How to grow strong tomato seedlings. Healthy tomato seedlings at home, care, picking

There is nothing better than being transported from winter to summer.

Create Summer mood and you can diversify the menu in the cold season by growing mouth-watering ones on the windowsill.

Popular varieties of tomatoes for growing on the windowsill

When choosing a variety suitable for growing on a windowsill, they are guided by two important indicators:

Bush sizes. It is necessary to take into account the area that will be allocated to indoor tomatoes; growing this crop will be problematic if the tomatoes have little space and sun.

• Room surprise;
• Bonsai;
• Balcony miracle;
• Japanese dwarf;
• Thumbelina;
• Leopold;
• Baby;
• Pygmy;
• Red Riding Hood;
• Minibel;
• Bonsai micro.

You can experiment with: growing several varieties in pots will allow you to choose the best one by sampling.

Did you know? Seed producers indicate on the packaging that the variety is suitable for growing on a windowsill, well-insulated loggias or balconies.

How to create conditions for growing

When growing homemade tomatoes on a windowsill, it is important to provide the plant with enough space for the crown and roots. a flowerpot with a volume of 2 liters is enough, for larger varieties you need a pot or a container with a volume of 5-6 liters.

If you chose balcony tomatoes, for growing them the size of the pot can be even larger, 8-10 liters.

In the process of development, some will require support for the stems.

Lighting

Tomatoes perfectly perceive direct sunlight. Windows on the south, southwest side of the house are suitable for their placement. In natural light, before the formation of the ovary, tomatoes are recommended to be carefully turned in different directions towards the sun so that the bush grows symmetrically. Light day for tomatoes should be at least 12 hours. Growing tomatoes at home in winter requires additional lighting. Lamps for illumination are installed at a distance of 30 cm from plants.

Humidity and temperature

For good development plants and tomatoes, the temperature during the day should not be lower than 22-26 degrees. At night it can be cooler, 15-16 degrees. In winter, glasses can come cold air, in this case, it is recommended to move the plants some distance from the windows. Favorable air humidity is 60-65%.

Important! Small drafts are not terrible for tomatoes, you can safely ventilate the room, lack fresh air can damage plants.

Soil composition

There are several recipes for self-preparation of soil mixture for growing tomatoes on the windowsill.

• Sod land, in equal proportions with peat and humus.
• - 1 part, and sod land - 4 parts each, you can add a little ash.
• Earth - 2 parts, sand - 1 part each.

It is recommended to pre-fill the earth from the garden with a solution of potassium permanganate in boiling water to destroy infection and pests.

In departments and stores for gardeners, ready-made soil mixtures are sold. Their composition is optimally matched for tomatoes and. Information about the composition of the soil and the plants for which it is suitable is indicated on the packaging.

Growing tomatoes on a windowsill

In addition to the soil and containers, you need to prepare the seed. There are two options for obtaining: seeds and rooting cuttings. The second method of propagating tomatoes during cultivation and care on the windowsill allows you to speed up the harvest by saving time for forcing seedlings. The lateral and apical shoots of tomatoes, for example, after, are rooted in a glass of water or directly in the ground. The cuttings should be in a warm place without drafts, you can fertilize with suitable ones.

Rooted cuttings are transplanted to a permanent place. This method of propagation is suitable for growing tomatoes on the window and for growing seedlings for the garden.

Soil preparation and planting material

Before growing on the windowsill in the apartment, seeds are chosen. Large, whole seeds of light shades, without spots, darkening, are suitable for sowing tomatoes. They are soaked for 25-30 minutes in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate to prevent late blight. Then, having been treated with a growth stimulator, it is left to swell on a damp cloth in a warm place.

It is convenient to use plastic cups for preparing seedlings. They are filled with soil, which is poured with boiling water for disinfection. After cooling to room temperature, the soil is ready for planting seeds.

Did you know? It is convenient to water the seedlings with a small syringe, immersing its spout between the ground and the wall of the cup.

Sowing and seed care

Germinated seeds are planted in cups with soil, 1 piece each, deepening by about 1 cm. It is not necessary to soak the seeds, then they are deepened into the soil by 2 cm, 2-3 pieces each. In this case, weak seedlings will then need to be removed, leaving one sprout per glass.

Seed containers are covered with foil until germination and placed in a warm place. Since it is often not recommended to water on the windowsill, you need to wait for the topsoil to dry. After the appearance of the first leaves, the film can be removed, the seedlings can be placed in a well-lit place.

How to care for tomatoes at home

Seedlings of tomatoes on the 20-21st day. For, before planting tomatoes in pots, the seedlings are "hardened" by slightly lowering the ambient temperature several times. A month after germination, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place.

Did you know? modern science proved the ability of tomatoes to improve mood, thanks to the substance tyramine, which in the human body is converted into the "happiness hormone" serotonin.

picking

The picking method is the most popular way to plant seedlings, peppers and a number of other crops. It lies in the fact that the central part of the root of the plant, when transplanted, is shortened by about a third, for the expansion of the horse system in width. At the same time, many varieties of miniature tomatoes do not need picking, they are transplanted by transshipment, without disturbing the earthen clod and without touching the root system. Expanded clay drainage is poured into a flowerpot for indoor tomatoes at 10-15% of the depth of the container. Then the container is filled with earth, a recess is made for the roots of the tomato, in which the plants are placed, adding earth on top. The lower leaves should eventually be 2-3 cm above ground level.

Watering and feeding tomatoes

Watering tomatoes in winter on the window is carried out warm water once every 3-4 days, as the soil dries up. Top dressing of tomatoes is carried out 3 times a month. If you fertilize tomatoes more often, you can get the effect of increasing the green parts, at the expense of yield and fruit size.

Tomatoes come from South America, therefore, when growing seedlings of tomatoes in the house, relatively dry air, a lot of light and heat are needed. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to properly plant and care for young seedlings.

