There is nothing more pleasant than moving from winter to summer.
Create Summer mood And you can diversify the menu in the cold season by growing delicious ones on the windowsill.
Popular varieties of tomatoes for growing on a windowsill
When choosing a variety suitable for growing on a windowsill, one is guided by two important indicators:
Bush dimensions. 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;
- Little Red Riding Hood;
- Minibel;
- Bonsai micro.
You can experiment with: growing several varieties in pots will allow you to choose the optimal one using trial methods.
Did you know? Seed producers indicate on the packaging that the variety is suitable for growing on a windowsill, well-insulated loggia or balcony.
How to create growing conditions
When growing homemade tomatoes on a windowsill, it is important to provide the plant with enough space for the crown and roots. A pot with a volume of 2 liters is enough; for larger varieties you need a pot or container with a volume of 5-6 liters.
If you have chosen balcony tomatoes, for growing them, the pot size can be even larger, 8-10 liters.
As they develop, some will require support for their stems.
Lighting
Tomatoes respond well to direct sunlight. Windows on the south, south-west side of the house are suitable for their placement. At natural light It is recommended to carefully turn the tomatoes before the ovary forms different sides towards the sun so that the bush grows symmetrically. Daylight hours for tomatoes should be at least 12 hours. Growing tomatoes at home in winter requires additional lighting. Illumination lamps are installed at a distance of 30 cm from the plants.
Humidity and temperature
For good development For 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, cold air may come from the glass; 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 dangerous for tomatoes; you can safely ventilate the room; a lack of fresh air can spoil the plants.
Soil composition
There are several recipes self-cooking soil mixture for growing tomatoes on the windowsill.
- Turf soil, in equal proportions with peat and humus.
- – 1 part, and turf soil – 4 parts each, you can add a little ash.
- Earth – 2 parts, sand – 1 part each.
It is recommended to first fill the soil from the garden with a solution of potassium permanganate in boiling water to destroy infection and pests. 
Ready-made soil mixtures are sold in gardening departments and stores. Their composition is optimally selected 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 soil and containers, you need to prepare seed material. There are two options for obtaining: seeds and rooting cuttings. The second method of propagating tomatoes when growing and caring for them on a windowsill allows you to speed up the harvest by saving time on 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 them with suitable ones.
Rooted cuttings are transplanted to permanent place. This propagation method is suitable for growing tomatoes in the window and for growing seedlings for the garden.
Preparation of soil and planting material
Before growing on a windowsill in an apartment, select seeds. Large, whole seeds of light shades, without spots or 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, after treating with a growth stimulator, they are left to swell on a damp cloth in a warm place.
It is convenient to use plastic cups to prepare 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, plunging its spout between the ground and the wall of the cup.
Sowing and caring for seeds
Sprouted seeds are planted in cups with soil, 1 piece at a time, deepened by about 1 cm. It is not necessary to soak the seeds, then they are deepened into the soil 2 cm, 2-3 pieces at a time. In this case, weak shoots will then need to be removed, leaving one sprout per glass.
Before germination, containers with seeds are covered with film and placed in a warm place. Since it is not recommended to water frequently on the windowsill, you need to wait until the top layer of soil dries. After the first leaves appear, the film can be removed and the seedlings placed in a well-lit place.
How to properly care for tomatoes at home
Tomato seedlings on the 20-21st day. For, before planting tomatoes in pots, the seedlings are “hardened off” 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 has proven the ability of tomatoes to improve mood, thanks to the substance tyramine, which human body is converted into the “happiness hormone” serotonin.
Picking
The picking method is the most popular way of planting seedlings, peppers and a number of other crops. It consists in the fact that when replanting, the central part of the plant root is shortened by about a third, so that the horse system grows in width. At the same time, many varieties of miniature tomatoes do not need picking; they are transplanted using the transshipment method, without disturbing the earthen ball and without touching the root system. Expanded clay drainage is poured into a pot for indoor tomatoes to 10-15% of the depth of the container. Then the container is filled with earth, a hole is made for the roots of the tomato, into which the plants are placed, adding earth on top. The lower leaves should ultimately be 2-3 cm above ground level.
