How and when to plant seedlings. Proper planting of tomato seedlings

Healthy tomato seedlings are a guarantee of a bountiful harvest of tomatoes. The mistakes that novice gardeners make at the stage of sowing seeds and growing seedlings will certainly affect the fruiting of an adult plant. In this case, there can be no trifles! Let's try to deal with all stages of growing tomato seedlings, starting with determining the timing of sowing and ending with planting bushes in open ground (in boxes - if growing on a balcony is supposed).

Approximately tomato seeds should be sown 55-65 days before planting seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse. Seeds germinate quite quickly - 5-10 days after sowing. Therefore, the average period of keeping seedlings on the windowsill (from emergence) is 45-60 days.

It is important to correctly determine the timing so as not to overexpose the seedlings on the windowsill. This is fraught with inhibition of the growth of an adult bush and a decrease in yield.

Average sowing time for tomatoes:

• in the southern regions of Russia and Ukraine - from the 20th of February to March 15 (landing in the OG - from April 15 to May 20);
• in the central regions of Russia - from March 15 to April 1 (landing in the OG - from May 10 to early June);
• in the northern regions (Siberia, Urals) - from April 1 to April 15 (landing in the OG - from May 25 to June 15).

To accurately answer the question of when to plant tomato seedlings, you need to know about the end of spring frosts in your area. Counting from this period 55-65 days ago, you can accurately determine the date of the desired landing.

If you plan to plant tomato seedlings not in open ground, but in a greenhouse or on a glazed balcony, then sowing can be started 2-3 weeks earlier.

Growing conditions for tomato seedlings

When growing tomato seedlings on a windowsill, create conditions for the seedlings with:

• a large amount of light - it is desirable that the windows face south, not obscured by trees (if there is a lack of natural light, artificial illumination with lamps is required);
• high humidity - spray tomato seedlings 1-2 times a day, use air humidifiers, etc.;
• warm - during the day the optimum temperature for tomato seedlings is 18-25 ° C, at night - 12-15 ° C.

Tomato seedlings: growing at home

Step 1. Preparatory work

Preparatory work may include:

• seed disinfection;
• preparation and disinfection of the soil.

Packaged seeds from well-known manufacturers do not require additional pre-sowing treatment. They have already passed the necessary disinfection at the enterprise. It is quite another matter if the used tomato seeds were collected by hand or bought by weight in the market. Such material can be infected with pathogens of various bacterial, viral and fungal diseases.

To eliminate the infection, use one of the following disinfecting solutions:

• 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 100 ml of water). Wrap the seeds in gauze and soak in this solution for 15-20 minutes. It is not recommended to keep it longer - the germination of seeds decreases. Rinse seeds with water after treatment.
• 0.5% soda solution (0.5 g per 100 ml of water). Soak the tomato seeds in it for 24 hours. In addition to disinfection, soda solution contributes to earlier fruiting.
• Aloe juice solution (1:1). Ready aloe juice can be purchased at a pharmacy or squeezed from the leaves yourself (they are previously kept in the refrigerator for 5-6 days). Soak the seeds in aloe juice diluted in water for 12-24 hours. Tomatoes from seeds that have undergone such processing are distinguished by increased immunity, improved yield and fruit quality.
• Fitosporin solution. When using liquid Phytosporin (in a bottle), prepare the solution as follows: dilute 1 drop of liquid in 100 ml of water. Prepare a solution of Phytosporin powder at the rate of 0.5 tsp. per 100 ml of water. Keep the seeds in the solution for 1-2 hours.

The soil can also be contaminated, especially if it is dug up from a vegetable garden. The soil bought packaged in flower shops is safer. But even here unpleasant “surprises” can occur, so the best way to protect yourself (and seedlings!) From surprises is to tillage with your own hands.

The most popular ways to disinfect the soil for seedlings:

• calcination in the oven (10-15 min at 180-200°C);
• heating in the microwave (1-2 minutes at a power of 850);
• disinfection with boiling water (place the soil in a pot with drainage holes and pour it in small portions of boiling water);
• disinfection with potassium permanganate (spill the soil with a strong solution of potassium permanganate).

Disinfection of tomato seeds in potassium permanganate

All these methods can be combined with each other to obtain the most sterile and safe soil for seedlings.

You should not start planting tomatoes for seedlings immediately after preparing the soil! Moisten it and hold it at a positive temperature for 10-12 days. During this time, bacteria useful for plants will begin to multiply in sterile soil. Only then can sowing begin.

Step 2. Sowing tomatoes for seedlings

Fill the containers (cassettes, peat pots, plastic cups, cottage cheese boxes, shallow boxes) with prepared moist soil and make grooves about 1 cm deep in it. The step between the grooves is 3-4 cm. Place the seeds in them at a distance of 1-2 see more. The less often the seeds are sown, the longer it will be possible to keep the seedlings in a seedling container without planting them. Fill the grooves with soil.

Tomato seeds are sown in the ground to a depth of 1 cm

You can make it even easier: lay the seeds on the prepared soil and cover them with a centimeter layer of soil.

Cover with a film or glass from above to provide seedlings with a constant microclimate with a humidity of about 80-90%. In order for the seeds to germinate, the temperature of their content should be 25-30°C. Therefore, place seedling boxes near a radiator or other heat source.

Check soil moisture every day. When dry, spray generously with a spray bottle. In case of excessive moisture - open the film (glass) and wait for drying. Sometimes high humidity leads to the formation of mold on the surface of the soil. Then carefully remove the top infected layer and spill the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or an antifungal drug (Fundazol, Fitosporin).

The first shoots of tomatoes appear in 3-4 days at a temperature of the above-ground air layer of 25-28°C, at 20-25°C - after 5-6 days, at 10-12°C - 12-15 or more days after sowing.

Cotyledon leaves of tomato seedlings that appeared from under the ground

For more information on when to sow tomatoes for seedlings, how to choose tomato seeds and sow them correctly in the ground, see the video:

Step 3. Caring for tomato seedlings

Lighting

Growing tomato seedlings is impossible without good lighting! Therefore, after the emergence of seedlings, put the pots of seedlings on the lightest window sill. In February-early March, there will be not enough light for seedlings in any case, therefore, if possible, use additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.

There is a version (author - Tugarova T.Yu.) that the best development of tomato seedlings can be achieved if the seedlings are illuminated around the clock for the first 2-3 days after germination. After that, you can switch to the normal mode of illumination - 16 hours a day (total duration of daylight hours).

Humidity and watering

Young seedlings should be kept at high, almost extreme humidity, drying is unacceptable. Therefore, do not rush to immediately remove the film (glass) from the seedling container. Open it a little every day so that the seedlings get used to the fresh air, but at the same time remain in the "greenhouse". After 1-2 weeks, the shelter can be completely removed.