We will grow seedlings like this The right choice of variety Before you start growing seedlings of tomatoes, you need to decide on the choice of varieties. Before planting seeds, it is necessary to decide which varieties will be grown and where. It is fundamentally important to know whether or. According to the method of growth, all varieties are divided into, semi-determinant and determinant. This sign is indicated on the bag of seeds and is decisive for growing plants in open or protected ground. Indenterminate (tall) tomatoes What to choose - hybrid or variety? Variety- These are plants that can retain their characteristics for many generations when grown from seeds. Hybrid- These are plants obtained by special pollination. They retain their characteristics only in one generation; when growing tomatoes from collected seeds, their signs are lost. Hybrids of any plants are designated F1. sign Varieties hybrids Heredity Varietal characteristics are passed on to subsequent generations Traits are not transmitted and are a feature of one generation for one growing season Germination 75-85% Excellent (95-100%) fruit size The fruits are larger than those of hybrids, but can vary significantly in weight. The fruits are smaller, but aligned yield May fluctuate from year to year High yield at proper care. Usually higher than varieties disease resistance susceptible to various diseases, some of which may be inherited More resistant, less susceptible to disease Weather Better tolerate temperature changes Temperature fluctuations tolerate much worse varieties. With sudden and strong temperature changes, they can die Conditions of detention Less demanding on soil fertility and temperature Requires more fertile soils and warmer temperatures for fruiting top dressing Needed regularly For good fruiting, the dose should be greater than for varieties Watering Can tolerate short-term drought or waterlogging well Very poorly tolerate both lack and excess moisture Taste Each variety has its own taste. Less pronounced. To taste, all hybrids are inferior to varieties The cooler the summer in the region, the more difficult it is to grow hybrids. In these regions, varieties should be preferred. Also, if in the future there is a desire to grow a crop from their own seeds, then they make a choice in favor of the variety. If the goal is to get the maximum amount of products, and the weather conditions in the region allow, then it is preferable to grow hybrids. Sowing seeds for seedlings The timing of sowing seeds for seedlings depends on early maturity. First of all, the timing of planting tomatoes in the ground is determined and the required number of days is counted from this date - the time for sowing seeds is obtained. For mid-season varieties, the age of tomato seedlings before planting in the ground should be at least 65-75 days. You can plant them in a greenhouse at the end of May, and in open ground, when the threat of frost has passed, that is, in the first decade of June (for the middle lane). If we add the period from sowing to germination (7-10 days), then it is necessary to sow 70-80 days before planting in the ground. AT middle lane sowing time for mid-season varieties is the first decade of March. However, it is unprofitable to grow mid-ripening varieties in the northern and central regions: they will not have time to fully reveal their potential, the harvest will be small. Mid-ripening and late tomatoes are suitable only for the southern regions of the country. Seedlings of early ripe tomatoes are planted in the ground at the age of 60-65 days. Therefore, sowing of seeds is carried out after March 20. They are suitable for all regions of the country. It is not necessary to sow tomatoes for seedlings too early. They are strongly stretched and weakened during early sowing in conditions of light deficiency. With poor lighting during the seedling period, flower brushes are laid later, and the yield becomes lower. If the soil in the greenhouse has warmed up, then early-ripening tomatoes for greenhouses can be sown directly into the greenhouse in early May and grown without picking. With seedless cultivation, tomatoes begin to bear fruit 1-2 weeks earlier than seedlings. For growing tomato seedlings, it is better to prepare the soil yourself. The earth should be loose, nutritious, water and breathable, should not be crusted and compacted after watering, be clean from pathogens, pests and weed seeds. For seedlings, a mixture of peat and sand is made in a ratio of 1: 0.5. For each bucket of land obtained, it is advisable to add a liter jar of ash. Peat is acidic, and tomatoes need a neutral environment to grow well. Ash just neutralizes excess acidity. Another option for an earthen mixture is soddy soil, humus, sand in a ratio of 1: 2: 3; instead of sand, you can take high-moor peat. In garden soil, after special treatment, healthy seedlings of tomatoes can also be grown, the main thing is that it does not contain spores of diseases and wintering pests. But, since it is too compacted in containers, sand or peat is added to loosen it. They take the land from under the plantings of legumes, melons, greens, green manure. You can not use the soil from greenhouses, after nightshade. If the earth is acidic in the country, then ash is necessarily added (1 liter / bucket). Garden soil is best used for the preparation of soil mixtures. Purchased soils contain a lot of fertilizer, which is not always good for seedlings. If there are no other options, then store land is diluted with sand, garden or turf soil. Peat in purchased soil do not add, since he himself, most often, consists only of peat. The soil mixture is best prepared in the fall. If the moment is lost, and there is nowhere to take the soil, then you will have to buy several types of soil from different manufacturers and mix them in equal proportions, or add soil from flower pots. But this is the worst option when growing seedlings. After preparing the mixture, the land is necessarily cultivated to destroy pests, diseases, and weed seeds. Soil can be treated in various ways: freezing; steaming; calcination; disinfection. Freezing. The finished earth is taken out into the cold for several days, so that it freezes. Then they bring it into the house and let it thaw. The procedure is repeated several times. It is desirable that on the street at this time there was a frost not lower than -8 -10 ° С. Steaming. The earth is heated for an hour in a boiling water bath. If the soil is purchased, then the