When and what tomatoes to pick from the bushes in the greenhouse and in the open ground

Tomatoes are a heat-loving crop, so in places where already in mid-August the nights are cool and there are cold fogs in the morning, the crop is harvested without waiting for ripening. Such fruits, in some regions, reach 80%. If you don't pick them on time, the tomatoes will begin to become covered with brown spots and rot, which means they have contracted late blight. After harvesting, growing fruits will receive more nutrients, which will accelerate growth. Well, the harvested green harvest will ripen at home in the warmth.

Description

How to pick tomatoes? Tomatoes are tasty and juicy summer vegetables that every gardener diligently grows in their garden plot. Planting seedlings and growing a good harvest is only half the battle; you also need to harvest the tomatoes correctly. At first glance it may seem that this is very simple, but in fact it is important to know the collection times. In addition, harvesting in open ground and in a greenhouse is slightly different. Some nuances should be taken into account, which can be learned from the article.

Providing sufficient moisture

The frequency of watering should be selected in accordance with the soil, climatic conditions, and weather. Watering can be moderate, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out, as this can lead to cracking of the fruit. To retain moisture in the soil, you can cover the soil in the garden bed with mulch. In addition to maintaining moisture, mulching the soil:

• stabilizes soil temperature;
• does not allow the soil to become too compacted, retains a lot of air;
• promotes the development of soil microorganisms;
• helps create a favorable microclimate for earthworms.

This is the first rule for improving tomato yields. Plants should be provided with moisture regularly, but not in excess. It should also be remembered that tomatoes are heat-loving plants and watering with cold water has a negative effect on the health of the plants and their productivity.

Tomato harvest time

In what month should you start harvesting fruits? You should think about the timing in advance, even when sowing seedlings. When choosing certain varieties of tomatoes, you should consider factors such as:

• climatic conditions;
• growing conditions (this can be open ground or a greenhouse);
• use of fertilizers.

Gardeners distinguish four degrees of ripeness of tomatoes.

As a rule, tomatoes begin to ripen 40-60 days after flowering. But the ripening process directly depends on weather conditions. If there are cloudy and rainy days, the dates will shift, since tomatoes need the sun for normal growth and development.

Many people like to harvest and use green tomatoes for canning. It is better not to eat unripe vegetables raw, as they contain substances dangerous to the human body that are destroyed by temperature. The ideal degree of ripeness of green tomatoes for canning is milky or bland.

Gardeners are primarily interested in how much harvest can be harvested. © https://ydoo.info/qa/kak-sobrat-pomidory.htmlBut here it all depends on the growing conditions and variety. If tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse, then on average 800-900 kilograms of vegetables can be harvested from one hundred square meters. In open ground the numbers are slightly different - 500 kilograms. If the numbers seem unrealistic to some, then, we hasten to reassure you, they are real, since on average you can collect from five to seven kilograms from one bush. And with hybrid varieties the harvest can be even greater.

When to pick tomatoes for ripening

For ripening, fruits are removed at the stage of milky or blanzhesky ripeness. It can be identified by the greenish or white tint of the tomato skin. Blanche tomatoes quickly ripen at home and acquire a bright, rich taste and color characteristic of a particular variety.

How to determine if a tomato is ready to ripen:

• the size of the tomatoes corresponds to those characteristic of a particular variety;
• When you cut a tomato, you can see fully ripened seeds;
• green tomato skin with a whitish tint;
• tomato pulp is pink in color.

For home ripening, damaged and bruised tomatoes, as well as fruits with traces of rotting, fungal diseases and insect pests, are not used. Such tomatoes cannot be left on the bushes; they must be immediately removed from the garden to prevent infection of healthy bushes.

Harvesting tomatoes in open ground

Tomatoes that grow in open ground are very dependent on weather conditions. In mid-summer there are rarely frosts, and tomatoes can grow quietly. But, if the temperature drops to +10 degrees, it is better to collect vegetables from the beds. But it’s not just a drop in temperature that you should be afraid of; for example, cold dew does not have a very good effect on young (if the tomatoes were planted in mid-summer) plants.

