Like strawberries, tomatoes are one of the favorites when it comes to growing fruits and vegetables in your own garden. And although tomatoes are quite easy plants to care for because they are not that sensitive, there are still some things you should pay attention to or avoid if you want to care for your tomatoes properly. We have put together a few tips for you in this regard so that you are guaranteed success with your plant care and harvest. Avoid these mistakes:
Incorrectly grown tomato plants
Have you noticed that your tomato plants don't seem to be quite as vigorous as you expected? This may well be because you did not prefer them appropriately. If you want to care for tomatoes properly, it starts then. Since these plants like it warm, theCultivation is of course carried out indoors. It is often recommended to sow seeds in February or March, but this increases the risk of weak plants developing. Why?
At this time of year the daylight is not as strong - the sun shines less, clouds reduce the amount of light and the days are even shorter. This can cause the young plants to rot. This means nothing other than that the main shoots develop poorly because they lack light. If you instead firstBeginning of AprilIf you start by preferring the tomatoes, that is completely sufficient and this risk no longer exists. Then the plants still have enough time to grow big enough after the Ice Saints and be planted in the garden.
Notice: If you can offer the plant optimal lighting conditions (e.g. in a greenhouse or with grow lights), you can of course sow it earlier.
Don't underestimate the quality of the seeds!
Of course, preferring the plants is one thing. But you shouldn't just pick random seeds for this. If you want not only a satisfactory but rich harvest with large and juicy fruits, seed quality also plays an important role. Also, sow about twice the amount you planned for your garden. On the one hand, because not all seeds will germinate, and on the other hand, because some seedlings could die. At the laterSeparating the plantsYou can then decide which ones to keep and continue to cultivate and which ones to throw away.
You should cut the tomato properly
Don't forget that if you want to properly care for the tomatoes and guarantee a bountiful harvest with large fruits, you should max out your tomato plants. Find out how to do this correctlyin this article. But that's not all. Other cuts are also necessary to promote growth and fruit production and to avoid diseases. So how should you properly care for tomato plants in this regard?
- Remove leaves that touch the ground. Otherwise they remain in contact with the moisture after watering, which causes them to rot and thus provides ideal conditions for fungal diseases.
- Ensure there is sufficient ventilation between individual shoots, side shoots and plants in general. You can achieve this by removing the stingy shoots. But you can also remove other side shoots or leaves if they interfere with each other.
- However, this thinning out described must not be done too radically. Only remove what is absolutely necessary, because all parts of the plant are very important for photosynthesis, without which the plant and its fruits cannot develop.
Caring for tomatoes properly – why the location is so important
Each plant has its own requirements for the location, including lighting conditions and soil conditions. So does the tomato, of course.Sunny places are paradisefor her, although she then also benefits from a certain amount of sun protection (e.g. a net that is stretched over the tomato bed). But if you can't provide it with a completely sunny location, then at least make sure the plant gets 6 to 7 hours of direct sunlight every day. This is the only way it can produce a lot of fruit, while too much shade largely promotes the growth of the foliage.
If you would like to provide the plants with warmth at night, you can find a place for them on a wall or wall. These heat up during the day and release the collected heat again at night. They are also better protected from wind.
Also very useful:Save rotten tomatoes with just one simple trick!
Avoid wet plants
In any case, tomato plants should only be watered from below and the plant itself should remain dry (apart from the main shoot, which sticks out of the ground, of course). What is meant are the leaves that should not get wet, as this can cause them to burn not only due to the strong sunlight in summer. If they don't dry out quickly, they can quickly developDevelop fungal diseaseand make plant care difficult for you.
Caring for tomatoes properly – lack of support
Stake tomatoes in particular grow very tall, which sooner or later leads to them simply tipping over or even breaking off. Of course you want to avoid that! But don't wait too long to provide a support aid, because the larger and more lush the plant is, the more difficult it will be to attach it to the climbing aid without damaging parts of it. You can insert a stake into the ground near the plant after planting. The roots are not yet strongly developed and they will not hurt them in the process. Then tie the tomato plants at regular intervalsat the supportfirmly - whenever you notice it starting to lean to the side. Do not pull the cord too tight because the shoots will continue to grow and need space.
You can find other typical mistakes that you should avoidin this article.