Tomato seedlings growing under the film at home may not need watering for a long time. Look at the condition of the soil: do not plant a swamp, but at the same time do not allow the top layer to dry out (while the roots of the sprouts are still small and are in the top layer of the soil, so drying it will mean drying out the roots). Tomato seedlings should be watered carefully, under the stem. In order not to damage the sprouts, you can use a syringe (without a needle) or a pipette.

After removing the film, the frequency of watering tomato seedlings should be proportional to the amount of heat and light. With an increase in temperature and a lengthening of daylight hours, tomatoes begin to grow and “drink” moisture from the soil faster. Accordingly, the soil dries out faster, watering is required more often.

It is important not to dry young tomatoes. Often, inexperienced gardeners are faced with such a nuisance: in the evening, when they come home from work, they notice their seedlings are completely drooping, although in the morning they still looked quite normal. It is necessary to check the seedlings in the morning, when there is still no hot sun. If you notice that the sprouts are a little sluggish, water immediately. Otherwise, at noon, the rays of the sun can dry up still weak young seedlings.

Bays can also be dangerous. It’s bad that flooded and dried tomato seedlings may look the same: the stems lose turgor, the leaves wither. Seeing such symptoms, pay attention to the ground. If it is wet, in no case do not add water - ruin the seedlings. Place the seedling container in a place protected from direct sunlight, do not water until the earth dries out. In the future, adjust the number of waterings.

Cold window sills combined with moist soil are especially detrimental to young tomato sprouts. Therefore, watering in the evening (in February-April) is not recommended. At night, the temperature can drop significantly, the sprouts will freeze and start to hurt.

Fresh air

As soon as there is a warm, windless day, take the seedlings to fresh air: to the balcony, to the street, or simply open the window. Even in March, on a sunny day, the temperature on the open balcony can reach up to 15-20°C! If such a day coincided with the emergence of shoots - great luck! Take out the sprouts to bask in the sun. The fact is that on the first day after germination, tomato sprouts are protected from UV rays, which prevents them from burning. Such sprouts from infancy will be heat-resistant, hardened and can be "walked" in the sun regularly.

If you did not have time to take the seedlings out into the sun on the first day, then it is no longer possible to do this after 1-2 days - the innate hardening has disappeared. In this case, you will have to gradually accustom the sprouts to the sun. The first day - 5 minutes is enough. Then every day you can increase the duration of walks by another 5 minutes.

Tomato seedlings, which were put out every day on an open sunny balcony (in the yard), by the time they landed for permanent residence, quickly catch up in growth with those seedlings that were sown a month earlier, but were kept on the windowsill behind glass and without illumination.

top dressing

Tomato seedlings need top dressing 2-3 weeks after the first shoots. In the future, fertilizers will have to be applied every week. It is best to use natural organic fertilizers, such as manure or grass. Of the purchased ones, specialized fertilizers based on guano, humic fertilizers, biohumus, etc. are good. Feed seedlings at half the dose indicated for the specific fertilizer.

Step 3. Picking (transplanting into large cups, pots)

The first true leaves of tomato sprouts appear on the 7-10th day. At this age, if the seeds were sown too closely in one container, you can pick the seedlings into separate cups. Despite the fact that tomatoes tolerate transplanting well, this must be done carefully. Transplant sprouts with a clod of earth on the roots. Some gardeners advise pinching the central root of tomato seedlings when picking. However, we do not recommend doing this - the roots in any case, even with the most accurate transplantation, are still damaged. Additionally, there is no need to injure the plant. Moreover, it can be harmful: pinching up to 1/3 of the root will delay the development of seedlings for 1 week.

When picking seedlings, a tomato clod of earth on the roots should remain

The first transplant is carried out in small cups of 200 ml.

After 2-3 weeks, seedlings can be dived a second time - into larger pots. If the seeds were originally sown in individual containers (cups, cassettes), then this transplant will be the first. It is not recommended to use pots less than 0.5-1 l. Professional gardeners prefer even larger volumes - 3-5 liters per plant. But, you see, not every window sill can withstand such seedling plantations, especially in a city apartment. Yes, this is not necessary: ​​1 liter of land for 1 plant is enough for the eyes!

Picking tomato sprouts in peat pots

You can learn how to grow tomato sprouts and dive seedlings by watching the video:

Step 4. Preparation for planting for permanent residence (in the greenhouse, on the balcony, in the exhaust gas)

At the age of 1.5 months, tomato seedlings at home kick out the first flower brushes. As soon as you notice them, know that after 10-15 days the seedlings need to be planted for permanent residence - in a greenhouse, on a balcony or in an exhaust gas. It is impossible to delay the transplant, otherwise it will lead to a decrease in yield.

If you decide to keep tomato seedlings on the windowsill for more than 45-60 days, then it should be provided with at least 1 liter of land per 1 plant. If you keep the tomatoes in relatively small containers even 10 days longer than it should be, and let them bloom, then they will stop their vegetative growth and will forever remain “undersized”. Even in the OG, they will no longer be able to accelerate and will never turn into full-fledged plants. Accordingly, you will not have to wait for a full-fledged harvest from them either!

You can partially solve this problem if you remove the first flower brush. The next brush will appear only in a week, that is, it will be possible to postpone the planting of seedlings for permanent residence for a week.

Good tomato seedlings before planting should have thick stems, large leaves, a strong root system and developed buds.

Characteristics of healthy tomato seedlings: powerful bush, large juicy leaves, thick stems, developed root system

Step 5. Planting tomato seedlings in the ground

The distance between tomatoes in a greenhouse or exhaust gas should be 30-40 cm. If you decide to grow garden plantations on a balcony, then 4-12 liters of land should be allocated for each tomato bush. 4-5 liters will be enough for undersized "balcony" varieties: "Balcony Miracle", "Dwarf", "Hummingbird", etc. Large garden varieties suitable for exhaust gas ("Sashenka", "Sunrise", etc.) are grown in containers of 10-12 liters.

For tomatoes, fertile garden soil (chernozem) is good, mixed with peat soil "Universal" or "For vegetables" in a ratio of 1: 1.

Planting tomato seedlings for permanent residence is best timed to coincide with a cool, calm and cloudy day. Plant seedlings, deepening the central stem a couple of centimeters. After a few days, additional roots will begin to form along the buried stem. In general, the root system will become more powerful and stronger.

After planting, water the tomato seedlings with warm water and wait for the harvest!

Planting tomato seedlings in a balcony box for permanent residence

And, finally, in order to better understand the intricacies of growing tomato seedlings and transplanting them for permanent residence in open ground, a greenhouse or a balcony, we suggest watching a short video below:

Perhaps the first thing that beginners in gardening have to puzzle over is the timing of planting seedlings in a greenhouse. After all, these numbers need to be based on when to sow the seeds and when it will be possible to harvest the long-awaited harvest. What to focus on if the recommendations are completely different for different varieties and different places? And what if the sprouts need to be purchased, and not grown? Well, let's learn this interesting art - the art of planning nature!

What determines the timing of planting seedlings?

