Proper care of tomatoes in open ground. Features of growing tomatoes in open ground All about tomatoes in open ground

To get a good tomato harvest, you must follow several basic rules for caring for tomatoes - this is the correct formation of the bush, watering regime, and fertilizing the plants.

The place allocated for planting tomatoes should be in a sunny and warm place. The soil is prepared in advance before planting. In the fall, deep digging is done with the addition of rotted manure; in the spring, shallow digging is carried out, scattering compost humus and 35 g per sq.m. over the surface. complete mineral fertilizer. In loose, fertile soil, tomatoes form powerful branched roots.

Tomato seedlings are planted at a distance of 50 cm from each other; a peg is driven in for each plant, to which its stem is tied. Do not place tomatoes next to potatoes, as these plants have common viral diseases - late blight, brown rot.

Tomato pinching

Proper formation of a tomato bush will limit the growth of the plant’s green mass and direct its forces to fruiting. In June, start pinching weekly - remove the shoots that appear in the axils of the leaves. The stepsons can be cut off with scissors or plucked off, leaving a stump 1 cm long. It is better to remove the stepsons in the morning, when they have reached a length of 2-4 cm.

Planting is carried out taking into account the type of tomatoes: tall tomatoes (which reach a height of 1.5-3 meters) are formed into one stem; for this, all the resulting stepsons are removed; in medium-sized tomatoes (up to 1.2 m in height), one or two stepsons are left under the flower brush and the plant branches into two or three stems; In low-growing, dwarf tomato varieties, the stepsons are not removed.

To reduce the risk of fungal diseases, gradually break off the lower leaves up to the first flower cluster. Also, to prevent late blight, plants are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux mixture, 0.4% copper oxychloride solution or other copper-containing preparations.

Tomato watering mode

Tomatoes are watered rarely, but abundantly. In hot, dry summers regularly every 5-7 days, in cloudy or rainy weather every 7-8 days. Watering is carried out only at the root in a hole or rows of 10 liters per plant. Curling of leaves, falling of flowers and ovaries can occur due to lack of water for tomatoes.

Feeding tomatoes

If, when preparing the beds, the soil was well fertilized with humus and a complex of mineral fertilizers, then fertilize the tomatoes after the formation of 4-5 flower clusters. Tomatoes respond well to watering with diluted slurry, 0.5 liters of liquid mullein per 10 liters of water, also add 1 tablespoon of nitrophoska.

On unfertilized soil, tomatoes begin to be fed 3 weeks after planting. Water with diluted slurry or infusion of chicken manure with the addition of 1 tbsp per 10 liters. spoons of superphosphate, 1 teaspoon of potassium sulfate. Fertilizer is diluted at the rate of 1 liter per plant. Fertilizing is done after 10 days until 4-5 flower clusters appear.

Mulching the soil helps increase the yield of tomatoes; scatter chopped straw, leaves, peat, sawdust or rotted compost in a layer of 6-8 cm between the rows.

Harvesting tomato

In July, the very first tomatoes begin to sing. Collect tomatoes carefully, picking them off with the stem. It is better to pick the first tomatoes when they are slightly brown, which will speed up the growth and ripening of the remaining fruits. By leaving them in a warm place, they will ripen quickly without losing their taste.

In mid-August, tall tomatoes are pinched, removing the tops of the stems, leaving two leaves after the last flower cluster, in order to stop the growth of the plant and direct all its forces to the growth of already formed ovaries. If the tomato bush is weak and all the leaves have turned yellow, it is better not to pinch, just remove new flower clusters.

Secrets of growing tomatoes in open ground

Growing tomatoes outdoors can be difficult for novice gardeners, as the plant is quite demanding to care for. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the crop when preparing for planting, watering and feeding tomatoes, and also provide them with protection from pests and diseases.

For the reader's reference

Tomato (lat. Solanum lycopersicum) belongs to the Solanaceae family. The fruits of the plant are berries, but the crop is a vegetable, so it is equally correct to call a tomato both a berry and a vegetable. The birthplace of the culture is South America.

