Greenhouse Tomato Winter Management Methods, Explained in One Article
Tomato is a rather special vegetable: it can be eaten raw and also stir-fried, and it is in great demand in the market. Tomatoes are grown very widely in China, and as greenhouse cultivation technology in China becomes more and more mature, tomatoes can now be planted in almost every season. Many people are now gradually growing winter tomatoes in greenhouses as well, so how should winter greenhouse tomato cultivation be managed? Let's take a look together below!
1. Temperature
Winter temperatures are relatively low and, strictly speaking, are not suitable for tomato growth, but greenhouse cultivation can effectively control the temperature. Therefore, in winter cultivation, temperature is the primary management task; the temperature suitable for tomato growth is around 22 degrees. In winter, the temperature also changes to some extent between morning and afternoon; for example, the morning temperature is around 25 degrees and must not exceed 33 degrees. It drops by about two degrees in the afternoon, and at night the temperature must not fall below 15 degrees, keeping the day-night temperature difference at around 12 degrees. If the temperature is below 10 degrees, tomato growth will be affected; below 4 degrees, growth stops, and in severe cases the whole plant suffers freeze damage.
2. Topdressing
The tomato growing period is relatively long, and the yield is high, so the demand for nutrients is large and comprehensive. Therefore, we must control the proportion of nutrients in the fertilizer to ensure it contains the nutrients tomatoes need. Before planting, basal fertilizer should be applied generously, and to ensure healthy tomato growth, topdressing must also be done well during the growing period; tomato topdressing is mainly based on applying more frequently in small amounts. During the tomato seedling stage, foliar fertilizer should be sprayed appropriately, once a week for two rounds, and then a water-fertilizer application should be given once at the 4-true-leaf stage. In addition, after the seedlings have recovered, that is, during the fruit enlargement stage, topdressing should also be done in time to promote tomato growth and avoid nutritional deficiency.
3. Watering
Tomatoes have a very large water requirement. Someone specifically conducted a survey and found that during the tomato fruit development period, each plant needs to absorb at least 1 kilogram of water every day. Therefore, when planting, we should pay attention to watering well to keep the soil in a moist state; the watering method is small-drop drip irrigation, following the principle of watering when dry and stopping when wet. However, to avoid soil salinization, about every 28 days a heavy irrigation should be carried out to flush out excess salts from the soil. In winter, however, attention should be paid to the water temperature; the water temperature should be controlled at around 10 degrees. If the water temperature is below 8 degrees, a large number of hollow tomatoes will appear, reducing fruit quality.
4. Light
Tomatoes also have a relatively large light requirement, and their yield is directly related to the duration of light. During cultivation, we should improve the air and light penetration of the orchard, remove side branches in time, and prune old leaves, which not only increases the light-receiving area of the plants but also reduces nutrient consumption and promotes healthy fruit growth. After tomatoes enter the white-ripe stage, all leaves below the fruit cluster should be pruned off to promote light absorption and also effectively reduce the incidence of pests and diseases. If natural light duration is insufficient, artificial supplemental lighting should be carried out when necessary to prevent tomato growth from being hindered.
The above is a brief introduction to greenhouse tomato winter management methods. Tomato growth also has special requirements for carbon dioxide; if the carbon dioxide concentration in the orchard is insufficient, the tomatoes will die. Therefore, in winter it is also necessary to do a good job of supplementing carbon dioxide, or to use an appropriate amount of enzyme bacteria bio-organic fertilizer in the basal fertilizer. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you all for reading and supporting.