Cherry tomato cultivation technology

The cultivation of cherry tomatoes still requires certain skills and management, so how to better cultivate them? Here I will tell you about the cultivation techniques of cherry tomatoes:

1. Cultivation season:

The cultivation season of cherry tomatoes is similar to that of ordinary tomatoes. For open-field cultivation, seedlings can be raised in protected areas in February for spring sowing, and transplanted after the last frost in late April. The harvest period begins in mid- to late June. For autumn sowing, seedlings can be raised in July, transplanted in August, and harvested in October. Protected cultivation can be appropriately advanced or delayed.

2. Seedbed preparation:

The nursery bed should be selected on a plot where no Solanaceae vegetables have been planted. Fertile fields should be selected and mixed with 40-50% decomposed organic fertilizer. 1 kg of superphosphate and 5-10 kg of plant ash should be mixed into each cubic meter of nutrient soil. After mixing, sieve and spread on the dry nursery bed. In early spring, the nursery bed should be set up in a greenhouse. If the temperature is too low, electric heating wires should be laid. In summer, the nursery bed should be set up in a cool and ventilated place. In summer, there is a lot of rain, so the nursery bed should have rain shelter facilities and drainage ditches at the end of the bed.

3. Tomato seed treatment before sowing:

To grow tomatoes for high yields and increased income, seeds must be treated before sowing. Cherry tomato diseases are mostly spread by seed bacteria, so seeds must be disinfected before sowing. To prevent the occurrence of viral diseases, trisodium phosphate is often used for disinfection in production. The method is: first moisten the seeds with clean water, wrap them with gauze, soak them in 10% trisodium phosphate solution for 15-20 minutes, take out the seed bag, wrap them with a warm towel and place them at 28°C for germination. During the germination period, rinse the seeds once a day, and sow them when 1/2 of the seeds are white in about 3-4 days.

4. Seedling management:

In early spring, attention should be paid to heat preservation. The ground temperature of the seedbed should be controlled at 25-30℃ before germination. In summer, seedlings should be protected from rain and cooled. When most of the seeds have germinated, the temperature should be cooled in time, and the temperature should be controlled at 20℃ during the day and 12-15℃ at night. When the seedlings grow two true leaves, the seedlings should be transplanted.

5.Separation of seedlings:

In early spring, the temperature rises gradually, and the seedling bed generally does not need to be laid with ground heating wires. Early spring seedlings should be transplanted in the morning on a sunny day. Use the method of dark water planting. First dig a ditch, then water, and wait for the water to seep down before planting the seedlings and burying the soil. After burying, no mud or water can be seen on the surface. The row spacing is 10×10 cm. In summer, seedlings are transplanted in the evening or on cloudy days, and the method is the same as early spring seedlings. The row spacing is 10×10 cm. Water after planting, shade the ridge, and remove the covering after the seedlings have slowed down. The temperature of the seedling bed is 25-28℃ during the day and 15-18℃ at night before the seedlings have slowed down; 20-25℃ during the day and 13-15℃ at night after the seedlings have slowed down. No watering in early spring, and watering of the seedling bed is frequent in summer. Planting when the seedlings grow to 8 true leaves.

6. Planting:

First, prepare the land, combine deep plowing with 5,000 kg of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, 20 kg of N, P, K three-element compound fertilizer, and 20 kg of superphosphate. After leveling the land, make 150 cm wide flat beds (if you cover the ground with film in early spring, make small raised beds with a height of 10 cm and a width of 50-60 cm). Plant 3 rows per flat bed, and plant 1 row per small raised bed. The plant spacing is 20-30 cm, and 4,500-6,000 plants are planted per mu. If you cover the ground with film, first prepare the bed and lay the film, then make planting holes according to the plant spacing, and plant the plants. The planting depth is 1 cm from the cotyledon to the ground.

7. Field management:

7.1 Watering. If the water is sufficient for planting, no more watering is needed until the first ear of inflorescence blooms and sets fruit. If the water is insufficient for planting, dig a ditch in the bed and water it in small amounts. Do this in the morning on a sunny day. Water the first time after the first ear of inflorescence sets fruit. The amount of water required during the fruiting period is high. Water once every 5-6 days. Water when the soil is dry and wet when the soil is wet. Reduce watering during the harvest period to prevent cracking of the fruit.

7.2 Topdressing. After the first ear of flowers sets and fruits are formed, apply 10 kg of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer per mu in combination with watering. When the first ear of fruits changes color, apply 10 kg of compound fertilizer per mu to promote fruit development. After that, apply topdressing once every two ears of fruits appear, with a topdressing amount of 10 kg of compound fertilizer per mu.

7.3 Temperature management. The temperature of protected cultivation is higher than that of ordinary tomatoes, requiring more than 10°C at night and 20-25°C during the day, and the highest should not exceed 35°C.

7.4 Pruning. Cherry tomatoes are tall and have poor uprightness. When the plants grow to 50 cm, they are placed on a trellis to prevent them from falling over. The lateral branches have strong growth, so double-stem pruning is usually performed. Two strong branches are left first, and the others are removed. Generally, the top is not used. When the old leaves on the lower part turn yellow, they are removed in time to reduce nutrient consumption.

7.5 Thin out the flowers to preserve the fruits. In early spring, when the temperature is low, the flowers are prone to fall due to poor pollination. You can apply 2,4-D to the newly opened calyx and pedicel (only apply once). Cherry tomatoes have many flowers and fruits per ear. Select 20-30 fruits with good fruit setting and remove the rest.

8. Harvesting: Harvest when fully ripe, keeping the sepals and a section of the fruit stalk.

9. Disease and pest control: Common diseases include early blight, late blight, virus disease, gray mold, etc. Control methods: Implement 3-4 years of crop rotation with non-Solanaceae crops. In the early stage of the disease, use 70% mancozeb 500 times solution and 75% chlorothalonil 600 times solution, spray once every 7-10 days, and spray 4-5 times in a row. The main insect pest is aphids, which can be controlled with 20% cypermethrin emulsifiable concentrate 800-1000 times solution and 50% aphid-repellent mist 2000-3000 times solution.