Tomatoes like to grow in a warm climate and often die during the winters. The suitable temperature for their growth is between 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and eight hours of sunlight.
This is not possible in the winter season especially if you are living in a cold climate. Too cold or too hot both are not good for your tomato crop. But if you try, you can arrange an artificial suitable environment for them.
How To Grow Tomatoes In A Small Greenhouse?
Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse is a successive way of getting the production of homegrown tomatoes throughout the year.
It means you can get fresh tomatoes for your kitchen even in winters when the weather is very harsh. The main advantage you get when you grow tomatoes in a small greenhouse is that your crop will not be damaged due to frost. Now there is no fear of frost.
In a greenhouse, your tomato plants are more protected and you can control the environment. Temperature and humidity conditions are in your hand and you can control them.
You can also arrange a small greenhouse for your homegrown tomatoes if you have a small area. For a personal small greenhouse, you should choose those varieties of tomatoes that can tolerate the conditions of the greenhouse.
Now we will give you a brief introduction to the personal greenhouse-grown tomato varieties.
Types Of Tomatoes For Greenhouse
There are different varieties of tomato available but for growing in a greenhouse you should choose the right one. Some varieties can adjust in the greenhouse environment and give a continuous supply of tomatoes for a longer period.
You should consider the size of the tomato while selecting the variety. Following are some varieties that will help you in picking the right variety.
CHERRY TOMATOES
This variety is perfect for growing in a small greenhouse. Cherry tomatoes are ideal for indoor gardening because they can easily adjust to the greenhouse environment.
Many cultivars such as Sun Gold and Sweet grow well in a greenhouse. If we talk about Sun Gold, it produces sweet fruit with orange color. The maturity time of this variety is about 57 days. Sweet also produces delicious sweet flavor fruit.
HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
This is an indeterminate type of tomato. The most popular cultivar is Beefsteak and grows well in small greenhouses and gardens. The weight of one fruit of Beefsteak can be 1 pound.
The maturity time of this variety is about 90 days. The suitable temperature is 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit. Another heirloom variety is Black Karim. The size of this variety is smaller than Beefsteak and the color is deep-maroon. This is a vining plant and produces hairy foliage.
HYBRID TOMATOES
The seeds of a hybrid variety can give you a better yield. Although the price of the seeds is very high the quality of seeds is also high. Instead of using low-quality seeds, you should prefer good quality seeds as it will give you a better product that is your purpose.
The most common and fast-growing hybrid variety is Better Boy. The fruit produced by this variety is best for slicing. You can pick the fruit about 75 days after planting.
These vining plants need proper support for healthier growth so staking will help in the production of fruit. SuperSteak is another variety that can produce large fruit.
You can use the fruit of this variety for slicing and make your sandwiches tastier. An example of a hybrid type is Jumbo which can produce 5 to 7 clusters of fruit and grow easily in your greenhouse. You can pick the fruit about 80 days after planting.
Benefits Of Growing Tomatoes In A Greenhouse
If you decide to grow tomatoes in a Greenhouse then you will get many benefits as compared to growing outside in the garden or yard. Most people think that if they grow their plants in the greenhouse they will not grow well, this is a misconception.
You will get a continuous supply of tomatoes throughout the year if you choose to grow in a Greenhouse. Here are some advantages that you will obtain after growing plants in a greenhouse.
1- PROTECT YOUR TOMATO PLANTS FROM RAIN AND COLD
The harsh weather destroys your tomato crop if you grow them outside in your garden but in the case of a greenhouse, plants are protected from rain and cold.
In winter the night temperature is very low so plants can’t survive in that cold climate. Greenhouses provide them shelter against harsh weather.
The wet leaves and cold temperature will destroy the health of the tomato plant in your garden and many fungal diseases attack the plants due to wet and cold. It is better to grow tomato plants in a greenhouse and provide them protection.
2- THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE GREENHOUSE KEEP THE LEAVES DRY OF TOMATO PLANTS
The wet leaves of the plant can become the reason for many issues. When you grow tomato plants outside in your garden then they have wet leaves. The leaves with moisture are unable to absorb water from the soil.
In that case, they will not obtain all the major nutrients for their growth; they become hungry and finally become the victim of many diseases. In a Greenhouse, the leaves of the tomato plants keep dry and absorb nutrients from the soil and produce healthier fruit for you.
3- CONSISTENT TEMPERATURE
The suitable temperature for growing tomato plants is between 70-90. Greenhouse not only protects your tomato plants from frost but also keeps them warm for growth.
If you grow plants outside in the garden then temperature fluctuates, which is not good for your plants. In a greenhouse, you will not face such problems.
