How to plant tomatoes

The main methods of tomato cultivation include seed selection and seedling cultivation, soil preparation and fertilization, transplanting and planting, field management, and pest control.

1. Seed selection and seedling cultivation

Select tomato varieties with strong disease resistance and high yield, soak the seeds in warm water to promote germination, and disinfect them with carbendazim solution before sowing. The suitable substrate for seedling cultivation is loose and breathable nutrient soil, maintained at a temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius, and takes about 7-10 days for seedlings to emerge. When the seedlings grow 2-3 true leaves, they can be divided, and attention should be paid to controlling the amount of watering to avoid excessive growth.

2. Soil preparation and fertilization

Select plots with deep soil layers and good drainage, and deeply plow 25-30 centimeters. Apply 3000-5000 kilograms of decomposed organic fertilizer per acre, combined with 20 kilograms of superphosphate as base fertilizer. Cultivate in high beds, with a bed width of 1.2-1.5 meters and a ditch depth of 15-20 centimeters. Acidic soil requires the application of lime to adjust the pH value to 6.0-6.8.

III. Transplanting and Planting

When the seedlings grow to a height of 15-20 centimeters and have 5-6 true leaves, they can be planted. Choose a sunny afternoon, with a plant spacing of 40-50 centimeters and a row spacing of 60-70 centimeters. Immediately after planting, water the roots thoroughly, and after 3 days, add water to slow down the seedlings. Planting in early spring requires covering with plastic film to increase soil temperature, while planting in summer requires setting up shading nets.

IV. Field Management

Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged during the growth period, and increase watering frequency during the fruiting period. After the first ear of fruit sits down, apply compound fertilizer every 10-15 days. Timely frame and tie the vines, and use the single stem pruning method to preserve the main stem. Removing old and diseased leaves to improve ventilation, thinning flowers and fruits to ensure fruit quality. Spray water to cool down if the temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius.

V. Disease and pest control

Common diseases include early and late blight, which can be prevented by rotating the use of pesticides such as mancozeb and azoxystrobin. The main pests are whiteflies and cotton bollworms. Yellow sticky insect boards are hung to lure and kill adult insects, and avermectin is sprayed in the early stages of occurrence. Adopt insect proof nets for isolation, promptly remove diseased plants and residues, and avoid continuous cropping to reduce soil borne diseases.

During the growth period of tomatoes, it is necessary to pay attention to reasonable crop rotation and avoid continuous cropping with Solanaceae crops. Regular tillage and weeding to maintain soil looseness, and increasing potassium fertilizer application during the fruiting period to improve fruit sugar content. Timely harvest according to the characteristics of the variety. Fruits stored at room temperature can be harvested during the color transition period, while fruits transported over long distances should be harvested during the green maturity period. To retain seeds, it is necessary to choose fully ripe fruits from robust plants, ferment and wash the seeds, and store them in the shade.