There are no universal terms to be named. For each culture and for each locality, there really are their own formulas for how to successfully calculate the day so that you can then have time with the harvest for sale, pickling or a holiday. And the weather is changeable, not to mention the fact that last year you could plant in May already in open ground, and this year the snow has not melted everywhere.

But the main factors are:

1. The readiness of the greenhouse, namely the air and soil temperature, which directly depends on the material of construction and the ability to heat it.
2. The quality of the preparatory work, namely the warming up of the earth, the arrangement of warm beds and internal structures "greenhouse in a greenhouse".
3. Manufacturer's recommendations for each individual variety whose seeds you purchased.
4. The traditions of the area, namely the experience of other owners of structures that have been planting seedlings for more than a year.
5. The readiness of the plants themselves, which is determined by external signs and the presence of true leaves.
6. The cold resistance of varieties, which indicates how plants can save their roots in the night cold and not die.

If you have a polycarbonate greenhouse, we can congratulate you: it is in it that you can plant sprouts earlier than other places, like film greenhouses, and even more so open ground. And all because there are no gaps in such a design, and therefore there is no draft, and the air temperature is always significantly higher.

As for the general recommendations for planting individual varieties, treat them exactly like general ones. The same general is the average temperature in the hospital. Therefore, let's deal separately with each type of variety and the conditions for its cultivation.

For example, already in the middle of spring, you can plant in an unheated greenhouse:

• Various salads
• radish
• Chinese cabbage
• mustard
• parsley
• Dill

For the northern regions of the country and in the Urals, the most favorable time for landing is the second and third decade of May. By the way, there is a fairly true folk sign - if the frogs “sang” on the river, there will be no more frosts.

Each vegetable has its own growing conditions. So, no matter how sunny and warm your greenhouse is, there are certain requirements for it.

The lunar calendar is also quite popular:

Is there still snow? Do not hurry!

The most natural winter cultivation of greenhouse soil, conceived by nature, is snow. Here's how much work this cluster of fragile snowflakes does:

• Almost all insect larvae and weed roots die under snow in winter.
• But beneficial microorganisms usually winter under the snow well.
• The gradual melting of snow evenly feeds the entire thickness of the soil with distilled water.
• The water obtained in this way significantly reduces the salinization of the soil.

Therefore, if you do not need too early vegetables, let the snow do its job - the harvest will be healthier and richer.

Determining Factor: Soil Temperature

The most common beginner mistake is to plant seedlings in greenhouse beds that are cold enough when the air itself seems warm. This is really a catch, because, it would seem, according to the laws of physics, the earth first heats up from the sun's rays, and the surrounding air already heats up from it. And this is true, and the soil may indeed feel ready to grow plants on it, but we often forget that the roots are at a depth. And it's cold there.

Take an ordinary outdoor thermometer and stick it in the greenhouse beds. It is desirable to a depth of 10-15 cm, where the roots will fall first (and in an adult plant they will reach all 60-80 cm, do not hesitate). So what's the temperature now? Around +10°С? Plant plants - and they will stop their development for a long time.

It's all about stress from unexpected adverse conditions. Nature is smart, and a plant that has fallen from ideal conditions into frozen ground “thinks” that winter has come. Therefore, it quickly turns off its main functions and falls into a real winter hibernation. How long will you wake him up later!

And because of the extended adaptation period, fruiting will come much later. And why then a greenhouse, when the same result could be achieved in the open air? Moreover, the harvest itself from such bushes, unfortunately, will not please you.

Therefore, soil temperature is a really important factor. Let's list exactly what it should be for a variety of seedlings:

• Cucumbers: +18°C during the day and +16°C at night.
• Tomatoes: +15°C during the day and +14°C at night.
• Eggplant: +18°C during the day and +16°C at night.
• Pepper: +15°C during the day and +14°C at night.
• Onions: +10°C during the day and +8°C at night.

More accurately:

How to determine the exact date of disembarkation?

Usually, all general recommendations are given for the Central region of Russia. The further north your greenhouse is, the further you postpone the dates, the further south you can plant your seedlings, having previously measured the temperature of the air and soil.

If the sprouts were grown on their own and remember well at what time the seeds were sown, then everything is simple. You add a certain period of time for each individual crop, and you get the exact day of planting in the greenhouse. But what if you bought the plants ready-made? How to understand that they can already be planted? Now let's deal with this.

cucumbers

Seedlings of cucumbers are capable of resilience and without problems to transfer the transplant to the 20-23rd day of life. Moreover, it can even be planted in a greenhouse, where the temperature has only reached 20 ° C, if the beds themselves are heated. To do this, manure or sawdust is laid in them, and heated with boiling water.

So, when there are already 3-4 leaves on the sprouts, they can be planted. In central Russia, this is May 10-15.

Tomatoes

On average, the planting dates for tomatoes are from May 1 to May 10, while in open ground only from the 25th. For tomatoes, the temperature in the room should be 24-25 ° C during the day and not lower than 19 ° C at night.

Tomato seedlings are ready for planting when they already have a root, a thick stem 30-35 cm tall, 6-8 true leaves and at least one flower brush. The age of tomato sprouts is 45-50 days.

Pepper

10-15 days before planting pepper, the plant can begin to harden. So, the air temperature in the room is reduced slowly to 17-18 ° C. First, do this during the day, and a couple of days before disembarkation and at night. Three days before transporting to the greenhouse, water the seedlings well so that more roots are preserved, and cut off 2-3 lower leaves.

You can safely plant peppers in a polycarbonate greenhouse on May 20-25, when the soil is already warmed up to 18 ° C (check it with a thermometer at a depth of 15 cm). It is important to completely eliminate the danger of frost - pepper is the most unprotected of all greenhouse plants in this regard.

So, a pepper ready for planting looks like this: 8-10 real leaves, 20-30 cm stem height and small buds. The age of seedlings for pepper should be 70 days.

eggplant

2-3 weeks before planting, eggplant must be hardened, according to the same principles as other vegetables, but excluding drafts. The air temperature should be gradually lowered to 17°C. Feed the eggplants a week before planting, and sprinkle Epinom-Extra a day before, taking 4 drops in a glass of water - this will alleviate the stress of the transplant.

So, eggplant seedlings ready for planting look like this: 6-7 leaves and a stem 15-20 cm thick. If there are already buds, it’s not scary, but usually they form only after transplantation. The normal age is 50 days, and it is better to plant after June 5th. True, you can take a chance on May 20-25 if the weather is already flying. If it's cold, wait a couple of days, otherwise you will ruin the future crop.

Celery

What to do if seedlings grow too fast?

But this is already a problem. What will you do with the same pepper with buds, when it can be planted in a greenhouse only after two weeks? And the point is not even that tomatoes can bloom during this time on the windowsill, but that there is no room for adult roots in ordinary containers. It is fraught with many things, believe me.

