Can you plant onions by tomatoes
Tomato Plant Companions - What Are Good Companions For Tomatoes
Tomatoes are one of the most popular crops to grow in the home garden, sometimes with less than desirable results. To boost your yields, you might try companion planting next to tomatoes. Luckily, there are many suitable tomato plant companions. If you are new to companion planting, the following article will give you some insight into plants that grow well with tomatoes.
Companions for Tomatoes
When we are talking about companions for tomatoes, we aren’t talking about the type of support humans get from friends and family, but in a sense, maybe we are.
Companion planting is a form of polyculture or using multiple crops in the same space to the mutual benefit of each – much as humans benefit from those we interact with. These benefits include pest and disease control, aid in pollination, and offering refuge for beneficial insects, all of which will increase crop yields.
Companion planting also increases the diversity of the garden, much as mankind’s diversity has been increased with various ethnicities, religions, and cultures. This merging brings out our strengths, but it can also bring out our weaknesses. The same is true when growing tomato plant companions. The right tomato companions will engender a healthier plant with better fruit yields. The wrong tomato companions can have disastrous results.
Companion Planting Next to Tomatoes
Plants that grow with tomatoes can include vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
Vegetables
Plants that grow well with tomatoes include all the members of the onion family such as chives, onions, and garlic. Their pungent odor is said to deter insect pests.
Can you plant tomatoes and peppers together? Peppers, both sweet and hot, are excellent companion plants. Probably since they are related; they are both in the nightshade family.
Many greens, such as spinach, lettuce, and arugula, enjoy the company of tomatoes and benefit from the shade provided by the taller tomato plants.
Carrots are also plants that grow well with tomatoes. Carrots can be started when the tomato plants are small and will grow in conjunction and are then ready to harvest about the time the tomato plants are taking over the space.
Can tomatoes and cucumbers be planted together? Absolutely. Cucumbers and tomatoes have similar growing conditions, so they make excellent neighbors.
Asparagus and tomatoes, when planted together, get mutual benefits. For the tomatoes, the close proximity of asparagus wards off nematodes and for the asparagus the nearness of tomatoes repels asparagus beetles.
Herb plants and flowers
Borage deters tomato hornworm.
Parsley and mint are also good companion herbs for tomatoes and deter a number of pests.
Basil is also a favorable plant to grow near tomatoes and purportedly increases not only the vigor of the tomatoes, but their flavor as well.
Flowers such as marigolds keep nematodes from attacking tomato plants and their sharp odor confuses other insects.
Nasturtiums help to deter whiteflies as well as aphids.
Plants to Avoid Planting with Tomatoes
Plants that should not share space with tomatoes include the Brassicas, such as broccoli and cabbage.
Corn is another no-no and tends to attract tomato fruit worm and/or corn ear worm.
Kohlrabi thwarts the growth of tomatoes and planting tomatoes and potatoes increases the chance of potato blight disease.
Fennel shouldn’t be planted near tomatoes, or near much of anything else actually. It inhibits the growth of the tomatoes and many other types of plants too.
Onion companion planting: the best crops to grow with onions
Once you get to grips with onion companion planting you’ll enjoy better results growing your own delicious, healthy crop of this versatile vegetable. In addition, with their strong scent, planting onions with other crops and flowers can also provide benefits for the other plants, making onions themselves great companion plants for many crops.
Companion planting – which essentially means planting onions with other crops, herbs or flowers that will be beneficial to their healthy growth – can help you to get the most out of your garden by deterring pests and increasing your harvests.
Onion companion planting is an important element in how to grow onions, and while you might think it sounds complicated, it is actually very easy. You simply plant two or more different plants next to them that are known to be mutually beneficial, whether that's in terms of harvest, improving flavor and quality, or deterring pests, so you enjoy better results from your vegetable garden ideas.
This easy guide should help you to decide what plants to grow alongside your onions in order to ensure a super delicious bumper harvest.
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
Onion companion planting
Onions are one of the easiest vegetables to grow and produce large yields making them a favorite of the veg patch, especially for small vegetable garden ideas where every bit of space needs to be as productive as possible. With onion companion planting, you can boost the crops even more. Onions also offer a host of benefits to other plants, too, making them the ideal contender for those starting out with companion planting.
