Key Technical Management Points for Growing Tomatoes in Summer
Tomato is a vegetable with very high nutritional value. It can be stir-fried as a vegetable, or eaten raw in cold dishes, and so on. It is loved by many people. When we grow tomatoes, their management work is naturally very important. Especially during the high temperatures and strong light of summer, management must be strengthened. So how should tomatoes be managed in summer? Below, the editor brings you the technical management of summer tomatoes. Let's take a look!
1. High-ridge planting
Many people, when growing tomatoes through the summer, use flat-bed planting or shallow-furrow cultivation. Moreover, after planting, to avoid weed damage, they also cover with black film. In a high-temperature, strong-light environment, the temperature inside the soil easily rises, and when carrying out farming operations, these are done directly on the film. This causes the plastic film to cling tightly to the ground, leading to compaction between the rows in the soil. The soil's permeability becomes worse, causing the roots' absorption of water and nutrients to be blocked, and the plant's growth also weakens because of this, reducing the speed of fruit swelling. Therefore, when growing tomatoes in summer, we must pay attention to mainly using high-ridge planting.
2. Cultivating strong plants
When growing tomatoes in summer, pay attention to controlling the amount of fruit retained. If too much fruit is retained on the lower part of the tomato plant, it will cause excessive nutrient consumption, easily causing the plant to collapse, and affecting later flower and fruit growth, so fewer fruits should be retained. Especially on the lower part of the plant, if the plant's stem is thin and weak, then the first truss of flowers should first be removed to cultivate a strong plant. Then appropriately increase the amount of fruit retained. If the plant's growth is relatively strong, then about 2 fruits can be retained on the first truss, about 3 on the second truss, and about 5 on the trusses above. However, be careful to remove the first flower of each truss of flowers; do not apply fruit-setting treatment.
3. Pruning and leaf removal
Many people, in summer, in order to lower the temperature, choose to use shade nets, but this easily causes the plants to grow excessively, and the tomato plant stems also easily become thin and weak, so chemical growth control should be the main approach. Chlorophyll, paclobutrazol, etc. can be used, and the application concentration should be adjusted according to changes in temperature and plant growth. In summer, unless the plant's branches and leaves are too luxuriant and have seriously affected the plant's permeability, only then may leaves be removed; otherwise, try not to remove leaves. Then, after the last truss of fruit has set at the top, at least two leaves must remain above the head before pinching, to provide shade for the top fruit. Finally, the top must not be completely removed, to avoid premature aging.
4. Cooling the greenhouse
As just mentioned, summer temperatures are very high. So if growing in a greenhouse, be sure to do a good job of cooling. Temperature can be lowered through ventilation; besides this, shading and spraying water are also main cooling measures. During the 10-15 o'clock period each day, pay attention to covering with a shade net. At the same time, an appropriate amount of cooling agent can be sprayed on the greenhouse film, and water can be sprayed inside the greenhouse. If high-temperature weather continues, then small amounts of water should be poured into the furrows, and ventilation should be done well. Finally, if no plastic film is covering the ground, then after each watering, intertillage should be carried out, to avoid water shortage causing the soil to crack and affecting root growth.
The above is a brief introduction to the technical management of summer tomatoes. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and I hope it can help everyone!