The best mulch for tomatoes. Proper mulching of tomatoes in the greenhouse. How to mulch tomatoes

Even with a greenhouse on the site, it is not always possible to get an early harvest of tomatoes. After all, success in this endeavor largely depends on the microclimate. To create favorable conditions for tomatoes grown in a greenhouse, gardeners resort to various techniques. One of the most effective is mulching, thanks to which you can significantly speed up the process of crop ripening and increase it.

Not everyone knows that mulching also makes it easier to care for plants. And if you decide to use this technique to increase the yield of tomatoes and its quality, then you need to know a number of features regarding the correct implementation of this procedure.

In principle, you can grow tomatoes without mulching. However, in this case, it is hardly possible to guarantee that the gardener will receive an equally high-quality and rich harvest of this crop.

Speaking about the essence of mulching, it should be noted that it refers to the placement of organic or artificial materials on the surface of the soil where the crop is grown, which should help in regulating the process. soil saturation oxygen and moisture.

Regarding tomatoes, it should be noted that mulch helps noticeably reduce drying time the top layer of the soil, leading to the appearance of a surface crust, which does not allow air to circulate normally in the soil. But this is not the only plus that this agricultural technique provides. And also mulching has other advantages:

• Thanks to the layer of mulch located on the surface of the soil with plants, protection from sunlight is provided, and a barrier is created that does not allow the growth of weeds that cause considerable damage to vegetables.
• The use of grass and other organic materials as mulch contributes to the slow warming of the lower layer, which becomes an excellent food for worms that process it into humus. Mulching allows you to refuse the use of additional fertilizers or reduce their amount.
• Thanks to mulching in the greenhouse, the soil remains moist longer, and the drying of its top layer after watering is also excluded. Due to this procedure, it is possible to simplify the care of plants, reduce the frequency of watering and loosening the soil.
• With the help of mulching carried out in a greenhouse, it is possible to solve the problem of evaporation of moisture from the surface of the earth. Considering that plants have to be watered abundantly and often in a closed space, high humidity is constantly maintained in the greenhouse due to evaporation, and this has an extremely negative effect on the growth and development of tomatoes and creates favorable conditions for the appearance of phytophthora and other diseases.
• Thanks to regular mulching, the process of watering tomatoes can be significantly facilitated, since the water supplied to the plants does not erode upper layer soil.
• Mulching allows you to accelerate the ripening of fruits and increase their number.

Types of mulch

For mulching horticultural crops gardeners use two types of materials:

• organic origin;
• special coatings produced by industrial enterprises.

Organic Mulching Materials

Materials of organic origin are best suited for mulching tomatoes. This is explained by the fact that throughout the entire garden season, such a mulch performs two main functions.

In addition to creating a favorable microclimate for plants, it decomposes over time, turning into humus, which, as you know, is a very good fertilizer.

The choice of materials for mulching largely affects which microelements will enter the soil in the form of fertilizer. Based on this, it is possible to choose materials that ensure the entry into the soil of precisely those microelements, the lack of which is present in a particular area.

Organic mulch should include materials known to every gardener, such as hay, shavings, dry leaves, weeded young syrniki with immature seeds, humus, straw, newspapers and cardboard.

For mulching tomatoes in the greenhouse perfect for straw. It is necessary to place it on the surface of the soil with a thickness of 10–15 cm. As a result of this procedure, it is possible to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing diseases such as anthracnose, early rot, leaf spot.

Straw not only perfectly retains heat in the soil, but also perfectly passes oxygen to the roots of plants. But at the same time, it can be a great place for rodents and insect pests. Therefore, to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to regularly check the straw mulch.

A good option for mulch can be meadow grass or uprooted young weeds that failed to form seeds. However, it is recommended to lay the grass around the tomatoes in such a layer that, after settling, its thickness is at least 5 cm.

Deciding to use as mulch meadow grass, you should prepare for the fact that it will have to be updated regularly. This is due to the property of grass to quickly decompose. But at the same time, the variant of mulch under consideration has its advantages, the main of which is that it is able to provide plants with such a useful trace element as nitrogen.

Plants can be of great benefit mulch from forest materials. It can also provide them with protection from weeds and drying out of the soil, and in addition to this, increase the content of microelements and beneficial bacteria in the soil.

So, if you have doubts about the appropriateness of using such material for tomatoes, then just go to the forest and stock up on this mulch, after which you will see for yourself how effective these materials can be.