sealed bag is placed in a bucket of hot water, covered with a lid and kept until the water cools. Calcination. The earth is calcined in an oven heated to 100 ° C for 40-50 minutes. Disinfection. The earth is watered with a strong solution of potassium permanganate dissolved in hot water. Then cover with a film and leave for 2-3 days. Preparing tomato seeds for sowing If the package says that the seeds are processed, then they do not need additional processing. The rest of the seed is processed necessarily. First of all, a calibration is carried out. The seeds are dipped in a glass of water and wait 3-5 minutes until they get wet. Then the floating seeds are thrown away, they are unsuitable for sowing, because the embryo died, so they became lighter than water. The rest are soaked for 2 hours in a solution of potassium permanganate. For processing, the seeds can be soaked in water heated to 53 ° C for 20 minutes. This temperature kills disease spores, but does not affect the germ. Then hot water is drained, the seeds are slightly dried and sown immediately. For speedy germination, the seed material is soaked. It is wrapped in cotton cloth or paper towel, moistened with water, placed in a plastic bag and placed on the battery. Treated seeds also need to be soaked. As practice shows, they sprout faster than without soaking, and the protective effect of the treatment remains quite high. Many treat planting material with growth stimulants. But in this case, all seeds sprout together, including weak ones. In the future, a large percentage of culling of weak plants is obtained. Therefore, it is better to treat with stimulants bad seeds(expiring, overdried, etc.), the rest are simply soaked in water. When the seeds hatch, sow. You should not wait for the seedling to be larger; when tightening with sowing, long shoots break off. You can sow the seeds in separate containers of 2 seeds, if both sprout, then they are planted when picking. Tomatoes are sown in shallow boxes, filling them with earth by 3/4. The earth is slightly crushed. Seeds are laid out at a distance of 2 cm from each other. Sprinkle dry earth on top. If the soil is not crushed or the crops are covered with moist soil, then the seeds will go deep into the soil and will not germinate. Varietal tomatoes and hybrids are sown in different containers, since they have different germination conditions. The boxes are covered with film or glass and put on the battery until germination. Seed germination time The timing of the emergence of seedlings depends on the temperature. Seeds of varieties germinate at a temperature of 24-26 ° C in 6-8 days At 20-23°C - after 7-10 days At 28-30°C - after 4-5 days. They can also sprout at 18°C ​​in 8-12 days. The optimum germination temperature for varietal tomatoes is 22-25°C. The germination of hybrids is much better, but often at home they germinate poorly. For good germination, they need a temperature of + 28-30 ° C. + 24 ° С - it is COLD for them, they will germinate for a long time and not all of them will sprout. Weak seeds germinate later than the rest, they usually leave a seed coat. Therefore, seedlings that appeared later than 5 days after the main group are removed, they will not have a good harvest. Caring for tomato seedlings To grow good tomato seedlings, you need to follow the following parameters: temperature; light; moisture. Temperature As soon as shoots appear, the film is removed and the boxes are placed in a bright and cool place with a temperature of + 14-16 ° C. In the first 10-14 days, the seedlings grow roots, and the aerial part practically does not develop. This is a feature of tomatoes and nothing needs to be done here. After a certain amount of time, the seedlings will begin to grow. As soon as growth begins, the daytime temperature is increased to 20°C, and the night temperature is maintained at the same level (15-17°C). Hybrids after germination need a higher temperature (+ 18-19 °). If they are placed in the same conditions as varietal tomatoes, they will wither, not grow. After 2 weeks, they also need to increase the daytime temperature to 20-22 ° C. If this is not possible, then the hybrids will develop more slowly, the first flower brush will appear in them later and the yield will be lower. In general, you need to take the warmest window sill for growing hybrids, take care of them better than the rest of the seedlings, only then they will give a full harvest. On warm days, the seedlings are taken out to the balcony, and at night the windows are opened to lower the temperature. Whoever has the opportunity, on sunny days, tomatoes are put in a greenhouse if the temperature there is not lower than + 15-17 ° C. Such temperatures harden plants well, make them stronger, and, in the future, their yield is higher. Lighting Tomato seedlings must be highlighted, especially late varieties that are sown earlier. The lighting period should be at least 14 hours per day. With a lack of light, the seedlings are strongly drawn out, becoming long and fragile. In cloudy weather, the illumination of plants is increased by 1-2 hours compared to sunny days, and the temperature is reduced to 13-14 ° C, otherwise the tomatoes are strongly drawn out. Watering Tomatoes should be watered very sparingly. Watering is carried out as the soil dries up and only with settled water. Unsettled tap water forms a bacterial-lime deposit on the soil, which tomatoes do not like very much. On the initial stage each plant needs only 1 teaspoon of water, watering is increased as it grows. The soil in the seedling box should not be too wet or too dry. Watering should be plentiful so that the soil is sufficiently saturated with moisture, and the next watering is carried out only after the earthen coma has dried. Usually, tomatoes are watered no more than once a week, but here they are guided by individual growing conditions. If the plants are wilted, then they must be watered without waiting for a week to pass. Waterlogging, combined with high temperature and poor lighting, causes a strong stretching of the tomatoes. Seedling picking When the tomato seedlings have 2-3 true leaves, a pick is carried out. For picking, prepare pots with a volume of at least 1 liter, fill them with earth by 3/4, water and compact. Make a deepening, dig up the seedling with a teaspoon and plant it in a pot. When picking, the tomatoes are planted a little deeper than they grew earlier, sprinkling the stem with earth to the cotyledon leaves. Strongly elongated seedlings fall asleep