When to sow tomatoes for seedlings in Siberia

Content

1 Why is it important to respect the timing of sowing tomato seeds?
2 Selection of tomato seeds and preparing them for sowing
3 Soil for growing tomato seedlings
4 Determining the time for sowing tomatoes for seedlings
5 Sowing tomato seeds in the ground
6 Lighting arrangement
7 Caring for sprouted tomato seedlings
8 Organization of watering tomato seedlings
9 Feeding tomato seedlings
10 Picking tomato seedlings
11 Hardening tomatoes
12 Planting tomatoes in a permanent place

Timely sowing of tomatoes for seedlings is the first step to obtaining a good harvest. Novice vegetable growers sometimes make mistakes in this matter, because the choice of when to add tomato seeds into the soil depends on the climatic conditions of a particular region. For example, the southern regions are characterized by early planting tomato seedlings. But, let’s say, tomato seedlings in Siberia need to be planted later, when the days become warm outside. Consequently, it will be necessary to shift the timing of sowing seeds.

Why is it important to respect the timing of sowing tomato seeds?

When growing tomato seedlings, you cannot sow grains, adhering to the approximate date. Tomato seedlings grown too early, grown in mid-February, will be greatly overgrown by the time they are planted in the ground. Most often, such plants get sick, do not take root well and produce a poor harvest. For early tomato seedlings, there is a method of growth inhibition. It is usually based on lowering the ambient temperature, and occasionally reducing the length of daylight hours.Tomatoes, of course, do not outgrow until they are planted in the ground, but a significant reduction in yield should be expected from such seedlings.

March tomato seedlings are considered the strongest. However, the vegetable grower must correctly determine the time for sowing tomatoes for seedlings according to the climate of his area. Take, for example, the south of the country. Here, many gardeners begin to sow tomatoes for seedlings in the third decade of January. But if we take Siberia, the Urals, as well as most regions of the middle zone, then the optimal time to start sowing falls on March 15–17.

It is important to take into account that the planted tomato seedlings in a permanent place must receive comfortable growing conditions. The Siberian climate is harsh, and if the night temperature still drops below +5^OC, early planted tomatoes will stop growing. The plants will begin to hurt, and some may even freeze.

Advice! For those who adhere to the lunar calendar in growing tomatoes, it is necessary to take into account the new moon and full moon. 12 hours before and after the onset of this natural phenomenon, it is recommended to avoid sowing seeds and replanting plants.

Selection of tomato seeds and preparing them for sowing

To obtain strong and healthy tomato seedlings in Siberia, it is necessary to prepare high-quality seed material:

The process begins with identifying unsuitable grains, which significantly increases the percentage of germination. You can sort out a small amount of tomato seeds with your hands and throw away any broken, thin, or blackened ones. Sorting a large number of grains is carried out using warm water collected in a glass jar. You can even add 2 tbsp to 1 liter of water. l. salt.Tomato seeds are immersed in a jar for 10 minutes, and after this time, all floating dummies are thrown away, and the grains that have settled to the bottom are filtered through a sieve.
Next, all selected tomato seeds are disinfected. To do this, prepare a steep solution of potassium permanganate from 1 tbsp. water and 2 g of red crystals. Tomato grains are dipped in a saturated liquid for 5–20 minutes, then washed with warm water.
The next stage of soaking begins by immersing the tomato seeds for 30 minutes in hot water at a temperature of 60^OC, to awaken the embryos. While the grains are awakening, a nutrient solution is prepared from purchased fertilizers. Stores sell all kinds of growth stimulants for soaking seeds. You can prepare the solution yourself from settled water with the addition of aloe juice. Tomato grains are soaked in any of these solutions for a day.
The last stage of preparation consists of placing tomato seeds in the refrigerator for hardening over two days.

At this stage, tomato seeds are considered ready for germination. The grains are laid out between two layers of damp gauze or cotton fabric, spread on a saucer and kept warm until they peck.

Attention! Tomato grains to be germinated should be in a damp cloth, but not floating in water. It is also unacceptable to place a saucer with seeds on a heating radiator. Temperatures above +30°C will kill tomato germs.

Nowadays you can often find coated tomato seeds in stores. This is a new way to protect grains with a special shell. In production, such tomato seeds have gone through all stages of preparation, and they can be immediately sown in the ground without soaking.

