Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse: how to care for them at home

Growing large, juicy, ripe tomatoes is the dream of every summer resident. In the conditions of most regions of our country, this is difficult due to the unpredictability of the weather and the short summer. Tomatoes, when grown in a greenhouse, ripen earlier, give a larger yield, have a better taste and presentation. Consider the features of the greenhouse method of growing tomatoes.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing tomatoes in a greenhouse

Growing tomatoes in greenhouse conditions has pros and cons to consider, especially beginner gardeners.

Advantages of greenhouses:

• earlier, almost a month, ripening of tomatoes;
• high harvest;
• protection from adverse weather effects - frost, lack of heat, hail;
• possibility of planting thermophilic and indeterminate species;
• pest protection.

Tomatoes grown indoors usually have the best quality and presentation due to growth in favorable conditions.

The disadvantages of greenhouse cultivation include:

• additional costs for construction, heating, maintenance of greenhouses;
• constant control over the temperature, since at t above 30 ° there is a risk of slowing down the formation of the ovary and loss of tomatoes;
• need for pollination activities;
• treatment and protection against fungal infections;
• fight against condensate.

In cold regions, greenhouse cultivation is the only way to get a good crop that ripens on the bush. The cost is always paid off by the yield and excellent taste of the fruit.

Determining the variety for greenhouses

Only an experienced gardener can understand the variety of varieties and hybrids. What to look for when choosing seed:

• ripening time;
• determinate and indeterminate species;
• yield;
• hybrids - show good disease resistance qualities.

Note the most popular types of tomatoes for greenhouse planting:

• early - Miracle of the Earth, Aurora F1, Sanka, Raspberry Surprise, Budenovka, President 2 F1;
• fruitful - De Barao, Black Prince, Ilyich, Honey Drop, Auria, Pink Pearl;
• large - Bull's heart, Cardinal, Mazarin, Grandma's secret, King of Giants, Volgograd;
• disease resistant - Ural, Tatyana, De Barao, Dubok, Morozko, Tea rose.

Ratings of favorite greenhouse varieties and hybrids traditionally top - De Barao, Bull's Heart, Eagle's Beak, Golden Domes.

For planting, it is recommended to choose well-known and familiar varieties, as well as new hybrids.

Step-by-step technology for planting tomatoes

Preparation of the greenhouse for the spring planting of tomatoes begins after harvesting the old tops, that is, in the fall. Remains of roots are removed from the ground, fallen leaves are collected. This is done especially carefully if the plants are sick.

The structure is washed with water from a hose, repaired, metal parts are treated against rust.The tree is washed with antibacterial and antifungal agents. The top layer of soil is removed. Some of these works can be carried out in the spring, but it is right to carry out the treatment for fungal diseases immediately after harvesting the tops so that the rot does not grow.

Processing is carried out with a solution of copper sulphate, fumigation with sulfur bombs. The beds can be prepared in the fall.

Important: in the greenhouse it is necessary to have several vents for ventilation - in the side walls and on the ceiling.

Sowing seeds

Seeds are sorted before planting, culling small, twisted and chipped. Germination is checked by dipping into a glass of saline. Seeds that float within 5 minutes are discarded.

Soaked in Fitosporin solution, prepared according to the instructions. It is also helpful to soak the seeds in a growth stimulant.

The time of planting seeds depends on the growing season of the variety and the temperature characteristics of the region. Basic rules for sowing dates:

• end of February - for late varieties and warmer regions;
• beginning-mid March - mid-season species for the Middle Strip;
• end of March - the earliest varieties and hybrids.

Tomatoes are sown in a container about 15 centimeters high, deepening by 1-1.5 centimeters. For planting, use special soil for seedlings or prepare the soil mixture yourself. The distance between the seeds is 2-3 centimeters.

Sprouting pre-seeding material or clamping with dry seeds is the gardener's choice. Note that when planting the sprouts often break, maximum care and work with tweezers is required.

Sprouting seedlings

After landing, the containers are transferred to a lighted place with a temperature of 20-22 °. Immediately or after 3-5 days cover with a transparent film to obtain a greenhouse effect with good moisture and maintaining a constant temperature.

We adhere to the following rules when growing:

• until leaf growth has begun (third and beyond), watering is not needed - light moistening with a spray bottle;
• in low light use fluorescent electric lamps;
• rotate drawers for even illumination;
• dive into separate containers when 2 true leaves appear (usually 2 weeks after emergence).

When transplanting into an individual pot, it is important not to touch the seedling, to grab more land so as not to expose the roots. In the future, the containers must be turned with the other side towards the light so that the seedlings do not twist and develop evenly.

Hardening helps to grow high-quality seedlings. It begins with a gradual decrease in the temperature in the room, ventilation with cold street air. 10 days before the transfer to the greenhouse, containers with plants are taken out to the veranda or loggia with a temperature of at least 12 °.

