Growing strong tomato seedlings at home

14.03.2015 Tomatoes

Planting tomatoes for seedlings needs to be checked with the lunar calendar, but this is only often a phased process. You also need to look at the vegetative period of a certain variety and accurately count 60 days from the moment of planting until the day when the seedlings are planted in open ground.

Special care for tomato sprouts must be provided at the moment when they are under the film. When, after 4-5 days from the moment of planting the seeds, the first sprouts appear, they can be transferred to the windowsill and begin to provide standard care: a lot of light, watering, feeding in accordance with the schedule. All stages of how to grow tomato seedlings at home, we give in this article.

What to grow

Since the fall, many gardeners have been preparing the land for future seedlings. This is a complex process that takes a lot of time and energy. Therefore, another more modern group by the gardener recommends using special peat tablets. They are sold in the store for the garden, in diameter are from 2.5 to 7 centimeters. For the cultivation of tomatoes, such tablets are extremely convenient, in size you need to choose from 4 cm or more.

Also, in addition to land or peat tablets, plastic cassettes with cells will be needed for home growing. Each vessel must have a pallet, as well as a lid (if there is no lid, you will have to use a simple film). For seed germination, it is necessary to provide high humidity and its microclimate, cover or film help in this.

Plant seeds

Pour a lot of water into a cell with a tablet or earth. The soil must be moistened a few days before planting seeds. A 1 cm deepening is made in the center and a seed is put there. Sprinkle the soil with your fingers so that it covers the future tomato sprout.

Now cover each vessel with a lid or, in its absence, with ordinary cling film. The film is quite thin, it will be convenient to fix it around the edges. Put in a warm place and do not open the film until the first sunrises appear under it. Then remove the film, and put the cartridge on the windowsill.

Important! As a rule, depending on the variety, tomatoes give the first sunrises for 4-6 days from the moment the seeds are planted in the ground. Immediately after the appearance of sunrises, the film must be removed so as not to overheat the plant.

Temperature required for seedlings

This is an extremely important question in such a matter as how to grow tomato seedlings at home. After all, at home, it is not always possible to create the optimal temperature regime. From the moment the seeds are planted in the soil, the temperature should be about 20 degrees. As soon as the sunrises appear, it is necessary to provide a temperature of about 16 degrees Celsius, at night it, of course, can be lower.

Further, tomato seedlings can be safely grown at a minimum temperature of 6-8 degrees Celsius. But, of course, it’s good if it is a little higher. Then active rapid growth is precisely ensured.

Interesting! For every square meter of open ground, 4-5 tomato bushes can be planted. For comparison, on the same plot of land, it will turn out to plant only 1-2 bush of cucumber or rhubarb root, but 7 eggplants and up to 20 pieces of lettuce.

Seed Processing and Preparation

In the process of planting tomatoes, this stage of work with seeds is extremely important. You will need to pickle the seeds in a 1% potassium permanganate solution for half an hour. Then rinse them in warm clean water and soak for one day. During this time, the seeds swell, after which they need to be hardened.A plate with seeds will need to be kept for 12 hours at temperatures from zero to +4 degrees Celsius. Then keep the same amount of time at a temperature of +20 degrees Celsius.

Hardening is carried out a week before the seeds are planned to be sown. When the first leaf appears, you can dive tomato seedlings. When the main root takes root, the adventitious roots will begin to grow actively.

We provide the right care.

At night, tomato seedlings, which are already slightly stronger after opening, need to be taken out onto a balcony or loggia. It is important that there was a temperature somewhere around +10 degrees Celsius. After another three days, pour the tomatoes with water at room temperature. If the seedlings are weak, then you can use top dressing with trace elements. Divorced 20 grams of fertilizer per 10 liters of water.

When come steady warm days, then tomato seedlings need to be taken out into the open air. First, for several hours, and then gradually increase the time. This is necessary so that after planting in open ground the tomatoes feel great.

Important! When buying ready-made seedlings on the market, you need to take such specimens that have dark green leaves. Planted seedlings need to be planted on cloudy or rainy days.

That's how tomato seedlings are prepared in stages and sequentially at home. This process takes about two months. But, if everything is done correctly, a strong plant is transplanted into the open ground, which will give an excellent harvest.