'With some careful planning and by gardening smart you can grow a community of mutually beneficial plants so your crops will thrive without needing intervention and avoids the use of harmful pesticides' says horticultural expert Rob Smith from the Organic Gardening Catalogue . This is great for those interested in permaculture gardening and to create a sustainable garden full of happy, healthy plants and crops.
What can I plant with onions?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
There is a wide range of plants that can be grown with onions, including other vegetables, herbs, and even flowers. Through onion companion planting, each plant will benefit.
Regardless of whether you are growing your onions from seed or sets, when you plant onions you should also think about companion plants. This is an important aspect of planning a kitchen garden
Onion companion planting – with vegetables
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
There is a wide range of vegetable crops that are perfect partners for onion companion planting.
If you practice onion companion planting alongside crop rotation you will increase your chances of a healthy harvest.
CARROTS
Planting onions, specifically growing spring onions, with carrots is a classic combination that many gardeners swear by. The smell of onions deters carrot root fly from the carrots for carrot companion planting, while the smell of the carrots helps to deter onion fly from the onions – a highly beneficial pairing.
However, there have been mixed reports of the success of this method, with some gardeners convinced, while others are less sure.
'If you are particularly worried about carrot fly you can 'use Enviromesh or fleece around the edges of the carrot bed, stretched as a screen three-feet high. The pest is a ground flyer and won’t make it over the screen,' advises gardening expert Sarah Raven .
CABBAGE
Onions get on well will all members of the cabbage family (brassicas), which also includes lettuce and broccoli.
This is because companion planting with onions provides good resistance to cabbage worm, weevils and cabbage looper. The aroma of the onions also helps to confuse rabbits seeking out the scent of leafy greens to enjoy.
TOMATOES
Due to their strong scent, onions also deter aphids and Japanese beetles from running amuck over your tomato plants, so are ideal for tomato companion planting, and tomatoes will not compete with onions for soil nutrients.
PEPPER
Plant onions around the base of your peppers to deter aphids and Japanese beetles.
Onion companion planting – with herbs
(Image credit: Yeo Valley Organic Garde)
As part of your herb garden ideas, plant herbs among your crops for onion companion planting.
PARSLEY & MINT
Growing mint or parsley as onion companion planting helps to ward off onion fly. The fragrant leaves of both mint and parsley help confuse the onion fly, which likes to breed in the onions' leaves.
Onion fly maggots will also eat their way through the onion bulbs leaving you with no crop come the time to harvest onions.
However, 'take care with some companion plants such as mint,' cautions Sue Sanderson, horticultural executive at Thompson & Morgan . 'These are fast-growing plants and will quickly smother your crop. Ideally grow mint in a herb planter alongside the crops to keep it under control.'
CHAMOMILE
This pretty daisy-like flower and aromatic herb has plenty of benefits for the garden. It is a good plant for pollinators, attracting pollinators with its sweet fragrance as well as being able to be dried to make a calming tea. It is also antibacterial and anti-fungal, helping to protect your plants. As if this isn't enough, when chamomile is used as an onion companion plant it also improves the flavor of the onions.
SUMMER SAVORY
If you prefer your onions to taste sweeter, onion companion planting with summer savory is the perfect combination.
It will also help to encourage the growth of your onions.
Onion companion planting – with flowers
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
There are many blooms that as well as being beautiful and fragrant flowers, are also, surprisingly, excellent for onion companion planting.
ROSES
Alliums and chives are also both members of the onion family and have the same benefits of companion planting as the traditional vegetable, while also looking beautiful as flower bed ideas. Planting alliums or chives as part of your rose garden ideas will help to deter aphids and black-fly, keeping your rose blooms looking beautiful.
CHRYSANTHEMUM
One of the most popular late summer flowers and flower for the fall garden, pair chrysanthemums with chives 'as the onion scent will deter aphids,' advises Sue Sanderson of Thompson & Morgan.
If you're short of room, species of onions including scallions and chives are a very compact choice for companion planting.
'Where space is limited, add in crops among your flowers, selecting beneficial partners, such as fringes of chives, to attract garden helpers to the vegetables,' advises gardening expert Leigh Clapp.
What vegetables should not be planted with onions?
There are various vegetables that you should not plant with onions. You should not grow peas, beans or asparagus next to onions as they require different conditions and therefore in order for one to thrive, the other will not.
