We grow tomato seedlings at home. Growing tomato seedlings at home: from seed to adult plant All about tomato seedlings

Healthy tomato seedlings are a guarantee of a bountiful tomato harvest. The mistakes that beginner gardeners make at the stage of sowing seeds and growing seedlings will certainly affect the fruiting of an adult plant. There can be no trifles in this matter! Let's try to figure out all the stages of growing tomato seedlings, starting with determining the timing of sowing and ending with planting bushes in open ground(in boxes - if it is supposed to be grown on the balcony).

Roughly, tomato seeds should be sown 55-65 days before planting seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse. Seeds sprout pretty quickly - 5-10 days after sowing. Therefore, the average period of keeping seedlings on the windowsill (from the emergence of seedlings) is 45-60 days.

It is important to correctly determine the timing so as not to overexpose the seedlings on the windowsill. This is fraught with inhibition of the growth of an adult bush and a decrease in yield.

Average tomato sowing time:

• in the southern regions of Russia and Ukraine - from February 20 to March 15 (disembarkation in the OG - from April 15 to May 20);
• in the central regions of Russia - from March 15 to April 1 (disembarkation in the OG - from May 10 to early June);
• in the northern regions (Siberia, Urals) - from April 1 to 15 (landing in the OG - from May 25 to June 15).

To accurately answer the question of when to plant tomato seedlings, you need to know about the end date of spring frosts in your area. Counting from this period 55-65 days ago, you can accurately determine the date of the desired landing.

If you plan to plant tomato seedlings not in open ground, but in a greenhouse or on glazed balcony, then sowing work can be started 2-3 weeks earlier.

Growing conditions for tomato seedlings

When growing tomato seedlings on a windowsill, create conditions for seedlings with:

• a lot of light - it is desirable that the windows face south, not shaded by trees (with a lack of natural light, artificial lighting with lamps is required);
• high humidity - spray tomato seedlings 1-2 times a day, use a humidifier, etc.;
• warm - during the day, the optimal temperature for tomato seedlings is 18-25 ° C, at night - 12-15 ° C.

Tomato seedlings: growing at home

Step 1. Preparatory work

Preparatory work may include:

• disinfection of seeds;
• preparation and disinfection of the soil.

Prepackaged seeds renowned manufacturers do not need additional pre-sowing treatment. They have already passed the required disinfection at the enterprise. It is quite a different matter if the tomato seeds used were collected with their own hands or bought by weight on the market. Such material can be infected with pathogens of various bacterial, viral and fungal diseases.

To eradicate the infection, use one of the following disinfecting solutions:

• 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per 100 ml of water). Wrap the seeds in gauze and soak in this solution for 15-20 minutes. It is not recommended to keep it longer - seed germination decreases. After processing, rinse the seeds with water.
• 0.5% soda solution (0.5 g per 100 ml of water). Soak tomato seeds in it for 24 hours. In addition to disinfection, soda solution promotes earlier fruiting.
• Aloe juice solution (1: 1). Ready-made aloe juice can be purchased at a pharmacy or squeezed out of the leaves yourself (they are previously kept in the refrigerator for 5-6 days). Soak the seeds in aloe juice diluted in water for 12-24 hours. Tomatoes from seeds that have undergone such treatment are distinguished by increased immunity, improved yield and fruit quality.
• Fitosporin solution. When using liquid Fitosporin (in a bottle), prepare the solution as follows: dilute 1 drop of liquid in 100 ml of water. Prepare a solution of Fitosporin powder at the rate of 0.5 tsp. per 100 ml of water. Soak the seeds in the solution for 1-2 hours.

The soil can also be contaminated, especially if it is dug up from the garden. Safer soil bought packaged in flower shops. But here, too, unpleasant "surprises" can occur, so the best way to protect yourself (and seedlings!) from surprises is the hand-tilled soil.

The most popular ways to disinfect seedling soil:

• calcining in the oven (10-15 minutes at 180-200 ° C);
• warming up in the microwave (1-2 minutes at a power of 850);
• disinfection with boiling water (put soil in a pot with drainage holes and spill it in small portions of boiling water);
• disinfection with potassium permanganate (spill the soil with a strong solution of potassium permanganate).

Disinfection of tomato seeds in potassium permanganate

All these methods can be combined with each other to obtain the most sterile and safe soil for seedlings.

You should not start planting tomatoes for seedlings immediately after preparing the soil! Moisten it and keep it at a positive temperature for 10-12 days. During this time, bacteria beneficial to plants will begin to multiply in the sterile soil. Only then can sowing begin.

Step 2. Sowing tomatoes for seedlings

Fill the container (cassettes, peat pots, plastic cups, cottage cheese boxes, shallow boxes) with prepared moist soil and make grooves about 1 cm deep in it.The step between the grooves is 3-4 cm. Place the seeds in them at a distance of 1-2 see more. The less often the seeds are sown, the longer it will be possible to keep the seedlings in seedling containers without planting them. Sprinkle the grooves with soil.

Tomato seeds are sown into the ground to a depth of 1 cm

You can make it even easier: place the seeds on the prepared soil and cover them with a centimeter layer of soil.

Cover the top with foil or glass to ensure a constant microclimate for the seedlings with a humidity of about 80-90%. In order for the seeds to germinate, the temperature of their content should be 25-30 ° C. Therefore, place the seedling boxes near a radiator or other heat source.

Check soil moisture every day. When dry, spray generously with a spray bottle. In case of excessive moisture, open the film (glass) and wait until it dries. Sometimes, high humidity leads to the formation of mold on the surface of the soil. Then carefully remove the upper infected layer and spill the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or an antifungal drug (Fundazole, Fitosporin).

The first seedlings of tomatoes appear in 3-4 days at a temperature of the above-ground air layer of 25-28 ° C, at 20-25 ° C - in 5-6 days, at 10-12 ° C - in 12-15 or more days after sowing.

Cotyledonous leaves of tomato seedlings emerging from the ground

More details about when to sow tomatoes for seedlings, how to choose tomato seeds and sow them correctly in the ground, is shown in the video:

Step 3. Care of tomato seedlings

Lighting

Growing tomato seedlings is impossible without good lighting! Therefore, after the emergence of seedlings, put the seedlings on the lightest windowsill. In February and early March, the light for the seedlings in any case will not be enough, therefore, if possible, use additional lighting with fluorescent lamps.

There is a version (author - Tugarova T.Yu.) that the best development of tomato seedlings can be achieved if the seedlings are illuminated around the clock for the first 2-3 days after germination. After that, you can switch to the usual supplementary lighting mode - 16 hours a day (the total duration of daylight hours).