So how could this happen? Yes, easily: they fed too actively, illuminated and warmed. In good conditions, any plant will grow and please the eye, although in fact this is not at all for the future harvest. So, such plants usually have a thin elongated trunk, a poor root system (why bother if they feed so well?), and weak adaptive functions. You plant - and the plants begin to wither, completely unprepared to fight for their existence. That's why everything has its time.

And, if at first your seeds hurried to grow green mass, it is better to stop growth a little. All three easy steps:

• Step 1. Reduce the volume and frequency of watering. But a little, so as not to dry out the earthen ball with roots.
• Step 2. We reduce the air temperature in the room.
• Step 3. We remove the special highlight for a while.

There are also special growth regulators that inhibit the development of sprouts. For example, the well-known biological product "Athlete". But what is completely useless is to cover the seedlings from the light or put them all night in a closet.

And finally, when can we expect the harvest?

In winter, many owners of household plots and cottages begin to stock up on planting material for various vegetables and ask themselves the question - when to plant seeds of peppers, eggplant, cucumbers and tomatoes for seedlings? We talked about the timing and rules for planting peppers in a separate article, which can be read by clicking on this one. Here you can learn how and when to sow tomato seeds in 2020 in order to grow and get a good harvest as a result.

Tomatoes are a very popular product that only very lazy or busy summer residents do not grow in their garden. Since the heat-loving culture grows for a rather long time, it is grown in seedlings. Approximately sixty days should pass from the emergence of seedlings to landing on the garden. The timing of planting tomato seeds depends on this:

• greenhouse varieties sow should be in late February - early March;
• outdoor tomatoes planted no earlier than the end of February, since overgrown plants take root worse.

Also, the timing of planting tomatoes depends on the weather conditions of the region. If in areas with a warm climate, tomatoes are planted in a permanent place already in April and May, then seeds can be sown for seedlings in February. In Siberia and the Urals, there are frosts at the end of May, so it is recommended to sow seeds in March or even April.

Do not forget that different varieties have different development periods, so when buying seeds, you need to pay attention to this:

• varieties of large tomatoes usually late-ripening, so they should be planted after February 20th or early March;
• undersized varieties for greenhouses– from the beginning to the middle of April;
• tall indoor plants(greenhouses, greenhouses) - at the end of March;
• early tomatoes, which will be planted in a greenhouse or greenhouse - in the second half of March;
• early varieties for open ground- in the beginning of April.

When to plant tomatoes for seedlings in 2020?

Like other plants that produce a land crop, they plant tomatoes with the growing moon.

Favorable days for planting tomatoes for seedlings in 2020 will be:

• January: 1, 5.6, 7, 8, 27, 28;
• February: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 25;
• March: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 27, 28, 29, 30;
• April: 1, 2, 5, 6, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29;
• May: 2, 3, 5, 24, 25, 26, 31;
• June: 1, 2, 3, 4, 26, 27, 28, 29.

By the way! Find out what and how to soak the seeds before sowing from our article:.

Growing tomato seedlings at home

To get healthy and strong seedlings in spring, before sowing seeds, you need to prepare:

1. Seedling containers in the form of boxes, plastic containers, peat tablets, disposable cups or cassettes with a pallet.
2. Suitable soil mix.
3. Seeds that may need to be processed before sowing.

Soil preparation

For a tomato, you should choose a soil consisting of soddy soil, humus (1: 1) and a small amount of peat or sawdust. Today, many specialized stores sell soil mixes for planting tomatoes, so you don’t have to prepare the substrate yourself. But if possible, then the soil can be prepared independently from the above components or from garden soil, sand and black soil (1: 1: 1), to which a little vermiculite is added. Ready soil for tomatoes should have a pH of 5.5 to 6.0.

Any soil mixture can contain fungal spores and pest larvae, so it should be decontaminated before use. To do this, everyone uses their own way. Here are some of them:

• shed a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate;
• place in the microwave and heat at full power for two minutes;
• pour on a baking sheet and heat at a temperature of 200 degrees for 15 minutes in the oven;
• put the soil in a well-packed bag into a container with hot water (+60 ... + 70 degrees), cover with a lid and leave until the water has completely cooled.

The treated soil should be moistened and kept in a warm room for two weeks. During this time, bacteria useful for the growth and development of plants will multiply in it.

seed processing

Today, in stores, in most cases, already processed planting material is sold. Market-bought or self-collected seeds should be treated in one of the following ways before sowing:

1. For 20 minutes, place in a 15 solution of potassium permanganate, previously wrapped in gauze.
2. Hold for one or two hours in Fitosporin solution (1 drop of the drug per 100 ml of water).
3. Soak for a day in a soda solution (1 gram of soda per 200 ml of water).
4. For a day or two, soak in a solution of aloe juice with water squeezed out of leaves or purchased at a pharmacy. Aloe juice and water are taken in equal amounts and mixed. If juice is used that is squeezed from a homemade flower, then it should be kept in the refrigerator for 5 days beforehand. Plants obtained from seeds treated in this way will be distinguished by high quality fruits, good yields and resistance to various diseases.

Planting a tomato for seedlings - photo

If boxes or containers were chosen for sowing seeds, then they are filled with moist soil, in which small holes are made with a pencil or stick at a distance of about 3-4 cm from each other. A seed is placed in each hole, which is then sprinkled with soil and moistened with warm water from a spray bottle.

Seedling containers are covered from above with cling film, a transparent plastic bag or glass and placed in a warm place with an air temperature of +25 to +30 degrees.

So that the soil does not start to mold, it must be ventilated every day, lifting the film for this. As the soil dries, it is moistened with a spray bottle.

seedling care

The term of emergence of seedlings depends on the variety of tomatoes, the quality of the seeds and the conditions for keeping the crops. The first seedlings may appear in 3-4 days. So that they do not stretch out, seedling containers are placed in a bright place. The film can be removed after all shoots appear. The air temperature for young plants during the day should be within +20 degrees, and at night from +16 to +18 degrees. It is necessary to ensure that the seedlings do not stand in a draft.

Caring for tomato seedlings consists in performing the following procedures:

1. Watering. Seedlings should be moistened regularly, but carefully, only after the soil has dried. Seedlings growing in constantly heavily damp soil can easily rot and die. For irrigation use warm settled water.
2. Backlight. If the tomato bushes do not have enough light, they will begin to stretch. Therefore, if necessary, they should be provided with a twelve-hour daylight hours, using an additional light source for this.
3. top dressing. Well-growing and developing plants with a thick trunk can not be fed. If poor land was used for planting tomatoes, and they do not grow well, then you can feed the plants with Kornerost or Agricola. Fertilizers should be applied when the seedlings have 1-2 true leaves. Before use, a teaspoon of top dressing is diluted in one liter of water.
4. picking. Tomatoes are not afraid of transplanting, and new roots quickly develop on their trunks buried in the soil, so many gardeners dive seedlings once or even twice. The first pick is carried out when the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves. To do this, you need to prepare a separate cup with moist soil for tomatoes, dig a bush with a fork or spatula, pinch the main root to a third of the earth and move it to a new container. Plants are buried to the cotyledons, sprinkled with soil mixture and watered. After picking, tomatoes should be provided with an air temperature 2-3 degrees higher than they grew before. When they take root in a new container, the temperature is lowered again.