When to plant tomatoes in open ground

The crop does not tolerate frost, so it is necessary to plant seedlings in open soil at a stable average daily temperature. There is no need to rush: bushes planted early will hurt and lag behind in development.

• In the southern regions of Russia, you can begin the procedure of planting seedlings of early ripening varieties at the end of April;
• In the Urals and Moscow region - in the first half of May (planting time can be shifted by 10-15 days if nighttime air temperature changes are below 15 degrees Celsius);
• Mid-season tomatoes are planted later: in the South - in early May, in central Russia - in early June.

The most favorable days for planting tomatoes according to the lunar calendar are May 1-3, 9-10 and 19-20. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the afternoon, preferably in cloudy but not rainy weather.

Features of choosing a location and preparing soil for tomatoes

When choosing a garden plot for planting tomato seedlings, it is recommended to give preference to well-lit southern slopes that are protected from the wind. Since the crop does not like waterlogging, you should choose elevated places with light loamy soil of low acidity.

Crop rotation rules for tomatoes

Crop rotation allows the soil to rest and restore the microelements consumed by the plant. Therefore, you should change the planting location of tomatoes every year. It is important to take into account which plants grew previously.

Tomatoes grow much better if they are grown and cared for in open ground in beds where legumes, herbs and root vegetables grew. Crops such as potatoes, peppers or eggplants are undesirable. They can cause late blight to infect the soil, which will spread to the seedlings.

Preparing the soil for tomatoes in several stages

Soil disinfection can be carried out in the fall. For the procedure, a solution of copper sulfate is used: 1 tablespoon of copper per 10 liters of water. Consumption is 1 liter per square meter of bed.

In the spring, the soil is fertilized with organic matter and mineral salts: peat, humus and sawdust are added in equal proportions per square meter of soil, 1 bucket each. Add 2 tablespoons of phosphate and a couple of glasses of ash.

The soil is dug up well and watered with a warm solution of bleach for disinfection (2 liters per square meter). The beds must be prepared in advance: 5-7 days before transplanting tomatoes into open soil.

Tomatoes planting and care in open ground

The quantity and quality of the harvest often depends not only on proper care. It is necessary to properly prepare the seeds before sowing and take care of the growing seedlings, and after planting in the soil, ensure good watering and fertilizing.

Complex of pre-sowing activities

Caring for tomatoes begins with pre-sowing seed preparation. You can perform all the procedures described, or those that you consider necessary.

Culling

The seeds are placed in a saline solution (1 teaspoon per 0.2 liters of water), mixed thoroughly and left to stand for 10 minutes. For planting, select full-weight seeds that have settled to the bottom of the container, wash them with water and dry them.

Warming up

The seeds are placed in fabric bags and heated on a radiator for several days before the sowing procedure.

Disinfection or etching

Necessary for disinfection of planting material. The seeds are soaked for 20 minutes in a 1% iodine solution.

Seed feeding

Soak for a day in prepared nutrient solutions (Epin or potassium humate). You can use potato juice.

Soaking

The grains in a gauze bag are placed in warm water for 10-12 hours. Every 3-4 hours it is necessary to change the liquid and allow the grains to breathe.

Germination

Planting material is placed on a moistened cloth or paper napkin. It is important to ensure that the material does not dry out and periodically add liquid until the seeds swell and begin to hatch;

Hardening

To ensure vigorous germination, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator overnight and kept at a temperature of 20 degrees during the day. Celsius, the procedure is repeated three times.

Planting tomatoes in open ground

Grown seedlings should be prepared before transplanting. It is necessary to carry out hardening in air and accustom the sprouts to sunlight, otherwise fragile sprouts may die from a sudden change in conditions. Ventilate for 2-3 days, then take the seedlings out into fresh air for a week, gradually increasing the time.

You can plant tomatoes in open ground when the height of the bushes reaches 20-25 cm, and the stem has 7-9 large leaves.

Before transplanting, tomato seedlings are well moistened. The procedure is carried out as follows: the beds are marked out in advance: for tall varieties of tomatoes, the distance between the bushes should be up to 60 cm, and the same between the rows, and for low-growing ones: 40 and 50 cm, respectively. The holes are made 25-30 cm deep, filled with water and allowed to be completely absorbed.