Humidity and watering

Young seedlings should be kept in high, almost extreme humidity; drying is unacceptable. Therefore, do not rush to immediately remove the film (glass) from the seed containers. Open it a little every day so that the seedlings get used to the fresh air, but at the same time remain in the "greenhouse". After 1-2 weeks, the shelter can be completely removed.

Tomato seedlings growing under the film at home may not need watering for a long time. Look at the condition of the soil: do not breed the swamp, but, at the same time, do not let the top layer dry out (while the roots of the sprouts are still small and are in top layer soil, so drying it will mean drying out the roots). Water the tomato seedlings carefully, under the stem. In order not to damage the sprouts, you can use a syringe (without a needle) or a pipette.

After removing the film, the frequency of watering tomato seedlings should be proportional to the amount of heat and light. With an increase in temperature and lengthening of daylight hours, tomatoes begin to grow and quickly "drink" moisture from the ground. Accordingly, the soil dries out faster, watering is required more often.

It is important not to dry young tomatoes. Often inexperienced gardeners are faced with such a nuisance: in the evening, coming home from work, they notice their seedlings completely wilted, although in the morning they still looked quite normal. You need to check the seedlings in the morning, when there is still no hot sun. If you notice that the sprouts are a little sluggish, water them immediately. Otherwise, at noon, the rays of the sun can dry out the still weak young seedlings.

Bays can also be dangerous. It's bad that poured and dried tomato seedlings may look the same: the stems lose their turgor, the leaves wither. When you see such symptoms, pay attention to the soil. If it is wet, in no case add water - ruin the seedlings. Place the seedling container in a place protected from direct sunlight, do not water until the earth dries. In the future, adjust the amount of watering.

Cold windowsills combined with moist soil are especially destructive for young tomato sprouts. Therefore, watering in the evening (in February-April) is not recommended. At night, the temperature can drop significantly, the sprouts will freeze and begin to hurt.

Fresh air

As soon as a warm, windless day comes out, take the seedlings to Fresh air: to the balcony, to the street or just open the window. Even in March, on a sunny day, the temperature on an open balcony can reach 15-20 ° C! If such a day coincided with the emergence of seedlings - great luck! Take out the sprouts to bask in the sun. The fact is that tomato sprouts on the first day after germination are protected from UV rays, which prevents them from burning. Such sprouts from infancy will be heat-resistant, hardened and can be “walked” in the sun on a regular basis.

If you did not have time to take out the seedlings in the sun on the first day, then it is no longer possible to do this in 1-2 days - the innate hardening has disappeared. In this case, you will have to gradually accustom the sprouts to the sun. The first day is enough 5 minutes. Then every day you can increase the duration of the walks by another 5 minutes.

Tomato seedlings, which were exhibited every day on an open sunny balcony (in the courtyard), by the time they were planted for permanent residence, quickly catch up in growth with those seedlings that were sown a month earlier, but were kept on the windowsill behind the glass and without illumination.

Top dressing

Tomato seedlings need feeding 2-3 weeks after the first shoots. In the future, fertilizers will have to be applied every week. It is best to use natural organic fertilizers such as manure or grass. Of the purchased ones, specialized fertilizers based on guano, humic fertilizers, vermicompost, etc. are good. Use half the dose indicated for the particular fertilizer to feed seedlings.

Step 3. Pick (transplant into large cups, pots)

The first true leaves of tomato sprouts appear on the 7-10th day. At this age, if the seeds were sown too heap in one container, you can pick the seedlings into separate cups. Despite the fact that tomatoes tolerate transplanting well, this must be done carefully. Transplant sprouts with a lump of soil on the roots. Some gardeners advise pinching the central root of tomato seedlings when picking. However, we do not recommend doing this - in any case, even with the most careful transplantation, the roots are still damaged. There is no need to additionally injure the plant. Moreover, it can be harmful: pinching up to 1/3 of the root will delay the development of seedlings for 1 week.

When picking tomato seedlings, a lump of earth on the roots should be preserved

The first transplant is carried out in small 200 ml cups.

After 2-3 weeks, the seedlings can be dived a second time - into larger pots. If the seeds were originally sown in individual containers (cups, cassettes), then this transplant will be the first. At the same time, it is not recommended to use pots less than 0.5-1 l. Professional gardeners prefer even larger volumes - 3-5 liters for each plant. But, you see, not every window sill can withstand such seedling plantations, especially in a city apartment. And this is not necessary: ​​1 liter of soil for 1 plant is enough for the eyes!

Picking tomato sprouts into peat pots

You can learn how to grow tomato sprouts and dive seedlings by watching the video:

Step 4. Preparing for planting for permanent residence (in the greenhouse, on the balcony, in the exhaust gas)

At the age of 1.5 months, tomato seedlings at home expel the first flower brushes. As soon as you notice them, know that after 10-15 days, the seedlings need to be planted for permanent residence - in a greenhouse, on a balcony or in an exhaust gas. It is impossible to delay the transplant, otherwise it will lead to a decrease in the yield.

If you decide to keep tomato seedlings on the windowsill for more than 45-60 days, then it should be provided with at least 1 liter of soil per 1 plant. If you overexpose tomatoes in relatively small containers, even 10 days longer than it should be, and let them bloom, then they will stop their vegetative growth and will forever remain "undergrowth". Even in exhaust gas, they will no longer be able to accelerate and will never turn into full-fledged plants. Accordingly, you will not have to wait for a full-fledged harvest from them either!

This problem can be partially solved by removing the first flower brush. The next brush will appear only after a week, that is, it will be possible to postpone the planting of seedlings for permanent residence for a week.

Good tomato seedlings before planting should have thick stems, large leaves, strong root system and developed buds.

Characteristics of a healthy tomato seedling: strong bush, large succulent leaves, thick stems, well-developed root system

Step 5. Planting tomato seedlings in the ground

The distance between the tomatoes in the greenhouse or the exhaust gas should be 30-40 cm. If you decide to grow garden plantations on the balcony, then 4-12 liters of land should be allocated for each tomato bush. 4-5 liters will be enough for undersized "balcony" varieties: "Balcony miracle", "Dwarf", "Hummingbird", etc. Large garden varieties suitable for OG ("Sasha", "Sunrise", etc.) are grown in containers of 10-12 liters.

For tomatoes, good fertile garden soil (black soil), mixed with peat soil "Universal" or "For vegetables" in a ratio of 1: 1.

