Experienced and novice gardeners are always interested in information about long-known and new ways of planting vegetables. Those who grow a crop such as tomatoes on their plot are well aware of the traditional ways of planting them in the ground or in a greenhouse. One of the fairly new and effective methods can be safely called the lazy way of growing a tomato, the features of which will be discussed today in this article.
What is the
Quite new and still unusual for many gardeners is the lazy method of growing tomatoes, which has been very common in recent years not only in the Leningrad region, but also in other regions of our country. How is it different from the usual? The fundamental difference is that when planting tomatoes in the Leningrad Region in a lazy way, it will take much less time for this, as well as for caring for crops. Moreover, in this case, the variety of vegetables itself is not particularly important, since planting and cultivation play an important role, the result of which is invariably juicy and tasty tomatoes.
You should know that the preparation of holes for planting crops begins in early spring or late autumn. It was at this time that other plants had not yet been planted on the beds, so the soil was only preparing to receive them. Planting tomatoes in a lazy way saves time. An important point is that in the process of caring for future tomatoes, the summer resident will have to spend quite a bit of time when the plants need to be tied up.
Having prepared the holes, flowering seedlings are dug out of the greenhouse, the height of which is about 60 cm, after which they are planted in holes, the soil is mulched, and then it will only be necessary to tie the stems to the peg with one ribbon (unlike the usual planting method, where each plant is tied up separately ).
And that’s all – earthworms loosen the ground, mulch allows you to reduce the amount of watering and retain moisture, you don’t need to fertilize the crops (also unlike the tomato planting method we are used to, since fertilizers are applied directly to the holes during planting). Crops planted in this way grow quickly with minimal care, are less susceptible to disease and produce higher yields. The highlights of planting a tomato in the Leningrad Region can be demonstrated to everyone by our video.
How to plant
Before proceeding directly to planting, you should dig holes of the correct size for seedlings. Ideally, they should be approximately 50 cm wide and 30 cm deep.
Experts consider this size to be the most suitable for the root system of crops, so that it can, without encountering obstacles in its path, be placed in the ground. Also, if you plant crops at such a distance, they will be able to receive moisture in the amount necessary for normal growth and development. Thus, the owner of the site does not have to water the seedlings a lot. Optimal for cultures to take root well and adapt to new conditions, the distance between the holes is considered to be about 120 cm.
The earth that was extracted in the process of creating holes should be laid around the perimeter, and this should be done as evenly and accurately as possible. In the center of the hole, an iron stick should be placed, which will reach a height of approximately two meters. Then, not only top dressing containing a whole complex of vitamins and minerals, but also other useful substances vital for the soil are added to each hole. The first layer needs to be filled with a bucket of manure, then humus follows, after that sand is laid, and at the very top of such a flooring place the earth that was previously extracted from the holes. Next you need to add about 500 gr. Ash, as well as 85 gr. nitroammophoski, after which all this should be thoroughly mixed. After a side is made around the hole, it is considered ready for planting tomato seedlings.
How many holes do you need to make using the lazy way of growing vegetables in the Leningrad region? This question is decided individually by each summer resident. We only remind you that you need to calculate the number of holes, based on the fact that no more than five seedling bushes can be placed in each of them. Planting a tomato in this area, as in other regions of the country, begins with the arrival of spring, as shown in our video.
Using a sharp spatula, indenting about six centimeters from the side, dig a hole, the depth of which will be 40 cm. After that, seedlings can be laid in it. Its root system should be pre-cut and cleaned so that it can fit into the prepared hole without any problems. As for the leaves, they should be cut off from below, while leaving the upper part. When all the seedlings are planted in this way, you should immediately water the entire area with a good stream of water.
This will allow all the seedlings to fill the holes evenly. The result of planting seedlings will be mulching the soil around the side with the help of a small size of straw, fallen leaves, old grass. That is, many of the materials at hand that are located directly on the summer cottage or near it can be useful to you. This procedure will also retain moisture and become a reliable protection of plant roots from drought. After that, there is no need to loosen the earth, since this duty will be taken over by worms, of which a sufficient number will certainly appear in the soil you have fertilized.
How to care
Caring for tomatoes after planting, planted in such an unusual way, will not cause much trouble to the owner of the site. The main thing is to tie the growing stems to the stake in time with the help of twine. In the event that there are suddenly a lot of tomatoes, and they are quite large, it is recommended to feed them using the well-known chicken manure. To do this, it should be diluted with water at the rate of one to fifty. Manure is also perfect, but here the dosage will be somewhat different – one to twenty-five.
It is advised to spray seedlings at least three times. For the first time, this must be done immediately before planting, the second time – after about two weeks, and the third – on day 45, for which they use a special solution designed specifically for such purposes. Tomatoes planted in this way are able to give many additional shoots on each stem, grow very well, grow in a fairly short time. Vegetables invariably please the owner with their well-groomed appearance, they turn out whole and amazingly tasty. As practice shows, from each hole you can get a crop of up to 40 kg. The minimum yield per hole is about 20 kg. In order to get it, you need high-quality seedlings, either your own or purchased from a trusted place. Varieties of tomatoes in this case, as mentioned above, can be completely different. The main thing is to choose tall ones, and then the result will never disappoint you!
Video “Growing tomatoes”
An entry on how to create optimal conditions for growing tomatoes and how to deal with their diseases.