The finished seedlings are removed from the containers and planted together with a wet earthen lump. If the bush is very elongated, the lower pair of leaves is cut off and the stem is buried in the hole, but so that it does not bend or break.

The roots are covered with earth, a little rotted manure is added and sprinkled again. Then they compact it with their hands and water it: 1-2 liters for each bush.

Immediately after planting, the beds should be covered with film for 6-8 days. During this time, the plants will get stronger and take root; watering is not recommended yet. Afterwards, the shelter can be removed and the planting can be moistened.

Caring for tomatoes in open ground

Tomato bushes must be regularly weeded, hilled and loosened. A peg is installed in advance near each plant. For the highest varieties, the height of the support must be at least 80 cm. It is recommended to use synthetic thread, which does not cause plant rotting.

Watering tomatoes in open ground

Tomatoes do not like excess moisture; stagnation of water can cause the development of fungal diseases. Until the ovary appears, it is recommended to only lightly moisten the soil, avoiding drying out.

Watering tomatoes in open ground when the ovaries appear is carried out once every 7-8 days, 1 liter per plant is enough. During the period of fruit growth and ripening, the frequency of watering is increased to 5-6 days, the amount of water is increased to 2 liters per bush. It is necessary to pour water at the root, avoiding getting it on the leaves, as this can cause blossom end rot. It is recommended to use drip irrigation.

It is recommended to add a couple of pinches of wood ash per bucket to the water during watering (with automated drip irrigation, you can sprinkle the beds). This feeding of tomatoes in open ground will strengthen the plants’ immunity and accelerate their growth.

Water should be taken from a well or well, and tap water should be settled. It is best to water in the afternoon. The water should be warmed up, since cold water will only harm the plants.

Feeding tomatoes in open ground

The procedure is carried out every 2 weeks. For fertilizer use 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 50 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium per 10 liters of liquid. Use 1 liter of solution per bush. When fertilizing, it is important that the amount of nitrogen does not exceed phosphorus and potassium.

Fertilizing tomatoes in open ground according to folk recipes will help you avoid the use of chemicals and pesticides. The most popular among gardeners:

• An infusion of nettle in water will saturate the soil with microelements such as potassium, calcium and manganese.
• A solution of wood ash will help protect tomatoes from pests such as slugs and snails, and at the same time saturate the soil with potassium and phosphorus.
• An infusion of nettle with yeast or other green fertilizer will greatly increase the release of methane and nitrogen, which are beneficial for plants.

How to tie up tomatoes, care and pinching

Caring for tomatoes in open ground does not only involve watering and fertilizing. Immediately after removing the film cover from the garden bed, it is necessary to place a peg near each tomato bush.

It is placed on the north side at a distance of 10 cm from the stem and driven into the ground 30-40 cm. The above-ground part of the support is usually 1 m. They begin to tie the bush during the period of its active growth. There is no need to tie the stem tightly to the support; the twine should simply support the plant in an upright position. As you grow, the garter is raised higher.

In order for there to be more fruits and for them to ripen faster, it is necessary to form bushes. Most often, one main stem is left on the plant, and excess shoots are removed. The pinching procedure must be carried out regularly.

Young shoots emanating from the base of already growing clusters must be removed, as well as all leaves below the first branches. They are simply plucked off with two fingers.

Caring for tomatoes in open ground video

Prevention from diseases and pests of tomatoes

Growing tomatoes outdoors makes them especially vulnerable to common diseases and pests. Compliance with preventive measures will partially avoid problems.

• Maintain crop rotation, try not to plant tomatoes next to potatoes;
• Dig the soil well before planting and disinfect it;
• Plants affected by diseases or pests must be removed to protect healthy bushes;
• When watering, make sure that the drops do not fall on the leaves;
• Avoid watering during periods of severe temperature drop;
• Give preference to new varieties and hybrids that are resistant to common diseases;
• Use folk remedies to repel pests that damage plants and transmit diseases (infusion of garlic or onion).

