Content
Seedlings of tomatoes, transplanted with a preserved root system, take root more easily, tomatoes begin to bear fruit 1 - 2 weeks earlier than those whose roots were injured during transplantation.
Seed preparation
Before sowing, you need to prepare the seeds. If pelleted tomato seeds are planted, preparation is not required, they have already been treated with special substances by the manufacturer.
Presowing preparation includes the following stages:
- Treatment for pathogens of infectious diseases;
- Treatment with growth stimulants;
- Soaking in complex fertilizer.
Preventive treatment against fungal and bacterial diseases is carried out by soaking in disinfectants, for example, in a solution of potassium permanganate. Tomato seeds are placed in a small cloth bag, if you plan to sow several varieties, it is advisable to sign the bags. The seeds are placed in a solution with a disinfectant for 2 - 3 hours, after which they are thoroughly washed under running water.
Before planting old tomato seeds, it is advisable to treat them with growth stimulants. They contain phytohormones to help tomato seeds germinate faster and will stimulate further development.
Complex fertilizers contain potassium and manganese, the deficiency of which interferes with the normal growth of the plant. If the tomato bush from which the seeds were harvested was deficient in these nutrients, their content in the seeds will not be sufficient for normal development. Such seeds have a low germination rate, often young tomato sprouts stop developing at the stage of cotyledon leaves. You can fill the lack of nutrients by soaking tomato seeds in a solution of complex fertilizers. Soaking is carried out, as a rule, during the day.
Peat pots
They are low-lying peat, pressed in the form of pots. Can be infused with additional nutrients and stimulants.
The main advantages of pots for growing tomato seedlings:
- Allow to transplant seedlings without damaging the roots;
- They take up little space during storage;
- Improves the structure and chemical composition of the soil;
- The pots are very convenient to use.
The convenience of peat pots is that tomato seedlings do not need to be taken out of them - they can be planted in a permanent place along with the pot, since the roots of tomatoes grow freely through the walls. In addition, peat improves the structure of the soil, makes it lighter, and enriches it with nutrients.
Does not require special preparation before planting seeds. It is enough to fill the pot with nutritious earthen mixture, place in a tray and water. A small depression is made in the soil, into which two or three tomato seeds are placed, after the emergence of shoots, one most developed sprout is left, the rest are pinched. It is undesirable to pull out excess tomato sprouts, you can damage the root system of the remaining one.
In the process of growing tomato seedlings, it is necessary to regularly inspect the pots in order to prevent the germination of roots in the neighboring one.
Peat tablets
Peat tablets are compressed pieces of low-lying or middle peat, placed in a special, easily decomposable material. May contain an additional complex of nutrients. Designed for germinating seeds and growing seedlings after picking.
You can plant tomato seedlings together with a peat tablet, the mesh quickly dissolves in the soil and does not interfere with the growth of the root system. Peat will improve the composition of the soil and enrich it with substances necessary for plants.
The main advantages of peat tablets for growing tomato seedlings:
- Seedlings are planted without injury to the root system;
- The composition contains all the necessary nutrients;
- Free of fungal spores and weeds;
- Easy to transport and store;
- Tomato roots develop quickly due to their light structure;
- Doesn't take up much space.
Before using peat tablets for growing tomato seedlings, it is necessary to place the tablets in a tray and soak in warm, but not hot water for 1 - 2 hours, drain excess water after soaking. During this time, the volume of the tablet increases up to 5 times.
The upper part of the peat tablet is not covered with a net and has a small depression where 1 - 3 tomato seeds are placed, covered with soil on top and covered with a transparent material until tomato shoots appear. Usually tomato seeds germinate within one week, old or poor quality seeds may take longer to germinate.
If peat tablets are used for picks of tomato seedlings, the deepening is made larger, the roots and about a third of the stem should fit in it. The tomato sprout is carefully transferred into the resulting depression and carefully covered. You can water the plant a little, directing the stream onto the stem of the tomato to gently crush the soil.
