Growing tomatoes in open ground is not difficult. Tomatoes can be found in every garden bed, and if the climate is more or less warm, then you can reap a decent harvest. Features of care may vary, it all depends on the planted variety, weather conditions, soil quality and other factors.
Comfort and convenience in a permanent location
Planting tomatoes in open ground should occur in a place where warm light from the sun freely enters. Many varieties do not like draft winds and begin to slow down their development.
How to grow tomatoes without problems? It should be taken into account what crop was planted on the dacha plot. It is not recommended to plant tomatoes where corn, peppers, potatoes, and eggplants previously grew. They are exposed to the same infectious diseases. The good development of tomatoes is facilitated by the soil on which carrots, legumes, spinach, and onions previously grew.
Growing tomatoes in open ground begins with autumn digging of a selected area to a depth of 28 cm.
It is useful to mix the dug up soil with humus, bird droppings, wood ash or compost. From mineral fertilizers, you can choose potash salt or superphosphate.
In the spring (May is considered the best time), you can dig up the ground again. As a nutritional supplement, you can use a mixture of wood ash, bird droppings and ammonium sulfate. Before transplanting tomatoes into the soil, make furrows at intervals of about 65 cm.
When you can plant tomatoes in open ground depends on the weather. If the cold has not yet subsided, then it is better to move the deadlines, otherwise the harvest will be lost. They also take into account the method of growing tomatoes in open ground and the limits of their ripening.
Suitable variety of species
To learn how to grow tomatoes in open ground, you need to select a variety and become familiar with the features of caring for it. There is a wide variety of varieties of the studied vegetable crop. What types of tomatoes are best to plant is decided by the vegetable grower himself. All of them differ in the size and shades of the fruit, stem height, taste, and ability to withstand bad weather or disease.
What varieties of tomatoes are suitable for outdoor garden beds? When breeding, take into account the height of the bush.There are determinate (varieties that have limited growth) and indeterminate (growth and development continues throughout the growing season) tomatoes.
The stems of low-growing (determinant) species rarely reach a height of 110 cm. Most often, their height is 60-70 cm. They do not require the removal of side branches, they do not need to be tied up. Typically, such varieties have short ripening periods, so the plant rarely experiences the spread of diseases.
Planting tall tomatoes (indeterminate) can amaze with its growth, which sometimes exceeds 2 meters. The plant requires the formation of two or three stems, it is necessary to tie them up, and do not forget to remove the side shoots in time.
Growing tall tomatoes begins in May. When to sow tomatoes for seedlings? It is better to start sowing large tomatoes two months before transplanting the grown seedlings, around the end of February. The timing of planting seeds may shift to the beginning of March.
Which tomatoes are best planted in open ground can also determine the limits of ripening. Mature varieties can be enjoyed after 90 days (early ripening varieties), 110 days (mid ripening varieties) or 120 days (late ripening varieties). The most popular tomatoes for open ground.
Ground tomatoes Riddle characterized by early fruit ripening. The trunk is strong. The bushes grow up to 45 cm in height. The variety withstands diseases and a shaded planting site.
Among the short ones The most popular tomato variety is Sanka. The fruits begin to ripen early. The height of the bush is only 50 cm. It is characterized by high yield, resistance to disease and cold.
Grushovka has average ripening limits. It stretches up to 45 cm. The weight of the fruit can reach 200 g, so you need to tie up the stem.
The varieties with the formation of large fruits can please you with the highest yield. Their weight can reach 700 g. Among large-fruited tomatoes, such good tomatoes as Bull's Heart, Velmozha, Orange King, Honey Spas, Buyan, De Barao are widely known.
Home seedlings
There are two options for planting tomatoes in open ground. Planting in a permanent place can be done with seedlings or seeds. But it is best to plant tomatoes in open ground as seedlings. Seedlings are grown at home and transplanted into open beds when the weather warms up.
Growing seedlings begins with proper seed selection. Select only large and dense seeds. Planting tomatoes is not complete without pre-treatment of the seeds. A large variety of fungi and bacteria live on the shell of grains, so it is recommended to immerse them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes.
After disinfection Tomato seeds for seedlings are soaked in nutrient solutions. You can use sodium humate, Epin or natural aloe juice. These solutions stimulate the development of the plant.
It is better to plant tomatoes in the ground when the seeds go through the hardening stage. The seeds are alternately placed in a warm or cold place. Thanks to this, the planted plants will develop tolerance to temperature fluctuations.
