How to make a shelter for a tomato
Almost every gardener grows tomatoes at home. It can be difficult to grow a crop due to the plant's capriciousness to temperature and humidity. To obtain a large amount of high-quality harvest, you can use a tomato shelter.
Shelter for a tomato
Why cover tomatoes outdoors
The reasons why you can cover plants outdoors are:
- rapid freezing of the soil;
- unsuitable climatic conditions;
- insufficient heat for a certain variety;
- the need to close the plant from the sun.
When the tomatoes are sheltered in the open field, the plant receives the necessary amount of heat and is protected from the sun. It is necessary to cover the plants during periods when the air temperature drops and the weather worsens. You can also cover the plantings during the period of frequent rains.
Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):
A greenhouse or greenhouse allows you to plant seedlings and get tomato fruits earlier than a certain period, and in the fall to extend the period of harvesting ripe fruits.
What kind of shelter should there be
The main criterion is temperature. The shelter should provide warmth for the vegetables. The soil should warm up well in the spring.
The structure should not interfere with the cultivation of the soil around the plants. It is best to cultivate seedlings in a greenhouse. To avoid too high a temperature, the building must be ventilated.
The easiest way to cover tomatoes is using a frame made in the form of metal arcs stuck into the ground. Such a greenhouse can be either permanent or temporary.
Ground requirement
Before you start planting and covering tomatoes, you need to carry out preparatory steps. The first step is soil selection. It should be sufficiently loosened and moist.
You can use peat or humus to prepare the soil for planting tomatoes. They can be used as organic fertilizers. The land can also be cultivated with wood ash.
Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):
Peat is not a fertilizer. It is poor in nutrients, but has good physical properties: looseness, lightness, high water-holding capacity and water-holding capacity. It is used mainly to make heavy clay soils lighter, and sandy and sandy loam more moisture-consuming.
Wood ash is a good fertilizer containing potassium, calcium, phosphorus. But in excess, it is harmful. It alkalizes the soil and can burn the tomato root system when applied directly to the hole when planting seedlings. Infusion of ash can be watered over tomatoes. You can make it for digging the soil at the rate of 200-250 g per 1 sq. meter.
When to start planting a tomato under cover
You can plant seedlings directly under the covering material. In this case, it is better to start planting at the end of May, when the soil has warmed up enough. The plants should already have several leaves, and the roots should be sufficiently developed.If the covering material is polycarbonate, then it is better to plant in mid-May.
It is better to plant seedlings in the afternoon or early evening. A warm, cloudy day would be ideal for disembarkation. This will allow the plants to quickly settle in a new place.
Greenhouse selection
The main differences are the material from which the shelter is made. Covering material can be in the form of polyethylene film, glass or polycarbonate. The frame is made of wood or metal.
Frame
Choose the right frame materials
The choice of materials depends on the purpose and time of use of the cover. The advantages of a timber frame:
- material availability;
- practicality;
- ease of manufacture.
The wooden shelter must be treated with varnish or paint. This is done so that the material does not deteriorate from moisture. It is better to use such a greenhouse only during warm periods. With this operation, it will last 4-5 years.
The advantages of a metal frame over a wooden one:
- the ability to withstand heavy loads;
- does not absorb water;
- does not change its shape from the effects of weather conditions;
- longer lines of operation.
Such a frame also needs to be coated with paint or varnish to protect the material from rust. You can operate a shelter made of such material for more than 10 years.
Coating
The most popular material is film. This is due to its low cost and ease of use. The film is easy to put on the frame, it is moisture resistant and protects plants well. There is a reinforced film that can be used in all climates
Another popular material is glass. You need to choose a thick and strong coating, at least 4 mm thick. Do not take too fragile glass due to its unreliability.
- the disadvantages of such material are:
- weak protection from direct sunlight;
- impossibility of mounting on a metal frame;
- risk of destruction in the cold season.
A modern material that can be used to cover plants is polycarbonate. It is strong and durable. It is most effective to use a honeycomb type of coverage.
The honeycomb structure of the material allows direct sunlight to be evenly distributed over the surface, which favorably affects the development of plants. Polycarbonate keeps warmth very well inside and protects the plantings well from cold air penetration.
The popularity of the material is due to its ease of installation and its reliability. The material does not absorb moisture and does not change its shape when exposed to temperature. It can be used in any climatic conditions at any time of the year.
When to harvest
If the plants grew under cover, then in most cases they mature much faster. Most often, the fruits are already ripe in August and early September.
The exact period may vary depending on the type of vegetable. There are fast-growing types of tomatoes that can be harvested at the very beginning of August. The development of the plant is strongly influenced by the climate.
Tatiana Orlova (Candidate of Agricultural Sciences):
The optimum temperature during the period of flowering and the formation of tomato fruits is 24-25 degrees. At this temperature, 35-40 days pass from flowering to full ripening of the fruit (depending on the variety). At a lower - below the optimal temperature - the ripening process is delayed up to 50-55 days.
Conclusion
Covering the tomatoes will allow you to get a lot more harvest. The fruits will be more juicy and tasty.
You can build a shelter yourself. Materials are available and not expensive. If it is not possible to cover tomatoes in the open field with a homemade greenhouse, then ready-made structures are sold in stores.