Selecting a variety and growing tomatoes in open ground video

Bottom line

Growing tomatoes, planting and caring in open ground will seem simple and will be a pleasure if you provide the crop with everything you need and follow agricultural practices. And as a result, you will get an excellent harvest.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new varieties bred by breeders; grow tomatoes that will be much easier to care for due to their resistance to diseases and temperature changes.

The important seedling period has ended and the tomatoes are planted in open ground. Right now the struggle for the harvest begins. The quality and quantity of the harvest will depend on how much moisture, heat, and nutrients the plant has.

To harvest a good harvest of tomatoes, you will have to work hard.

Caring for tomato plants during the period of growth and ripening consists of:

• garters;
• formation;
• watering;
• hilling;
• timely harvest.

Before deciding on care methods and drawing up an action plan, you should find out whether the tomatoes are tall, or determinate. Knowing this feature, you can understand whether tomatoes need supports (height from 1 to 2 meters) or whether you can get by with low pegs.

Support is the main thing

Oddly enough, supports in growing tomatoes are of primary importance.

Tomato shoots, especially those with large fruits, unable to support enormous weight. As they grow, bending towards the ground, the lashes lie down and take root. Raising already rooted stems is difficult and should not be allowed.

If the tomato is indeterminate

As soon as the seedlings are planted, support systems are immediately installed and the shoots are tied up.

The faster this event is completed, the easier it will be to carry out all the others:

• the rows will be marked;
• row spacing can be easily treated from weeds;
• It will be easier to carry out treatment against pests and diseases.

If the tomato is determinate

For low-growing tomato varieties, it is enough to place wooden pegs or low wire arcs.

A low-growing tomato also needs support. Varieties of modern selection have high yields. Their fruits often reach a weight of 300 g. Such a tomato must be fixed gently, neatly and firmly.

Prepare the pegs in advance. If you use those that served last year, be sure to whiten them with lime - this will destroy pathogens remaining from the previous season.

Don't delay with the garter. As soon as the shoot grows, fix it immediately.

Support systems can be:

• individual, for each bush;
• group.

Whatever system is chosen, the support must be rigid and durable. The support with installation at the beginning and end of two closely spaced rows has proven itself well. In this case, a horizontal crossbar can serve both rows at the same time.

The material for the garter should be taken either new or boiled.

If you tie the string to a horizontal support and lower it down, then subsequent actions will only involve weaving it around the tomato shoot.

Watering tomatoes

It is necessary to water carefully so as not to wash away the roots of the seedling.

During the period of growth and fruit set, watering should be rare and abundant. Good watering involves wetting the earthen ball to the level of the full root system. Ideally, the soil should be wetted to a depth not less than 50 cm.

Drip irrigation is now enjoying particular success. It has long been legalized that irrigated crops provide an increase in yield by 25–30% . The irrigation system should be turned on 1-2 times a week , but for a long time. When watering by hand, you should pour at least 3–4 liters of water .

During the period when tomatoes enter the ripening stage, watering continues, but is done more often and less abundantly.

The loss of turgor by the leaf plate should not be allowed - this lowers the immune status of the plant.

Watering should be done with heated water, at the root, trying not to get on the vegetative organs of the plant.

All watering is carried out depending on natural moisture. If the summer is rainy, then there may even be excess moisture.

Formation

Choosing low-growing tomatoes by maintaining culture you don't have to study . Varieties that form themselves are very simple and easy to maintain, but are less productive and do not produce large fruits.

If indeterminate, tall and high-yielding tomatoes with large fruits are planted, they must be shaped.

An ideal tomato bush has 5–6 bunches of fruit and about three dozen leaves.

The cultivation of such tomatoes is carried out in one, or at most two, shoots. To do this, the stem is tied up, and all stepsons are regularly removed. Shoot growing from an internode:

• takes away strength from the plant;
• diverts nutrients;
• produces thickening of plantings.

As soon as the cutting (stepson) has grown by 1–2 cm, it is broken out by hand or cut off with scissors. There is no point in walking through tomato plantings every day. It is enough to carry out pinching once a week and the plantation will be in good condition.

Feeding

If the garden soil has low fertility, it will not be possible to achieve a high yield without fertilizing.