Planting tomato seedlings for permanent residence is best timed to coincide with a cool, calm and cloudy day. Plant the seedlings by burying the center stem a couple of centimeters deep. After a few days, additional roots will begin to form along the buried stem. Overall, the root system will become stronger and stronger.

After planting, water the tomato seedlings with warm water and wait for the harvest!

Planting tomato seedlings in a balcony box for permanent residence

And, finally, in order to better understand the intricacies of growing tomato seedlings and transplanting them to permanent residence in open ground, a greenhouse or onto a balcony, we suggest watching a short video posted below:

Planting tomato seeds directly into open ground in our climate is rarely practiced. The complexity of caring for shoots, long growing periods, and the need for daily stay on the site - all this makes this method of growing a tomato unacceptable. The best option is a room in the beds of a developed and strengthened planting material.

Buying tomato seedlings is quite expensive (a bush costs 15 - 18 rubles), and it is not a fact that it will take root. The best solution- grow tomato seedlings yourself, at home. Moreover, the technology of work is quite simple and has been tested over the years.

Many sites give exact dates. You shouldn't be guided by them literally, “day in and day out”. First, the authors are guided by their region, and not everyone, by the way, designates it. Secondly, tomatoes are divided into varieties according to the growing season (early, mid and late ripening), and hence planting.

What to consider:

• For growing tomato seedlings, it is advisable to use early-maturing varieties, that is, those whose planting material can be moved into open ground immediately after warm weather sets in, when there is no longer a risk of recurrent frosts.
• In order for a full-fledged bush to grow from a seed, it takes about 7 to 9 weeks.
• It is hardly wise to follow the traditional tomato seed planting periods (“we always do this”). Therefore, in order to guess the optimal time, it is not superfluous to study the forecasts for the coming months. At least, it will become clear when warm, settled weather is expected, if there is a chance of frost, and so on.

• Southern regions - the first decade of February.
• The central strip of the Russian Federation - from the beginning of March (or a little earlier).
• Northern regions - early April.

• If you did not have to deal with the cultivation of seedlings before, it is worth adopting the experience from those who have been practicing this for more than one year - acquaintances, relatives, neighbors on the site. They will tell you when to start this kind of work.
• For the first time, it is worth planting seeds in different boxes with soil, and with a small spacing in time, and label the container (or its individual segments). Already in the spring it will become clear which bushes have developed normally and are ready to move to the site, and which ones still require exposure. This is exactly how, through experimentation, one's own experience is gained.

Tomato seed preparation

Rejection

As a rule, experienced summer residents harvest tomato seeds on their own, from their own harvest. They, with the proper organization of storage at home, are suitable for disembarkation for 7 years, no less. Those who are just starting to plant tomatoes on the site or have decided to cultivate a new variety acquire planting material, take it from relatives, friends, and so on. But in any case, it should be tested for germination.

Warm water is poured into a shallow container, and tomato seeds are loaded. Practice shows that a small part of them will surely come up. These are "dummies" that will definitely not sprout. Here they are drained together with water. The seeds, which have sunk to the bottom of the bowl (plate), are used to grow tomato seedlings.

Disinfection of seeds

Even for those seeds that were laid for storage on their own (which means that sterilization was carried out), not to mention "strangers", this must be done. It is impossible to create ideal conditions for them in the house, therefore, there is a risk that some of the planting material may be affected. If this is not the case, then prevention is never superfluous. The fact is that even in the store soil mixture, carefully prepared (judging by the information on the label), there may be any infections. In the soil, which is collected on the site (this is the most common option), even more so.

Option 1:

• A solution of potassium permanganate is being prepared. Its concentration (1%) will say little to a layman. At home, it is better to focus on the color of the water - it should acquire a light red (slightly purple) shade. Tomato seeds can be "burned" with a more saturated preparation.

• Planting material immerses only in a warm composition, for about half an hour. If seeds of several varieties are disinfected, then in order to prevent their mixing, it is advisable to place each "batch" in table napkins. You can undergo a water procedure and alternately, but this will take much more time at home.
• Disinfected tomato seeds are re-loaded into a container with water, but already clean. This is necessary for their swelling, which contributes to a more intensive pecking of the sprouts. The aging time depends on the age of the seeds. For relatively new (up to 3 years old) about 9 hours (± 1). Older seeds are soaked for up to a day.

Option 2:

• To disinfect tomato seeds, a soda solution (0.5%) is used.
• Exposure of planting material in it is a day.

It is believed that this method of processing initiates a more intensive development of seedlings.

Soil preparation

The technology of its preparation is different for everyone. Some are content with store formulations; but this is justified only with a small amount of planting material, since a high-quality soil mixture is quite expensive. However, there is no guarantee that it fully meets all the requirements.

Basically, summer residents take soil for a tomato from the site in the fall and leave it in a cold garage, unheated shed or other place where the temperature drops below zero in winter. The advantage of this method is that the soil freezes through, and almost all the pests that are in it die.

• Turf (1) + sand (1) + peat (1).
• After mixing, wood ash is added (at the rate of 0.5 kg per bucket of soil) and superphosphate (100 g).

There are other compositions for tomatoes, but mostly summer residents practice the preparation of soil mixture according to the indicated recipes.

Seedling containers

The method of growing it at home in cups is hardly worthy of attention. Tomatoes are not afraid of picking, therefore, in order to save space in the house, it is better to load the soil into plastic containers (sold in shops for gardeners) or wooden boxes. The latter will not be difficult to make yourself. In principle, you can adapt any container available at hand, suitable for these purposes (in terms of dimensions in the first place). For example, flowerpots, shoe boxes. The only thing that is necessary is to protect the material from getting wet. Otherwise, such an improvised container (made of cardboard) will quickly "creep away". The problem is solved simply - inner part lined with polyethylene film.

If everything is clear with the size of the container for tomatoes (depending on the place of installation), then questions arise in depth. The sufficient height of the walls is 15 cm. This is quite enough for the normal development of the root system of seedlings at home.

Seed planting procedure

• The soil mixture is loaded into the prepared containers. Approximately slightly below the cut of the sides, since after irrigation the soil will surely sag.
• Watering the soil. A little, just so that it is soaked in water.

The soil in the container is kept for one and a half to two weeks, in a room with a positive temperature. This is necessary so that beneficial bacteria appear and multiply in the soil that has been sterilized. And only after that you can start working with the planting material.