Greenhouse transfer

Stationary greenhouses have been prepared since autumn, washing the walls, disinfecting. It is important to remember that tomatoes are not planted in one place for two years in a row, they can be alternated with cucumbers.

When to transplant

Seedlings are transplanted into unheated greenhouses when the danger of frost has passed and stable warm weather is established. This usually happens in the first decade of May.

By this time, seedlings should have the following characteristics:

• height of seedlings - 15 centimeters for undersized varieties, 30 centimeters for tall ones;
• more than 8 sheets per bush;
• the stem at the bottom is wide and dense;
• there are 1-2 ovaries with buds, but no fruits.

The ground inside the greenhouse should warm up to 12-15 °. To transfer seedlings to the greenhouse, choose an evening or a cloudy day.

Preparing the ground

The initial stage of soil preparation is the removal of the top layer by 20 centimeters. Next, well-rotted manure is introduced, which is covered with new earth from above. Requirements for soil composition for tomatoes are high. When preparing the beds, it is also necessary to add sand and peat.

To loosen the soil, earthworms are buried in the ground, you can also buy and water the future beds with a bacterial cocktail. Thanks to the vital activity of bacteria, soil properties will improve, it will be easier for tomatoes to absorb nutrients.

Fertilize

An important factor in soil composition is acidity. For tomatoes, the norm is a neutral composition with a pH of 6-7 units. If there is a shortage, lime is added in the amount of 0.5 kilograms per square meter.

It is also recommended to apply potassium sulfate and superphosphate, focusing on soil composition and fertilizer recommendations.

To disinfect and warm the earth, the soil is shed with a warm (60 °) solution of potassium permanganate (1 gram per 10 liters of water) and covered with a film.

Tomato Planting Scheme

Tomatoes are planted in beds arranged longitudinally. The number of ridges is determined by the width of the greenhouse. The width of the beds is selected according to the planted varieties, usually 60-90 centimeters. Large branchy bushes need more space, they also make passages wider.

Modern methods of tomato farming recommend the following planting patterns:

1. Chess pattern for high branched tomatoes. Distance - 60-70 centimeters, between the beds for the passage - 70-80 centimeters.
2. Quick-maturing varieties with multiple stems are planted in a checkerboard pattern. Distance - 35-40 centimeters between neighbors, between rows - 55-60 centimeters.
3. Standard species, as well as determinant species, with one stem - in rows with a distance of 45-50 centimeters. Between holes - 30-35 centimeters.

It is important to remember that an excess of tomatoes in the greenhouse will not increase the yield.

Important: thickening interferes with ventilation, provokes the accumulation of moisture, the development and rapid spread of fungal diseases.

Planting seedlings in the beds

Seedlings in peat pots are placed directly into the holes, in other cases, the seedlings with an earthy clod are carefully removed and placed vertically so that the foliage does not touch the soil.

If the tomatoes are overgrown, it is not recommended to put the stem in the hole. They dig a hole of the depth necessary for vertical standing, covering only the root system with earth and leaving part of the stem open. The hole is completely covered in 10-14 days, when the stem becomes coarse.

Tomato care in the greenhouse

Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse helps knowing the basic rules of care, which consists in watering, fertilizing and pinching. It is also necessary to monitor the appearance of pests and diseases in tomato bushes.

Stepping tomato bushes

Removing excess shoots growing from the leaf axils allows you to free the bush, provide air access, and does not take away the strength of the plant for the extra green part.

Stepchildren break off at a size of 5-8 centimeters, just with your fingers or cut with pruners. The best time for pinching is morning. So that the sprout does not appear again in the same place, 2 centimeters of the stem are left when removed.

Irrigation Regularity

Choosing the right watering regimen helps speed up growth and ovary formation. The first 7-8 days, young seedlings are not watered. In the future, the following irrigation rates are recommended:

• young seedlings - 3 liters per bush in 3-5 days;
• when flowering and early fruiting - 5 liters per plant once a week.

The best way to supply water is drip. Water cannot be cold, the temperature must correspond to the soil. The best time is morning and evening, preferably morning. Water is poured under the root without soaking the green part.

So that excess water does not turn into condensate on the walls of the greenhouse, the soil after watering is covered with organic mulch, which will later become fertilizer.

Drip irrigation systems help to provide a uniform supply of water without excess, at the same time fertilizer is applied.

How and what to feed seedlings and adult bushes

Fertilize tomatoes 3-4 times during the period of growth and fruiting. Most summer residents try to use organic fertilizers, planting manure in each top dressing.

Feeding times:

1. 2 weeks after disembarkation - nitrophoska (NPK-complex), mullein. Consumption - a tablespoon of nitrophoska, 500 grams of manure per 10 liters. The norm is a liter at the root.
2. In 10 days. Potassium sulfate (1 teaspoon), manure. 5 liters per square meter.
3. After 2 weeks - superphosphate (1 spoon), ash (2 spoons) per 10 liters. 5-7 liters per square meter.