After picking, seedling care remains the same as before. Bushes must be watered in a timely manner and provide them with good lighting without direct sunlight. Since the transplant will be carried out in a new soil, there is no point in fertilizing.

When to plant tomato seedlings?

When the threat of frost passes and warm weather sets in, tomato seedlings can be planted in open ground.

In the Krasnodar Territory and other warm regions, they are planted in early May. In Siberia, the Urals and the North, tomato seedlings are planted in open ground no earlier than the end of May - the beginning of June. Under the film, greenhouse varieties should be planted two weeks earlier.

10-14 days before planting, the plants are hardened, for which they are taken out on a plot or an open balcony on warm days.

Planting tomatoes is recommended after beets, carrots, green onions, cabbage, turnips, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkins, cabbage, green manure. You can not plant tomatoes in the beds where tomatoes, peas, physalis, eggplant, peppers, potatoes grew last year.

Proper planting, care and crop rotation will guarantee a good harvest of tasty and healthy tomatoes that can be eaten fresh and pickled for the winter. And you can find out when and how to plant and grow and if you follow the highlighted links.

For many gardeners, the question of planting tomato seedlings is very important in order to get an excellent harvest. It is very important to take into account the climatic features of the area, as well as the variety of tomatoes.

Another important factor when sowing seedlings is the choice of the right time, it is from this that the timely ripening of the fruit follows. In addition, you need to choose a suitable place for planting crops - a greenhouse or open ground.

People often ask, what is the time for planting tomatoes for seedlings? Landing in the greenhouse is carried out approximately two months after emergence. The height of the seedlings during this period should be thirty-five centimeters.

For the Moscow region, planting tomato seeds for seedlings begins in early March and within a month. For seedlings under a film coating - in mid-March.

For Siberia and the Urals, the time for planting seeds falls on the period from March to April.

But for accurate calculations, it is better to use the above advice, depending on:

• from a tomato variety;
• places of further cultivation;
• opportunities for lighting seedlings during early planting;
• planting on time in a greenhouse or under a film;
• weather conditions expected this spring;
• moon calendar. There is a belief that landing takes place according to the lunar calendar.

Folk signs say: If the snowdrop blooms, then you can plant tomatoes for seedlings. Seedlings in a permanent place can be planted when the mountain ash, lilac bloom.

Do you think that folk signs help to grow a good crop of tomatoes?

Yes, this is the experience of the previous generationNo, it's all superstition

Soil preparation for seedlings

It is better to prepare the soil in autumn, as the ground shrinks in winter. Work can be done outside if it's warm weather or in a barn:

1. Before you start mixing, the earth and sand must be sifted. This procedure is necessary to remove various types of debris, pest larvae and the like.
2. Then lay out the polyethylene, pour out and mix everything that is required to prepare the soil. Add fertilizer as needed, mix everything and place in containers or bags.
3. Storage of the finished soil mixture takes place in the barn. Two weeks before the preparation of tomato seeds for planting, the earth enters a warm room. This will allow you to reach the optimum temperature, i.e. warm up.

Soil disinfection. An accompanying procedure in preparing the soil for planting tomatoes for seedlings is disinfection. Experienced gardeners are advised not to neglect this procedure. Disinfection allows you to get rid of the larvae and eggs of pests, pathogens. Land can be cultivated in several ways:

• To freeze. The earth is left for the winter on the street, covering the container from precipitation. Before the soil is used to prepare the soil mixture, it should be brought indoors for a month, heated, mixed with the necessary components and taken out again.
• Treatment with potassium permanganate- the prepared soil is watered with a solution of manganese 3 g per 10 liters of water, antifungal drugs such as phytosporin are added.

• Steaming. For this procedure, you need two tanks - a smaller one and a larger one. The earth is placed in a smaller container, placed in a large container on a stand. A large container is filled with water and placed on fire. The container with the earth is not covered, the second is covered accordingly. After boiling water for a couple, steam for an hour. You can warm up in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of +40 C.

Each gardener can choose the best option for himself, based on his own considerations. For some, the ways of steaming and calcination are considered unacceptable, since along with the destruction of harmful microorganisms, useful ones are also destroyed. In this case, you can recommend adding to moist soil:

1. antifungal biofungicides (phytosporin);
2. bioindicicides (fitoverm).

After disinfecting the soil, you can begin to sow the seeds.

How to plant in the ground?

It is necessary to plant a plant in the afternoon or, even better, in cloudy weather:

1. In this case, the seedlings will not dry out and will “feel” better. If, however, you decide to plant your tomatoes before noon, then it's best not to water them that evening.
2. Further, holes are made in the dug-up earth after 30 cm. In them you need to add compost and a little ash or superphosphate. Add water.
3. Remove the seedlings from the cups (if you bought them on the market) or pull them out of your own container (if you grew them yourself) and lower them into the hole. Plant seedlings must be planted carefully so as not to damage them.

Gardeners usually plant the plants at a depth corresponding to the height of the glass in which the seedlings were purchased, or so that the first leaf is above the soil. So it is easier for you to plant, and the plant to take root.

Seedling care

Proper care of tomatoes after planting is the key to a good harvest. Therefore, it is very important to know all the subtleties of this action. All care can be divided into four types of work:

1. watering;
2. loosening;
3. feeding;
4. collection.

Before the seedlings are fully acclimated, you need to monitor the condition of the soil surface. Thus, the soil must be loosened. Otherwise, the cracks that appear will affect the formed roots. As a result, they will be broken. Then there are two scenarios for the development of events: either the seedlings slow down development, or even die.

Watering the tomato should also be correct. This should be done accordingly:

• when transplanting seedlings into the soil in one hole 1.5-2 liters;
• flowering time - 20-35 liters per 1 m²;
• ovary formation time - from 40 to 50 liters per 1 m²;
• with repeated fruit formation - from 70 to 80 liters per 1 m².

At the beginning of the harvest, watering the grown bushes of the plant should gradually decrease. It has a positive effect on tomatoes protects:

1. from late blight;
2. fruit cracks and other diseases.