to the first true leaves. Seedlings are held by the leaves, if you hold it by a thin stalk, it will break. Tomatoes tolerate picking well. If the sucking roots are damaged, they quickly recover and grow thicker. The roots must not be allowed to bend upward, otherwise the seedlings will develop poorly. After picking, the ground is well watered, and the tomatoes themselves are shaded for 1-2 days, so that the evaporation of water from the leaves is less intense. How to feed tomato seedlings Top dressing is carried out 5-7 days after picking. Previously, top dressing is not recommended, since the soil was filled with ash, which contains all the necessary elements for seed growth. If the seedlings are grown on a purchased soil mixture, then top dressing is all the more unnecessary. After 14-16 days from germination, tomatoes begin to actively grow leaves, and at this time they need to be fed. Top dressing should contain not only nitrogen, but also phosphorus and trace elements, so it is advisable to use a universal fertilizer. During this period, you can feed the tomatoes with fertilizer for indoor plants. She gives excellent results. It is impossible to feed tomato seedlings with nitrogen alone. Firstly, for relatively small plants it is difficult to calculate the required dose. Secondly, nitrogen causes increased growth, which, with a limited amount of land and in conditions of lack of light, leads to a strong stretching and thinning of plants. Subsequent top dressing is carried out after 12-14 days. Seedlings of late and mid-season varieties are fed 3-4 times before planting in the ground. For early ripe varieties, 1, maximum two dressings are enough. For hybrids, the number of top dressings is increased by 2 for each type of seedling. If the land is purchased, then it is sufficiently seasoned with fertilizers and when growing tomatoes on such soils, they do not carry out top dressing. The exception is hybrids. They consume nutrients more intensively and before planting, it is necessary to carry out 1-2 top dressing, in whatever soil they are grown. Seedling care after picking After picking, the seedlings are placed on the windowsills as freely as possible. If it is crowded, then it does not develop well. In densely spaced seedlings, the illumination decreases and it stretches. 2 weeks before planting tomatoes, they are hardened To do this, seedlings, even on cold days (temperature not lower than 11-12 ° C), are taken out to the balcony or open air. At night, the temperature is reduced to 13-15°C. For hardening of hybrids, the temperature should be 2-3 ° C higher, it is gradually lowered. For hardening, pots with hybrids are first placed against the glass itself, where the temperature is always lower. After a few days, if the batteries are regulated, they are closed for a few hours; if not regulated, then open a balcony or window. At the final stage of hardening, seedlings of hybrids are taken out to the balcony for the whole day. If tomato seedlings cannot be taken out onto the balcony, then they are sprayed daily with cold water for hardening. Main reasons for failure Seedlings of tomatoes are strongly drawn out. There are several reasons: not enough light, early planting, excess nitrogen fertilizers. Seedlings always stretch with a lack of light. She needs to be illuminated. If this is not possible, then a mirror or foil is placed behind the seedlings, then the illumination of the tomatoes increases greatly, and they stretch less. Nitrogen is not needed, this causes rapid growth of the tops, and in conditions of insufficient illumination (and there is always not enough light in the room, no matter how you light up the seedlings), they are strongly drawn out. Too early sowing of seeds. Even normally developing seedlings stretch when planted early. After 60-70 days, the plants become crowded in pots and containers, they need to develop further, and in conditions of limited nutritional area and tightness on the windowsill, they have one way out - to grow up. All these factors, both individually and together, cause seedlings to stretch. Tomatoes stretch even more if excessive watering and a high temperature of seedling maintenance are added. The seeds don't germinate. If the seed good quality, then there are no shoots due to low soil temperature. This is especially important for hybrids. They germinate at a temperature of 28-30°C. Therefore, to speed up the emergence of seedlings, containers with sown tomatoes are placed on a battery. Tomatoes don't grow well. They are too cold. For varietal tomatoes, for normal growth, a temperature of 18-20 ° C is required, for hybrids - 22-23 ° C. Hybrids can also grow at 20°C, but more slowly, and, accordingly, will start fruiting later. Yellowing of leaves. Usually the leaves turn yellow in tomatoes grown in close quarters. When the seedlings are large, there is not enough light on the cramped windowsill, and the plants shed excess leaves. In such conditions, all attention is paid to the top of the stem, the bushes try to outgrow their competitors in order to have more comfortable conditions. When the leaves turn yellow, the seedlings are arranged more freely and the air temperature is reduced. If the leaves are small, turn yellow, and the veins remain green or slightly reddish, this is a lack of nitrogen. Feed with a complete mineral fertilizer. It is not necessary to feed with nitrogen alone, otherwise the tomatoes will stretch. Feeding area limitation. The tomatoes are already cramped in the container, the roots have braided the entire earthen ball and further growth stops. Transplant seedlings into a larger pot. leaf curl. Sudden and significant changes in temperature. When growing a tomato, a sharp increase in air temperature should be avoided. Seedling feeding area is limited and roots cannot support all leaves in hot weather. The same thing happens with a sharp cold snap, but this is much less common at home. Blackleg.. It affects all kinds of plants. The disease is spreading rapidly in a short time can destroy the entire seedling. The stalk at the level of the soil turns black, becomes thinner, dries up, the plant falls and dies. Infected plants are removed immediately. The soil is watered with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, Fitosporin, Alirin. After that, the tomatoes do not need to be watered for a week, the soil should dry out. Growing seedlings at home is troublesome, but otherwise it will not work, especially in the northern regions and the middle lane.

