Detailed Explanation of Key Points of Tomato Planting and Management Techniques

The tomato was introduced from the Americas to Europe in the 16th century, initially grown as an ornamental plant, and only later eaten as a vegetable. It belongs to the Solanaceae family, the same family as eggplant, pepper and potato. It is a warm-loving and light-loving vegetable, and does not have very strict requirements for soil conditions; however, to obtain a high yield and promote good root development, a fertile loam soil with deep soil layers, good drainage and rich organic matter should be selected. Let us take a look below at the tomato planting and management techniques!

Tomato Planting Conditions

Tomato is a warm-loving vegetable, with semi-drought-tolerant physiological characteristics: it likes warmth and fears cold, likes light and fears heat, likes dry air and fears excessively high air humidity, and likes water and fears waterlogging. Appropriately adjusting the temperature, humidity, moisture, light, nutrient supply and other living conditions suitable for vegetable growth according to the local cultivation environment, and promptly preventing and controlling various pests and diseases that may occur, are of great significance for increasing tomato yield and raising vegetable growers' economic income.

1. Tomato's temperature requirements: Tomato has different temperature requirements at different growth stages. The most suitable temperature for seed germination is 25-30 degrees Celsius, the minimum germination temperature is 11 degrees Celsius, and the maximum is 35 degrees Celsius. During the seedling stage, 20-25 degrees Celsius is suitable during the day and 15-20 degrees Celsius at night. During the fruiting stage, 25-30 degrees Celsius is suitable during the day and 13-17 degrees Celsius at night. Below 15 degrees Celsius or above 35 degrees Celsius is unfavorable for flowering and fruit setting.

2. Tomato's light requirements: Tomato has different light requirements at different growth stages. The germination stage does not require light. The seedling stage requires sufficient light for the seedlings to develop well; insufficient light will affect flower bud differentiation and flower pollination. During the fruiting stage, sufficient light results in more fruit set and faster fruit expansion; insufficient light results in fewer fruit set and affects yield, while too strong and prolonged light will cause sunscald on the fruit.

3. Tomato's water requirements: Tomato has well-developed roots and a strong water-absorbing capacity, and its leaves transpire water strongly. It is a drought-tolerant crop; it is both drought-tolerant and requires a large amount of water. During the seedling stage it grows quickly, the soil should not be too wet, and watering should be controlled. During the flowering and fruiting stage it needs frequent watering. Generally, ensure watering about once every 10 days, but do not flood-irrigate, which causes root rot and dead plants. During the flowering and fruit-setting stage, if watering is not timely or watering is overly controlled, a large-scale outbreak of blossom-end rot will occur, and overly dry soil will also cause physiological leaf curling.

4. Tomato's soil requirements: Tomato does not have strict soil requirements. Loam soil with deep soil layers, good drainage and strong soil air permeability, and improved sandy loam and alkaline soil can all be used to plant tomatoes.

5. Tomato's nutrient requirements: The required ratio of the three main elements nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) for tomato is 2:1:2. Nitrogen plays an important role in stem and leaf growth and fruit development. From flowering and fruit setting to the expansion stage, the plant's nitrogen uptake gradually increases, reaching a peak at the full fruiting stage. Therefore, nitrogen fertilizer must be supplemented to the plant in a timely manner for deep roots and luxuriant leaves. Tomato does not require much phosphorus; applying additional phosphorus fertilizer at the seedling stage promotes flower bud differentiation and flower development. Tomato is a potassium-loving crop and has the highest potassium requirement, especially during the fruit expansion stage, when it can promote fruit development, expansion and coloring.

Preparations Before Tomato Planting

1. Land preparation: The field for cultivating tomatoes should undergo autumn plowing and soil sunning, with a plowing depth of about 30 cm. Sunning the soil can improve soil structure, increase water retention capacity, reduce pests and diseases in the soil, and create good conditions for root growth. Deep plowing can improve soil aeration, promote soil microbial activity, and facilitate the decomposition of soil nutrients. Even when crop rotation is frequent and sunning the soil is difficult, deep plowing should still be carried out immediately after the previous crop is harvested, to strive for as long a soil sunning period as possible.

2. Making beds (ridges): There are 4 types of planting beds for tomatoes: high beds, flat beds, furrow beds and ridge beds. Local practice mostly adopts deep-furrow high-bed cultivation. Generally the bed width (including the furrow) is 1.3-1.7 m, of which the furrow width is 0.3-0.5 m. For bed (ridge) orientation, south-facing is preferable, so that the plants receive relatively uniform light.