Loosening is an important step in caring for tomatoes:

• Therefore, after planting, loosen the soil every 3-4 days. It is necessary to spud planted seedlings immediately after taking root and after ten days. Loosen the soil under the tomatoes every time after watering by 10-12 cm, and not deeper. Otherwise, damage to the roots of the plant is possible.
• Only after a month you can add 2-4 cm and loosen up to 16 cm. Before closing the tops, the soil is slotted so that air and moisture penetrate it better. The process is not complicated: cracks are made in the soil at a distance of one and a half meters from each other and a depth of 60 cm.
• It is correct that the first top dressing is carried out 14 days after planting the seedlings in the soil. On one square meter, 8 to 10 kg of saltpeter, 5-6 kg of urea or 10 to 12 kg of nitrophos, 20 to 35 g of superphosphate and potassium salt will be required.

potassium salt

Second top dressing

The second feeding - 20-25 days after the first. The same fertilizers are also used in the same proportions. Also get a "recipe" for tomatoes in case they start to wilt. This is due to the negative impact on plants of weather conditions. Have to take:

1. Mullein with water (1:10) or bird droppings (1:14).
2. Both mullein and litter are soaked for a day.
3. Then half a liter of one solution is mixed with 10 liters of water and the plants are watered.
4. A week later, you need to repeat.

Remove the lower leaves of planted tomatoes after 1.5-2 months. The bottom three sheets are subject to liquidation. After that, the seedlings need to be watered after 24 hours. This procedure is carried out once a week. If this is not done, air stagnation occurs and various diseases develop.

You can also watch a video where an experienced gardener will tell you how to properly plant early tomato seedlings in open ground.

Thus, planting tomato seedlings in the open field is not such a difficult matter. The main thing is to know the course of the process and all its subtleties. Thanks to this article, you were able to learn the basic nuances of how to properly plant tomatoes in the open field. Planting tomato seedlings just got a whole lot easier!

Many garden crops in the middle lane are grown through seedlings, otherwise the plants do not have time to give a full harvest. Growing seedlings is a crucial stage, at this time the future harvest is laid, therefore it is so important to sow the seeds correctly and create good conditions for the plants. Learn all the secrets of growing seedlings from our article.

Most heat-loving plants with a long period of flowering and fruiting are grown in seedlings. In the conditions of the middle zone, such plants do not have time to fully grow, bloom and bear fruit during the warm season.

Heat-loving plants grown in seedlings include:

• , and ;
• and zucchini;
• gourds - pumpkin, watermelon and melon;
• varietal potatoes from seeds.

To obtain an early harvest, all types of cabbage are grown through seedlings - white and red cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kohlrabi. You can grow seedlings and root crops - beets, radishes and daikon.

Biennials and perennials are grown through seedlings to achieve flowering or fruiting in one year. Cold-resistant plants grown in seedlings include black onions and leeks, celery, and parsnips. Also, some spicy herbs are sown on seedlings - basil, lemon balm, thyme and oregano.

Crops with sensitive root systems are best grown in separate containers. These include peppers and eggplants, pickled tomatoes, cucumbers and all melons, as well as some types of flowers.

The volume of seedling cups and cassettes is chosen depending on the culture:

• tomatoes, peppers and eggplants - 200-350 ml;
• cucumbers, watermelons and melons - 200-300 ml;
• pumpkins, zucchini, squash - 250-400 ml;
• spicy greens, leeks and nigella - 70-150 ml;
• flowers with small seeds - 100-200 ml;
• flowers with large seeds - 200-300 ml.

Disposable cups are often used as seedling containers. They are inexpensive, have a different volume and a convenient shape. However, the strength of such cups is small, usually they are enough for only one season. When using disposable cups, drainage holes must be made in their bottoms.

Another option is peat cups. They are made from compressed peat mixture that decomposes in the ground in one season. Seedlings are planted directly in a glass without damaging its roots. Peat cups are usually used for plants with a delicate root system - peppers, cucumbers, pumpkin.

Note! The soil in peat cups dries out faster, and when overflowing, their walls soak and collapse. Therefore, watering should be regular, but moderate.

Video - Features of planting seedlings in peat cups in the ground

Also, for seedlings, you can use dense bags of the same size, for example, from milk. They are convenient in that you can roll up the bag when planting, and as the seedlings grow, gradually roll it out and add soil. This technique is useful for plants that, when deepened, take on additional roots - for example, for tomatoes or flowers.

It is better to germinate seeds under film or glass - this creates the effect of a greenhouse, the soil remains moist and warm, and sprouts appear faster. Convenient for seed germination with removable transparent covers. The greenhouse can be made independently from transparent disposable containers.

Before planting seeds and picking, reusable seedling containers must be washed with warm water and laundry soap and rinsed with clean water. When using wooden boxes, it is recommended to disinfect them with a solution of copper sulphate or bleach.

Seed preparation

Pre-sowing preparation allows you to reject empty seeds, disinfect them and accelerate germination. The preparation of seeds for different crops is carried out in different ways, the main steps necessary for all garden crops are described below.

Step 1. To select the largest and full-weight seeds, calibration is carried out. There are two ways to make it at home - manually and soaking in a saline solution. The first method is suitable for plants with large seeds - pumpkins, zucchini, cucumbers. Medium to small seeds (such as tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, onions, and most flowers) are more suitable for saline calibration.

Manually, the seeds are sized using a checkered sheet or a ruler. Spread the seeds on a flat surface or a sheet of paper and wipe off the largest, even and dense. Discard all seeds of irregular shape, as well as empty and too small.

For calibration in a solution, 1 tablespoon of table salt is stirred in a glass of warm water, then the seeds are dipped there for 15-30 minutes. The floating seeds are removed, and those that have settled to the bottom are washed and dried.

Note! Germinating seeds can also float if they are dry. If there are many such seeds, you need to check their germination on a small batch.

Step 2 Seed disinfection is carried out in several stages. From bacterial infections, the seeds are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate at a concentration of 1 g per 1 liter of water. Stir the crystals until completely dissolved and pour the seeds in a small bowl. Keep in solution for 20 minutes.

Processing in a solution of potassium permanganate

You can use a solution of hydrogen peroxide 3%. It is heated in a water bath to a temperature of + 38-40 degrees and the seeds are poured for 10 minutes.

Treatment in hydrogen peroxide

Step 3 Treatment for fungal infections is the second stage of seed disinfection. It is carried out in fungicides - antifungal drugs. They can be in the form of a solution or in powder. At home, the drug of natural origin "Fitosporin-M" is most often used. It is available as a powder, paste or liquid. Dilute the drug as indicated on the package, and pour the seeds for 2-3 hours.

Seed treatment with Fitosporin-M

Step 4 From viral diseases, surface treatment does not help, so the seeds are heated with dry heat for 5-7 days, hanging in fabric bags on a battery.

For accelerated processing, you can place the seeds in water with a temperature of + 50-60 degrees for 1-2 hours. It is more convenient to do this in a thermos, where the water does not cool longer.

Step 5 Immediately before planting, the seeds are treated in a solution of growth stimulants, these include Epin, Zircon, solutions of potassium and sodium humates, aloe juice and other natural preparations. The solution is prepared according to the recommendations on the package and the seeds are poured into it. The processing time depends on the drug and can be 1-24 hours.

Step 6 After treatment with stimulants, the seeds are soaked in water and left in a warm place to swell. Soaking is necessary to soften the seed coat and accelerate its germination.

