Anyone who doesn’t know how to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse should learn from experienced gardeners and study information on this topic. Then there will be fewer problems with plants, and the harvest will grow many times better. Lack of control over the growth of green mass directly affects the ripening of fruits. If the bush is dense, then the fruits of the required size will not grow and fewer will be formed. The main reason for this is the improper formation of tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Favorable conditions of the greenhouse environment contribute to the formation of a large number of lateral shoots in the leaf axils. To prevent this phenomenon and ensure that all parts of the plant receive nutrients in optimal quantities, it is necessary to find time to control the growth of an adult tomato. .
In order not to worry about the formation of bushes, some people solve this problem; you can opt for determinate varieties that do not require constant removal of stepsons. However, the harvest obtained from such bushes is worse. The low productivity of determinate varieties does not justify their cultivation in greenhouses.
The formation of a tomato bush in a greenhouse depends on the variety. Different varieties require a unique scheme for removing stepchildren:
The formation of undersized tomatoes that grow up to a certain time is carried out taking into account the following features:
The scheme for the formation of bushes at the initial stage involves cutting off all the shoots growing in the axillary part of the leaf. If you plan to grow single-stem tomatoes in a greenhouse, you can plant them more compactly, leaving a distance of about 30 cm between the bushes.
If a tomato is grown with 2-3 stems, then the distance is increased by 1.5-2 times.
The formation of constantly growing plants must be done with your own hands. The best option would be to create single-stem bushes. It is this configuration option that contributes to optimal nutrition of all fruits and providing them with a sufficient volume of water.
Rules for the formation of indeterminate bushes:
You can form tomatoes in a greenhouse using the pinching method. In order for the plant to return to normal faster after this procedure, it is necessary to properly tear off the leaves and shoots:
It is optimal to have about 6 fruit clusters and about 30 leaves on the plant. In this case, they will have enough nutrients for normal growth and development.
The purpose of this action is one - to create optimal conditions for increasing the mass of fruits and their rapid ripening. If you do not take this rule into account, then you may not expect a good harvest. Any vegetable crop requires at least minimal care so that the result at the end of the season is not disappointing.
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After planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, you should decide on the question of how to form the tomato bushes.
Each stepson formed on the plant turns into a new stem. When it grows enough, new stepsons begin to form from the axils of its leaves. Thus, if you do not pay attention to the bush, it will become overgrown with many stems on all sides, become excessively thick and produce minimal yield. This is not surprising, because the plant spends most of its energy not on the formation of fruits, but on maintaining the vital activity of numerous stems.
To prevent this from happening, the bushes are pruned regularly once a week. It is best to cut off the stepsons when their length reaches 5-7 cm.
There are basic schemes that most gardeners adhere to. The choice of each of them depends on the specific variety and size of the greenhouse. Typically, determinate tomatoes are formed into 2 and 3 stems, and indeterminate tomatoes - into 1 stem.
In order for a tomato bush to develop into one stem, all stepsons should be removed in a timely manner. The so-called doubles are not given the opportunity to develop. This is when one central stem begins to bifurcate into two.
The stepsons are not removed at the root, but leaving a small 3 cm stump. This is necessary so that a new process does not begin to form in this place.
All flower clusters, even those forming at the very bottom of the bush, are left behind with this approach.
With this approach, in addition to the main stem, the very first stepson, which is formed at the very first lower flower raceme (located under the first inflorescence), is given the opportunity to develop.
This shoot is stronger than the others, it will develop quickly and actively and produce the same abundant harvest as the main stem. All other stepsons are removed so that they do not distract the plant’s forces.
It is also important to monitor the formation of ovaries. After 6-8 inflorescences, the growth point (highlighted in the figure with a red cross) is pinched.
You can start forming bushes with 2 stems even easier. To do this, simply pinch the top of the seedling's main stem above the second true leaf. As a result of this manipulation, 2 shoots will begin to develop from the axils of leaves 1 and 2, which will subsequently become two main stems. The plant tolerates this method much easier.
In greenhouses, where the growing season of tomatoes is at least 3 months, the bushes are formed into 1 stem, but a reserve stepchild is left. There are 2 approaches here:
Option 1. The reserve shoot is left in the leaf axil under the upper inflorescence. The main stem (primarily in determinate varieties) has limited growth. When it stops, the backup stepson will take over its function and continue the further growth of the bush.
If the main stem continues to grow, it should be pinched. Only this should not be done immediately, but only after 1 more flower cluster has formed on it. Those. the stepson of continued growth must eventually originate under the second inflorescence from the top!
The reserve stepson will turn into the main stem. After 4-5 inflorescences form on it, it will need to be pinched.
If you miss the moment and leave the stepson in the axil of the last leaf, it will either not grow at all, or will begin to develop too late. Therefore, in order to get the maximum yield when forming into 1 stem, be sure to take care of planting a reserve stepson in determinate plants.
Option 2. It is also possible to extend the fruiting period of determinate varieties using the following approach.
A stepson is left under the first inflorescence (as in the case of the usual formation of 2 stems). But only 2 flower clusters are allowed to develop on it. Then it is pinched.
The rule here is that a lot of fruits in the lower part of the bush inhibits the growth of the main stem and the further formation of new inflorescences.
Otherwise, the method completely repeats “Option 1”.
As you can see, everything is very simple. Choose the most suitable method for forming a bush and share in the comments what you ended up with.
There are certain schemes for how to form tomatoes in a greenhouse. They will allow you to complete the process in a timely manner and without errors. The formation of a central stem is carried out only in tall varieties of tomatoes. The procedure allows you to get a good harvest and reduce the risk of infection.
Tomatoes are a heat-loving vegetable crop, but summer does not always bring favorable weather. Gardeners are increasingly beginning to grow vegetables in polycarbonate greenhouses. Under cover, plants are not afraid of temperature fluctuations, precipitation, wind and other unfavorable factors.
