In the modern world, great attention is paid to the cultivation of environmentally friendly products and vegetables. Advanced and improved agro-industrial technologies are being introduced, which make it possible to obtain a rich tomato crop in polycarbonate greenhouses at minimal cost. One of these technologies is mulching - covering the surface of the fertile soil layer with materials of natural or artificial origin. Let's figure out if you need to mulch tomatoes in a greenhouse and how to do it.
The purpose of mulching a tomato in a greenhouse and open field
The main purposes of mulching tomatoes grown in greenhouses and outdoors are:
- Protection of greenhouse soil from excessive compaction and the formation of an impermeable crust;
- Providing natural moisture and soil temperature for a long time;
- Reducing the frequency of watering and the amount of fresh water used;
- Prevention of the development and transfer of pathogens and pests from soil to plants;
- Protection against drying out of the top layer of the greenhouse soil as a result of the action of intense solar radiation;
- Improving soil fertility and increasing the overall yield of tomatoes.
Features of mulching tomatoes
In a closed greenhouse space and at elevated temperatures, an accelerated process of moisture evaporation occurs. High humidity slows down the growth and development of tomatoes, creates favorable conditions for the appearance of various diseases. Therefore, the introduction of mulch is of the greatest importance in the conditions of greenhouse growing of vegetables.
Necessary materials
The most common are the following materials:
- organic (natural): sawdust, hay or straw, freshly cut grass, compost;
- inorganic (artificial): paper and cardboard, film, roofing felt, roofing felt and other types of roll coating materials.
Film
An opaque, light stabilized film can be used as the film material. Before laying on the bed, the film is straightened along its entire length and fixed. For planting seeds or seedlings, special holes are preliminarily made in the film.
Cut grass
The cut grass for a long time retains the natural moisture of the soil in the greenhouse, which makes it possible to reduce the number of irrigations several times. To protect against harmful insects, freshly cut grass is finely chopped and left to dry in the sun for several days.
Hay (straw)
Mulching with dried grass or straw helps prevent weed growth and provides reliable protection of plants from pests. When growing low-growing varieties of tomatoes, hay plays the role of bedding for the fruits lying on it. The fruits always remain dry, clean, so they are not subject to decay or infection with pathogenic bacteria.
Paper (cardboard)
Before mulching a bed of newspapers, paper or cardboard, the soil around the tomatoes is loosened and additionally fertilized. Then the paper is crushed and a layer is applied to the garden bed, pre-moistened with water or a solution of liquid fertilizer (compost).
When applied without grinding, a large number of holes are pre-made in the paper for unhindered passage of air and moisture.
The main disadvantage of paper is the lack of useful substances, therefore, a layer of fertile organic matter is added on top of the laid layer.
Sawdust
Mulching with sawdust is considered the most common method.
The thickness of the laid layer is taken equal to 10-15 cm. A thinner layer can cause rapid germination of weeds. Sawdust perfectly retains soil moisture, so the soil is always in a natural, moist state. The sawdust makes it easier to weed and remove weeds. Sawdust perfectly absorbs and allows excess water to pass through.
The main disadvantage of sawdust is that they take away most of the beneficial trace elements (especially nitrogen) from plants and contribute to soil oxidation.
The laid layer of wood mulch is impregnated with a urea solution to provide additional soil with nitrogen. To prevent soil oxidation, slaked lime or chalk is added to the sawdust.
Compost
Compost mulch is the most excellent protection and nutrition for tomatoes in the greenhouse.
The structure of the litter should be completely rotten, homogeneous, crumbly, odorless, without sawdust and any impurities. Horse manure is the best compost for tomatoes.
As an additional soil fertilization, the best effect is the application of fertilizer in the form of a liquid compost solution.
The thickness of the layer is taken to be 20 cm. In this case, the planting of seeds and seedlings of greenhouse tomatoes is carried out not in the soil, but directly in the compost, to a depth of 1-3 cm.
Materials not suitable for mulch
It is not recommended to use the bark and leaves of coniferous trees as mulch for tomatoes grown in a greenhouse.containing specific volatile substances and essential oils that can disrupt the vital activity of beneficial microorganisms. The most correct and effective will be the burning of these components with the subsequent use of ash.
Roofing felt (roofing felt) containing toxic substances are also considered unsuitable. Pure peat, which promotes soil oxidation, is not recommended for use.
Thus, a competent choice of the method and material for mulching leads to a significant reduction in the cost of growing tomatoes in a greenhouse. The numerous benefits of using this procedure allow you to get a rich and high-quality harvest of these wonderful and healthy vegetables.