3. Seedling disinfection: Before planting, spray the seedlings with 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 600 times dilution or 75% mancozeb wettable powder.

4. Applying sufficient base fertilizer

① Apply 5000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, while adding 50 kg of superphosphate, mixing fertilizer and soil together with plowing, with a plowing depth of 25-30 cm. Open-field cultivation mostly adopts high beds or ridge cultivation. Protected cultivation adopts plastic-film high-bed cultivation, using under-film dark irrigation and under-film drip irrigation. For high-bed cultivation, a furrow can be opened in the center of the bed to bury high-quality barnyard manure, along with 2000-3000 kg of farmyard manure and 200 kg of plant ash; after leveling the bed, planting furrows are dug on both sides of the high bed, and then 200 kg of high-quality fertilizer or 20-25 kg of compound fertilizer is applied in the furrows.

② The absorption rate of nitrogen and potassium by tomato plants is 40-50%, and the absorption rate of phosphorus is 20%. Phosphorus fertilizer plays an important role in the development of tomato fruit and seeds, and also has a great influence on cultivating strong seedlings. Nitrogen fertilizer can promote the growth and development of stems, leaves and fruit, and its role is especially important in the early stage of plant growth. Potassium fertilizer can promote the transport of carbohydrates to the fruit and enhance the plant's disease resistance, delay plant senescence, prolong the fruiting period, and also has a good effect on improving fruit quality.

③ Tomato is very sensitive to fertilizer, and high fertilizer and sufficient water can achieve high yields. The type of fertilizer also greatly affects tomato yield and quality. The order of quality among various farmyard manures is: chicken and duck manure, sheep and rabbit manure, horse manure, cow manure. Human excrement and urine should be used in combination with other fertilizers. Regardless of the type of farmyard manure, it needs to be fully fermented and decomposed; never apply raw manure as a top dressing, to prevent root burning and infection by pests and diseases.

Tomato Planting Methods

For planting methods and plastic-film mulching planting, it is best to choose a windless sunny day, when the temperature is high and soil moisture evaporation is low, making it easy for seedlings to recover.

1. Planting methods: Seedling planting methods include flat planting, furrow planting and hole planting. According to the order of irrigation, they are also divided into "dry planting" (that is, planting seedlings first and then irrigating) and "water-stabilized seedlings" (that is, irrigating first and then planting seedlings). When planting seedlings, do not plant too deep or too shallow. If planted too deep, the soil temperature is lower, which is not conducive to root growth and slows seedling recovery. If planted too shallow, although the higher soil temperature is conducive to root growth, the roots are unstable, and the seedlings are easily washed away by irrigation or blown down by strong wind. Generally, the planting depth should be level with the soil ball and the ground surface or slightly deeper. If improper seedbed management or delayed planting causes leggy seedlings, during planting the stem end of the seedling can be laid horizontally toward the south in a boat-bottom shape, with the stem tip exposed above the soil slightly inclined toward the south, to reduce the height of the seedling above the ground, prevent sunscald and being blown by wind, and promote adventitious root growth.

2. Plastic-film mulching: In recent years, plastic-film mulching has been widely adopted in tomato cultivation. It can increase soil temperature, reduce soil moisture evaporation, inhibit weed growth, keep the soil loose, and thereby speed up seedling recovery after planting and promote root growth. For the plastic-film mulching planting method, in our area we generally spread the film first and then plant the seedlings. The specific method is: first spread the plastic film on the prepared high bed, cover the edges with soil, then dig holes according to the plant spacing and plant the seedlings, and cover the area around the seedlings with soil and press it firmly.

3. Planting density

① Open-field small-trellis early-maturing cultivation: row spacing 40-50 cm, plant spacing 23-26 cm, planting about 5000 seedlings per mu. Small-trellis mid-maturing cultivation: row spacing 50 cm, plant spacing 26-33 cm, planting about 4000 seedlings. Large-trellis long-growth-period cultivation: row spacing 66 cm, plant spacing 33 cm, planting about 3000 seedlings.

