How to restore frozen tomato seedlings. How to revive tomatoes after frost

Returning frosts cause a lot of inconvenience for summer residents every season. No matter how closely you monitor the weather forecast, it is impossible to fully prepare for temperature changes. And the consequences are the most unpleasant - tomato seedlings freeze and sometimes die completely. Let's talk about measures to save frozen tomato seedlings and ways to improve their health.

All vegetable growers know that tomatoes are a heat-loving crop, so they try to plant seedlings after the return frosts have passed. But the weather forecast is not always correct, and summer residents are horrified to see frozen tomato seedlings in their beds or greenhouses.

It would seem that the harvest is lost and we need to start planting again while time still allows. But don’t rush to dig up the beds. If the tomatoes are frozen, they can still be revived by following the following procedures:

1. Perform watering.
2. Carry out pruning.
3. Use biostimulants.
4. Protect the tomatoes from sunlight.

Tomatoes begin to slow down their development at a temperature of +15°C; at +10°C, all vegetation processes in plants stop completely. The critical temperature at which tomatoes die is -5°C. If the thermometer does not drop below -3°C, the tomato seedlings can be saved.

Step No. 1. Watering

During frosts, tomato seedlings release moisture, which serves as a protective barrier and helps plants more easily withstand temperature changes. Additional watering stimulates sap flow and compensates for the moisture lost by plants. For the procedure you will need several buckets of water; you do not need to heat it. It is good if the water is taken from natural sources and not from the tap.

Water the seedlings before sunrise, when the aggressive effects of the sun are minimized. Each bush and root zone is carefully treated with water; droplets of water should remain on the velvety skin of the tomatoes. After watering, it is not recommended to touch the tomatoes with your hands, so as not to disrupt the protective barrier and sap flow processes.

Step № 2. Trimming

Pruning is considered the most effective way to save tomatoes after freezing. It is difficult to determine visually whether the entire plant has died or only its above-ground part is damaged. Blackened tops of bushes and wilted leaves are not signs of death of the root system. If the rhizome remains viable, pruning will provoke the growth of new green mass. Stepchildren will appear that will replace the frozen stem and branches.

If proper care is provided, the replacement shoots will fully bear fruit. The amount of harvest will decrease slightly, although fruiting may be delayed for several weeks - the time that the seedlings need to recover, but this is better than losing the harvest completely.

First, all frozen parts of the plants are cut off flush with the soil level. Next, fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizer is carried out to provoke intensive growth of the vegetative mass. You can use chemical fertilizers: urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate. However, it must be remembered that an excess of nitrogen reduces the immunity of plants, so it is recommended to follow the dosage when preparing nutrient solutions.

Gardeners are debating the use of mullein infusion on frozen seedlings. Some vegetable growers believe that mullein will be beneficial: it will feed weakened plants with nitrogen and provide additional heat, which is released during the decomposition of organic matter. The second group of vegetable growers believes that mullein will harm seedlings weakened by frost, as it is the source of most tomato diseases.

When growing tomatoes in open ground, the pruning procedure ends with the construction of a mobile greenhouse with an agrofiber shelter, which will not only maintain a warm microclimate, but also protect the plants from the scorching sun.

On a note! The pruning method will only help established seedlings with a developed system of root shoots. Pruning frozen tomatoes is especially effective if they were planted with roots buried in a spiral or on their side.

Step № 3. Use of biostimulants

If the tomatoes are frozen, the Epin biostimulator will act as a resuscitator. The drug, developed by Russian scientists, strengthens the immune system and makes tomatoes healthier, restoring vitality in situations where the death of the plant seems obvious. When using Epin, it is important to follow the standards specified by the manufacturer, since in high concentrations the biostimulant can harm plantings and humans.

For processing, the Epin ampoule is diluted in 5 liters of liquid, a teaspoon (5 ml) of citric acid is added to soften the solution and mixed thoroughly. Before processing, frozen tomatoes must be shed with cool water and, if necessary, pruning. The working solution is stored for up to two days in a dark place. Work is carried out with gloves and protective clothing early in the morning or after sunset.

Step № 4. Shelter from the sun

At the final stage, frozen seedlings must be protected from the aggressive effects of the sun. To do this, plantings are shaded with special awnings or the beds are covered with agrofibre installed on arches.

How to protect seedlings from return frosts?

It is easier to prevent a disaster than to eliminate unpleasant consequences, so vegetable growers constantly monitor weather forecasts in order to help tomatoes survive low temperatures in the event of a sudden cold snap. Measures for saving tomato seedlings in open ground and in a greenhouse are somewhat different.

Open ground seedlings

You will be surprised, but the easiest way to protect tomatoes from frost is in the open ground. They can be covered with polyethylene stretched over arcs. The arcs are installed in advance so that in case of an unfavorable forecast, the tomatoes can be quickly covered. Be sure to secure the film tightly to the ground or cover it with soil so as not to leave any chance for cold air to penetrate.