Watering and fertilizing tomatoes
Watering tomatoes on the window in winter warm water once every 3-4 days, as the soil dries out. Tomatoes are fertilized 3 times a month. If you fertilize tomatoes more often, you can get the effect of increasing the green parts, to the detriment of the yield and size of the fruit.
Growing tomato seedlings at home is a process that requires a lot of time and attention. But later you will be rewarded bountiful harvest. Sowing tomatoes for seedlings begins in late winter or early spring, depending on the region.
Sowing seedlings
Tomatoes are supposed to be sown as seedlings, because they are southern heat-loving plants, and it is seedling method cultivation allows you to get a harvest in a short summer. That’s why we plant tomatoes in the ground as seedlings, not seeds. Their further development and the harvest itself depend on how to plant tomato seedlings. An experienced vegetable grower who knows how to properly plant tomato seedlings first determines the sowing date, then skillfully selects and prepares planting material, as well as suitable dishes. After sowing, growing tomato seedlings at home needs to be strong and healthy, so that when the time comes, planting tomato seedlings in open ground or in a greenhouse.
When to plant
Tomato seedlings are planted in open ground after 45–60 days of growth, when they have grown 20–30 cm, have 5–7 leaves and a flower vine. Knowing the weather conditions of the area, we can assume when in the spring the soil will warm up to +12...+15 °C and the threat of return frosts will disappear. From this time you need to subtract approximately 65 days - this will be the date when growing tomato seedlings is allowed.
In the southern regions of Russia and Ukraine, sowing begins in winter. In Central Russia, summer residents sow tomatoes for seedlings after March 15, and gardeners in Siberia and the Urals - in the first half of April. If you plan to plant tomato seedlings in the protected soil of a greenhouse, then tomato seedlings at home begin to be grown 20 days earlier. It is better to do sowing during the waxing moon, choosing the appropriate day in accordance with lunar calendar.
Seed selection and preparation
Preparation of tomato seeds for sowing as seedlings begins several days before a certain date by heating the seeds and determining the degree of their germination. Wherever the seeds were stored before, they should be transferred to a warm room. Many summer residents prefer to keep a gauze bag of seeds near the radiator for a couple of days.
To determine how many seeds will be needed, it is advisable to know their germination percentage. To do this, take a certain number of seeds (the more, the more accurate the forecast will be), soak them in warm water, place them on cotton pads or a soft cloth moistened with water, and keep them near the radiator until sprouts appear. Then the percentage of germinated seeds is calculated and determined required amount seed material, if necessary, buy it in addition.
Next, the seeds are culled by soaking them for a while: seeds that do not settle to the bottom can be thrown away. Usually this selection is carried out simultaneously with preparation, since it still involves soaking the seed. Some gardeners simply soak the seeds in warm, soft water for a day before sowing. This is enough for seeds purchased from good manufacturer, who has already disinfected them. If the seed material was taken from your own reserves or was purchased on the market (without certificates), then you should first hold it for 20–25 minutes in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, and then slightly dry it. You can soak the seeds for a day in an aqueous solution of aloe juice (use equal amounts of water and juice), which will make future plants stronger and have a positive effect on the quality of the harvest. You can keep them for a day in a soda solution (2 g of soda per 1 glass of water), which promotes early fruiting.
Necessary conditions for cultivation
Don't know how to grow tomato seedlings? First of all, you need to prepare comfortable conditions for her: balance of heat and moisture, the right amount of light, Fresh air without drafts, suitable utensils. How many days does it take for tomatoes to sprout? The best temperature for sprouting is from +26 to +30 °C; sprouts will appear in 3–5 days. At a temperature of +22...+25 °C, tomatoes will sprout in 7–9 days, at a lower temperature – longer.
