Every gardener dreams of growing tasty and juicy tomatoes on their plot. Compliance with all the rules of agricultural technology will help to grow good seedlings that will not get sick and will give a rich harvest in the future. The quality of the seedlings will determine the quality of the harvest. Read the article on how to grow strong seedlings and get the coveted harvest.
Strong seedlings are the key to a successful harvest
Everyone knows that sowing seeds directly depends on the region of residence. It is believed that the warmer it is in the area, the earlier you can sow seeds and plant seedlings in open ground. Residents of warm regions begin to prepare seedlings in February, others - no earlier than March. Of course, it will not be superfluous to study the varietal characteristics of the tomatoes that you plan to grow in your garden plot.
Important! The seed package usually indicates the recommended planting time.
How to prepare the soil
The most important condition for successfully growing seedlings is properly prepared soil. You can prepare it yourself or buy it at a specialty store. Experienced gardeners always prepare the soil themselves.There is an opinion that when preparing the soil, it is extremely important to add soil from the garden. It is believed that this method minimizes stress and the plant adapts better when transplanted. To prepare your own soil, take the ingredients in the following proportions: 1 part turf soil and 1 part garden soil; 4 parts peat and 0.25 parts manure (mullein). As for purchased soil, experienced gardeners recommend adding 1 tablespoon of dolomite flour per 10 liters of soil.
Next, mix the soil with garden soil in a 1:1 ratio.
Important! Before planting seeds, the soil is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin.
Planting container: which is better?
In order for young seedlings to feel as comfortable as possible, it is necessary to choose a suitable container for them. Let's look at them in more detail.
Peat pots
They are easy to use and made from environmentally friendly materials. Seedlings can be planted directly in a cup, which will then easily dissolve in the soil.
Peat tablets for seed germination
Peat tablets are very popular among gardeners. They are compressed peat impregnated with various nutrients. The tablets are placed in a tray and filled with water. After they increase in size, sow the seeds. The advantage of growing seedlings in peat tablets is that the seedlings are grown without picking.
Plastic cups are also convenient for growing seedlings because they can be used repeatedly.
Seed germination time
As practice shows, if the temperature is maintained within 25-30 degrees, seedlings will appear in 3 days. If the temperature fluctuates between 20-25 degrees, then sprouts will appear on the 5th day.When seedlings emerge and to avoid stretching the seedlings, the temperature is reduced to 15 degrees.
Watering tomato seedlings
It is better to moisten tomato seedlings using a spray bottle. Subsequently, the seedlings are watered once a week, and from the moment 5 true leaves appear, the soil is moistened every 4 days. For irrigation, it is recommended to use settled or filtered water.
Top dressing
You can determine whether seedlings need feeding by their appearance. If the seedlings are strong and have a thick stem, then they do not need fertilizer. But it is better to feed weakened seedlings with a solution of Agricola Vegeta. As a good top dressing, we can mention “Effecton-O” (for vegetable crops).
Use the recommendations given and have a good harvest!