Surprisingly, other onion or allium plants – such as garlic, shallots or leeks – also make a poor companion plant for other onions as they are all vulnerable to onion maggots. These will travel from plant to plant and can quickly decimate a bed. Plant these plants far apart to prevent any spread – that way even if one area of onions fall victim, you still have others to fall back on.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Can I plant onions next to tomatoes?
You can plant onions next to tomatoes.
As mentioned about, in fact, growing tomatoes next to your onion crop may help to deter pests from bothering your tomato crop.
'These pungent vegetables make great tomato companion plants. Their unappealing odor is a natural deterrent of many garden pests that feed on tomato plants, explains Bob Lawson from Kellogg Garden .
Can I plant onions next to cucumbers?
As onions are classed as root vegetables, meaning they grow beneath the soil, and cucumbers are not, they do make good for cucumber companion planting.
If you are growing cucumbers, they send one long root down, taking nutrients and water from deeper in the soil. For this reason, the plants do not compete with one another for nutrients.
(Image credit: Hartley Botanic)
Can I plant onions and peppers together?
You can plant onions and peppers together. As onions do not take up a lot of room above the ground, they are good to plan as neighbors if you're growing peppers.
Also, onions have a strong smell with helps to deter a lot of pests such as aphids and slugs, making them great for pepper companion planting.
What can be planted next to tomatoes in the greenhouse and outdoors
What to plant next to tomatoes is not an idle question. The volume and quality of the future harvest sometimes directly depends on the neighbors in the garden. If you choose the right options for garden crops for joint plantings, the plants will grow healthier and stronger - checked!
Even if you do not have the goal of saving space on the plot (in the greenhouse) and your own forces for processing the beds, you should carefully approach the issue of selecting neighboring crops. Firstly, so that they do not exchange the same diseases and pests, and secondly, so that they do not oppress each other. In the best case, properly selected companions will even help neighboring plants, creating a kind of symbiosis in the garden.
What can be planted with tomatoes outdoors
So, what to plant next to the tomatoes in the same garden? For example, legumes ( beans or beans ), which will enrich the soil and improve its structure.
In general, this applies to the neighborhood of tomatoes with almost any green manure - mustard (and it will also help against late blight and scab), phacelia, cereals .
Perfect combination of tomatoes and greens - all types lettuce, parsley, celery, onion, spinach, asparagus, sorrel ... But with umbrellas (dill, fennel) and lemon balm, it is better to avoid the neighborhood of tomatoes.
It's also a good idea to surround tomatoes with herbs: plant thyme, sage, mint, basil . By the way, ordinary nettle and borage (borage) repel soil pests, extend the shelf life of fruits and even improve the quality of tomato juice! In general, almost any herbs and green crops help tomatoes suffer less from harmful insects.
Is it possible to plant cabbage next to tomatoes? Yes, provided that it is head and early (for example, varieties Nakhodka, Express, Miracle ultra-early ).
Cabbage seedlings are planted in the garden in the spring, with a distance between rows of at least 1.5 m. And when it finally gets warmer, between plantings you you can place tomato seedlings, which will feel great.
By the way, with such a neighborhood you will please not only tomatoes, but also cabbage itself - cabbage butterflies do not like neighborhoods with nightshade, which means that your crop will remain untouched.
Such plantings can also be "diluted" with onions and garlic , which will not only fit perfectly into the company of cabbage and tomatoes, but will also release phytoncides, protecting all neighbors from phytophthora.
Suitable for the neighborhood with tomatoes and "imposter", it is also Peking cabbage , which is actually one of the subspecies of turnip. Pekinka will feel great as a planting compactor "at the feet" of tomatoes.
But peas, cauliflower, broccoli and kohlrabi are not the best neighbors for tomatoes.
Plant marigolds in a bed with tomatoes (or even around the perimeter of the entire garden), they perfectly repel insect pests.
Root crops - carrots, radishes and beets - also get along well with tomatoes even on the same bed.
Good "partners" for tomatoes are also gourds - melons and watermelons , unless of course your site allows you to grow such light and heat-loving wonders. For our latitudes, tomatoes are more likely to be adjacent to another representative of this group - from pumpkin , with whom they also have a great relationship.