Almost all types of tomatoes require pinching, which means cutting off the side branches. The exception is standard species. It is a variety of the determinate group of tomatoes. Growing standard tomatoes is very easy and simple. They do not require the removal of side branches, the formation of a central trunk and tying to a support.
Standard-type tomato bushes have a strong, powerful stem that stretches up to 60 cm. 4 fruiting clusters are formed on the stem.
Tall varieties of tomatoes without the formation of a main stem begin to branch in different directions, forming many flowers that do not have time to grow into fruits. Therefore, the formation of tomatoes in a greenhouse is considered a mandatory procedure. Cutting off unnecessary, weak inflorescences will lead to the fact that all efforts will be directed to the development of a full-fledged harvest.
Stepping is carried out for three main reasons:
To carry out the procedure correctly, you need to clearly distinguish an ordinary leaf from a stepson. Stepchildren grow between the main stem and leaves. First, the leaf itself appears, and above, after some time, a stepson begins to form. It turns out that they grow from one point. Tear off the top sprout without touching the bottom one.
How to form a bush is up to everyone to decide for themselves. For tomatoes in open ground, it is permissible to have two stems, but in a polycarbonate greenhouse they can be grown with one stem. This is suitable for tall types of tomatoes. Determinate varieties of tomatoes in a greenhouse usually have two main stems, while tomatoes in open ground can have three stems.
If the stem is formed correctly, it will slow down the growth of the vegetable crop and increase the amount of harvest. Growing and shaping tomato bushes in a greenhouse consists of pinching, pinching and other manipulations.
As soon as the first extra shoot is formed under the central brush with inflorescences, you need not to miss the moment and pick it in time. A shoot longer than 5 cm will be more difficult to pluck and the stem may be damaged. Therefore, tomatoes need to be inspected regularly.
The formation of tomatoes in a greenhouse is carried out according to a special scheme, during which you need to follow some recommendations. Important tips on how to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse.
When forming a tomato into one stem, one central trunk is left, the side branches are cut off. As a result, it is not the number of fruits that increases, but their weight.
How to form tomatoes into two stems? If you decide to form a plant into 2 stems, then leave the central trunk with inflorescences and the stem located closest. When forming into three stems, the trunk is correspondingly left below the second. When forming tomatoes into two stems, the branches that will form on the stems must be removed.
How to properly form tomatoes also depends on the type of tomato seeds chosen. All tomato varieties are divided into three different groups. They can be planted both in protected and unprotected soil. When describing the formation methods, the seed variety is taken into account.
A determinate tomato variety reaches a certain height and stops growing (they can grow up to 150 cm). But sometimes this can be a negative point. Early topping results in fewer crops. Often the bushes are medium-sized.
It is advisable to leave one stem in semi-determinate tomato varieties. How to form tomatoes in open ground into 1 trunk? The traditional scheme involves removing excess branches and leaving one stem for fruiting. To ensure that the fruits ripen faster, the tops are pinched at the end of the growing season.
Formation of tomatoes in a greenhouse according to a scheme that involves maintaining several shoots on the stem at once. As soon as shoots form on the side branches, their growth point needs to be pinched. Tomato bushes retain a central fruiting stem and lateral racemes.
The formation of a tomato bush in a greenhouse can take place in stages (the method is suitable for semi-determinate varieties of tomatoes in a heifer). With this method, pinching is carried out periodically, leaving one additional shoot in the middle of the central stem. As soon as the fruits set on it, the growing point of the main stem is pinched.
Growing determinate tomatoes is not difficult. After the formation of several brushes with inflorescences, growth stops. Determinate tomatoes can also be formed with the formation of two or three main trunks. It's easy to form double-stemmed tomatoes. The stepson, which is located under the main brush, is not torn off, but left for the second stem. For the third trunk, a shoot is left, which is located under the second main trunk.
The formation of determinate tomatoes in a greenhouse must be carried out according to all the rules, leaving an additional branch on top. It can save the plant in unfavorable situations and act as the main stem.
It is advisable to form indeterminate tomatoes into one stem. If there is a lot of space in the greenhouse, tomatoes can be formed into two stems. The second main branch is formed from a side branch that grows under the first brush with inflorescences. They tear off the shoots, leaving 4 clusters.
After the first stepsoning has been carried out, you need to carry out the procedure of tying it to the support. A peg is driven in near each tomato bush or tied to a trellis. Without this procedure, the long stem will break under the weight of fruits and greenery.
Indeterminate varieties of tomatoes cannot do without pinching the top. This will make the plant compact, without the formation of new ovaries. Pinching is usually done twice.
When the required number of clusters with flowers has grown on each stem left during formation, it is necessary to cut off the top of the central stem. The upward growth of the plant stops, and all nutritional components are sent to the fruits.
Many experienced gardeners believe that all leaves should be removed, leaving the trunk bare. This will reduce the risk of infection with fungal and viral diseases. All nutrients will be sent directly to the tomatoes. Sunlight and air will circulate freely. Gardeners with this method leave only a few sheets on top.
Proponents of another version believe that removing all leaves disrupts the movement of nutrients and photosynthesis. They remove only the lower leaves, as well as yellowed and diseased leaves.
All the procedures described above have a positive effect on the development of vegetable crops; gardeners often advise not to forget about them: “I always form any types of tomatoes into two or three stems. This allows you to harvest more. The fruits have a dense skin that does not crack. The pulp is juicy, sweet, not watery.”
Growing tomatoes is a painstaking process.
Home » Cucumbers » How to form a tomato bush in a greenhouse
Most varieties of tomatoes and eggplants require bush formation to obtain a good harvest. From the axils of the leaves located on the main stem, numerous shoots - stepsons - strive to grow. If they are not removed, the plants will turn into multi-stemmed bushes, and the fruits that have set will not have time to ripen and will fall off.
