Before sowing tomatoes, seeds must be processed. To do this, first of all, check for fullness. Seeds are immersed in a 5% salt solution for five minutes. Surfaced seeds must be removed, and those sunk to the bottom should be washed with running water. Seed disinfection is carried out with 1% potassium permanganate solution for 13-15 minutes. Then the seeds are soaked in a solution of mineral fertilizers for 12 hours. To soak the seeds, it is recommended to use melt water.
Tomato seedlings are grown in crates or other wide containers, then pickled sprouts and individual containers are made. To do this, you can use paper or plastic cups, in the bottom of which
several drainage holes are made.
Planting tomato seeds for seedlings is carried out in a dry soil mixture, which is then moistened. Prepared seeds are laid out with tweezers on the surface of the earthen mixture in rows, then pressed to a depth of about 1 cm.
Top holes are sprinkled with dry soil mixture. Humidification is carried out using
spray bottle, cover the film and put in a warm place. Sowing tomato seeds for seedlings should be carried out with sufficient moisture, otherwise growth
seedlings can linger noticeably.
After emergence, the film is removed, and tomato seedlings are exposed
to the most lit place. Over the next few days the temperature
reduce to 12-15C. If the daylight hours are less than 14 hours, then be sure to
additional exposure. In the future, the air temperature is maintained at 22-25C.
Seedlings of tomatoes dive into individual cups after the appearance of two
real leaflets. The soil near the dived seedlings must be abundantly watered.
If the tomato seedlings are very long, this can be fixed. Before picking at an elongated seedling, the stem must be cut so that a small part remains over the cotyledon leaves. Seedlings are buried to the cotyledons, a transparent film is strengthened on top of the glass. After about a week, a stepson appears. Another way is to sprinkle the seedling to the first leaf in a horizontal position. In the same way they do when planting seedlings at a constant place of cultivation. Stretched seedlings must be laid in grooves dug at an angle of 45 degrees, and sprinkled with soil. Under the leaves and stems located above ground level, it is recommended to put cardboard. After the stems begin to rise, they need to be carefully tied up, gradually pulling the cord until the stems straighten completely.
When growing seedlings need 2 times to feed. The first top dressing is carried out with mineral fertilizers 10-11 days after the dive. The second top dressing is carried out two weeks after the first and is combined with watering and loosening. Watering should be carried out sparingly, while preventing drying out of the soil.
Excessively wet seedlings can lead to black foot disease. In this case, the stem becomes thinner and blackens at the base. The plant, as a rule, dies. Seedlings are planted on a place of constant cultivation, only when the threat of frost passes. A week before planting, it is recommended to spray the seedlings with a solution of copper sulfate. Before planting, plants and wells need to be watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Properly grown tomato seedlings take root well in the soil and subsequently yield a good harvest.
Tomatoes are a heat-loving and airy drought tolerant vegetable crop. Tomatoes feel great on sandy and loamy soils. During the growing season, it is necessary to carry out only 4 top dressing under the root. With proper care, modern tomato varieties give a plentiful harvest.