A Complete Guide to Tomato Cultivation Techniques: Grow Them This Way for High Yields

The tomato, also called the xihongshi, is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Solanum in the nightshade family, and an indispensable, economical, nutritious and healthy vegetable on our daily tables. The tomato originated in South America, and wild species are still widely distributed in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and other places to this day. It is now also widely cultivated across southern and northern China. Tomato fruit is rich in nutrients and has a unique sweet-and-sour taste, making it deeply loved by everyone. So how should we cultivate tomatoes?

First, we need to be familiar with the growing habits of tomatoes. The tomato is a warmth-loving vegetable, growing best in an environment of 20°C to 25°C. Although the tomato is also a light-loving plant, it grows better under short-day conditions. Tomatoes like water and are not very demanding about soil; they grow best in deep, well-drained, fertile soil rich in organic matter.

When cultivating tomatoes, we should pay attention to the following points:

1. Temperature

When tomatoes are flowering, the daytime temperature should be between 25°C and 30°C, and the nighttime temperature should be between 15°C and 20°C. Outside this temperature range, tomatoes are very likely to produce deformed fruit. Therefore, temperature control is very important. Generally, when the daytime temperature is too high, shade netting is pulled or ventilation is increased to cool them down, while at night plastic film is used for covering to maintain the temperature.

2. Humidity

Tomatoes can tolerate drought but not waterlogging, so you should choose soil that is deep, loose and fertile with a strong ability to retain water and nutrients. If the tomato leaves begin to fade in color, it means they need watering, but you should water regularly and in fixed amounts, and water sparingly. During the rainy season, loosen the soil and drain promptly to prevent waterlogging.

3. Fertilizing

Tomatoes should be fertilized appropriately during the growing period. They need relatively large amounts of nutrients, and generally nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers or organic fertilizers are used to improve the resistance of the seeds and increase the plumpness of the fruit.

4. Pruning and removing buds

Tomatoes can be adjusted manually in terms of vegetative growth and reproductive growth to promote better growth. Generally, the double-stem pruning method is used: in addition to the main stem, keep the strongest first bud below the first flower, so that the cultivated tomato can set fruit on the side branch, and remove all other buds. It is worth noting that the double-stem pruning method cannot be carried out during the rainy season, otherwise it will affect the normal growth of the tomatoes.

5. Prevention and control of pests and diseases

Late blight is the most common and most serious disease on tomatoes. This disease is caused by fungal infection and harms tomato leaves and fruit. It easily breaks out in high-temperature, high-humidity environments, and is severe in years with long periods of continuous rain. For control, 72% cymoxanil-fosetyl-aluminum wettable powder can be diluted 800-1000 times and sprayed, once every seven to ten days, for three to four consecutive applications.