We solve problems with the tomato harvest: what to do if the tomatoes in the greenhouse do not turn red

Every vegetable grower wants to get a rich harvest, but the efforts made does not always pay off. Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse does not guarantee that the fruits will be juicy and large. In this article, you will learn why tomatoes do not turn red in the greenhouse, what to do to make them large, and how to speed up their ripening.

Causes of problems and how to solve them

Solanaceae ripen in two stages. The first phase takes 3-4 weeks and occurs after the formation of the ovary. At this time, the fruit gains volume, becomes firm and green. The second stage lasts from 12 to 20 days - the tomatoes are gradually filled with juice and change their color from light to scarlet.

If the fruits are developing correctly, no additional measures are needed. A deviation is a situation if, 7 weeks after the formation of the ovary, the tomatoes are still small and green... It is important to correctly identify the cause of the problem.

The reasons for the delayed ripening of tomatoes:

1. Uncomfortable temperature. Fruits contain lycopene, a natural pigment that gives them their red color. The production of this substance is inhibited if the temperature in the greenhouse drops below + 15 ° С or exceeds + 35 ° С.
2. Insufficient lighting level. Tomatoes may stop blushing due to excessive thickening of the bushes. In areas with dense vegetation, the fruits on the upper branches turn red faster, while the tomatoes below can remain green for a long time.
3. Using the wrong fertilizer... An excess of nitrogenous fertilizing leads to the formation of small, deformed fruits that do not turn red for a long time.
4. Improper bush formation and fruit overload. Due to the large number of ovaries, the stem, leaves and fruits do not receive proper nutrition.

Maturation acceleration methods

To obtain a rich harvest, you need to ensure that comfortable conditions are established in the greenhouse or greenhouse. Eliminating discomfort will accelerate the growth of small fruits.

You can accelerate the rate of ripening of tomatoes using the following methods:

1. Selection of the correct feeding.
2. Creation of favorable conditions: correct temperature, humidity and light levels.
3. Mandatory bush formation: pinching, trimming leaves and flowers.

Why tomatoes are not poured, but blush small

Small fruits can be a symptom of improper feeding. An excess of nitrogen leads to an increase in green mass, while a lack of phosphorus and potassium prevents the fruits from gaining volume.

Why does a tomato turn red with green spots near the stalk

Such symptoms may indicate a violation of the temperature regime. A delay in fruit development occurs if the temperature indicators fall below + 15 ° C or exceed + 35 ° C.

The yellow-green edging near the stalk can also be the result of sudden temperature changes day and night.

How to speed up the ripening process of tomatoes

The key to large and juicy fruits is top dressing. Many summer residents strive to make their harvest as environmentally friendly as possible, therefore they do not use chemicals. How can plants be fed in this case?

Effective top dressing for tomatoes:

1. Iodine-ash fertilizer. Pour 2 liters of crushed ash into a bucket and pour 5 liters of boiling water. When the mixture cools down, add another 5 liters of settled water to the container. The bucket is covered and placed in the shade. After a week, the ash infusion is poured into another container, into which 20 ml of 5% iodine and 10 g of boric acid are then added. The resulting concentrate must be diluted with settled water in a ratio of 1: 9. One bush will need 0.8-1 liters of solution.
2. Superphosphate extract. Pour 100 g of granular phosphate into an enamel bowl and pour 5 cups of boiling water over it. Set aside the mixture for one day, stirring occasionally to completely dissolve the granules. After a day, drain the hood, 20 tbsp. l. dilute the product with 3 liters of water. The resulting concentrate is diluted in a ratio of 3/4 cup to 1 bucket of water. One bush will need 1 liter of solution.

How to make tomatoes blush

Once the cause of the developmental delay is identified, you can begin to eliminate it.

We form a bush correctly

An important condition for the development of nightshades is the formation of a bush. Otherwise, all nutrition is spent on developing and maintaining green mass, which is why the fruits remain small and green.

For the correct formation of the bush indeterminate varieties, it is necessary to remove the lateral processes of the plant once a week. If the bush is very powerful, then a lateral stepson is left on the main stem, which is later pinched to form a flower brush. Also, in the first half of August, it is necessary to cut off the tops of the plants 3 leaves above the fruit cluster. In this case, it is imperative to cut off flowers and small ovaries.

Semi-determinant varieties and hybrids grow in two stems, so a stepson is left on the main stem under the initial flowering brush. The processes appearing later are removed. If by mid-August the bush has not been formed correctly, its tops are cut off.

Determinate tomatoes do not need pinching. The bush of such varieties has three trunks; side shoots must be removed.