The low temperature at night can be a problem because the flowers will not set fruit in this situation. If the temperature remains consistent this will help encourage pollination. Exceptional heating or lighting systems keep your greenhouse the best place for your plants.
If you choose varieties that originate in cold climates then they don’t like to grow in direct sunlight on hot summer days. They prefer to grow in diffused sunlight.
In a greenhouse, you can maintain the temperature easily. For instance, you can arrange eclectic fans for hot days and in winter, you can arrange electric heaters to provide warmth to your plants.
4- LONG GROWING SEASON
The growing season can be long if you grow your tomato plants in a greenhouse. You can get a continuous supply of homegrown and fresh tomatoes for your kitchen. The taste of your salads or sandwiches enhances after the addition of juicy tomatoes.
5- HIGHER YIELD
If you grow tomatoes in a greenhouse then you will get a higher yield of tomatoes. Warm months of summer to cold days of winter all the time your plants get protection.
Problems With Growing Tomatoes In A Greenhouse
You can control light, temperature levels, and carbon dioxide in a greenhouse for plants. Besides all the benefits, greenhouse technology has some downsides.
- The maintenance of the greenhouse costs you too much. This is an expensive way of growing. It can increase your electricity bills, which can affect your pocket.
- The warm climate of the greenhouse can be harmful to your tomato plants. Too much heat in the greenhouse on summer days is not good for your plants. It can burn your plants and become the reason for the death of your plants.
- Air circulation is very important for tomato plants. You should avoid high humidity and condensation in a greenhouse. If the door of the greenhouse remains closed all the time there will be a shortage of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the greenhouse so the growth of tomato plants will become slow. This situation is not good for your plants.
Keep Reading
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- HOW TO STAKE TOMATOES IN A RAISED BED?
- HOW TO GROW TOMATOES IN A RAISED BED?
How To Grow Tomatoes All Year Round In A Greenhouse?
When to start to grow tomato plants in a greenhouse you have to consider some important things before you start.
1: Buy And Sow High Quality Of Seeds
After deciding which variety you want to grow in the greenhouse, you should buy high-quality seeds of that variety. You can buy high-quality seeds from any local gardening store or nursery.
2: What Is The Best Temperature For Growing Tomatoes In A Greenhouse?
The best temperature for growing tomato plants in a greenhouse should be between 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. As you know tomatoes like to grow in a warm climate and cannot survive in the cold.
If you grow tomato plants in a greenhouse then you can protect them from frost and keep your plants in a warm environment. You can get production of tomato plants throughout the year if you provide an exceptional heating or lighting system. There are many options available for you but it depends on your specific situation.
3: Humidity For Greenhouse Tomatoes
The best optimum humidity for tomato plants in a greenhouse is between 60 to 70 percent. You can also buy a humidity meter which will help you to maintain the humidity level inside the greenhouse.
4: What Is The Best Soil For Tomatoes?
The fertile and rich soil will produce healthy tomatoes. For growing tomato plants it is recommended that you should use well-drained soil. If the soil contains all the basic organic nutrients, you will get healthy plants. It is better to use a potting mix if you are growing your tomato flowers in pots.
5: How To Support Tomato Plants In A Greenhouse?
There are many reasons for providing support to your tomato plants. Tomato plants need proper support because it will help to
- Avoid many diseases to protect your plants.
- This will discourage pests.
- The picking of the fruit becomes easier at the time of harvest.
- You can easily maintain your plants and get a higher yield.
- Due to the weight of the fruit, the fruit may fall or be damaged.
- When you provide proper support to your tomato plants then it will reduce competition among the plants.
6: When You Should Start Supporting Tomato Plants?
It is better to provide support to your tomato plants when they are young. When you see the height of your tomato plants reach up to 12 inches then this is the perfect time for staking.
If you arrange the support at an early stage then the young roots of the plants will not disturb. For staking, you can use twine or you can use upcycled strips of t-shirt or hosiery. The reason for using twine or strips is because they are biodegradable.
You can also use a trellis or cage for providing support. This will keep your plants upright and provide support to the stem. The fruit of most varieties are heavy and large so the stem can be broken. Installing proper structure can solve all the above problems.
Another way of providing support is a string. First, dig a hole in the compost then run a string from the wire in the roof of your greenhouse. The end of the string is buried in the hole. Now wind the string around your tomato plant. As the plant grows, it will get all the support from the string.
7: What Kind Of Tomatoes Need Less Support?
If you choose to grow a determinate variety then they need less support. Determinate varieties have limited growth and are ideal for container gardening.
On the other hand, indeterminate varieties require more support as they give a continuous supply of tomatoes throughout the year. The size of indeterminate varieties is very large.
