How and when to plant tomato seedlings in open ground. Timing for sowing main garden crops in open ground How to properly plant seedlings in open ground

Tips for planting seedlings in open ground
For all crops:

we harden the seedlings, hardening should begin at least a week before planting in open ground
To do this, we take the seedlings outside or open the window; if we grow them in a greenhouse, we open the greenhouse
we reduce watering so that after transplanting the seedlings recover faster

When to plant seedlings in open ground

Planting of seedlings for each region is carried out in its own time. In any case, be guided by the weather. Plant heat-loving crops only in well-warmed soil.

Plants will take root well and begin to grow actively when the air temperature is above 15-18ºC and the soil temperature is above 10-15º.

If you want to plant seedlings earlier, make a shelter for them - polyethylene or any other covering material. It is better to plant seedlings in the evening or on a cloudy day.

Planting tomato seedlings in open ground

If the seedlings were previously placed in separate cups, then the planting process is carried out using the transshipment method, in this case there is no damage root system and the plant reacts less painfully to the procedure.

Tomato seedlings are carefully removed from the cup; if the seedlings are overgrown, you can cut off 3-4 bottom leaves
and placed in a previously prepared well,

Tomato seedlings must be buried to stimulate the development of adventitious roots.

We place the seedlings on their side and water them well in several stages with water.
Cover the hole with soil, lift the tomato, and tie it to a peg if necessary.
3-4 days after planting the seedlings, water it with Fitosporin solution to prevent the development of late blight.

If the seedlings have not been picked, then very carefully remove them from the soil, trying not to damage the roots, and everything else goes according to plan.

Tomatoes can be planted in the classic way:

for width between rows 40-50 cm, between plants 30-40 cm.
for medium-growing plants, the width between rows is 50-60 cm, between plants 40-45 cm.

Or the square-cluster method. We plant according to the scheme:

determinate and low-growing varieties: 70x70 cm, 2-3 plants in one hole.
early ripening, spreading varieties: 70x70 cm, 2 plants in one hole.
mid- and late-ripening varieties: 70x70 cm, 1 bush in one hole, or 90x90 cm, (100x100 cm) - 2 plants

After the tomato seedlings have been planted, it is advisable to cover them, thereby protecting them from the sun, wind and helping to take root faster.

An unusual way of planting and growing tomatoes video

Planting pepper seedlings in open ground

Planting seedlings, eggplant is no different from tomatoes. Also

prepare the holes, pour them with warm water,
carefully remove the seedlings from the pot,
we plant it in the hole, deepening it a little.

For many gardeners, the question of when to plant tomato seedlings is very important in order to get an excellent harvest. It is very important to take into account the climatic characteristics of the area, as well as the variety of tomatoes.

One more important factor When sowing seedlings, it is important to choose the right time; it is from this that the timely ripening of the fruit follows. In addition, you need to choose a suitable place for planting the crop - a greenhouse or open ground.

People often ask, what is the time frame for planting tomato seedlings? Planting in a greenhouse occurs approximately two months after germination. The height of the seedlings during this period should be thirty-five centimeters.

For the Moscow region, planting tomato seeds for seedlings begins in early March and throughout the month. For seedlings under film covering - in mid-March.

For Siberia and the Urals, the time for planting seeds is from March to April.

But for accurate calculations it is better to use the above advice, depending on:

from tomato variety;
places for further cultivation;
opportunities for lighting seedlings during early planting;
planting on time in a greenhouse or under film;
weather conditions expected this spring;
moon calendar. There is a belief that the landing will take place according to the lunar calendar.

Folk signs say: If the snowdrop blooms, then you can plant tomatoes as seedlings. Seedlings can be planted in a permanent place when the mountain ash and lilac bloom.

Do you think that folk signs help to grow a good harvest of tomatoes?

Yes, this is the experience of the previous generationNo, it's all superstition

Preparing soil for seedlings

It is better to prepare the soil in the fall, as the soil shrinks in winter. The work can be done outside if the weather is warm or in a shed:

Before you start mixing, the soil and sand must be sifted. This procedure is necessary to remove various types garbage, pest larvae and the like.
Then spread out the polyethylene, pour out and mix everything that is required to prepare the soil. Add fertilizer as needed, mix everything and place it in containers or bags.
The prepared soil mixture is stored in a barn. Two weeks before preparing tomato seeds for planting, the soil is placed in a warm room. This will allow you to reach the optimal temperature, i.e. warm up.