If there is no covering material, you can use any available means: buckets, cardboard boxes, caps made of newspapers and paper. But plastic bottles, as a rule, turn out to be useless, and it is better not to use them.

With the onset of return frosts, gardeners burn fires to protect fruit trees. You can use a similar method for tomatoes. Light small fires around the perimeter of the plantings so that the smoke envelops the plants, thereby retaining heat.

Greenhouse seedlings

It is more difficult to protect greenhouse tomatoes from frost. But where, you ask, can cold air appear in the greenhouse? The greenhouse is not an airtight structure; cold air penetrates through cracks in the foundation, walls and roof. In addition, the greenhouse room is large, the air in it is heated unevenly, and if there are cracks, drafts are possible.

The situation is aggravated by intense exposure to the sun. During the day, the greenhouse warms up strongly under the spring rays, and by night it cools down sharply. Such temperature changes are extremely dangerous for immature tomato seedlings. Don't neglect plant cover, even if you own a modern polycarbonate greenhouse.

What can be done in a greenhouse to protect tomatoes from frost:

• put cardboard or paper caps on the plants;
• warm up the room with a heater;
• place barrels with warm water in the greenhouse;
• light a smoke bomb.

You can approach the issue comprehensively and use several procedures simultaneously.

If the seedlings are frozen, do not despair and do not rush to remove the plants from the garden bed. Try to restore the viability of tomatoes using the methods discussed above. Tomatoes are plants that can be reborn, give them this chance, then they will thank you with an excellent harvest.

How to restore seedlings of tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers after frost. The result of helping seedlings. How to grow a large harvest of eggplants? Video “Ambulance for seedlings after frost”

The frosty spring of 2017 in the Moscow region had a strong impact on seedlings. The unheated greenhouses in which the seedlings stood did not protect them from frost.

In this form, I planted it in the greenhouse. My eggplant seedlings have turned from strong and blooming to yellow and withering.

In this article, using eggplant as an example, I will show you how you can quickly revive any seedling without any chemicals.

I often read that you cannot mulch with such grass, that there is mold in the grass, and that the plants will get sick and die. But we revive the seedlings by mulching with just such grass, and in a very thick layer. A layer of grass is from 15 to 20 cm. This grass should not touch the stems of the plants, so a cut plastic bottle is placed on each plant. We never water in these bottles, so you can put a cut bottle on an adult plant. I showed this in the video that will be at the end of the article. Immediately after laying a thick layer of grass, we water the entire area of ​​the bed very well, without watering at the roots of the plants. The best results will be achieved by watering 2 times a week, but you can water once a week. When laying grass and a thick layer, it is impossible to show in the photo - watch the video.

The result of helping seedlings after frost

June 11, what is the result? Was someone afraid of such grass and did not believe in the result? But in vain! We are trying our first eggplants! For faster growth of leaf mass, of course, I had to pick the flowers and do not allow the plants to bear fruit at this stage, but the first eggplants are very tasty. Having collected the fruits, we will continue resuscitation and repeat the planting with grass a second time. This resuscitation is suitable not only for eggplants, but also for any other seedlings. For tomatoes one hot bookmark is enough, then you can mulch with regular freshly cut grass.

For peppers, as well as for eggplants, you need at least two bookmarks.

If possible, then the third time such grass can be used for peppers and eggplants in a month, or you can get by with regular freshly cut grass.

How to grow a large harvest of eggplants?

What conclusion can we draw?

Plants really like this grass and they show this by their growth and fruiting. We do not use any other fertilizers, much less drugs, even of biological origin. Tell me, what prevents us from using this method not only for resuscitating seedlings, but also under normal conditions? What will happen then?

Tomatoes are characterized by poor cold resistance. But some gardeners neglect this feature and plant seedlings ahead of schedule in the hope of getting a harvest faster. Hasty work in a greenhouse or open ground often leads to the fact that the gardener subsequently declares with dissatisfaction that the seedlings are frozen. Is there a way to save the remaining seedlings? Read on.

What temperature is dangerous for tomatoes?

First, let’s figure out at what temperature seedlings freeze. Even light frosts of one to two degrees can cause serious damage to tomatoes. Cooling down to -6°C threatens the complete destruction of the plantings, and no measures will be able to revive the bushes.

In cold conditions, the heat-loving vegetable experiences stress, causing microscopic hairs on the stem and leaves to stand on end and become covered with tiny drops of moisture. Water forms a kind of protection on the greens, preventing the internal structure of the tomatoes from cooling for some time.

What to do if the housewife opened the seedlings in the morning and found signs of hypothermia in the tomatoes? Is there a chance to improve the situation?