Soaking time depends on the size and density of the seeds:

• tomatoes, peppers, eggplants - 3-4 hours;
• cabbage - 3-4 hours;
• cucumbers, melons - 12 hours;
• leek and black onion - 12 hours;
• pumpkin, zucchini, watermelon - 24 hours.

This process can be accelerated by bubbling - treating seeds in water with air bubbles. An aquarium compressor is used for bubbling, its tube is lowered into a jar of soaked seeds and the device is turned on. Soaking time can be cut in half. Seeds are best placed in gauze bags.

Step 7 After soaking, the seeds can be planted in the ground or germinated by wrapping them in a damp soft cloth or gauze. Germinate the seeds at the temperature recommended for this crop until pecking and sprouts appear. The fabric must be constantly damp. It is important not to miss this moment and prevent the roots from sprouting into the tissue - it will be difficult to get the seeds out of there without damaging the roots.

Germination can be combined with hardening. Seeds wrapped in cloth are placed on a saucer in a refrigerator with a temperature of + 2-4 degrees overnight. Seeds of plants intended for planting in open ground can be subjected to temperature cycling: put in the refrigerator at night, and keep at room temperature during the day. In this mode, they are hardened for two or three days, after which they are cleaned in a warm place until germination.

Note! Seeds with brittle roots, such as cucumbers and all cucurbits, are best planted immediately after pecking.

Sowing and germinating seeds

Cultures that lend themselves well to picking can be sown in common seedling boxes for germination; these include:

• tomatoes and eggplants;
• leek and black onion;
• all types of cabbage;
• flowers with medium-sized seeds - marigolds, asters, zinnias, dahlias.

Plants with a delicate and fragile root system do not tolerate picking; it is better to plant them immediately in separate cups or seedling cassettes of the appropriate size. As they grow, they are transferred to individual larger containers.

These cultures include:

• cucumbers and all pumpkin;
• sweet and hot peppers;
• roots;
• flowers with large seeds.

Step 1. Seedling containers are filled with soil suitable for this crop. Lightly compact it and make grooves or grooves. Water with settled water, and if disinfection of the soil is required - with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Allow water to soak in and keep the soil moist.

Step 2 Pre-treated seeds are laid out in recesses by hand or with tweezers; small seeds are conveniently laid out with a toothpick.

Step 3 From above, the grooves or recesses are sprinkled with a layer of soil. Additional watering is not necessary - the moisture absorbed into the soil is enough to feed the roots, at the same time, air will be provided to the seeds through the upper loose layer.

Step 4 The containers are covered with cling film and placed in a warm place. Light is not needed for seed germination, except for small flower seeds, which are sown superficially, without falling asleep with soil.

Step 5 Immediately after the appearance of the loops, you need to remove the film and put the containers with seedlings in a well-lit place. It is desirable to provide supplementary lighting with fluorescent or LED lamps. In the first days, in the phase of cotyledon leaves, the seedlings can be illuminated for 16-18 hours a day - this will help it not stretch out. After the appearance of true leaves, daylight hours are gradually reduced to the norm for this crop.

Note! If in the phase of the cotyledon leaves the seedlings are stretched out, it is necessary to add soil to the level of the cotyledons.

Picking and transshipment

Seedlings dive usually in the phase of 2-3 true leaves. Later, the root system grows strongly and is damaged when picking. Transshipment of seedlings from glasses and seedling cassettes in larger containers is carried out as the root system grows.

Step 1. Seedling glasses or cassettes are prepared and filled with pre-prepared soil by about 2/3 during picking and 1/2 during transshipment. Water the soil and allow it to evenly moisten. If necessary, disinfect with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Step 2 Gently pry off the sprout with a small spatula or wooden stick. They are taken out together with an earthen clod, trying not to damage the root system. It is better to hold the sprout by the leaves, and not by the stem - if the leaves are damaged, the plant will quickly recover, and a broken stem will lead to death. In tomatoes, cabbage and onions, pinch the central root by 1/3.

Step 3 A recess is made in the ground along the length and width of the earthen coma. Gently put a sprout there and sprinkle the earth. Seal and lightly water. When planting tomatoes, cabbage and cucumbers, the sprout is buried to the cotyledons, peppers and eggplants are not buried.

Step 4 When transshipping in a larger container, carefully remove the seedling, put it in a larger glass and sprinkle earth around it. Deepen if necessary. Lightly water and compact the soil.

Step 5 In the first few days after transshipment and picking, plants need to be provided with diffused light and moderately moist soil. As soon as the root system adapts, the seedlings will start to grow.

Note! Some flowers, such as lobelia, dive several seedlings into one seedling glass.

Prices for potassium permanganate

potassium permanganate

Watering seedlings

Much depends on proper watering - when the earthen coma dries up, the seedlings stop growing and wither, and when overflowing, it can get fungal infections. It is better to water the seedlings with soft water - rain, melt or settled - with the addition of a small amount of humates.

Getting melted water at home is quite simple: pour tap water into any container, defend it for a day and put it in the freezer. Water begins to freeze from the edges of the container. As soon as it freezes by about 2/3 of the volume, it is taken out, the unfrozen part of the water is drained - it contains all the dissolved elements. The remaining ice is thawed and used for watering seedlings.

In the first stage of cultivation, before the appearance of true leaves, the seedlings are watered very carefully so as not to damage the fragile shoots. This can be done from a small watering can or a spray gun set to a small spray angle. Seedlings are watered under the root.

After picking, as the vegetative mass develops, the seedlings are watered less often, but more abundantly, until the earthy coma is wetted. It is important to prevent stagnant water and allow the topsoil to dry out between waterings.

Note! The first 3-5 days after picking, watering seedlings is undesirable! Weak roots can rot.

Seedling fertilizer

Top dressing is carried out according to plan or when signs of a lack of nutrients appear. Before the appearance of true leaves, the sprout consumes the supply of nutrients contained in the seed. After the first real leaf appears, the active development of the root system begins and the plant can absorb micro and macro elements from the soil.

There are many recipes for top dressing containing organic and mineral substances, but the easiest way is to buy a complex fertilizer for seedlings. It can be both universal and specially adapted to the needs of different cultures.

Fertilizers for seedlings are produced in various forms:

• liquid concentrate;
• water soluble granules;
• powder.

A good fertilizer for seedlings contains:

• nitrogen (N);
• potassium (K);
• phosphorus (P);
• trace elements in chelated form.

The exact dosage and feeding schedule for seedlings is always indicated by the fertilizer manufacturer on the packaging. If there is no such information on the bag or bottle of fertilizer, it is better to refrain from using it.

Before picking, seedlings usually have enough nutrients contained in fertile soil. 7-10 days after picking or transplanting, you can start feeding. Fertilizer in dissolved form is applied with morning watering. With a strong drying of an earthen coma, you must first moderately moisten it with clean water, and only then apply top dressing. The second and subsequent top dressing with complex fertilizer is carried out 7-10 days after the previous one, until the seedlings are planted.

