Tomato seedlings grow poorly, what to do. Tomato seedlings do not grow: what to do Small tomatoes why they do not grow

Compared to other nightshade crops, tomatoes are not a capricious crop, they respond well to care and quickly recover after health procedures. Most problems arise when growing seedlings indoors, and the most common is stunted growth and inhibition of development. What to do if tomato seedlings do not grow?

The main reasons why tomato seedlings grow poorly or not at all are:

1. Unfavorable microclimate.
2. Nutrient deficiency.
3. Incorrectly carried out picking.
4. Failure to comply with care rules.
5. Diseases of seedlings.
6. Pest attacks.

Let's learn how to determine the reason for the stunting of tomatoes by external signs and find out how to combat this.

Unfavorable microclimate

To create a microclimate favorable for tomato seedlings, it is necessary to take into account temperature and humidity indicators and provide normal lighting to the plants at the initial stage of the growing season.

Temperature and humidity

Violation of the temperature regime becomes one of the main reasons for the slowdown in growth in tomatoes. Let us recall that in tomatoes, vegetative processes normally occur in the temperature range from +15°C to +30°C.

In residential conditions, cooling of seedlings is possible when kept on uninsulated window sills, but most often development inhibition is observed due to too high a temperature; at +32°C, tomatoes completely stop developing and growing.

In addition, a concomitant factor in increasing temperature in an apartment is almost always low humidity, which also negatively affects the growth of tomatoes. What to do to normalize humidity and temperature:

• hypothermia can be avoided by removing seedlings from window sills or insulating them in advance;
• reduce the temperature by normal ventilation, the procedure is also necessary for the gradual hardening of seedlings and helps get rid of high humidity;
• in rooms with low humidity, spray water using a spray bottle.

Lighting

Tomatoes are long-day plants. Ideally, seedlings need lighting for 12 to 16 hours a day. Gardeners begin to plant seedlings in February and March, when daylight hours last no more than 7 to 10 hours. With insufficient lighting, photosynthesis processes at the intracellular level slow down, and accordingly, seedlings develop poorly and do not grow.

To compensate for the lack of sunlight, the sprouts are illuminated with phytolamps; as an alternative, fluorescent lighting devices can be used. The procedure should be carried out in equal amounts of time in the morning and in the evening, but many vegetable growers perform only evening supplementary lighting and are quite successful.

When there is a lack of light in greenhouses, potash fertilizers are often used. You can support seedlings at home using this method. To do this, you can use a solution of potassium salt (5 g/3 l) or potassium sulfate (6 g/3 l). Humates or complex fertilizers are often used for feeding, since in addition to potassium, seedlings need nitrogen and phosphorus.

Nutrient deficiency

Nitrogen is responsible for the growth of vegetative mass. The roots of seedlings develop normally if there is enough phosphorus in the soil. If tomato seedlings stop growing and turn pale green or yellowish, this indicates a lack of nitrogen. If the stems and leaves turn bluish or purple, this indicates phosphorus starvation.

Nitrogen is replenished with urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and phosphorus with superphosphate fertilizer. Cow manure also contains a lot of nitrogen and phosphorus, so many vegetable growers use mullein infusion as a top dressing, and add wood ash to replenish potassium.

To feed tomato seedlings, first prepare a concentrate (1 kg of mullein/2 l), which is diluted 1:10 with water immediately before use. For 5 liters of organic fertilizer add 100 ml of wood ash.

On a note! Organic matter of animal origin is a source of pests and many diseases of tomatoes, so it is used with caution on seedlings.

Recipes for nutrient solutions to stimulate the growth and development of tomatoes:

• urea 1 g/simple superphosphate 8 g/potassium salt 3 g/2 l;
• ammonium nitrate 1 g/simple superphosphate 8 g/potassium sulfate 4 g/2 l;
• 30 g nitrophoska/2 l.

The first feeding is carried out 10 days after the emergence of seedlings, the second - 5 days before picking or a week after it. For the third time, the seedlings are fertilized 5 - 7 days before transplanting into the ground. Any nutrient solutions are added to well-watered soil.

Wrong pick

Picking requires special care and attention from the gardener. When transplanting into separate containers, air voids should not be allowed in the soil mixture. This can lead to poor survival and rotting of immature roots of seedlings, stunting of growth, and often complete death of the plant.

