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Healthy, strong tomato seedlings is the key to a good harvest of vegetables. Growing it is not at all easy, since tomatoes require adherence to some special cultivation rules. For young tomatoes, create conditions with proper humidity, lighting and temperature conditions. In the process of growth, seedlings must be fertilized, and immediately before planting in the ground, young plants should be hardened. Detailed information on how to properly care for tomato seedlings can be found below in the article.
Sowing seeds
It is necessary to sow tomato seeds for seedlings in terms calculated based on the ripening period of the fruits of a particular variety. This period, from sowing seed for seedlings to the beginning of active fruiting, is indicated by the manufacturer of the planting material. So, early ripening varieties can be sown on seedlings a month before the expected pick into the ground. Tomato grains with a long ripening period should be sown for seedlings in mid-February. Also, when calculating the time for sowing seed for seedlings, one should take into account the climatic features of the region in which it is supposed to grow tomatoes and the cultivation conditions (greenhouse, open ground). It is important not to plant in the ground overgrown plants that can painlessly take root in new conditions, which is why when growing seedlings, you should carefully determine the time of sowing seeds.
For growing seedlings, use disinfectant-treated, germinated tomato seeds. In this case, for sowing, you can select the strongest, 100% germinating grains, which will accelerate germination and begin to grow and bear fruit evenly. You can find out in detail information on how to properly disinfect tomato seeds from the video:
Sowing germinated tomato seeds is necessary in nutritious, loose soil. You can buy it in a specialty store or prepare it yourself by mixing garden soil with peat and humus.
To do this, the soil should be warmed up in the oven at a temperature of 170-2000C for several hours.
For growing tomato seedlings, you can use various containers, on the choice of which the further cultivation process depends:
- Tomato seeds can be sown in a single larger container, at least 2 cm apart. In this case, when two true leaves appear tomatoes must be dived in separate large pots, 1-2 sprouts each.
- It is possible to simplify the process of growing tomato seedlings with the initial use of separate plastic containers. In this case, the diameter of the cup or plastic bag should 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 an intermediate plant transplant, however, when diving into the ground, the roots of tomatoes will need to be removed from the container, and the process of such a transplant can significantly slow down the growth rate of tomatoes.
- The ideal container for growing seedlings is peat cups, the size of which should not be less than a 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- + 250Seeds will hatch in 7-10 days. After germination, tomatoes need abundant lighting, top dressing, and watering.
Lighting
Tomatoes are very demanding on the intensity of lighting and the duration of daylight hours. So, the optimal duration of the light period 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 growing process of tomato seedlings. So, it is recommended to install containers with crops on the windowsills on the south side. It is possible to additionally increase the intensity of daylight by installing mirrors and foil along the perimeter of containers with seedlings. They will reflect light rays, improving the illumination of the seedlings from all directions. It is worth noting that reflective materials create uniform illumination, in which plants do not reach for the light source, they grow even, equally leafy from all sides.
Temperature
Temperature regime very important when growing tomato seedlings. At an early stage of growth, tomatoes should be provided with conditions with a temperature regime of + 23- + 250C. Under such conditions, young plants will quickly get stronger. At the age of 2 weeks, tomato seedlings need to be moved to conditions with a slightly low 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 adversely affect the health of tomatoes.
Watering
Caring for tomato seedlings consists, first of all, in 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 germination. In the future, it is necessary to moisten the soil 1 time in 4-5 days. When 5 true leaves appear on the plants, tomatoes should be watered once every 2 days.
The amount of watering should be sufficient to wet the entire volume of the soil, but excessive moisture can lead to root rot. This is especially true for seedlings growing in plastic and plastic 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 not only soil moisture is important for tomatoes, but also indoor air. So, the optimum humidity indicator is in the range of 60-70%. In conditions of low humidity, tomatoes dry out, their foliage turns yellow and withers. At humidity above 70%, there is a high probability of root rot and plant damage by late blight. You can increase the humidity in the room by spraying; you can reduce this indicator by airing.
Top dressing
It is necessary to feed the seedlings in compliance with a certain schedule, but at the same time it is worth considering the individuality of the tomato variety and the characteristics of the soil in which the young plant grows. So, experts recommend adhering to the following schedule for feeding tomato seedlings, but at the same time assessing the state of the tomatoes visually.
- The first feeding of tomato seedlings should be carried out after the first true tomato leaf is formed. During this period, you should choose fertilizers with a high content of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.Such trace elements will allow tomatoes to take root better and gain the necessary strength for further growth. Agricola is an example of such a complex fertilizer. This environmentally friendly preparation can be used as root or foliar application.
- Secondary feeding necessary for plants during the appearance of the third true leaf. As a fertilizer, you should choose preparations with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Such a complex of microelements will not only allow tomatoes to take root qualitatively, but also activate their growth. An example of such a complex fertilizer is Effekton. It contains natural, natural substances, which makes it an environmentally friendly stimulant of tomato growth.
- The third and subsequent feeding of tomato seedlings must be carried out at intervals of 2 weeks. For this, it is recommended to use nitrogen-containing substances, for example, nitroammophos... This substance should be dissolved in a ratio of 1 tablespoon to a bucket of water.
It is necessary to make changes to the above feeding schedule when observing symptoms of deficiency or excess of a particular trace element. So, visually you can observe the following signs:
- twisted young leaves of tomato seedlings indicate an excess nitrogen content;
- yellowing and dropping of the lower leaves of tomatoes indicates a lack of nitrogen;
- lack of phosphorus is manifested by excessive purple color of leaves, veins and stems of tomato;
- a lack of potassium is indicated by wrinkled tomato leaves;
- with a lack of iron, the leaves of the seedlings become pale, and their veins are green.
It is worth noting that the lack of iron is inherent in those plants that receive round-the-clock illumination. Potassium is very important for tomatoes, however, its deficiency is extremely rare. More often, problems in growing tomato seedlings are caused by an imbalance in nitrogen content.
Hardening
Two weeks before the expected planting of tomatoes in the ground, it is necessary to start 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 hours. Such a measure will prepare the plants for open field conditions. In the absence of hardening, the plants after planting experience severe stress, slow down the growth rate and can get severe sunburn.
Dive into the ground
If the height of tomato seedlings is about 30 cm, there are 6-7 true leaves on the seedlings, then you should start planting plants in the ground. The area 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. Tomatoes can be planted in place of nightshade crops 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 diving seedlings in the ground, holes should be made with a size corresponding to the dimensions of the container with seedlings. The hole must be watered. The roots of tomatoes should be removed carefully while preserving an earthen coma. It is recommended to place tall tomatoes in the hole deep enough at an acute angle, undersized tomatoes are planted horizontally. The holes with seedlings should be dug in with soil, compacted and re-dug in, and then slightly 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.Observing the described growing conditions, you can get strong, sturdy plants that will easily take root in a place of constant growth and will soon delight you with delicious tomatoes. Every grower should know that quality seedlings are the basis for a good harvest.
