire must be stretched between the reinforcement in several rows at different heights. The plane of location of the resulting incomplete grating should be perpendicular to the ground.
The plant simply lies on the lower wire and, as it grows, clings to the upper part, only from the other side. As a result, it turns out that it is kept in vertical position sandwiched between two wires.
As soon as its growth reaches the next line, the top is transferred to opposite side on the third row of wire. And so on, in a checkerboard pattern.
This method is good to strengthen tall varieties, for lower species it is enough to use individual pegs.
For those summer residents who want to know how tall tomatoes are tied up in the open field, you should take a closer look at this method.
Benefits of garter tomato
How to tie up tomatoes in a polycarbonate or film greenhouse has already been written above, but what practical benefit do these methods provide, besides the fact that the fruits do not deteriorate, lying directly on the ground?
The benefits include:
- good air ventilation between the bushes;
- convenient watering of plants;
- timely pinching.
As a result, the plant will bear fruit well, which means there will be no more disappointments at the sight of a green fruit with rot.
Support material
In order not to change the props every year, choose them from durable materials. They must support the weight of the fruit and not break.
Wood. Rotting-resistant acacia and chestnut will last you for a long time. Lightweight and durable, it has many branches from the main twig. This will help keep the rope from slipping while tying.
Bamboo. Lightweight and durable, it's perfect for creating supporting structures. But only it is too smooth and the ropes can slip off it.
Metal. Very convenient to use steel reinforcement. It is durable and the garters do not slip on it. The disadvantage is the rust with which they are covered and do not look aesthetically pleasing.
Types of supports
Straight rods or stakes 1.5-2 m long. Suitable for tomatoes formed in one trunk. It is convenient to tie the stem with a rope to the support as the plant grows approximately every 30 cm. You need to tie it to the support with a soft rope and not tight, so as not to damage the stem. The rods must be deep enough into the ground so that they do not lie under the weight of the fruit. Rope garters in the greenhouse. It is necessary to tie the rope to the roof bar of the greenhouse and to the base of the tomato trunk so that it is not stretched. As the plant grows, wrap its stem around this rope. The rope will need to be tightened, so don't make double knots, tie it into 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.
Tapestry from rods. Set the stakes in a row and firmly tie the crossbars between them at different heights. It turns out a lattice of rods, to which you can tie not only one stem, but also heavy branches and bushes formed into 2-3 stems.
"Hut" of rods. 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 even greater strength of this structure, install a horizontal crossbar on top of these supports.
"Cage" for tomatoes made of wire mesh. Allows tomatoes to grow inside the round mesh without being tied. The diameter of the "cage" can be adjusted as the tomato develops. It can be covered with a covering material when it gets cold. The support method is very developed in the USA. Very convenient, but expensive way. For each plant you need to purchase at least 1.5-2m. nets 1.5 m wide. The mesh must be fastened to the ground with small pegs and tied in height with wires.