In central Russia, as well as in Siberia and the Urals, it is better to choose early and early ripening varieties of tomatoes for planting. In this case, it is better to germinate the seeds through seedlings first, and only mature plants can be transplanted into open ground.

After mass ripening, harvesting must be done every two to three days (and if there are too many vegetables, then every day). You should inspect the bushes daily for rotten and damaged tomatoes. If such fruits are found, they should be immediately removed along with the stem to prevent them from infecting other tomatoes.

The main principles of harvesting:

1. First you need to decide on the purpose of collection: tomatoes are collected for consumption, for capping, or for ripening.
2. You should start picking tomatoes only when they have reached the degree of maturity that is characteristic of a certain variety.
3. If tomatoes are collected for ripening, then they must be picked only with the stalk, otherwise they may rot.

To collect tomatoes, you should choose a container. You can use boxes or buckets. It is better to focus on the amount of harvest. Each tomato should be picked carefully. If the vegetable does not come away from the stalk well, this may indicate that the tomato is not ripe. Do not stack tomatoes in several layers, as they may become wrinkled. If vegetables are collected for winter preparation, it is better to process them within two days.

Bush formation

In order for tomatoes to produce a rich harvest, the bush must be shaped, making sure that all the vines receive enough light. Excessively thickened plantings produce very few fruits, which turn out to be small and take a long time to ripen. Basic principles of bush formation:

• removing diseased and yellowed leaves;
• breaking out stepsons;
• pinching the top.

By removing yellowed leaves and shoots, the gardener improves lighting and ventilation of the bushes, and prevents the possible development of infection. The pinched top and broken stepsons accelerate the ripening of fruits and contribute to their growth, because the plant does not have to waste strength and nutrients on the growth of shoots. The yield of tomatoes becomes noticeably less without pinching, since in this case all the energy goes into increasing the green mass.

When pinching, a tomato bush is formed into one stem (all side shoots are removed), into two stems (one side shoot is left) or into three, when 2 side shoots are left. The method of pinching depends on the variety and place of cultivation of tomatoes.

The top of the stem is pinched above the second leaf after the upper cluster with fruits.

When pruning bushes, you should use disinfected tools to prevent the transfer of infection from diseased plants to healthy ones.

Greenhouse tomatoes

Tomatoes grown in a greenhouse are better protected from bad weather conditions. If early varieties of tomatoes were planted, the first harvest can be harvested in mid-July. And if you plant late varieties, you can enjoy the vegetable even in September. Unlike open ground, in a greenhouse vegetables can not be afraid of temperature changes, cold dew and heavy rains.

It is necessary to collect tomatoes in a greenhouse in stages. Tomatoes ripen from bottom to top; harvest must be done in the same sequence. For collection use boxes, boxes, wide basins. It is better to stack vegetables in one, or maximum two, layers so that the fruits remain intact. If tomatoes are harvested for ripening, it is better to lay them out in one layer.

Tomatoes can be stored in a greenhouse until the first frost. And this is a great opportunity to enjoy a summer vegetable even at the end of autumn. But when the temperature drops below seven degrees, it is better to collect the tomatoes and put them in a warmer place, where it will be +18. At above-zero temperatures, vegetables will ripen within a few weeks. Tomatoes that are ripe should be eaten as quickly as possible.

In order for the tomatoes to ripen in the shortest possible time, you need to place one ripe tomato or red apple next to the green vegetables. This method has been used for many centuries.

Cooking green tomatoes: jam recipe

Dishes made from green tomatoes can also be very original. Although their raw consumption is neither healthy nor safe (the fruit contains large amounts of tomatine, which is a poisonous alkaloid that is poisonous in higher concentrations), but after processing, green fruits become much less hazardous to health, since when exposed to high temperatures and vinegar, dangerous compounds are partially destroyed. Therefore, unripe, large green tomatoes can be used to make jam. To do this you need 1.5 kg of green tomatoes, 1 kg of sugar, lemon zest, vanilla and a few cloves. All components are boiled and rolled into dry jars.

