Tomatoes

Category: Vegetables post

Author: Garden

South America is considered to be the homeland of the tomato. With the discovery of America tomatoes quickly spread to Europe, where they were soon named “love apples”. Such a name was given to the tomato in regards to its external smoothness, beautiful shape and color. From Spain and Portugal tomatoes quickly spread to Italy and France and other European countries such as Russia. However, for a long time tomatoes were grown only as ornamental plants. In Germany tomatoes were considered indoor plants and were grown in pots. In France they decorated arbors, and England and Russia were growing tomatoes in greenhouses among other rare plants.
In 17th century many thought that the tomato fruit was inedible and claimed that it cause nausea and vomiting. In 1811 Germany a botanical dictionary was published which stated that although tomatoes were considered poisonous, Portugal and Bohemia appreciated tomatoes in terms of their pleasant sour taste.

Now, tomatoes are grown and consumed by almost everyone. More than two thousand varieties of tomato culture are created nowadays. In England, France, the Netherlands and some other Western European countries tomatoes are grown only in greenhouses while in Lithuania they are grown both outdoors and in greenhouses.

Tomato bears an undeniable importance to human nutrition. The chemical composition of the tomato fruit varies accordingly to its variety and growing conditions. Tomatoes contain 5-9% of dry matter, which makes 3-7% sugar, and 1% malic and citric acid; protein, vitamins Bi, B2, B3, PP, pro-vitamin A, iron, sulphur, iodine and other agents, which increase the body’s resistance to many diseases. The annual rate of tomatoes per person should not be less than 20-25 kg. It was previously believed that the tomato is a source of oxalic acid, which consumed by large quantities affects the metabolism negatively. Therefore, people who have become of age have been advised to avoid tomatoes in their daily diet. Now it is known that amount of the oxalic acid in tomatoes is even lesser than the amount of it in potatoes or beetroots. Tomatoes are now recommended for the people of different age. Tomatoes can be used for food in different ways: fresh, cooked, fried, marinated. It is an important ingredient in making various vinaigrettes, condiments. Juice and paste which were made from the tomato retain all fresh fruit characteristics.

Tomatoes are high in vitamins and potassium salts, thus it is recommended for those with bad metabolism or suffering from heart and vascular diseases. It has been discovered that tomatoes contain phytoncidic properties too. Crushed tomato fruit or its juice can kill some germs which cause the fester of wounds. It has been discovered that fresh tomato paste is more nutritious than the juice.
Tomatoes are very susceptible to growing conditions. Optimal temperature should be 18-30 ° C. Once the temperature falls below 15° C, tomatoes stop blossoming. And once the temperature falls below 9 ° C – they stop growing. The temperature rise above 30-32 ° C results in thinning of the tomato leaves and forks. Blossoms start to fall out. At -0.5 ° C, plants may die. Young and poorly rooted tomatoes are more sensitive to low temperatures. Tomatoes which were gradually bred at lower temperature are more resistant to chilly weather.

Tomatoes are very demanding to light so you shouldn’t plant them among trees. Young sprouts of tomato require especially good lighting. The soil must be fluffy and fertile. In light sandy loams tomatoes will only fit well once they are fertilized with rich organic manure and mineral fertilizers.
When growing tomatoes outdoors you can be assured with a wealthy crop if you spray plants with 1% of Bordeaux liquid 2-3 times a day. When spraying for the first time you should wait until 2 weeks after the sub-planting of seedlings have passed, and then repeat spraying every 10-14 days. Tomatoes mustn’t be sprayed 8 days before the fruit picking.
Growing tomatoes in greenhouses. Tomatoes should be sown once the soil’s temperature at a depth of 10 cm is higher than 15 ° C. Density depends on the variety and growth time. For early harvest you should plant in higher density and limit the number of inflorescences on a plant. On average, 3-5 tomato sprouts are planted into one square meter. Tall varieties of tomato are planted rarely meanwhile reduced growth (lower) varieties- more frequently. Plant in rows. For tall plants you must leave 0.8 m of space between rows and 0.3-0.4 m between plants, meanwhile for the lower species 0.6-0.7 m of space must be left between rows and 0.3 m between plants. Lower varieties of tomato start to yield a good harvest earlier.

