When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, a bountiful harvest can be reaped. But often during the ripening period, cracks form on the skins of vegetables. Let's try to deal with this problem.
Cracked peel on tomatoes - is it dangerous
Tomatoes damaged by cracks must be eaten immediately or used for processing.
If mold or any infection does not get inside the tomatoes, the cracks will heal and these vegetables can be stored for several days. However, such vegetables are not suitable for sale, since they cannot be stored, and their presentation deteriorates.
Reasons for the formation of cracks in tomatoes in a greenhouse
Tomatoes crack under the wrong cultivation conditions. Pay attention to each of the reasons.
Unsystematic and fairly abundant watering
Usually greenhouse vegetables become cracked due to irregular watering.
When in dry soil, tomatoes grow slowly, and their surface skin loses its elasticity. And if the plants are watered abundantly after a week, then the fruits will begin to grow with renewed vigor. The skin cannot withstand the pressure from the inside and cracks. This situation can arise not only with ripe vegetables, but also with green ones.
If you water the plantings in a large volume under the root in hot weather, the same will happen.
Excessive pinching of stems and cutting foliage
Some gardeners are very addicted to pinching. But everything should be in moderation, because the root system draws moisture from the soil in accordance with the amount of foliage of the entire crop. And as soon as a large number of leaves and shoots are removed, excess moisture begins to flow into the tomatoes.
And in this regard, the fruits begin to grow rapidly, and the skin does not stand up and begins to burst.
The same situation will arise if, during the ripening period of vegetables, you overdo it with pinching the upper part of the bush. The area of evaporation of water decreases several times, tomatoes ripen quickly, cracks appear on the skin.
Diseases of tomatoes
Sometimes, cracks form on tomatoes due to diseases that have arisen during the ripening period. The most dangerous are late blight and apical rot, as well as dry spotting and alternaria. They arise due to a lack of ventilation in the greenhouse and too high humidity.
Microbiological preparations, for example "Fitosporin", as well as complex fungicides ("Ridomil Gold MC") will help to cope with the problem.
The most effective preventive measures are considered: cutting the lower leaves, regular airing during the day, reducing the humidity in the room, spraying with drugs.
Unfavorable temperature and its sudden changes
During the heat, the temperature in the building can reach 40 ° C. The skin of a tomato loses its elasticity, and when the growth of the fruit accelerates, the outer shell breaks.
Poorly affects the integrity of the peel and temperature drops.
Incorrect selection of varieties
Most often, hybrid varieties with ultra-fast ripening crack. Tomatoes with yellow and pink skins, as well as large-fruited varieties, suffer most from cracking.
Errors during fertilization
It is not uncommon for vegetables to burst in the greenhouse due to improper or irregular fertilization.
Cracking occurs due to excess nitrogen or the addition of concentrated fertilizer. This problem appears on tomatoes and with an insufficient amount of useful micronutrients.
From the use of concentrates, cracks are formed on the surface of tomatoes.
What a danger cracks bring
A bursting shell on juicy fruits can lead to crop damage. In cracked tomatoes, bacteria develop, which leads to the process of rotting.
In addition, such tomatoes are not stored for long, and if cracks have arisen against the background of a disease, they cannot be used for food.
Varieties of tomatoes that resist cracking
Before planting tomatoes in your area, pay attention to varieties that are not prone to this problem. Most of them are hybrids or late maturing:
- Centaur - a large hybrid with disease resistance.
- Bohemia F1 - hybrid plant with strong tomatoes, well transported.
- Raspberry Viscount - undersized and unpretentious culture, the fruits are suitable for long-term storage.
- Asteroid - plant highly resistant to disease. The vegetables are large in size, the dense shell is less prone to cracking.
- Farm pickling - late-ripening culture, tomatoes are perfectly stored.
- Divo - unpretentious, high-yielding variety, resistant to infections. It tolerates temperature extremes and wet weather normally.
Solutions to cracking problems
If you find cracked vegetables in the greenhouse, then with the help of some actions you can stop further spoilage of the tomatoes.
Preventive measures when spraying against fungal diseases
Tomato planting in the greenhouse for prevention should be treated against fungi.
Use Fitosporin-M during the procedure. Prepare the solution in a ratio of 5 g of substance / 10 l of liquid. Carry out the processing at intervals of 1 time per ten days.
Necessary conditions for growing vegetables in a greenhouse
Ventilate the greenhouse during the day and close it at night. To get rid of overheating in the heat, applying a solution of lime to the walls and roof will help you.
If the humidity rises, ventilate the room throughout the day.
Pruning leaves and pinching shrubs
Fruit yield depends on a properly formed bush. Don't get carried away with removing too many leaves.
The first pruning is carried out 14 days after planting the seedlings in the building. First, the leaves on the ground are removed. The top of the plant must be pinched after the opening of the upper inflorescence, from about July 15th. A few leaves should remain above the top flower - with their help, the tomatoes receive useful substances.
Regular pinching of tomatoes
Almost all varieties of culture need pinching. The procedure must be carried out as soon as the first stepson appears on the plant under the first inflorescence.
Carry out pinching in the morning in dry weather (once every one and a half weeks).
Adding various fertilizers and feeding
Follow the instructions when diluting the fertilizer. To feed plants, it is enough to dilute the substance in an amount of 20 g per bucket of water.
The shell of a tomato can burst both with an excess and a lack of nutrients in the soil.
The scheme for feeding tomato bushes consists of the following stages:
- Before planting seedlings in the ground, you need to add fertilizers (phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen).
- 14 days after planting, the plants are fed with the same elements, as well as microelements.
- Nitrogen and phosphorus are added during the active development of the greenhouse culture.
- The addition of potassium and phosphorus will be beneficial during the flowering period.
- While setting vegetables, you can feed with phosphorus and potassium.
- Approximately 14 days before harvesting, the last top dressing is performed using manganese, iodine, boron, potassium.
Timely and optimal irrigation
On hot days, water twice a week and always in the evening.
In cloudy weather, water after five days. You can not sharply pour water under the bush, you should irrigate in several stages.
Do not let water get on the leaves, it is better to pour warm liquid under the root.
Completion of feeding during the ripening of vegetables
You should not apply fertilizers before harvesting, an overdose of elements leads to cracking of the fruit.
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