How to properly grow tomato seedlings

How to properly grow tomato seedlings

Tomato is a vegetable crop that is deservedly popular. It is appreciated for its taste, so it is used to prepare a wide variety of dishes. It is not surprising that gardeners are happy to grow tomatoes on their plots. Moreover, it is possible to do this in a variety of climatic conditions.

Seedlings are needed to ensure sufficient germination and abundance of crops. This can be achieved if you know how to properly care for it: what temperature to withstand and how to water.

Variety selection and soil preparation

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the seedling variety. The tomato can grow in many climatic zones, but this or that species is better adapted to the characteristics of a particular area. So it is likely that overseas novelties will not be suitable for the middle lane. Trying different types, you can pick up those that give the most fruit.

Be that as it may, growing seedlings at home is more profitable than acquiring them. So you can be sure of the quality of the seed, in the future it takes root better in the open field. In addition, caring for her is quite simple. But in order for the seeds to germinate well, you need to take care of the soil. The tomato is practically not picky about it, which greatly simplifies the process. There is no need to carefully study the composition, tomatoes grow calmly even in an acidic environment. They will not die if you skip watering, top dressing, although very desirable, is not necessary.

You cannot just ignore the disinfection process. Without such a procedure, there is a high risk of developing fungal diseases in seedlings. The most common is blackleg... Improper care, such as over-watering, can also lead to this problem.

Disinfection is carried out in one of the following ways:

• If the soil for seedlings is prepared in advance, then it is recommended to store it in the cold. Winter frost will kill the fungus spores.
• Heat in the oven at high temperature. Use of a microwave oven is possible.
• Boiling water will help with this. Place the soil in a container with drainage holes and pour a little boiling water over it.
• You can replace boiling water with potassium permanganate. It is necessary to prepare a solution of a saturated pink color and treat the soil.

You don't have to be limited to one of the methods. If you combine them, then the likelihood of getting a safe soil for growing tomatoes increases. However, it is not recommended to start sowing immediately after the procedure. It is better to prepare the soil a little in advance so that beneficial bacteria begin to multiply in it.

Sowing features

In order for the cultivation of tomato seedlings to be successful, you need to sow on time. At home, it is produced from the end of February to the first half of April. The instructions on the seed package will help you calculate the correct time. You can also focus on the average end time of frost: from them should be counted two months ago. It is worth remembering that the tomato is a fairly light-loving plant. So with an early landing, you can't do without special lighting.

Seeds must be prepared before sowing. The use of means to stimulate the growth of seedlings is allowed, but this stage can be skipped. When there is a need, it is worth choosing drugs that have a beneficial effect on germination and enhance the protective properties of plants.

If the use of such funds is not planned, then you can soak the seeds for seedlings simply in water, after wrapping them in a napkin or rag. The addition of a small amount of aloe juice has worked well. Then they start sowing or hardening. For this, the seeds are placed in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Now it's time to start directly sowing tomatoes at home. In the case when the seeds were simply washed with water, do not deepen them too much. They are placed in dry holes, the depth of which is about 1.5 cm. From above, the soil should be slightly moistened, it is advisable to water it with a spray bottle.

If the seeds were soaked before planting, then the depth of the hole is better to be 1 cm. They need to be placed, keeping a distance of about 2 cm. The soil must be moistened with water before planting; after it is finished, watering is not needed.

As a container for tomato seedlings, boxes or separate cups are allowed. If the first option is used, then after a while you will need pick... The second is therefore more convenient. But peat cups have not proven themselves very well: the roots do not always manage to break through them.

Temperature, watering and lighting

The first shoots will appear in a week. To improve germination, it is recommended to ensure the greenhouse effect by stretching plastic wrap over the container. From time to time it will be necessary to remove condensate from it. The growing temperature is 20 to 24 degrees. When shoots are noticeable, the seedlings should be transferred for a week to a cooler place, where it is about 16 degrees. Although at home this is not always possible. After a week, the sprouts will get stronger, and they are again returned to the room, where the temperature is about 20 degrees. At night, it can be slightly smaller, so the window does not need to be closed. You just need to make sure that the tomatoes are not in a draft.

It must be remembered that the tomato needs good lighting and watering should be moderate. This is care. Many gardeners are of the opinion that they begin to water the seedlings only after the first leaf appears. But still, the soil needs to be checked. And if it is too dry, then add a little water.

Watering is carried out with water at room temperature, it is convenient to do this using a spray bottle or a small watering can. Pouring should be closer to the edge of the container, and not at the root. When the leaves appear, watering begins once a week. After their number increases to five, it is worth watering the tomato more often, twice a week. You need to focus on the topsoil, how dry it is.

It is important that the lighting of tomato seedlings at home is sufficient. Most often, containers are placed on the windowsill, so no additional lamps are needed. From time to time, the tomato should be rotated around its axis. This will ensure the uniform development of the plant, it will not be one-sided.

Top dressing and picking

The use of fertilizers is optional, but desirable. The first top dressing can be added to the soil mixture even during its preparation. Further, the procedure is carried out when the first leaves begin to form. It is optimal to use preparations with a high nitrogen content, then the green mass of the plant will grow rapidly. It is not necessary to overfeed the tomato too much, such a solution is enough: one large spoon urea added to 10 liters of water.

A week later, a second feeding is carried out. Well suited for this nitrophoska. It is diluted in the following proportion: 1 large spoon per liter of water. Then the plant is watered with a small amount of the resulting product. Thus, tomato seedlings are fed every 10 days.

If the cultivation of tomatoes at home was carried out in boxes, then additional care is needed. A pick should be carried out, that is, the sprouts should be planted in separate containers.Usually, this is started about a month after the emergence of shoots, when three full leaves will be visible.

The most ordinary plastic cups are convenient for growing seedlings, in which it is convenient to care for plants. A small hole is made in them so that the water does not stagnate when watering is carried out. Such a measure will help to avoid the development of fungus. Soil is poured into the container, compacting it a little. After that, they carefully take out the tomato and transplant it to a new place, not forgetting to pinch the root. For a couple of days, it is worth slightly raising the temperature in the room by a few degrees so that the plants take root well. Then it can be lowered to the previous level.

Growing a tomato at home is not that difficult. But nevertheless, it is necessary to follow some rules: select the right variety, take care of the quality of the soil, maintain the temperature regime. Regular watering is important and feeding seedlings... If you do everything right, provide good care, then the harvest will surely please.