Many experienced vegetable growers begin to germinate tomato grains before planting seedlings. The seeds are spread on a wet cloth, then covered with another layer of cloth and left until the first shoots hatch.
You can grow seedlings in a wooden or plastic box. Make holes in a prepared container with soil at a distance of 2.5 cm. The sown seeds are covered with film until most of the seedlings appear.
When to plant tomatoes in soil for seedlings? It is better to start sowing tomatoes in early March, but this is only if the dacha is equipped with a structure with a film. When to sow tomatoes if you are not planning to install a shelter? It is better to sow seeds in the last days of March.
Transplanting bushes
When to plant tomato seedlings in open ground depends on the selected species and climate. Planting and caring for tomatoes in open ground often starts in May, on the 20th. If the soil has not warmed up enough, it can be postponed to the beginning of June. Planting tomato seedlings in open ground should occur when the weather is cloudy, without bright sunlight. If there is no such day in the forecast, then it is better to wait until the evening.
How to plant tomatoes in open ground? It is recommended to plant low types of tomatoes with an interval of 37 cm. When planting medium-sized and tall tomatoes, an interval of about 42 cm should be maintained. The depth of the hole should be 12 cm.
Planting tomatoes in the ground can be done using a square-nest method. Make holes in the form of a square, the sides of which are approximately 65 cm. 2-3 seedlings are planted in one hole. If tomato seedlings are planted in open ground using a similar method, then in the future it will be convenient to loosen the row spacing. And the vegetable will receive nutrition and light in full size.
How to plant tomatoes in open ground? To facilitate the process of removing seedlings from a box or cups, as well as to preserve the roots, you need to thoroughly moisten the soil of the seedlings. Planting tomatoes in open ground often consists of the following steps:
- planting tomato seedlings in open ground is accompanied by the addition of any mineral fertilizers mixed with humus into each hole;
- to plant a vegetable in the ground as seedlings, you need to turn the glass with the seedling upside down and carefully pull the stem;
- it is necessary to plant tomato seedlings in a hole together with a lump of earth, which is sprinkled with compost;
- Only the roots and a ball of earth are sprinkled with earth, the stem remains open, you can remove a few lower leaves;
- After covering the compost with a layer of soil, the space around the bush becomes slightly compacted.
Growing tomatoes and caring for them in open ground for the initial 10-14 days requires protection from the hot sun and frost. During this time, the planted bushes adapt to new conditions and take root; they are vulnerable to adverse factors. But it is impossible to determine exactly when it is better to plant seedlings, so shading is required on hot days, and on cold nights the sprouts should be covered with film.
How to grow a good tomato crop, you need to know the rules of watering. After 7-10 days, you can water the beds for the first time. Subsequently, you need to water regularly, but do not overdo it. If there is a lot of moisture, the risk of developing a fungal infection, apical and root rot will increase.
When watering, avoid letting water droplets fall on the leaves and flowers. You only need to water with settled water in the morning or evening.
Tomatoes should be grown in open ground with three feedings throughout the growing season. Tomato needs microelements especially urgently during flowering and fruiting. If large-fruited varieties are grown, more fertilizer applications are required.
You can use a ready-made universal fertilizer or prepare it yourself. The main components are bird droppings, mullein, wood ash, herbal infusions of nettle or dandelion.Non-standard ingredients can be used, for example, potato tops, banana peels, eggshells, whey.
By following the scheme for planting tomatoes in open ground, you can avoid many mistakes, make caring easy and reap a large harvest.
Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants. The secret of growing tomatoes is that sometimes outside help may be needed. To attract pollinating insects, you can water the bushes with a special sweet solution, which is made from sugar, water or jam. You can plant plants with a sweet smell, such as basil, mustard, between the vegetables.
The agronomist can help by slightly shaking the stem twice a day during the period of flower formation.
Seedless method
How to properly grow tomatoes in open ground if the seeds are planted immediately? If you have chosen to plant tomatoes in open ground with seeds, you need to select ones that can take root in natural conditions. For planting tomatoes in open ground with seeds, early-ripening varieties are better suited. Tomato varieties for open ground, time-tested by agronomists, take root well with seeds.
- Volgograd tomatoes boast good disease resistance and resistance to temperature fluctuations. The fruits begin to ripen at the same time. The average weight of tomatoes is 110 g.
