In nature, tomatoes bear fruit only for a short time, and get harvest almost all year round - Tomatoes need to be grown in the greenhouse.
But in order for artificial harvest to be abundant, and the fruits themselves - tasty and juicy, you need to properly prepare seedlings.
Where to get seedlings for tomatoes?
If you have time seedlings for tomatoes can be grown independently - from seeds.
If the sellers can buy seedlings of the most popular varieties, then independently you can even grow exotic varieties. The main thing is to properly observe the technology.
Many gardeners advise soaking the seeds before germination to speed up and simplify the process.
But, as practice shows, the most resistant and fruitful plants - Those who grown from dry seeds. They are less capricious to the conditions of growth.
The soil for seedlings should be loose and always rich in nutrients. Ideally use the soil that is in the greenhouse - so when planting the plant will be easier to adapt to changing conditions.
Get spiked sprouts of tomatoes in 2-3 days quite possible. It is necessary to take cotton fabric, moisten with water, lay out the seeds so that there is a small distance between them. Cover with a damp cloth, put into a tightly closed container. Be sure to air several times a day.
Stubbed seeds with tweezers to land in the ground, keeping distance. Or immediately plant future seedlings in separate cups, immersing the seeds in the ground to a depth of half a centimeter.
If there is no time and conditions for germinating seeds, you can buy ready-made seedlings for tomatoes. But in order for the plants to take root and fruit well, you need to choose the seedlings.
What seedlings to buy not worth:
- seedlings with ovaries and small fruits: while the plant will take root, the fruits really do not grow, and the bush itself will be weak and is unlikely to give a decent harvest;
- too thick stems, large leaves - this option seems attractive. But in fact, such seedlings are highly fertilized with nitrogen - so that they grow faster. It is not worth buying one - all growth will go to the leaves, and the fruits, if they are, are very small;
- yellowed leaves at the bottom of the bush. The seller will convince that this is due to transportation and lack of moisture, but you should not be persuaded to buy half-faded plants in the hope that they will come to life;
- also not worth buying seedlings, which closely - a bush to a bush - planted in a container: when transplanting there is a high probability of damaging the roots, it will take at least a week to recover - during this time it is possible to lose part of the crop.
What seedlings you can buy:
- the thickness of the stem is about a pencil;
- leaves are fresh, whole. Samih leaves - 8-10 pieces;
- the presence of a flower brush.
When to start sowing tomatoes for the greenhouse?
When to plant tomato seedlings for the greenhouse? Planting time seedlings tomato for the greenhouse will depend on whether there is heating in it or not.
Sprouting seedlings for tomatoes lasts about two months. About 52-60 days is required for the seedlings of undersized varieties to become sufficiently strong for planting in the ground. For tall varieties it will take 5-7 days more.
In well heated greenhouse seedlings can be planted all year round - provided that inside air temperature will not fall below 15 degrees.
In an unheated greenhouse Tomato seedlings can be planted not earlier than the beginning of May - an average of 5-7 numbers.
How to take care?
We found out when to plant (sow) tomatoes (tomatoes) on seedlings for the greenhouse, now we will figure out how to grow tomato seedlings. What should be a greenhouse for tomato seedlings (tomatoes)? For plants in the greenhouse necessarily you need to create and maintain certain conditions that are close to natural. This applies to both adult bushes and seedlings.
In the afternoon, bushes will need additional lighting and warming the air, at night - darkness and a decrease in temperature by 5-8 degrees. Perfect option - 20-25 degrees in the afternoon and 16-18 in the dark. If you do not adjust the level of illumination and temperature - the plants will grow unevenly and poorly bear fruit.
The first 20 days the bushes grow very slowly. At this time especially light level is important: if the light is low, the plants will be pulled out, and all forces will go into the growth of shoots and leaves.
Tomato seedlings need to be watered regularly - This plant is very fond of moisture. For seedlings better use boiled waterbecause Bushes are still weak and resistant to diseases. Water temperature is about 20 degrees.. And one more important point: water when watering should not fall on the leavesso that they do not start to rot and deteriorate.
But the high humidity in the greenhouse should be avoided: it can lead to a disease of bushes. Most suitable air humidity level - 60-70%.
The important stage of growing seedlings - feeding. The first dressing should be carried out when the first leaf appears. To get the harvest as early as possible, you need to use foliar feeding.
In the early stages, it is advisable to use potassium monophosphate. in a dosage of not more than 1 tbsp. per 10-liter bucket of water. But nitrogen-containing fertilizers are best not to use: after them all the growth is on the shoots, and the fruits are small and often tasteless.
Feeding is best done in the evening - so the plants will get all the nutrients better. You can use such water-soluble substances as Akvarin, potassium and calcium nitrate, urea.
How to check the readiness of seedlings for relocation?
If transplanted seedlings too early - the plant may not settle down, or it will take a lot more time to adapt.
Too late transplant also does not lead to good: when the ovary appears, it is better not to disturb the plant, so as not to fall off the fruits that are beginning to form.
Determine the readiness of seedlings for transplantation can be on three grounds:
- bush height undersized tomatoes is approx. 15 cm, tall - approx. 30 cm;
- Bush has 12 full leaves. The leaves are green, without spots and dried up areas;
- there are 1-2 formed inflorescences, but still no ovary.
Seedlings transplanted tomatoes, followed by growing it in a greenhouse. If you follow all the rules of preparation and cultivation of seedlings in the greenhouse, you can get an excellent harvest of fragrant fleshy tomatoes.
