Tomato Planting Time and Techniques: Management Focused Mainly on Weeding and Fertilizing

AbstractTomato planting time: spring from February to May, autumn and winter from July to September, winter and spring from November to February. Planting techniques: it is advisable to choose soil with deep tilth, good drainage and irrigation, and good ventilation for planting; first select high-quality seeds for soaking and sprouting, then transplant when the seedlings grow to 3 true leaves; plan the transplanting density reasonably, carry out timely intertillage and weeding later, fertilize scientifically, and set up trellises at the right time.

I. Planting Conditions and Time

1. Reasonable site selection: choose a site with good drainage and irrigation conditions, deep tilth, good ventilation, and where no solanaceous vegetables have been planted within 3 years.

2. Planting time: generally spring tomatoes from February to May, autumn and winter from July to September, and winter and spring from November to February.

II. Seed Selection and Sprouting

1. Seed selection: choose varieties with high yield, good storage and transport tolerance, good marketability, disease resistance, high quality, and suitability for market demand, such as Jintiewang.

2. Before planting, soak the seeds in warm water first, which can break seed dormancy, effectively promote the seed germination rate, and also has a certain sterilization effect.

3. First soak the seeds in clean water for about 2 hours, then remove them and put them into warm water at about 60°C, stirring continuously to prevent the seeds from being scalded. If the water temperature drops, keep adding water to raise the temperature; this process takes about 15 minutes. Finally, leave the seeds to soak in water for about 5 hours before sowing.

III. Timely Transplanting

1. Sow the treated seeds into the seedbed; dense sowing is not suitable, and sowing about 30 grams of seeds per sq m is appropriate. Be sure to keep the soil moist, control the temperature at about 28°C, and they will germinate in about 4 days.

2. When the seedlings grow 3 true leaves, they can be transplanted. Transplanting is best when the ground temperature is stable above 10°C, which helps promote root growth and improve the survival rate.

3. Transplanting is generally carried out from early April to early May.

4. The plant spacing is about 60 cm, the row spacing is about 1.3 m, and about 2000 plants per mu is optimal.

5. Transplanting is generally best done on cloudy days or after 4 p.m. on sunny days. After transplanting, water thoroughly in time, and water again after about 5 days.

IV. Later Management

1. After transplanting, carry out timely intertillage and weeding, which helps promote rooting and the growth of revived seedlings.

2. Fertilization is mainly based on basal fertilizer. Apply sufficient base fertilizer before transplanting, and only a small amount of fertilizer is needed later.

3. After fertilizing, be sure to water in time, which helps reduce the fertilizer concentration and prevent root burn. Generally, watering can be adjusted according to seasonal changes: water more during summer droughts, water less in winter, and drain promptly in the rainy season to prevent excessive water accumulation from causing root rot.

4. Common tomato varieties all need trellis cultivation, except for a few upright varieties.