Tomatoes are unpretentious plants that are easy to care for, but in order not to get small or diseased fruits, you will need to pay a little attention to the culture. The plant responds very well to regular watering and feeding, rewarding gardeners with a generous harvest. In this review, we will talk about the proper care of tomatoes after planting in open ground.
Stages of caring for tomatoes after planting in the ground
After choosing a variety and planting seedlings in a tomato garden, it is necessary to provide timely care, which consists in supplying the plant with nutrients and moisture. In addition to basic needs, there are others that have no less influence on the growing season. The intricacies of the work can be found in this article.
Proper watering
Tomatoes react in the same way to lack and excess of moisture, so irrigation is carried out as the soil dries up. Before flowering, the frequency is 1 time per week, during the formation of fruits, watering is increased up to 2-3 times a week. In hot weather with high daytime temperatures, you will need to water the soil every other day or even daily (focus on the degree of dryness of the soil). The procedures should be carried out only in the early morning or late evening. Evening is preferable, as moisture will remain in the ground longer, which means that the plant will be more comfortable.
When equipping an irrigation system, preference should be given drip or underground version... Sprinkling moisturizes the tops, while increasing the risk of developing fungal diseases, in particular apical rot. Irrigation can also be carried out at the root or along the grooves. For the prevention of diseases, it is recommended to add wood ash to the settled water. And when ovaries appear, ash powder is sprinkled around the bushes for better fruiting.
It is not recommended to use tap water for humidification. A settled and warmed-up well option is more suitable. The liquid rate per bush is 8-10 liters.
Periodically, watering is combined with the introduction of foliar dressings. For this, mineral fertilizers are dissolved in the water used for irrigation. Thus, the time spent on both procedures is reduced.
Grassing tomatoes
Some gardeners underestimate the procedure for pinching tomatoes, believing that a branchy bush and a large number of shoots increase yields. In fact the plant does not have enough strength for all the ovaries, therefore, the fruits are often formed small or simply do not have time to ripen. The issue is solved by removing useless shoots. This should be done while they are still small (3-5 cm). If time is lost, and they have already gained growth, then it makes no sense to carry out pinching.
The procedure is carried out in early August. All stepchildren are removed from the bush, leaving 2-3 leaves above the fruits. Sometimes it becomes a pity to pick off the inflorescences, but this will be for the good of the ripening fruits (they will be much larger).
Another method of pinching is to remove excess shoots every 10 days. In this case, one of the options for the formation of a bush is selected: in one stem, in two or three. The choice is based on the variety.
Spraying against pests and feeding
The beds with tomatoes should be sprayed not only upon detection of insects, but also for prevention, since among solanaceous crops, tomatoes are the most vulnerable. How to spray you ask?
At the planting stage, the roots of the seedlings are soaked in a solution of insecticides (for example, Aktara) to protect against wireworms, beetles and aphids. Before the fruiting period, the beds are periodically treated with fungicidal preparations (Quadris, Ridomil Gold), which prevent the development of fungal diseases.
You can use folk remedies. Spraying the bushes with infusions of onion husks, wood ash, and garlic are considered quite effective. To scare away insects, decoctions from fragrant plants are suitable: pharmacy chamomile, wormwood, calendula, etc.
You need to feed tomatoes at least three times during the growing season. On nutrient-poor soils, this is done systematically every 2 weeks. Fertilizers are used both organic and mineral. The nitrogen content in them should be less than potassium and phosphorus. How much fertilizer should be added for processing?One of the options provides for the following composition:
- 50-60 gr. superphosphate;
- 30-40 gr. potassium chloride;
- 15 gr. ammonium nitrate;
- 10 liters of water.
If shedding of inflorescences and ovaries is observed, the plant lacks trace elements (boron). You can prepare a solution from boric acid (1 g) and water (1 L). Spray greens in the afternoon.
The culture responds well to a solution of poultry manure. It is preferable to use complex fertilizers that contain trace elements such as magnesium, boron, copper, zinc. Popular remedies include: Master NPK-17.6.18, Kristallon et al.
Hilling and loosening
After each watering, it is advisable to slightly loosen the soil (immersion depth is about 3 cm). This helps to retain moisture in the soil, opens up access to oxygen. The first loosening can be done after the first irrigation of the seedlings. The regularity of the procedures is 1 time in 10-14 days. When the bushes grow and narrow the row spacings, you can stop loosening.
It is rational to combine the process of loosening with weeding. Weeds attract pests, create shading for tomatoes, so the fight against them is a priority.
To stimulate the formation of additional adventitious roots, it is recommended to huddle tomato bushes. They form from the bottom of the stem, but only in moist soil. Raking the soil under the plant should be several times per season. The first procedure is carried out 2-3 weeks after planting the seedlings. The second time hilling in the beds is performed after 2 weeks. In order not to injure the tomatoes once again, the event is combined with loosening and weeding.
Forming tomato bushes and breaking leaves
It is necessary to form bushes only in those plants that are prone to branching. If the variety is characterized by the development of one stem, then there is no need for the procedure.
There are several ways to form bushes:
- in one stem;
- in two stems;
- in three stems.
When deciding on an option, it is worth considering the characteristics of the variety and the climatic conditions of the region. The further south the area, the more branches you can leave on the tomato. It is important to take into account that fruits that do not form on the main stem will be smaller.
When choosing the one-stem method all stepchildren who have reached a length of 3-5 cm are subject to removal. To prevent the tomato from dropping all flowers and ovaries, it is recommended to first cut off the shoots that have grown under the brushes.
If the tomato is formed into two stems, then you need to leave the lateral shoot, which formed near the first brush. And when choosing the third method, it is recommended to leave the strongest stepson developing under the second hand.
It is necessary to remove excess shoots regularly, the only limitation to the procedure is heat. In such conditions, the plant does not tolerate any injury.
Tear off the sprouts very carefully, grabbing them with your thumb and forefinger. You need to pull not towards yourself, but sharply to the side. You can also use a knife with a sharp blade. When cutting the stepson, do not touch the main stem, it is better to leave 1-2 mm of the removed shoot.
Soil mulching
Backfilling the soil with mulch makes it possible to reduce the number of watering, weeding and loosening. Such savings are simply necessary for summer residents who visit sites exclusively on weekends. In addition to reducing the labor intensity of the process, protection of the soil from drying out is created.
The feasibility of mulching can be assessed based on the following advantages:
- decline weed growth (reduction in the number of weeding);
- stabilization temperature regime and soil moisture;
- defence from evaporation of moisture;
- prevention crust formation on the ground surface;
- earthworms they are better bred under a kind of fur coat, which increases the looseness of the soil.
Peat, dry leaves or straw, sawdust are used as mulch. Rotted compost is also good. In the garden departments of hypermarkets today you can buy artificial mulch, which is reusable. The layer to be laid should be about 6-8 cm, so that light passes faintly through it. This will prevent the overgrowth of weeds.
Surrounding a bed of tomatoes with attention, it is worth observing the measure when watering and fertilizing, otherwise you can get the opposite effect. Experienced gardeners determine the needs of plants by their appearance, therefore 2-3 times a week you just need to inspect the bushes. Then any identified problem will be easier to localize or eliminate.