During the picking process, the main stem of the rhizome is pinched. This is necessary to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, and is also a measure against stretching of seedlings. After picking, seedlings intensively grow the underground part, while the vegetative part above stops its development. But if the roots are severely damaged, the plant will stop growing and simply die.

Failure to comply with care rules

In order for seedlings to grow better, it is necessary to follow certain rules of care: water, fertilize, prevent diseases, observe the optimal temperature regime for tomatoes, lighting and air humidity. The most common mistakes when growing tomatoes include failure to maintain temperature, light and humidity levels, as well as improper watering.

You already know about the microclimate, let's talk about how to water tomato seedlings. Immediately after sowing the seeds, the soil in the boxes should be constantly moist, but as sprouts appear, watering should be reduced. The soil mixture should not dry out too much, but daily watering will also not be beneficial. Watering is carried out when the top layer dries approximately 2 or 3 times a week.

With proper watering, oxygen access to the roots improves and the likelihood of developing fungal infections decreases.

Diseases

Diseases on tomato seedlings most often appear due to violation of watering standards. Poor quality of seeds and neglect of disinfection of soil and planting material also lead to infection.

Tomato seedlings may not grow due to the following diseases:

• blackleg;
• root rot;
• white spotting.

Blackleg

A fungal infection in which the stem of a seedling turns black at soil level. The disease then spreads to the entire stem and the plant dies. The disease has no cure. At the first signs, diseased seedlings are removed, the rest are replanted. The soil mixture from diseased plants is not used or is disinfected by calcination in the oven.

Planted tomatoes are treated with Fundazol or other fungicides. Prevention of the disease is the addition of ash to the soil before planting and dusting the seedlings with it, and the use of biostimulants “Baktofit” or “Fitosporin”.

Root rot

Overmoistening combined with hypothermia, which is typical for seedlings on window sills, leads to the appearance of root rot. Control and prevention measures are the same as for blackleg.

To strengthen the immune system, the roots of uninfected plants are soaked in “Fitosporin” or a solution of potassium permanganate.

White spot

Small white spots with a dark border are a sign of septoria or white spot disease, as vegetable growers call it. Septoria is difficult to treat and is not practical when growing seedlings. Diseased plants are removed, and those that have not become infected are replanted.

White spotting can be prevented by disinfecting the soil and seed material before planting.

Pests

In residential conditions, there are few pests that can stop the growth of seedlings; the most dangerous are spider mites and woodlice.

Spider mite

Typically, indoor plants become the source of spider mite infestation. Before starting to grow tomatoes, it is necessary to treat all domestic crops with insecticides, and also transfer them to a separate room. Actellik or Fitoverm will help against spider mites.

Woodlice

Woodlice live in damp areas. In older buildings, this is usually the bathroom, basements and storage rooms, but woodlice infestations can spread to living rooms.

Before planting tomatoes for seedlings, you should treat the room with Karbofos and ventilate more often.

Growing healthy tomato seedlings, which subsequently adapt well to garden beds, is not difficult. During the growing process, problems are possible: seedlings do not grow, wither or stretch out. But the culture is responsive to care and responds well to health-improving activities.

Why tomatoes grow poorly Every gardener is concerned with the question of why tomato bushes grow poorly. This beloved vegetable crop needs special care, so even the most insignificant detail can negatively affect the growth and quality of tomatoes.

What you will learn from this material:

Poor growth of tomatoes due to unsuccessful planting experiments

They harm tomatoes by slowing down their growth and reducing yields, woe to the breeders. Often, lovers of vegetable plants, in particular tomatoes, some out of economy, others out of curiosity, others, perhaps out of habit adopted from grandparents, are engaged in the fact that from year to year they select only the largest ones, isolate and sow the seeds collected from them.

Most often, gardeners focus on two, or at most three, positive properties of a variety: large fruits, taste and ripening period.

When choosing large fruits that ripen earlier or later than others, we often do not pay attention to the fact that the variety has damage from pests, manifestations of diseases, even in the initial stages, weakened growth or loss of part of the ovary.

Thus, by selecting seeds from year to year, we consolidate these characteristics; as a result, we get weak, slow-growing varieties that can produce large fruits, but their quantity will most likely be small. Therefore, do not be lazy and do not save on yourself; update your variety stock at least once every 2-3 years.

