How to grow tomatoes so they grow fast and bear lots of fruit
Growing tomato seedlings at home that just won't thrive and bear little fruit? Today we'll show you how to grow tomatoes that hang heavy on the vine, so you can have all the tomatoes you want.
Step 1: Choose the right varieties
Balcony/Containers: choose dwarf cherry tomato varieties, such as Millennium and cherry tomato; no staking needed, plants reach30-50cm, bear heavily and take up little space!
In-ground planting: vining varieties such as Provence and pink-fruited tomatoes are better suited; once staked, the vines can grow to2m+, with each plant producing more than50fruits!
Step 2: Sprout and raise seedlings
1. Soak in 45℃warm water (warm to the touch) for 6-8hours; you can add 1drop of dish soap and rub the seeds to remove the surface slime and boost the germination rate!
2.Moist paper towel+sealed plastic container, placed on the router/yogurt maker; open the lid daily to let it breathe for10minutes, and once the sprouts turn white after2days, you can sow!
3.Leaf mold3parts+garden soil5parts+rotted sheep manure2parts, plus 1part perlite to improve air permeability! After sowing, cover with0.5cmof soil, cover with plastic wrap to keep moist, and seedlings emerge in 3-5days!
Pitfall-avoidance guide: after seedlings emerge, give them 4hours of sun daily to avoid leggy, spindly seedlings.
Step 3: Planting timing
Northern regions: mid-to-late Aprilto early May, with plastic mulch+small hoop tunnel; once soil temperature is steady above15℃, transplant;7months to raise seedlings, 8months to plant out, and finish harvesting before frost!
Southern regions: late Februaryto March, cover with shade netting to guard against a late cold snap;9-10months, choose heat-tolerant varieties to avoid heat damage to seedlings!
Step 4: Pruning and training
Keep only the main stem and cut off all side shoots once they reach5cm; the side shoots can be rooted as cuttings and replanted; let the main stem carry4-5trusses of fruit, then leave 2-3leaves above the topmost truss and pinch out the growing tip to stop the plant from running wild!
Step 5: Water and fertilizer management
Seedling stage: keep the soil slightly moist; too much water causes leggy growth! Water once a week with dilute rotted cake fertilizer water to promote root development.
Flowering stage: spray the leaves with 0.2%borax solution to improve fruit set; after the first truss flowers appear, hold back water to toughen the seedlings and prevent flower drop!
Fruiting stage: apply a high-potassium water-soluble fertilizer once a week; bury 1handful of bone meal at each truss's swelling stage, and the fruit will be big and mealy!
Watering: water in the morning and evening on sunny days, and not on cloudy days; the fruiting stage needs plenty of water, so water thoroughly as soon as the soil surface turns pale!
Step 6: Preventing and controlling pests and diseases
1.Hang yellow sticky boards to trap and kill aphids and whiteflies; use insect-proof netting to keep out fruit flies and cabbage caterpillars!
2.Spray leaves with baking soda at 1:500to prevent powdery mildew; if you spot red spider mites, spray with neem oil diluted 10times, natural and harmless.
First-aid plan:
Curling, yellowing leaves: magnesium deficiency! Spray with 0.5%
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