The worst thing for any gardener is when tomatoes bloom magnificently, but the ovary does not form or simply falls to the ground. In order not to be left without a harvest, you need an integrated approach and an understanding of the physiology of the plant. As the author of the Zen channel “My Successful Dacha” (12+) said, it is during the budding period that you need to radically change the watering regime and diet of plants so that each flower turns into a juicy fruit.
Ideal watering regime: without stress and late blight
Mistakes with water can ruin any feeding. Tomatoes love moisture, but not a swamp.
- Only at the root: Water should not get on the leaves and stems, this is the best protection against late blight.
- Warm water: Watering with cold water from a well causes stress and flower shedding. Use settled water at a temperature of +20–25 °C.
- Timing and Frequency: Water in the late evening. During the period of flowering and fruiting, do this 1-3 times a week. You cannot sharply reduce watering – the fruits will crack. We begin to reduce the frequency only in August, when the tomatoes have already begun to turn brown.
Changing the diet: goodbye nitrogen, hello potassium and calcium
While the bushes were growing tops, they needed nitrogen. But as soon as the first flower clusters appear, we remove nitrogen fertilizers, otherwise we will get powerful thickets of foliage to the detriment of the fruits.
- Potassium monophosphate: Dilute 1 tablespoon in 10 liters of water. Water at the root or spray on the leaf every 14 days. This strengthens the roots and stimulates the massive formation of ovaries.
- Protection against crown rot: To prevent fruits from rotting from above (especially in heart-shaped varieties), once every 2 weeks we spray the bushes with a solution of calcium nitrate according to the instructions.
Even with ideal nutrition, some flowers may fall off due to heat or stuffiness. To guarantee an increase in the number of fruits, spray flower clusters with the Ovary preparation at the moment of formation of the first, second and third cluster. And in the greenhouse, be sure to arrange drafts – high temperature and humidity are the main enemies of pollination.
Secrets of bush formation
In order for the bush to feed the tomatoes and not the green mass, you need to mercilessly pluck out all the side shoots (stepchildren). They are the ones who take all the juices and nutrients for themselves, preventing the fruits from filling.
“Timely removal of stepchildren is a mandatory procedure. These side shoots draw on the nutrients and forces of the plant, which could be directed to the formation and filling of fruits,” says the author of the channel.
Apply these simple rules in your garden beds, and your tomatoes will thank you with a magnificent and high-quality harvest.