Light will not be needed until the sprouts appear, which means the dishes can be stacked on top of each other and kept on the floor near the radiator. But first you need to prepare the soil in which you can plant the seeds. Tomato seedlings grow well in loose, nutritious soil that can retain the required amount of moisture. Humus and turf soil taken in equal parts - a good option, you just need to add sand or sawdust for looseness. You can take black soil, sand and garden soil, sand and high-moor peat, coconut substrate, peat tablets. The main requirement for soil is that the pH value should be 5.5–6.0.
It is advisable to sift the soil through a fine sieve so that its fractions correspond to the size of the seed, otherwise there will be air voids between the small roots and the ground. The soil must also be disinfected before use. To do this, pour it with a hot saturated solution of potassium permanganate, keep it for 30 minutes in an oven heated to 200 °C or a couple of minutes in the microwave at maximum power. After this, the soil is moistened and left for 2 weeks at room temperature.
Sowing
Tomato seeds are planted in different containers. These can be cassettes, peat tablets or cups, individual pots or boxes. The good thing about peat tablets and cups is that you can do without picking; cassettes on a pallet are convenient for bottom watering; most summer residents use wooden or plastic boxes to save space. It is enough to take boxes 10 cm high, fill them 2/3 with prepared soil, and moisten it with warm, clean and soft water. Grooves 1–1.5 cm deep are made in the soil at a distance of 3–4 cm from each other.
Prepared seeds are laid out in them and sprinkled with sand, earth or vermiculite. Cover the top of the crop with glass or transparent film and place it near a heat source. After how many days the seedlings sprout depends on the quality of the seed, temperature and humidity level, but immediately after this the glass is removed and the dishes are exposed to light.
Seedling care
How to grow tomato seedlings before planting tomatoes in open ground? It needs to be watered and provided the right amount light, sometimes loosen the rows, regulate the air temperature. As soon as the seeds germinate, the air temperature is reduced to +16 °C for a week so that they do not stretch excessively. But they need to be provided with light around the clock for the first 3–4 days. Then they will need a 12-hour daylight hours, so they will have to supplement the light with a phytolamp, placing it above the box. A week after the first sprouts appear, install temperature regime with daytime temperatures around +22 °C, and at night – +16…+18 °C. It is believed that until the first true leaf appears, seedlings do not need to be watered, but it is better to check the condition of the soil and water if necessary.
You can moisten the soil from above using a syringe (without a needle) or the narrow neck of a watering can so as not to wet the stems. How older than the plant, the more moisture they will need. When 2–3 leaves appear, they are watered weekly, and when 5 leaves appear, every 3–4 days. The water should be clean, soft, warm (a couple of degrees warmer than the air).
After the first true leaf appears, the seedlings are thinned out so that the distance between plants is at least 5 cm. If there is a shortage of seedlings, they are carefully transplanted to empty seats. If the seedlings look weak, they do not have enough nutrition, then you can feed them at the same time as watering them with Agricola Vegeta solution or another with a special drug, it is only advisable to dilute it in a lower concentration than indicated on the package. After picking, you can water the plants with the solution charcoal, calcium nitrate and urea, and strictly on the ground so as not to burn the greens.
Picking
When the plants have their third true leaf, they are collected in separate cups with a volume of at least 0.5 liters. The dishes are filled with the same soil as for sowing, moistened, a depression is made in the middle, and the plant is placed. Some vegetable growers shorten the central root, but others consider this unnecessary, since the root is still injured during transplantation.
So, everyone decides for themselves how to plant correctly. If there are a large number of seedlings, they are picked in groups of 2 plants, folded together, and tied tightly with synthetic thread. When they settle in a new place, they grow up to 15 cm in height, grow together with stems, and pinch off one tip. This is how a strong plant is formed double root. Be that as it may, planting tomato seedlings in separate cups greatly weakens them, so the air temperature is increased for several days for easier survival.