• Making grooves. The interval between them is 2.5 ± 0.5 cm, the depth is 5 mm. No longer needed, as it will be difficult for young shoots to break through the layer of earth.
• Treatment of "trenches" with a weak manganese solution. Experienced gardeners do just that. Better to play it safe once again than to get frail or rare seedlings.
• Fill in tomato seeds, little by little, along the entire length. This ensures that even if they do not all germinate, there will still be enough young shoots. And during the picking process, their number is artificially optimized.

Several technologies are known for this point. Some gardeners simply scatter tomato seeds over the surface of the soil, and then lightly sprinkle them with earth. To postpone the picking period, on the contrary, sowing is carried out in the grooves, in a couple of seeds with an interval of 2 - 2.5 cm. Having several containers, it is advisable, for gaining experience, to implement different methods.

There are recommendations that the primary sowing of seeds is done immediately into the holes. The author does not agree with this. The fact is that not all, even well-prepared seeds, will sprout. In individual pits, the transplant is carried out in the process of picking a tomato, when it becomes clear which sprouts will take root in the open field, and which can be safely discarded.

• Backfilling the grooves with earth. Lightly, just cover the tomato seeds so that they are not "scattered" throughout the container during watering. Since the soil is already moistened, its additional irrigation is not performed.
• Creation of a wig effect. At home, boxes, containers are covered with polyethylene film (or glass) and exposed in a warm (the desired temperature is not lower than +20), illuminated room.

Tomato seedling care

Irrigation

Soil moisture should be checked daily. Excessive will lead to mold on the soil. If condensation appears on the film (glass), it is immediately removed and the container is ventilated. Watering, if necessary, is done by drip, only with a spray bottle.

Lighting

It should be sufficient for 14-16 hours. Therefore, the boxes with tomato seedlings are placed, as a rule, on the windowsill (moreover, near the radiators and the temperature is favorable). Considering that at the end of winter - in early spring daylight hours are short, artificial lighting is organized (preferably with fluorescent lamps).

If everything is done correctly, then the first shoots will hatch already on the 3rd (or 4th) day. After that, it is advisable to organize round-the-clock illumination of containers within 2 - 3 days. This contributes to a more intensive development of seedlings. Then you can turn off the light at night.

First two weeks

During this period, the preservation of the greenhouse effect regime continues (the film or glass is not removed). But soil moisture must be maintained at a higher level. In principle, watering is done daily. The fact is that the young roots have not yet penetrated deep into the ground, but are in the upper layer. If it dries up, then the seedlings will definitely be ruined. But it is also not necessary to breed a "swamp".

Gradually, slightly increasing the duration of the "procedure", the container is ventilated. That is, first the film is removed for 10 minutes, then for 15, and so on. The purpose of these activities is the gradual adaptation of tomato seedlings to natural conditions. After 2 weeks after the emergence of shoots, the shelter can be removed from the containers.

After removing the film

Watering. Young shoots are still weak, so you need to be careful with irrigation. Alternatively, use a pipette or syringe (without a needle) at home. As the shoots take root, they need more moisture, therefore, the frequency of watering must be increased. It is possible - to do it twice a day, depending on the condition of the soil and seedlings. If it begins to sink to the ground, irrigation is immediately performed.

Airing. This is also practiced daily, with a gradual increase in duration. To begin with, a window opens. When the temperature outside is set at +15, boxes with tomato seedlings can be displayed on an open loggia or balcony. At first - 5 minutes, on the second day - already 10, and so on.

Top dressing of the soil. Primary - as soon as a couple of leaves appear. This is about 3 weeks after the shoots appear. Further - every 6 - 7 days. The feasibility of fertilization can be judged by the shade of the leaves and the condition of the stems. If the color is dark green, and the trunks are dense, but you do not need to feed.

You can only fertilize tomatoes with organic matter. Drooping leaves (lower) indicate a lack of nitrogen in the soil, a purple hue - phosphorus. But the yellowing of the seedlings indicates that there is too much nitrogen.

Picking a tomato. The timing does not matter here. The appearance of 3 - 4 full-fledged leaves is a signal that the "plot" should be thinned out. As a rule, this occurs on the 10th day after sprouting. Few people practice seating in glasses - there will be too much space for them in the house. Therefore, all work is done in a container.

The day before, the land is watered with the expectation that by the time of the pick it will be of normal moisture. The technology is simple - with a teaspoon that shoot is removed from the soil, which is subject to rejection (or transplant into another container) along with a lump of earth.

The task is to thin out the "dividing" so that the tomato seedlings develop normally, remove the frail bushes (they are unlikely to take root in the open ground) and move those that will be planted on the site to another "bed" (in order to avoid crowding in one container).

After some time, the pick is repeated, if necessary. What to focus on? For 1 bush, 0.5 - 0.8 liters (by volume) of soil is enough. Growing tomato seedlings at home is limited by free space. Therefore, for a city apartment, recommendations for planting each shoot in a capacity of 3 liters are hardly worthy of attention.

At about 1.5 months of age, the seedlings can be moved to the open air. The boxes are displayed on the balcony, the local area. If you overexpose them in the house, you will have to do the picking again, since the shoots in the containers will again become cramped. In addition, at home, they can "give color". Consequently, they are unlikely to have tomatoes on them already. If all the same flower brush appears, it must be removed immediately.

It often happens that young bushes begin to "fall". They are easy to straighten if you spill the soil in a container with seedlings with kefir diluted with warm water.

Foreword

Many newcomers to gardening ask themselves the question: "How to plant tomato seedlings correctly?" Let's look at the intricacies of preparing seedlings, caring for them and transplanting into open soil.

To plant seedlings, first of all, you need to grow them. The first step on the way to sowing will be the preparation of purchased seeds for planting. To do this, prepare a solution by adding 2 tablespoons of salt to the water and boiling it. Next, pour the purchased seeds into the liquid and after 5 minutes remove the seeds that have floated to the surface. Rinse the remaining seed thoroughly and use for cultivation.

Strong tomato seedlings

The next step is to disinfect the seeds. To do this, they will need to be treated with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate and rinsed again. After that, the seeds are enriched with mineral fertilizers. You can buy ready-made mixes or make your own fertilizers. To do this, take:

• 0.45 g of potassium salt;
• 0.02 g of boric acid;
• 0.04 g of ammonium molybdenum;
• 0.1 g of ammonium sulfate;
• 0.08 g vitriol.

Mix all the ingredients in 1 liter of water and soak the seeds in the mixture for a day. Then drain the solution and place the seeds on a wet cloth.

