How to grow tomatoes

Gardeners begin preparing for the summer season long before the onset of warm days. If you plan to grow tomatoes, then first you need to choose suitable tomato varieties and grow seedlings. This is a painstaking task, but worthwhile.

The best varieties of tomatoes

In the conditions of our country, the rate of ripening of tomatoes becomes a particularly important indicator. They must have time to ripen in conditions of short summer and early autumn frosts. For growing in our latitudes these are suitable varieties:

• My Love F1 refers to varieties suitable for greenhouses, greenhouses, and also for open areas. The fruits of this variety are large in size with a thin skin of a bright red hue. They can be used fresh, or for preservation.
• Another early-ripening tomato variety is called Red Rooster. It can be grown both in a greenhouse and in open beds. Tomatoes grow round in shape, slightly flattened. They are best consumed fresh.
• Tomatoes of the Pervoklaska variety are grown in a greenhouse or in a garden bed. The fruits of this variety have a bright pink color and juicy, sugary pulp. This variety is suitable for canning in pieces, making juice or for fresh consumption.
• Azoyushka tomatoes are distinguished by their bright yellow color. They have few seeds and dense, juicy pulp. It is best to use them fresh for dietary nutrition.

How to plant tomatoes

For seedlings, seeds begin to be sown depending on the variety from mid-March. First, they must be disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes. Then the seeds are washed under running water and soaked for 20 hours, placed between layers of moistened gauze.

For seedlings, use plastic containers with holes for drainage. They must be washed with soap and scalded with boiling water. Place drainage at the bottom of the container and fill it with fertile soil. It can be mixed from 2 parts earth, 4 parts compost, 3 parts peat and 1 part sawdust. Draw furrows in the soil every 2 centimeters and plant seeds in them, lowering them to a depth of 1 cm. Then cover the containers with film and place in a warm place. Soon you will notice the first shoots.

When two leaves grow on the seedlings, they need to be planted in separate small containers. When diving, lower the seedling into the ground to the level of the leaves. With the onset of warm days, plant seedlings in the ground. For high yields, place no more than 4 plants per square meter.

How to grow tomatoes on the balcony

Like cucumbers, tomatoes can be successfully grow on the balcony. For this purpose, choose compact and low-growing plant varieties. The ripening time of tomatoes is also important. Choose varieties that ripen very quickly. It is best to choose grape tomatoes that ripen in clusters. Balcony Miracle, Red Caramel, Yellow Caramel or Sugared Cranberry tomatoes are well suited for this purpose.

Plant tomatoes on southwest or southeast balconies. If your balcony faces strictly south, then organize shading. Place boxes with plants along the wall so that they receive fewer drafts. To repel pests, you can place herbs next to the tomatoes, such as oregano, mint, parsley or celery.

It is best to grow plants as seedlings. In the second half of May, seedlings can be transplanted into boxes on a glazed balcony. Place the bushes at a distance of at least 40 cm. Be sure to place a layer of drainage at the bottom of the container. The soil can be used the same as for seedlings. Move the plants along with the earthen ball so as not to harm the delicate root system.

How to care for tomatoes

From the appearance of the first sprouts of tomato seedlings, they must be carefully looked after look after. Tomatoes love moisture very much, so they need to be watered often enough to prevent the soil from drying out. At the same time, you must try not to flood the plants so that mold does not form on the soil. With the appearance of the second leaf, the seedlings must be pruned.

After transplanting tomatoes to a permanent place, tall varieties must be tied to a peg. The soil must be loosened frequently to prevent the formation of a crust that impedes air access to the root system. It is necessary to water the plants in the morning or evening, directing the water not to the leaves, but to the roots. The water should be warm.

Be sure to remove the stepsons, leaving a small stump to prevent a new stepson from appearing. It is best to leave one stem for tall varieties, and two stems for standard varieties.

When the first ovaries form, feed the tomatoes with organic fertilizers. In mid-summer, treat tomatoes with Bordeaux mixture as a disease preventative. For faster ripening of fruits, they must be removed from the bush when a brown color appears. In room conditions they will ripen quickly. In mid-August, you can remove all the flowers from the bushes and pinch off the upper parts of the stems. This activates the growth of existing fruits. If you need to provoke emergency ripening of the fruits, trim the roots of the bush with a sharp shovel. This way all the tomatoes will ripen in a few days. But in this case they will no longer gain weight.