Feeding can be carried out:

• organic fertilizers (pig, cow, horse manure, chicken droppings);
• mineral fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, urea, potassium sulfate, superphosphate, nitroammophoska).

Each of these fertilizers has its positive and negative sides. A special effect can be achieved by alternating organic and mineral water.

It is better to apply manure in the fall when preparing the beds for the next season.

If the soils were thoroughly amended before planting, then fertilizing begins at the moment of abundant removal of nutrients- at the time of rapid fetal growth.

If work to improve soil fertility has not been carried out, then fertilizing should begin much earlier, 1–2 weeks after planting the seedlings.

Before flowering

Fertilizing before flowering is carried out with nitrogen fertilizers.

Ammonium nitrate is used only for root feeding. Spraying on the leaf is not recommended due to the high concentration of nitrogen, which can cause burns on plants.

• To do this, just dissolve 2 tbsp in a bucket of water. spoons of ammonium nitrate or urea, and pour under each plant 500 g. For the same purpose, make a solution of manure 1:10 or chicken droppings 1:20.
• As soon as the plant enters in the budding phase , fertilize with superphosphate or potassium sulfate. To do this, add 1 tbsp to a bucket of water. spoon of preparations, stir and pour under the root 400–500 g.

Superphosphate fertilizing is needed for the development of the root system and for better fruit formation.

Alternating fertilizing has a beneficial effect on the formation of ovaries.

Feeding during the flowering period (foliar)

This period is the most critical for the plant. By feeding, you can significantly improve pollination, which will lead to the appearance of abundant ovaries.

Boric acid

Spraying with a solution of boric acid increases the number of formed fruit ovaries.

Sami buds and flowers should not be moistened, but the shoots that bear them should be made wet.

Superphosphate

Superphosphate can also be used as foliar feeding.

Superphosphate granules do not dissolve well in water, so hot water is used to prepare the extract.

To do this proceed as follows:

1. Bring one liter of water to a boil.
2. Add a teaspoon of superphosphate to the water.
3. We crush and defend.
4. We filter.
5. Spray the tomato shoots.

Sodium humate

To carry out this treatment, it is enough to dissolve 0.1 g (at the tip of a knife) of sodium humate in a liter of water and treat the plantings.

Sodium humate is an environmentally friendly organic fertilizer.

When treated with this drug you can achieve:

• friendly budding;
• fast flowering;
• abundant formation of full-fledged ovaries;

Particular attention should be paid to foliar feeding during natural disasters (high humidity, heat, sudden cold snap).

Hilling

The process of hilling and mulching does not clearly affect tomato plants.

Hilling up tomatoes is done 2-3 times per season.

After hilling and without drip irrigation, the plant will acquire additional roots, but will not be able to absorb nutrients. Only moist soil has the ability to release elements to the root system. Therefore, where it is not possible to irrigate, there is no point in hilling tomatoes.

Mulching

Mulching also has its pros and cons.

Mulching prevents the formation of crust on the soil surface and reduces the amount of watering.

If the weather is dry, mulch will help retain at least some moisture. If nature brings a rainy summer, then the mulch will be a breeding ground for diseases and...

These activities should be carried out based on the characteristics of the regions where the crop is cultivated.

Disease Prevention

Late blight is a disease that takes away most of the crop. Prevention is the basis of well-being.

Late blight is a dangerous and most common disease of tomatoes that can destroy most of the crop.

As soon as the tomato plant begins to form buds, treatments should begin. To do this you can choose:

• "Allirin-B";
• "Phenomenon";
• "Quadris";
• "Fitosporin-M";
• "Thanos" and etc.

Plants are treated in accordance with the instructions for the preparations at intervals at least 13–15 days .

If tomato plantations are attacked by white and gray rot from year to year, then you can use the drug “Gammair”. Will save you from bacterial spotting " Fitosporin-M ».

If temperature changes are high, then you can increase immunity by using the following drugs:

• "Gibberross";
• "Gibbor-M";
• "Immunocytophyte";
• "Ovary";
• "Biosil".

Pest Control

It is better not to plant tomatoes next to potatoes; in addition to the annoying Colorado potato beetle, there is a risk of late blight.