Poor growth of tomatoes due to improper picking

If the plant stops growing after the dive, then the roots were damaged. It is important to thoroughly water the soil before replanting. As soon as it is completely absorbed, you can begin the process of planting the plant in new soil. Wet soil is taken in a lump to protect the roots from damage. For the picking process to be successful, the hole must be made as deep as possible so that the long root system of the tomatoes does not bend.

Poor growth of tomatoes due to low temperatures

Before the fruits are formed, there are several stages of formation. The plant blooms and an ovary forms from the buds. They are already producing the long-awaited harvest. But often the flowers and ovaries fall off, and barren flowers appear on the first clusters.

The main reason may be too low a temperature. Tomatoes do not grow well if the temperature is below 28°C. To avoid this, it is recommended to plant seedlings in small greenhouses.

The presence of windows and doors will allow you to maintain the desired temperature, ventilating if necessary or, on the contrary, completely closing the greenhouse. Create a small draft in the greenhouse. It has a beneficial effect on plant pollination.

Poor growth of tomatoes due to incorrect watering technique

Another reason for poor harvesting is excess moisture. The soil must be moistened in moderation during fruit growth and when tomatoes are set. During this period of time, the soil needs constant moisture.

Tomatoes love exceptionally warm water. To heat water, you can use a barrel painted dark. During the day, the water will infuse and become favorable for the life of the plant. It must be remembered that in the heat, during bright sunshine, watering tomatoes is not permissible, as this can cause damage to the root system.

Why don't tomatoes grow well? In addition, tomatoes should not be watered once a week to prevent the seedlings from burning. Long breaks can have a detrimental effect on plant health. Tomato fruits may begin to crack. You should try to water the plants after a long break in small portions so as not to damage the root system. You can grow tomatoes using low-volume technology using mineral wool.

Poor growth of tomatoes due to lack of nutrition

Why don't tomatoes grow well? The reason may be due to insufficient nutrition. If the stems and leaves of the seedlings are stunted, thin stems, small pale leaves, then there is not enough nitrogen in the soil. If the underside of the leaves turns red-violet, then there is not enough phosphorus. A lack of potassium is indicated by yellowness along the edges of the leaves and their curling.

With a lack of iron, tomato seedlings stop growing, the leaves become yellow and discolored. If the picking was done incorrectly, the seedlings stop growing due to damage to the roots. There may not be enough oxygen and the soil may not be suitable.

And seedlings may be susceptible to diseases if a lot of water was poured at an insufficiently warm temperature. Then the roots need to be washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and transplanted into fresh soil. And the seedlings also begin to develop poorly if pests have infested them - wood lice, spider mites, earwigs. Then the seedlings urgently need to be treated with phytoverm.

Poor growth of tomatoes due to disease damage

Why don't tomatoes grow well? Fuarium (fungal disease) causes yellowing and wilting of tomatoes. The plant looks like it is not getting enough water. At the same time, cracking and blackening of the stem is observed. The disease is easier to prevent: treat tomatoes prophylactically with chemical agents (Trichodermin, etc.).

Brown spots and yellowness of leaves, causing them to dry out. The disease is considered the most dangerous and difficult to treat. The pathogen lives in the soil and on plant debris throughout the winter, and with the beginning of the new season it infects young bushes.

As a preventive measure, treat tomatoes with biologically active solutions, do not allow humidity to increase (water the tomatoes at the roots, use drip irrigation), choose neighbors for tomatoes that belong to the nightshade family (for example, it is unacceptable to plant potatoes next to tomatoes).

If the disease develops, use “chemistry”: “Ridomil Gold”, Bordeaux mixture.

Poor growth of tomatoes due to pest damage

Insects can be gotten rid of mechanically: removed manually, sometimes only with the help of strong chemicals.

Aphids can cause tomato seedlings to lose their blooming appearance and become pale and sick. In order to know how to fight aphids on tomato seedlings, it should be noted that aphids respond well to chemical treatment with preparations both based on natural substances and with a strong chemical composition. The fight against aphids involves treating tomato seedlings with the help of Ratibor, Proteus, Fufanol, and organic oils. Chemical treatment is done only in dry, warm weather.