An interesting idea would be the combined planting of tomatoes and early strawberries - and save space, and get two crops from one garden bed (both berries and vegetables). Just make sure that the selected variety of tomatoes is not too tall and does not take away all the sunlight from the strawberries.
It must be understood that tomatoes can not only benefit from neighboring plants, but they themselves can be excellent partners.
For example, when planting tomatoes next to berry bushes ( currant, gooseberry ) they will drive away the moth and sawfly from the last.
And if you plant tomatoes near bird cherry , then it will scare away the nightshade scoop.
Today there are many varieties and varieties of all the above crops. Consider their characteristics (ripening time, growth and size of the plant) so that they "like the tomato" as the main crop.
The most unfortunate neighbors for tomatoes are potatoes and corn. At a minimum, all of them are very demanding on nutrients in the soil, which means that they will simply be strong food competitors. Secondly, they either have the same diseases in their "history" (late blight), or suffer from the invasion of the same pests (Colorado potato beetle, cotton scoop, wireworm), which they can "exchange".
What to plant next to tomatoes in a greenhouse
To grow tomatoes in a closed room with its own microclimate, and even with neighbors, you need to clearly remember the requirements of the main crop.
Tomatoes prefer good lighting (however, cloudy weather is not critical for them), moderate air temperature, frequent airing, regular fertilizing and watering under the root. When choosing greenhouse neighbors, you need to focus on plants with similar requirements. When deciding what else can be planted in a greenhouse along with tomatoes, you also need to take into account the size of the room, the material of the roof and walls, the presence of additional doors and vents.
So, with what you can plant tomatoes in a greenhouse. According to the above example with the open ground option, in the greenhouse, for starters, in the same way, before planting tomatoes, early and fast-growing crops can be densely sown - onions and garlic for feathers, lettuces, radishes, kale . When the time comes for seedlings of tomatoes, just make room for them among these crops and for at least a month you will be able to harvest "pioneers" while the tomatoes are just developing.
What else? Almost all the same crops that we described above, if you prefer to grow them in a greenhouse - gourds, legumes, greens, cabbage, strawberries, spicy herbs ... The main thing is not to forget to tie tall and voluminous tomato bushes so that they do not obscure from the sun of smaller brothers in the greenhouse.
Consider some of the most frequently asked questions about the possible neighbors of tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Is it possible to plant tomatoes and cucumbers side by side
Cucumbers and tomatoes in a greenhouse, in principle, do not interfere with each other. The main problem may be their different microclimate requirements. Judge for yourself.
Tomatoes :
- prefer moderate temperatures and dry air,
- require regular ventilation of the greenhouse,
- very picky about fertilization,
- love root watering.
Cucumbers :
- prefer high temperatures and high humidity,
- do not tolerate drafts,
- may well do without other plentiful dressings, provided that organic matter is applied in a timely manner,
- love abundant watering and sprinkling.
Therefore, if possible, it is better to settle these crops in different greenhouses or take the cucumbers into the open ground under the film.
Is it possible to plant peppers next to tomatoes
Tomatoes and peppers have quite similar requirements for humidity and temperature conditions in the greenhouse. In addition, peppers, like tomatoes, need a garter. So a common trellis is quite suitable for them - at a height of about 2 m, stretch the wire.
Tomatoes will also help repel aphids that love peppers.
However, peppers and tomatoes belong to the same family (Solanaceae), which means that they share the same diseases and pests, which will perfectly roam from one crop to another. If you are able to provide good protection against insects and infections for both, feel free to plant these plants together (a checkerboard pattern is recommended). The presence of marigolds around the perimeter of the structure will also help.
Just remember that both cultures love the light, so do not thicken the plantings, and also tie the plants in time and correctly.
Can eggplants be planted next to tomatoes
The main problem of joint cultivation of tomatoes and eggplants in a greenhouse is the same as in the previous case - common diseases and pests of the same family.
Their microclimate requirements are not particularly similar:
- eggplant needs much more light for full development,
- eggplant is a more thermophilic crop than tomato,
- eggplant likes much more humid air than tomatoes,
- Eggplant needs more moisture when watering.
Therefore, if possible, avoid growing these crops in the greenhouse at the same time.
If this is not possible (this also applies to the case with cucumbers and peppers), and you are determined to grow both plants this season, try to optimize their place of residence, somehow delimit the territory of the greenhouse into areas with different microclimates . This can be done using self-made (plywood, plastic film, non-woven material) or industrially (special modules) partitions.