If tomato plantings are in close proximity to potato and eggplant plantings, then an attack by the Colorado potato beetle cannot be avoided.

To combat insects you can use:

• "Bitoxibacillin";
• "Aktara";
• "Bankol";
• "Presto";
• "Bikol";
• "Karate" and etc.

Harvesting

Timely harvesting will allow the remaining fruits to grow, gain marketable weight and ripen. There is no point in leaving brown tomatoes on the vines; they will slow down ripening and weigh down the shoots.

Green fruits will turn red faster if you pick ripe tomatoes in time.

• When harvesting, tomatoes are ripened in a dry, dark, warm place.
• Having laid out the tomatoes in several rows, in boxes or baskets, they are kept until the fruit is slightly soft.
• Brown tomatoes are easier to transport.
• You can process correctly harvested fruits gradually, without rushing, choosing those that are necessary in accordance with the recipe of the dish.

conclusions

Caring for tomatoes is a chain of several links. Every link is very important.

By wasting time and not giving it meaning, you can lose the entire harvest . The technology for cultivating tomato crops requires regularity and timeliness of care, thanks to which you can get a bountiful harvest of tasty and high-quality tomatoes.

Video on how to improve fruit set on tomatoes

Caring for tomatoes in open ground

Caring for tomatoes is at the same time very simple if you are not chasing a particularly large harvest, and at the same time troublesome if you want to get as many fruits as possible. The trick is that although the tomato itself is not too demanding (it can produce fruit even when it is only occasionally watered and protected from weeds), it is very responsive to almost all agricultural activities that are pleasant for it. The better you take care of it, the more fresh tomatoes it will produce. But taking good care of a tomato does not mean that it needs a lot of everything; on the contrary, a sense of proportion in caring for a tomato is rule number one. After all, he does not like either excess water, or drought, or lack of fertilizers, or overfeeding with them, especially nitrogen ones, from which the bush will immediately begin to “fatten”.

Necessary care for tomatoes includes watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, tying tall varieties to supports and re-tying them as needed, light hilling, as well as weeding and, if necessary, protection from pests and diseases.

Watering a tomato

Tomatoes do not like either excess water or drought. They should be watered as the soil dries, without allowing it to dry out completely, rarely, but abundantly, on average once a week if there is no rain, and even less often when it does. The most important thing is that the tomatoes have enough water from the moment the ovaries form until the end of the fruits. If at this time the tomato falls under drought, the ovaries may crumble, and the fruits that will grow from those that survive will turn out to be atypically small. A little later, when they have already developed, lack of watering can cause cracking of the fruits. Tomatoes like drip, or “underground”, watering most of all - where it is used, yields are usually higher. If you water them in this way, as well as at the roots or along the furrows, and only in the evening, they will never get blossom-end rot. And here’s another little secret: tomatoes get sick less often and grow better if you add a little ash to the water for irrigation (a couple of pinches per ten-liter bucket). They will bear fruit better if, as soon as the ovaries begin to appear, you sprinkle the soil around them with ash (also about a handful per 1 m2). You need to loosen the soil every time you notice a hard crust on it, and it usually forms after watering or rain.

Top dressing

You need to feed tomatoes at least three times a season, and even better - do it constantly, every two weeks. You can use different fertilizers, the main thing is that they contain less nitrogen than phosphorus and potassium, for example: 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 50-60 g of superphosphate and 30-40 g of potassium chloride per 10 liters of water. However, they also respond well to a solution of bird droppings. Of the microfertilizers, they need magnesium and boron most of all: magnesium - constantly, and boron - when they bloom, because from its lack the flowers and ovaries may begin to crumble. To feed, take 1 g of boric acid per 1 liter of water and spray the greens in the afternoon.

Tying bushes to supports

Tall tomatoes should be tied to pegs immediately after the seedlings planted in a permanent place have taken root well and begin to grow, and in the case of the seedless method, when the seedlings have 5-6 leaves. The stakes must be driven into the ground from the north side to a depth of about 40 cm from the plant and at a distance of 10 cm from the stem. The height of the peg must be selected according to the height of the variety (usually from 1 to 1.5 m). However, some varieties can be tied not to pegs, but to a wire stretched horizontally between the rows (trellis), tilting plants from adjacent rows in pairs towards each other. Then their fruits will be a little larger (it’s hard to say why, but in practice it usually turns out this way), and they will be easier to harvest. This applies not only to tall, but also to medium-sized varieties.