If possible, then mulching of tomatoes can be carried out with materials from mixed and coniferous forests. Wood material is more preferable due to its high strength in contrast to vegetable material.

From this it follows that it will not require renewal for a longer time and at the same time perfectly retain moisture. In most cases crushed tree bark mulch garden trees And fruit bushes. And also it can be used for vegetables grown in greenhouses.

To get the most out of soil mulching with wood material, you need to follow these guidelines:

1. Before use wood material be sure to dry it under cover.
2. After you lay the crushed bark or sawdust with a layer of 8 cm, then be sure to pour them with a 5% solution of urea.
3. Do not forget that over time the soil will oxidize. This can be avoided if, immediately after mulching, chalk or slaked lime is scattered on the surface.

A good effect is the use of compost as a mulch for tomatoes. For its preparation, you can take any waste that can decompose. Surely everyone on the site in a fairly large number will have weeds, household waste, old paper, rotten hay.

From all this you can get excellent nutritional blend for vegetables. If you decide to use compost for tomatoes, remember that it must be spread on the surface with a layer of 3 cm.

For the best effect, it is recommended to mulch not only with compost, but in combination with other types of materials. Then it will be processed by worms much faster. As an alternative to the above materials can be used for mulching greenhouse tomatoes and newspapers.

Do not forget that paper is obtained from processed wood. Mulching soil for tomatoes can be any newspaper, and not only in black and white, but also in color. However, they must first be finely chopped and covered with plantings 15 cm thick. Such a procedure will not only increase the temperature of the soil, but will also allow you not to update the mulch much longer, unlike other materials.

Inorganic materials

Today in stores for gardeners you can buy special artificial materials for mulching. But experienced gardeners are distrustful of them, because they believe that the same result can be achieved with the help of polyethylene, burlap and other more affordable means.

Although organic materials are more useful, inorganic materials also have their advantages. One of the main advantages is that they can serve the gardener for at least one season. The use of such materials allows create in a greenhouse Greenhouse effect , to which tomatoes respond well by activating growth.

If you decide to use as a mulch film, you need to choose the right material. Pay attention to the fact that it is always red, opaque and strong to protect against weeds.

When you are going to mulch with a film, lay it as tightly as possible. This will help raise the temperature of the soil by one to two degrees. A similar variant of mulching should be used in the cold season. With the onset of the summer season, the film must be removed so that the soil does not overheat.

As a mulch for tomatoes, you can use and nonwoven fabric with a porous structure that can pass moisture and air.

Such material for mulching is very durable - it can be used for 3-5 seasons, and during all this time it protect plants well not only from pests, but also fungal diseases. True, this material can scare away some gardeners with its high cost.

In no case do not use roofing material as a mulch for greenhouse tomatoes. Let it serve you for several seasons and protect you from weeds, keep in mind that this very toxic material. As a result, it can do much more harm than good and negatively affect the future tomato crop.

An unsuitable material for mulching tomatoes is pure peat. The reason for this is its ability to strongly oxidize the soil. If you decide to still use it, be sure to first mix it with compost or other materials that can neutralize the acidity of the soil.

At experienced gardeners in the arsenal there are many agricultural practices that help them to consistently receive high yields tomatoes. One of these is mulching - soil cover special materials helping to create favorable conditions for plants.

However, in order to get the most benefit from this procedure, you need to know how to use one material or another. Please note that not all mulching materials are created equal. It may turn out that all your efforts will be in vain and you will get few fruits and poor quality at the end of the season.

Many summer residents use polycarbonate greenhouses for growing tomatoes. Tomatoes are a favorite vegetable crop, for the cultivation of which vegetable growers spend not only their time and effort, but also money. You can reduce your expenses for the purchase of fungicides and time for care, disease control, with the help of mulch.

Why mulch tomatoes in a greenhouse

During the summer, a lot of water is spent on watering greenhouse tomatoes. Covering the ridges with mulch reduces the evaporation of moisture, this allows you to reduce the amount of watering. In the absence of a mulching layer, tomatoes are watered 1 time in 3 days, if it is available, no more than 1 time in 5 days.

The soil contains not only useful microflora, it contains pathogens of fungal diseases of tomatoes. Mulch is an excellent prophylactic against phytophthora, powdery mildew and other diseases. It eliminates the contact of the aerial parts of tomatoes with the soil, this reduces the risk of plant infection. The advantages of mulching include:

• optimal level of moisture in the root zone;
• saving time on tillage, it does not need to be loosened and weeded, a crust does not form on the surface of the earth, weeds do not grow under a layer of mulch;
• improved soil fertility.

