How to plant tomatoes
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Tomatoes were first introduced from America to Europe in the 16th century as ornamental plants, and later they were eaten as vegetables. They belong to the Solanaceae family, the same family as eggplants, chili peppers, and potatoes. They prefer warm and sunny conditions, are not too strict about soil conditions, but to ensure high yields and promote good root development, it is recommended to use fertile loamy soil with deep layers, good drainage, and rich in organic matter.
Tomatoes were first introduced from America to Europe in the 16th century as ornamental plants, and later they were eaten as vegetables. They belong to the Solanaceae family, the same family as eggplants, chili peppers, and potatoes. They prefer warm and sunny conditions, are not too strict about soil conditions, but to ensure high yields and promote good root development, it is recommended to use fertile loamy soil with deep layers, good drainage, and rich in organic matter. Let's take a look at the management techniques of tomato cultivation together!
Conditions for planting tomatoes
Tomatoes are warm-loving vegetables with the physiological characteristics of loving warmth but fearing cold, loving light but fearing heat, loving dry air but fearing high humidity, and loving water but fearing waterlogging. It is important to adjust the temperature, humidity, water, light, and nutritional supply suitable for vegetable growth according to the local cultivation environment, and to prevent and control various possible diseases and pests in a timely manner to increase the yield and economic income of vegetable farmers.
1. Temperature requirements for tomatoes: Tomatoes have different temperature requirements during different growth stages. The optimal temperature for seed germination is 25-30 degrees Celsius, the minimum is 11 degrees Celsius, and the maximum is 35 degrees Celsius. The optimal temperature for seedlings during the day is 20-25 degrees Celsius, and at night 15-20 degrees Celsius. During the fruiting stage, the optimal temperature during the day is 25-30 degrees Celsius, and at night 13-17 degrees Celsius. Temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius and above 35 degrees Celsius are not conducive to flowering and fruit setting.
2. Light requirements for tomatoes: Tomatoes have different light requirements during different growth stages. They do not need light during the germination stage, require sufficient light during the seedling stage for good development, and insufficient light will affect flower bud differentiation and pollination. Sufficient light during the fruiting stage results in more fruit setting and faster fruit expansion, while insufficient light leads to fewer fruit setting and affects yield. Too much strong and prolonged light can cause sunburn on the fruit.
3. Water requirements for tomatoes: Tomatoes have a well-developed root system and strong water absorption capacity, with strong leaf transpiration, making them drought-resistant crops that also require a large amount of water. During the seedling stage, the soil should not be too wet and watering should be controlled. During the flowering and fruiting stage, frequent watering is needed. Generally, water every 10 days or so, but avoid excessive flooding that can cause root rot and plant death. If watering is not timely or excessively controlled during the flowering and fruit setting stage, it can cause大面积脐腐病 (large-area collar rot) and physiological leaf rolling due to dry soil.
4. Soil requirements for tomatoes: Tomatoes are not strict about soil requirements, and fertile loamy soil with thick layers, good drainage, and strong soil aeration, as well as sandy loamy soil that has been improved, can all be used to grow tomatoes.
5. Nutrient requirements for tomatoes: Tomatoes require a ratio of 2:1:2 for the three main elements nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Nitrogen is important for stem and leaf growth and fruit development, with the plant's absorption of nitrogen gradually increasing from the flowering and fruit setting stage to the peak at the fruiting stage. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement nitrogen fertilizer for the plant to have deep roots and lush leaves. Tomatoes do not require much phosphorus, but applying phosphorus fertilizer during the seedling stage can promote flower bud differentiation and flower development. Tomatoes are potassium-loving crops, with the highest requirement for potassium, especially during the fruit expansion stage, which can promote fruit development, expansion, and coloring.
Preparation before planting tomatoes
1. Land preparation: The fields for growing tomatoes should be plowed and exposed to the sun in the fall, with a plowing depth of about 30 centimeters. Sunning the soil can improve its structure, enhance water retention, reduce pests in the soil, and create good conditions for root growth. Deep plowing can improve soil ventilation, promote the activity of soil microorganisms, and facilitate the decomposition of soil nutrients. Even in cases where there is difficulty in sunning the soil due to frequent crop rotations, it is necessary to plow deeply after the harvest of the previous crop, trying to extend the sunning period as much as possible.
2. Ridge preparation: There are four types of ridges for planting tomatoes: high ridges, flat ridges, trench ridges, and垄畦 (long ridges). The local method often used is deep trench high ridges. Generally, the ridge width (including the trench) is 1.3-1.7 meters, with the trench width being 0.3-0.5 meters. The orientation of the ridges should be south-facing for more uniform sunlight exposure to the plants.