Simple steps to protect frozen tomatoes

First of all, don't panic. Water the soil around the affected tomatoes with cool water, being careful not to touch the condensation on the green mass of the plants. Make a shade in the area so that the seedlings are hidden from the morning sun. To do this, build a structure of several arcs and a dark film. If you have agrofibre on your farm, use it.

When the seedlings warm up, spray them with a solution of Cytovit and Zircon. The preparations will restore the strength of the roots and make it easier for them to extract water and nutrients from the soil. Prepare a solution at the rate of 1 ml of each drug per 10 liters of liquid.

How to save frost-damaged tomato seedlings

Having an idea of ​​how to save frozen tomato seedlings, a summer resident will be able to restore the plantation and achieve fruiting of the bushes. The harvest will not be very abundant, but it is much better than losing everything.

If the tops of the tomatoes are frozen, darkened and wilted, do not rush to get upset. Seedlings completely die only during a sharp cold snap, when the thermometer shows not zero or minus one, but three degrees below zero. In this case, the soil becomes significantly overcooled and the seedlings become unviable.

How to save tomatoes if they are frozen after planting in open ground:

1. Trim the darkened stem to a healthy part of the bush.
2. Add fertilizer or urea.
3. Feed severely damaged plants with humates containing chicken droppings or mullein. This method is so effective in restoring frozen tomato seedlings that it even saves roots damaged by morning gardening.
4. For the first 7 days after the incident, use film shelters.

Seedlings spoiled by frost quickly recover and bear fruit, slightly behind schedule.

Reanimation of greenhouse tomatoes after frost

Despite the fact that the greenhouse is a protective home for tomatoes, unexpected cold snaps can harm its inhabitants. what to do if tomatoes suddenly freeze in the greenhouse. Calm down and remove the cover, then water the seedlings with warm water heated to a temperature of 27 - 35°C.

At the next stage, spray the bushes with Epin-extra solution (2 ml: 500 ml of water). Dissolve the drug in boiled water. If this is not available, soften ordinary water with citric acid (2 - 3 crystals per 1 liter). Repeat spraying with Epin after a week.

If weather forecasters predict cold nights, spread wet newspapers under the tomatoes and cover the plantation with double spunbond. After completing the described activities, visit the greenhouse after 2 - 3 days. Remove the tops of the bushes and spray the sections with a weak solution of manganese.

Apply a urea solution under the root. Proportion – 1 tbsp. l. substances per 8 liters of warm water. Pour 500–600 ml of the drug under each affected specimen.

Now you can leave the tomatoes unattended until they begin to produce stepsons. Select the two lower shoots from all available ones and form a plant. Reanimated vegetables will bloom and bear fruit 10–14 days later than their unaffected relatives.

To prevent tomatoes from freezing

If the weather forecast is not good and you suspect that your tomatoes will freeze, take care of their well-being in advance so that the plants can cope well with the drop in temperature. For example, tomatoes growing in open ground do not freeze when there is a cover made of thick film over them (pull it in 2 - 3 layers over the arcs). You can pour rags onto the film, throw a blanket over it, or cover the shelter with cardboard.

If mild frosts are expected - not lower than 2 degrees, the seedlings can be covered with caps made of newsprint. Secure their edges with soil to prevent cold air from reaching the tomatoes.

Any rag thrown over the frames will save greenhouse tomatoes from sudden frosts. If a north wind blows through the yard during the day, let the insulation remain on the greenhouse until the weather stabilizes. But when the thermometer exceeds +10°C, open the vegetables every day for 2 - 3 hours. Ventilation will serve as hardening for them.

Inspect the greenhouse and seal any gaps. If there are gaps between the foundation and the walls, there is always a risk of tomatoes spoiling due to hypothermia.

Spring in May in recent years has given us such weather that it looks more like March. Therefore, you should not be surprised at all if your seedlings suddenly freeze. Of course, you need to monitor the weather forecast and try to avoid such cases. But no one can be immune from this, so here you need to be able to competently revive seedlings, because you spent a lot of effort on growing them. Seedlings of most varieties of tomato varieties (or, more simply, tomatoes) do not tolerate frost well, and if you have not taken care of them, then these same frosts can cause significant damage to them. Our task at this stage is to help frozen plants and try to bring them back to life. Of course, you are unlikely to be able to save everything, but still, trying to do this is not only possible, but even necessary.

How to save frozen tomato seedlings?

Of course, if you don’t mind just throwing it away, and you have extra money, then you can not carry out all these activities, but simply buy another seedling. This is what many people do who don’t grow their own. But seedlings from the market may well present you with an unpleasant surprise, because you don’t know exactly what they sold you. So, it’s better to try to revive your frozen seedlings.

