Cultivation of seedlings is troublesome, but when it is grown in special peat tablets for seedlings, the hassle is much less and the work is fun. Do not be afraid of switching to a new way of growing seedlings, because it gives better results than ordinary boxes with earth.
What are tablets for seedlings?
These tablets are designed to germinate all kinds of seed material, both vegetables and flowers. The tablet has a diameter of about 5-6 cm and a height of about 0.8 mm in dry form. As soon as it gets wet, it grows several times higher and turns into an individual container for a single plant.
Advantage of tablets for seedlings is that there is no need to harvest soil, to worry about its sterility and quality. After all, there are no worm-bugs in the tablets, as it happens in the forest or even the purchased substrate.
There are tablets for seedlings from peat or coconut fiber, which is identical in its nutritional properties. In addition, a growth stimulant has already been added to the tablet, which positively affects the plant, as soon as it emerged from the seed.
How to plant seedlings in peat pills?
Sowing seeds in a peat tablet is very simple. It will be necessary to prepare the containers in which the tablets with seedlings will be placed. These can be special boxes-germination with electric heating, ordinary boxes for seedlings or plastic transparent containers from cakes and pastries.
Tablets are lined up and poured for 10-15 minutes with warm water, after which the excess is drained. During this time the tablets for seedlings increase in size and are ready for sowing. Do not place the tablets close to each other, as large seedlings can be intertwined with roots and during the transplant the root system will be injured.
The tablet should be found top - it will have a small notch. In it, and place the seed, slightly drowning it or covering it with peat soil. If there are seeds covered with a hard shell, then it makes sense to soak them for a couple of hours in water for a quick pecking before planting.
All seeds are planted in a fertile bud and wait for their hour to turn into small green sprouts. To accelerate this process, the containers are covered with a lid and put on a warm window sill, closer to the sun, and on cloudy days they are illuminated with a phytolamp. The lid should be removed once a day for ventilation and hardening of young plants.
How to water peat tablets with seedlings?
In order for the sprouts to grow together, they need life-giving water. As in the traditional cultivation of seedlings, it will require constant clean water at room temperature for irrigation. It should be carried out approximately every 4-6 days, depending on the surrounding climatic conditions. But in no case the tablets should not dry out - this is harmful to seedlings.
Watering is carried out not at the top of the tablets, but in a tray, and in small portions. Do not allow the water to remain in the container and not absorbed - this can lead to fungal damage to plants. If this happens, then the water should be gently soaked with napkins.
When to transplant seedlings from peat tablets?
The most important advantage of tablets for seedlings is that there is no need for picks . That is, the root system is not injured and the plants are healthy and develop well after transplantation.
When it's time to leave the window sill, and it happens in May-June, for the pills make grooves in the garden, gently put a tablet with a plant and sprinkled with soil. The earth must be moist, well spilled. Before you drop the tablet into the ground, it is advisable to gently cut the pills holding the bag so that it does not interfere with the development of the root system in the open ground.