Growing tomato seedlings at home: rules of care after germination

So, you are interested in the question of the correct cultivation of tomato seedlings at home.

Let's say that you have already planted seeds tomatoes in seed containers and wait for shoots. Or you have already waited and want to know what to do next, how to care for young seedlings in order to grow strong tomato seedlings. So this material is for you.

However, even if you only preparing or about to sow, then in this article you will also find all the necessary information on the correct planting of tomato seeds for seedlings.

Well, to the point!

How to pick a good tomato variety

If you are still undecided on the choice of a suitable variety, then now is the time. The variety of hybrids that exist today, their colors and shapes will definitely not leave you indifferent. The main thing is to be open to new things and do not be afraid to grow interesting varieties of tomatoes!

Note! The site already has a number of detailed review articles on the most popular and best varieties of tomatoes:

• The best varieties for outdoor cultivation.
• For growing in a greenhouse.
• Indeterminate (tall) varieties.
• Determinant varieties.
• Lowest (superdeterminate) varieties.
• Varieties with black (brown) fruits.
• With pink and raspberry fruits.
• With yellow and orange fruits.
• Cherry tomatoes.

How to plant tomatoes for seedlings: a selection of materials

Let's say that you have selected and purchased a suitable strain. Then the sequence is as follows:

• determine the timing of sowing;
• carry out pre-sowing seed preparation;
• choose planting containers and buy (prepare) soil;
• directly sow the seeds correctly.

When to Sow Seeds: Optimal Sowing Times

The issue that worries absolutely all newcomers requires special attention. However, it is not so difficult to decide and calculate the term. The main thing is to weigh everything carefully.

Advice! The site already has a detailed article about how to correctly calculate the timing of sowing tomatoes for seedlings, including indicated favorable days for planting in 2020, according to the lunar calendar.

Seed preparation for sowing seedlings

An important component of the correct planting of tomato seeds is their pre-sowing preparation and processing, about the subtleties and methods of which You can find out from this maximally detailed article.

How to sow seeds for seedlings correctly

And now the moment has come when it is time to sow seeds for seedlings. Everything is ready. What's next? In what containers, in what soil, to what depth and at what distance?

Note! About, how to sow tomatoes for seedlings correctly, very detailedin this material.

How to grow tomato seedlings at home: secrets and rules for caring for seedlings before planting in the ground

Still, most likely you're here for this paragraph.

Obviously, the future development of seedlings depends entirely on proper care. In order for the seedlings to grow strong, it is worth taking into account the basic conditions for their further maintenance and cultivation.

So, after sowing, it is necessary to periodically check the moisture content of the substrate, ventilate the containers and remove condensation from the lid with a paper towel.

As soon as friendly shoots appear, and this takes on average 4-10 days (depending on whether you planted already germinated, processed or dry seeds), the containers should be rearranged on a light windowsill and the temperature regime should be lowered.

By the way! Some gardeners believe that after the emergence of seedlings, they should be adapted and only then removed the shelter. To do this, you must first open the container with crops for 40-60 minutes and every day increase this gap by 2 times. That is, about a week after the start of the procedure, the seedlings can already be fully opened.

Temperature regime

After the first shoots appear and the cover is removed, it is necessary lower the temperature seedlings maintenance up to + 14-18 degrees during the day and + 10-14 at night for 5-7 days. Such a measure will reduce active growth of green mass (seedlings will not stretch) and will give an opportunity develop roots.

You can regulate the temperature using a window and a curtain, which should be used to close the window in order to create a special microclimate on the windowsill that differs from the room climate. And closer to April-May, the seedlings can already be taken out for the night on a balcony or loggia.

In the future, for the normal growth of tomato seedlings, you will need to create temperature difference: in the daytime - + 22-26 degrees, at night - + 14-18 degrees.

Temperature differences contribute to hardening of plants, which means that your seedlings will grow strong and healthy.

Lighting

For full growth and development of tomato seedlings, it takes 12 hours daylight hours.

The most suitable place for planting seedlings will be the southern windowsill. The east or west is also suitable, and even better if it is southeast or southwest.

Advice! If the weather is changeable, it is either sunny or cloudy, so that the seedlings do not stretch out, you need to lower the temperature during the day, for example, by opening the window.

Advice! Every other day follows rotate seedlings the other side to the window so that the plants do not bend to one side.

If you only have north windowsill or you often have cloudy weather, then you will definitely need illuminate seedlings with special phytolamps.

Important! With a lack of light, the seedlings will begin to stretch, and the shade of the leaves will turn light green, which will significantly weaken the immunity of the plants.

Watering and moisture

Watering tomato seedlings should be carried out as the substrate dries, avoiding overflow and drying of the roots. Moisturize carefully, especially the soil, avoiding moisture on foliage... In this case, you need to water abundantly, so that the whole earthen lump had time to soak.

Water should be warm or at least room temperature, in advance defended (or filtered).

Note! Waterlogging of the soil in combination with insufficient illumination and increased temperature leads to a strong elongation of plant stems.

Concerning watering frequency, then it is rather difficult to give specific advice, because it depends on the volume of the container, the ambient temperature, the age and size of the plants.