To get healthy tomato seedlings, you need to prepare the soil for seed germination. The soil should be moderately moist, nutritious and loose. For growing large varieties of tomatoes, it is best to prepare sod soil with the addition of sand and humus. To normalize the acidity of the earth, 0.4 liters of resin and 150 g of chalk are added to every 10 liters of soil. This mixture will be an excellent analogue of expensive soil from the store.

In most cases, gardeners grow a large number of tomatoes. Therefore, we advise you to sow seeds in wide containers, and after their germination, dive the seedlings into separate vessels. Some amateurs use paper milk containers as containers. This is quite convenient, however, lactic acid bacteria remain on the walls of the containers, which can provoke the appearance of mold in the soil. Further transplanting of vegetables can be carried out in containers from plastic bottles or peat pots. At the bottom of each vessel, drainage holes must be made so that the water does not stagnate in them.

Before you need to pre-fill the vessels with ready-made soil 2 cm below the upper edge. After that, the ground must be watered, covered with glass or plastic wrap and left for 24 hours. The next day, remove the cover and make longitudinal grooves, no more than 5 mm deep. We plant the seed in these grooves, bury it and water the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate on top. Then the vessels are again covered with foil and placed next to the battery.

The first shoots will appear within a week after sowing. As soon as you notice them, remove the plastic so that the seedlings can breathe. Transfer the seedlings to a cooler, well-lit area. After another week, the air temperature in the room will need to be increased to 23 ° C.

Seedling tomato

After several true leaves appear on the stems of the seedlings, the plants must be transplanted into separate containers. Correct fit the tomato requires pinching the main roots of the seedlings, so that in the future the root system develops even more actively. In addition, the seedlings must be hardened. To do this, lower the room temperature to 16 ° C.

The process requires regular feeding. The first time the additives are applied 10 days after the pick. For this purpose, a solution of 8 liters of water, 50 g of superphosphate and 4 g of urea is suitable. The second time, the seedlings need to be fed after another 15 days. After fertilizing, the soil must be watered and loosened. After planting tomato seedlings, you need to constantly monitor the amount of water and the intensity of lighting. Many beginners grow seedlings incorrectly, pouring a very large amount of water into containers. As a result, the plants begin to rot and die.

In early May, grown and strengthened tomato seedlings should be planted in protected soil. After a month, the seedlings will be completely ready for picking into open soil. The planted plants will grow quickly and give a good harvest if you choose a well-lit area of ​​the garden with sandy loam or loamy soil for them.

Landing in the ground

In order to protect the seedlings from fungal diseases, 10 days before diving into the garden, the site must be treated with a solution of copper sulfate. Further, holes are made in the soil, 5–6 cm deep. Seedlings are placed in each of them and covered with soil. Immediately after transplanting, the plants must be watered and stick a small peg near each seedling. In the future, the seedlings will be tied to the pegs so that the wind does not break them.

By adhering to the tips listed above, you can grow healthy seedlings and reap a rich harvest in the future. However, do not relax. Indeed, very often pests appear in the garden - your direct competitors for tasty and vitamin-rich tomatoes.

Having studied how to properly plant tomato seedlings, you need to pay attention to pest control. Very often tomato seedlings suffer from a bear. This pest reproduces well on wet soils. Medvedka loves potatoes, but often she does not disdain tomato seedlings, nibbling underground part their stems.

To fight the bear, you can use various folk, as well as chemical agents... Among the latter, it should be noted "Grizzly", "Medvetox", "Phenaxin Plus" and "Thunder"... These drugs have a strong effect, but their fumes are quite dangerous for human health. Therefore, a protective mask and gloves should be used when working with these chemicals.

Seedlings after a bear

To prevent and combat this pest, you need to adhere to the following rules:

• do not add mullein to damp areas of the garden;
• regularly loosen the aisles to destroy the eggs of the bear;
• plant marigolds around the perimeter of the site;
• lay out traps from manure.

Another dangerous pest of tomatoes is wireworm. He prefers to feast on the underground part of the stems and roots. As a result, the seedlings turn yellow and die. To distract the wireworm from the tomato seedlings, bury small pieces of carrots or potatoes in the soil in the garden bed. The places where you buried the vegetables should be noted. After 3 days, they will have to be dug up and burned. You can also use "Bazudin" to fight. It must be mixed with sand and sawdust and buried near each bush.

Tomato seedlings can be attacked by scoops at night. At first, the larvae of this butterfly eat the upper parts of the leaves, and later they are taken for flowers and ovaries. However, this does not end there. As soon as green fruits appear on the bushes, the grown larvae begin to feed on them. To combat the population of scoops, it is necessary to plant calendula along the perimeter of the garden. The garden bed itself should be sprayed twice a week with a tincture of garlic arrows and an infusion of burdock leaves.

Well known to many summer residents powdery mildew affects many vegetable crops, including tomatoes. This disease occurs as a result of the appearance of a fungus that forms in the greenhouse in high humidity conditions. To overcome the disease, it is necessary to spray the seedlings with fungicides in time. The best means for this they will become: " Fundazol ", "Topaz" and "Vitaros"... When using these drugs, you must strictly adhere to the dosage and safety rules.

Sign of necrosis

A rather dangerous disease is stem necrosis. This viral disease develops on the stems of fully formed bushes and then passes on to the fruit. At the same time, cracks appear on the bottom of the tomatoes, in which, in turn, air roots are formed. Necrosis can appear not only on grown bushes, but also on seeds. Before sowing, the seeds must be treated with potassium permanganate, and the sprouted bushes must be sprayed with a 0.2% solution of "Fitolavin".

Macrosporiosis is included in the list of the most dangerous viral diseases that affect the leaves and stems of plants. At the same time, brown oval spots appear on the bushes, which merge over time. As a result, the leaves fall off and the stem dies. To combat macrosporiosis, you need to use drugs based on copper. Diseased branches and leaves should be removed from the bushes immediately.

One more viral disease tomatoes - mosaic. This dangerous disease affects the bushes at high temperatures, staining their leaves in the form of a mosaic. At the same time, sometimes brown spots are formed on immature fruits, which grow into rot. The main carrier of the mosaic is considered to be unprocessed tomato seeds. Before planting, they need to be held in a solution of potassium permanganate. When the first signs of the disease are found on the grown bushes, the seedlings should be sprayed with a solution of Bordeaux liquid.