Among many garden pests, spider mites on tomato seedlings are considered one of the most dangerous, since they are quite invisible due to their microscopic size. The experience of many gardeners in combating mites suggests that it is worth promptly removing old plants on which these insects can overwinter.

In the fall, it is worth digging up the ground, and also taking protective preventive measures by fumigating the ground or spraying it with a limestone solution. Periodically visually check the seedlings for damage and mechanically remove leaves with cobwebs; chemicals are also used: sulfur.

If tomato seedlings grow poorly, what to do in this case? Many people who grow their own vegetables have this question.

Everyone who has at least a small part of free land usually tries to adapt it to create a vegetable garden. This solution makes it possible to independently grow various vegetable or fruit crops, which are a repository of vitamins and minerals. One of these crops that our gardeners love are tomatoes. Most modern recipes for winter preservation are based on the use of tomatoes or their juice. At the same time, the cultivation of this vegetable itself has some features, if these are not observed, it is extremely difficult to obtain a full-fledged strong and healthy plant.

Using a vegetable garden gives a person a lot of advantages, among which a special place is occupied by saving material resources and obtaining a natural harvest containing only useful substances. One of the most beloved garden crops of our people is rightfully tomatoes.

At the same time, many people, trying to grow them at home, are faced with the problem that tomato seedlings do not grow. This state of affairs can become a serious problem and significantly reduce the yield of this vegetable, or even completely destroy it.

Why don't tomato seedlings grow? To date, several reasons have been identified why a plant may slow down its growth or even dry out completely. It should be taken into account that all of them can be eliminated independently, which will make it possible not only to preserve the plant and ensure its normal growth, but also to obtain a full harvest in the future.

Improper watering is the cause of slow growth

These criteria, which help seedlings to grow slowly, look like this:

• malnutrition;
• improper watering;
• lack of ultraviolet radiation;
• picking violation;
• diseases and pests.

The above factors cover almost all the reasons why tomato seedlings may slow down their growth or die completely. At the same time, the slightest signs of disturbances in plant development should cause an immediate response, since untimely assistance can negatively affect the overall health of the crop and the further formation of fruits.

Nutrients and tomato seedlings

The first and one of the most common reasons why tomato seedlings do not grow is a banal lack of nutrients in the soil. In most cases, this factor is the main reason for the slowdown in plant growth and disruption of their integrity.

Diagnosing such problems is quite simple, since lack of nutrition has its own visual features that are easy to notice even with the naked eye.

The main nutrients for this kind of vegetable crops are the following:

• nitrogen;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• iron.

What to do to make tomatoes grow to their full potential? The presence of the above elements in the soil guarantees the full development of plants and their health.

In turn, limiting the supply of any substance negatively affects the overall development of tomatoes:

1. Nitrogen deficiency leads to the fact that the shoot develops rather poorly, and its stem remains too thin for a long time, giving the whole plant a stunted appearance.
2. A lack of phosphorus is also quite easy to notice, as it is expressed in a change in the color of the leaves, which take on a red-violet hue.
3. An insufficient supply of potassium contributes to the drying of the lower tier of leaves, and a deficiency of magnesium makes them excessively hard and dull.
4. Limiting iron intake contributes to the development of diseases such as chlorosis.

If tomato seedlings grow poorly and the indicated signs are present, it is necessary to add the missing nutrients, and the plant will return to normal.

Causes of poor seedling growth (video)

Solving other problems

What to do if tomatoes don't grow? Other factors do not so often lead to the fact that tomato seedlings do not want to grow, but still the reason for this phenomenon may lie precisely in them. The first of these is improper organization of watering, which can be expressed in two main conditions: lack of moisture or its excess. In the first case, the plant begins to dry out, and in the second, it begins to rot. As a rule, normalizing soil moisture eliminates this problem once and for all.

Small seedlings may be the result of a lack of sunlight, since large quantities of ultraviolet radiation are required for their full growth.

In turn, its limitation helps slow down the growth of shoots and their stunting. In order for seedlings to be strong, they need to be provided with access to sunlight.
Violation of picking can also cause stunting of plants, since in the process it sometimes damages the root system of the plant or creates voids in it.

