Today we'll talk about tomatoes. Every gardener who grows vegetables in a greenhouse wants to get a rich harvest of juicy fruits. However, there are situations when all agricultural engineering and care measures are followed, and the fruits still do not turn red. In this article, we will look at the steps you can take to save the situation.
What is the problem and what to do
Solanaceous crops are distinguished by two-stage maturation. The first phase is counted from the moment the ovaries form and lasts up to a month. At this time, tomatoes are gaining weight. At the second stage, the fruits are filled with juice and acquire a characteristic "tomato" color. Usually the second stage lasts up to three weeks.
If, after seven weeks have passed since the formation of the ovaries, the fruits remain small and green and do not develop, it is time to take action.
To begin with, it is worthwhile to understand the reasons, the main ones of which may be:
- Temperature violations. Tomatoes turn red thanks to a special pigment called lycopene, which is produced only in a certain temperature range of 15 to 35 degrees. With any deviation from the norm, the production of this pigment is inhibited.
- Low level of illumination, which often occurs due to the thickening of tomato bushes. In such a situation, you can notice the rapid ripening of the fruits on the tops, and the fruits on the lower branches remain green.
- Illiterate feeding. This is especially true for the excessive application of nitrogen-containing fertilizers, which leads to the formation of small tomatoes.
- Formation errors and too many fruits on the branches.
How to speed up the ripening of tomatoes
The process of fruit ripening can be accelerated in the following ways:
- Selection of the right components as fertilizers. In order for the fruits to safely gain weight, they need potassium and phosphorus, which means that emphasis should be placed on these top dressing.
- Maintaining temperature and humidity conditions. If a yellowish-green edging appears on the fruits in the region of the stalk, this indicates a large difference between day and night temperatures.
- Do not neglect formative measures, including pinching and removing excess foliage.
No chemistry - how to fertilize tomatoes?
Without competent feeding, it is impossible to get a good harvest of juicy and tasty fruits. Some gardeners try not to use chemicals, so I can recommend natural recipes that I use myself:
- Top dressing from iodine and ash. To prepare a working solution in any convenient container (it can be a bucket), I pour 2 liters of ash powder and pour boiling water. The volume of the liquid is 5 liters. As soon as the composition cools down, it is necessary to add another five liters of pre-settled water to it. The container should be covered and left in the shade for seven days. After this time, I pour the infusion into a new container, adding 20 ml of iodine and 10 g of boric acid. As a result, we get a concentrate. For top dressing, it will need to be diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 9. It takes me up to a liter of composition for one bush.
- The second equally effective fertilizer option is superphosphate extract. For preparation, you need to pour 100 g of the product in granules into an enamel container and pour five glasses of boiling water. The solution must be left for a day, remembering to stir regularly so that the granules dissolve well. Then I drain the hood, 20 tbsp. l. I dilute the composition with three liters of water. As a result, a concentrate is obtained, which for dressing needs to be taken in the amount of 3/4 cup per bucket of water.
How else to stimulate redness of tomatoes
In addition to all the above measures, the correct formation of tomato bushes is far from the last place. For indeterminate species, it is enough to get rid of the lateral processes once every seven days. In early August, it is worth cutting off the tops of the bushes three leaves above the fruit brushes. Remember to remove flowers and small ovaries while doing this.
Semi-determinant species and hybrids develop into two stems, so it is enough to leave the stepson on the main stem. The outgrowths that form later must be removed.
If you are growing stock species, you are in luck - there is no need for pinching.
Another tip: I prefer to get rid of the bottom row of leaves. Firstly, they take away the vitality of the plant, and secondly, they become a breeding ground for diseases and pathogenic microflora due to close contact with the ground.
Read also: Effective natural ways to combat cabbage caterpillar
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