Time for planting in the ground
When to plant tomatoes in open ground as seedlings depends on the region. The timing of planting seedlings in the ground varies from April in the south to early June in the north. For summer residents of the central regions of Russia, May - best time plant seedlings. It is better to coordinate the days for planting tomatoes in May with the lunar calendar, but you can plant tomatoes in the ground in May if the ground has warmed up and the threat of frost has passed. You can plant tomato seedlings in the ground if they have reached 30 cm in height, have 6–7 leaves and a flower vine. 2 weeks before the tomatoes are supposed to be planted, they begin to harden them by taking them outside. Walks begin for a short time: first they place them in the shade, then increase the time, and accustom them to direct sunlight.
How to plant correctly
Before planting tomatoes in the garden bed, it is loosened and moistened, although the main preparation took place in the fall. When planting tomatoes in the ground, the holes are often fertilized by mixing mineral fertilizers with the soil. Tomatoes are planted on a warm, cloudy day. It is even advisable to shade them for the first two days.
Water the seedlings generously to make it easier to remove them from the container. Place it in the prepared holes along with a lump of earth and deepen it to the cotyledon leaves. If the plants are too stretched out on the windowsill, you can plant them even deeper by breaking off a couple lower leaves, and placing them at an angle in the ground. Then new roots will grow from the stem.
Between the bushes low-growing varieties leave 30 cm, and between rows - 70 cm. If the bushes grow tall and wide, then leave a gap of at least 60 cm between them, and between the rows - at least 130 cm. Planted plants are pressed with earth, watered, mulched with sawdust, sand and peat .
Further care of bushes
If planting tomatoes was successful, it still takes several days for the planted seedlings to adapt to the new location.
Next, be sure to remove weeds and loosen the soil after watering. The first time is fertilized 10 days after planting, and then after 2 weeks, if the condition of the soil requires it. Tomatoes require even watering, but not excessive, so as not to provoke fungal diseases. It is necessary to plant the plants in time, and also to form bushes.
Video “Planting tomatoes in open ground”
From this video you will learn how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground.
Improperly grown or early planted seedlings will not produce a rich harvest. Flower buds elongated, fragile sprouts develop poorly and produce fewer flowers. Only healthy and strong seedlings quickly take root in the ground, actively bloom and produce tasty and large fruits. How to properly plant tomatoes for seedlings to ensure a high-quality harvest?
How to grow tomatoes - step by step instructions
No matter how experienced a gardener is, he will not be able to grow an enviable fruit from a bad seed. Therefore, you need to approach the choice of seeds responsibly and it is better to purchase several different types, in case any variety turns out to be unsuccessful.
Before sowing the seeds, they are sorted. Empty, damaged and small copies are removed. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to fill them with salt water (60 grams of salt per liter of liquid) and remove from the total mass those seeds that float to the surface. To make it easier to choose in the future best variety, it is better to store and plant seeds separately or in groups and marking which type is where.
To prevent seed contamination, it is necessary to carry out a disinfection procedure. To do this, the seeds are placed in a container with a solution for a day. acetic acid(0.8%), after 20 minutes, dipped into a cup with a solution of potassium permanganate (2 grams per glass of water). After the manipulations to protect the seeds are completed, they must be thoroughly rinsed with running water.
Video - correctly planting tomato seeds for seedlings
Ways to improve seed germination
- Warming up
A bag of seeds is placed in a thermos with hot water for several hours or the seeds are washed under hot water.
- Enrichment with mineral fertilizers
The seeds are soaked for 24 hours in a special solution, which can be found in a specialty store or prepared independently. In one liter clean water you need to stir the mixture copper sulfate, ammonium sulfate. You should also add there boric acid, potassium salt and superphosphate.
After the seeds are processed and disinfected, they are placed in a damp cloth and germinated, constantly making sure that it does not dry out.