Coping with such a problem is not so easy, since it is almost impossible to restore the integrity of the rhizome, but eliminating the voids is quite possible. To do this, you should compact the soil a little, ensuring that it adheres tightly to the roots and provides full access to all the necessary nutrients.

Tomato seedlings (video)

Estimate

Ask an experienced gardener why tomato seedlings are not growing or not developing very actively, and he will be perplexed. Farmers who have extensive experience in growing tomatoes on their plots sometimes don’t even understand what problems can arise with this. However, if this is your first experience with tomatoes, a lot of things can go wrong at first. Therefore, you need to learn how to competently save the situation in order to grow tomatoes at home.

Many novice gardeners sooner or later face a similar problem. Why do tomato seedlings grow poorly? To correctly determine the source of the problem, you need to understand that this process itself is multi-layered and includes several stages at once.

To begin with, the seeds are sown in the ground. As tomato stems grow, it is necessary to regularly trim the plant, carefully care for it, and also be able to protect it from pests. If any stage is violated, significant troubles arise, such as the cessation of tomato growth. How to cope with these kinds of problems and how to identify their presence in the early stages? More on this below.

Video “Possible Causes”

From the video you will learn what can cause poorly growing seedlings.

Poor nutrition

To determine why seedlings are growing poorly, it is recommended to first pay attention to feeding the plant. Very often, farmers do not pay due attention to this, and yet it is necessary to feed the tomato substrate, and this needs to be done about four times with breaks. What fertilizer methods are used:

• the first method is carried out 3 weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground. You can prepare the solution using liquid fertilizer, 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska. All this is mixed with 10 liters of water. Pour the resulting mixture under the tomato root at the rate of half a liter per sprout;
  
• the second method is intended for secondary application of fertilizers to the substrate. Wait until the second cluster of flowers begins to bloom on the seedlings. Various store-bought fertilizers are used. Choose a proven product that can be diluted in water. Water the tomatoes with the solution, adding about 1 liter of water under each bush;
• The third phase of feeding will be needed when the third flower cluster begins to bloom on the tomatoes. A fairly popular product is the “Ideal” fertilizer. It must be mixed with 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska and dilute with water. It is recommended to pour the resulting mixture over the tomatoes at the rate of 5 liters of solution per 1 square meter. m. beds;
• fourth recharge. It must be carried out no earlier than two weeks after the third feeding of tomatoes. How to prepare this kind of remedy? You need to use 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate, which is mixed with 10 liters of water. The volume of liquid for each bush will be the largest in this case - up to 10 liters per square meter of bed.
  

Bird droppings are also considered useful for tomato seedlings. It is filled with water, infused for several days, and then the root zone of the tomatoes is regularly poured with the resulting mixture. Problems for inexperienced gardeners arise already at this stage. The thing is that it is very important to adhere to the specified proportions. If you overdo it or, conversely, apply too little fertilizer, the results will not please you too much.

Improper watering

Where lies the complexity of the process of growing tomato seedlings in a summer cottage is the volume and regularity of watering. Remember that you should not overdry the soil under tomatoes. Excessive watering is just as harmful. The best option is to water the plant at least once a week. However, their frequency will depend on certain weather factors.

For example, you started growing tomato seedlings at home, and placed a box or other container with tomato sprouts on the window or out on the balcony. In this case, the regularity of watering will depend on both the brightness and duration of lighting of the tomatoes. Observe how many hours a day the seedlings are exposed to open sunlight. If this period is long, be sure to increase the volume and frequency of watering the tomatoes.

Interestingly, it is not recommended to water tomatoes immediately after planting them in the soil. It is necessary to wait until the sprouts emerge from the ground, and only on the fifth day after this the seedlings can finally be filled with water. Use pre-settled water at room temperature. This way you will prevent the accumulation of chlorine in the soil. If such a procedure is performed regularly and competently, the results will not take long to arrive.

Errors when diving

What to do if tomato seedlings grow very poorly? It is quite possible that the reason lies in improper implementation or even neglect of plant picking measures. Meanwhile, this procedure is quite important for the full growth of tomato seedlings. It will be needed if you sowed the seeds in one container, and now sprouts have emerged from the soil and it is time to separate them from each other. Be extremely careful.
This process is very scrupulous; in the process of transplanting plants that have not yet fully matured, their root system can be significantly damaged, and in the best case, you will need time for them to grow back. If you, as a novice gardener, do not want to bother with such procedures yet, this can generally be avoided. In this case, it is recommended to sow the seeds in different containers.

