Inveterate truck farmers and gardeners in February and March are beginning to actively prepare for the new summer season. Tomatoes are obligatory vegetables, they are invariably present on each site. And today we learn how and when to plant tomato seeds on seedlings.
Terms of planting seeds
Preparation of soil and boxes for seedlings is time to take care in February. Seeds can be planted in the period from February 20 to March 10. If you plan to transplant tomatoes in a greenhouse, and this is usually done already in April, you need to know in which days you can plant tomatoes on the seedlings: this depends on the lunar calendar, but approximately this period falls in mid-February.
If the tomato variety is early, seedlings can start growing in the middle of March. You can plant seeds later, the main thing is to do it on the growing moon. When asked if it's too late to plant tomato seedlings in April, you can answer that even this month there are several favorable days, but do not delay later the middle of the month.
If you do not have time to grow seedlings in time and want to have time to do it in April, choose super-rugged and hybrid varieties for open ground or cherry tomatoes .
In what kind of soil to plant a seedling tomato?
Among the general requirements for seedlings of vegetable crops is the availability of all necessary nutrients, balance, high air and moisture permeability, friability, absence of fungus and pathogens, radioactive purity.
Speaking specifically about tomato culture, there are several options for preparing soil for seedlings:
- Peat, turf land, mullein in the proportion of 4: 1: ¼; peat, sawdust, mullein in the proportion of 3: 1: ½. For 10 kg of this mixture, add 3 kg of river sand, 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 1.5 g of potassium chloride and 3 g of superphosphate.
- Humus, peat, turfy ground, overgrown sawdust in proportion 1: 1: 1: 1. To the bucket of this mixture should be added 1.5 cups of wood ash, 1 tbsp. spoon of potassium sulfate, 3 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of urea.
Any variant of soil mixture before planting seeds should be decontaminated. To do this, it can steamed, bake in the oven, pour a solution of manganese and so on.
How best to plant tomatoes on seedlings?
In order for the seeds to give good and rapid seedlings, they also need to be prepared in advance. First they need to be inspected and selected defective - small, empty, damaged. You can put the seeds in salt water and after 10 minutes remove those that have surfaced. The rest is rinsed and create conditions for swelling.
To do this, you need to take a plate or saucers to lay on them damp rags, top to pour out the seeds and cover it all with covers. After 10-12 hours, the swollen seeds should be immediately sown in the soil.
Planting seeds in shallow holes (up to 1 cm), you need to sprinkle them with earth, and cover the box with a film and put it in a warm place. With the observance of technology, the first shoots will appear already on the 5th-7th day.
As soon as the seeds have germinated, it is necessary to give the seedlings plenty of light so that they do not stretch and are not frail and thin. The light day for tomatoes should be 12-16 hours a day, because you will need additional lighting with the help of lamps for seedlings.
In the afternoon, the seedling should be at a temperature of + 18..20 ° C, and at night it is reduced to + 14..16 ° C. Watering the seedlings, you do not need to water it, otherwise the sprouts will rot. You can not even water the seedlings, while on them
The schedule for watering tomato seedlings is once a week, and when all five sprouts appear on all the shoots, you can do this more often - every 4-5 days.
Now you know how to plant tomatoes on seedlings. And to plant it in an open ground it is necessary when on the street there is no fear of frosts and stable warm weather has established.