This jam will become an original delicacy in our pantry, but we must remember that it does not contain as many valuable and healthy ingredients as dishes made from ripe tomatoes, and is devoid of lycopene.

How to get seeds?

If you have managed to harvest a large harvest of delicious tomatoes during the season, then it is definitely worth getting tomato seeds. When choosing a vegetable for seeds, you should pay attention to some criteria:

1. It is better to choose varietal tomatoes. It is difficult to grow equally good crops from hybrids. In addition, hybrids degenerate very quickly. How to recognize hybrid seeds? Usually the packaging is marked F1, which indicates that the tomatoes are not varietal. To avoid confusion, it is better to make notes before sowing and planting in open ground.
2. Tomatoes from which seeds are planned to be selected must be adapted to the climate where they will grow.

To collect good seeds, you need to choose the right fruits:

• tomatoes should grow on strong and healthy bushes;
• fruits for seeds are picked only from the lower part of the bush;
• The tomato must be fully ripened on the bush.

There are two options for obtaining seeds: the first is fermentation, the second is rapid selection.

Each method has its pros and cons, but to understand which method is better, you should understand each of them in detail.

Fermentation

The process of fermentation, or fermentation, allows the seeds to be freed from excess shells that prevent the seed from germinating. A pre-selected tomato must be cut into two parts or cut into slices, as shown in the photo. After this, use a spoon to collect the tomato pulp into the prepared container. It is important that the seeds float in the tomato liquid, so do not skimp on the tomato juice. Then cover the dish with a lid and leave for a day or two. The speed of fermentation depends on the temperature: the higher it is, the faster the process. It is very important not to miss the moment, otherwise the seeds may germinate and become unsuitable for cultivation. You can determine the readiness of the seeds by the bubbles that appear after some time. At the same time, the tomato juice will become lighter and the seeds will rise to the top.

It is better to carry out fermentation in a transparent container, such as a jar. This will make it much more convenient to observe the process.

After fermentation, planting material should be washed. The contents of the jars are sent to a sieve, through which all the liquid drains, but the seeds remain. After the fermented tomato juice has drained, the seeds should be thoroughly washed under running water. There should be no pulp left on the planting material.

Now you need to dry the seeds. First you need to wait until all the liquid has drained, and then the planting material should be transferred to a paper towel. You need to wait a little until everything dries. After this, the planting material is placed on a saucer or other container, the main thing is that the seeds lie in one layer. Complete drying takes place within a week, after which the planting material is placed in paper bags and sent to a cool place (veranda, refrigerator).

Do not dry seeds in the sun, as this may lead to untimely germination.

Fast way

The quick method is suitable for those who do not have time to ferment or dry. First, the tomato is cut, and then the pulp is taken out along with the seeds. Now you will need paper napkins. The seeds along with the pulp are spread on a towel and left for seven days. During this time, the juice and pulp will be absorbed into the paper napkin and dry, after which you can collect all the seeds with your hands and place them in prepared paper bags.

If several varieties are used for selection, it is better to sign the seed storage container in advance.

The quick method has one drawback - the quality of the seeds is worse, germination may also not be very good, since the seeds will have to break through several more shells in order to germinate. But fermentation is a long process that not everyone likes.

Tomato chutney recipe

Tomatoes taste great in single-ingredient preparations with the addition of spices (for example, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, chili, bay leaves, allspice or herbs such as basil, thyme, mint, cumin, tarragon). They can also be combined with other vegetables and fruits.

A chutney made from tomatoes, pears, peppers, onions and garlic, with the addition of ginger, vinegar, cumin, mustard, sugar, salt, basil and olive oil has a very interesting taste. To prepare tomato-plum-apple chutney you need 3 kg of tomatoes, 1 kg of apples, 1 kg of plums, 1 celery, 2 parsley roots, 2 onions, half a glass of semi-dry red wine, half a glass of sugar, 2 tablespoons of salt, 4 cloves of garlic, a pinch of cinnamon , nutmeg, black and hot pepper, several clove inflorescences.

