When to plant tomatoes for seedlings and how to do it?

Having even a small garden plot, the owners tend to make room for tomatoes. Growing tomatoes takes effort, but they are rewarded with a harvest. Bought ready-made seedlings - playing the lottery. There is always a risk of getting a short variety instead of a tall one, seeing cherry tomatoes instead of pink tomatoes.

The first rule of gardeners is their own seed. When should I plant tomato seedlings at home? What agricultural practices should be applied? Learn more.

So, when to sow tomatoes - further in our article.

Video: When to sow Tomato Seeds?

Seed selection

When choosing seeds, a number of conditions must be observed:

• take into account the climate of the region and acquire zoned varieties;
• pay attention to the manufacturer's reputation;
• pay attention to the information on the expiration date, shelf life indicated on the package;
• take into account the ripening period.

Hybrid tomatoes, marked on the package with the letters F1, differ from pure varieties in higher yields, disease resistance, and marketable appearance. They inherit the best characteristics of their parent species. The purchase of hybrid varieties is justified for all vegetable crops.

Purchasing breeding varieties from proven manufacturers, you will not think why small cucumbers turn yellow or the upper leaves of the cabbage rot. There are much fewer problems with cultivation.

Video: When To Plant Tomatoes: How early should you plant tomatoes

Terms for planting tomato seedlings

The period of planting seedlings must be compared with the ripening period. There are three categories of tomatoes: early, medium, late. When is it not too late to sow tomatoes for seedlings? The answer to this question is directly related to the variety of vegetables. Indicative data:

• early and mid-season varieties - the second decade of March;
• cherries and very early - first week of April;
• late-ripening - the third decade of February.

Experienced gardeners consider the indicated dates in the context of climatic conditions, and also find out when to sow tomatoes according to the lunar calendar. Plants with fruits that grow above the ground are planted on the growing moon.

Measures before sowing seeds

The need to soak seeds is a moot point. If the material is labeled F1, i.e. refers to hybrid varieties, soaking will only wash away the branded capsule, which already has all the necessary components of protection and disinfection. Ordinary seeds can and should be soaked, this will speed up their development.

It is advisable to take melted or rain water for soaking, since it is maximally saturated with oxygen. Water should be at room temperature. The seeds are left for half a day, then filtered and carefully laid out for germination on a wet basis.

Approximately the same procedure should be followed if you want to grow cauliflower from seeds on seedlings.

Ground preparation

There are many recipes for self-preparation of the soil mixture, but it is better to use the soil from specialized stores. Its characteristics: friability, air, moisture permeability, acidity 5.5-6.5.

The substrate should be moderately moist before sowing, if necessary, dry it before filling it in a container. A few days before sowing, the land is treated with fungicides for disinfection. Opponents of chemistry use an equally effective freezing method. After the procedure, the soil should take on room temperature.

Video: Growing Tomatoes From Seed | How To Multi Sow Tomatoes In March

How to sow tomato seeds for seedlings?

Sowing recommendations:

• 1-2 grains are laid out in a container up to 15 cm deep;
• sprinkle with a 1 cm layer of earth;
• sprayed with a spray bottle.

The container is covered with glass or plastic wrap. Humidity inside should be at least 90%. Germination rate depends on the room temperature. At 25°C, seedlings appear after 4-5 days, at 20°C - after 7 days.

The next stage of cultivation is seedling care.

Video: ★ How to: Grow Tomatoes from Seed (A Complete Step by Step Guide)

Seedling care

Sprouts are very demanding on light, they need up to 10-12 hours of sunlight. Immediately after germination, pots or containers should be placed in a well-lit place, on a windowsill or under a lamp. Watering is required moderate.

After the appearance of 2-3 leaves, top dressing is carried out with water-soluble complex mineral fertilizers. A week before planting, fertilizing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is carried out.

What to do to make seedlings thick?

The soil in the tank is covered by two-thirds. If, in the process of development, tomato seedlings are stretched, the stems become thinner, you need to pour soil into the container, leaving only places for watering. After a while, additional roots are formed, growth will slow down, the stem will become thicker and stronger.

You can shorten and strengthen overgrown shoots using the “cobra” method.

Here's the gist of it:

• remove the plant from the container;
• cut off the stepchildren, lower leaves;
• Lay the bare stem in rings and sprinkle with soil.

In 10 days or a week, the sprout will look healthy.

Hardening

10 days before planting, tomato seedlings are hardened off: left for an hour or two at an open window or taken out into the air. Gradually, stay on the street should be extended to full daylight hours. This will give the seedlings resistance to wind and temperature changes.

Rules for planting seedlings in open ground

Optimal conditions for planting seedlings in open ground: night temperature is not lower than 10 °C, soil temperature is 10-12 °C. The area must be well lit. The best option is to place it under a white wall that will reflect the sun's rays onto the plants.

Tomatoes are ready to “move” in the garden, if the stem from the lower leaves has a length of 25-30 cm, there are 6-8 developed leaves and an ovary of flower buds has appeared.

The rules for planting tomato seedlings in open ground are simple: it is important to observe the interval between bushes of 0.5-0.7 m, between rows - 0.3-0.4 m, install the plants in the hole strictly vertically, slightly compact the soil and produce watering.

Take into account the advice of experienced gardeners and enjoy delicious, fragrant tomatoes filled with the sun.

Video: Growing Tomatoes From Sowing to Harvest

Hi all! In this blog we post useful information on the topic when to sow tomatoes. If you have questions or ideas that we did not cover in our article, write about it in the comments.

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