To ensure that growing tomatoes in protected soil does not give negative results, you need to follow several rules. These recommendations are aimed at how to properly form a tomato bush in a greenhouse.
All actions should be aimed at forming 5-6 clusters of fruits on the plant. This is done using pinching. Because forming a tomato bush means removing the shoots. Rules for planting tomato bushes:
Several methods are used to carry out activities aimed at the formation of a tomato bush.
In this technique, it is necessary to remove all the stepsons from the main stem so as to leave 5-6 clusters with fruits on it. You need to leave a few leaves behind the tassels with future fruits. This is necessary for proper circulation of juice in the stems of the plant.
This method indicates that you need to leave a stepson that will grow under the first raceme with flowers.
All other stepsons are removed so that 4 fruit clusters remain on the stem. The stepson is formed so that 3 clusters with fruits are formed on it.
By analogy with the second method, you need to leave two stepsons, which will each have 2 clusters with fruits. The main stem will receive a load of 3 fruit clusters. An ideal tomato bush consists of 5-6 clusters of fruit and about three dozen leaves.
Such a plant will allow all nutrients to be directed to the growth and ripening of tomatoes. To reduce the number of leaves on the plant, you need to gradually remove them. It's better to have a few sheets a week.
Otherwise, the tomatoes will become stressed and grow slower. How to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse.
In order to get high yields and grow large tomatoes in a greenhouse, you need to correctly form the stem of the tomato bush. Tomato bushes need to be formed into only 1 stem - the main stem goes up, and it is also tied up. The leaves of the plant are also on the main stem, and then flower tassels will grow on it, which then turn into fruit tassels.
And there should not be a single stepson (additional stem). It’s especially scary when the stepsons come out of the ground, next to the main stem. These are wild stepchildren and need to be removed.
Therefore, after forming a tomato bush, you should have a stem, leaves and subsequently flower clusters on it. Nothing else.
Formation of a low-growing tomato bush: Low-growing tomato varieties do not require pinching or pruning. Tall tomatoes of indeterminate and hybrid varieties are prone to rapid growth. It is the low-growing tomato varieties that are recommended for growing in greenhouses for more efficient use of the area of protected soil.
Demanding and delicate eggplants require special conditions for full growth:
The plant is left with only one stem if it is weak or there is not enough space in the greenhouse. In this case, you need to leave one strong shoot, which must be tied to a wire or stick.
The ovaries that the plant produces need to be thinned out, and the tops of the shoots with fruits must be pinched. All newly appeared shoots and buds are immediately removed. A strong plant with sufficient space in the greenhouse is given the opportunity to grow into several branches, and this will be the correct formation of an eggplant bush. In order for a compact eggplant bush to grow with well-developed side shoots, it is necessary to remove the top of the main stem.
It is best to do this when the plant has grown to about 25-30 cm. Bushes with pinched tops begin to branch quickly. Of all the shoots that appear, it is most reasonable to leave only the 4-5 upper branches (stepchildren) and remove the rest.
A harvest will form on the shoots left behind. At the same time, 16-20 fruits are left on the eggplant plants. The plant does not need to be pinched, but excess shoots must be removed. Removed shoots can be placed in a compost heap at the dacha or used to mulch the soil in berry beds or under fruit and berry bushes; black currants will especially appreciate this. Formation of an eggplant pepper bush in Kuban.
Formed bushes give the best harvest If summer in Russia lasted not three, but five to six months, the topic of forming tomatoes in a greenhouse would not be relevant - during this time all the resulting fruits would have time to ripen.
But in our conditions we have to limit the number of ovaries in order to get a decent harvest. How to do it right?
The formation of a tomato bush in a greenhouse involves pinching (see Pinching tomatoes in a greenhouse, why is this necessary?) - removing excess shoots that form in the axils of each leaf. And also in timely pinching the top of the plant. This agrotechnical measure does not allow tomatoes to grow much, forming too many fruiting stems. This is necessary for several reasons:
If you allow all this to develop, all the plant’s energy will be spent on the formation of green mass and new ovaries, and not on the growth and ripening of fruits. Note.
Low-growing varieties of tomatoes do not require pinching or pruning with your own hands at all, while tall tomatoes of indeterminate and hybrid varieties are prone to rapid growth. But they are the ones recommended for growing in greenhouses for more efficient use of the area of protected soil.
An unformed bush - an abundance of greenery and small fruits From the above, it is clear that the formation of tomato bushes in a greenhouse helps to solve two important problems: to obtain the highest possible yield from a limited area and to prevent the development of diseases and contamination of the soil.
As a bonus to the work done, you will also receive ease of caring for plants. It is much easier to water and fertilize (see: Fertilizing tomatoes in a greenhouse: some practical tips), to collect ripe fruits when the garden bed is in order and not lush.
The costs of setting up a greenhouse must be recouped. If its price is several times higher than the cost of the harvested crop, then what is the point of growing anything at all? You can go to the market and buy fresh herbs and vegetables.
Therefore, it is advisable to thoroughly study and apply in practice the technology of growing cultivated plants. You need to know not only how to water and feed correctly, but also how to form tomatoes in a greenhouse. Not only the quantity and quality of the harvest, but also the timing of its ripening depends on this.
Vegetable growers have different opinions regarding the number of stems that form a tomato bush. But they all believe that there should be no more than three of them, and the total number of flower brushes on them should be no more than eight. If you are not familiar with the stepson process, the following instructions will help you:
Advice. It is best not to cut off the excess shoots, but to break them off. This should be done in the morning, when they break easily. Breaking out an axillary shoot
When forming into two stems, the stepson indicated by the arrow is not removed
Advice. If you want to get the first ripened tomatoes early, leave only one stem with two or three tassels on several bushes, and break off the top above the top tassel. All the plant’s forces will go towards the formation and maturation of the few remaining ovaries.
