Growing tomatoes in a foil tunnelis one of the most popular protected crops in our country. Growing tomatoes in a tunnel has many advantages as the tunnel provides the tomatoes with the heat they need to grow, protects them from winds and rain, and also acts as a barrier to pests. See whatgrowing tomatoes in a foil tunnel looks like , how toplanting tomatoes in a tunnel , and what are the besttomato varieties for growing in a foil tunnel
Growing tomatoes in a foil tunnel - planting seedlings
Varieties of tunnel tomatoes
When selecting atomato variety to be grown in a polytunnel , consider the size of the tomato bush achieved. In other words - choose a variety of tunnel tomato that will fit into the tunnel we have. For the cultivation of tomatoes, it is worth having a garden tunnel with a height of at least 1.8 m. Thanks to this, the plants will be able to grow freely, and we will be able to move comfortably in it. It is also worth paying attention to whether a givenvariety of tunnel tomatois resistant to tomato diseases, as well as to its agrotechnical requirements.
Here are the recommendedvarieties of tunnel tomatoes :
High-growing varieties:
Boderine- early variety (fruits ripen in late July, early August), easy to grow. The fruit has a dark red skin and is long-lasting. The variety prefers humus and well-aerated soil.
Brooklyn- tomato variety ideal for tunnel cultivation, early. The seedlings are planted from the beginning of March. It yields very abundantly, the fruit is slightly crimped and lasts a long time.
Tsarine- an early variety, intended for cultivation in tunnels, plant the seedlings permanently at the end of June at the latest, the variety gives a very good yield.
Ending variants:
Ivet- popular variety, slightly flattened, dark red fruit. 3 plants should be planted per square meter
Minaret- a variety that produces durable fruit, well colored, easy to grow. Early variety, gives abundant yield.
Good to know!Finish varieties are those that do not require pinching out the apical shoots, grow to a given height and finish growth. They have a limited growth force. They do not need to be additionally supported with stakes. As a result, they require much less work, but usually the yield is not as abundant as in the case of high-growing tomatoes.
"Apart from the above-mentionedvarieties of tunnel tomatoes , it is also worth paying attention to the so-calledcherry tomatoes , which are especially popular in amateur cultivation on allotments and home gardens.They form small fruits, but very numerous and usually tasty, perfect for salads and food decorations. They are considered easy to grow vegetables - less demanding than large-fruited tomatoes and less susceptible to diseases. Many times on our forum there were entries like:
I lost almost all the tomatoes, only the cocktail ones were left
This confirms that in their case we have a better chance of success and people who are just new to growing tomatoes can start with growing cherry tomatoes. "Sowing seeds and production of tomato seedlings for tunnels
Growing tomatoes in a tunnelis best when we have a strong and he althy seedling, which we ourselves have grown from the seeds. That is why it is so important to properly carry out all stages of productiontunnel tomato seedlingsPreparation time of seedlings takes approx. 6-8 weeks. The best medium for growing seedlings is peat with a pH of 6.0-6.3.
Sowing seeds
Tomato seeds are sown in boxes in rows along the long edge. This should be done in early March (sowing about 2 weeks earlier than for tomatoes intended for cultivation in the ground). The seedbed must be decontaminated, and it is best to use a special soil for sowing vegetables. After sowing the seeds, cover them with about 0.5 cm with a layer of earth or sand. Then we have to provide the sown seeds with a temperature of approx. 25-26 ° C, which is optimal for seed germination. Therefore, sowing seeds is carried out in heated greenhouses or at home on window sills, where the seedlings will get plenty of sun and warmth.
Seed germination
Once the seeds have germinated and form cotyledons, the temperature should be reduced to 20 ° C during the day and around 16 ° C at night. Remember that the emerging seedlings should have plenty of sun and constantly moist soil.
Quilting for boxes
Approximately 2 weeks after sowing, single true leaves should appear on the germinated plants next to the cotyledons.This means that we can pierce the seedlings into larger boxes. Youngtunnel tomatoestransplant to such a depth that the distance between the ground and the cotyledons is about 1 cm. The distance should be 5x5 cm. When the quilted seedling has 3 proper leaves (after about 2 consecutive weeks), it can be transplanted into pots with a diameter of 8-10 cm.
Features of a properly developed tunnel tomato :
1. A well-developed root system that has outgrown the pot,
2. The height of the seedling 18-30 cm,
3. Formed 6-8 true leaves.
Plants with the above parameters are ready to be planted in the tunnel.Tomatoes are planted in the tunnelare planted slightly earlier than into the ground, because we do not have to wait until the risk of frost is over. In practice, seedlings usually migrate to tunnels at the beginning of May.
Planting tomatoes in a polytunnel
If we wantcultivation of tunnel tomatoto be successful, we have to pay special attention to the stage of planting tomatoes in the tunnel.The substrate should be properly prepared. First, make sure the substrate is well weeded and free from pathogens. We should remember here that due to the transmission of diseases, tomatoes should not be grown on the same site more often than every 3-4 years. Therefore, every year let us place the tunnel on a different plot.
Then we feed the substrate with well-distributed manure or compost in the amount of 3-4 kg / m². Then the soil should be deeply loosened and mixed with fertilizer. Whenplanting tomatoes in the tunnel , keep a spacing of approx. 50 x 50 cm, for example for low-growing varieties it may be, for example, 40-50 cm, and for the tallest ones, 60-70 cm.
Tomato care in a foil tunnel
After planting,cultivate tomatoes in the tunnelThe tomato is a demanding plant in this respect. It should be provided with a constant, high temperature of 22-27 ° C during the day and 17-21 ° C at night. The tomato also needs constant sunlight.
Duringcare of tomatoes in the tunnelair humidity should be kept at the level of approx. 60%. The substrate should be constantly moist, but not too much. It is better to water a tomato once properly than a few times but with less water. It is important to water directly on the soil and not to wet the leaves, which minimizes the risk of fungal diseases. As the next bunches grow, it is also worth peeling the leaves of tomatoes growing just above the ground and in direct contact with the ground. Such low-lying leaves are often attacked by diseases.
Growing tomatoes in a foil tunnel. Photo Home & Garden
Let's not forget to remove the side shoots growing out of the leaf axils, i.e. make the so-called pinchings. This treatment allows for more effective plant management in terms of yield.
As there are fewer insects in the tunnel than outside, and there is no wind or rainfall, it is worth pollinating tomatoes.We can do this, for example, by manually shaking the clusters of flowers so that the pollen falls from them. As a result, more fruit will develop. The treatment is best carried out when the pollen from the flowers begins to sprinkle spontaneously.In the second half of August, topping is also carried out, i.e. removing the top of the main shoot, leaving two to three leaves above the last developed inflorescence. Thanks to this, the plant will no longer waste energy on creating more flowers, the fruit of which would not have matured anyway.
Tomatoes are harvested in thetunnel successively, as the fruit matures. The last tomatoes harvested in autumn, which are still green, can be used for preserves or transferred to a warm room where they will still mature (for this purpose, many people spread them, for example, on a cloth on the window sill).
Katarzyna Matuszak
