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Healthy, strong tomato seedlings is the key to a good vegetable harvest. Growing it is not at all easy, since tomatoes require compliance with some special cultivation rules. For young tomatoes, conditions should be created with proper humidity, lighting and temperature conditions. During the growth process, seedlings must be fertilized, and immediately before planting in the ground, young plants should be hardened off. Detailed information on how to properly care for tomato seedlings can be read below in the article.
Sowing seeds
It is necessary to sow tomato seeds for seedlings within a time period calculated based on the ripening period of the fruits of a particular variety. This period, from sowing the seed to seedlings until the start of active fruiting, is indicated by the manufacturer of the planting material. Thus, early ripening varieties can be sown as seedlings a month before the intended planting in the ground. Tomato grains with a long ripening period should be sown for seedlings in mid-February. Also, when calculating the time for sowing seeds for seedlings, one should take into account the climatic characteristics of the region in which it is planned to grow tomatoes and cultivation conditions (greenhouse, open ground). It is important to plant in the ground not overgrown plants that can take root painlessly in new conditions, which is why when growing seedlings you should carefully determine the time of sowing grains.
To grow seedlings, you should use germinated tomato seeds treated with disinfectants. In this case, the strongest, 100% germinating grains can be selected for sowing, which will sprout quickly and begin to grow and bear fruit evenly. You can find out detailed information on how to properly disinfect tomato seeds from the video:
It is necessary to sow germinated tomato seeds in nutritious, loose soil. You can purchase it at a specialty store or prepare it yourself by mixing garden soil with peat and humus.
To do this, the soil should be heated in the oven at a temperature of 170-2000For several hours.
To grow tomato seedlings, you can use various containers, the choice of which determines the further cultivation process:
- Tomato seeds can be sown in a single larger container, spaced at least 2cm apart. In this case, when two true leaves appear tomatoes need to be picked in separate large pots with 1-2 sprouts in each.
- The process of growing tomato seedlings can be simplified by initially using separate plastic containers. The diameter of the cup or plastic bag in this case must be at least 10 cm, the depth at least 12 cm. Drainage holes should be provided at its bottom.This method of sowing tomatoes will not require intermediate replanting of plants, however, when diving into the ground, the roots of the tomatoes will need to be removed from the container, and the process of such replanting can significantly slow down the growth rate of tomatoes.
- The ideal container for growing seedlings are peat cups, the size of which should be no less than their plastic counterpart. When planting tomatoes in the ground, such containers can be immersed in the ground without removing the roots, which will prevent the onset of a stressful situation for the plant. The disadvantage of this method is the high cost of peat pots.
Containers with sown tomato seeds should be watered and placed in a warm place. At a temperature of +24-+250The seeds will hatch in 7-10 days. After germination, tomatoes need plenty of light, fertilizing, and watering.
Lighting
Tomatoes are very demanding in terms of light intensity and daylight hours. Thus, the optimal length of the photoperiod for tomatoes is 12-15 hours. Natural lighting in this case, of course, is not enough, so farmers artificially illuminate the tomatoes with fluorescent fluorescent lamps.
Light intensity also plays an important role in the process of growing tomato seedlings. Thus, it is recommended to install containers with crops on window sills on the south side. You can further increase the intensity of daylight by installing mirrors and foil around the perimeter of containers with seedlings. They will reflect light rays, improving the illumination of seedlings from all sides.It is worth noting that reflective materials create uniform lighting, in which plants do not reach for the light source and grow evenly and equally leafy on all sides.
Temperature
Temperature very important when growing tomato seedlings. At an early stage of growth, tomatoes should be provided with conditions with a temperature range of +23-+250C. In such conditions, young plants will quickly grow stronger. At the age of 2 weeks, tomato seedlings should be moved to conditions with a slightly lower temperature +18-+200C. Night temperatures for tomato seedlings should be at +170C. You can adjust the values by opening and closing the window, however, in this case, you need to exclude the possibility of drafts, since they can have a detrimental effect on the health of the tomatoes.
Watering
Caring for tomato seedlings consists, first of all, of regular watering. So, in the initial stages of growth, seedlings are watered once every 6-7 days as the soil dries. This regime should be maintained for the first 3 weeks after emergence. In the future, it is necessary to moisten the soil once every 4-5 days. When 5 true leaves appear on the plants, the tomatoes should be watered once every 2 days.