Tomato bushes in greenhouses must be tied to nearby stakes or trellises installed along the beds.
After the required number of flower clusters have formed on each remaining stem, the formation of the tomato in the greenhouse proceeds to the next stage - pinching the tops. This is done in order to stop the growth of plants in height and prevent the appearance of new ovaries.
They still won’t have time to grow and ripen, so there’s no point in wasting nutrients on them. This is what a fully formed bush should look like. In the middle zone, topping occurs in mid-late July.
The tops are removed like this: two or three leaves are left above each flower cluster, and the rest is mercilessly cut off.
There is no consensus among tomato growers about trimming leaves. Some believe that after the fruits are formed, all of them should be removed, leaving only two or three at the top, in order to provide better lighting and ventilation, and reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
Others are confident that this approach leads to disturbances in the process of nutrition and photosynthesis, and they cut off only the lower yellowed and withering leaves. In the tomatoes in this photo, all the leaves below the fruits were removed and the top ones were left. It’s up to you to decide what to do best.
Experiment by removing leaves from one bed and leaving them in another and see the results.
When growing such capricious plants as bell peppers (see Growing bell peppers in a greenhouse: methods and technologies), cucumbers or tomatoes, there are no trifles. It is very important to carry out all agrotechnical measures in a timely and correct manner, one of which is the removal of stepchildren. The video in our article will tell you in more detail and clearly about the formation of tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Shaping tomatoes is a very important thing. Of course, we often think that the more volume the bushes have, the better, but not everyone knows that excess vegetation greatly depletes the fruit, making it sluggish and lifeless.
How to form tomatoes correctly: forming a bush with 1 stem When using this method, on the main stem of the plant it is necessary to remove absolutely all the side shoots (stepchildren), which always form in the axil of each leaf, but you must leave only 5 - 6 tomato fruit clusters on the main shoot. But taking all this into account, you definitely need to pinch the top flower brush, leaving only a few leaves (2-3).
Method: forming a bush with 2 stems When using this technique, you need to leave a stepson (shoot) that grows under the first flower cluster. On the main stem, you definitely need to leave 4 fruit clusters. The upper flower brush, as with the method of forming a bush into one stem, must be pinched, leaving 2-3 leaves.
On the stepson itself you need to leave 3 fruit clusters and also be sure to pinch its top, leaving 2 - 3 leaves. How to form tomatoes correctly: forming a tomato bush with 3 stems When you use this method, you must leave 2–3 fruit clusters on the main stem, and leave 2 fruit clusters on the two secondary stepsons and pinch in this way.
So that there are 2 - 3 leaves above the upper clusters of fruits. Ideally, a well-formed tomato bush should have 5–6 fruit clusters and 30–35 leaves.
In bushes where pinching and pinching are done correctly, all the useful substances and minerals are used to fill and form the fruits, which is why their size increases and ripening occurs earlier. Tips for shaping tomatoes Indeterminate tomato varieties will produce fruit throughout the summer.
Carefully read the instructions that come with the seeds; usually the manufacturer indicates how many stems the tomato should grow into. Stepchildren do not appear immediately; they often begin their growth with the appearance of a flower cluster.
As soon as she appears, the biggest fat stepson immediately grows up. It will be very useful to leave one brush on the tomato stalk and then pinch it.
This will allow juice to constantly circulate in the tomato stems. You should also remove the leaves from below, but this should be done gradually, starting from the end of May, remove a few leaves every week, if you cut more, the plants may experience great stress, which will significantly slow down their growth . Now you know how to form tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Remember that all procedures are best carried out in warm, sunny weather. We hope that our simple and uncomplicated tips will help you correctly form a tomato bush. May only good harvests await you! Good luck with that.
Why form tomatoes in a greenhouse? If you decide to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse, you will need to adhere to a number of rules, otherwise the result may be negative. Indeterminate varieties of tomatoes are best suited for the greenhouse.
They grow quickly in height and bear fruit almost before the arrival of heavy frosts. The bushes must be planted at a distance of sixty centimeters. The tomato bush simply must be formed in such a way that it can form 5 - 6 fruit clusters. Experienced farmers often do this using 3 formation techniques - “one stem”, “2 stems” and “3 stems”. These techniques and their intricacies will be discussed in our article.
Pinching is the process of removing excess vegetation from a bush. Planting tomatoes is necessary so that the plant does not waste its plastic substances on excess vegetation.
After pinching, the plant distributes its beneficial substances between the fruits and leaves from which they feed. Types of formation and pinching of tomatoes. Stepchildren should be removed when their length does not exceed 3-4 cm, otherwise wounds and useful substances will remain on the plant stem they will already be spent on them. What to do if your stepsons have already outgrown 4 cm? Is it possible to leave them?
Of course you can. The bushes will grow rapidly, branches will stretch out from each axil, and additional stems will also appear on them.
But in this case, remember that the harvest will completely depend on external conditions and on the variety, and what to expect in the fall is unknown. It is worth remembering that not only indeterminate varieties (with unlimited growth) are highly branched, for example, the Shaman F1 variety. Determinate varieties with 5-7 inflorescences also produce a lot of extra inflorescences, for example, varieties La-la-fa F1 or Blagovest F1. The growth of green mass noticeably decreases during the appearance of the first fruits.
But these fruits take so long to fill that during this time more than a dozen new ones are formed on the tomato; as a result, all these tomatoes share nutrients among themselves, of which there is not much anyway (after all, everything went to “feed” the greens). In terms of quantity, the harvest is quite large, 15-20 fruits from one bush, but in terms of quality they are small, and they take a very long time to ripen.