Soil for growing tomato seedlings

Many vegetable growers are accustomed to preparing their own soil for growing tomato seedlings. The basis is a mixture of equal proportions of humus, garden soil and peat. Sometimes, for disinfection, the soil is kept in the cold for a long time. In Siberian conditions this is not difficult to do. You can calcine the soil for about 30 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 100^OC. It is important to add nutrients that serve as feed for tomato seedlings. For 1 bucket of soil, add 10 g of urea, potassium sulfate, and superphosphate.

If you haven’t had time to stock up on soil since the fall, you can buy ready-made soil in every specialized store.

The ones that have proven themselves best are:

Coconut substrate is good for growing tomatoes for seedlings. Plants grow strong with a developed root system.
Fans of the traditional growing method prefer ready-made soil for tomatoes “EXO”. If the store does not have soil specifically for tomatoes, you can use universal soil.
Peat tablets are considered the best and most convenient for growing tomato seedlings. In addition to the fact that plants develop well in them, briquettes save the gardener from unnecessary work associated with picking tomato seedlings. 2–4 tomato seeds are planted in each tablet with a diameter of 40 mm. After germination, one strong seedling is left, and the rest are torn off. When the time comes for transplanting, the tomato seedling along with the tablet is simply immersed in the soil of a half-liter container.

Each vegetable grower uses the type of soil that is easier for him to work with and cheaper.

Determining the time for sowing tomatoes for seedlings

So, it is customary to sow tomatoes for seedlings in Siberia in mid-March. However, this period is not a standard, since the determination of this date is influenced by the location of planting of adult plants. Despite the harsh climate, tomatoes in Siberia are grown in greenhouses, hotbeds and gardens. For each growing method, the time for planting tomatoes is different, and, therefore, the time for sowing seeds is also different.

Ready for planting in a permanent place under film or in a greenhouse, tomato seedlings are approximately fifty days old, counting from the moment of germination. To this period of time you need to add 5 to 7 days for germination of grains. Having made approximate calculations of the age of tomato seedlings of different ripening periods, the following results are obtained:

The age of early tomato varieties at the time of planting is 45–55 days:
the age of mid-ripening varieties at the time of planting is 55–60 days;
The age of late and tall tomatoes at the time of planting is about 70 days.

Disembarkation overgrown tomato seedlings threatens late flowering, as well as the absence of ovaries on the first clusters.

The date of sowing tomato seeds is determined by the future place of growth:

for indoor cultivation of tomatoes, it is better to start sowing seeds for seedlings after February 15 until mid-March;
if you plan to plant seedlings under film in the garden, it is optimal to start sowing tomato seeds from the first days of March until March 20;
When growing tomatoes in the garden without any shelter, it is optimal to sow seeds for seedlings on March 15 and end on the first days of April.

Simply put, sowing of tomato seeds from greenhouse seedlings begins 1.5–2 months before planting, and tomatoes for outdoor cultivation begin 2–2.5 months before transplanting.

Sowing tomato seeds in the ground

If peat tablets are not used, tomato grains are sown in common boxes or in separate cups. The sowing principle is the same. If cups are used, it is advisable to place them in an empty box for ease of transportation.

So, it is necessary to make holes in the soil 1.5 cm deep. If sowing is carried out in common boxes, grooves are cut with a distance between rows of 5–7 cm, where the grains are laid out in increments of 2 cm. For separate cultivation, 3 holes are squeezed out into glasses in the ground. One grain at a time is placed here. All grooves with seeds are covered with loose soil. Do not overfill the soil with water. It is enough to lightly moisten the groove before sowing the tomato seeds, and then moisten the entire soil with a sprayer when the grooves with the seeds are filled.

Before young tomato sprouts appear on the soil surface, it is necessary to create a favorable microclimate. The boxes are covered with glass or transparent film and placed in a warm, lighted place.

Important! The optimal air temperature in the room where tomato seeds germinate is +25°C.

Lighting arrangement

Tomato seedlings love light. There is not enough daylight for plants, especially in February. It is optimal for tomato seedlings to receive light for 16 hours. For the first 3 days, it is generally advisable for hatching borers to organize round-the-clock lighting. Simple incandescent lamps are not recommended. They generate a lot of heat, plus they are not able to emit the entire color spectrum required by plants. LED or fluorescent light sources or a combination of both are better suited.

Caring for sprouted tomato seedlings

After the sprouts appear, the film covering is removed from the boxes, but kept at the same temperature for at least 7 days for the plants to adapt. Next, the seedlings are reduced to +17^OC within a week. Tomato seedlings will get stronger and will continue to grow during the day at a temperature of +19^OC, and at night the degrees should be reduced to +15^OC. You can regulate the temperature inside the room by opening the window, the main thing is that there is no draft. This temperature regime is maintained for about 1 month until two full leaves appear.

