When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, special attention is paid to pinching. This procedure will allow you to harvest a rich tomato crop, but only if it is carried out correctly and in a timely manner.
What is pasyning?
Pasynkovanie tomatoes in the greenhouse helps to equalize the ratio of the number of fruits and green mass. This procedure consists in removing unnecessary shoots growing in the axils of leaf plates.
In the leaf axil, which is located between the stem and the base of the leaf, additional shoots-stepchildren are formed over time, and foliage, second-level stepchildren, flowers and ovaries develop on them.
Stepchildren take away most of the nutrients from the bush. If they are not cut, then the forces of the tomato will be spent on the growth of green mass, and not on the formation and growth of fruits. This leads to a decrease in yield and to the crushing of fruits.
Timely pinching will help increase the viability of the plant, and this procedure also contributes to:
- lengthening the duration of fruiting;
- the formation of the skeletal structure of the bush;
- improving productivity;
- accelerate the receipt of the first fruits.
When to Stepson Tomatoes
The formation of the first stepchildren on tomatoes is already observed at the stage of seedling development. In this regard, during the planting of seedlings in the greenhouse, all unnecessary shoots are immediately removed from them, the length of which at this time can reach only about 10 mm. Although this is quite hard work, it will be much easier to care for such bushes at first.
After the seedlings planted in the greenhouse take root and begin to grow, they will begin to actively form stepchildren. You will have to systematically (about 1 time in 1–1,5 weeks) inspect the tomato and cut off all excess shoots before they become too thick. Removal of stepchildren from greenhouse bushes is carried out regularly even after fruit picking begins.
Pinching technology
It is necessary to start pinching tomatoes growing in a greenhouse when the unwanted shoots are still very thin and small. Make sure that they do not grow longer than 50 mm, because otherwise they will have time to take quite a lot of strength from the bush.
It should also be remembered that the thicker and longer the stepson, the more difficult it is to tear it off without injuring the stem, and this can cause the bush to be affected by various diseases. That is why experienced gardeners recommend systematically inspecting plantings and removing stepchildren immediately after they appear.
Rules and features of stepchildren:
- The pinching procedure is carried out in the morning, while the greenhouse should be well lit by the sun, and at this time it should be opened for ventilation. It is best to carry out such a procedure on a warm, fine day.
- Stepchildren are removed first from the most powerful and healthy bushes, and the weakest tomatoes are left for last.
- It is highly undesirable to use any tool, even a very sharp one, to remove stepchildren, as this can cause the spread of a viral disease from bush to bush.
- Stepsons are removed by hand. To do this, a young, unnecessary shoot from above is captured with two fingers and pinched.
- In the place where the stepson was, a stump should remain, which reaches a length of about 30 mm. In the future, where there is such a stump, a new shoot will not grow.
- When cutting off the stepson, in no case do not pull it down. In this case, you can greatly harm the bush, along with an unnecessary shoot, tearing off part of the stem.
Types of pinching
There are several types of pinching, which differ from each other in the number of extra shoots and branches left during the removal. Each of these types has its own characteristics, which will be discussed in more detail below.
In one stem
The single-stem method is great for greenhouse-grown bushes. In this case, there will be no extra branches thickening the plants, which will provide them with good ventilation and a sufficient amount of light.
Immediately after the stepson begins to grow under the first formed brush, it should be cut off. At the same time, the lower leaf plates are also cut off from the bushes, which only interfere with them at this stage of development. Next, conduct a systematic inspection of the bushes and cut off all emerging side shoots, while flowering brushes must be left.
Thanks to this method of forming a bush, about 50 brushes can grow on it, on which fruits will form. Also, this method allows you to extend the fruiting period.
In two stems
Forming a bush in two stems is also well suited for greenhouse tomatoes. In this case, you need to leave only one of the most powerful stepchildren, who grew up under the first flowering brush. Those lateral shoots, as well as leaf plates that are located below this stepson, must be cut off. In the future, systematically inspect the bushes and cut off all unnecessary stepchildren.
in three stems
Bushes formed into three stems are most suitable for growing in the open field, but not for the greenhouse. To form a plant into three stems, you need to cut off all the side shoots except for two. The first stepson should be under the first flowering brush, and the second – above it. Further, regular inspection of tomatoes and removal of excess shoots are also carried out.
How to shape tomatoes in a greenhouse
All varieties of tomatoes are divided into three types:
- indeterminate ― growth of a bush proceeds during all vegetative period;
- semi-determinant – a bush can stop growing at any time, or it can continue its growth;
- deterministic – the completion of the growth of the bush occurs after it has formed 4 or 5 flowering brushes.