Practice shows that the most “last” day for stepsoning is August 1st. Experienced gardeners and vegetable gardeners advise leaving on the bush only those fruits that formed before August 1st.
It is believed that inflorescences and shoots formed later only waste in vain and take away useful substances from fruits, which could fill up and increase in size much faster. In order not to give away nutrients in vain, it should be done on the indicated day (+/- 1 day) Scheme trimmings of overgrown tomato seedlings. Carry out pinching. This procedure is carried out only once; absolutely all stepsons should be removed from each plant (bush), leaving 2-3 leaves above the already set fruits; do not forget to pinch the growing points on productive shoots.
Of course, it’s a pity to pick off inflorescences that have just appeared, but still do it to preserve large shoots. There is another way to deal with excess vegetation. You need to get rid of it regularly, once every 10 days.
Use the following rule: if the formation is in 3 stems, we save the main shoot and 2 lower stepsons; in 2 stems, we save the main shoot and the lower stepson under the first inflorescence; in 1 stem, we save only the main shoot. How to determine how many stems to leave? This number will tell you the selected plant variety.
To obtain the earliest varieties, you should choose low-growing varieties, such as Leopold F1, Biathlon F1, and leave 1 or 2 stems on them. In this case, the tomatoes will ripen on the first 3-5 inflorescences. Remember that each stem bears 3 inflorescences.
Therefore, if you leave a bush with three stems, the harvest will ripen much later than on the neighboring bush with one stem.
To get an early harvest, choose determinate varieties. Plant tomatoes in greenhouses, leaving one stem and 2-3 inflorescences. When the excess shoots are cut off, do not forget to pinch the growing point.
Otherwise, the ripening of tomatoes will take quite a long time. You can leave 2 stems and 5-7 inflorescences on them, the tomatoes will reach the bush. Forming inflorescences from 3 stems is impossible. Scheme for pinching determinate tomatoes If you leave 1-2 stems and 2-4 inflorescences, the tomatoes will grow in early July, that is, 13-16 days earlier than usual (without pinching).
Of course, the number of fruits per bush will be smaller, but they will be large and ripen quickly. To increase the yield, you can plant the plants a little closer: after 25-30 cm, and not after 35 cm. By the way, if you live in central Russia, then you can get a good harvest without pinching.
Then you should choose the varieties Boni, Betta, Gavroche, MM, Yamal, Raketa, Alaska, Red Banana, Watermelon. The formation of fruits and their quantity directly depends on the weather. The warmer the summer, the more abundant the tomato harvest.
You need to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse in order to extend the fruiting period and obtain higher yields per unit area. If you want to get a harvest in a short time, then use determinate varieties (see above). And if your region allows you to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse for 4-5 months, then semi-determinate and indeterminate are suitable. A good semi-determinate tomato variety is Magnus F1; it limits growth after the formation of 8-10 inflorescences on the main stem. For such varieties, it is recommended to leave 1 stem and a continuation shoot under the first inflorescence.
As soon as 2-3 inflorescences and several leaves appear on this shoot, it should be pinched to stop the growth of the bush. If semi-determinate and indeterminate varieties are grown for 4-5 months without stepsons, they will simply stop growing. That is why you should form a reserve shoot, which is located under 2-3 inflorescences from the top of the bush.
Otherwise the continuation shoot will not grow. Then we observe the continuation shoot: if it grows, then we remove the reserve shoot, and leave a new one closer to the top of the stem. It is recommended to plant tomatoes; tomatoes in a greenhouse are much more often than in open ground, once every five to seven days. If the formation of tomatoes has occurred on medium and high branches, there is no need to leave a reserve shoot. After all, the appearance of inflorescences on a reserve shoot no longer stops the growth of plants. “Low-growing” tomatoes in a greenhouse are also good in their own way; they can produce more tomatoes and ripen in a short time. The main rule of greenhouse cultivation is the following: the less time the tomatoes are in the greenhouse, the fewer inflorescences they will have on the main stem, therefore, plants You can plant thicker than usual.
To get a good harvest of nightshades, you need to know how to form tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Practical tips and videos will help you understand this issue. From year to year, summer residents are convinced that watering and fertilizing are not enough to obtain a decent harvest. In central Russia and the northern regions, summer is not as long as we would like, so it is better to limit the number of ovaries that form than to be content with small fruits and a minimum number of them.
Stepping is carried out for several reasons:
The formation of a tomato bush in a greenhouse is also called pinching.
The process involves the elimination of shoots located in the leaf axils. In mid-summer, additional pinching of the top of the crop is carried out. Most summer residents argue that the total number of stems should be no more than 3, and inflorescences should not exceed 8 pieces.
Removal of stepchildren is carried out according to a certain scheme:
One of the important conditions for the growth of tomatoes is tying the bushes to special supports. Without them, even a low-growing plant is unlikely to grow strong.
Pinching the tops is done to prevent the formation of new ovaries. This work is carried out when the required number of flowering clusters are formed on the stem. Pinching is carried out as follows: 2-3 leaves are left above each inflorescence, the rest are removed.
The formation of tomatoes in a greenhouse is not complete without tearing off the leaves. Not all summer residents welcome this process. Some believe that this may affect the process of photosynthesis, the crop will grow slower and worse. Others claim that cutting off excess foliage promotes better aeration and ventilation of the fruit. The green mass must be removed after the fruits have formed and this should be done gradually.
Do not tear off more than three leaves at a time. Tomatoes must be trimmed correctly, otherwise you can ruin the harvest.
The molding method must be selected taking into account the variety:
Some varieties produce 2 stems, in which case it becomes difficult to distinguish which one is a side shoot. In order not to harm the main stem, it is necessary to monitor which of them the first inflorescences will appear on; it will be the main one. To figure out how to form a tomato bush for each variety, it’s worth watching the video.
