When to Plant a Tomato Seedlings?

When it is better to plant tomatoes, not every summer resident knows and usually the most diligent compete, who sows earlier. At present, there are many recommendations about the optimal age of tomato seedlings for her landing on a permanent place. In addition, it is not difficult to calculate the timing of sowing tomato seeds.

When to sow tomatoes on seedlings?

Determine when to plant tomatoes on seedlings will help characterize the variety. She will tell the period of vegetation of tomato from shoots to harvest. For example, for hybrids and early varieties, this period is about 100 days. To obtain a tomato salad crop by July 20, the sowing should be done in 100 days, to which we add a week - the time from sowing to seedling, three days for the survival of seedlings after planting. Altogether 110 days are left. This means that this variety should be sown on April 1. If you plan to grow tomato seedlings in a greenhouse, you should not plant seeds until 10 March. The next defining indicator is the period of planting of tomato seedlings to a permanent place.

When to plant a tomato seedlings?

It all depends on where you want to plant the seedlings. If the greenhouse or protected soil, where the entire growing season will be growing, then the seedlings must be planted earlier.

Planting seedlings in the protected soil should occur in mid-May, in the open ground - in early June. The most optimal age for seedling tomatoes for planting in the soil (depending on the variety) is 50-60 days.

Growing seedlings in the greenhouse planted from 1 to 10 May. At this time, it is still cool at night, so it is recommended to cover the greenhouse with two layers of film, between which you should leave a gap of 2-3 cm. This will improve the thermal regime and protect the lower film. The upper film is removed in early June. The greenhouse in which tomatoes will grow should be well ventilated, especially during flowering. To avoid diseases in one greenhouse planting tomatoes for several years in a row is not worth it.

How to grow tomato seedlings?

Here are some important tips:

1. Use seeded containers for seedlings. It is better not to take wood, where microorganisms multiply well, but plastic trays or pots.
2. Take a universal and special compost for seedlings. Fill the container with compost, lightly apply it and moisturize it.
3. Sow seeds and sprinkle an even layer of compost, sifting it through a sieve. Then cover the tray with kraft paper and glass. If the paper becomes damp, replace it.
4. Observe the temperature regime of 17-19 ° C. Growing seedlings tomato is convenient to produce in a mini-greenhouse with heating. Seedlings can be grown on the windowsill at a temperature of 16-19 ° C.
5. When there are shoots, provide them with good lighting and watering. First, lift the glass or paper, and after a few days, remove it completely. Transfer the container to the place with good lighting (avoid direct sunlight) and turn it in a day. Land for seedlings tomatoes should not dry out. It is best to use a sprayer for irrigation.
6. When two real leaflets appeared on the plant, tomatoes dive into trays, pots or planting boxes. There they are seated at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. After picking, the trays are stored in the shade for a couple of days at 9-11 ° C.
7. After the seedlings get stronger, they begin to prepare for planting in the open ground, that is, tempered. Tempering consists in airing and further maintenance in an unheated room for a week. Only after this, seedlings of tomatoes are planted in the open ground.