3. Seedling disinfection: Before planting, spray the seedlings with a 75% wettable powder of chlorothalonil at a concentration of 600 times or a 75% wettable powder of mancozeb.
4. Applying sufficient base fertilizer
① Apply 5000 kilograms of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu (Chinese unit of area), along with 50 kilograms of calcium superphosphate, mixed with plowed soil to a depth of 25-30 centimeters. Field cultivation often uses high ridges or ridge cultivation. Protected cultivation uses high ridges with plastic mulch, with subsurface irrigation or drip irrigation. For high ridge cultivation, a trench can be dug in the center of the ridge to bury high-quality manure and 2000-3000 kilograms of farmyard manure, 200 kilograms of wood ash, and on flat ridges, a planting trench is dug on both sides of the high ridge to apply 200 kilograms of high-quality fertilizer or 20-25 kilograms of compound fertilizer.
② The absorption rate of nitrogen and potassium by tomato plants is 40-50%, and the absorption rate of phosphorus is 20%. Phosphorus fertilizer plays an important role in the development of fruits and seeds and has a significant impact on the cultivation of strong seedlings. Nitrogen fertilizer promotes the growth of stems, leaves, and fruits, especially important in the early stages of plant growth. Potassium fertilizer promotes the transport of sugars to the fruits and enhances the plant's disease resistance, delaying aging, extending the fruiting period, and improving fruit quality.
③ Tomatoes are sensitive to fertilizers, and high fertilization and sufficient water can lead to high yields. The type of fertilizer also affects the yield and quality of tomatoes. The order of excellence for various farmyard manures is: chicken and duck manure, sheep and rabbit manure, horse manure, and cow manure. Human waste should be used in combination with other fertilizers. Any type of farmyard manure must be fully fermented and decomposed, and avoid applying raw manure to prevent root burning and the spread of diseases and pests.
Techniques for planting and managing tomatoes
Tomato planting methods
The best time to plant tomatoes is on a windless sunny day, as high temperatures and low soil moisture evaporation make it easier for seedlings to recover.
1. Planting methods: There are several ways to plant seedlings, including flat planting, trench planting, and hole planting. According to the sequence of watering, there are "dry planting" (planting seedlings before watering) and "water-stabilized seedlings" (planting seedlings after watering). Seedlings should not be planted too deep or too shallow. Planting too deep can result in low soil temperature, which is not conducive to root growth and slow recovery. Planting too shallow may favor root growth due to higher soil temperature, but the roots are not stable and the seedlings can be washed away by watering or blown over by strong wind. The general planting depth should be such that the soil ball and the surface are level or slightly deeper. If the seedlings are too tall due to poor management in the nursery or late planting, the seedlings can be planted horizontally with the top of the stem slightly inclined to the south, reducing the height of the seedlings on the ground to prevent sunburn and being blown by the wind, and to promote the growth of adventitious roots.
2. Mulching with plastic film: In recent years, mulching with plastic film has been widely adopted in tomato cultivation. It can increase soil temperature, reduce soil moisture evaporation, inhibit weed growth, and keep the soil loose, thus accelerating seedling recovery after planting and promoting root growth. The usual method is to lay the film first and then plant the seedlings. The specific practice is: on the prepared high ridge, lay down the plastic film first, cover the edges with soil, and then dig holes to plant the seedlings, making sure the soil around the seedlings is tightly covered.
3. Planting density
① For open-field small trellis early maturing cultivation: Row spacing is 40-50 centimeters, plant spacing is 23-26 centimeters, with about 5000 seedlings per mu. For small trellis mid-season cultivation, row spacing is 50 centimeters, plant spacing is 26-33 centimeters, with about 4000 seedlings per mu. For large trellis long-term cultivation, row spacing is 66 centimeters, plant spacing is 33 centimeters, with about 3000 seedlings per mu.
② For protected cultivation: For small trellis early maturing cultivation with 2-3 fruit spikes, row spacing is 50 centimeters, plant spacing is 27 centimeters, with about 5000 seedlings per mu. For small trellis mid-season cultivation with 3-4 fruit spikes, row spacing is 50 centimeters, plant spacing is 30 centimeters, with about 4400 seedlings per mu. For large trellis long-term cultivation (such as Dutch varieties with unlimited growth), row spacing is 80 centimeters, plant spacing is 40 centimeters, with about 2000 seedlings per mu.
The above introduction on how to plant tomatoes and the management techniques of tomato cultivation are for reference by netizens.