It stands on the same step with crops such as cucumber and pepper - these vegetables are grown on their site by almost all gardeners. But in order to get a decent harvest of tomatoes, it is necessary to provide for the cultivation of tomato seedlings at home. Our climate most often does not allow the planting of seeds of this native of the south directly into the open ground.

When to plant tomatoes for seedlings?

For central Russia, tomato seedlings are planted at home from mid-February to late March- depending on where the culture will subsequently be grown, in the open field or in the greenhouse... To determine when to sow tomatoes for seedlings, you should adhere to the following time intervals:

• February 15 - March 15- sow a crop if it is planned to plant tomato (tomato) seedlings in a greenhouse;
• March 1 - 20- carry out planting of tomatoes for seedlings when grown in open ground using spunbond or other covering material;
• 15 - 31 March- plan to plant tomato seedlings for open ground.

Preparing tomato seeds for sowing seedlings

Culling

In the question of how to properly plant tomatoes for seedlings, you need to start with the preparation of seeds. The first stage is culling. Growing tomato seedlings at home is possible only from healthy, strong seeds with a dense shell. It is quite simple to separate the unusable seeds - it is enough to place the planting material in salt water (1 tsp salt in half a liter of water) and empty low-quality seeds will float up on their own.

ON THE PICTURE: "Empty" tomato seeds float in water and are easily separated from suitable planting material.

Disinfection

If growing tomato seedlings at home is planned from seeds from your garden, it is necessary to decontaminate them in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. The planting material in gauze bags is immersed in liquid for 20 minutes, after which it is washed twice with water. Fresh seeds from well-known manufacturers do not need such a procedure.

On a note! Too concentrated solution of potassium permanganate reduces seed germination. Those who are afraid to overdo it can use (8 drops in half a liter of water). This biological product copes well with many diseases of fungal and bacterial origin.

Soak

Preparing tomato seeds at home also involves pre-soaking them. This is done a few days before disembarkation. The seeds are placed in warm water (about + 25 ° C) and kept in it for about 18–20 hours, then dried with paper towels.

In principle, they usually soak old seeds that have been stored for 3-4 years. Young planting material grows well in dry form!

Instead of water for soaking, you can use growth stimulants (1-2 drops per 100 ml of warm water), for example, epin-extra, zircon. In this case, caring for tomato seedlings at home will be simplified - these growth stimulants help to increase germination and plant resistance to diseases.

Hardening

Another possible stage in seed preparation is hardening, which accelerates the emergence of seedlings. The planting material, immediately after soaking, is placed in a damp gauze in a refrigerator, kept there for about a day and dried. After that, the seeds are immediately planted in the prepared soil.

How to plant tomatoes for seedlings?

Soil preparation

The easiest way is to take ready-made soil intended for growing vegetable seedlings. Coconut substrate and peat tablets with a diameter of 30–40 mm are also suitable. A plus last option- no diving of tomato seedlings is required.
ON THE PICTURE: Peat tablets are successful when growing seedlings, the main advantages are the absence of the need to prepare the soil for seedlings and picking.

How to plant tomatoes for seedlings using garden soil? There are no special requirements. A mixture of turf and sand, with the addition of sawdust or peat, is suitable. Before use, such soil must be steamed or calcined in the oven to get rid of pathogens.

Choice of capacity

How to plant tomatoes for seedlings correctly - in a common container or in separate cups? There is not much difference, except that the seeds planted in separate pots are easier to dive. It is even more convenient to use cassettes - containers with cells, each of which contains one seedling - and it is convenient to carry and transplant.

Sowing

In small pre-moistened holes 1–1.5 cm deep, 1-2 seeds are planted (the distance between the holes is 3–5 cm), sprinkled with earth on top and tamped a little. Planting before the emergence of seedlings is covered with polyethylene or glass and placed in a warm place (+ 22-25 ° C). Ventilate periodically.

Caring for tomato seedlings at home

The first seedlings of tomatoes appear already on the 4-7th day. The main condition for caring for them from this period is a lot of scattered light (that is, without direct sunlight). Daylight hours for young seedlings should last about 16 hours, so it is advisable to supplement the seedlings with fluorescent or phytolamps in the first few weeks.
ON THE PICTURE: Supplementing the seedlings accelerates their growth and makes the seedlings stronger.

A couple of days after the emergence of seedlings, the containers must be moved to a well-ventilated room, the temperature for tomato seedlings is + 14–16 ° С. After a week, the growing temperature should be brought to + 18 ° С, and the nighttime temperature should be kept at the same + 14–16 ° С. To do this, it is enough to leave the window open overnight, avoiding drafts. Such temperature regime withstand a month.

How to water tomato seedlings?

Before the first true leaf appears, the seedlings do not water, but only slightly irrigate the soil. Then the soil is moistened on average once every five days. The hardened plants after picking are watered under the root as the top layer of the soil dries up.

How to dive tomato seedlings?

Caring for tomato seedlings at home includes the obligatory picking of grown seedlings with two or three true leaves into separate containers with a volume of about 0.5 liters. Two days before picking tomato seedlings, the soil is watered so that the delicate roots are not damaged during extraction.

When transplanting, the tip of the root of each plant must be pinched to stimulate the growth of lateral roots. The seedling itself is deepened to the cotyledonous leaves, after which the soil is poured with water at room temperature.

ON THE PICTURE: From such cassettes, seedlings can simply be transferred into larger containers.

If the seedlings are grown in peat tablets, there is no need to dive. Seedling tablets are simply placed in containers and covered with soil.

How to feed tomato seedlings?

In the question of how to feed tomato and pepper seedlings (the principles of growing seedlings of these crops are generally similar), the main thing is not to overdo it. If the seedlings are strong with dark green leaves, then additional fertilization can be omitted. Otherwise, feeding tomato seedlings involves the addition of nitrogen fertilizers. The most commonly used scheme is:

• The first feeding - 2 weeks after the pick. It is best at this stage to feed the urea solution along the leaf and at the root (1 tablespoon / 10 liters of water). It is also permissible to use potassium nitrate, fertilizer "Agricola-3" according to the instructions for tomato seedlings;
• The second feeding is done 1-2 weeks after the first one. During this period, "Nitrofoska" is suitable (1 tablespoon / 1 liter of water per watering 25-30 plants). With an overly elongated stem, you can use a superphosphate solution (1 table l / 3 liters of water);
• Further, "Nitrofoska" can be applied every 10 days, having completed all dressings at least a week before planting the seedlings in the ground.