- It is better to plant seeds of the Iceberg variety in open ground. It continues to develop even in cool weather. The stem is strong and small, only 60 cm. Sweet tomatoes can weigh 200 g.
- Beta-Lux is an early-ripening, high-yielding species. The height of the bush is about 47 cm. The fruits ripen on clusters of 5 pieces, weighing about 50 g. The plant is resistant to cold and major diseases.
- From seeds in open ground, the Dubok variety gives good results. It will allow you to harvest within 85 days after sowing the seeds. The height of the stem is about 50 cm. It shows resistance to many diseases, is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, and tolerates cold. The fruits begin to ripen together and weigh about 70 g.
When to plant tomatoes in open ground if you plan to grow them without seedlings? Sowing seeds in prepared soil begins when the ground warms up, this is approximately mid-April. Make wide beds and add humus. Arcs are installed along the beds, over which the film will then need to be stretched in case of frost.
When planting tomato seeds in open ground, you should leave enough space between the rows. It should be 48 cm. The tomato planting scheme involves digging shallow holes (about 5 cm) in the furrows, reminiscent of a checkerboard arrangement. It is recommended to leave an interval of 28 cm between the recesses.
How to plant tomatoes correctly? 3 or 4 seeds are sown in each hole.
How to plant tomatoes correctly has its own secrets. Some experienced vegetable growers soak some of the prepared tomato seeds in a nutrient medium. The other part of the seeds should remain dry. Wet seeds germinate better, provided that it is warm outside. If there are frosts, they may die, then dry seeds, which are less sensitive to low temperatures, come to the rescue.
There is another important point about how to plant tomatoes correctly. As soon as the first leaves of the emerging sprouts unfurl, thinning is carried out. Only mature plants should be left at a distance of 9 cm.The second time thinning is done when the fifth leaf unfolds. The distance should now be increased to 14.5 cm.
Young sprouts need to be watered less than tomato seedlings in the room. The root system itself develops in such a way as to provide itself with nutrition and moisture. Watering is only necessary during long, hot weather.
Numerous reviews from experienced vegetable growers indicate that even when planting tomatoes with seeds, you can reap a rich and tasty harvest: “This is not the first year we have been sowing directly into garden beds. There is no need to waste energy on growing seedlings, all parts of the sprout are well lit, the root system goes deep and to the sides, there is no need to dive and stress the plant.”
Following actions
Caring for tomatoes in open ground begins from the moment of planting until the very last harvest. When to plant tomatoes in open ground, the answer cannot be clear. In any case, it is recommended to install arcs with a film near the beds, which will protect from strong winds and frosts. There are several important points on how to care for tomatoes in open ground that should not be missed during care.
The peculiarities of growing tomatoes in open ground include the procedure of loosening, pinching, tying, and hilling.
When growing tomatoes in open ground, so that the bush has a healthy and strong stem and the leaves are rich green, hilling is necessary. Thanks to the procedure, the roots are also strengthened.
Caring for tomatoes in open ground is recommended to be carried out using the mulching procedure - covering the soil with an additional layer. Straw, peat, chopped meadow grass, and sawdust are suitable as mulch for tomatoes in open ground. The layer should be no thinner than 8 cm.
The secrets to growing tomatoes include mulching. Thanks to the procedure, moisture evaporates at a lower rate, heat is retained, weeds are not disturbed, and the spread of infections and pests is reduced.
After planting tomatoes in open ground, to prevent dry crust from appearing, you need to loosen the soil between the rows. The best period for loosening is considered to be the time after rain and after watering. Thanks to the procedure, beneficial microelements and oxygen are distributed more quickly throughout the plant.
You also need to care for tomatoes using another procedure. In order for the plant not to grow, but to devote all its strength to the formation of fruits, it is necessary to carry out pinching. Side branches are removed only from tall varieties of tomatoes.
How to plant tall varieties so that the stem does not break and the plant actively develops? Planting tall varieties requires a tying procedure. But sometimes even short people may need support. Due to the large number of fruits, the stem may break. Trellis and nets are used as support. The procedure allows not only to keep the stem intact, but also provides free access of air and light to all parts of the plant.
Pegs are installed near each tomato bush to which the stem must be tied. Tying begins from the moment 4-5 leaves unfold on the stem.
Planting tomatoes in open ground is not difficult even for beginners in vegetable growing. The main thing is to follow the instructions, observe all the rules and step-by-step work related to soil, seedlings and care.