Boil tomatoes along with seeds and seedless fruits and rub through a sieve, then simmer until thickened with the addition of grated parsley and celery roots, as well as finely chopped onion and garlic. At the end of cooking, add wine and spices to the sauce and, after mixing thoroughly, pour into jars.

Storage periods and rules

After the crop has been harvested, it must be processed or stored. But where should you put the vegetables so they don’t spoil, and what should the temperature be? Tomatoes that have been harvested at full ripeness are best consumed immediately or processed within two days. During these several days, vegetables can be stored in the basement. After two or three days have passed, it is better to put the tomatoes in the refrigerator, otherwise they will begin to spoil. To keep tomatoes longer and not spoil, they should be wrapped in newspaper or plain paper, and each vegetable should be wrapped separately. After this, the tomatoes should be placed in a cool place.

If the tomatoes were collected for ripening, then they should be placed in a place where the temperature will be no less and no more than +20 degrees. In the case where vegetables were collected in cold weather, they should be warmed up a little before storing. To do this, the tomatoes are dipped in warm water for a couple of minutes, and then wiped dry and put away for ripening.

During long-term storage, tomatoes must be sprinkled with peat or sawdust. In this case, if one tomato rots, it will not infect others.

At first it may seem that picking tomatoes at home is very simple. But it is necessary to take into account many nuances. You should understand why the harvest is being done. You also need to learn to recognize the stages of maturity, because the timing of collection depends on this. Despite all the hassle, the process of picking tomatoes is very exciting.

Methods for ripening tomatoes

Before harvesting green tomatoes for ripening, study the following rules:

1. The fruits are not washed before storage and ripening. They are simply cleaned of soil and dirt.
2. Fruits affected by late blight can be immersed in water at a temperature of +60 degrees for a couple of minutes. This procedure will destroy all spores on the surface of the tomatoes. Store affected tomatoes separately.
3. A room with low temperatures and high humidity is not suitable for ripening tomatoes.
4. Tomatoes do not tolerate being near other vegetables well, so they are stored separately.
5. Ripe tomatoes spoil quickly at room temperature, so they are immediately put in the refrigerator or other cool place. Among the green fruits, be sure to leave a few ripe ones.

Traditional ripening method

Tomatoes ripen fastest at a temperature of +28 degrees and in bright light. To do this, they can be laid out on a sunny windowsill.

You will be interested to know: What to do with tomatoes if it rains and is cold - save the harvest

However, the harvest will ripen well even at room temperature of +20..+25 degrees. The fruits need to be placed in several layers in boxes, baskets, crates, or simply laid out on shelves.

Attention! Bananas or red apples lying nearby will help speed up the ripening of tomatoes. These fruits emit ethylene, which contributes to rapid ripening.

Laying for long ripening

Tomatoes will ripen within a month if they are stored indoors at a temperature of +12..+15 degrees and a humidity of about 80 degrees. The harvest is placed in boxes or crates in two or three layers. Each layer is sprinkled with dry sawdust or covered with paper. Air must flow to the fruits, so cover the top of the container with a cloth or loosely close the lid.

With this method of ripening, you can enjoy fresh tomatoes until winter, and sometimes even later. If ripe fruits are needed earlier, they can be moved to a warmer room and topped with red apples or bananas.

Definition of Nutrient Deficiencies

In August, tomato bushes experience a rapid increase in green mass and intensive formation of fruits. This leads to rapid depletion of nutrients in the soil, so plants need feeding.

In some cases, the need for feeding can be determined by the appearance of the bushes:

• a purple tint to the leaves indicates a lack of phosphorus;
• yellowing leaves at the top of the bush signal a lack of iron;
• dark spots on the top of the fruit indicate that the plant needs calcium.