It is also good to separate crops into separate beds - heat-loving ones are planted away from the entrance and drafts, and tomatoes are placed closer to the greenhouse doors.
In any case, placing crops that are not very compatible in the same greenhouse, be prepared for a slight decrease in the yield of each of them.
And, of course, if you are waiting for a plentiful harvest, growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, you should remember not only about their neighbors, but also about the rules for caring for them and competent agricultural technology.
In any case, each plot or greenhouse has its own size, soil, microclimate ... Even if you follow the above recommendations, keep in mind that they are quite general. Only your personal experience and observations of your own plants will help you choose the right growing method.
Information about what can be planted with tomatoes will not be complete without knowing what should not be planted with them in any case.
Find the best way to combine plants in the garden and enjoy a great harvest!
What to plant after tomato, crop rotation table. Then plant tomatoes in open ground, in a greenhouse
Good afternoon, dear readers!
Tomatoes are loved and grown in almost every region of Russia. Before planting this nightshade crop in your garden, you need to choose the right place, prepare the soil and create the necessary conditions for growth. In addition, we must not forget about the alternation and proximity of cultures. Only by adhering to these rules, you can get a healthy and plentiful tomato crop.
In today's article, all the details of the crop rotation of tomatoes on the site.
Contents of the article
- Is it possible to plant tomatoes after tomatoes?
- What to plant next year after the tomato?
- In the open field
- In the greenhouse
- What to plant after phytophthora patients tomato for soil improvement
- Sowing green manure before and after tomato: video
- Crop rotation table
- After what can I plant tomatoes?
- Outdoors
- Greenhouse
- Is it possible after peppers, onions, garlic, potatoes, eggplants?
- Are cucumbers planted after tomatoes?
- Can cucumbers be planted in the greenhouse after tomatoes?
- After what you can not plant tomatoes?
- What can not be planted after tomatoes?
- Best neighbors, what to plant next to tomatoes?
- What kind of soil and growing conditions do tomatoes need?
- Growing tomatoes outdoors: video
Is it possible to plant tomatoes after a tomato?
A break in the cultivation of tomatoes in one area in accordance with the crop rotation should be at least 3-4 years.
When growing tomatoes in one place, for example, in a small garden area or in greenhouses, disinfection or replacement of the topsoil (4-5 centimeters) is necessary. If the previous tomatoes were sick, the soil layer is cut off by 10 centimeters. After that, the soil is sprayed with a hot solution of copper sulfate. In place of the removed soil, a fertile mixture of soddy or leafy soil, sand, and rotted humus is poured.
If you plant tomatoes in the same place every year, the soil in this bed becomes acidic. Every autumn, fluffy lime is introduced into the ground for deep digging.
What to plant next year after the tomato?
Tomato can be planted in place: radishes, beets, carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic, beans, peas, soybeans, beans, dill, parsley, lettuce, celery, cucumbers, squash, zucchini.
In the open field
Legumes and greens are planted in the open field to compensate for the nitrogen in the soil that the tomatoes have used up.
Legumes are undemanding to the composition of the soil. They saturate the soil with nitrogen, enriching it with organic compounds.
Root crops consume nutrients from deeper layers of the soil than tomatoes and therefore can also grow on these beds.
Onions and garlic in such a place always give a bountiful harvest and heal the soil.
Pumpkin crops are planted with mandatory restorative top dressing.
In the greenhouse
- All types of cabbage, radish, cucumbers, zucchini, herbs and herbs are planted in the greenhouse.
- Cabbage is indifferent to nitrogen deficiency and is not affected by diseases of nightshade crops.
- Before planting cucurbits, organic matter is introduced into the soil.
- Greens and herbs not only grow well in this place, but also restore the soil.
- To disinfect the soil, you can sow any type of green manure.
What to plant after phytophthora tomato to improve the soil
It takes 3-4 years for the natural healing of the soil after the disease, but there are plants that improve it in a short time.
Such plants are green manure (legumes, cereals and cruciferous). Rye or winter wheat is sown after harvesting tomatoes in September and dug up in spring.
Mustard is sown in the autumn (in the greenhouse) or in the spring and when it reaches 20 cm it is mowed. It improves the soil, inhibits the development of late blight, fusarium and scab.