Tomatoes are one of the most popular and sought after vegetable crops. Many gardeners try to grow this crop themselves, but not everyone has an idea about how to plant tomatoes for seedlings. This is a very long process, in which it is important to comply with agrotechnical standards of care and carry out timely procedures (watering, fertilizing, picking, etc.). We will tell you more about each stage of planting and growing tomato seedlings in this article.

To get a bountiful harvest of tasty and fragrant fruits, you should try by going through the following steps:

1. Tomato variety selection and seed selection.
2. Choosing the right container for planting.
3. Soil preparation.
4. Preparing seeds for planting.
5. Proper sowing of seeds.
6. Seedling diving.
7. Preparing seedlings for planting in a permanent place.

Selection and preparation of seeds

Seed selection is an important step. Even knowing how to plant tomatoes for seedlings, you can get high-quality seedlings only when the tomato seeds are of good quality. The success of planting depends, first of all, on the correct and reasonable choice of variety. We need to weigh all the pros and cons.

Tomato varieties must be selected according to the following criteria:

1. growing region. To date, varieties of tomatoes are very diverse. There are sun- and heat-loving tomatoes that will die in cold, damp conditions. And there are varieties that love coolness and moisture, so they will develop poorly in the climate of the southern regions. On the market, you can pick up varieties for almost any region. The choice is huge.
2. Open ground or greenhouse? Immediately you need to decide where the tomatoes will be grown. As a rule, greenhouse tomatoes are more demanding: they need to create the right microclimate, comfortable temperature and provide regular care. But for this they give the gardener a rich harvest of beautiful fruits. Tomatoes grown in the garden are less capricious in care, more resistant to temperature extremes. Their fruits are fragrant and tasty. True, they bear fruit later, and their appearance often inferior to greenhouse tomatoes.
3. Appearance of fruits. Taste is important, but external characteristics must also be remembered. There are special varieties for salting and conservation. Their skin is dense, the fruits are very elongated, medium in size. There are salad (table) tomatoes. They are large, their flesh is juicy, sugary and aromatic. And there are varieties with small rounded fruits that decorate table dishes. Color is also an important characteristic. There are varieties with black, purple, green and yellow fruits.
4. Bush height. This criterion is practical. On the open field taller bushes need more intensive care. In order to save space and money, they are best grown in greenhouses. They are easier to harvest. Medium to low growing tomatoes are ideal for growing outdoors. Unlike tall bushes, they do not need pinching, pinching, protecting from the wind and making hanging structures for tying up to 3 m high.

Processing and preparing seeds for planting

Before sowing seeds at home, planting material must be processed. This is done for the purpose of disinfection and in order to improve the quality of seedlings. But first, they must be selected. Small and damaged seeds are not suitable for planting.

Salt is dissolved in water, the seeds are dipped in this solution, mixed thoroughly. Let them stand in it for 5-7 minutes. Those that float to the surface should be removed. The remaining seeds (those at the bottom) are washed with clean water and dried, and then placed in gauze.

Disinfection of seeds occurs as follows: prepare a 0.8% solution of acetic acid. The seeds are dipped there for a day. For the prevention of viral diseases, a 1% solution of potassium permanganate is used. The seeds should be in it for about 20-30 minutes.

Or they can be soaked for 1-2 days in a solution of aloe juice. Bushes grown from such seeds have high immunity, good yields and tasty fruits. After processing, planting material is washed with clean water.

You can speed up the onset of fruiting by soaking the seeds for a day in a soda solution (1 g of the substance per 200 ml of water). To increase productivity, they can also be dipped for a day in a 4% solution of ammonium nitrate.

You can improve the germination of seeds with ordinary water. Within 2-3 hours they are heated with hot water. It is most convenient to lower the gauze bags with seeds into a thermos. After that, they are kept for two to three days at a temperature of +25 degrees.

The gauze must be damp. During this time, the seeds peck. Then they are planted in the soil, and after 2 days shoots appear. However, at first, germinated seeds can be placed in the refrigerator for a day to harden them and facilitate the acclimatization of seedlings when transplanted into open ground.

Instead of the solutions listed above, complex growth stimulants are used. They activate the growth of seeds, disinfect them, improve the taste and nutritional value of fruits. Seeds are kept in solution for 6 hours. The temperature of the liquid should be 18 degrees Celsius. After processing, they should be dried.

Soil preparation

Before you sow the seeds at home, you should prepare the soil. The land must have the following characteristics:

• light composition;
• water permeability;
• breathability;
• lack of weeds;
• looseness;
• the presence of nutrients and organic elements;
• acidity in the range of 5.5-6.0 pH.

The substrate is best prepared by hand. There are several options. The first involves mixing garden soil, humus, black or pressed peat in a ratio of 1:1:1. Wood ash (0.5 kg per bucket of substrate) and superphosphate (2 matchboxes per 1 bucket) are used as fertilizers. The soil must be moistened with water.

The second option differs from the first one in one component. Garden soil is mixed with black or pressed peat, river sand is used instead of humus (components are taken in equal proportions). The fertilizer is prepared in the form of a liquid solution: 20 g of potassium sulfate, 30 g of superphosphate and 10 g of carbamide per 10 liters of water.

Seedlings can be planted in peat tablets. In each peat tablet with a diameter of 3.3-3.6 cm, 2 seeds are planted. After the formation of roots, the plant is transplanted into a container with a volume of 0.5 liters.

At home, you can also use ready-made soil mixtures purchased at the store. This is very convenient, especially if tomato seedlings are grown in an apartment. The soil already has all the necessary substances, it remains only to find a container, moisten the mixture and plant the seeds correctly.

Capacity selection

In what containers can you plant tomato seeds? On the market today there is a huge range of containers for growing tomatoes. You can buy ordinary plastic pots, peat tablets and cups, wooden boxes, snails, etc.

But the capacity can be easily found in your own household, you can create it yourself. For example, at home, you can put together a box from unnecessary boards, and “snails” and “diapers” are created from dense polyethylene.

The container can even serve carton boxes, plastic cups for yogurt, cottage cheese, pastries and cakes - any container that can be found in the house. The exception is metal utensils. It is not recommended to grow tomato seedlings in them.

Before planting tomatoes for seedlings, the container must be disinfected. This applies even to new purchased cups and pots. The container is dipped in a strong solution of manganese for several minutes, and then allowed to dry. At the bottom of the container, it is necessary to lay out a layer of drainage (crushed shells or small gravel will do).

Landing instructions

Proper planting of seeds at home implies, first of all, compliance with the sowing dates. Sowing seeds of late-ripening and tall varieties takes place in the second half of February (from the 15th to the 25th). Seedlings at the age of 70-80 days in early May (1-10 days) are planted in a greenhouse.

Mid-season varieties are sown on March 5-10, seedlings at the age of 60-65 days are transplanted to a permanent place on May 10-20. Early ripe tomatoes are sown between March 15 and 25. Ripe seedlings aged 55-60 days are planted in open ground on June 5-10.