You need to hill tomatoes 2-3 times per season.

Tomatoes must be constantly protected from weeds, from the very first days, preventing weeds from growing. It is most convenient to do this together with loosening and hilling.

Formation of bushes

But the formation of a bush and the removal of stepsons are techniques that are needed not by the tomatoes themselves, but by us, in order to get more good fruits.

Not all varieties need to form bushes (some grow only one main stem). Most often, one main stem is left, but varieties with powerful stems and small but numerous fruits can be formed into two or three stems. The further south you live, the more stems you can leave, because the long southern summer will allow all the fruits to ripen. True, they may turn out to be smaller than on the main stem.

There is nothing complicated in the formation. If you need one stem, you need to remove all the stepsons that appear in the axils of the leaves as soon as they appear, not allowing them to grow to a length of 2-4 cm. First of all, you need to remove those stepsons that have grown immediately under the racemes, otherwise the tomato may drop its flowers and ovary.

If you form a bush with two stems, leave a side shoot that will appear near the first brush, and if there are three, then in addition to it, the strongest of those that will appear under the second stem.

In this case, the stepsons should not be pulled out, but broken out, carefully grasping them with the thumb and forefinger, and pulling them to the side, and not towards you. If they have grown too large, it is better to cut them off with a sharp knife or razor.

Tomatoes need to be pruned constantly, no matter how many stems they have left. There is, however, one important limitation: during too much summer heat, it is better to temporarily refrain from tearing off leaves and pinching, because bushes in such conditions do not tolerate injury well. But if there are prolonged rains in the summer with cold weather, it is advisable not only to root the tomatoes, but also to remove parts of their shoots and all the lower leaves so that the bushes warm up faster and are better ventilated.

In addition, for a better harvest, somewhere in mid-August, it is worth pinching the tops of all fruit-bearing shoots and removing those flower clusters on which fruits have not set, then those fruits that have already set will fill better and ripen faster.

Every gardener, both an experienced specialist and a beginner, dreams of growing a delicious, appetizing red-sided plant. But if an avid gardener already knows how to make a dream come true by resorting to certain care for plantings, then a novice amateur needs to know when to properly loosen, form seedlings, feeding times and periods for proper watering. The main feature of good, fast and prolific growth of tomatoes is careful care of the plantings.

After the plant is placed in the ground, first of all, it should be thoroughly watered with warm water. Moisture is the main nutrition of tomatoes, but this is not a reason to over-water the soil. Tomatoes do not tolerate swampy substrates, so irrigation should be moderate, as the earthen clod dries, but does not dry out. Otherwise, excess moisture causes fungal diseases.

It is advisable to water the tomatoes using room-settled water. Until flowering, the bushes are moistened once every 7-8 days with up to 1 liter of water. In drier areas this figure decreases to 4-5 days.

Irrigation must be carried out at a time when the sun has already set.

When watering, make sure that water does not get on the tender leaves. Otherwise, the sun that has not yet set can cause burns to young greenery through water droplets. is carried out in such a way as to shed all layers of soil completely, moistening the soil around the root system.

To get a rich harvest, watering alone is not enough; you should apply fertilizers. The minimum care is fertilizing with nitroammophos once a season. For better growth and fruiting, it is advisable to feed the plant once every 2 weeks. When introducing fertilizers, you must follow the rules:

1. Organic additives (nitrogen) are used in small quantities. With excessive feeding, the plant stops bearing fruit and begins to grow.
2. If there were or at the planting site before planting tomatoes, then you should not apply fertilizer.
3. For late-fruiting varieties, fertilizers are prepared during soil preparation in the autumn.
4. The first fertilizing is applied 14-21 days after planting in open ground.
5. An overdose is dangerous for shrubs. There is a decrease in immunity, and the duration of maturation increases.