To better adapt the sprouts to the climate, it is recommended to harden the seeds. The swollen seeds are sent to the refrigerator for 1–2 days, this is how resistance to low temperatures is developed.
Video - the process of sowing and soaking tomato seeds for seedlings
Preparing soil mixture for seedlings
In order for tomatoes to be large and healthy, they need to be planted in turf soil mixed with humus and sand. To maintain normal acidity, resin and chalk should be added to the soil (for every ten kilograms of soil: resin - 0.5 l, chalk - 100 g). But you can buy ready-made ones in the store. soil mixture or peat tablets (about two seeds per piece), the main thing is to choose a trusted manufacturer.
The seeds must first be planted in one large container, and then the best sprouts must be picked into a separate container. Picked sprouts can be planted in special containers, which are sold in gardening stores, or adapted for this purpose plastic bottles. Don't forget to do it in the bottom of each container. drainage holes.
How to grow seedlings correctly
When growing seeds, the main thing is to follow the rules for planting them, the temperature regime and follow the recommendations regarding watering and providing lighting to the sprouts.
Best time to plant seeds
Tomato seeds usually take 1.5–2 months to germinate, and accordingly, the planting time depends on the area in which they are planned to be grown. If you rush into planting, the sprouts will form before the weather stabilizes and it will simply be impossible to plant them in the ground due to the cold weather. If you plant the seeds too late, the sprouts will not have time to grow stronger and will not survive after being transplanted into the ground. Early spring - optimal time for planting tomato seeds for seedlings.
Seed planting process
Pour the prepared mixture into the container and lightly press it with your palms. Afterwards, water the soil a little, cover the container with a plastic bag and leave overnight so that the moisture is evenly distributed. After the surface of the earth is leveled, I make grooves 0.5–1 cm deep at a distance of 4–5 cm from each other. The seeds are carefully placed in the depressions and covered with soil and watered again.
Temperature
Then the container is covered with glass or a bag and sent to a warm place where the temperature is not lower than 22 degrees - to a radiator or to a windowsill (in the sun). After 5–7 days, when the first shoots hatch, the glass (film) can be removed and the seedlings can be sent to a cooler place (up to 16 degrees) for approximately the same time. And when the sprouts get stronger, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime - up to 24 degrees during the day, not lower than 12 at night.
It is also worth remembering that it is harmful to tomatoes wet air. The room in which containers with seedlings will be placed should be regularly ventilated. To prevent plants from dying, drafts and sudden temperature changes must be avoided.
Picking tomato sprouts
The formation of the first leaves is a sign that it is time to remove weak and non-viable shoots from the container. The root is pinched during this procedure to accelerate the growth of the root system.
But there is no need to rush into picking. Before starting the process of sorting the sprouts, you should make sure that they are sufficiently strong and the bases should be thick. Otherwise, the pick should be postponed.
Picking is done in seedling cups, the sprouts go deep into the soil up to the cotyledon leaves. Using this procedure, you can reduce the stretching of sprouts. To do this, you need to add more light to the sprouts.
Lighting
In order for the seedlings to be strong and green, they need good and long-term lighting, and in the first days even around the clock. If the windows are on sunny side, then there will be enough light for the seedlings placed on the windowsill. If there is not enough sun, you need to install several special lamps. Tomatoes are very demanding of light, so additional lighting is required.
Watering seedlings
Soil moisture must be constantly monitored. On initial stage A few tablespoons of water are enough, after which the volume gradually increases, but in cold weather you need to water less often. Tips for watering the soil:
- Do not allow the soil in containers to dry out;
- It is not recommended to spray the sprouts;
- It is better to water with a weak solution of mineral fertilizers instead of water.
When there is excess moisture, the leaves become yellow tint, and the roots gradually die off. In addition, with frequent watering, the sprouts can stretch, which will have a bad effect on the quality of future tomatoes.
