When and how to plant tomatoes on seedlings in 2018
Planting tomatoes in seedlings in 2018 should begin with the selection of seeds and the time of sowing. From the proper cultivation of seedlings depends on the quality of the fruit. The main thing - to prevent common mistakes in the initial stages of growing tomatoes.
Planting a tomato seedlings in 2018 should begin with the selection of seeds and the date of sowing
Agrotechnika planting tomatoes on seedlings
When planting seedlings, what recommendations are there for this year? You should not strive to plant tomatoes as soon as possible. In the absence of a properly equipped greenhouse, in which it is possible to transplant grown tomatoes, the sprouts will be overgrown or even blooming at the right moment, which will negatively affect the future harvest.
To decide when to sow tomatoes, you should pay attention to the following factors:
- climatic conditions;
- the presence of greenhouse (greenhouses, greenhouses);
- the expected time of emergence of shoots and the planned time of transplantation.
You can send plants to the greenhouse in the first days of May, and to the open ground - closer to June, when the threats of night frost are bypassed. The optimal time for keeping sprouts indoors is about two months. The best time to plant seedlings in 2018 is the end of March or the beginning of April. If the plans of transplanting tomatoes in the greenhouse, then the seedlings can be sown in the middle of March. With earlier sowing, it is necessary to control the optimal illumination and heat in the room.
It is better to install boxes with seedlings on the south side.
Do not require treatment before sowing granulated seeds, in the shell of which there are already necessary for the growth and development of substances
Seed preparation
If it is decided when to plant the tomatoes, you should choose the appropriate variety:
- determinant - compact shrubs with early ripening fruits;
- indeterminate - tall bushes that do not stop growing during the whole period.
Initially, you need to decide where the seedlings will be grown. It can be open or closed ground. Seeds can be prepared in advance from ripe tomatoes, they can be used for 8-9 years. Hybrids have the best germination and beautiful fruits. The preparatory work on planting seeds consists in growth enhancement processing, disinfection, germination testing and hardening. Do not require treatment before sowing granulated seeds, in the shell of which there are already necessary for the growth and development of substances.
Soil preparation and sowing
Planting tomatoes produced in the soil, fertilized and protected from harmful microorganisms, which is harvested in the fall or purchased in the store. To do this, mix in equal quantities of earth, sand and humus. Ashes, eggshell or chalk are added to the substrate. To protect against pests and diseases, the soil can be calcined in the oven or poured with a solution of potassium permanganate. Before sowing, pour the soil into the prepared drawers and lightly water it.
Planting tomatoes produced in the soil, fertilized and protected from harmful microorganisms, which is harvested in the fall or purchased in the store
When sowing seeds in a common dish for the normal growth and development of sprouts, you must ensure that the following rules are observed:
- planted to a depth of about 1.5 cm;
- between rows should be about 5 cm;
- between sprouts in the row leave about 3 cm.
The seedlings need space for development, therefore it is better to plant the seeds immediately in a separate dish or peat tablets. Immediately after sowing, it is necessary to water the soil and cover with a film, creating a small greenhouse. The film cover keeps moisture and heat which are necessary for emergence of shoots. Then the seeded containers are removed in a dark place, the temperature of which is not lower than + 15 ° C. With the advent of germs, the containers are transferred to a bright place and the film is removed.
Proper sowing of tomato seeds and proper care of the seedlings will help grow strong and healthy plants that can withstand various weather conditions.
Sowing Tomato Seeds for Seedlings (video)
Seedling care
Competent care of tomato seedlings is a guarantee of a good harvest. It is necessary to meet the needs of this culture in air and light, to maintain optimum temperature and humidity.
To prevent diseases, the conditions for growing tomatoes should be optimized:
- a lot of light;
- slightly wet soil;
- temperature from + 20 ° С during the day and from + 18 ° С at night.
The main condition for good growth of tomatoes is the abundance of light. If you can not use artificial lighting, you can use a foil that will scatter the light from the window. The first moderate moisturizing is done one week after the sprout appears. Abundant watering can lead to various fungal diseases, so you should stick to moderation. The exceptions are the stages of seed germination, transplantation into the soil and the formation of the ovary. In these cases, tomatoes are especially in need of moisture. After 3 weeks from the moment the sprouts appear, you can arrange feeding. Fertilizers should be applied only after watering.
The presence of a little purple stem and dark green leaves suggests that tomatoes do not need fertilizer.
Pick and harden
A pick is not considered mandatory, but some have a different opinion and sow tomatoes in a separate dish. Planting tomatoes in total capacity requires a further dive in about 2 weeks from the moment the sprouts appeared. This action must be done carefully, so as not to damage the stem of the plant, the root is shortened by about 1/3. The seedling is transferred to a separate dish or to a common box at a distance of 10 cm. In order for the seedlings to settle down faster, a pick can be combined with watering. After the procedure it is recommended to exclude from direct sunlight on the shoots for several days.
When planting tomato seedlings, everyone determines himself
Hardening helps reduce the likelihood of plant disease during transplantation and better adapt to new conditions. The procedure is as follows:
- constantly air the room;
- regularly plant seedlings in direct sunlight with a gradual increase in sun exposure time;
- with the establishment of optimal weather, boxes with seedlings should be taken out first during the day and then at night;
- a few days before transplanting, seedlings are left outside.
When planting tomato seedlings, each determines himself, but it must be remembered that the planting is carried out in the case when the height of the plant is already 0.25 m, provided there is no probability of frost.