Growing vegetables under film

An expanded, revised edition of our older, highly successful book has been published! The book introduces readers to simple and inexpensive growing methods that can be used to grow primary crops months earlier than in the field, increase crop safety, increase yield averages and improve quality.

Table of contents:
1. Introduction
2. Growing vegetables under film
1. general rules
2.1. Location of containers
2.2. Types of foil and their accessories,
their construction and operation
2.3. Propagation of sprouted plants
2.4. Soil preparation
2.5. Isolated or container growing
2.6 Mulching or mulching
2.7. Irrigation
2.8. Climate control
2.9 Plant protection
2.10. Harvesting
3. Utilisation of foil tents
3.1. Potato sprouting
3.1.1 Tomato sprouting
3.1.2 Sprouting of peppers
3.1.3. Propagation of egg fruit
3.1.4. Propagation of potatoes
3.2. Propagation of mascots
3.2.1. Cucumber sprouting
3.2.2. Cantaloupe sprouting
3.2.3. Sprouting courgettes, asparagus and parsnips
3.3. Propagation of root vegetables
3.3.1. Propagation of radishes
3.3.2 Propagation of carrots and parsley roots
3.4. Propagation of leafy vegetables
3.4.1 Sprouting of lettuce
3.4.2 Spinach sprouts
3.4.3. Propagation of sorrel
3.4.4 Sprouting of chicory lettuce
3.5. Sprouting brassica
3.5.1. Sprouting of kohlrabi
3.5.2 Sprouting cauliflower
3.5.3 Sprouting of head cabbages and kale
3.6 Sprouting of onions
3.6.1 Sprouting green onions (onions)
3.6.2 Sprouting of chives
4.
common mistakes in the production of vegetables
5. Bibliography

Quotation from the book:

After the first bunches are set, the water requirements of tomatoes increase dramatically. On loose soils, watering 3-4 times a week is necessary, on more compacted soils, watering three times a week is usually sufficient. Apply 20-25 mm of water at a time, paying attention to regularity and avoiding over-watering, as irregular watering can cause cracking of the ripening fruit (Fig. 47). The water application of modern drip and pump irrigation is quite different. Here, small doses of a few millimetres of water applied several times a day, up to 6-10 times a day, are used to replenish soil moisture. The total amount of water applied is almost the same in both cases, but slightly less in the case of drip and pump irrigation because of the more economical way of applying water.
The ideal air humidity for tomatoes is around 70-80%. In high humidity, pollen is "sucked", becomes heavier, does not fly, and therefore binds poorly, leaving bunches with incomplete clusters. In the early spring and late autumn, high humidity - above 90% - also interferes with the plant's uptake of water and nutrients, which can lead to a slowdown or even complete stoppage of development and growth. In humid conditions, bacterial and fungal diseases are also more likely to spread.
In summer, especially when it is windy, humidity levels can drop below 60%, which can be as damaging as high humidity. Leaves, especially older ones, become heavily pollinated, pollen does not adhere to the buds, fruit set is poorer or the already set berries remain small. With one or two dampening irrigations per day (1-2 mm per irrigation), the level of around 80% can be maintained even on hot days.
It has a high light requirement, as is best illustrated by the fact that it often fails to set during overcast winter months. The lack of light can be compensated to some extent by cleaning and replacing the film, by using reflective film (Fig. 48) and by planting less frequently. Artificial supplementary lighting is not recommended because of its low efficiency and high electrical costs.
In terms of soil requirements, it is close to peppers and cucumbers, crops known to require good soil structure, but will also grow in poorer soils of poorer structure compared to them. Before planting, it is advisable to apply 10-15 kg/m2 of organic fertiliser, which will improve the soil's aeration, heat management and water-holding capacity.
It needs a lot of nutrients. It uses more phosphorus in the first half of the growing season, when it is first growing. Its nitrogen demand increases gradually during the growing period. Potassium requirements are also significant; tomatoes rich in potassium are more resistant to some diseases because of their stronger tissue structure, better colour quality of the berries, and the disease of berry spot, known as green rot (Fig. 49).