Basic rules for growing tomatoes using Dutch technology

Holland is a leading country in creating the latest technologies for growing agricultural crops, making it possible to achieve excellent yields and crop quality. Growing tomatoes using Dutch technology makes it possible to harvest up to 65 kg of tomatoes per 1 sq. m. per year.

Principles of technology of Dutch farmers

It is possible to significantly increase the yield of tomato bushes not only by using the rules for their formation and care, but also by applying some important principles of Dutch technology:

1. For growing tomatoes, in order to prevent diseases and pest invasions, mineral wool impregnated with complex nutrients is placed in a container, which allows the necessary growth of seedlings to be achieved in a shorter time.
2. In a greenhouse with tomato seedlings, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air increases. This promotes the process of photosynthesis, which supplies nutrients to the plant.
3. In order to pollinate plants and obtain ovaries, Dutch farmers release hornets into the greenhouse, which transfer pollen from flower to flower.

Of course, this method is not possible for everyone, but it is still necessary to adhere to the following basic requirements: sufficient plant nutrition, promotion of photosynthesis, timely pollination. In this way, it is possible to provide the optimal possible impact on tomatoes to obtain a high yield.

Greenhouse varieties of tomatoes

It is important to use tomato varieties suitable for year-round cultivation in a greenhouse. It is optimal to select tomato varieties with tall or medium-sized bushes (indeterminate or semi-determinate). For example, you can plant the following varieties:

1. Camry. This Dutch selection tomato is a hybrid. It grows quite actively in any season. The main stem can reach 2.5 m, and the fruits weigh on average 160 g. Tomatoes of this variety have a uniform scarlet color over the entire surface and are round in shape.
2. Honey Moon. Ideal for planting in greenhouses. Tomatoes ripen in 65 days. The largest fruits weigh 260 g. Fruits ripened on the bushes have a pink color. They have a sweet taste. It is recommended to use it in spring and summer.
3. Debut. This tomato variety is early ripening and is intended for growing in greenhouse conditions.The fruits are quite large and can weigh 210 g. They are used for fresh consumption. In optimal conditions, from 1 sq. m area, up to 9 kg of tomatoes are harvested.
4. Raisa. A variety of early ripening tomatoes with very long stems. It can be planted mainly in greenhouses. The fruits are small in size (weighing up to 140 g). The color of the tomatoes is bright red. The fruits have a very dense outer skin, which allows them to be stored for a long time, and they are also excellent for transportation. In addition, their advantage is that they can grow on almost any soil, and no special mineral substrate is required.

Only a small part of the varieties used by the Dutch in greenhouses are listed. But the main difficulty lies in acquiring the seeds of such tomatoes. It is impossible to grow and harvest them from your own harvest, since the tomatoes lose their maternal qualities. Therefore, you will have to buy them at specialized retail outlets or via the Internet from abroad, since they are practically not available in regular stores selling seeds.

Important! When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the manufacturer's company in order to protect yourself from counterfeiting.

Features of premises for seedlings

In winter, tomato seedlings grow to the required condition, ready for transplanting into the soil in 9 weeks. In spring, this period is shortened to 2 months, and in summer to 1.5 months.

To ensure that the plants turn out strong and healthy, the most illuminated area of ​​the greenhouse is selected for planting, without drafts. In this case, the air should have average values ​​- approximately +23 degrees. In addition, the following conditions should be created in the greenhouse:

• the soil should have a constant temperature of about 16 degrees;
• in winter, the greenhouse should begin to be heated 2 days before planting so that the temperature reaches the required level;
• To improve the penetration of sunlight, glass should be thoroughly washed.

In cassette pots, holes are made in the bottoms to allow excess water to drain out. Drainage is placed at the very bottom, and on top of it is mineral wool, soaked in fertilizers and thoroughly moistened with water. The seeds are laid out on mineral wool and covered with a 1 cm layer of sand and vermiculite. Then the containers are covered with glass or plastic wrap to protect them from drying out and placed away from sunlight.

After the tomato seedlings emerge, on about 10–12 days, the young plants are transplanted into containers with soil, sometimes separate pots are used for this purpose. Plants are planted in the soil so that the top of the container is 2 cm higher than the ground level. This allows you to protect the plant from contact with the soil and possible pests, and to avoid damage.

Plants are rarely planted in a greenhouse. For 1 sq. m. no more than 2.5 tomato bushes are planted. At the same time, a distance of 70 cm is maintained in the rows, and at least 55 cm is left between the rows of tomatoes. The width of the path between the beds is about 90 cm. Dense plantings lead to shading, this prevents the penetration of sunlight to the plants, which reduces the yield.

The temperature requirements in the greenhouse must be met in the following parameters:

• the night air temperature of the greenhouse should be 16–18 degrees Celsius, the daytime temperature rises by 2 degrees;
• The air humidity inside the greenhouse should be maintained between 67–75%, and with drier air, the fruits harden and become more fibrous.

When growing tomatoes in greenhouse conditions, it is necessary to maintain the established air humidity and temperature. To do this, install a heating system in the form of pipes through which warm water circulates. It is stretched at the top of the greenhouse. Thus, natural conditions are provided under which flowers or ovaries do not fall off.

Stages of growing tomatoes

The transplanted seedlings must be formed into a bush. This is very important for the future quantity of fruits and their quality. The following points should be taken into account:

1. The main stem should be of medium thickness. This is achieved by the correct proportions of watering and illumination of the planted seedlings.
2. Regular flower racemes have a short peduncle, with flowers turned downwards.
3. Watering should be regular, but not abundant. The best solution is considered tomato drip irrigation system with water supply directly to each plant.
4. Sometimes irrigation is carried out through holes in pipes laid along the furrows near the rows of tomatoes. This allows for dosed watering of each plant. Water for irrigation should not be much lower or higher than +16 degrees.

The Dutch technology for growing tomatoes provides for fertilizing once a week. For this purpose, mineral solutions of boron and magnesium are used. Attention is drawn to the permissible level of soil acidity. If it is disturbed, blossom end rot may form.

Advice from Dutch farmers

The Dutch growing method has some features that farmers use that allow them to grow high yields:

1. Regular inspection of planted tomatoes is carried out in order to identify diseased plants and spoiled leaves, to prevent the spread of the virus to other bushes.
2. There should be no more than 5 flowers left in the tomato brush formed at the bottom, the rest are removed, and the brushes formed above can only have 6 flowers. A larger amount will weaken the plant and will not allow the fruits to fill and ripen normally.
3. To avoid the formation of barren flowers, in Holland they use bumblebees and hornets, which are released into the greenhouse every other day to pollinate flowers.
4. The collection of ripe fruits is carried out in the morning, at least 4 times a week. Tomatoes are placed in boxes with foam at the bottom.

After harvesting the bushes, the soil is prepared for planting other seedlings. The bushes are removed, and the soil is disinfected or replaced - this is a kind of vaccination against diseases. Dutch technology allows you to plant tomatoes up to several times a year, and at the same time collect abundant harvests. On a small garden plot it is difficult to use the Dutch method, which works all year round, but you should keep in mind that all investments in a greenhouse will pay off.