Oil rare can be sown in autumn or spring. She goes under the bevel or digging.
Phacelia should be sown from late August to early October. The phytoncidal properties of phacelia help in the fight against various diseases and their pathogens.
All these plants help in the fight against late blight and loosen the soil.
Sowing green manure before and after tomatoes: video
Can you plant peppers, onions, garlic, beets, carrots?
It is undesirable to plant a pepper in place of a tomato, as they are related plants and carriers of common pests and diseases.
Beets, carrots, like all other root crops that grow after tomatoes, give an excellent harvest.
Onions and garlic in this place bear excellent fruit and have a beneficial effect on the soil.
Crop rotation chart
After what can I plant tomatoes?
The best precursors for tomatoes are: legumes, bulbs, green crops, carrots, radishes, turnips, varieties of cabbage, beets, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, under which organic matter was introduced.
Winter wheat, mustard, alfalfa, soybean are also good predecessors that feed the soil.
In the open field
In the open field, crop rotation should be followed whenever possible. Tomatoes can be planted in place of green manure, cruciferous, pumpkin, root crops, bulbs, greens and legumes.
In a greenhouse
In a greenhouse, tomatoes are planted locally:
- cucumbers,
- marrows,
- cabbages,
- radishes,
- green manures,
- green manures14
If it is necessary to plant tomatoes in the same place, work is carried out to improve and disinfect the soil.
Can I do it after peppers, onions, garlic, potatoes, eggplants?
Planting tomatoes after peppers, potatoes and eggplants is not recommended as they are related crops. Microorganisms and harmful insects remain in the soil after the predecessors, which will subsequently cause damage to tomato plantings.
Onions and garlic are very good forerunners as they detoxify the soil and eliminate many pests.
Are cucumbers planted after tomatoes?
Cucumbers can be grown in place of the tomato. They are not susceptible to phytophthora, but are sensitive to the quality of the soil. Before planting, compost or rotted humus is introduced into the soil.
Can cucumbers be planted in the greenhouse after tomatoes?
In the greenhouse, as well as in the open field, cucumbers can grow in place of the tomato after the complex of nutrients has been restored in the soil.
After which you can not plant tomatoes?
Poor precursors for tomato are:
- Sowing green manure before and after tomato: video
These crops impoverish the soil quite a lot and are carriers of many diseases and pests.
What can not be planted after tomatoes?
In place of tomatoes, crops such as potatoes, physalis, varieties of pepper, tobacco, eggplant, strawberries and strawberries should not be planted.
They are affected by the same diseases and pests. Plants will be susceptible to late blight, rot, attack by wireworm, Colorado potato beetle. Even soil disinfection does not guarantee the complete destruction of pathogenic bacteria and insects, which can lead to future damage to plants.
Best neighbors, what to plant next to tomatoes?
Tomatoes get along well with corn, carrots, horseradish, radishes, beans, lettuce, onions, beets, garlic, spinach, cabbage, celery, radishes, asparagus, parsley, basil, nasturtium, marigolds, tansy, tagetis, coriander and calendula.
Marigold, tagetis, tansy, nasturtium, coriander and calendula protect tomatoes from most pests.
Beans and corn save plantings from gusty winds.
Basil adds a pleasant flavor to tomatoes.
Onions and garlic release phytoncides in large quantities and protect plants from late blight. Onion saves from aphids, earthen fleas. Garlic and radish protect against spider mites.
Tomatoes, in turn, have a positive effect on the growth of onions, garlic, legumes, cabbage, prevent scab on fruit trees, drive away the codling moth.
Tomatoes scare away gooseberry moth, sawfly.
With combined crops, tomatoes will feel good next to garlic, carrots, beets, radishes, onions, green crops.
Between the rows you can sow: herbs, dill and parsley.
Neighborhood of a tomato with any nightshade plants (potatoes, peppers, eggplants, physalis, tobacco) leads to the defeat of common diseases and pests.
It is not recommended to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in the same greenhouse, as tomatoes require intensive ventilation. Both cultures are susceptible to root rot.
The neighborhood of tomatoes with cabbage, peas, turnips and grapes is undesirable, as these crops oppress each other.
Peas also have a common disease with tomatoes, such as Fusarium.
