In terms of taste, tomato is a leader among other vegetable crops. Tomatoes are very thermophilic, so they are grown mainly through seedlings. You can get a good harvest at home, if you know how to plant tomatoes for seedlings.
Distillation of seedlings is a very important stage in the cultivation of tomatoes, which begins with the preparation of seed. Seeds germinate unevenly: it all depends on their size, density, degree of maturity, hereditary characteristics, etc. Therefore, sowing tomato seedlings can not do without preliminary preparation to increase the germination and productivity of plants.
Seed preparation
Even knowing how to plant tomatoes for seedlings will not be useful if the seeds are of poor quality. Their choice is a very important and crucial moment. Seeds of last year’s crop should not be used; they will not give a good result. It is advisable to purchase several varieties in special stores or in the market. After a few seasons, it will be possible to determine which of them gives the best yield.
Good tomato seedlings will be obtained only from quality seeds. First of all, it is necessary to sort them, removing empty, small and damaged ones. You can fill the seeds with salt water, mix thoroughly and let stand for about five minutes, then remove the floated to the surface, and wash the remaining ones at the bottom with clean water several times and dry. Seeds of different varieties are preferably stored separately. To do this, they can be wrapped in pieces of gauze by placing a label on the bag inside.
After that, the seeds are disinfected. Avoidance of diseases such as bacterial cancer and vertebral rot, helps keeping the seeds for 24 hours in a 0.8% solution of acetic acid. A one percent solution of potassium permanganate helps to prevent viral diseases , in which the seeds can withstand 20-30 minutes. After that, they need to be washed with running water.
To improve seed germination, they need to be heated for several hours with hot running water (you can use a thermos, dropping the bags there). After that, the seeds are kept in a moist burlap for two to three days at a temperature of about 25 ° C. Bent seeds are sown in moist, loose soil. After such preparation, seedlings appear in 1-2 days.
To seeds were resistant to low temperatures, use hardening. For this, the swollen seeds are placed in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. To increase productivity, you can lower the seeds for a day in a solution of ammonium nitrate (4%) or a solution of potassium salt (2%). A good result can be achieved by placing the seeds in a 0.5% aqueous solution of manganese sulfate with zinc sulfate for twelve hours.
For processing, growth regulators can be used, which awakens the seed germ, disinfects them and helps to improve the palatability and nutritional value of the fetus. Seeds are treated for six hours at a temperature of 18 ° C. Only fresh solution is used. After processing, it is necessary to dry the seeds.
If the above drugs are not available, you can use wood ash. To do this, in about five liters of water that has previously been warmed up in the sun, about ten tablespoons of ash are bred. Throughout the day, the solution should be stirred occasionally (4-6 times), then strain and pour into jars, in each of which gauze bags with seeds of the same grade are lowered for three hours.
Soil preparation
In order to sow tomato seedlings to give good results, it is necessary to properly prepare the soil. The substrate should have the following characteristics: light mechanical composition, air and moisture permeability, the absence of pathogens and weeds, a sufficient amount of nutrients and organic substances, friability.
Possible options for soil for seedlings
For the first option, garden soil, humus, black or pressed peat (1: 1: 1) is used. Wood ash is added (half a liter per bucket of soil mixture), superphosphate (about two matchboxes to a bucket of soil). In addition, water is needed to moisten the mixture.
The second option is to take garden soil, black or pressed peat, and replace humus with river sand (all in one piece). Mineral fertilizers are added in the form of an aqueous solution (20 g of potassium sulfate, urea - 10 g, superphosphate - 30 g) are taken per 10 liters of water.
Planting tomatoes on seedlings without picking can be done using peat tablets. Two seeds are planted in a peat tablet with a diameter of 33-36 mm. When a plant forms roots, it is planted in a half-liter capacity.
Tomato seedlings at home can be grown in ready-made soil mixes from the store. Conscientious manufacturers introduce all the necessary additives and nutrients into the soil.
Growing seedlings
Before planting tomatoes on seedlings, the soil mixture must be moistened and poured into a container. The earth is leveled and compacted, furrows are made one centimeter deep with a distance of five centimeters between them. Then seeds are lowered into the furrows and sprinkled with soil.
The surface of the soil must be moistened. The container with seedlings should be covered with a film and put in a bright place at a temperature of at least 22 0 C. After five days, when shoots appear, the film can be removed, and the box with seedlings put in a place with a lower temperature (up to 15 ° C) for 4 -6 days. After about a week, when the sprouts become strong, the temperature is raised during the day to 24 degrees, at night - up to 12 degrees.
After the tomatoes have two or three leaves, they are dived into pots filled with a mixture of soil, watered with potassium permanganate (for 10 liters of water - 0.5 g of potassium permanganate). Weak and damaged plants are rejected. For active growth of the root system of tomatoes, when picking, pinch the main root. Pickled seedlings are watered every week, making sure that the soil does not dry out between waterings.