Folk methods of environmentally friendly feeding of tomato and pepper seedlings include feeding with yeast. According to the reviews of amateur gardeners, yeast helps to significantly increase the immunity of seedlings, accelerate root formation and the growth of vegetative mass. We recommend carrying out such experiments on a separate batch of seedlings, which is not a pity to lose.

Fertilizer preparation is very simple:

• Based on live yeast: dilute 1 kilogram of yeast (usually sold in briquettes) in 5 liters of slightly warmed water, let it brew for about a day. Before watering, the solution is additionally diluted with water, the ratio is 1:10;
• With dry granular yeast: dissolve 50 g of dry yeast in 5 liters of warm water and add 1 tablespoon of sugar. After insisting (several hours), add more water to the solution, the ratio is 1: 5.

ON THE PICTURE: "Penny" yeast is a good stimulator of growth and development of tomato seedlings.

It is not enough to know how to feed tomato seedlings after a pick, you need to know and how to do it. It is best to add fertilizer in the morning, in a pre-moistened soil. After feeding, it is advisable to lightly spray the plants with water so that no traces of fertilizers remain on the leaves.

Hardening tomato seedlings

How to grow tomato seedlings so that they do not die in the open field due to a sharp change in growing conditions? Hardening of young plants that begin For two weeks before the intended disembarkation. The temperature at which the seedlings are kept is gradually reduced from + 20 ° C to + 14 ° C, opening the vents and windows in the room for this. You can take seedlings to the balcony for a day, provided that the temperature does not fall below + 10 ° C. At the very beginning of hardening, the seedlings are shaded, from the fourth day they will no longer be afraid of sunlight.

ON THE PICTURE: Hardening of seedlings - mandatory procedure when growing tomatoes, otherwise young plants planted in open ground may die at the slightest cold snap.

When to plant tomatoes?

You can visually determine if tomato seedlings are ready for growing in the open field. Plants can be planted if:

1. The seedlings have acquired six to seven leaves with short internodes;
2. The stems are thickened, reaching a height of 30 cm;
3. One or two flower clusters have appeared on the tomatoes.

For Central Russia and the Moscow region, it is possible to plant seedlings in a greenhouse from May 1 to 10, when using a film shelter - from May 15 to May 25, directly into open ground - from May 25 to June 15.

In the Urals and Siberia, it is advisable to plant tomato seedlings not earlier than mid-June, but much depends on the variety.

ON THE PICTURE: When planting tomato seedlings, only the "soil" cup is deepened.

Diseases of tomato seedlings and their treatment with a photo

Although tomato is not considered the most whimsical crop, there are problems with its cultivation. And difficulties can begin with young seedlings. How plants signal malaise, why tomato seedlings die - consider below the most common diseases of tomato seedlings and their treatment with a photo.

Black leg of tomato seedlings

Darkening in the lower part of the stem, lodging of seedlings are signs. The main causes of this disease of fungal origin are excessive moisture in immature plants, coupled with a lack of lighting. It is necessary to remove the affected specimens, sprinkle the soil under them with ash, and cover the rest of the soil surface with sand. In the future, overflows should be avoided and the plants should be provided with good lighting.

ON THE PICTURE:Thinning, blackening of the base of the stem of a seedling is a sure sign of a "black leg".

Leaves curl

Why do the leaves of tomato seedlings curl? There may be several reasons:

• Increased room temperature;
• Insufficient watering;
• Low humidity;
• There is not enough space for the plant - the volume of the container for seedlings is incorrectly selected;
• Too dense soil;
• An excess of nitrogen fertilizers.

All these reasons are associated with plant care and are most often removable.

ON THE PICTURE: Twisted lms in grown seedlings may indicate the need to transplant the seedling into a more spacious container.

Spots on the leaves of tomato seedlings

With spots on the leaves, not everything is so simple. They can appear as a result of improper care, and as a result of fungal or viral diseases.

Whitish spots on the leaves:

1. Most often they indicate white (septoria), a disease of fungal origin. This is facilitated by increased humidity and high temperatures... Such plants should be removed, and the remaining seedlings should be treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture. Similarly, with brown spotting - in this case, the spots on the leaves are initially gray, gradually the entire leaf turns brown and dies.
2. Whitening of the leaves can also be the result of sunburn, if the seedlings are placed in a lighted place for a long time without preparation. Young plants should be taught to the sun gradually.

ON THE PICTURE: Tomato leaves damaged by septoria.

ON THE PICTURE: Brown spot of tomatoes.

Dark spots on lower leaves:

May be the reason chemical burn when, during root feeding, droplets of liquid fertilizer fall on the leaf blades.

Variegated leaves:

Light and dark spots on the leaves are caused by the mosaic virus. The reason is contaminated seed. There is no cure for this type of disease yet; the affected plants need to be burned.

ON THE PICTURE: Mosaic on tomato leaves.

Yellowing leaves of tomato seedlings

Why do the leaves of tomato seedlings turn yellow? Depending on the nature of the yellowing of the leaves, the reasons may be different. If, for example, the lower leaves of tomato seedlings turn yellow, then the plants are most likely experiencing a lack of nitrogen fertilizers. Urea will help to correct the situation - 20 g (tablespoon) is diluted in 10 liters. water and introduced into the soil with seedlings, and the leaves are sprayed with a solution.

Also yellowing of the leaves can be caused by excessive watering and lack of lighting. It is enough to rearrange the tomato seedlings closer to the window, adjust the watering and the problem will be eliminated.

ON THE PICTURE: The leaves of tomato seedlings turned yellow, there is a high probability of overflow of the plant.

As you can see, there should not be any particular difficulties in growing tomatoes. You can see more clearly how to sow tomatoes for seedlings in the video below.

Growing the strongest and most stocky tomato seedlings is easy. It is enough just to fulfill 9 conditions.

Many gardeners, especially beginners, complain that the seedlings are stretched out, outgrowth, have a pale appearance, and are affected by diseases and pests. Avoiding these problems is as easy as shelling pears.

Condition one - quality seeds

Your future harvest depends on how responsibly you choose seeds. Take time to study all the seed on the market. Read reviews about seed producers on the Internet, consult with neighbors and acquaintances.

Find out the characteristics of the varieties, their requirements for growing conditions and disease resistance. And only after that go from the store for the most the best seeds tomatoes.

Condition two - correct soil

Experienced gardeners begin to prepare the soil for growing tomato seedlings about a week before sowing the seeds. Regardless of what the seedlings will grow in - purchased soil or garden soil - the soil must be disinfected before sowing (spilled with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate, steamed in a water bath or heated in the oven).

