Anyone who knows the gardener understands that in order for tomatoes to grow juicy, bulk and meaty, their seeds must first be properly prepared at home before final transplantation into the open ground. This is especially important for areas where the warm season does not last very long, because tomatoes are very heat-loving plants by nature.
And yet, how to plant tomato seeds? The very issue of seed germination should be approached very seriously, so that in the future seedlings sprouted at the right time, and not earlier or later than warming. Depending on the region of residence, seeds are planted in different ways. For example, for the middle band, the most ideal moment in the first half of March. In no case should you plant tomato seedlings that are less than two months old in open soil: usually this occurs about 65-75 days after sowing at home (some early varieties of hybrids are an exception - they are also allowed to plant at the age of 50 days, since the first fruits in these types of tomatoes can appear on 80-85 days). And it’s worth initially understanding how to plant tomato seeds, and correctly calculating the moment of arrival of constant warming (if you suddenly do not guess with time - only a greenhouse will help you).
Seed preparation
The main role in growing tomatoes at the first stage is played by the correct choice of varieties. You should choose only the right seeds, adapted specifically to your region and your climatic conditions, so that later you do not have to transplant them into the greenhouse. First, the seeds should be sorted, choosing only viable for sowing. This can not be done in a visual way, therefore, they need to be laid out on the windowsill and looked for empty ones: it is impossible to leave empty seeds. Then all the rest are dipped in slightly salted water and wait a while until some part comes up. Only those that remain at the bottom should be left. Then it is washed from salt with running water and disinfected with a weak solution of diluted potassium permanganate, then it is again brought under the pressure of clean water and, finally, wrapped in wet pieces of rags for a period of about ten hours (the temperature should be warm, within 30 degrees). Thus, even before planting tomato seeds, it will be clear which of them have sprouted and which are not. Only sprouted viable seeds are carefully selected with tweezers.
Preliminary landing.
First you need to prepare a box with warm earth, divide it into sectors with small strips and make small grooves. Before planting tomato seeds in the soil correctly, it is recommended to make a recess of less than one centimeter. A box with sprouts is exposed in a lit and warm place, do not immediately drag it to the windowsill, it is better to wait at least a week until the first shoots appear. During this week, you need to take care of the right temperature (within 20 degrees) so that the sprouts do not stretch too much, but grow well into the soil. You can also cover the seedlings with a special transparent film to maintain the effect of evaporation. It should be watered only with warm water. Particular attention should be paid to feeding the sprouts with a frequency of approximately ten days (no need to get very carried away with this). Still sometimes, for the prevention of hardening, plants are carried out at a temperature of about ten degrees for a short time.
Landing in the soil.
How to plant tomato seeds and correctly determine that seedlings are ready for transplanting into the open area? The main guideline here is the number of sprouted leaves of the plant: the optimal amount is at least ten. Then, the sprouts are very carefully planted in the soil in previously made ditches. The most important thing is not to overexpose the seeds in the box and not to plant sprouts during the period of frost. Following all the instructions on how to plant tomato seeds, any gardener will be able to grow juicy tomatoes.