Extra feeding is needed when there are obvious signs of a lack of elements. You can identify them by the appearance of the seedlings.

The reasons for the lack of elements, as well as the ways to replenish them, are different, they are described in the table shown in the figure. Sometimes it is enough to change the lighting regime or temperature so that the plant can absorb nutrients from the soil.

Note! It is undesirable to use organic fertilizers for fertilizing young seedlings - their composition is unstable, so it is difficult to calculate the dosage.

Fertilizer prices

fertilizer

Growing seedlings in peat tablets

Plants with a particularly delicate root system, as well as valuable flower seeds in granular form, are more convenient to grow in. The tablets consist of sterile peat soil, which is well permeable to water and air.

In dry form, their height is 1-2 cm, the diameter may be different. After swelling in water, the height of the tablets increases by 6-8 times, which is quite enough for the root system of most crops in the first phase of seedling cultivation.

Below is a step-by-step technology for planting granular petunia seeds in peat tablets. Other crops are grown in the same way.

Step 1. Seedling tablets are being prepared. To do this, they are placed in a plastic container close to each other. Pour a small amount of water into the container, wait for the tablets to absorb it, and then add a new portion. This is repeated until the tablets no longer absorb water, after which its excess is drained.

Step 2 The seeds are carefully placed in the depression at the top of each tablet. When sowing very small seeds, for example, lobelia, several pieces are placed in each tablet. If the recess is not large enough, it is expanded or deepened with a toothpick.

Step 3 When sowing granulated seeds, it is necessary to moisten their shell until completely wetted, otherwise they will not germinate. It is most convenient to do this from a spray bottle, pipette or rubber pear.

Step 4 Seeds are covered from above with a small amount of soil, distributing it with a toothpick. You can just lightly drown the seeds in a tablet.

Step 5 The grown seedlings are transplanted into pots filled up to half with fertile soil.

Step 6 Further care of seedlings does not differ from the usual growing technology and includes watering, fertilizing and other necessary operations.

Note! Seedlings with a short growing season can be planted in the ground directly in tablets, bypassing the stage of transplanting into a pot.

Prices for peat tablets

peat tablets

Growing seedlings in "snails"

One of the original ways to get strong seedlings ready for picking is to grow it in "snails" made of polyethylene foam. The latter is used as a substrate for a laminate or as a thermal insulation film. Strips of this material are rolled into a roll along with a thin layer of soil in which the seeds are placed. As a result, a "snail" is formed, inside which excellent conditions are created for the development of seedlings.

Growing seedlings in "snails"

Advantages of the method:

• saving space and soil;
• optimal conditions for seed germination;
• easy picking without damaging the roots.

Disadvantages:

• long process of sowing seeds;
• if the sprouts are not transplanted in time, they may die.

In this way, you can germinate most garden crops - nightshade, all types of cabbage and leaf lettuce, as well as root crops. Another "snail" is suitable for the germination of medium-sized flower seeds. The preparation of soil and seeds is carried out according to the usual technology described above.

Step 1. Foamed polyethylene is cut into strips about 50 cm long and 10-12 cm wide. Lay out on a tray with one end towards you.

Step 2 At one end of the strip, pour a few tablespoons of moderately moistened soil, level it.

Step 3 Prepared seeds are laid out at a distance of 2-3 cm from one edge. The distance between seeds is 1-2 cm.

Step 4 Carefully begin to fold the tape from the end. Pour the next portion of the soil and sow the seeds. This continues until the end of the tape.

Formation of the "snail"

Step 5 The folded "snail" is fixed with a rubber band. Put in a container with a depth of at least half of its ("snail") height. The seeds should be at the top edge of the "snail".

Fixing the "snail"

Step 6 Well moisten the soil inside the "snail" with a spray bottle. In the future, watering can be carried out in a container - the moist soil itself will absorb moisture.

Step 7 A regular plastic bag is put on a container with a “snail” and tied up to create greenhouse conditions inside. Put in a warm bright place until the seeds germinate. Once a day, the bag is opened for airing.

Creation of greenhouse conditions

Step 8 Germination of seeds in "snails" usually occurs faster than in the ground, due to stable temperature and humidity. It is necessary to monitor the appearance of loops in order to immediately place the seedlings in the most illuminated place.

Step 9 After germination until the appearance of two true leaves, seedling care does not differ from conventional technology. Due to the small amount of soil, seedlings may lack nutrition, so a little complex or humic fertilizer for seedlings is added to the water for irrigation, about 20% of the concentration recommended for feeding.

Step 10 When two true leaves appear in the sprouts, the “snail” is rolled out, the strongest seedlings are selected and dived into cups according to the usual technology or into “diapers” - they will be discussed below.

Picking seedlings from "snails"

Video - Growing seedlings in "snails"

Seedlings germinated in "snails" can dive not only into glasses, but also into "diapers". This method also saves space and soil. In this case, ordinary plastic packaging bags are used as wrapping material.

The picking of plants into "diapers" is performed according to the technology below.

Step 1. A plastic bag is spread on a tray. The soil is being prepared - it should be moderately moist so that it does not crumble when clenched in a fist.

Preparing the diaper bag

Step 2 At one end of the "diaper", closer to one edge, pour a tablespoon of soil. They level it.

Step 3 A sprout taken out of the "snail" is laid on top of the soil. To do this, the "snail" is slightly rolled out to free the root system along with the earthy clod. The sprout is placed so that the cotyledon leaves are above the edge of the film.

Step 4 From above, the sprout is covered with another tablespoon of soil, trim it (soil) so that it does not get enough sleep when wrapped. The bottom edge is left free from soil, so that it is easier to tuck the film.

Step 5 Wrap the film, gently compacting the soil around the root system. The bottom is bent so that the earth does not spill out and water does not flow out.

Step 6 The soil on the surface is leveled, if necessary, compacted and sprinkled.

Step 7 Seedlings in a "diaper" are placed in a container, on the bottom of which sawdust is poured to absorb excess moisture. If the film unfolds, you can secure it with an elastic band.

Step 8 Water the seedlings under the root of a small watering can or rubber pear. Top dressing with this method of growing seedlings is best done with each watering, dissolving a small amount of fertilizer in settled water.

You can grow in "diapers" not only pickled seedlings, but also plants that do not tolerate picking - cucumbers and zucchini, pumpkins, tributes and watermelons, as well as other vegetables and flowers with large seeds before planting in the ground. They are planted 2-3 seeds each in pre-prepared "diapers", watered and put in a container, covered with a bag. After germination, the strongest sprout is left in each "diaper".

Video - Picking peppers in "diapers"

The described general methods of growing seedlings are suitable for almost all vegetable and flower crops, however, each plant needs a special mode and duration of cultivation, watering and fertilizing. A brief description of the agricultural technology for growing various crops is shown in the figure.

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