The volume of watering should be sufficient to wet the entire volume of soil, but excessive moisture can lead to rotting of the roots. This is especially true for seedlings growing in plastic and polyethylene containers. To drain excess water in this case, drainage holes must be provided, which also perform an additional function of providing the roots with oxygen.
It is worth noting that for tomatoes, not only soil moisture is important, but also the air in the room. So, the optimal humidity level is in the range of 60-70%. In conditions of low humidity, tomatoes dry out, their foliage turns yellow and withers. When humidity is above 70%, there is a high probability of root rot and late blight affecting plants. You can increase the humidity in the room by spraying, and you can reduce this indicator by ventilation.
Top dressing
It is necessary to feed the seedlings in accordance with a certain schedule, but it is worth taking into account the individuality of the tomato variety and the characteristics of the soil in which the young plant grows. Thus, experts recommend adhering to the following feeding schedule for tomato seedlings, but at the same time visually assessing the condition of the tomatoes.
- First feeding of tomato seedlings should be carried out after the first true tomato leaf has formed. During this period, you should choose fertilizers with a high content of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium. Such microelements will allow the tomatoes to take root better and gain the necessary strength for further growth. An example of such a complex fertilizer is Agricola. This environmentally friendly product can be used as a root or foliar fertilizer.
- Secondary feeding necessary for plants during the appearance of the third true leaf. As a fertilizer, you should choose preparations with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This complex of microelements will not only allow tomatoes to take root well, but also activate their growth. An example of such a complex fertilizer is “Effecton”.It contains natural, natural substances, which makes it an environmentally friendly tomato growth stimulator.
- Third and subsequent feeding of tomato seedlings must be carried out at intervals of 2 weeks. To do this, it is recommended to use nitrogen-containing substances, for example, nitroammophoska. This substance should be dissolved in a proportion of 1 tablespoon per bucket of water.
It is necessary to make changes to the above feeding schedule if you observe symptoms of deficiency or excess of a particular microelement. So, the following signs can be visually observed:
- curled young leaves of tomato seedlings indicate excess nitrogen content;
- yellowing and falling of the lower leaves of tomatoes indicates a lack of nitrogen;
- lack of phosphorus is manifested by excessive purple coloring of leaves, veins and stems of tomato;
- Wrinkled tomato leaves indicate a lack of potassium;
- With a lack of iron, the leaves of the seedlings become pale and their veins turn green.
It is worth noting that iron deficiency is characteristic of those plants that receive round-the-clock illumination. Potassium is very important for tomatoes, however, its deficiency is extremely rare. Most often, problems in growing tomato seedlings are caused by an imbalance of nitrogen content.
Hardening
Two weeks before the intended planting of tomatoes in the ground, it is necessary to begin hardening - adaptation to the conditions of a permanent place of growth.To do this, containers with seedlings should be taken outside, initially for a few minutes, then increasing the time spent in direct sunlight until full daylight. This measure will prepare the plants for open ground conditions. If there is no hardening, plants experience severe stress after planting, slow down their growth rate and can get severe sunburn.
Picking into the ground
If the height of tomato seedlings is approximately 30 cm, and the seedlings have 6-7 true leaves, then you should start planting the plants in the ground. The place for growing tomatoes should be well lit by the sun and protected from drafts. The best precursors for tomatoes are legumes, root vegetables, pumpkin plants and onions. In place of nightshade crops, tomatoes can be planted no earlier than after 3 years.
Soil for tomatoes should be loose and nutritious. Ideally, its composition should be similar to the soil in which the seedlings grew. Before planting seedlings in the ground, you should make holes of a size corresponding to the dimensions of the container with the seedlings. The hole needs to be watered. The roots of tomatoes should be removed carefully, preserving the earthen lump. It is recommended to place tall tomatoes in the hole quite deep at an acute angle, while low-growing tomatoes are planted horizontally. Holes with seedlings should be dug in with soil, compacted and dug in again, and then lightly moistened. Tall tomatoes immediately after planting can be tied to a peg.
Conclusion
After reading the above rules, everyone, even a novice farmer, will learn how to care for tomato seedlings correctly.By observing the described growing conditions, you can get strong, strong plants that will easily take root in the place of constant growth and will soon delight you with delicious tomatoes. Every vegetable grower should know that high-quality seedlings are the basis for a good harvest.