② Protected cultivation: For small-trellis early-maturing cultivation with 2-3 fruit trusses retained and the growing point pinched out, row spacing 50 cm, plant spacing 27 cm, planting 5000 seedlings per mu. For small-trellis mid-maturing cultivation with 3-4 fruit trusses retained, row spacing 50 cm, plant spacing 30 cm, planting 4400 seedlings per mu. For large-trellis long-growth-period cultivation without pinching out the growing point (such as Dutch indeterminate varieties), row spacing 80 cm, plant spacing 40 cm, planting 2000 seedlings.

Tomato Fertilizer and Water Management

1. Formula fertilization

For small-trellis cultivation with 2-3 fruit trusses retained, topdressing can be applied once when each truss of fruit is the size of a ping-pong ball. For high-trellis cultivation with many fruit trusses retained, topdressing can be applied once each when the first, third, fifth and seventh fruit trusses are the size of a ping-pong ball. Combined with watering, apply 1000 kg of decomposed manure, or 50 kg of decomposed cake fertilizer, or 100 kg of plant ash, or 25 kg of potassium sulfate, or 25 kg of calcium magnesium phosphate per mu each time; it is best to use the above fertilizers alternately. Spray the leaves once every 10-15 days with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 0.3% urea solution, and 3-5% calcium chloride solution. For protected cultivation, apply carbon dioxide gas fertilizer at a concentration of 800-1200 ml/cubic meter.

2. Water management

① At planting, water thoroughly, and cultivate and loosen the soil frequently. After 5-7 days, water once to help the seedlings recover, then cultivate continuously 2-3 times. According to the variety, seedling age, soil quality, soil moisture and seedling growth, carry out appropriate seedling hardening. For self-topping early-maturing varieties, older seedlings, aged seedlings, droughty soil and sandy soil, the seedling hardening period should be shorter, ending when the first fruit truss is the size of a pea. Otherwise it should be longer, ending when the first fruit truss is the size of a ping-pong ball.

② After entering the fruiting stage, keep the soil moist, with soil moisture content reaching 80%. Water once every 6-7 days in low-temperature seasons and once every 3-4 days in high-temperature seasons. Irrigate evenly, avoiding alternating drought and wetness. For protected cultivation, water in the morning on sunny days, and increase ventilation after watering.

③ Keep the relative air humidity controlled at 45-65%.

Mnemonic Rhyme for Identifying Tomato Diseases

Early blight grows black spots, the lesions black and round. Late blight strikes fast, invading leaf edges first. Phytophthora rot is called "egg drop", diseased fruit does not soften. Gray mold grows black fuzz, leaves rot at the tips first. Canker makes fruit blister, the stem rots inside. Blossom-end rot rots the navel, dry soil is the source. Fusarium wilt wilts the leaves, vascular bundles turn brown. Viruses must be prevented early, do not wait for streak symptoms to form.

Tomato Pest and Disease Control Techniques

1. Tomato early blight: Tomato early blight is also called spot disease. The lesions are round or nearly round, dark brown, mainly harming tomato leaves, sometimes harming stems and fruit. It is prone to occur under high temperature and high humidity, and the pathogen is a fungal deuteromycete. Timely ventilation and dehumidification should be carried out to reduce the occurrence of early blight. To control early blight, 75% chlorothalonil or 50% iprodione can each be sprayed at 600 times dilution with good preventive or curative effect. For fumigating the greenhouse, chlorothalonil smoke agent can be used.

2. Tomato late blight: Tomato late blight belongs to the fungal oomycetes. Because of its rapid onset, severity and strong destructiveness, it is the main control target for tomatoes. Generally, late blight first invades from the leaf edge, then develops into large dark brown lesions, and infects stems and fruit, causing the stem to turn dark brown and girdle the stem all the way around; diseased fruit does not soften, initially appearing oil-soaked dark green and then turning dark brown. The pathogen spreads through rain, wind and watering, and the disease is severe under low temperature, high humidity and poor ventilation. Late blight can be controlled by spraying Shuangxi at 600 times dilution. When the disease is severe, dimethomorph plus Zhunneng can be sprayed for control, and for smoke agents, Shuangyimie smoke agent can be used to fumigate the greenhouse.

