If you are farming fruits for the first time, then tomatoes are indeed a good choice. No matter whether you are growing them for your own consumption or for trade purposes, their farming will bring to you both financial as well as health benefits. Cultivating red, juicy, and blemish free tomatoes is every farmer’s wish. And to be honest, it is quite easy. All you need to do is follow the right method to make it happen.
In this article, we have mentioned a few essentials that you must take in stride to get tomatoes that are perfect and plump.
Preheat the Soil
Tomato growth responds well to heat. Unless both the air and soil temperature aren’t properly warm, the tomatoes planted won’t really grow properly. So to speed things up a bit you can cover the planting section with either red or black plastic 2-3 weeks prior to sowing of seeds. That extra bit of heat and warmth will work brilliantly with the growth of the tomatoes.
Once you plant the seeds, either you can lift the plastic or can leave it there.
Let the seedlings space around
Once the sprouts thrust through the crust of the fertile soil and start to unfurl their tender buds, they need more space to develop properly. So when the seedlings start to blossom, transplant each one of them carefully in an individual pot that’s around 4 to 5 inch tall. This will provide them with enough space to breath easily and branch out freely. Moreover, crowded conditions can limit the actual growth of the plant and can affect their quality.
Provide enough light
Not only heat but also light is a useful factor in growing superior quality tomatoes. During winters, when the days are short, natural sunlight is not too strong to provide enough light to the seedlings. So put your plantlets either in direct sunlight or very close to fluorescent lighting. When doing so, make sure that the light is falling at the bottom of the plants and on to their roots. It will help you get stocky tomato plants. If there isn’t enough exposure to light, the plant might turn out to be quite spindly.
If you are a professional farmer, then you can create a greenhouse effect for your tomato saplings or you can also use artificial light to help them grow faster.
Air the saplings
If you are planting the tomatoes outdoor, then the gusty wind will provide sufficient air for them to sway which is very essential for their right growth. But, if the plantlets are in small pots and kept inside the house then, they need a source of air. So experts insist that you place a fan that airs the tomato saplings well giving them their daily dose of required breeze.
Turning on the fan for just 5 to 10 minutes twice a day will work wonders for their growth and development.
Water regularly
Once the seedlings start to grow their first set of leaves, water the plant regularly. Make sure that the plants are getting at least 1 inch of water in a week until the fruits begin to grow. This quantity may differ depending on the weather because in hot days they require more water than usual. Once the fruit starts to ripen, you can ease up a bit on the water content.
Pluck the Bottom leaves Frequently
Once the tomato plant is 3 ft. tall, remove the older and lower tomato leaves up to about 1 ft. of the stem from the ground up as these leaves can cause rotting of the tomato as well as fungus problems.
This happens because these leaves are close to the ground and covered with other layers of new leaves and developing fruits that prevent them from getting sufficient air and light. So when the plant reaches at about 3 ft. of height, make sure to pluck away the older and withered leaves from the bottom section as frequently as you can.
Once your tomatoes are ripened and plucked from the tree, put them in an airy and large containers and store in a cool and dry place to maintain their quality and freshness until they are delivered in the market or are used for cooking in the kitchen.