Indeterminate varieties
If your greenhouse is small, then it is recommended to form tomatoes belonging to indeterminate varieties in one stem. If the place allows, then to increase the yield, the bushes can be formed into two stems. However, in this case, when planting bushes in a greenhouse, the distance between them should be quite large, which will allow the tomato to receive enough light as it grows.
In order to form a tomato in two stems, you need to leave a stepson with him, who grew up under the first flowering brush. Only 4 or 5 flowering brushes are left on the second stem, and all the rest are removed.
Determinant Varieties
In some cases, tomato bushes of determinant varieties do not stepchild at all. As a rule, this procedure is resorted to only if they want to get an early harvest. To do this, tomatoes are formed into one stem.
A maximum of four flowering brushes should remain on it, and all the rest are cut off along with side shoots. Above the inflorescence, which is above all, you need to leave a few leaf plates and pinch the top growth point of the bush. Thanks to this formation of the bush, the harvest can be obtained half a month earlier.
Semideterminant varieties
It is impossible to predict whether a bush belonging to a semi-determinant variety will stop its growth after it has several inflorescences or continue to grow actively. That is why on such a tomato it is necessary to form a second spare stem. If the main stem stops growing, then the fruits will form on the spare stem.
If the growth of the main stem does not end after 6 to 8 inflorescences form on it, then, if desired, the second stem can be carefully cut off so that it does not take away strength from the plant.
Caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse
When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, special attention should be paid to watering. When the seedlings are just planted in the soil, they should be watered abundantly so that the earth is saturated to a depth of 20 to 25 centimeters. In the event that at this time the young bushes do not receive the right amount of moisture, then they will take root and develop very slowly.
After the surface of the soil near the bushes dries slightly, it should be loosened. This procedure is carried out after each watering, since the crust formed on the surface of the soil does not allow a sufficient amount of oxygen to penetrate to the roots.
The second time the tomatoes are watered only after 7 days have passed after they were planted in the greenhouse. During this time, they must have time to take root and adapt to new conditions. The frequency of subsequent waterings is affected by the rate of drying of the topsoil. On average, tomatoes are watered 1 time in 5 days, while 1 to 4 liters of water are taken per 5 square meter of the plot.
Also, tomatoes grown in a greenhouse must be fed correctly and in a timely manner. Before planting seedlings in the soil, it should be prepared. For this, 1 tbsp is added to it. l. potassium sulfate, 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 5 liters of coarse sand per 1 square meter of beds. After the earth is dug up, you can make holes and plant seedlings.
The second time the tomatoes are fed 3 weeks after planting. To do this, you can use mineral fertilizers or organic matter. The next time they feed the plants in a week and a half and take a complex mineral fertilizer for this, for example, Fertility or Ideal.
If desired, tomatoes can be fed a third time 12 days after the second feeding. This time it is recommended to use special preparations that improve the ovary of tomatoes, or you can add the following nutrient mixture to the soil: 1 bucket of water is combined with 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate and with 2 tbsp. l. wood ash. To feed bushes that have begun to actively bear fruit, use nitrophoska and sodium humate.
Top dressing of tomatoes in the greenhouse to increase the ovary – video
Mistakes of gardeners when pinching
Sometimes, when removing stepchildren from tomato bushes growing in a greenhouse, gardeners make serious mistakes that can cause plants to become infected with infectious diseases or lose crops. Common mistakes:
- Untimely stepchildren. It is necessary to remove excess side shoots systematically and in a timely manner. If you carry out such a procedure once a month or even less often, then there will be little sense from it. The fact is that long and thick stepchildren will already have time to take a significant part of the forces from the bush.
- Circumcision is not stepchildren, but fruit branches. Often, inexperienced gardeners confuse these shoots. Carefully inspect the place where the shoot grows. If it does not grow from the leaf axil, but directly from the stem, then this is a fruiting branch and does not need to be cut.
- Dirty tools. Experienced gardeners recommend removing stepchildren with your hands. But if you use scissors for this, then be sure to disinfect them after cutting each bush. To do this, it is recommended to wipe them with any disinfectant solution, for example, a solution of potassium permanganate. If this is not done, then from one diseased bush the infection can be spread to all bushes. If you cut off unnecessary shoots with your fingers, then make sure that tomato juice does not get on them, since infection can also be carried along with it.
- Applying too much fertilizer. If the bush has already been formed, but stepchildren are still actively growing in its lower part, this means that too much fertilizer is applied to the soil. In order to correct the situation, give up feeding for a while or adjust their regimen and dosage.
Stepping tomatoes in a greenhouse – video
How to trim stepsons and leaves of tomatoes. How to form tomato bushes – video
If the tomatoes grown in the greenhouse are pinched in a timely manner, this will improve the illumination and ventilation of the bushes. And the plants will direct all their efforts to the formation and growth of fruits, due to which their yields are noticeably increased.