If you grow tomato seedlings in soil prepared on the basis of your own garden soil (necessarily disinfected!), The plants will experience less stress when planting in a permanent place, so they will take root faster and easier than those who "spent their childhood" in a purchased substrate.

For those who prefer prepare the soil yourself, we offer several options for potting soil, ideal for growing tomato seedlings:

1. Peat (4 parts), sod land (1 part), mullein (0.25 parts). For every 10 liters of soil mixture add 3 liters of river sand, 10 g ammonium nitrate, 2-3 g of superphosphate and 1-1.5 g of potassium chloride.
2. Peat (3 parts), steamed sawdust (1 part), mullein (0.5 parts). For every 10 liters of the mixture add 3 liters of river sand, 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 2-3 g of superphosphate and 1-1.5 g of potassium chloride.
3. Humus (1 part), peat (1 part), sod land (1 part). For every 10 liters of the mixture, add 1.5 tbsp. ash, 3 tbsp. superphosphate, 1 tbsp. potassium sulfate and 1 tsp. urea.

If you are going use purchased soil, keep in mind some important points:

• the main component of such a soil (especially a universal soil for seedlings) is peat, which is highly acidic and poorly permeable to water;
• to make the purchased soil suitable for growing seedlings, mix it with the same amount of disinfected garden soil, substrate for indoor plants or earth from flowerpots with missing flowers;
• to reduce acidity, add dolomite flour or chalk at the rate of 1-2 tbsp. for 10 liters of substrate.

For the last two years I have been preparing the earth myself: garden soil + humus + peat, I add ash and a little complex fertilizer there. Stands in bags on the street - freezes. Before sowing, I bring it into the house. I noticed that the plants almost do not notice the transplantation to a permanent place, if the seedling soil differs little from the permanent one. One year I grew seedlings with purchased soil, took root for almost a month, and the harvest was not ah. (Toma Drobova, Latvia)

Condition three - preparation of seeds for sowing

To increase the germination of tomato seeds, before sowing, they should be kept in a solution of Epin, Heteroauxin, Zircon, Bud and another growth stimulator (according to the instructions). Or you can use improvised means - aloe juice or honey water (1 teaspoon honey in a glass of water), the etching time is 30 minutes.

Then the seeds are recommended to germinate. To do this, you will need a piece of cloth, cotton pad, gauze, or paper napkin. Moisten the material with water, sprinkle tomato seeds of the same variety on one half of it, cover with a free part, put in a plastic bag and place in a warm place.

Make sure that the material does not dry out. When the tomato seeds are nibbled, start sowing. Pour a 1-1.5 cm layer of drainage (sand, fine gravel, expanded clay) at the bottom of the sowing container, and a 4-5 cm layer of soil on top. Tamp it lightly and sprinkle it with water.

At a distance of 3 cm from each other, make grooves 1-1.5 cm deep and sow tomato seeds in them. Sprinkle with soil, cover the containers with cellophane or glass and transfer to a warm (23-25 ​​° C) place.

I breed aloe juice and soak the seeds until germination. They do not save from diseases, but the seeds germinate much faster. (Larisa Sidorova, Republic of Mordovia)

Condition four - optimal temperature

For a more friendly emergence of seedlings, crops should be at a temperature of 23-25 ​​° C. But as soon as the first shoots appear, the containers must be immediately transferred to a colder place (with a temperature of 12-16 ° C during the day and 10-12 ° C at night). They should stay there for 6-7 days. If this condition is not met, the tomato seedlings will be strongly stretched. Then the plants are returned to a warm room (22-24 ° C during the day and 20-22 ° C at night).

Condition five - proper watering

Until the seedlings grow up and get stronger, they can only be watered from a spray bottle. Subsequently, for these purposes, you can use an ordinary watering can for indoor flowers.

The principle of watering tomato seedlings is simple: do not allow both the substrate to dry out and its waterlogging. Water only with settled water, the temperature of which is not lower than 22 ° C.

In no case should tomato seedlings be watered with cold tap water. This is fraught with the development of dangerous diseases, such as, for example, blackleg and root rot.

Condition six - timely dive

The picking of tomato seedlings begins as soon as the plants have the first pair of true leaves (about 12-18 days after germination).

They do it as follows. At first, the plants are well watered, and then they are carefully dug out of the box one at a time using a teaspoon or a dive peg. The central root is shortened by about 1/3 and the plants are planted in separate containers or again in a box according to the 6 × 6 cm scheme.

Seventh condition - mandatory feeding

It is impossible to grow strong and healthy tomato seedlings without additional fertilizing. The main thing in this business is to do everything on time.

First time seedlings are fed after diving (the plants should take root and start growing). For this, 8-12 g of ammonium nitrate, 40 g of superphosphate and 7-10 g of potassium salt are diluted in 10 liters of water.

After 8-10 days, tomato seedlings are fed second time... For this purpose, either fermented chicken manure (1: 10-12) with the addition of superphosphate (60 g per 10 l of solution) is used, or a mixture mineral fertilizers- 15-18 g of ammonium nitrate, 70-80 g of superphosphate and 20-25 g of potassium chloride per 10 liters of water.

Third feeding carried out a few days before landing in the ground. 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 40 g of superphosphate and 60 g of potassium chloride are dissolved in 10 l of water.

Top dressing of tomato seedlings is carried out after the next watering. For one plant, use the same nutrient solution as water for irrigation. If fertilizer gets on the leaves, they are immediately washed with clean water.

Condition eight - good lighting

The optimal place for placing seedlings in an apartment is the window sills of the southern or south-western windows. If there are none, you will have to resort to tricks - to place containers with seedlings away from each other so that the plants do not compete for light, or to use additional light sources - reflectors, fluorescent lamps, etc.

Otherwise, the plants will be very elongated and have a pale color.

Condition nine - hardening before disembarkation

Hardening is a mandatory agricultural technique when growing tomato seedlings. This procedure allows plants to adapt to the difference between day and night temperatures, bright sun, wind and reduces the stress they experience when changing their "place of residence".

They begin to harden tomato seedlings a few days before planting in a permanent place. First, for 1-2 hours, open the window leaf on which the seedlings stand. Gradually, this time is increased to 6-8 hours. Then containers with seedlings are taken outside for a while so that the plants get used to the open air.

Only after passing through the hardening procedure, tomato seedlings can be considered ready for planting in a permanent place. By this time, the plants should have 8-10 true leaves and a height of 25-35 cm.

Follow the rules described above to grow high-quality, high-yielding tomato seedlings.