Detailed Guide to Spring Seedling Cultivation Techniques for Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomato, also known as small tomato, mini tomato, table tomato, etc., surpasses ordinary tomatoes in quality, flavor and nutritional value, and has become increasingly popular in the market in recent years. Its spring open-field seedling cultivation techniques are briefly introduced as follows: 1. Variety selection Generally, varieties such as Yichuanhong, Red Pearl, Shengnyu, Jinnü and others with good quality, excellent taste...
Cherry tomato, also known as small tomato, mini tomato, table tomato, etc., surpasses ordinary tomatoes in quality, flavor and nutritional value, and has become increasingly popular in the market in recent years. Its spring open-field seedling cultivation techniques are briefly introduced as follows:
1. Variety selection Generally, varieties such as Yichuanhong, Red Pearl, Shengnyu, Jinnü and others with good quality, excellent taste, strong disease resistance, high yield per plant, no fruit cracking, and good storage and transport tolerance are selected.
2. Sowing and seedling raising In early to mid-February, seedlings can be raised in a greenhouse or solar greenhouse with a small hotbed, and the seedlings are transplanted at 70-80 days of age.
① Seedbed preparation The seedbed is 1.2-1.5 m wide, oriented east-west, and about 15 kg of bed soil is needed per square meter of seedbed. Bed soil preparation method: mix 2/3 garden soil with 1/3 high-quality decomposed organic fertilizer, 25-30 g urea, 40-50 g superphosphate, 5-6 g carbendazim (or 6 g zineb), stir evenly, then cover with plastic film for 2-3 days before use.
② Seed treatment First soak the seeds in clean water for about 10 minutes, skim off the shriveled seeds, then dress the seeds with 0.2%-0.3% of seed weight of quintozene or carbendazim for disinfection, then soak the seeds in warm water at 20-30°C for 5-6 hours, then remove and air-dry. Under a temperature of 25-28°C, germinate for 36-48 hours until the radicle breaks through the seed coat, and then sow.
③ Sowing method Sow 4-5 g per square meter of seedbed. When sowing, first water thoroughly to the bottom, then spread 2/3 of the prepared bed soil on the bed surface, evenly scatter the seeds, then cover the seeds with the remaining 1/3 of the bed soil, and finally cover with plastic film and put up the small arch shed film.
④ Seedbed management After sowing, maintain the bed temperature at about 25°C during the day and 18°C at night. When the embryo sprouts and pushes through the soil, remove the plastic film in the morning. From emergence to the seedling separation stage, maintain the temperature inside the shed at 20-25°C during the day and 10-15°C at night. If the soil becomes dry and the tips of the cotyledons curl slightly upward, spray with water until thoroughly moistened.
3. Timely seedling separation Generally, when the seedlings have two true leaves and one heart leaf, choose a windless, clear day for seedling separation. Root-protecting transplanting or nutrient soil block seedling separation can be used, and the soil block area should preferably be 10 cm x 10 cm. After watering the bed soil thoroughly, lift the seedlings with a small shovel. When planting the seedlings, let their root systems spread out in the soil, and cover with film promptly after seedling separation.
4. Management after seedling separation After seedling separation, uncover the straw curtains early and cover them late, maintaining the soil temperature at 20-22°C and the shed temperature at 24-26°C during the day, and the soil temperature at 18-20°C and the shed temperature at 16-17°C at night. After the plants have established, lower both the air temperature and soil temperature in the seedbed by 2-3°C. After the seedlings have 4-5 true leaves, if raised in nutrient pots, promptly increase the spacing between the pots to prevent leggy growth. Moisture should be kept so that the upper layer is dry and the lower layer is moist. During the period of rapid seedling growth, foliar topdressing should be carried out. About one day before transplanting, ventilate to harden the seedlings.