Planting tomato seedlings
Before transplanting the sprouts into the ground, they must be hardened off. To do this, seedlings are gradually accustomed to cold air: ventilation is increased, and the windows are left open at night.
It is recommended to plant seedlings in late spring - early summer, when frosts have passed and the temperature does not drop below 15 degrees. How to determine that the sprouts are ready to “move”? If the sprout has 5-6 leaves and its stem is thick and strong, then it’s time to replant it.
Features of growing large tomatoes:
- Seedlings should be planted in a well-lit place, protected from the wind;
- the most suitable watering regime is 2 times a week;
- It is better to use light, sandy and loamy soils;
- plant the sprouts in pre-prepared and spilled holes at right angles;
- sprouts should be planted at a distance of 30–40 cm from each other;
- Before planting, it is necessary to prepare the soil and fertilize it;
- A peg should be inserted next to each sprout for support;
- There should be at least 60 cm between rows.
Harvesting occurs when the tomatoes turn red. If you pick tomatoes when they are green, this will affect their taste.
Video - how to properly plant tomato seedlings in a greenhouse
Mistakes when growing tomato seedlings
The main mistakes of a bad tomato harvest:
- low-quality seeds;
- planting seeds for seedlings too early or, conversely, very late;
- non-compliance with temperature conditions;
- improper watering (too much or not enough);
- poor lighting quality;
- refusal of hardening procedures.
A good harvest directly depends on the quality of the seedlings. Therefore, you need to take a responsible approach to the choice of seeds; it is better to take several varieties and subsequently choose the best one, most adapted to your area and weather conditions. Before planting, sort out the low-quality seeds and process the good ones. Prepare the soil mixture, plant the seeds and provide them with proper care. Only if you follow the recommendations described above can you hope for a large and tasty harvest.
In our country, tomatoes are the most popular crop. These fruits are tasty, nutritious, fortified and indispensable for preparing many dishes. So how do apartment conditions differ from a regular greenhouse? Why is it more difficult to grow in the first case, and what should be taken into account? Won't it be worst seedlings tomato at home than what you can buy at the market? Quite the contrary. You will be surprised how healthy and strong such seedlings will turn out, and how environmentally friendly and tasty the harvest will be. Are you ready to figure it all out and master a new skill?
Selecting seeds and preparing the substrate
So, planting tomatoes for seedlings begins with choosing seeds. Foreign brands always seem better to us in some ways - but this is not always the case planting material. The fact is that seeds are prepared specifically for certain regions, with their climate and traditional technology growing. Specifically for home cultivation, today it is better to take varieties such as “Ilyinichny”, “Russian Garden”, “SeDeka”. Buy so-called “zoned” seeds in stores. Plant 4-5 varieties at once - you will immediately see which are the best and which are not.
There is no need to poison these seeds - they are already poisoned. But if you collected material from own garden, be sure to treat it in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate - about half an hour. For convenience, wrap in cotton pads. After this, wash well before sowing - in several waters.
As for soaking seeds before planting, two points can be noted here: unprepared seeds can produce 70% fewer shoots than germinated ones, but, on the other hand, many believe that if dry seeds cannot germinate in the ground on their own, viability and productivity a certain variety is a big question.
But seedlings are not particularly demanding of soil - they tolerate dry soil and air well, do not die without fertilizers and can grow calmly even in acidic soil. That is why it is not at all difficult to grow it in an apartment - dry air is only beneficial. Therefore, if you are planning to grow at home, then prepare the substrate yourself (soil + loam + humus + compost) or buy peat soil. In any case, the soil will have to be steamed, no matter where you get it. The fact is that home seedlings are perfect place for the development of fungi, even completely harmless ones, in a greenhouse or garden. And never take soil from flower beds or vegetable gardens - nothing worthwhile will grow here. Take turf soil from an area where perennial grasses have been growing for at least 5 years, and take humus that is three years old.