How to plant tomatoes for seedlings? Sowing dry or swollen seeds is somewhat easier than sprouting. Planting seeds in a box or other large containers is carried out by the method of ditches.

Furrows 1-1.5 cm deep are made with any suitable object on the soil, the distance between the grooves is 3-4 cm. Seeds are planted every 2-2.5 cm. After that, they are added dropwise with earth. Planting too thickly will cause seedlings to grow weak due to lack of nutrients. Before this procedure, the soil should be watered.

If the seeds were germinated in advance, then planting is best done with tweezers. Each seed is lowered into the soil strictly vertically, sprouts up. Then the seeds are sprinkled with soil, but do not press down with earth. After that, the soil must be moistened from the sprayer (it should settle).

After sowing the seeds, the container is covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm, bright place. The air temperature should be around 22-23 degrees. After the appearance of green shoots (this happens about 5-10 days after planting), the film is removed so that the seedlings do not grow.

The container itself is placed in a cooler place for 5-6 days (not higher than 15-16 degrees Celsius). A week later, the strengthened shoots are again moved to a warm place. The temperature during the day should be 24 degrees, and at night - 12 degrees.

seedling care

picking

If tomatoes grow in one container, then at the stage of two or three true leaves they should be dived into separate containers with a volume of 0.5 liters. They can also be transplanted into separate cups with holes for drainage. Tomatoes tolerate transplanting to a new place well.

The dive stage has two positive moments: Firstly, this procedure hardens the seedlings. She becomes stronger and squat. Secondly, picking makes it possible to slightly reduce the growth of elongated seedlings. To do this, seedlings are deepened into the soil by cotyledon leaves.

Before picking, seedlings are watered with warm water. Cups are prepared: moist soil is poured into them, the earth is rammed, and a recess is made in the center.

Seedlings are carefully removed, the main root is pinched by a third. Weak or damaged seedlings must be removed from the garden. The plant is lowered into a recess and sprinkled with earth. For 3-4 days, the air temperature is increased by several degrees, and after acclimatization it is again lowered to the previous one. In this short period, the lighting should not be so intense.

Watering

Seedlings should be watered as needed. It's very easy to overdo it, the roots are on early stages are easily rotten. If the soil holds moisture well, then it is better to postpone watering until the first true leaf appears. If the substrate is dry, then the seedlings are moistened with a spray gun. It is convenient to water the seedlings with a teaspoon.

After the appearance of the first true leaves, the seedlings are watered once a week. During the period when the plant has developed five true leaves, the earth is moistened every 3-4 days. Seedlings are watered with warm settled water, the temperature of which is several degrees higher than room temperature. By the way, the room should be ventilated 2 times a day.

Lighting

Tomatoes need good lighting. In low light conditions, seedlings stretch out, become frail and weak. Light day for seedlings should last at least 12 hours.

It follows that they need to provide additional lighting. And in the first few days after sowing artificial lighting should work around the clock. The best decision- Fluorescent Lamp. It is placed at a height of 20-25 cm above the seedlings.

top dressing

If all agrotechnical standards were observed during planting, if the seeds are of high quality, then the seedlings can not be fed. Do seedlings need fertilizer? The answer will be the appearance.

Plants with a strong thick stem and juicy bright green leaves do not need fertilizer. If you still have doubts, then it is better to feed the seedlings. In any case, fertilizer will not be superfluous.

The first time fertilizers are applied 10 days after picking. For 10 liters of water, take 30 g of superphosphate, 3 g of urea and 10 g of potassium sulfate. Two weeks later, a similar top dressing is carried out. Ready-made fertilizer can be purchased at the store. Follow the dosage carefully. After each feeding, the seedlings are watered, and the soil is loosened.

How to determine the quality of seedlings?

The leaves of properly grown seedlings should be green, juicy, without spots and plaque. The development of a weak plant is slow, the seed coat is not always shed. The seedling has irregular shape, the edges of the leaves are wrapped.

But at the same time, the reason for late germination may be different. For example, a seed was sown at a greater depth than it should be. And the plant does not shed the seed coat due to loose soil. Therefore, to determine weak seedlings, all seeds must be planted at the same depth, and the soil should be compacted.

Tomato seedlings can also be bought on the market, but the best seedlings there will be one that is grown with your own hands at home.

In our country, tomatoes are the most popular crop. These fruits are tasty, nutritious, fortified and indispensable for cooking many dishes. So how do apartment conditions differ from an ordinary greenhouse? Why is it more difficult to grow in the first case, and what should be taken into account? Wouldn't homemade tomato seedlings be worse than those that can be purchased on the market? Rather, the opposite is true. You will be surprised how healthy and strong such seedlings will turn out, and how environmentally friendly and tasty the harvest will be. Ready to figure it all out and master a new skill?

Choosing seeds and preparing the substrate

So, planting tomatoes for seedlings begins with the selection of seeds. Foreign brands always seem to us better in some way - but this does not always really apply to planting material. The fact is that the seeds are prepared specifically for certain regions, with their climate and traditional growing technology. Specifically, for home cultivation, it is better to take such varieties today as Ilyinichny, Russian Garden, SeDeka. Buy seeds in stores so-called "zoned". Plant 4-5 varieties at once - you will immediately see which are the best, which are not.

You do not need to pickle these seeds - they are already pickled. But if you have collected material from your own garden, be sure to process it in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate - about half an hour. For convenience, wrap in cotton pads. After that, wash well before sowing - in several waters.

As for soaking seeds before planting, two points can be noted here: unprepared seeds can produce 70% less seedlings than germinated ones, but, on the other hand, many believe that if dry seeds cannot germinate in the ground themselves - viability and productivity a certain variety is questionable.

