We grow tomatoes in the shell

It would seem that the season has recently ended, but once again it's time to think about growing tomato seedlings. Many people live in apartments in winter, and seedlings are grown on a windowsill. Planting capacities often take up a lot of space, and a large number of seedlings cannot be grown. Not so long ago, a method was invented that would perfectly save space, it is called cultivation in a "snail" or a shell.

What is a snail and what to do

The snail is a dense material twisted into a tube, each layer of which is filled with fertile soil, twisted like a roll and is fixed. Place the resulting "snail" in a transparent container. To create an unusual capacity for planting tomato seeds, you need simple materials, their purchase does not require large investments:

• convenient packaging;
• waterproof material, for example, a substrate for laying laminate, the length should be from 100 to 150 centimeters, and width 10-15 cm;
• stationery gum;
• cellophane bag;
• the soil;
• tweezers;
• tray;

How to make a shell for sowing tomatoes

When everything is prepared, it is necessary to clean the workplace, removing all unnecessary. It is better to cover the flat surface with an oilcloth. After the work is completed it is easy to clean. Everything you need to create a snail and sowing seeds need to be located nearby. Seeds are prepared - first calibrated, and then soaked in a disinfecting solution and germinated.

Algorithm of actions:

1. To begin with, straighten the ribbon, so that one of the ends is on the tray;
2. First, approximately 15 cm of tape is filled with soil. The length and width of the soil laid out a layer of 1-1.5 cm, a little tamping it. You can pour it with both a hand and a spoon. To soil less crumbled, it is slightly moistened.
3. Prepared seeds are laid out on the soil covered area, experienced gardeners recommend using tweezers to dig in planting material, pressing it into the soil with a finger. The distance between the grains should be about 2 cm, a couple of centimeters also recede from the edge of the tape.
4. The material is rolled up to the point where the soil ends. After the folded "snail" hold the hand and in the same way spread the soil and seeds in the rest of the site.
5. When the whole sheet is already filled with soil, it looks like a roll, so that the construction holds, it is fixed with the help of an elastic band.
6. Place the "shell" in a convenient container, so that the edge with the seeds was on top. At the bottom you can put a layer of sawdust, they will absorb excess moisture.
7. When everything is ready, the “shell” is watered abundantly, and a transparent cellophane bag is put on top, it is also fixed with an elastic band. This will create a correct microclimate inside the cochlea and will promote rapid germination of the seeds.

Every day, the snail is moistened, after the shoots appear, the package is removed and the container with the snail is placed in a warm sunny place. Be sure to regularly moisten the soil, if necessary, include additional lighting and control the temperature in the room otherwise the plants can stretch.

Advantages and disadvantages of growing seedlings in a shell

This method is great not only for growing tomato seedlings, it is also possible to grow peppers, onions, cruciferous plants, eggplants, greens and some flower crops in a snail. The advantages of this method can be counted many, but significant drawbacks were not noticed. The only thing that can be attributed to them is that for the first time planting seeds in such a way is unusual and it even seems that it is troublesome, but with each subsequent crop it will be easier to do.

Merits

• neighboring plants do not interfere with root development, since the seedlings are at an optimal distance from each other;
• picking seedlings does not cause trouble, it is easily removed from the snail without damaging the neighboring plants;
• pulling seedlings with this method of planting occurs less frequently;
• the cockleshell takes up minimum space;

You can grow in a shell as hybrids, and any varieties of tomatoes, but best suited for this:

• Yamal;
• Ural giant;
• Sweet kiss;
• Hidalgo;
• Black moor;
• Blagovest.

This method is relatively new, but already fond of gardeners and gardeners. Many say that the seedlings in the cochlea grows much stronger and more powerful than in a regular container, and care for it is almost minimal. Planting seedlings grown in a shell is easier, and there is no likelihood of root damage during transplantation. And how the way you grow seedlings are you tomatoes?