Before studying information on how to properly form a bush, it is important to understand where it is best to plant the crop. Growing tomatoes is quite painstaking work that requires increased attention and patience. Tomatoes love warmth, so it is important to observe all temperature conditions. The optimal indicator for growth is 23°C heat. Planting in open ground at temperatures below +15°C will not give the desired results.
It is considered best to grow tomatoes in a polycarbonate greenhouse. It is in it that you can create all the required conditions for growth, maintain optimal temperature and humidity, and also create additional lighting if necessary.
You can grow tomatoes on a balcony or in an apartment on a windowsill, but to get a harvest you will have to monitor ventilation, watering and loosening every day. Fertilizing also cannot be ruled out, even if the tomatoes are grown on a windowsill.
To get a good harvest of nightshades, you need to know how to form tomatoes in a greenhouse. Practical tips and videos will help you understand this issue. From year to year, summer residents are convinced that watering and fertilizing are not enough to obtain a decent harvest. In central Russia and the northern regions, summer is not as long as we would like, so it is better to limit the number of ovaries that form than to be content with small fruits and a minimum number of them.
Growing tomatoes is a painstaking process. For greenhouse conditions, it is recommended to purchase hybrids and indeterminate varieties. They will be able to produce a harvest before the first cool days appear. There is one peculiarity in the growth of bushes: they grow both upward and to the sides.
Stepping is carried out for several reasons:
The formation of a tomato bush in a greenhouse is also called pinching. The process involves the elimination of shoots located in the leaf axils. In mid-summer, additional pinching of the top of the crop is carried out. Most summer residents argue that the total number of stems should be no more than 3, and inflorescences should not exceed 8 pieces.
Removal of stepchildren is carried out according to a certain scheme:
One of the important conditions for the growth of tomatoes is tying the bushes to special supports. Without them, even a low-growing plant is unlikely to grow strong.
Pinching the tops is done to prevent the formation of new ovaries. This work is carried out when the required number of flowering clusters are formed on the stem. Pinching is carried out as follows: 2-3 leaves are left above each inflorescence, the rest are removed.
The formation of tomatoes in a greenhouse is not complete without tearing off the leaves. Not all summer residents welcome this process. Some believe that this may affect the process of photosynthesis, the crop will grow slower and worse. Others claim that cutting off excess foliage promotes better aeration and ventilation of the fruit. The green mass must be removed after the fruits have formed and this should be done gradually.
Do not tear off more than three leaves at a time. Tomatoes must be trimmed correctly, otherwise you can ruin the harvest.
The molding method must be selected taking into account the variety:
Some varieties produce 2 stems, in which case it becomes difficult to distinguish which one is a side shoot. In order not to harm the main stem, it is necessary to monitor which of them the first inflorescences will appear on; it will be the main one. To figure out how to form a tomato bush for each variety, it’s worth watching the video.
Before studying information on how to properly form a bush, it is important to understand where it is best to plant the crop. Growing tomatoes is quite painstaking work that requires increased attention and patience. Tomatoes love warmth, so it is important to observe all temperature conditions. The optimal indicator for growth is 23°C heat. Planting in open ground at temperatures below +15°C will not give the desired results.
It is considered best to grow tomatoes in a polycarbonate greenhouse. It is in it that you can create all the required conditions for growth, maintain optimal temperature and humidity, and also create additional lighting if necessary.
You can grow tomatoes on a balcony or in an apartment on a windowsill, but to get a harvest you will have to monitor ventilation, watering and loosening every day. Fertilizing also cannot be ruled out, even if the tomatoes are grown on a windowsill.
Usually more stepsons appear after flowering. If there are a lot of them, they take away nutrients and moisture from the plant, growth and flowering slow down and fruiting is delayed. Therefore, in most varieties, the stepsons are removed once a week, preventing them from growing longer than 4 cm. You cannot be late, otherwise large wounds will form through which pathogens can penetrate. Hurry up to remove the stepsons under the first fruit cluster. Pluck them out with your fingers, pulling them down. It's better to do this in the morning. After which the plants are not watered or fed for a day, so that the humidity does not increase and the wounds heal faster. When stepsoning, a stump of 0.5-1 cm is left. If the stepson is completely removed, then a new one can grow in the same place.
In the open ground
Low-growing tomatoes, usually early, produce few shoots. They are usually not planted, but when they become very thick they are only thinned out. The exception is the northern regions. This group of varieties is grown in one stem, removing all the stepsons, and planted more often (Fig. 1, 2). The fruits will be larger and ripen a week earlier. This is how the varieties Nevsky, Bely Naliv, Otradnye, Moskvich, Dubok, Svitanok, hybrids Malyshok and Druzhok, as well as the amateur Ina, Bregger, Dwarf Cherry, Japanese Dwarf, and Polar varieties are formed.
Medium-sized varieties, and most of them, form two or three stems. One or two stepsons are left on the main stem (Fig. 3 and 4), and only those that grow from the axils of the leaves under the first flower raceme. These two stepsons, in addition to the main stem, form an additional one or two stems. They are usually the strongest and are only slightly behind in growth from the main stem.
And the inflorescences on them
bloom quickly. Medium-sized varieties are grown in one stem.
Late-ripening varieties must be pinched and formed into one stem, otherwise the fruits will not have time to ripen.
In the greenhouse
Typically, tall varieties and hybrids, as well as medium-sized tomatoes, are grown in greenhouses. The first ones form only one stem, and all the stepsons are broken off as soon as they grow to 2-5 cm. These are the hybrids Ga-mayun, Rococo, Portos, Tor-tila, Tornado, Swift, Red Arrow, Barynya, Vasilisa, as well as many common tall amateur varieties: De Barao, Japanese tree, Orange banana, Spanish giant, Raspberry giant, Orange miracle, Holland, Red fingers, Orange pear, Japanese truffle.