Superdeterminate and standard tomatoes do not need shaping and pinching.

Important! Excess plant weight can take up nutrients; leaves in contact with the soil can become the source of many diseases. Therefore, as a preventive measure and for the rapid ripening of tomatoes, many cut off the lower leaves of plants.

Maintaining humidity in the greenhouse

The moisture level plays an important role in the proper formation of the fruit. For a quick ripening of tomatoes, you can arrange a kind of Finnish sauna in the greenhouse.

1. Stop watering the plants.
2. Air the room every morning for 1.5-2 hours.
3. It is worth closing the greenhouse only when all the condensation accumulated overnight is completely dry.
4. Keep windows and doors of the greenhouse closed throughout the day.
5. In the hot season in the evening, you can open the windows for 1 hour.

Feature... This method, in addition to rapid ripening, will protect the crop from late blight. Dry hot air prevents the growth of the fungus - the causative agent of the disease.

We use supports, trellises and a garter

The upper fruits often ripen quickly, while the lower ones remain green for a long time. This problem can be eliminated by thinning, as well as using supports and trellises.

Additional funds will also be needed if the bush is overloaded with fruits. Today, tomato supports can be purchased at the store or made with your own hands. They help plants get more sun and ripen faster.

The garter helps the plant not break under the weight of ripe tomatoes. For these purposes, you can use a soft but durable fabric, for example, nylon.

Providing plants with enough light

Early varieties usually have enough sunlight to ripen.However, as summer ends and autumn approaches, daylight decreases, so tomatoes may lack light, which prevents them from blushing.

You can correct the situation if you turn the fruit-bearing branches towards the sun and fix them in this position. It is best to lift the brushes with fruits from under the green mass. In order not to injure the branches, props will be needed.

We use fertilizers correctly

The wrong choice of fertilizers is the most common cause of stunted tomato growth. A deficiency or excess of useful elements affects the growth and ripening of fruits.

How to determine an excess of nitrogenous fertilizers? With this problem, nightshades have thick, thick green shoots and small fruits.

Important! During the period of setting, formation and ripening of fruits, nitrates should not be used. For feeding it is better to use phosphorus, iodine and potassium.

The problem of excess fertilizers can be solved by abandoning nitrogen-containing dressings and switching to ash infusion and superphosphate extract.

We observe the temperature regime in the greenhouse

During the period of pollination and the formation of ovaries, the indicators in the greenhouse should not exceed + 27 ° С. Once all the fruits have reached their maximum volume, they are no longer afraid of the heat. On the contrary, reddening of the fruit occurs at a doubled rate in hot weather.

Removing new flowers

In autumn, flowers continue to form on the plants, but at this time they interfere with the ripening of the fruits. Therefore, you need to remove them as they grow - you can pinch or cut off all the growth points of the plant.

Gardeners' recommendations

Carrying out pinching and leaf trimming is a must for most tomato varieties. However, novice gardeners can harm the plant by their actions and even lead to its death.

Correct removal of stepsons:

• side shoots are broken off by hand without using scissors;
• the procedure is carried out in the early morning of a sunny day;
• the first removal of shoots is done 2 weeks after transplanting seedlings;
• the frequency of the procedure is 8-12 days;
• all processes 4-7 cm long are subject to removal;
• do not break out the shoot from the root, it is better to leave 2 cm of the shoot;
• the procedure should not be carried out immediately after feeding or glaze;
• to disinfect the site of damage, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate.

Correct leaf pruning:

• leaf trimming begins in the second decade of June;
• the procedure is carried out weekly along with pinching;
• you need to cut off 1-2 leaves at a time until all the green mass below the first flower brush is removed;
• Do not remove 2 leaves in front of the ovary, as they nourish the fruit.

If favorable conditions are established in the greenhouse, and the tomatoes have not ripened, you can apply folk methods.

1. Stick a toothpick into each green fruit near the stalk. 2-3 punctures are enough, 2.5 cm deep.
2. Pick the ripe tomato and place it in a plastic bag. A bag is put on a brush of green tomatoes; you can fix it with a soft cloth. Enough 3 days for all fruits to ripen.
3. Inject 0.5 ml of vodka into each tomato using a fine needle syringe.

Conclusion

Gardeners face many challenges when growing tomatoes in a greenhouse. Usually, the fruits turn red throughout the garden, but there are times when some of them stubbornly do not want to ripen. It is important to correctly identify the cause of the developmental delay and eliminate it.

You don't need to pick green fruits right away. With a little effort, you will reap a rich harvest of large, juicy tomatoes.