Soil disinfection. An accompanying procedure when preparing the soil for planting tomatoes for seedlings is disinfection. Experienced gardeners are advised not to neglect this procedure. Disinfection allows you to get rid of larvae and eggs of pests and pathogens. Land can be cultivated in several ways:

To freeze. The soil is left outside for the winter, covering the container from precipitation. Before the soil is used to prepare the soil mixture, it should be brought indoors for a month, heated, mixed with the necessary components and taken outside again.
Treatment with potassium permanganate- the prepared soil is watered with a solution of manganese 3 g per 10 liters of water, antifungal drugs such as phytosporin are added.

Steaming. For this procedure you need two reservoirs - a smaller one and a larger one. The soil is placed in a smaller container and placed in a larger container on a stand. A large container is filled with water and placed on the fire. The container with earth is not covered, the second one is covered accordingly. After the water boils, steam it for an hour. You can preheat in the oven for 30 minutes at +40 C.

Each gardener can choose the best option for himself, based on his own considerations. For some, steaming and calcination methods are considered unacceptable, since along with the destruction of harmful microorganisms, beneficial ones are also destroyed. In this case, you can recommend adding to the moist soil:

antifungal biofungicides (phytosporin);
bioindecticides (fitoverm).

After disinfecting the soil, you can begin to sow the seeds.

How to plant in the ground?

It is necessary to plant the plant in the afternoon or, even better, in cloudy weather:

In this case, the seedlings will not dry out and will “feel” better. If, however, you decide to plant your tomatoes before noon, then it is best not to water them that evening.
Next, holes are made in the dug up soil every 30 cm. In them you need to add compost and a little ash or superphosphate. Add water.
Take the seedlings out of the cups (if you bought them at the market) or take them out of your own container (if you grew them yourself) and lower them into the hole. Plant seedlings must be planted carefully so as not to damage them.

Gardeners usually plant plants at a depth that matches the height of the glass in which the seedlings were purchased, or so that the first leaf is above the soil. This makes it easier for you to plant and for the plant to take root.

Seedling care

Proper care looking after tomatoes after planting is the key to a good harvest. Therefore, it is very important to know all the intricacies of this action. All care can be divided into four types of work:

watering;
loosening;
feeding;
collection.

Before the seedlings are fully acclimatized, you need to monitor the condition of the soil surface. Thus, the soil must be loosened. Otherwise, the cracks that appear will affect the formed roots. As a result, they will be torn apart. Then there are two options for the development of events: either the seedlings slow down their development, or even die.

Watering the tomato should also be correct. This should be done accordingly:

when transplanting seedlings into soil in one hole, 1.5-2 liters;
flowering time - 20-35 liters per 1 m²;
ovary formation time - from 40 to 50 liters per 1 m²;
with repeated formation of fruits - from 70 to 80 liters per 1 m².

At the beginning of the fruit harvest, watering the grown bushes of the plant should gradually decrease. It has a positive effect on tomatoes and protects:

from late blight;
fruit cracks and other diseases.

Weakening is an important step in caring for tomatoes:

Therefore, after planting, loosen the soil every 3-4 days. It is necessary to hill up the planted seedlings immediately after establishment and after ten days. You should loosen the soil under tomatoes every time after watering by 10-12 cm, and not deeper. Otherwise, damage to the roots of the plant may occur.
Only after a month you can add 2-4 cm and loosen at a distance of up to 16 cm. Before closing the tops, the soil is cracked so that air and moisture penetrate into it better. The process is not complicated: cracks are made in the soil at a distance of one and a half meters from each other and a depth of 60 cm.
It is correct that the first fertilizing is carried out 14 days after planting the seedlings in the soil. One square meter will require from 8 to 10 kg of saltpeter, 5-6 kg of urea or from 10 to 12 kg of nitrophos, from 20 to 35 g of superphosphate and potassium salt.

Potassium salt

Second feeding

The second feeding is 20-25 days after the first. The same fertilizers are also used in the same proportions. Also take a "recipe" for tomatoes in case they start to wilt. It's connected with negative impact weather conditions on plants. Have to take:

Mullein with water (1:10) or bird droppings (1:14).
Both mullein and droppings are soaked for 24 hours.
Then half a liter of one solution is mixed with 10 liters of water and the plants are watered.
You need to repeat it in a week.