All of these benefits of mulching come down to one result - an increase in tomato yield. This is the dream of every amateur vegetable grower.

About the features of mulching tomatoes

In greenhouses, the temperature of air and soil is higher than in open field, therefore, moisture from the soil evaporates more intensively. High humidity air serves main reason fungal diseases. Greenhouse owners use various materials to cover the soil under the tomatoes. Types of materials used:

• natural (organic);
• artificial.

Reference!

In the spring, tomatoes are mulched in the greenhouse after the soil has warmed up to 15 ° C. During the season, the organic layer is updated several times, as it overheats and becomes thinner.

organic mulch

The most affordable option for summer residents. When using organic mulch, soil fertility and its structure improve. This happens due to the gradual overheating of the mulch layer.

Lawn grass

A good supplier of mulch can be a lawn, many owners have it summer cottages. The grass grows quickly, you can mow it in any way: with a trimmer, lawn mower or electric lawn mower.

Reference!

Let the grass clippings dry before being used as mulch. When using fresh raw materials, air conductivity deteriorates.

For mulch, you can use any mowed meadow grass. The main thing is that she does not have seeds. Dried raw materials are laid over the entire ridge with a layer of 5 cm. A smaller thickness will not give a positive result.

Straw

When growing determinant-type tomatoes in a greenhouse, straw is an ideal choice:

• the earth does not overheat;
• moisture does not evaporate;
• fruits and leaves do not touch the ground.

Buying straw is not a problem, it is sold in briquettes and bales. When laying it on a ridge, the thickness of the layer is controlled, it should not exceed 7 cm. Violation of this rule will cause compaction of the earth, and can provoke decay processes.

Sawdust

Use fresh sawdust do not recommend, they take nitrogen from the soil, acidify the soil in the greenhouse. For tomatoes, it is better to use waste from the processing of coniferous trees. It takes from 1 to 2 weeks to prepare them, for every 10 kg of raw materials add:

• 1 st. l superphosphate;
• 120 g of slaked lime;
• 1.5 st. l ammonium nitrate.

Ready, darkened sawdust is laid out under the tomatoes with a layer of 5-7 cm. It is better to do this two weeks after transplanting the seedlings on permanent place. The benefits of mulch coniferous sawdust: the incidence of tomatoes is reduced, tomatoes suffer less from harmful insects.

How to use compost and manure

This type of material must be used carefully so as not to overfeed the tomato bushes. Compost laid on a well-fertilized organic and mineral fertilizers soil, can lead to fattening of tomatoes in the greenhouse. To avoid this, the layer is poured no more than 3 cm.

Humus (well-rotted manure) is also used as compost. Tomatoes in the greenhouse are mulched with compost (humus) immediately after planting. Seedlings take root faster, get sick less. The soil under the mulch stays moist and loose for a long time.

Inorganic Mulch Raw Material

Many summer residents prefer inorganic mulch. As arguments in their favor, they call a service life of 2-3 years or more, their ability to maintain the microclimate necessary for the full development of a tomato.

Cardboard

This material is durable, they can close the ridges of tomatoes for several years in a row. It rots in two years. It is convenient to use cardboard, it is easy to cut and fit. Benefits of using it:

• inhibits the growth and reproduction of weeds;
• retains moisture;
• does not allow the soil to overheat in the heat, cool down at night.

Film

It is more practical to purchase a black film, the thickness of which is at least 30 microns. The black color is because it prevents the growth of weeds. The thickness guarantees a long service life. It is unprofitable to buy a thin film, it can fail in one season.

Reference!

If drip irrigation is organized in the greenhouse, then the film as a mulch will be the best option.

In regions where summers are cool, black is relevant, and for hot climates, two-color types of films are more suitable. They have one side white, it reflects Sun rays and prevents overheating of the soil, and the second side is black.

PVC film is easy to use. It is cut to the size of the ridge. Lay before planting seedlings. Where holes are prepared on the ridge, the film is cut crosswise. Seedlings are planted in the holes, watering and fertilizing are also carried out in them.

Agrotextile

Non-woven covering materials last the longest. They can be used for 5 seasons. This compensates for the cost of purchasing agrotextiles. In spring, the soil under the tomatoes is covered with black agrofiber. Lay it on already prepared, fertilized soil.

