Some varieties of tomatoes can be grown without using seedlings. There are many ways to cultivate such tomatoes. Growing full-fledged seedlings is not easy, so amateur gardeners often buy them at the market, which usually poses a certain risk of purchasing insufficient quality or the wrong variety.
The way out of this situation is the seedless method of growing tomatoes. Tomato seeds are sown directly into the ground where they grow continuously.It should be borne in mind that using this method it is possible to grow tomatoes both in the southern regions and in areas with a cooler climate.
Variety of planting methods
Tomatoes can have two types of bushes: very tall (indeterminate) and short (determinant). Low varieties have the peculiarity of growing no more than 1 meter. Its bushes have from 3 to 6 main and lateral stems, and stepsons are usually formed on the lower part.
Indeterminate varieties can have significant stem heights. A flower raceme is formed at the end of the main stem. Stepchildren located in the vicinity of the main stem do not stop growing. This process continues throughout the growing season and stops only with the onset of cold autumn days.
The height of such tomato bushes can reach more than 2 meters. However, as a rule, the intensity of the appearance of fruiting clusters and ovaries is much less than that of low-growing tomato representatives.
The description of tomatoes includes the fact that they prefer warmth. If the temperature drops to 10 degrees, then the pollen does not have the opportunity to ripen and the ovaries remain without fertilization and crumble. The optimal temperature for growing tomatoes is considered to be from +21 to +25 degrees. Although plants love moisture, its excess can negatively affect the growth of bushes and the ripening of fruits.
The need for luminous flux is of great importance. If it is not enough, then the plants stretch in height, and the roots develop poorly.
Tomatoes prefer light soil with a high content of nutrients, but they can also grow in other soils. The only exceptions are those that are highly acidic or too salty.
Characteristics and description of the variety Sprint 2
The most popular variety that can be grown without seedlings is the Sprint 2 tomato. It does not require dressing or pinching. The weight of one fruit ranges from 50 to 80 g.
6-8 fruits ripen on one cluster. Tomato Sprint can successfully bear fruit even in unfavorable climatic conditions. A very early ripening variety. Not affected by late blight. The seeds of this variety are sown in open ground in June. Planting patterns are in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 30 x 50 cm. Watering and fertilizing are required.
Rules for choosing a place for sowing
Select the right site for planting tomatoes with soil that is moisture-absorbing and easily aerated. Clayey, heavy areas warm up more slowly and tend to compact quickly. On such soils it is impossible to expect an early harvest. In addition, close groundwater, which passes near the root system, negatively affects planted tomatoes.
Tomato without seedlings requires sufficient sunlight for normal growth. Therefore, the beds are located on southern slopes. In this place the soil warms up faster and better. The earliest harvest can be obtained on the south-eastern slopes of the site. There is less chance of spring frosts here.
If the garden plot has a flat surface, then it is better to plant the tomatoes in a place where there is protection from the wind, or to build a special protection. You can arrange beds close to a medium-height hedge.
According to the rules of crop rotation, for tomatoes they choose areas where they were previously grown:
- cucumbers;
- cabbage;
- zucchini.
After potatoes and peppers, it is better to wait two to three years before planting tomatoes. It is also not recommended to plant tomatoes next to planted potatoes.Harmful insects and potato diseases can also affect tomatoes.
Preparing the beds
After choosing a suitable location, they begin to prepare the beds. You can apply organic fertilizers in the fall, and in the spring the area is sprinkled with humus and ash.
Arches are installed over the beds on which the tomatoes will be sown so that the seedlings are covered with film on top. For small beds, you can use empty plastic bottles. Having cut them crosswise, cover the young plants.
Ground sowing
It is recommended to plant early tomatoes in small bushes using the seedless method. They are not afraid of dense plantings; it is better to place them in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 30 cm between plants.
In order to ensure air access to the plants in the future, the stepsons should be cut off in a timely manner. You can sow up to 5 seeds in one hole and cover them with a one and a half centimeter layer of soil. After this, be sure to pour warm water over it and cover it with cut-off plastic bottles or glass jars. Be sure to cover the top with a film stretched over the arcs.
How to grow tomatoes without seedlings
It is better not to disturb the planted plants until the seedlings germinate. When sunny and warm weather sets in, the film can be opened slightly during the daytime.
After germination, excess tomato plants are removed from the hole, leaving 2 plants each. If necessary, they can be transplanted to another place. Tomatoes grown without seedlings are watered in smaller quantities. Since the central, main root grows deep into the ground and is not disturbed by transplants during picking, it is able to extract moisture from lower layers of the soil. Such plants should be watered only during prolonged dry weather.
Of course, growing tomatoes without seedlings also has its disadvantages:
- Only early ripening varieties can be planted using this method:
- Due to low temperatures, the first ripe tomatoes may appear 2 weeks later than those planted as seedlings.
Even though tomato seeds are planted in open ground 1.5 months after the seeds are planted to produce seedlings, such bushes quickly catch up with them in development.
The need for feeding
After more than 2 true leaves have appeared on the plant, the first feeding is carried out. 1.5 g of ammonium nitrate is added to a liter jar of water. One plant will require 0.5 liters of this solution.
The next fertilizer is done after the ovary appears. In this case, superphosphates (20 g) and potassium chloride (10 g) are used. This time, a furrow about 7 cm deep is made near the plants. It is made at a distance of 15 cm from the stem, and a mixture of fertilizers is poured into it. This fertilizing can be replaced with mullein, previously diluted with water in a ratio of 1/10. In September, you can cover the soil with straw or sawdust.
Summer and autumn harvest
Since grown tomatoes ripen gradually, it is necessary to collect ripe fruits after 4 days. But during the period of mass maturation it is carried out more often. Tomatoes that are harvested for fresh consumption are picked when ripe.
If you pick not quite ripe fruits, you can speed up the ripening of other fruits on the bush. They may turn red if spread in a single layer on a dense surface.But it should be borne in mind that when ripening, the fruits release ethylene, which in turn provokes the ripening of neighboring fruits. At the end of the season, with the onset of frost, you can pick all the tomatoes at the same time, even those that are not ripe.
Reviews
Alexandra, Rostov-on-Don: This year I sowed Sprint 2 tomatoes directly into the soil. The plants were very early, the bushes were strong. They were not afraid of cool nights, as they were naturally hardened. I believe that I will use this type of sowing next year.
