Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Autumn Cultivation of Tomatoes

Tomato generally refers to the tomato plant, an annual or perennial herbaceous plant. It is one of the common ingredients in daily life and is widely cultivated in various regions. So what are its autumn cultivation techniques?

What are the autumn cultivation techniques for tomatoes?

1. Seed selection

For autumn-sown tomatoes, choose mid-to-late maturing varieties that are heat-tolerant and disease-resistant, with pure variety characteristics, free from mold or insect damage, and high-quality seeds with a germination rate and germination vigor of over 90%. Under normal seedling management conditions, the seed rate per mu of production field is 20-50 grams.

2. Land preparation and seed soaking

Choose a garden plot with deep soil, loose and fertile texture, strong water and fertilizer retention capacity, convenient drainage and irrigation, and level surface as the seedling bed. After deep plowing and harrowing, make raised beds. Before sowing, disinfect the seeds first: place the seeds in 55°C warm water for 10 minutes, then place them in a 10% trisodium phosphate solution to soak for 20 minutes, remove them, and rinse clean with clear water. Mix with Lühheng No. 1 seed dressing and they are ready for sowing.

3. Sowing and transplanting

Sowing methods can be broadcast sowing, drilling, or dibbling. After sowing, do a good job of seedling management. When the seedlings grow 5-6 true leaves, they can be transplanted to the field. The planting density is about 3,500 plants per mu for single-stem pruning, and about 2,000 plants per mu when using double-stem pruning. The time should be chosen on a rainy day or a clear evening, and try to minimize root damage when transplanting seedlings.

4. Field management

After transplanting, tomatoes should be properly pruned and their flowers preserved. Apply appropriate topdressing during the growing period. Do not apply nitrogen fertilizer alone; it must be combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. During the flowering period of the first inflorescence, irrigation should be controlled to prevent flower and fruit drop caused by excessive stem and leaf growth. After the first cluster of fruit sets, the plant requires more water and should be irrigated in a timely manner. Pay attention to drainage during the rainy season.

In addition, during autumn tomato cultivation, attention should be paid to the invasion of late blight, viral diseases, cotton bollworm, and other pests and diseases. It is best to spray pesticides in advance for prevention and control.