We spray seedlings with Epin

You can spray such seedlings with Epin, either early in the morning or late in the evening. This should not be done during the day, since epibrassinolide, which is present in Epin and is its main active component, simply evaporates if it is exposed to daylight. In this case, the efficiency will be practically zero.

When you carry out such spraying, you will need to treat all the vegetative parts of the seedlings, that is, its leaves and branches. In addition, you should also moisten the leaves from their underside with this solution. If seedlings are subjected to serious stress (for example, during drought, lack of light, disease, and other similar cases), then they need to be sprayed once 7-10 days in advance until they are completely restored. If the seedlings are completely healthy, then it will be enough to spray them only three times during the season.

If you use ordinary water, that is, from the tap, then know that it has certain alkaline properties. Such water greatly reduces the positive effects of Epin. So, before diluting Epin in it, do not forget to add citric acid to such water. For this, just a few crystals will be enough. Tomato seedlings absorb Epin in 2-3 days, so they should be sprayed when there is no rain or wind.

What else can you do if the tomato seedlings are frozen?

If your seedlings are severely frozen, then, as a rule, their above-ground parts are unlikely to be able to recover. But the roots of such seedlings are not exposed to frost. So, you can simply cut off the entire above-ground part of such seedlings straight to the ground. After this, urea is definitely suitable for this; you just need to thoroughly water the remaining underground part and cover the roots with film. This way they will grow again faster.

If, in the future, you constantly keep these plants under control and never stop caring for them, then the warm sun and your care will make such plants grow. If not 100 percent of such seedlings, then you can definitely revive 90 percent. In this case, even the harvest will not be damaged. It will be just as rich, but, however, you will receive it a little later than from the seedlings that grew “according to schedule.”

It happens that frosts only “hit” a little and she suffered only a little. Then you can restore it with the help of fertilizing. You can use urea again. A matchbox of this fertilizer will be enough for 10 liters of water. Another 2 days will pass from the time of such feeding, and it will be necessary to treat it again, but with a growth stimulator. The same “Epin” is used as such a stimulant. If the seedlings have suffered sufficiently badly, then they can be restored by regular fertilizing with humates, as well as mullein.

What you can do if your seedlings are frozen, they will tell you in this video. Look.

Spring, especially in recent years, “delights” gardeners with returning frosts. Therefore, you should not be surprised if vegetable seedlings suddenly freeze. Of course, you should monitor the weather forecast and try to avoid such cases. But no one is immune from this trouble. Here you need to be able to competently reanimate seedlings, because a lot of effort is spent on growing them. Seedlings of most varieties of tomato varieties do not tolerate frost well, and if they are not carefully looked after, frost can cause significant damage to the seedling. The gardener’s task is to help frozen plants and try to bring them back to life. Of course, it is unlikely that all the seedlings will be saved, but it is necessary to try to revive as many plants as possible.

Tomato seedlings froze...
What can be done?

Tomatoes freeze at temperatures below 5ºC - the circulation of plant juices stops and tender seedlings die. True, there are also varieties that are more frost-resistant; for them, a temperature of 0ºC is critical. If you couldn’t keep track of the tomatoes and they froze, you shouldn’t throw away the seedlings you grew with difficulty or bought with your own money. Try to revive her. We will consider methods of resuscitation measures in this article.

If your seedlings are severely frozen, then their above-ground parts are unlikely to be able to recover. But the roots of seedlings are usually not exposed to frost. Therefore, you can cut off the entire above-ground part of the seedlings. After this, it is necessary to fertilize. Urea is ideal for this; you just need to pour it well over the plants and cover them with film. In this way, up to 90% of seedlings can be revived. This will not affect the yield of tomatoes, although you will receive the fruits a little later than from the seedlings that grew “according to schedule.” Grown seedlings should be regularly fed with humates, as well as potassium fertilizer.

If frosts only slightly “hit” the tomato seedlings, and they are not seriously damaged, they can be restored with the help of fertilizing. It is better to use urea as a top dressing. 100 ml of fertilizer will be enough for 10 liters of water. 2 days after feeding, you will need to treat the seedlings with a growth stimulator. Typically used as such a stimulant "Epin".

Spraying seedlings
tomato "Epinom"

If the seedlings are not severely damaged by frost, it is enough to give them strength with the help of Epin. Spraying frozen seedlings with Epin should be done either early in the morning or in the evening. This should not be done during the day, since epibrassinolide, which is present in Epin and is the main active component of the product, evaporates when exposed to daylight. Therefore, the efficiency will be practically zero.

When spraying, it is necessary to treat all vegetative parts of the seedlings (both leaves and twigs). If tap water (which has alkaline properties) is used when spraying, it greatly reduces the positive effect of Epin. It is worth throwing several crystals of citric acid into such water to neutralize the alkali. Spraying should be carried out in dry and windless weather.