3. Tomato phytophthora rot: Tomato phytophthora rot belongs to the fungal oomycetes, commonly known as "egg drop". Initially, chlorotic lesions appear on the leaves, then water-soaked rot develops. Fruit disease mostly occurs at the shoulder area, with light brown lesions appearing and then gradually showing a netted pattern, and under high humidity a cottony white mold grows. Phytophthora rot is severe under high temperature and high humidity or high soil temperature and high moisture. To control phytophthora rot, the same type of chemicals as for late blight can be used. Metalaxyl plus cymoxanil plus copper hydroxy (metalaxyl-copper) can be sprayed for control, and Daliang plus dimethomorph can also be sprayed for control.

4. Tomato gray mold: Tomato gray mold belongs to the fungal deuteromycetes. The pathogen first infects flowers and styles, then spreads to leaves and fruit. On leaves, the disease first starts from the leaf tip, appearing triangular and spreading inward, with dark brown lesions and black fuzz. On fruit, the disease first rots from the fruit stalk and produces black fuzz. Gray mold is the second major disease after late blight. It is severe on cloudy and rainy days, at low temperatures, and when greenhouse humidity is high with abundant dew. Ventilation and dehumidification should be timely. To control gray mold, procymidone at 600 times dilution or Meiwuhen at 600 times dilution can be sprayed, and for smoke agents, Huimeisi smoke agent can be used to fumigate the greenhouse.

5. Tomato leaf mold: Tomato leaf mold belongs to the fungal deuteromycetes, mainly harming leaves. Irregular yellow spots appear on the upper surface of diseased leaves, and yellow-brown patchy velvety mold layers grow on the underside. To control leaf mold, the best, safest and side-effect-free option is Bangzhongbang (10% polyoxin) sprayed at the specified dose; Qingcheng or Yexiu also have very good control effects. For routine prevention, 70% thiophanate-methyl or 50% carbendazim can be used to eliminate and reduce the occurrence of leaf mold.

6. Tomato bacterial canker: Tomato canker belongs to the bacteria, mainly harming stems and fruit. The disease mostly enters through wounds, and the pathogen spreads rapidly inside the stem bark, developing to the pith, which rots, turns brown and dies. On diseased fruit, blister-like slightly raised white halos appear on the fruit surface; it is also called "bird's eye disease" or "ring disease". To control bacterial canker, Xunbu, that is, leaf blight azole, can be used for routine prevention. In severely affected plots, Daliang at 600 times dilution plus Xunbu at 600 times dilution has a good control effect.

7. Tomato bacterial spot disease: Spot disease includes sesame spot disease, bacterial speck and marginal blight, mainly harming leaves. Bacterial spot disease often causes relatively small round or polygonal brown lesions on leaves, fairly dense and transparent. To control bacterial diseases, Rongtong (green copper emulsion) at 600 times dilution can be sprayed, or Daliang at 600 times dilution can be sprayed, which can also control bacterial soft rot.

8. Tomato viral disease: Tomato viral disease has 6 types: mosaic type, fern leaf type, leaf curl type, yellow top type, giant bud type and streak type. The main control targets are mainly mosaic-type and streak-type viruses. The main tomato viral pathogens are three sources: tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV). Apart from seed-borne virus, viral diseases generally have pests such as aphids, planthoppers and thrips as virus transmission vectors. To control viral diseases, thoroughly remove weeds near the field and eliminate insects inside and outside the greenhouse. For seed disinfection, soak seeds in 10% trisodium phosphate for 45 minutes, then rinse clean with clear water, remove, dry and then sprout. After viral disease occurs, Kangdufeng (5% fungal polysaccharide aqueous solution) at 300 times dilution plus Xiaoyedi at 500 times dilution mixed with Shuojin 808 (0.1% brassinolide) has a very good control effect.

9. Tomato fusarium wilt: Tomato fusarium wilt includes damping-off and bacterial wilt. The common symptom of fusarium wilt is that leaves wilt at noon and recover in the morning and evening; in severe cases it is difficult for them to recover in the morning and the plant dies. Cutting open the diseased stem shows brown vascular bundles, and water and nutrients are blocked and cannot be transported normally. To control fusarium wilt, for early prevention, spray "Kuitai", one packet per barrel, once every 10 days, with good effect. When diseased plants are found, tolclofos-methyl at 600 times dilution plus Kuitai plus Miaohuitian in 30 jin of water, one packet each, can be used for root drenching prevention, and Lu'an copper can also be used alone for root drenching.