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 air 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 you start planting the seeds, soak them in a special solution. Add one of these options per liter of water:
- 1 teaspoon wood ash
- 1 teaspoon nitrophoska
- 2 grams of "Bud"
- 1 teaspoon "Effecton"
- 1 ml of the drug "Epin"
- 1 teaspoon of Agricola Vegeta fertilizer.
- 1 teaspoon "Drops".
Soak the seeds in fabric bags for a whole day - so that the temperature of the solution is not below 20°C. Immediately after this, place the still wet bag in plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for another two days - this will harden the seeds well. Sow them cooled directly into the soil - shoots will sprout quickly and vigorously.
Popular mistakes of newbie summer residents
So, at home, you need to start growing seedlings a little later than in a greenhouse. The point is that in ordinary apartment or the house is always darker and hotter than in the sheltered ground. Even on a windowsill you can’t just grow it - it will “toil” if you sow it too early.
It is convenient to sow large tomato seeds with tweezers. Place them on the compacted soil one at a time, and attach tags to each furrow with the name of the variety. Sprinkle a 1 cm layer of soil on top, water and cover the crops with film. Optimal temperature for seedlings – +20°С. As soon as you see shoots, transfer them to the windowsill and remove the film.
When growing, the most important thing is to avoid common beginner mistakes:
- The varieties were chosen that are not resistant to stretching (they will “curl their heads” at home).
- The temperature and humidity levels were not fully observed.
- The seeds were planted too early.
- Too much watering.
- The soil taken was of poor quality.
- The seedlings were not hardened at all when transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground.
And the most unfavorable conditions for growing are waterlogged soil, heat and low light. The following signs can indicate this: thin elongated stems, fragile leaves and fallen buds.
It is especially convenient to grow seedlings in peat tablets - they turn out to be of high quality and do not need picking. Buy those that are about 33-36 mm in diameter, and plant 2-4 seeds in each one. Then simply pinch off weak shoots. When the sprouts have a lot of roots, right from peat tablet transplant into another container - about 0.5 liters. Next - everything is the same as with normal home growing, but picking is no longer needed.
How to pick home seedlings correctly?
Before picking, do not feed the seedlings - just water them. Dive at the two-leaf stage. When the time comes, transplant the tomatoes one at a time into their individual containers. Bury down to the cotyledon leaves. At the same time, add one tablespoon to the soil. mineral fertilizers"Signor Tomato." After two weeks, feed the usual complex food.
For everything to go well, prepare individual containers for young plants - it’s better plastic cups 0.5 l each. If you take it with a smaller volume, you will have to dive twice. In general, the process itself can be carried out in two versions:
- We plant one plant at a time, and then in the end we get good seedlings with a strong root system.
- We plant two plants in one pot, and as a result there are two root systems. As soon as the seedlings reach 10-15 cm in height, we tightly tie their stems with nylon thread. As soon as they grow together (and they will 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 - just what you need.
10-12 days before planting, be sure to harden the seedlings - at least by simply lowering the temperature from 18-20°C to 14-16°C. And 4-5 days before disembarkation, take it out for 2-3 hours open air, and on the last day - already for a day. The reduced temperature affects the sprouts in such a way that their physiological properties even change, and the tomato becomes completely ready for completely different growing conditions.
When to plant tomatoes in the garden?
So, we figured out how to properly grow tomato seedlings at home. But how do you know that it is ready for planting? According to the following physiological characteristics:
- Internodes are short.
- The stem is thick and no more than 30 cm high.
- Each plant has 6-7 leaves.
- Flower brushes - one each for mid- and late-ripening varieties, and one or two for early-ripening varieties.
Growing seedlings on your windowsill, you know exactly what they are, what they were poisoned with, what kind of variety they are and whether they are intended for a specific area. You know what to expect and can even accurately calculate the future harvest and its quality. And this is already real entrepreneurial activity!