When tomatoes begin to sing en masse, summer residents use sodium humate and superphosphate for additional plant support.

Tie up and bush shaping

The most industrious summer residents along the beds have two trellises at different heights, to which bushes are tied as they grow. Seedlings are attached 1-2 weeks after planting to the lower trellis, as the bushes grow, they are transferred to the upper one. It is especially important to have 2 levels for tall bushes with large fruits and high yields.

Gardeners also recommend removing the lower leaves from the bushes. Rot develops more often on the foliage below the ovary. They also cut off all other leaves with traces of disease and damage.

Treatment from pests and diseases

Having planted tomatoes in a greenhouse, you need to constantly monitor the condition of the bushes and ovaries in order to notice diseases and pests in time.

Sick leaves and fruits are immediately removed, if the bush is significantly affected, it must be dug up and burned. More often than others, fungal diseases develop, which provoke an excess of moisture and poor ventilation. In this case, the greenhouse is dried by opening the doors and windows in dry weather.

Phytophthora is the most common greenhouse disease. It will be necessary to work out all plants with Fitosporin or analogues, remove all excess leaves and cover the soil with mulch.

With root rot, the soil is well shed with Alirin-B, Trichocin or Gliocladin. These are biological substances that produce natural antibiotics.

Important: for greenhouses it is better to choose varieties with increased resistance to diseases and carry out preventive treatments of soil and plants with Fitosporin-M.

Nuances of caring for tomatoes

Greenhouses should be in well-lit areas with an east-west orientation. With a lack of sunlight, tomatoes do not grow well, drop the ovary. It is recommended to maintain humidity in the greenhouse no higher than 65%, otherwise fungal diseases develop.

You need to take care of tomatoes constantly, airing and fertilizing in time, observing the recommended watering pattern.

For pollination, tomato buds are gently shaken during flowering to ensure the movement of pollen. It is useful to open greenhouses, fragrant flowers, jam, honey or compote are placed to attract bees and other insects.

In the winter greenhouse

In winter greenhouses with good heating, tomatoes are planted a month earlier (in April), using early varieties of tomatoes that are resistant to fungal and viral diseases. In film greenhouses, a second layer is added to provide insulation.

When growing in a greenhouse, the same rules of agricultural technology should be observed as in greenhouse conditions. They are made in the southern high parts of the garden with low groundwater.

In order for tomatoes to grow well, they are illuminated up to 16-18 hours a day, providing a temperature of 20-25 °, at night - not lower than 15 °.

Growing tomatoes in winter requires stationary greenhouses, a special regime and relevant knowledge of agricultural technology.

In an unheated greenhouse

Greenhouses without heating help maintain the right temperature for tomatoes during cold snaps, protect against frost and excess rainfall. They create favorable conditions for constant growth, allow you to grow tomatoes before ripening on a bush, which is important for cold regions.

The first harvest is taken much earlier than in the open field, in late June, early July.

The secrets of growing a good harvest - choosing the right varieties and complete care focused on greenhouse conditions.

How to achieve a good harvest in greenhouse conditions

Growing tomatoes in greenhouses requires compliance with certain conditions that help increase the yield:

1. During the heat, the doors and vents should be open. If the greenhouse is film, the lower edge must be bent. High temperatures do not allow the formation of ovaries, at low temperatures, growth slows down.
2. Ventilation is a must. Tomatoes are not afraid of drafts, you can use fans to increase air movement.
3. Compliance with watering, fertilizing.
4. Mulching the soil and wiping the walls to clean the condensate. Humidity 60-65%.
5. Temperature regime - 22-25 ° during the day, up to 15 ° at night.
6. Protection against pests and diseases, removal of affected leaves and plants.
7. Helping tomatoes pollinate.

The right choice of varieties will provide delicious tomatoes for the whole season and will allow you to make winter preparations.

Harvesting tomatoes

When harvesting, the following rules are observed:

• stems are left on the bush;
• tomatoes of milky ripeness (brown) are best removed so that other ovaries grow faster;
• in spring, tomatoes are harvested every 2-3 days (planted in winter), in summer - daily;
• for seeds, tomatoes are kept on the bush until full ripeness.

Note that if the temperature drops to 7-8 °, the tomatoes are harvested completely, they will not be able to grow and sing.

For ripening, green tomatoes are laid out in a dark room with a temperature of 15-20 °. The container with tomatoes should be ventilated, the number of layers is 1-3. Red tomatoes accelerate the ripening of green ones, with their help they slow down or increase the ripening time of the main mass.

Growing tomatoes in greenhouses helps most summer residents get delicious juicy fruits. Breeders are constantly developing new varieties and hybrids that are more resistant to diseases and give a stable crop in greenhouse conditions. Each summer resident gains his own experience in the process of work, finds the best ways to solve problems that arise when growing heat-loving tomatoes.

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