10. Tomato blossom-end rot: The symptom of tomato blossom-end rot is water-soaked rot at the blossom end of the fruit; it is a physiological disease. Long-term drought in the greenhouse, especially not watering during the fruit-setting stage and then applying a large watering after fruit set, will cause severe and massive blossom-end rot fruit, so uneven watering is the main cause of blossom-end rot. Second, calcium deficiency in the soil is also a root cause of blossom-end rot. Calcium deficiency in the soil causes necrosis of the growing point and blossom-end rot of the fruit. For greenhouses with blossom-end rot caused by calcium deficiency, it is recommended to use the bottled liquid Meilin calcium produced in Baoji, Shaanxi, which has the best control effect.

11. Whitefly: Spray 70% imidacloprid (Jinsha) plus buprofezin plus 1000 times dilution Hailiping to control both insects and eggs.

12. Root-knot nematode: Use Shenzhen Ruidefeng 3% abamectin at 1000 times dilution, drenching half a jin of solution per plant, with good control effect.

Special Effective Prescriptions for Tomato Disease Control

1. Early blight: iprodione at 600 times dilution plus Lanxin at 600 times dilution plus Hailiping at 1000 times dilution, sprayed.

2. Late blight: 50% pure dimethomorph plus Zhunneng at 600 times dilution plus Hailiping at 1000 times dilution, sprayed.

3. Phytophthora rot: propineb and cymoxanil at 600 times dilution plus Jiebao at 600 times dilution plus Hailiping at 1000 times dilution, sprayed.

4. Gray mold: Sukeling at 600 times dilution plus Aimu at 600 times dilution plus Hailiping at 1000 times dilution, sprayed.

5. Leaf mold: Bangzhongbang at 600 times dilution plus Qingcheng at 3000 times dilution plus Hailiping at 1000 times dilution, sprayed.

6. Viral disease: Kangdufeng at 300 times dilution plus Xiaoyedi at 500 times dilution plus one small packet of Shuojin 808, sprayed.

7. Canker: Daliang at 600 times dilution plus Xunbu at 600 times dilution plus Hailiping at 1000 times dilution, sprayed.

8. Fusarium wilt: Taisen at 500 times dilution plus Lu'an copper at 600 times dilution for root drenching, or Kuitai sprayed for prevention.

Symptoms of Micronutrient Deficiency in Tomato

1. Nitrogen deficiency: Old leaves fade from green to yellow or light green, and plant growth is slow.

2. Phosphorus deficiency: Stems and interveinal areas fade from green to purplish red, and seedling growth is inhibited.

3. Potassium deficiency: Interveinal areas of old leaves fade green, leaf edges turn yellow or curl, and fruit colors slowly.

4. Magnesium deficiency: Interveinal areas fade green, producing dense yellow mottled leaves, especially prominent on old leaves.

5. Calcium deficiency: Young leaves at the growing point dry up, and blossom-end rot fruit is produced.

6. Boron deficiency: Easily causes the growing point to turn yellow or necrose, makes fruit setting difficult, and easily causes fruit cracking.

7. Iron deficiency: Interveinal areas of young leaves fade from green to yellow, while the veins remain green.

Commonly Used Hormones, Regulators, Micronutrient Fertilizers and Foliar Fertilizers for Tomato

1. 2,4-D: Must be used for flower dipping, and the dosage changes according to temperature changes.

2. Gibberellin: For flower dipping, 2 ml per jin of water can improve fruit setting and promote expansion.

3. Tomato growth promotion and control agent: Can effectively control excessive vegetative growth, strengthen the transport of nutrients to flowers and fruit, and increase yield.

4. Shuojin 808: Strengthens the plant, increases the deep green color of the fruit surface, increases fruit weight and yield.

5. Kangludan: Has a special effect on repairing yellow leaves, curled leaves, mosaic leaves and root rot of tomato.

6. Lüfeng 95: A high-grade foliar fertilizer, can be used to relieve phytotoxicity and restore growth.

7. Cytokinin: Activates physiological cell division, improves fruit setting, restores leaf greenness, and promotes flower bud growth.

8. Baoying: Spraying on flowers during the flowering stage can greatly increase the fruit-setting rate, and spraying during the young fruit stage can accelerate fruit expansion.

9. Meilin calcium: Has a special effect on preventing physiological diseases caused by iron deficiency, and is the highest-grade effective calcium.

10. Shile boron: Spraying on flowers during the flowering stage increases the fruit-setting rate, with outstanding effect in preventing fruit cracking.