Firstly, let’s make wells in the soil and pour some water in them. Once the water is absorbed you should start planting. Tomato seedlings can be planted slightly deeper than they used to be grown before (it is important not to bury the leaves with soil). Overgrown tomato seedlings should be planted horizontally. Within 4-5 days after planting tomatoes, attach a string to wires that are attached to the top of the greenhouse. After, tomatoes must be rotated around the string at least twice a week. Once the plants are tied up, you should mellow their soil frequently but not deeper than 2-3 cm.

Side shoots should be trimmed off when they are no longer than 4-5 cm. If you start trimming too late, the yield will be not only poorer, but also delayed.
Tall varieties form a single mast. In order for plants to grow and mature faster you should nip off the top above sixth or seventh bunch, leaving 2-3 leaves above the last raceme. To get a greater yield from limited growth tomato varieties, we can shape them either with two peaks or a single-pole. But you should prolong the height of the plant for the upper-leaf lateral sprout to be able to grow freely.

Tomatoes should be watered rarely but abundantly especially on the first half of the day. The temperature of water must not be colder than 20 ° C. Avoid pouring water over leaves. After watering is done, ventilate the greenhouse. Tomatoes are not afraid of draughts, so ventilate intensely. Intense ventilation creates better conditions for tomato flowers to pollinate. Tomatoes are self-pollinating plants and do not require the help of insects. However, if you slightly shake the wires tomatoes are attached to twice a week, you will increase the chance of plants getting impregnated. The best hours to do this procedure are from 11a.m. to 2p.m.

Once the first bunch of fruit starts to ripen, pick off the leaves that touch the ground. In order for tomatoes to be growing normally one plant should have 15-20 leaves on it. Profusely leafy tomato varieties should be stripped off of the lower leaves because it creates better ventilation for the plant. Nevertheless, you shouldn’t pick off more than 2-3 leaves per week. In low-leafed varieties of plants only yellow and diseased leaves should be picked off.

If necessary, put some extra fertilizer. The soil should be watered before fertilization. Different phases of tomato development require different fertilizers. From the beginning of the growth until the establishment of fruit on the first ring beam, tomatoes require less nitrogen fertilizer and more phosphorus fertilizers. Once the fruit starts to grow it needs more nitrogen, and once it starts to ripen – more potassium fertilizers. When putting extra amounts of fertilizer, you must take into account the current climate conditions (weather and soil temperature, lighting, etc.). It has been established that once the soil temperature rises from 12 to 18 ° C, tomatoes tend to absorb phosphorus 8 times better. On misty days when lacking light, tomatoes require fertilization with more potassium. The increased amount of potassium fertilizer during the ripening period results in better growth and improvement in taste.
When adding extra fertilizer, its concentration can be up to 0.5% (50 grams to 10 1 water). Except for nitrogen fertilizer which must not exceed 0.2% (20 g in 10 1) in concentration.
If the root system of a plant is weak, you will achieve better results with fertilizing through leaves. In this case, the concentration of the solution for spraying young plants must be 0.15-0.2% (15-20 g per 10 1). For spraying grown-ups use the solution of 0.25 – 0.30% (25-30 g per 10 1) concentration. Tomatoes should be sprayed with the fertilizer solution on a gloomy day, preferably on the first half of the day so that leaves manage to dry off before the evening. Fruit should not stay on the plant for a long time. Instead, it should be picked off as soon as it begins to ripen and left to finish ripening indoors. Fruit must be picked off 2-3 times a week.
Diseased fruit should be collected and carried away from the greenhouse.