Tomatoes are planted in a slot. The material is porous, air and water easily penetrate through it, and it serves as an obstacle to the growth of weeds. In spring, in an unheated greenhouse, it does not cool down at night and does not allow moisture to evaporate. In summer, in hot weather, white agrotextile is laid on top of the black material; it protects the roots and soil from overheating.

Prohibited Materials

Some materials are toxic, so they are not recommended for mulching tomatoes. The roofing material left after construction is better used for other purposes, and not to cover the soil in the greenhouse with it. It releases harmful substances that can get through the roots into plant tissues.

Reference!

It is better to refuse peat as a mulch, it leads to the oxidation of greenhouse soil.

Any fresh manure(cow, horse) will do more harm to tomatoes than good.

Proper mulching of tomatoes in a greenhouse not only has a positive effect on yield indicators, but also greatly facilitates the care of garden crops grown in home gardening or on small farms.

Mulching principle

When growing tomatoes on open ground ridges or in a greenhouse, it is very important to provide the garden crop with the most comfortable conditions for growth and development. Mulching greenhouse tomatoes began to be practiced in our country relatively recently. This agricultural technique is a surface coating of greenhouse soil with mulch in order to protect it and improve quality indicators.

Mulch, from English word"Mulch", can be represented by a completely different materials, but consistently delivers the following benefits:

• preservation optimal performance soil moisture;
• a pronounced reduction in the growth of weeds;
• preventing overheating of the soil in too hot summer season;
• exclusion of deep freezing of the soil as a result of exposure to severe frosts in winter;
• prevention of water splashing during irrigation;

• a sharp decrease in the volume of erosive soil changes;
• preventing the formation of a soil crust and ensuring free access of air to the root system of the plant;
• preservation and improvement of looseness, air and water permeability of greenhouse soil;
• increasing the root-forming ability of garden crops.

There are several ways to mulch greenhouse ridges with tomatoes. You can use both organic and modern high-performance materials.

Types of natural mulch

Mulching purchased materials

Among the purchased materials, special mulch film, as well as polyethylene film, are popular, and other modern covering materials are also used.

It should be remembered that it is not advisable to use roofing material as a mulching material for greenhouse beds, which is due to too high content toxic substances in this building material. As a result of irrigation measures, some of the carcinogenic substances enter the soil and can accumulate in tomato fruits.

It is very important to carry out mulching when the greenhouse soil is already well warmed up. The soil initially needs to be thoroughly loosened, and it is also necessary to remove all weeds. The main goals of summer mulching of greenhouse beds are to maintain optimal soil moisture and cool the soil, as well as protect the root system of tomato bushes from overheating on too hot days.

Summer organic mulch does not need to be removed, because during a long, sometimes months-long decay, the mulching organic layer enriches the greenhouse soil with very valuable nutrients. Also, the use of mulch prevents the development of rot. IN autumn period, after removing the tomato tops, the soil should be processed and digged along with mulch, which helps to improve the structure of the greenhouse soil.

IN last years one of effective ways mulching has become an increase in the yield of tomatoes - protection of the top layer of soil with the help of covering materials of natural or artificial origin, which are laid on beds with crops. As practice shows, mulching tomatoes in a greenhouse makes it possible to increase yields by 25% and reduce the ripening time for vegetables by 5 to 13 days. The main thing is to know how and with what to mulch tomatoes in your greenhouse.

The main task of tomato mulch in a greenhouse is to reliably protect the top layer of the earth from the formation of a crust on it, which will interfere with the normal access of air to crops. Mulching also prevents sunlight, which is especially loved by weeds. A layer of mulch helps keep the surface of the ground moist for many days, allowing the grower to water the tomatoes in the greenhouse less. Also, frequent loosening of the soil will not be required, and very little time will be required for weeding - if the covering layer is very dense, and mulching was done after removing all unwanted weeds. Thus, covering the ground with artificial and natural materials is a modern agrotechnical procedure, during which, due to the action of microorganisms, loose material rots, and humus appears instead.

The clear advantages of mulching tomatoes grown in their own greenhouse can be safely called an improvement in soil structure, a decrease in moisture loss, as there is minimal evaporation, saturation necessary for normal growth and development of tomatoes. beneficial substances, maintaining the correct air permeability of the soil.

