How long is the tomato growing cycle?

The tomato growing cycle is 110-170 days. Of this, the germination and early growth stage is 7-9 days; the seedling stage is 40-80 days; the flowering and fruit-setting stage is 15-30 days, and the fruiting stage is 30-50 days.

Management during the tomato growing period:

1. Planting time

For spring protected cultivation, planting is done from late February to early March during the transition between cold and warm weather, and for open-field plastic-mulch cultivation, planting is done around March 20 during the transition between cold and warm weather. For early-maturing varieties, the plant spacing is 30 cm and the row spacing is 50 cm, with about 3,000 plants per mu. For mid- and late-maturing varieties, the single-stem pruning method can be used with about 3,500 plants left per mu, and the double-plant pruning method can be used with about 2,000 seedlings left per mu.

2. Pruning and trellising

The first is single-stem pruning, keeping only the main stem and removing all side shoots once they grow to 4-7 cm; the second is double-stem pruning, which keeps the main stem plus the side shoot below the first flower cluster, and removes all the remaining side shoots. In addition, after pruning is finished, the vines should be tied promptly.

3. Proper flower preservation

To prevent flower drop and fruit drop, 20-30 ppm of Tomatotone can be sprayed on the flowers during the flowering period; in the middle and late stages of plant growth, the lower old leaves should be appropriately removed; indeterminate varieties can be topped after 4-5 clusters of fruit have formed.

4. Pest and disease control

These include late blight, the most common and most damaging disease caused by fungi, viral diseases caused by viruses, bacterial wilt caused by bacteria, and cotton bollworm, which occurs in all four seasons, among others. Different pesticides are applied for different diseases, and the dosage applied should also be given attention.

At present, the tomato planting area is vast, and the market conditions are relatively stable. Those who intend to grow them should still first take precautions against risks and not plant blindly.