Other mistakes in care

If your tomato seedlings are not growing well, perhaps you have made some other mistakes in caring for the plant. Among the most notable are also:

• poor seed quality. This determines in advance the result of planting them in the ground. Experts believe that it is undesirable to sow seeds into the soil that are already more than 5-6 years old. Therefore, if they are expired, it is better not to risk it;
  
• low nutritional value of the land. Of course, land from a garden or private sector is the best and budget option. But, on the other hand, you will not be sure of its quality. What if you also get pests along with the soil? Therefore, it is best to purchase the substrate in a specialized store;
• lack of heat. Flower growers also often do not stop attention on this. Meanwhile, the temperature in the room where the tomato seedlings grow should not fall below 24 degrees. Tomatoes are very heat-loving. Even if it’s cold in the room, turn on the lamp above the box with seedlings for a while;
• fluffy pet - cat. Oddly enough, but it is your pet that can negate your efforts. It is believed that cat urine can destroy tomato seedlings, so try to never let your cat near a container with tomato sprouts.
  

When growing tomatoes at home, pay attention to every little detail. Only in this case will you be able to get full-fledged tomato seedlings.

Diseases and pests

Most often, novice gardeners are faced with a problem called root rot. Why does this problem occur? It's all about excessive watering. Let's say you water your plants too often, and at the same time you put the seedlings in a dark and cool place. Hence the root rot. But not only this disease threatens your tomatoes in this situation.

Blackleg, a fungal disease, is especially dangerous for tomatoes. Plus, it is an infectious disease that instantly affects the plant. If your seedlings “live” in one container, try to transplant the tomatoes into another pot or box as soon as possible before the remaining seedlings become infected.

Overall, growing tomato seedlings will not take too much effort.

Video “Tomato seedlings: from germination to picking”

From the video you will learn how to deal with seedlings from germination to picking.

In greenhouse conditions it is possible to accelerate the ripening of tomatoes Many of us prefer to grow vegetables ourselves in our summer cottages or garden plots, which allows us to be sure that in the end only the freshest and most natural products will end up on the table, without scary GMOs and other additives. Greenhouse planting of tomato bushes is well suited for growing tomatoes in industrial quantities. But what to do if the tomatoes in the greenhouse grow poorly or produce practically no tomatoes? The first step is to determine why this is happening, and only then develop a plan to save your plantings.

• • Reasons: when tomatoes don’t grow in a greenhouse
  • Why are there few tomatoes in the greenhouse?
  • Reasons: why tomatoes don’t ripen in a greenhouse
  • How to speed up the ripening of tomatoes in a greenhouse
  • Agronomist's answer: how to speed up the ripening of tomatoes in a greenhouse (video)

Almost every gardener has asked the question: “why don’t tomatoes grow in a greenhouse?” There may be completely different answers to this question, and each of them has the right to be. Let's consider what reasons can have an inhibitory effect on the growth of tomato bushes of different varieties.

Causes:

1. Poor quality seedlings. Remember, if you do not grow young plants yourself, but prefer to buy them from others, there is always a chance of running into a “pig in a poke.” The seedlings may be diseased.
2. Violation of the temperature regime inside the greenhouse. As you know, each tomato variety prefers its own temperature parameters, and if your tomato bushes must develop at a temperature of +20 ᵒC, then do not expect good growth from them if the temperature is lower or higher than necessary.
3. Damage to the bush while tying up branches or picking the plant.
4. Insufficient amount of nutrients and minerals needed by the plant. This deficiency very quickly affects the development of the plant, the color and appearance of the leaves.

For tomatoes to grow well, they need to be watered without disturbing the regime.

Violation of the watering regime - tomato varieties, not counting individual species, are greatly influenced by both lack of watering and excess water in the soil. If there is an excess, the plant may begin to rot, and if there is a deficiency, the bush will significantly slow down its development or may dry out.

Insufficient ventilation of the greenhouse space is detrimental.