As an exception, if the varieties have few leaves and are planted sparsely (every 50-60 cm), they are grown in two stems, leaving the lower stepson under the first cluster. Both stems are tied to a trellis.
Medium-sized varieties in a greenhouse are formed into one or two stems, tied to a trellis. These are the majority of Amateur varieties - Olesya, Red Pear, Marglobe, Red Banana, Foyer Kugel, Golden Queen, Auriga, Monk, Beefsteak. In order for them to bear fruit longer, an additional reserve stepson is left in the upper part of the stem. If the growth of the stem continues, then the stepson is removed, leaving again a reserve upper stepson. When the main stem stops growing (an inflorescence forms at the top), the upper reserve stepson is tied to the trellis, thereby lengthening the stem, on which an additional 2-3 clusters of fruit are formed (Fig. 5). This technique is suitable for hybrids Verlioka, Blagovest, Portland and many medium-sized varieties. Not 5-6 clusters are formed on the stem, as usual, but 8-10.
Removing leaves
When forming plants from low-growing varieties, gradually remove all the leaves under the first brush. In August, all flowers and small fruits, which still do not have time to ripen, are cut off.
After the fruits of tall tomatoes begin to turn brown, gradually remove all the leaves from the first bunch. Do the same with the leaves under the second and third brushes. This improves air exchange, lighting of fruits and accelerates their ripening.
The tops of tall tomatoes are pinched at the top trellis wire, leaving two leaves behind the top bunch. If a leaf lies on the ground or shades the fruit, then such a leaf is removed (in whole or only part of it).
Anyone who is not lazy about planting plants correctly forms the plants and always produces a harvest.
T. Oktyabrskaya
Seed packets often indicate the yield: the number of vegetables that can be obtained from a square meter of planting or from one plant. Often gardeners start from these numbers, taking them as an average that can be achieved without particularly investing in agricultural technology. However, these “kilograms per bush” are not so tangible. They can be influenced by various factors. For example, formation of tomatoes in a greenhouse is a mandatory condition, without which the summer resident risks ending up without a harvest at all.
It is so established by nature that in favorable conditions the plant spends less energy on procreation (flowering and fruiting) and is more concerned with increasing its own mass and increasing the area of its influence. If we take tomatoes as an example, it turns out that the better the conditions for growth, the less plants want to bear fruit and the more they want to increase green mass. Therefore, so that the work of gardeners does not go in vain, the formation of tomatoes has long been included in agrotechnical practices. It includes pinching and limiting the growth of the plant. If you do not carry out these actions, tomatoes, especially indeterminate ones, will spend all their energy on producing new leaves and stepsons and on the growth of the main stem. And all this, of course, to the detriment of productivity. In cultural farming, it is important for us that the plant takes care not of itself, but of its seeds, which are located in the fruits.
Proper formation of tomatoes puts the plants in a state of some stress, as a result, all the beneficial nutrients are sent to the flowers and then to the fruits. And, in the end, the gardener will receive a good harvest. Here's the diagram.
There are slight differences in the technique of forming tomatoes growing in greenhouses and in open ground. Protected soil provides more stable growing conditions. Therefore, plants can be given greater load.
Semi-determinate and indeterminate varieties are often planted in greenhouses. In any case, be sure to use supports in the form of a trellis or pegs to which the main stem is tied. Such plants grow in 1-2 stems.
Determinate varieties are also grown in two or three stems. Bush or standard plants produce crops on growing stepsons, so it is not customary to prune such varieties.
A good harvest is obtained from tomatoes that bear 5-6 bunches of fruit. In a greenhouse, a larger quantity is allowed, but here the gardener must be confident in both himself and his plant.
The formation of tomatoes that are not limited in growth (indeterminate) occurs in one or two stems. The main shoot is left, and all lateral shoots are removed without exception. This will have to be done constantly, at short intervals throughout the season.
The tomato stem is tied to a support immediately after planting the plant in the soil. Then, as it grows, it is carefully rolled along the support (this is done mainly on trellises). You can tie it with non-traumatic material (fabric strips, bandages, special clips) to the stakes, loosely enough so as not to limit the growth of the stem in width and not break it, but firmly enough so that the stem does not slip or sag.
Radical shoots also need to be removed.
They can be used as planting material, since tomato shoots take root well.
Forming tomatoes in a greenhouse is not just about pinching. As the tomato grows, ovaries appear on it. When the plant already has 5-6 brushes, its top is pinched. This usually happens a month and a half before the end of the tomato growing season. Pinching is done to help the plant grow existing fruits.
When the tomatoes acquire ovaries, the leaves begin to be removed from the bush. All green mass located up to the ovaries is removed in several stages. This, on the one hand, allows the fruits to ripen faster, and on the other, reduces the risk of tomatoes becoming infected with late blight. Leaves that turn yellow or show signs of disease should be removed as quickly as possible. The event can be combined with preventive treatment with fungicides.
Determinate plants can also be formed into a single stem. Since such a plant by itself does not gain great height, this can be achieved by growing a “liana” from stepsons. On the main stem, choose the stepson that is located closest to the top. They leave him, the rest of the stepchildren clean up. When the shoot itself begins to produce stepsons, the uppermost shoot is again selected, and the rest are removed again. So from a plant 80 cm high you can grow a one and a half meter giant.
The set of measures remains the same: pinching, normalizing, removing leaves. Forming tomatoes into two stems begins with identifying the second “main thing”. Usually the first stepson is assigned to this role, which is located under the first flower (fruit) brush. All other shoots are removed, and the selected one is tied to a support and then led, like the main stem.
When forming tomatoes into two stems in the greenhouse, 3 brushes are left on each of the shoots. After the last ovaries appear, the tops of both stems are pinched.
