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| Growing the tomato crop |
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Make sure the ground is level.
It is recommended to cover the ground with white plastic.
Lay out the slabs. Be careful not to damage the slabs and the sleeves. A good initial job will help you to get the full benefit from growing in Pargro stonewool products.
Cut planting holes in the sleeves - one hole for each plant (block). The planting hole shall have the same size as the block, where the young plant is propagated.
Wet up the slabs in due time. Pargro stonewool will only have its unique waterholding characteristics when the products have been 100% saturated with water - as a rule of thumb the slabs should be left full of water for 24 hours before the slit for drain is cut. Wet up the slabs with an EC of app. 2,5 mS/cm.
Cut a slit in the side of each slab. The drain slit must be - between two plantholes, or at the end of the slab
- cut in the side of the slab turning towards the center of the bed (in order to avoid water in the paths)
- TO THE BOTTOM OF EACH AND EVERY SLAB!!! Only this way ALL excess water can run off - allowing uniform steering and control of the root-zone environment.
When the plants are received and distributed in the greenhouses, provide each plant with a dripper. If the plants are received early (before February 1st), place the plant next to the planting hole. This is done to be able to control the physilogogical balance of the plant under circumstances with low radiation and no fruitload. Contact your local advisor for detailed information on how to nurse the plant in this period.
When the plant start flowering at the second truss, the plant can carefully be put on the planting hole. Make sure there is good contact between the block and the slab. Every plant (block) must still have a dripper. As soon as possible after moving the plant to the slab, one (or more) irrigation cycles should be given.
Attach the strings to the plants.
Irrigate often and in small doses (60-80 ml) during the first 3-4 days. As the roots start to grow into the slab, the irrigation strategy changes. Irrigate with bigger and bigger intervals and increase gradually the amount of water to 150-200 ml per cycle. In general, until the plant has open flowers on the fifth truss, watering shall be done very cautious in order to strengthen development of healthy roots.
Always adapt the composition of nutrients to the development of the plant as well as the variety chosen. Let your advisor make a fertiliser recipe that fits your crop and raw water.
In order to steer the crop throughout the season, you have to optimise the growth as well as find the optimum balance between vegetative and generative growth.
CLICK HERE to get help to judge the balance between vegetative and generative growth.
CLICK HERE to see what effect you can expect by controlling the most common factors in the greenhouse. |
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