How to grow and manage tomatoes?

Tomato , also known as tomato, belongs to the genus Solanaceae, and is an annual or perennial herb. It not only has abundant fruits, but also has a unique flavor, which is deeply loved by people. Tomatoes not only provide the human body with a variety of vitamins and minerals to meet nutritional needs, but also have many functions, so they are known as the "fruit among vegetables". So how to plant and manage tomatoes?

1. Preparation before seedling raising

Select a plot of land that is sheltered from the wind, facing the sun, and has good drainage as the sowing bed, and the land has not been planted with Solanaceae crops in the past three years. Before sowing, apply 10 to 25 kg of compound fertilizer and superphosphate to the seedbed soil in combination with tillage, and spray 50% carbendazim solution diluted 500 to 600 times to disinfect the soil.

2. Sowing time and method

The suitable sowing period for tomatoes is from late September to early November, and the sowing amount per acre is about 20 to 25 grams. After disinfecting the seeds, wrap them in wet cloth and germinate them at 25 to 30 degrees Celsius. When 2/3 of the seeds turn white, they can be sown. The sowing method can be broadcasting or using nutrient pots to grow seedlings. When sowing, first water the bottom of the seedbed thoroughly. After the water has penetrated, evenly spread the germinated seeds mixed with fine sand on the seedbed, cover with about 0.5 cm thick fine soil, then cover with straw, and build a small arch shed after watering.

3. Preparation before planting

Clear the field of dead plants and leaves, deep plow the soil and apply 800 to 1000 kg of base fertilizer. The width of the ridge is about 1.5 meters. Ditches are dug to form ridges, with a depth of 20 centimeters to ensure that the surface of the ridge is flat and free of large lumps of soil. The greenhouse should be built half a month before planting. Select healthy seedlings that are free of pests and diseases, without damage and have stems 0.5 to 0.6 cm thick. Start transplanting when the ground temperature at a depth of 10 cm in the greenhouse stabilizes at 12 degrees Celsius, usually from early November to early February. The planting density is determined by factors such as variety characteristics, pruning methods and soil fertility. Generally, 3,000 to 3,300 plants are planted per acre. Water the seeds one day before transplanting, ensure that the seedlings are transplanted with soil to reduce root damage, and plant according to density.

4. Fertilization technology

Tomatoes require a lot of fertilizer during their growth period, especially nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The principle of fertilization is: sufficient base fertilizer, less application in the seedling stage, and more application in the fruiting stage. When deep plowing, apply 40 kg of compound fertilizer and superphosphate per mu as base fertilizer. A thin layer of decomposed farmyard manure can be applied during the seedling stage. When the tomato fruits are as big as walnuts, enter the peak fruit-bearing period and after the first picking, apply fruit enlargement fertilizer once, using the deep hole application method, applying 15 to 20 kilograms of compound fertilizer per mu each time, and cover the soil after watering. Pay attention to the needs of tomatoes for potassium and calcium fertilizers. Deficiency may cause rib rot and navel rot.

5. Greenhouse temperature and humidity control

Do not ventilate within 3 days after planting, and keep the temperature in the greenhouse between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius and the humidity at about 80%. After the seedlings have grown, lower the temperature in the greenhouse appropriately, increase ventilation, and keep it at 20 to 25 degrees Celsius during the day, 13 to 15 degrees Celsius at night, and 65% humidity. The temperature at night should not be too low to avoid affecting the growth of the plants. When the temperature in the greenhouse drops to 5 degrees Celsius, cover it with a shade net to keep warm. During the fruit expansion period, increase the greenhouse temperature to 25 to 28 degrees Celsius during the day and 15 to 18 degrees Celsius at night, with air humidity of 45 to 60% and soil humidity of 85%. When the fruit is close to maturity, the greenhouse temperature should be appropriately increased by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius to promote red ripening, but it should not be too high so as not to affect lycopene formation and fruit coloring. If the minimum night temperature is not lower than 15 degrees Celsius, day and night ventilation can be implemented.

6. Scaffolding and pruning

When the tomato stems grow to 30 cm, start setting up the trellis and tie them up as the plants grow. In single-trunk pruning, one main trunk is retained and all other side branches are removed; in double-trunk pruning, the side branches under the first inflorescence are retained outside the main trunk and the remaining branches are removed. Be careful to remove weeds when pruning. Pinching can prevent excessive growth, reduce nutrient consumption, delay leaf senescence, and increase chlorophyll content.

7. Field Management

After transplanting, water appropriately when the soil is dry to promote seedling growth. Cultivate and weed, remove old, diseased and yellow leaves, and maintain ventilation. Loosen the soil to prevent compaction. Strengthen management and use hormone treatments to treat flower drop caused by low and high temperatures. In order to improve yield and quality, fruit thinning is carried out to remove deformed, diseased, cracked, small and excess fruits.

8. Harvest

After the fresh fruit is on the market, it is harvested when 2/3 of the fruit are ripe and red, and sold immediately after being picked. Ripe tomatoes should not be stored for long.

The above is the tomato planting and management technology. When planting tomatoes, you must pay attention to methods and approaches. If you don’t manage it properly, it will be difficult to achieve a high yield.