We grow tomato seedlings: how to plant seeds correctly and how to prepare them for sowing
A plentiful harvest of tomatoes depends on the quality of the seedlings: the stronger and healthier it is, the stronger the bushes will be, less often they will hurt and more fruits will be tied. For this reason, gardeners, especially beginners, need to have an idea of how to properly plant tomatoes for seedlings, because the future harvest depends on this. What should you pay attention to when planning the cultivation of tomatoes, and what needs to be done for this?
Choosing seeds
The first step is to decide on the seed. The most reliable way is to purchase it in a specialized store, choosing regionalized and proven varieties from reputable manufacturers. When choosing tomato seeds, you should also consider the following factors:
- the height of the bushes (undersized or tall);
- timing of fruiting (early maturing or late);
- the purpose of growing (salad or for conservation).
One of the main nuances is the place for the further cultivation of tomatoes: both for greenhouses and for open ground there are specialized tomato varieties, and you need to adhere to this division.
We prepare seed material
So that the seeds do not upset the poor similarity, they must be prepared in advance. We start by rejecting low-quality, empty achenes. To do this, pour the seeds into salt water and leave for five minutes. We throw away everything that pops up (there will be no sense from them). With the quality seeds remaining at the bottom, we carry out two more procedures:
- We disinfect by placing in a solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour.
- We stratify it by wrapping it in a cloth and putting it in the refrigerator for three days.
Preparing the soil
While the seeds are undergoing preparatory procedures, you can do the soil. The seedling soil should be fertile and loose to provide the seedlings with the necessary nutrients and not hinder their growth. The best choice is to buy ready-made substrates in the store, especially for seedlings. You can also prepare the mixture yourself by mixing in equal proportions:
- soil from the garden;
- humus;
- peat.
Add a half-liter jar of ash and 2 matchboxes of superphosphate to a bucket of such soil mixture.
The home substrate must be disinfected by calcining in the oven, steaming or spilling with potassium permanganate.
Sow seeds
For growing tomato seedlings can be used:
- common container;
- peat pots or pills;
- cassettes.
Fill the selected container with soil and moisten it well from a spray bottle. We make grooves (in a common container) or holes no more than 1 cm deep and lay out the seeds. For group sowing, we leave 4 cm between the seeds, and up to 5 cm between the grooves. We fill the crops with a thin layer of soil, cover the dishes with foil to create a greenhouse effect and put them on a light windowsill. They will remain in this form until they germinate, and at this time it is necessary to periodically air the greenhouse and spray the soil. The film can then be removed.
Grown up seedlings with a couple of real leaves from a common container must be dived into separate pots. One and a half weeks after this procedure, you can start feeding (it is enough to add the mineral complex twice with a break of 2 weeks). Before planting seedlings in a permanent place, it must be hardened.