Due to insufficient light, tomatoes grown indoors grow taller than outdoors. This is common, but only if they are strong, sturdy, bloom well, and don't drop buds or fruit. If the stems become thin and brittle, and the leaves are small and pale, it indicates care errors or a failure to follow basic agricultural practices. Why do tomatoes stretch in a greenhouse? What to do if they hit the roof.
Causes of impaired tomato development in greenhouses
Indeterminate varieties and hybrids are characterized by an unlimited growth pattern. Their stems continue to grow throughout the growing season, forming flower clusters along their entire length. These varieties are most often planted in greenhouses to achieve a bountiful harvest. Other reasons for excessively elongated tomatoes when grown indoors include:
- Plants will grow slowly and stretch upward in search of light if the greenhouse roof is dirty, shaded by tree canopies, or if the structure is in an unsuitable location. Under these conditions, plants are greatly weakened, with pale green leaves and brittle, thin stems, and a lack of energy to set fruit, causing flowers to dry out or fall off.
- Incorrect fertilizing. Nitrogen (urea, carbamide, etc.) is applied only in the spring, almost immediately after planting the seedlings in the garden bed; balanced mineral mixtures or organic matter are used later. If nitrogen fertilizer is used throughout the summer, the bushes will grow quickly, gain foliage, and develop strong, thick stems, but they will not produce a good harvest.
If indeterminate varieties aren't monitored for growth, they can become an impenetrable jungle by midsummer. The main stems will become intertwined with numerous side shoots, which will eventually produce secondary lateral shoots. All the tomato's energy will be devoted to growing the bush, and any fruit that does appear will be small and bland.
What to do if tomato bushes have become too stretched in a greenhouse
At the first sign of trouble, you should normalize your watering and revise your fertilizing regimen. If the problem is due to insufficient light, it's advisable to install lamps; plants require at least 16 hours of intense light per day. What can you do with overgrown tomatoes?
- You need to trim the lower leaves down to the inflorescence, then untie the rope that holds the tomatoes from the support, and lower the top of the plant so that its bottom and the fruits from the first cluster are off the ground. It's important to avoid breaking the stem at the base.
- Stems that are too long can be tied to the crossbars along the ceiling of the greenhouse, but in such a way that the leaves do not create too much shade.
- If a sufficient number of tomatoes have formed in the lower part of the plant, and the bush has formed into 2-3 stems, it's best to pinch off the tops that are touching the ceiling. This will ensure that the fruits that have already formed are larger and ripen faster.
- A stem that has reached the ceiling can be lowered. When the top of the plant reaches the soil surface, it should be secured and covered with soil, and the rosette should be directed upward and tied. This way, the stem will not only continue to grow but will also take root and become stronger.
Almost all problems are easily corrected, but overgrown tomatoes will inevitably lead to a reduction in fruit quality and overall yield. The methods described here help correct the existing problem. To prevent future greenhouse tomatoes from becoming too tall, limit their growth by removing all excess shoots and pinching the tops in a timely manner (late July - early August).
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