To obtain young tomato seedlings, use peat cups. The variety of shapes and volumes allows you to grow any vegetable crop in them. A high-quality shell does not get wet or deform, and the root system of seedlings is less susceptible to injury during transplantation.
Choosing the best option
The cups include:
- high-moor peat – 70%;
- wood pulp – 30%.
The proportions should not be violated, otherwise the tomato seedlings in peat cups will not develop fully. On the packaging, the manufacturer indicates the presence of possible stimulants and additives.Peat is an environmentally friendly material that does not contain pathogens or toxic substances.
The loose structure of peat cups promotes free penetration of air to the roots of tomato seedlings. Pay attention to the thickness of the walls (no more than 1.5 mm), such cups decompose in about 30 days.
Even a high-quality product has disadvantages:
- The likelihood of hypothermia of the roots and the development of fungus. Constant evaporation from the surface reduces the temperature of the soil.
- The walls of the container sometimes become an “impenetrable” barrier. Tomato seedlings obtained in this way may be slightly behind in development.
- Peat is a soil oxidizer; such an environment prevents the absorption of potassium necessary for stem growth.
Preparation of soil and planting material
In order for the shell to rot underground faster, the container is impregnated with liquid mineral fertilizers; the walls can be additionally treated with foundationazole. It is better to sow seeds dry to prevent the appearance of mold. If there is doubt about the quality of the material, it is etched with diluted manganese or a fungicide. You can germinate seeds in soil extract. For this:
- The ground is filled with water.
- Let it sit for several hours.
- Soaking tomato seeds before sprouts appear.
Prepare a nutritious mixture for tomato seedlings in peat pots, add any baking powder: vermiculite, coarse sand, sawdust. Combine turf soil with humus (1:1). You can pour coconut substrate into the pots - this is a good source of nutrients for young tomatoes. Before sowing, the soil is disinfected, kept in an oven or poured with boiling water and potassium permanganate.
Agricultural technology of planting work
Growing tomato seedlings in peat cups lasts 55-60 days.Tomatoes for seedlings are sown according to the lunar calendar, choosing favorable days from January to March. The exact timing depends on the variety.
The smallest blocks of pressed peat or general containers are suitable for planting tomato seeds. Make grooves on the surface of the soil no more than 1.5 cm deep, sow one at a time, sometimes 2-3 pieces. Sprinkle the top with earth or vermiculite, then spray the tomato seeds from a spray bottle.
Germination temperature +20…+25 °C. With this regime, tomato seeds will hatch in 5-6 days; if you increase the temperature to +30 °C, then green “loops” will appear in 2-3 days. With mass shoots, the daytime temperature is reduced to + 20...+22 °C, and the night temperature to +16 °C. This is necessary for normal growth of seedlings. Negative factors during this period:
- too hot, unventilated room;
- lack of light (less than 12-15 hours);
- drafts.
With a lack of lighting, excess fertilizer and thickening, tomato seedlings in peat pots are stretched out and the stems become thinner. The situation can be corrected by picking or adding more soil. Plantings that are too dense should be thinned out.
Picking seedlings
Tomato seedlings are planted in peat pots after the first pair of leaves appear. The taproot is pinched by 1/3, which stimulates the appearance of small suction roots. The temperature is increased by 2-3 degrees. When the seedlings take root, they return to their previous regimes. In the first days, protect from direct sunlight and drafts.
Sometimes they practice growing tomato seedlings in peat pots: they plant several of them into one container at once. The stems are tied tightly (for fusion) with thread.Afterwards, the top of the weaker one is removed, the result is one strong trunk with a powerful “double” root system.
Possible diseases during this period:
- Yellow lower leaves are a symptom of a lack of nutrients (nitrogen), light, or the beginnings of “black leg”, brown spotting.
- Rotting of stems, the appearance of mold - overwatering or infectious diseases.
In block containers, make sure that the roots do not grow into adjacent compartments. Single peat pots with tomato seedlings are wrapped in dark plastic wrap. This helps prevent the soil from drying out and will prevent the crystallization of water salts under the influence of the sun, which poses a danger to the roots.
Tomato seedlings planted in peat pots are placed on a pallet, at a short distance from each other. Crowding will interfere with normal air exchange and aeration of seedlings.
Seedling care and hardening
Tomato seedlings are planted in peat pots to provide a larger feeding area. Overgrowing tomatoes are delayed in development in this way. You can also stop growth using hardening.
With the appearance of the second pair of leaves, the seedlings are kept for 2.5 weeks at temperatures:
- daytime +18…+20 °C;
- night +8…+10 °C.
Afterwards they return to the following modes: +14…+16 °C at night and +20…+22 °C during the day. A few days before transplantation, they are placed outside all night. Hardened seedlings have short internodes, strong pubescent stems, and blue-green foliage. Such plants can be planted in ridges 10 days earlier than usual.
It is impractical to sow tomatoes one at a time in a volume of 0.5 ml:
- the container takes up extra space;
- more time is required for care.
Tomatoes, unlike peppers and pumpkins, tolerate picking easily. After a few days, the seedlings begin to grow. 7-10 days after the procedure, tomatoes in peat pots are fed with a liquid solution of mineral fertilizers.
Crops grown in pots require frequent but light watering. Peat holds and retains moisture well, so do this as carefully as possible. This method will help prevent the appearance of mold and mildew. Bottom watering is convenient, when planting containers are temporarily placed in a tray with warm water.
Transplantation into open ground
Tomato seedlings grown in peat pots are transplanted to a permanent place along with the container. Before planting tomatoes, water the cups generously with water. To prevent viral diseases, plants are sprayed with a 1% dilution of Bordeaux mixture.
The peat cups are deepened completely, sprinkled with 2 cm of soil. The soil in the circle around the trunk is watered and mulched. Over the next few days, the planting will be closely monitored. A slight drying out of the soil layers will cause “woodiness” of the walls of the undecomposed container. A developed crop with a large number of leaves will end up in a limited space.
For easier penetration of roots, the bottom of the containers is carefully cut off. The walls can be cut or holes made with a sharp tool, but not completely removed. Subsequently, the crops are watered strictly at the roots, combining irrigation with the application of liquid fertilizers.
Healthy tomato seedlings in peat pots can be done by anyone, even a novice gardener.