Like all plants, tomatoes also need oxygen, and its lack has a bad effect on the development of bushes; in addition, lack of ventilation in a closed greenhouse space can lead to increased humidity, which is also detrimental to tomatoes. Tomatoes are susceptible to various diseases and various pests and insects, among which there are those that completely destroy the bush without the possibility of saving it.

Why are there few tomatoes in the greenhouse?

Such a misfortune can also happen: the tomato bushes themselves developed and grew quite actively, but at the same time very few ovaries and berries are formed on them. This misfortune also has its own reasons, and there are quite a few of them. You need to know the “enemy” by sight in order to give a worthy rebuff.

So, what leads to problems with the formation of the ovary and fruits:

• Temperature violation;
• Violations of the plant watering regime;
• Lack of ventilation;
• Excess nitrogen - this leads to mutation of flowers and the inability to form an ovary;
• A lack of potassium and phosphorus prevents the development of the entire plant in general and flowers in particular;
• Diseases;
• Lack of pruning or pinching in determinate plants - in this case, the bush’s strength is spent on growth, and not on the formation of the ovary and ripening of the fruit;
• Chemical treatments also negatively affect pollen, making plant pollination impossible.

Violation of the temperature regime and lack of ventilation can lead to problems with the formation of ovaries and fruits

As you know, the best condition for pollination of plants is a temperature of 21-26 ᵒC. At temperatures below 16 ᵒC, plant pollen does not ripen, which means pollination will not occur; also, at temperatures above 36 ᵒC, pollen becomes completely sterile.

Lack of moisture in the soil can lead to flowers drying out and falling off, and without them, the formation of the ovary will not occur.

At the same time, with excess humidity in the air, pollen begins to stick together and form large clumps that cannot be distributed throughout the greenhouse plants. In tightly closed greenhouses, problems with pollination are also noted, due to the fact that in the greenhouses of those insects that usually help pollinate the flowers of open ground plants, as well as in enclosed spaces, there is no wind that transfers pollen from plant to plant. Diseased tomato bushes drop flowers on their own. Knowing what exactly you are doing wrong, you can try to correct the mistakes and manage to get a good harvest.

Reasons: why tomatoes don’t ripen in a greenhouse

You can often encounter the fact that the set tomato fruits do not want to ripen, remaining green for a long time. As it turned out, tomatoes ripen poorly for the same reasons why the tomato bushes themselves grow and bear fruit poorly.

Namely:

1. Temperature.
2. Planting density.
3. Watering.

In order for tomato fruits to ripen quickly and efficiently, a sufficient amount of a substance such as lycopene is needed. It is this that determines the richness of the red color of ripe tomatoes. As is known, the substance is well synthesized at temperatures from 16 to 34 ᵒC, therefore, at values ​​below or above the permissible norm, there is a violation of the synthesis and color of the fruit.

Tomatoes may not ripen well due to planting density

As a result, the tomatoes acquire a yellow color, and greening appears around the stem of the fruit.

If tomato bushes are planted close, the sun's rays do not reach the fruits. If there is a lack of sunlight, tomatoes will ripen much more slowly. But do not forget that an excess of direct sunlight will also not lead to anything good. In this case, the tomatoes may bake and dry out before they have time to ripen.

How to speed up the ripening of tomatoes in a greenhouse

If there is a problem, then it needs to be solved, which means that if the tomatoes do not ripen well in greenhouse conditions, you can speed up this process. But what should be done for this? To make maturation faster, you can use some secrets.

To speed up the ripening of tomatoes in a greenhouse, the plants need to be fed

Pinching - this procedure is the process of removing excess leaves from a plant. This procedure will allow the plant to give all its nutrients to the ripening of the fruit, and not to the growth of the bush itself. Prevention of tomato diseases, for example, late blight - diseases take away all the strength of the plant, and diseases can also affect the fruits themselves, not only preventing them from ripening, but also destroying the tomato itself.

Feeding the plant with potassium and phosphorus-containing fertilizers is important. Ripening fruit indoors is one of the favorite methods of experienced gardeners, and it is justified. It consists in the fact that tomato fruits are picked in green form and left in a warm room for the purpose of ripening.

Agronomist's answer: how to speed up the ripening of tomatoes in a greenhouse (video)

In conclusion, it is worth remembering that a couple of red fruits are often added to green tomatoes. It is believed that in this case ripening will occur faster.