It is better to sow tall varieties from mid-March, low-growing varieties - from the beginning of April. The quality of seedlings depends on proper preparation seeds for sowing and growing conditions.
Planting tomato seeds includes the following steps:
- disinfection;
- soak;
- soil preparation;
- preparing containers for seedlings;
- sowing.
Seeds collected on your own must be treated. Seeds, arranged in gauze bags according to variety, are dipped for 15 minutes in a one percent brightly colored solution of potassium permanganate. After pickling, the bag of seeds is placed in a colander and washed in warm running water under the tap. Purchased seeds do not require disinfection. Well-known plant growing farms package already processed seed material. But it is advisable to soak them.
Preparing soil and containers for planting tomatoes
The seeds are laid out between layers of damp gauze for 16-20 hours. Now is the time to prepare the soil mixture and containers. There are usually few seeds in purchased bags. There is no point in sowing all the seeds in one large seedling box. Each variety has its own development characteristics. It is better to sow different varieties separately in small bowls.
Plastic containers are washed with soap and scalded with boiling water. It is imperative to make drainage holes in the bottom of each box to drain excess moisture. A thick nail or a metal knitting needle is suitable for this. You need to take a nail (knitting needle) with thick gloves and heat one end to gas stove. Then use the hot end to make several holes. The plastic melts well, the holes are smooth.
To prepare nutritious soil, take turf soil, compost, peat and sawdust in a ratio of 2:4:3:1. Instead of sawdust, coarse sand is often used, which is pre-calcined in the oven. Instead of compost, you can buy vermicompost (vermicompost from earthworms). Drainage is placed at the bottom of each box - expanded clay or pebbles.
Planting tomatoes for seedlings
Using a ruler, make grooves every 2 cm. Seeds are placed in the grooves, planted to a centimeter depth.
The larger the seeds, the greater the distance and planting depth should be between them. When seeds are planted shallowly, the sprouts germinate “in the jacket,” that is, with the seed coat together. The phenomenon is undesirable, but you can fight it. Carefully drop warm water from a pipette onto the sprout. The seed coat will fall off on its own. You cannot remove the shell with your hands, otherwise you can ruin the sprout.
The bowls are covered with film and transferred to a warm place. At a temperature of 24-26 0C, seedlings may appear as early as the fifth day. Condensation that forms is regularly removed from the film.
Seedling care
With the appearance of two true leaves, tomato seedlings need to be pruned. Diving ensures the development of additional roots that feed the plant. Young seedlings are transplanted into a free box or into separate cups (you can use peat cups), burying them down to the true leaves in the ground. If the sprouts have managed to stretch out greatly, then the stem is carefully twisted into a spiral and covered with soil.
Well-developed seedlings are transplanted into a greenhouse with a 20x20 pattern, deepening it to the leaves. Before planting tomatoes, they need to be hardened off for about two weeks. The plants are first taken out into the corridor, then outside, and left for a while in the sun and breeze. They are left overnight in the corridor at a positive air temperature. To protect seedlings from sunburn, the greenhouse is covered with old sheets.
Planting tomatoes in the ground
Seedlings are planted in a permanent location when the threat of frost has passed. The scheme for planting tomatoes in open ground has important in increasing productivity and amounts to 4 bushes per square meter(50x50 or 70x30). Several mole cricket pellets are placed in each hole ( THUNDER or Medvetok, for example) and pickled grain from the Colorado potato beetle.
Caring for tomatoes involves regular weeding, fertilizing and watering. After moistening, the soil around the plants needs to be loosened. Water the tomato once a week, but generously. From a lack of moisture, the fruits become smaller; from an excess, they burst and become watery.
A necessary element of growing tomatoes is the correct bush formation. tall plants form into 1-2 stems. Immediately when planting in the ground, they are tied to stakes. Medium and low growing tomatoes left to bush. To speed up fruiting, part of the leaves that cover the fruits from sun rays, cut off.