Mulching also provides an excellent opportunity to protect lower leaves crops from the ground, because when it enters, diseases can be observed in tomatoes. According to the results of its impact, mulching can replace such work as prophylaxis against diseases and bacteria, protecting tomato roots from exposure low temperatures in winter, regular weeding of the earth from grass and loosening.

How

Experts advise to carry out the mulching procedure in a greenhouse with materials of natural origin, which are often located next to us. Gradually decomposing, the mulch is able to turn into humus useful for the growth and development of tomatoes in the greenhouse. It depends on the choice of covering material which microelements can enrich the soil. Today, not only straw or freshly cut grass can be used as materials for mulching, but also leaves, needles, tree bark or sawdust, compost, newspapers or cardboard.
Straw is an excellent material for sheltering tomatoes in a greenhouse.

Its layer about 15 cm thick can be a good protection against diseases - such dangerous ones as leaf spot, anthracnose, early rot and others. Straw normally passes air, the main thing is to make sure that rodents or insects do not start in it. Grass or weeds, either freshly cut or lightly dried, can be used to mulch tomatoes. The flooring layer is advised to be made quite thick, because after reduction and compaction it will become no more than 5 cm. Since the grass tends to decompose quickly, it will have to be updated from time to time. In this case, the soil will be saturated with nitrogen and other substances useful for plants.

If you decide to mulch tomatoes using leaves or tree needles, then you can easily find covering material in the nearest forest or even on your site. Material from mixed or coniferous forest has proven itself well. Compared to vegetable, experts consider wood to be more durable, therefore, it is advised to make flooring in a greenhouse from sawdust or bark. This is an excellent material for those greenhouses in which the earth is rarely dug up, while it allows the soil to remain moist. It is important to select the most dry material, and the laid layer of sawdust should be shed with a solution of urea. So that the soil does not oxidize, slaked lime or chalk should be poured onto the sawdust.

Mulching tomatoes with compost is also an easy task. You can cook it yourself from any type of waste - dumped in compost pit old papers, household waste, rotten hay that can decompose. It is best to mix the compost with other materials, and then apply it with a layer of about 3 cm. In the attic you can always find unnecessary newspapers, paper or cardboard that need to be crushed and made into a greenhouse flooring of about 15 cm. To prevent it from flying apart, you can apply straw or compost. Such a mulch will be able to increase the temperature of the soil and will last for several years.

It is also permissible to mulch a tomato using artificial materials. They create an excellent greenhouse effect and can last longer than natural ones. These include colored and black polyethylene film, non-woven material, roofing felt and roofing material. The film must be strong and opaque so that it prevents the appearance of weeds, and adheres tightly to the soil. For tomatoes, it is best to choose red. Non-woven covering material perfectly passes moisture and air, can serve as a mulch for up to five years, will not allow fungi and rot to appear, as well as pests. Ruberoid is reliable material, which does not transmit light, it is not toxic to plants.

How to

It is important to mulch when the soil is already warm enough. This is especially true for unheated greenhouses. For heated rooms, any day after the tomatoes have been planted may be fine. The soil should first be loosened normally, get rid of weeds that have already appeared.

The covering material must be laid out in the area around the plants in such a way that its flooring is from 3 to 8 cm. If the material has a loose structure, you just need to scatter it. Be sure to leave some space around the stems for easy watering in the future. Materials of natural origin that were decomposed at the beginning of summer are recycled by worms at the end of the season. In the event that some of the mulch remains on the site, you do not need to put it in the compost pit. Since cleaning is advised only on those beds where you are going to plant seeds of other crops next year.

The dream of every gardener and gardener is to get a rich harvest by applying as much as possible less effort. One of the cheapest, but at the same time, effective ways to increase the fertility of the soil is to mulch it with mowed grass. Very often cut grass is thrown away or burned, but it can be used as mulch. Is it possible to mulch with freshly cut grass, how to properly mulch and what is needed for this - we will figure it out together in our article.

What is mulching?

Mulching is nothing more than covering the soil with various kinds of materials that help protect it from drying out, prevent weeds from growing and create fertile conditions for earthworms. As a result of this simple technique, the only thing left for the gardener-gardener is to take care of harvesting. All other garden work is no longer necessary: ​​under a layer of mulch, moisture remains longer, which significantly reduces the need for watering the beds, weeds grow much worse, and loosen the soil earthworms, actively bred in created for them favorable conditions. Of course, the beds covered with a layer of mulch do not look as neat as without it. But this minus against the background of other pluses of mulching is so negligible that it can be completely neglected.