But the approximate recommendations are as follows: in the phase up to 3-4 true leaves water the seedlings a little less often, about 1 time in 5-7 days, and already with 5-6 leaves — Two times per week... Shortly before landing in a permanent place, you will have to water almost every day.

Video: tomato seedlings - avoiding seedlings before picking

Picking

Important! Seedlings of tomatoes (as opposed to peppers and eggplant and even more so cucumbers) tolerates picking very well.

“When to dive tomatoes?” Is the next most exciting question.

As a rule, it takes about 3 weeks on average for the seedlings to grow the necessary 2-3 true leaves. It is then that the time comes to transplant seedlings into more spacious containers.

So, how do you make a pick correctly?

By the way! More details about picking tomato seedlings read inthis article!

• The day before the expected transplant date, seedlings should be shed abundantly in order to subsequently safely transplant seedlings with earthen clods.

• The container volume must be at least 0.5 liters.
• Fill with exactly the same substrate as when sowing seeds.
• In the center of the cup, make a depression to fit the size of the plant's root system.
• Gently remove the seedlings with a clod of soil using a spoon or stick (optionally, a plastic fork), taking care not to damage the roots.

By the way! Some gardeners recommend pinching the central root so that the side ones begin to grow better. In other words, there is nothing wrong with exposing the roots.

• Lower the plant into the ground, deepening it to the cotyledons, and carefully sprinkle it with earth, compacting it at the base.

• Water so that there is good contact between the roots and the soil.
• Then shade the cut seedlings for a couple of days from direct sunlight.

Note! After the pick, the growth of seedlings will stop for an average of a week, which is a normal reaction to the stress received.

To reduce stress after a dive you can spray the seedlings with one of the growth regulators: "Epin" or "Zircon".

Note! The site already has detailed material about when and how to dive tomato seedlings.

Seedling care after picking

Further care for tomato seedlings is similar: you need to continue to maintain the temperature and light conditions, irrigate on time, and also start feeding if necessary.

Video: tomato seedlings - avoiding picking to planting

Top dressing

If you properly prepare the soil, then the seedlings can not be fed at all, especially before the pick. But if initially poor soil was used, then you will not be able to do additional fertilizing. Moreover, if the appearance of the seedlings clearly hints that the plant lacks some macro- or microelements. In this case, it is simply necessary to feed tomato seedlings.

By the way! About, when and how to feed tomatoes during the seedling period read more in this separate article!

Hardening of seedlings before planting in a permanent place in the ground

10-14 days before planting tomato seedlings in a permanent place, it is recommended to start hardening seedlings. This is necessary in order for the seedlings to adapt to more severe outdoor conditions, because before that they grew up in a comfortable home environment.

It is quite simple to do this: you need to gradually start to take out the seedlings to the greenhouse or to the balcony (loggia), where the temperature is lower (both day and night). First, this is done for 1-2 hours in the afternoon, and then it is left for a whole day.

Thanks to hardening, the seedlings will become noticeably stronger and more stable, which means that they can easily take root in a new place.

Problems and diseases of tomato seedlings

Growing tomato seedlings is painstaking work, the result of which can be jeopardized by trivial mistakes in care.

There are a number of problems and diseases of seedlings that can negate all the efforts of the gardener:

• Blackleg characterized by blackening of the stem at the base of the seedling; develops with high humidity, thickening of crops against the background of a lack of light, as well as when planting seeds in contaminated soil.

By the way! More about what is black leg and how to avoid this most dangerous seedling disease, readin this article.

• Pulling seedlings... Lack of light, high temperature and waterlogged soil are the main reasons for stretching tomato seedlings (however, like any other).
• Yellowing of leaves seedlings.

By the way! About, what to do if tomato seedlings start to turn yellowand you cannot define the disease, read in this material.

• Leaves and stems seedlings can purchase purple tint.

Advice! The site has a separate article about why the leaves of tomatoes turned purple.

Aboutmajor mistakes when growing seedlings tomatoes you can learn from this video:

When to plant tomato seedlings in open ground and a greenhouse

As for the timing, the planting of tomato seedlings is carried out after the threat of the last spring frosts will pass, and the soil will warm up enough.

Regarding requirements to the appearance of seedlings, then it is considered optimal that by this time the tomato seedlings were about 25-30 cm high and had 6-8 true leaves.

On average, according to statistics, it is possible to plant tomato seedlings in open ground in the South of Russia already in the second half of April, in the Central Lane (Moscow region) - in the second half of May, in the North-West (Leningrad Region) - in late May-early June, as in the Urals and Siberia, i.e. closer to the first days of summer.

Note! About, when and how to plant tomato seedlings in open ground, read in this article.

Naturally, you can plant in the greenhouse earlier, because in it the soil warms up faster.

By the way! The site also has material about when and how to plant tomato seedlings in a greenhouse.

Thus, even a novice gardener can grow tomato seedlings at home.You just need to follow all the rules and recommendations for choosing a variety, pre-sowing seed preparation, planting them, care, which includes suitable conditions (temperature and light conditions), watering, picking, feeding as needed. And remember that strong seedlings are the key to a rich harvest.

Video: how to grow good tomato seedlings