Watering tomato seedlings should be done carefully, avoiding waterlogging, the upper surface of the tablets must necessarily dry out between waterings. Waterlogging adversely affects the root system, interferes with the normal absorption of nutrients.
It does not pose a particular danger to tomato seedlings, but it is advisable to get rid of it before its spores have grown deep into the pill. Usually, a single treatment with a soda solution is sufficient for this.
Coconut pills
Consist of pressed coconut fibers placed in a fine mesh. They can be additionally impregnated with nutrients necessary for growing tomato seedlings. Used for germinating seeds, picking seedlings, cuttings.
Coconut tablets have several advantages for growing tomato seedlings:
- Seedlings are protected from fungal diseases;
- Plants receive all the elements necessary for growth;
- Do not contain the larvae of harmful insects;
- Does not contain weed seeds;
- They do not lose their shape during use.
- They give the opportunity to preserve the root system.
Before using coconut tablets for growing tomato seedlings, it is advisable to rinse them under running water for several minutes, sea salt is often used in the production process, it must be washed off. After that, the coconut tablets are placed in a tray or other container and filled with water at room temperature. After the tablets have swollen, it is necessary to drain the excess water.
Tomato seeds are placed in a recess located at the top of the coconut tablet. As a rule, several seeds are put in one tablet, after the emergence of sprouts, one most developed is left, the rest are pinched.
If coconut tablets are used for picking tomato seedlings, the recess is expanded, the root system of the seedling and a third of the tomato stem should fit in it, you can plant the sprout slightly obliquely. Gently sprinkle with soil, if necessary, water the seedlings.
Plastic cups
Many gardeners traditionally use plastic cups for growing seedlings.
Key benefits for growing seedlings:
- Easy to purchase, sold in any store;
- Convenient to use for growing seedlings and transport;
- Can be used for growing seedlings several times;
- Easy to sign, the necessary information can be applied with a marker.
There is only one drawback of plastic cups - it is inconvenient to get the seedlings, often when removing the earthen lump it crumbles, and the young roots are injured.
Before planting seedlings in plastic cups, it is imperative to make drainage holes. Drainage holes are made at the bottom of the cup, the diameter of each should be about 1 cm.
The cups are filled with soil, tamping a little. You should not fill the glass with soil to the top - this will complicate watering the seedlings, a distance of about 2 cm must be left to the edge.
The planted seeds are covered with soil and watered a little, you can use a spray bottle for watering. After planting, the seeds are covered with a transparent material to prevent the topsoil from drying out.
This will help when transplanting easier to determine the distance at which the tomato bushes should grow.
If necessary plant seedlings after picking, it is advisable to cover the sprout with soil, which is kept in suspension. To do this, a little potting soil is placed on the bottom of the glass, the sprout is held vertically, dropping it into the glass. The soil is covered carefully, trying not to damage the roots of the seedlings, after planting the tomatoes are watered.
Seedling bags
The most economical way to grow seedlings. You can use both purchased special packages designed for growing seedlings, and made by hand.
The advantages of ready-made packages for tomato seedlings:
- The dark material does not allow the sun's rays to reach the roots of the seedlings;
- Have drainage holes;
- The seams of such bags are more durable;
- Have a flat bottom;
- Are inexpensive;
- Easily fit into boxes, saving space.
Before planting, the bags are filled with a nutritious earthy mixture, which must be tamped a little and placed in trays or boxes. Tomato seeds are placed in a small depression, watered and covered with plastic wrap throughout the box until shoots emerge.
It is also advisable to cover the unpicked tomatoes with foil for 5 - 8 days in order to facilitate the recovery of the tomatoes. It is necessary to turn the film over once a day so that the condensation does not damage the plants.
Conclusion
When choosing a method of growing tomato seedlings, it is necessary to take into account all possible conditions and circumstances in order to avoid disappointment.
