How and when to properly plant tomatoes as seedlings at home, secrets and timing

The germination rate of the crop largely depends on understanding how to properly plant tomatoes as seedlings in the house. At the same time, the procedure itself does not cause any particular difficulties. The main thing is to follow the rules for sowing tomato seeds and fulfill the requirements for caring for seedlings. The first problems that a novice gardener may encounter arise at the stage of selecting seeds.

We decide on the variety and purchase quality seeds

When choosing a tomato variety, it is recommended to pay attention to the following aspects:

1. Landing place. Early-ripening varieties are suitable for open areas; late-ripening tomatoes are suitable for greenhouses.
2. Plant height. Low-growing crops are sown in open areas, tall crops are sown in greenhouses.
3. Growing method. For greenhouses and greenhouses, it is recommended to select varieties that have high care requirements. Tomatoes that can withstand drought several times a season are planted in open ground.

And the last nuance is the purpose of growing tomatoes. Tomatoes that produce small and round fruits are suitable for canning. For salads, it is recommended to choose thick-skinned tomatoes.

Seed sorting and calibration

Large seeds are suitable for sowing, since this planting material more often produces viable seedlings. After this, you need to mix a glass of clean water and a teaspoon of salt. The sorted seeds should be placed in the resulting solution. Any planting material that floats to the surface must be thrown away. Such seeds do not sprout.

Ways to increase the germination of future seedlings

To increase germination, it is recommended to warm up seeds that have been stored in a cool room for a long time before planting. To do this, 1-2 months before sowing the crop, the material is placed in a fabric bag and placed in a thermos. Next, water heated to 55 degrees is poured into the container.The planting material is kept in such conditions for half an hour, after which it is washed under cold water.

In order to prevent infection of seedlings, before sowing, place the seeds for 40 minutes in a 10% solution of hydrogen peroxide. At the end of the procedure, the material is washed under water and dried. To reduce the concentration of nitrates in the future plant, the seeds must be kept for 12 hours in a 0.4 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide.

Also, a weak solution of potassium permanganate (10 grams per liter of water) is used to disinfect the plant. In this environment, the tomatoes are kept for half an hour.

To increase the germination of the plant, it is recommended to first place the seeds in a gauze bag and lower them into warm water. The culture is maintained under these conditions for 2-3 hours. During this period, cooled water must be regularly replaced with warm water.

The last method (stratification) of increasing germination requires the following: the prepared seeds are placed in gauze soaked in water, which is then rolled up and placed in the refrigerator. The planting material is kept at a temperature of +3 degrees for three days.

Preparing containers and soil

To grow seedlings use:

• specialized boxes that are sold in gardening stores;
• peat glasses;
• cassette containers.

Also, homemade containers made from plastic bottles are used for seedlings. At the same time, regardless of the type, each container must be disinfected using steam or cold before filling with soil.

Both store-bought and home-made soil mixtures are suitable for sowing tomatoes. High-quality soil should contain humus, peat and plant components (old foliage, etc.).Sand or expanded clay is used to create a drainage layer.

In order to prevent infection of the plant, the soil mixture is pre-disinfected:

1. By calcination. Kept in the oven at +90 degrees for 30 minutes.
2. Cold. The soil is kept in the freezer (outside at sub-zero temperatures) for several days.
3. Steaming. The soil is poured into a colander and kept for 7 minutes over boiling water.
4. By etching. The soil is treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate a few days before sowing.

Any of the listed methods is suitable for disinfection.

When should you sow seeds?

The region in which the crop is grown depends on which month is best to sow tomatoes. In the southern part of the country, planting material is buried in prepared soil from February 20 to March 10. In the North and beyond the Urals it is recommended to sow in the first half of April. Residents of Central Russia plant seeds during March.

The period for sowing the material is also determined depending on the crop variety. Early ripening tomatoes should be planted 50-60 days before transferring to open ground. Other varieties are sown in 65-80 days.

Landing

Traditionally, tomatoes are grown in peat tablets, plastic containers or in a “diaper”. In each case, it is necessary to plant plants according to a certain algorithm.