Plant care
Seedlings need to be fed. For the first time, this is done ten days after diving with the following solution: 10 liters of water, superphosphate - 30 g, urea - 4 g, potassium sulfate - 10 g. Ready-made fertilizer can also be purchased at the store.
After 14 days, a second top dressing is performed. After top dressing, seedlings need to be watered and loosened. It is necessary to ensure that the watering of seedlings is not excessive: this can cause diseases or death of plants.
Lighting
In addition, tomato seedlings at home need good lighting. The backlight is passive and active. In the first case, a reflective screen is placed in the window opening. With the active method, backlighting with lamps is provided. The first few days, round-the-clock illumination is desirable, since tomatoes are very demanding on lighting.
Good insolation is a prerequisite in order to get high-quality tomato seedlings.
How to water the plants?
Water the seedlings sparingly; at the initial stage, a teaspoon is enough. As a result of excessive watering, roots lacking oxygen will develop poorly. Watering is increased gradually, observing the weather conditions. In the cold season, watering and top dressing are less common, on sunny and hot days - more often. Watering is necessary as necessary, avoiding drying out of the soil. It is better to use not water, but a weak solution of mineral fertilizers.
Tomato seedlings for the greenhouse must undergo a hardening procedure, for which reinforce ventilation. Then the tomatoes need to be transferred to a greenhouse, which is not heated, and kept there for several weeks with the windows closed. If there are no frosts, you can gradually leave the windows ajar for a while, and then leave them open even at night for a week. After this, hardened seedlings can be planted in the ground.
How to determine the quality of seedlings?
Proper tomato seedlings have green, well-developed leaves without white plaque and spots. A weak plant slowly emerges, while not always dropping the seed coat, has an irregular shape, grows poorly and develops.
But it should be noted that the plant can later ascend for the reason that it was sown to a greater depth than the rest, and the shell can not be discarded due to unconsolidated soil. Therefore, the earth must be compacted, and the seeds should be buried the same way - then seedlings with a capsule will be a clear signal that the quality of the seeds is low, and a good harvest can not be expected.
Picking seedlings
It is more convenient to dive tomato seedlings if an individual container of 0.5 l is prepared for young plants. A more magnificent root system can be achieved by pinching the main root.
Dive Ways
There are two options for this agricultural technique:
- planting one plant. This provides strong seedlings with a good root system;
- planting two plants in one container. The resulting plants have two roots. To do this, the stems of plants, when they reach a height of about 15 cm, you need to tightly knit nylon thread. After the shoots grow together, the thread must be removed. Then pinch the top of a weaker plant. This method of growing helps to increase yield. Use it most often for tall varieties.
When to plant seedlings?
Many gardeners are concerned about the question of when to plant tomato seedlings in the ground and how to determine its readiness? Ready for planting seedlings have a thickened stem no higher than 30 cm with 6-7 leaves. As well as short internodes and a flower brush.
Landing in open ground must be done when the threat of frost has passed, that is, in late May - early June. When answering the question of when to plant tomato seedlings, it is necessary to consider in which climatic zone this occurs. To protect the plants, it is necessary to use covering material. It must be remembered that temperatures below 15 0 C can adversely affect growth and flowering.
Mistakes when growing seedlings
Many gardeners know how to plant tomatoes for seedlings, but still they are not immune to mistakes. Decrease in quality and productivity contribute to:
- low quality soil;
- violated temperature conditions, lack of light, improper watering;
- planting tomatoes on seedlings too early;
- the use of varieties that are unstable to stretching;
- lack of hardening.
Too moist soil, insufficient lighting and high temperatures lead to the extension of the stem of seedlings, its yellowing and poor development of the root system. Violation of temperature and water regimes causes thinning and lodging of plant stems, leaves become brittle, flowers and buds fall.
Planting tomato seedlings
Homemade tomato seedlings are planted in a sheltered from the wind, well-lit and warm place . How to grow a good tomato crop from your seedlings? To do this, you must adhere to some rules.
Tomatoes can be preceded by pumpkin, cabbage, legumes, carrots and onions. The place where peppers, eggplants, and potatoes were grown can be used for tomatoes after three years.
Tomatoes are not particularly demanding on soil fertility, but still it is preferable to use light, loamy or sandy loam soils.
To plant shoots, it is necessary to prepare the holes and pour water. Planting strong seedlings occurs at right angles. Tall varieties or seedlings that have stretched are planted at an angle of 45 °.
Then the hole needs to be filled with soil, compacted and watered. Near the stem you need to stick a peg as a support for the plant.
Between the rows, an interval of about 70 cm is maintained, between plants - 30-40 cm.
Growing a tomato at home is not an easy task, but quite feasible. Subject to the rules of planting, even inexperienced gardeners will be able to harvest an excellent crop. And knowledge of how to plant tomatoes for seedlings will help in this.