To compensate for the deficiency of substances, watering the roots with a solution of mineral fertilizers or foliar spraying is used.

What can you feed tomatoes with?

You can compensate for phosphorus deficiency by watering the plant at the root with a solution of superphosphate (2 tablespoons per bucket of water). If there is a lack of calcium or iron, you can use folk remedies (egg shells, chalk, iron supplements) or add complex mineral fertilizers to the soil. Fertilizers containing potassium, phosphorus, calcium, boron, iodine are very suitable for tomatoes. No less benefit will come from products containing manganese, iron, zinc, and sulfur. These are products such as Fertika Lux, Kristalon tomato, Novofert, Universal. With all the intensity of plant growth, you should refrain from being overzealous and limit yourself to 1 - 2 fertilizing per month.

An excellent natural fertilizer is the ash after burning grass, potato tops, and grapevines. This ash contains a lot of potassium, which tomatoes need throughout the entire fruiting period. 1 glass of ash is diluted in a bucket of water and watered 2 liters per plant. Ash contains almost all the microelements required by plants, but its composition depends on the source material. Wood ash, which contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus, is considered the most valuable in this regard.

Good results can be obtained by using foliar fertilizing with iodine, which can serve to prevent plant diseases. A solution of 1 liter of whey, 5 liters of water and 15 drops of iodine is used to spray the bushes. The whey is taken unpasteurized, spraying is done with a warm solution.

Disease Control Products

After pinching, it is recommended to spray the bushes with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. This is an excellent disinfectant and fertilizer. For better disinfection, you can use an infusion of garlic with a solution of potassium permanganate. 100 g of garlic are infused for 24 hours in 1 liter of water. After 24 hours, strain the infusion, pour it into a bucket of water, add 1 g of potassium permanganate. Apply after 10 – 15 days.

The use of pesticides during the fruiting period of plants is impossible, but diseases and pests do not wait. At this point, it is recommended to use antibacterial agents made from Bacillus subtilis, such as:

• Fitosporin-M;
• Alirin-B;
• Gamair;
• Baktofit.

They are made from different strains of this microorganism, which react to various pathogens. These products have been tested and have proven themselves to be a worthy replacement for expensive chemicals.

Features and collection time in Chelyabinsk

Tomato fruits should be collected in early August, without waiting for their biological maturity. Timely picking of brown and disease-affected tomatoes will allow the next wave of tomatoes to ripen.

To do this, the tomatoes should be placed in a room with good lighting and ventilation, as well as an air temperature of +18 - +26 degrees.

Mid-late varieties and hybrids that do not have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather in the Chelyabinsk region should be picked green. However, when ripened, such fruits will not have a sugary taste.

Tomatoes are one of those vegetables that require systematic plucking of ripened fruits. In any region, without removing ripe fruits, you can allow them to be affected by pathogenic diseases. Therefore, wherever tomatoes are grown, the most important thing is to harvest on time.

Obtaining seeds from tomatoes

When a gardener is lucky enough to collect a large harvest, and the fruits turn out to be juicy, tasty and sweet, he will certainly want to take advantage of the current situation to get seeds for the future.

When selecting seeds, you should definitely take into account a number of designated criteria:

• It is best to choose fruits of a specific variety, and not hybrid ones, the harvest from which is difficult to grow. Hybrid plants also degenerate quite quickly;
• Plants must have good adaptability to specific climate conditions.

To collect seeds, you should make sure that the fruits are selected according to the following rules, which will help you use the seed mass both for propagating seedlings and for planting for the next season.

Thus, attention should be paid to:

• The bushes from which fruits will be harvested for seed selection must be of selected quality, not only strong, but also healthy;
• For seed selection, you will need only those fruits that are located in the lower part of the selected bushes;
• The fruits themselves must ripen to final maturity directly on the bush.

Next, you select one of two practice-tested options for obtaining seeds. In the first case, this is fermentation, and in the second, accelerated selection. It is worth carefully reading the features of each to choose the most suitable one.