In peat tablets

It is recommended to plant tomatoes in peat tablets according to the following algorithm:

1. The peat tablet is pre-wetted with warm water.
2. After excess water has drained, the tablet is placed in a transparent container.
3. In each tablet, a notch (from one to four) is made with your finger for the seeds.
4. Seeds are planted in prepared holes and covered with soil.
5. The container with tablets is closed with a lid or polyethylene and placed in a warm room.

Peat tablets help to grow seedlings without diving.

In a container or other container

When planting tomatoes in a pot or container, you must do the following:

1. Place small stones or eggshells at the bottom of the container. The thickness of this drainage layer is 0.5 centimeters;
2. Fill the container with soil mixture to 8-10 centimeters.
3. Moisten the soil mixture and make furrows in the soil 1 centimeter deep and in increments of 3-4 centimeters.
4. Place the seeds in the furrows in 1-2 centimeter increments.
5. Cover the planting material with soil and moisten it with a spray bottle.

The container with tomatoes must be covered with polyethylene and left in a warm room.

Sowing in a “diaper”

Sowing tomatoes in this way is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. Polyethylene film is cut into strips 10 centimeters wide.
2. Place toilet paper on each strip (a paper towel will do) and moisten it with a solution to stimulate growth.
3. The seeds are laid out on strips in increments of 3-4 centimeters and covered with layers of paper and polyethylene.
4. The resulting tape is rolled into a roll and placed in a plastic container.
5. Water is poured into the bottom of the container. At the end, the containers are covered with polyethylene with small holes.

Gardeners recommend planting tomatoes this way to save space in the house.

Caring for tomato seedlings at home

After planting a tomato in an apartment, the plant must be provided with sufficient watering, temperature conditions and lighting.

Watering

It is recommended to water the seedlings for the first time after the first shoots appear. Subsequently, the procedure is repeated after 7 days.The plant is watered for the last time 2-3 hours before transplanting into the ground.

Backlight

After the first shoots appear, containers with tomatoes are recommended to be placed in a well-lit place. If necessary, place an ultraviolet lamp over the containers. In the first few weeks, the sprouts need to be provided with 16 hours of daylight. Moreover, containers with plants should be rotated periodically so that the seedlings do not pull in one direction.

Temperature

After planting the seeds, the containers are left in the room at a temperature of 22-25 degrees. When the first shoots appear, it is recommended to move the containers indoors and keep the plants for a week at 15-17 degrees. During this time, the plants will get stronger. Then the tomatoes need to be returned to the first room. The air temperature during the day should be 24 degrees, at night - 12 degrees.

Dive

It is recommended to transplant tomatoes into new containers when the first few leaves appear (on average, after 10 days). A separate container should be allocated for each seedling in the room. The seedlings are buried 4 centimeters. If plants are planted in one container, the distance between tomatoes should be 5-7 centimeters.

After several weeks, the tomatoes are replanted in larger containers.

Feeding

For good survival in the soil, the plant needs to be fed periodically. Used as fertilizer:

• infusion of chicken manure;
• wood ash;
• eggshells;
• complex mineral fertilizers.

Fertilizers are applied 2 weeks after the first leaves appear. Then the culture is fed every 10 days.

Hardening

After 3-4 leaves appear, gardeners recommend starting to harden the plant.In the first days, tomatoes are left in the room at a temperature of 15-20 degrees. Then, gradually increasing the time interval, containers with sprouts should be taken outside.

What errors are most often encountered: methods for solving them

When growing tomato seedlings, gardeners often make the following mistakes:

• selecting unsuitable varieties;
• do not prepare seeds or soil;
• sow tomatoes ahead of schedule;
• do not comply with care requirements (excessive watering, growing at low temperatures);
• refuse to harden the plant;
• they pick late.

When growing tomatoes, it is recommended to give preference to hybrid varieties, since the latter have strong immunity to common diseases and pests. Before sowing seeds into the soil, the soil must be disinfected.

Gardeners recommend planting tomatoes according to a set schedule. Due to early planting, the plant overgrows, as a result of which it does not take root well in the ground. Tomatoes should be watered as the soil dries. Also, the culture must be left in a well-lit room. Due to lack of sunlight, tomatoes weaken, which negatively affects crop yields. Similar consequences arise if hardening is not carried out.

To achieve good germination, the seeds must be buried no more than 4 centimeters, and then the soil must be compacted.