Determinate varieties produce two or three stems. In the latter case, the main stem, as well as two lower stepsons, are left on the bush. On each branch, 2, maximum 3 fruit clusters are grown. The lower leaves and all emerging stepsons are removed. The plant also needs to be pinched when the fruit clusters are already set.
As mentioned earlier, bush tomatoes form their entire harvest from the ovaries on the stepsons. Therefore, they have increased decorative properties (for example, the balcony miracle variety). Forming such tomatoes both in a greenhouse and in open ground into two or three stems can significantly reduce their yield. A more correct approach is timely thinning and harvesting of leaves, especially the lower yellowing ones.
Experienced gardeners know that getting a good harvest of large tomatoes from greenhouse beds will require a lot of effort. In addition to timely watering and fertilizing, the plant needs to be helped to form correctly so that it does not waste energy on stepson shoots. How to form tomatoes into two stems will be discussed in this article.
During the growing season, many shoots can branch off from the main tomato stem, which will also bear fruit. It seems that the process itself should please gardeners with a large number of ovaries, but in reality it looks completely different.
A mature bush with voluminous greenery and a small number of ovaries is not able to provide the fruits with vitamins and minerals in the required quantities, as a result of which some of them fall off, while others are unable to ripen completely.
The formation of bushes is required for almost all varieties of tomatoes. The only exceptions are standard crops (a type of determinate plant).
But how many stems should you leave on the bush? Depending on the chosen hybrid/variety and the development characteristics of the tops, gardeners form a bush in three ways:
In a polycarbonate greenhouse, pinching is aimed at obtaining a high-quality harvest, which is ensured by redirecting nutrition to the main stem and fruits. Stepchildren take away most of the micro and macroelements useful for development from the plant, so it is advisable to remove them. When carrying out the procedure, it is important not to confuse the stepson with a fruiting branch. You can identify an extra shoot by its location. This is the leaf axil.
The advantage of pinching is that it reduces the ripening time of fruits, that is, tomatoes can be harvested 1-2 weeks earlier. In addition, productivity increases due to an increase in the fruiting period. And yet the main merit of the procedure is the production of high-quality tomatoes.
Before you begin removing excess shoots, you need to decide on the following questions:
It is also worth considering that if a sprout breaks, tomato juice may get on your hands. Moving from bush to bush, there is a high probability of infecting other tomatoes with various diseases if there is at least one affected tomato. Therefore, experts recommend wearing rubber gloves before the procedure and wiping them with an alcohol solution after each lash.
The essence of the technique for forming a bush is to isolate the main stem and the first stepson, since it is the strongest, capable of intensive development and fruiting. It is easy to identify; it is located under the first cluster of inflorescences. The remaining stepsons, which have reached a length of 4-7 cm, are safely removed. You need to cut off the shoots sharply, grasping them with your index finger and thumb. In order not to damage the main stem, when jerking the sprout should be moved to the side, and not away from you. Trimming with a tool that has a sharp blade (knife) is also allowed.
When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, the bushes form one or two stems. With a large number of branches, the plants are shaded and prevent air circulation, so the 3-branch technique is not suitable.
This group includes low-growing plants of early and medium maturity. In principle, they do not need to form a bush (on average, the height of the tops reaches 55-65 cm). But experienced gardeners still carry out the procedure to obtain an earlier harvest and increase fruiting.
In determinate tomatoes, after the formation of 3-4 leaves, the first flower cluster is formed on the main stem. After 2-3 leaves, a second one appears, and all subsequent brushes are tied through the leaf. The last inflorescences that close the growth of the tomato are arranged in a row without intervals on the leaves. In southern countries, the crop is grown without removing the shoots, which is facilitated by the climate and long daylight hours. In our regions, it is simply necessary to participate in the process of stepsoning.
To form determinate type tomatoes, in addition to the main stem, select the first or second stepson. After flowering begins, you need to install a support so that the branches do not break under the weight of the fruit. In the greenhouse, plants are tied to a trellis.
This type includes crops that do not have growth restrictions. Most often, such varieties are formed into one stem, less often with two. The use of these methods is explained by the ability of indeterminate tomatoes to form a large number of lateral shoots.
On a plant whose height exceeds 50-70 cm, in addition to the main stem, leave the first or second stepson (a stronger and more developed version is chosen). 4-5 brushes of inflorescences are left on each branch. Sprouts located on the sides and in the root zone are removed.
The favorable time for pruning a bush is the morning (the weather should be dry and sunny). During this period, the plant is filled with juice as much as possible, which facilitates the breaking off process. During the day, the wound will dry out, which reduces the risk of infection with a fungal disease.
Removing useless sprouts promotes the ripening of large fruits, because the tomato does not waste strength and energy. If young seedlings are not subjected to this procedure, then the bush will be highly branched, and the fruits on it will be small. Many ovaries may fall off due to a lack of vitamins and minerals. In addition, the beds thicken and ventilation problems arise. At high humidity, various fungi are activated, which causes plant diseases.
Spontaneously forming tomatoes can reach 1 m or more in height, which creates lighting problems in a polycarbonate greenhouse. And for normal vegetation, light is simply necessary; it promotes protein synthesis. Therefore, regulating the growth of the bush is another advantage of pinching.
Untidy tomatoes produce a lot of greenery and little fruit The beds without the formation of bushes look unkempt, it is extremely inconvenient to process them, you have to fight your way through the thickets. By the end of the season, a lot of unripe fruits remain on the plant, which are unsuitable even for preservation due to their too dense structure and bitter taste.
Removing stepchildren will not take much time, and minimal knowledge is required to perform pruning or pinching. But the harvest will delight you with large tomatoes that will meet the product and taste characteristics. The diagram on how to form bushes can also be used in open ground.
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