But the seedlings are not particularly demanding on the soil - they tolerate the dryness of the earth and air well, do not die without fertilizers and can easily grow even in acidic soil. That is why it is not at all difficult to grow it in an apartment - dry air is only good. Therefore, if you are planning to grow at home, then prepare the substrate yourself (earth + loam + humus + compost) or buy peat soil. In any case, the earth will have to be steamed, wherever you take it. The fact is that home seedlings are an ideal place for the development of fungi, even completely harmless ones in a greenhouse or garden. And never take land from flower beds or a vegetable garden - nothing sensible will grow here. Take sod land from a site where perennial grasses have been growing for at least 5 years, and take humus at the age of three.

So, when to plant tomato seedlings for open ground and for a greenhouse? It all depends on the variety and on what conditions you can provide for it: will the greenhouse be heated, or will you make it under open sky warm beds. In any case, already in the second half of March, you can plant it in protected soil.

We process and germinate seeds

But before planting seeds begins, soak them in a special solution. Add one of the following per liter of water:

• 1 teaspoon wood ash
• 1 teaspoon nitrophoska
• 2 grams "Bud"
• 1 teaspoon "Effekton"
• 1 ml of the drug "Epin"
• 1 teaspoon Agricola vegeta fertilizer.
• 1 teaspoon "Drops".

Soak the seeds in cloth bags and for a whole day - so that the temperature of the solution is not below 20 ° C. Immediately after that, place the still wet bag in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for another two days - this will harden the seeds well. Sow them chilled directly into the soil - shoots will be friendly and fast.

Popular mistakes of summer residents-beginners

So, at home, you need to start growing seedlings a little later than in a greenhouse. The fact is that in an ordinary apartment or house it is always darker and hotter than in sheltered ground. Even on the windowsill you can’t grow it just like that - it will “toil” if you sow it too early.

Large tomato seeds are conveniently sown with tweezers. Lay them one at a time on compacted soil, and attach a tag to each groove with the name of the variety. Sprinkle 1 cm of soil on top, water and cover the crops with foil. The optimum temperature for seedlings is + 20 ° С. As soon as you see shoots, transfer to the windowsill and remove the film.

When growing, the most important thing is to avoid common beginner mistakes:

• Varieties were chosen such that they are not resistant to stretching (they "turn their heads" at home).
• Not followed to the end temperature regime and humidity level.
• The seeds were planted too early.
• Too abundant watering.
• The soil was of poor quality.
• Seedlings were not hardened at all when transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground.

And the most unfavorable conditions for growing are waterlogging of the soil, heat and low light. This can be indicated by such signs: thin elongated stems, fragile leaves and fallen buds.

It is especially convenient to grow seedlings in peat tablets - it turns out to be of high quality and she does not need a pick. Get those that are about 33-36 mm in diameter, and plant 2-4 seeds in each such. Weak sprouts then just pinch. When the sprouts have a lot of roots, transplant directly with a peat tablet into another container - about 0.5 liters. Further - everything is the same as with ordinary home cultivation, only picking is no longer needed.

How to dive home seedlings?

Do not feed seedlings before picking - just water. Dive in the phase of two leaves. When the time comes, transplant the tomatoes one at a time into your individual containers. Bury to cotyledon leaves. At the same time, add one tablespoon of Signor Tomato mineral fertilizers to the soil. After two weeks, feed the usual complex.

For everything to go well, prepare individual containers for young plants - plastic cups of 0.5 liters are better. If you take a smaller volume, you will have to dive twice. In general, the process itself can be done in two ways:

1. We plant one plant at a time, and then we end up with good seedlings with a strong root system.
2. We plant two plants in one pot, and as a result has two root systems. As soon as the seedlings reach 10-15 cm of growth, we tightly tie their stems with a nylon thread. As soon as they grow together (and they grow together), carefully pinch the top of the weaker one. The result is one bush with a powerful stem and a rich harvest. For tall varieties - what you need.

10-12 days before planting, be sure to harden the seedlings - at least by an elementary decrease in temperature from 18-20 ° C to 14-16 ° C. And 4-5 days before disembarkation, take it out into the open air for 2-3 hours, and on the last day - already for a day. The lower temperature affects the sprouts in such a way that their physiological properties even change, and the tomato becomes completely ready with completely different growing conditions.

When to plant tomatoes in the garden?

So, here we figured out how to properly grow tomato seedlings at home. But how to understand that she is already ready for planting? According to such physiological signs:

• Internodes are short.
• The stem is thick, and not more than 30 cm high.
• Each plant has 6-7 leaves.
• Flower brushes - one for mid- and late-ripening varieties, and one or two for early-ripening.

Growing seedlings on your windowsill, you know exactly what it is, how it was poisoned, what kind of variety and whether it is intended for a particular area. You know what to expect and even accurately calculate the future harvest and its quality. And this is a real entrepreneurial activity!

Tomato, or tomato, is a plant from the Solanaceae family native to South America. Europeans got to know him only after the discovery of the New World, and the tomato, like everything new, took root quite hard and for a long time. Despite this, today the tomato is one of the most popular and sought-after vegetables all over the world. It's hard to imagine any of national cuisines where the tomato would not be used. Some dishes cannot be imagined without tomatoes - just remember Ukrainian borscht, Italian pizza, Mexican chili, American ketchup and much more.

An important condition for obtaining a plentiful and high-quality harvest is proper fit seedling tomato. Only a strong and healthy one will quickly and easily take root in the ground or in a greenhouse, will actively bloom and set large and tasty fruits.

In order for tomato seedlings at home to be healthy and of high quality, you need to follow simple, but very important rules:

• The correct timing of sowing tomato seeds for seedlings.
• Maintaining the temperature regime.
• stable water balance.
• Proper selection of soil.
• Selection of varieties for open ground and greenhouses.
• Proper planting of tomatoes in the ground.

When to sow tomatoes for seedlings according to the growing season?