What kind of soil and growing conditions do tomatoes need?
Tomatoes thrive in almost any soil. But the best yield is observed on light, deep, moisture-permeable, sandy and loamy soils rich in organic matter. The soil should contain nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and calcium.
In clay and sandy areas, compost or rotted humus is introduced to improve the soil composition. At least 5 centimeters of organic matter is required per square meter of area.
In very heavy and calcareous soils, the topsoil needs to be replaced to a depth of 30 centimeters.
When choosing a location, keep in mind that beds with close groundwater are not suitable for tomatoes. In any case, a good drainage system is created.
The best place for planting tomatoes is considered to be a southern, well-lit slope with a fence and buildings protected from the wind. In a wetland or heavy soil, the beds are formed on a hill, from east to west.
Beds should be built in a bright area. With a lack of light, the growth of the tomato is delayed, the leaves turn pale, the plants weaken, the buds fall off, the stems stretch.
The soil should be neutral to slightly acidic, with a pH of 6.0-6.8. If necessary, when digging beds or when planting, wood ash, slaked lime, dolomite flour or crushed chalk are added directly to the holes.
To prevent late blight and improve the taste of tomatoes, soda ash (15 grams per square meter) is scattered on the beds.
With an excess of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil, sawdust and straw are introduced into the soil. An excess of nitrogen leads to the growth of green mass and the deterioration of the fruit set. In addition, the tomato weakens resistance to disease.
In autumn, to improve the soil when plowing or digging the land, rotted manure or compost and ash (lime) are introduced. In early spring, repeated digging is carried out on a shovel, and then leveling with a rake.
Mineral fertilizers are applied to the prepared soil and embedded into the soil with a cultivator or rake.
Sowing tomato seeds for seedlings depends on the period of planting in a permanent place. The soil mixture for seedlings is prepared from 3 parts of peat or 1 part of humus, 0.5 parts of soddy soil and 0.25 parts of river sand or sawdust. The soil is mixed and spilled with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. After moisture drains, 15 grams of ammonium nitrate, 40 grams of superphosphate are mixed there.
When sowing seeds in February, seedlings are illuminated by a lamp for 14-16 hours. The lack of light can be compensated by the application of potash fertilizers. 2 weeks before planting, the grown tomato seedlings need to be hardened off. Watering is reduced, seedlings are treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture.
2-3 weeks before planting tomato seedlings, the beds are watered 3-5 times with an interval of several days. This contributes to the replenishment of moisture reserves in the soil, and the leaching of salt residues from last year's fertilizers.
After the last watering, the soil is loosened and top dressing is applied.
5-6 days before planting a tomato, the soil is spilled with a hot solution of copper sulphate or copper oxychloride.
Phosphorus and potash fertilizers (especially superphosphate), applied when planting in the hole (15 grams of fertilizer in each).
Plants are planted outdoors in June. The seedling, ready for planting, is a strong bush 35 centimeters high with 2 flower clusters and 10 leaves. Seedlings deepen to cotyledon leaves. Elongated plants are planted horizontally.
When planting tomatoes, keep a distance. The spacing between the rows should be 0.9-1 meter, and in the rows, depending on the variety, at least 0.45 meters. Overcrowded plantings lead to diseases and low yields.
Each plant is tied to a stake after planting. To preserve moisture, the soil around them is sprinkled with dry earth.
After planting, plants need to create a comfortable environment for growth.
At high air temperatures, a white non-woven material is stretched over them. In greenhouses, windows are opened or a door is opened for ventilation.
Insect pollinators are attracted to the garden or greenhouse to increase the yield. Plants for this during flowering are sprayed with a solution of sugar and boric acid.
Stepchildren are removed from plants as they grow and, if necessary, the top is pinched.
Plants require constant watering. Tomatoes respond to timely hydration with a good harvest. Drought causes shrinkage of fruits. Plants have reduced resistance to disease and stress.
At the same time, low humidity must be maintained. At high humidity, the conditions for pollination of flowers worsen, the yield decreases and the quality of fruits deteriorates. Soil moisture for tomatoes should be 75-80%, and air humidity about 45-60%. After each watering, you need to loosen the soil, remove the weeds that have appeared.
To increase the yield for growing tomatoes, humus, peat-manure compost, chicken manure, slurry, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and potash fertilizers are added.