Attention! After the tomatoes sprout, the sprouts develop slowly for the first three weeks, only then do they grow intensively for 2–3 weeks.

Plants standing by the window are sure to reach for the light. The boxes must be rotated periodically to avoid elongated, uneven stems.

Organization of watering tomato seedlings

Watering young plants is carried out with warm, settled water in small doses directly at the root. For all germination time Before picking, tomato seedlings are watered three times. The first watering is carried out 10 days after sowing. By this time, the film had already been removed from the boxes, and the sprouts had all appeared on the surface of the soil. The seedlings are watered for the second time after 7 days, and the last third time - 2 days before picking.

Seedlings should not be over-watered. High dampness will prevent oxygen from reaching the roots and rot will begin to form. The soil under the plant should be loose and slightly moist. Frequent watering will be needed after picking, when the plant has 5 full leaves. During this period, the frequency of watering can reach every two days.

Feeding tomato seedlings

Tomatoes are usually fed with organic fertilizers.Experienced vegetable growers can dilute solutions of the desired consistency themselves. It is preferable for novice gardeners to use store-bought preparations. So, the first feeding can be done with the drug “Agricola-Forward”. A teaspoon of dry matter is diluted in 1 liter of water and the plants are watered. The time of the first feeding is determined by the appearance of one full leaf.

The second fertilizing is applied when the tomato grows three full leaves. For this purpose, the drug “Effekton” is used. The solution is prepared from 1 liter of water and 1 tbsp. l. dry fertilizer. The next feeding is carried out 14 days after picking. The solution is prepared from 10 liters of water and 1 tbsp. l. nitroammofoski. Half a glass of liquid is poured under one plant.

The penultimate feeding is done 14 days after transplanting the seedlings into large pots. The solution is prepared with 10 liters of water plus 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate. The last fertilizing is applied shortly before planting. Under each plant, pour 1 glass of solution prepared from 10 liters of water and 1 tbsp. l. nitrophoska.

Picking tomato seedlings

Tomato picking usually occurs 10–15 days after germination. Many vegetable growers immediately transplant seedlings into separate large cups. As practice shows, for the first picking it is advisable to take small half-liter containers. The glasses are filled with soil, watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, at a temperature of about 23^OC. All seedlings that have 3 full leaves are carefully lifted with a spatula and placed in a separate cup. Slightly elongated sprouts are buried to the level of cotyledon leaves.

Immediately after picking, the plants should not be exposed to sunlight. It is necessary to ensure the indoor air temperature during the day is +21^OC, and at night +17^OWITH.As they grow, after 3 or 4 weeks, the tomatoes are transplanted into large containers where they grow until planted in the ground.

Hardening tomatoes

Before planting tomatoes in their permanent place, they must be hardened off, otherwise the plants simply will not take root. This begins to be done 2 weeks before the transplant. The indoor temperature is gradually reduced from 19 to 15^OC. A week before planting, the tomato seedlings are taken outside. The first day 2 hours is enough. Then, the time is increased, and on the last day, the seedlings are left to spend the night outside.

Planting tomatoes in a permanent place

Before planting tomatoes, it is necessary to determine their optimal growing location. It is clear that greenhouse space is limited, and the choice of beds here is small. But the garden has shaded and sunny areas. The crop will feel good in a sunlit garden bed, protected from cold winds. It is better if root vegetables, onions, cabbage or beans grew in this place last year.

Holes are dug in the garden bed for seedlings. The distance between them depends on the varieties. For low-growing tomatoes, it is enough to maintain a step of 40 cm, and for tall tomatoes, the distance is increased to 50 cm. At the same time, the row spacing is maintained at 70 cm. The depth of the hole is selected according to the volume of the glass with the plant. Usually 30 cm is enough. The tomato is carefully removed from the glass along with a lump of soil, lowered into the hole, and then sprinkled with earth. If a seedling falls, you can stick a peg near it and tie the plant to it. After planting the tomato, the hole is watered with warm water.

Advice! A week before planting, it is advisable to treat tomato seedlings with a 5% solution of copper sulfate to prevent fungal infection.

The video shows tomatoes in Siberia:

Growing tomatoes in Siberia is no different from other regions. Simply, due to the harsh climate, they adhere to different dates for sowing and planting in the ground, and all other agricultural technology remains unchanged.

When to plant tomato seedlings in Siberia