Tomatoes are early, medium ripening and late. Between these three varieties there are intermediate ones with a difference in ripening of 5-15 days, but basically this division is competent and correct.

• Early tomato varieties have the shortest growing season from sowing to flowering, therefore, they bring the earliest and most valuable harvest. early seedling tomato lets get delicious fresh vegetables but requires more attention and effort to grow.
• Varieties of medium fruiting periods produce fruits at the height of the season, they are the most delicious and healthy. The growing season is longer than early tomatoes.
• Late tomatoes bear fruit from the second half of summer until late autumn; in warm weather, tomatoes remain fresh on the bushes until frost. These tomatoes have the longest growing season.

Usually, early tomatoes are a pleasant delicacy to the table after a long winter, mid-ripening ones accompany food throughout the season, and late ones go for conservation and processing.

When is the best time to plant tomato seedlings?

For growing seedlings of tomatoes on the windowsill, it is most suitable early varieties, as they need to be sown for seedlings in early spring, in order to be planted in the ground after the end of the return frosts.

If it is too early to plant tomatoes for seedlings, it will quickly grow and form, and weather conditions will not allow planting in the ground or under a film. Such seedlings will stretch out, become fragile, pale and painful, will hardly take root in the ground and bear fruit poorly.
Sow late - get a small seedling that has not taken shape. The timing of planting seeds depends on the weather conditions of the area where it is planned to grow seedlings, usually it takes 1.5-2.5 months to grow tomato seedlings.

According to the type of growth, all tomatoes are divided into two large groups:

1. Indeterminate (strong).

For growing in greenhouses, tall and vigorous tomato varieties are usually selected, as they are most productive in greenhouse conditions and give a large yield.
If you plan to grow tomatoes in open ground, you can grow good tomato seedlings from low-growing varieties, they are less threatened by the danger of stretching and overgrowing. Such plants form squat, strong bushes that often do not need further tying to a trellis or stakes.

How to plant tomato seedlings indoors?

To get good seedlings, you need to choose healthy planting material, choose the right soil and containers for planting, observe the correct temperature and watering.

Healthy calibrated seeds are chosen for planting, frail and damaged ones are thrown away. There are two ways of sowing seeds - in a common container with subsequent picking and immediately in individual cups.

Since tomatoes tolerate picking and transplanting well, in order to save money and area, you can sow tomatoes in boxes or other suitable containers. Subsequently, the seedlings dive for the first time, seated at a greater distance, and then transplanted into separate containers, where the seedlings remain until planting in the ground.
In the second variant, the seeds are sown 2-3 in pots or cups, weaker plants are subsequently simply pulled out. This method is more expensive, landings will take up a significant area, a large number of seedlings cannot be grown in an apartment.

As a container for planting seedlings, you can use almost any non-soaking container. Amateur gardeners successfully use wooden and even cardboard boxes lined with plastic wrap, disposable plastic or paper cups, sour cream and yogurt containers, juice boxes or milk bags. For used containers, thorough cleaning of the remnants of the contents is important, otherwise it can rot, infect the ground and destroy the seedlings.

When deciding how to properly grow tomato seedlings, you need to remember that this plant is very demanding on room temperature, lighting and watering. Humid air is harmful to tomatoes, so when we plant tomato seedlings, it is important to regularly ventilate the room where they grow, avoiding strong temperature changes and drafts that are detrimental to this plant. It is not necessary to spray crops with water, they can easily get sick and die.

Tomatoes are sown in trays or boxes, lightly sprinkled with a sifted nutrient mixture and sprayed abundantly, covering with a film. Air humidity is needed only until the seeds germinate, and then the film is removed.

The land for tomato seedlings should not be too acidic, that is, pure peat is absolutely not suitable for this plant. At home, it is easiest to clean from diseases and pests by freezing. To do this, a bag or box with earth is left on outdoors where frosts will quickly kill everything harmful to seedlings. The container with the earth must be covered from precipitation, which can wash out nutrients from the soil.

Healthy seeds peck and germinate very quickly and within 2-5 days first “loops” appear from the soil, and then full-fledged cotyledon leaves. At this time, the temperature in the room should not fall below 25 degrees, and then it is slightly gradually lowered. Low temperatures are dangerous for this plant, already at 10 degrees, serious damage begins - it turns yellow, buds and ovaries fall, growth stops.

In order for tomato seedlings on the windowsill to be strong and green, it needs a lot of light. With a lack of natural light, landing will have to, sometimes it needs to be done around the clock. Tomatoes must be provided with stable and uniform watering without waterlogging and drying, which are equally detrimental to the plant.

The grown seedlings of the tomato are dived for the first time, and after the appearance of a pair of true leaves, the second picking is carried out in seedling cups. When performing this operation, young plants are carefully buried along the cotyledon leaves. It is not worth damaging or even cutting off the cotyledons - they are a source of nutrients for a plant that has begun to develop. Subsequently, they will fall off on their own when they are no longer needed.

With the help of picking, you can slightly reduce the effect of stretching the plant in the early stages - deepening the seedling and adding light, you can make the seedlings stronger and healthier. The part of the stem, which, after picking, will be in the ground, will give roots and will additionally nourish the plant. In order for the pickled seedlings to take root quickly and without loss, the soil must be warm enough, and the watering should be uniform without flooding. If we properly plant tomato seedlings, we end up with plants with a strong, stable stem, juicy green leaves and an overall healthy appearance.

The question often arises: how to feed tomato seedlings?
During the growth period, plants need complex fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen and the obligatory content of trace elements. The grown seedlings need more potassium, with a lack of this element, the plant becomes covered with spots, stretches, turns pale and falls ill.

Properly grown tomato seedlings quickly take root in the ground, form a strong green plant, begin to bloom and bear fruit at the time set for this variety.

Growing tomato seedlings at home (video)