During the period of growth of shrubs, two mineral fertilizers must be applied throughout the entire period - in early June and in mid-summer (July). It is during this period that tomatoes most need a nutrient medium for growth and fruit formation. The introduction of useful elements and minerals must be carefully monitored, since their lack, as well as an excess, lead to poor growth and development of the plant. Ultimately, there is no harvest and the plant dies.

Carried out at the time of landing. Covering the ground is done with different materials, such as:

• Mown straw, cut grass.
• Fallen autumn leaves.
• Wood sawdust or chips, tree bark.
• Compost.
• Newsprint.
• Inorganic methods of covering (purchased products).

There are many options, each gardener chooses the method according to his wishes. Thanks to mulch, the following processes occur:

1. The soil remains moist for a long period - there is no need for daily watering.
2. The substrate retains nutritional elements in its structure.
3. Prevents weeds from growing.
4. Helps keep the soil in its place - prevents it from being washed out from under the roots under running water.

One of the most popular mulching options is straw. It is not laid out immediately after mowing, but allowed to dry for some time under the hot rays of the sun (2-3 days). Afterwards, it is placed under the plant so that the ground next to the trunk is completely covered, and the height is 15 cm. After a few days, the grass will sag and a good layer of mulch of 5-6 cm will form.

Thus, by covering the soil, a longer period of soil moisture is achieved, as well as saturation of the soil with the nutritional properties contained in the mulch.

Loosening of the soil occurs as the top layer of soil hardens. Such a crust helps prevent the passage of water to a depth and allows the soil to become saturated only by 2-3 cm. Loosening not only has a beneficial effect on the supply of life-giving moisture to the root system, but also saturates the roots with the necessary oxygen.

Most often, such a crust forms after frequent heavy watering and during heavy summer rain.

Loosening and hilling alternate with each other. Each of the activities must be carried out 3 times per season, then the plant will respond with lush growth and an abundance of red-cheeked tomatoes.

To obtain an abundant amount of fruit, a bush is formed. For this purpose, they range from 1 stem on large-stemmed (tall) varieties and up to 3 main sprouts on low-growing types of tomatoes.

The pruning period occurs during the active growing season, and also as needed.

There are varieties that do not produce stepsons at all; you need to cut off the top to get additional branches. Others, on the contrary, throw out sprouts at every branch. Stepchildren grow in the axils of the leaves. When they reach a size of 5-7 cm, it is advisable to remove them. Otherwise, they do not allow the formation of fruits, thereby taking away all the nutrients for their own growth.

The grown sprouts are carefully removed with a sharp knife or broken off, leaving a stump of no more than 2 cm. This is necessary so that the plant does not grow new shoots in this bosom again. In the case of a cold, rainy season, tomatoes are not only pruned, but also the lower greens and excess shoots are cut out. This is done so that the plant is better warmed up and ventilated, allowing the fruits to fill and ripen in time.

Any crop is susceptible to disease, especially something as delicate as tomatoes. There are several diseases to which tomatoes are exposed:

• Late blight - manifests itself when humidity increases to 75% (while the optimal environment is 65%), it can also develop on cool days when the temperature drops to +15+20 C. Often the cause of the disease is heavy morning dew, which appears more often in the middle June. Fruit rotting occurs on the plant. Infected vegetables are removed so that the disease does not spread to neighboring tomato clusters. The fight against the disease is carried out by irrigation with biological and chemical substances.
• White spotting - dark spots appear on the lower tops of the bush. They completely infect the entire leaf, which subsequently falls off. The bush becomes infected at low temperatures and nighttime changes up to +15+17 C. The disease cannot be cured and remains in the genetic predisposition of the plant. However, many modern varieties are immune to it.
• Alternaria blight - dark spots appear on the tops, then the leaf completely turns black and falls off. This process occurs at elevated air temperatures and high humidity. Frequent changes in weather conditions depress the process. The fight is carried out using the chemical "Metaxillin".

Thus, you should periodically review your plantings for diseases that can affect not only one shrub, but also lead to the death of the entire bed.

If you monitor the process of plant growth, you may notice the appearance of harmful insects. In this case, they must be removed from the sheets until they reproduce and increase in number.