Remove lower leaves planted tomatoes in 1.5-2 months. The bottom three sheets are subject to liquidation. After this, the seedlings need to be watered after 24 hours. This procedure is carried out once a week. If this is not done, air stagnation occurs and various diseases develop.

You can also watch a video where an experienced gardener will tell you how to properly plant early tomato seedlings in open ground.

Thus, planting tomato seedlings in open ground is not such a difficult matter. The main thing is to know the process and all its subtleties. Thanks to this article, you were able to learn the basic nuances of how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground. Planting tomato seedlings just got a lot easier!

Reading time: 6 minutes

Your seedlings have grown, and frosts are a thing of the past. This means it’s time to take care of the harvest and plant tomato sprouts in open ground.

To do this, when planting tomato sprouts, you need to follow several rules that will help the seedlings grow better and provide you and your family with tomatoes until the next harvest.

When to plant: determine readiness for planting

You shouldn’t rush and start sowing in winter, because by the time the germinated seeds are planted in open ground, it will become something unknown. Focus primarily on climatic conditions and tomato variety.

Please pay attention! Optimal time for most regions it is mid-March. Long daylight hours and frequent appearance of the sun will “program” tomato sprouts for a high yield.

The optimal “age” is 50–55 days. Since planting takes place at the junction of May and June, it means the most late date When you can start sowing seeds will be the beginning of April. You can calculate the approximate time frame yourself. Subtract from the planting date 45 days required for seedling growth and 7–10 days required for germination.

For successful development of the root system, it must be watered every 6–8 days.

If, when growing tomato seedlings, you notice that they are becoming very elongated, then reduce the frequency of watering and lower the temperature in the room.

Preparing tomatoes for planting

Site selection and preparation

Since the tomato is a light- and heat-loving vegetable, it is best to plant it on the south side of the plot, which will be protected from the cold wind. It’s even better if there is a white wall nearby, which will improve the illumination of the plants. This species also reacts negatively to high humidity, which means low damp areas or a place with close groundwater won't fit either.

Optimal level Soil acidity for tomatoes is pH 6.0–7. A good option will become loamy soil with organic and mineral fertilizers added to it. Good harvest collect in an area whose soil has the following characteristics:

moisture capacity – 50%;
porosity – 70–75%;
air capacity – 20–25%;
density – 0.4–0.6 g/cm².

You should not plant tomatoes in the same area for several years in a row. There is no need to choose a place where peppers, eggplants or potatoes were grown last season, and you should also not grow them next to tomatoes, as the risk of late blight increases. The best “predecessors” will be onions, cucumbers and cabbage.

Preparing the site for planting tomatoes begins in advance.

In the fall it needs to be dug up and added to 1 square meter the following complex:

40 grams of superphosphate;
700 grams of lime;
7 kilograms of organic fertilizers.

When it gets warmer, the area is dug up and loosened regularly. Additionally, 20 grams per square meter of potassium fertilizers and superphosphate are added. 2–4 days before planting the seedlings, the beds are prepared and fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers (20–30 grams per square meter).

Final preparations

Before planting seedlings, they are treated with Bordeaux mixture. Tomato sprouts can also be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. This is necessary to prevent diseases.

How to plant tomato seedlings correctly?

It is better to start transplanting seedlings on a day with high clouds or wait until the evening if the weather is sunny. This is necessary so that the sprouts become stronger during the night and can withstand exposure to sunlight normally.

The planting pattern depends on the tomato variety, irrigation system and tomato height.

Each plant should be provided with the maximum amount of light and air. General recommendations can be formulated as follows:

for low-growing varieties the distance between the ridges is 50 centimeters, between plants – 40 centimeters;
For medium-growing varieties , the row spacing is 60 centimeters, and between the stems – 50–60 centimeters;
for tall tomatoes, the distance between rows will be about 70 centimeters, and between plants - 70–80 centimeters.

It is advisable to plant future tomatoes in an open area in a checkerboard pattern. You also need to leave room for a technical opening. Between a pair of ridges it is necessary to leave a passage about 50 centimeters wide. By observing these intervals, you will not only ensure that the tomatoes necessary lighting and air, but also make watering easier for yourself, as you will be able to throw the hose between the rows.

Considering the “tenderness” of the sprouts, the planting process itself is not as simple as it might seem. The algorithm for planting tomato seedlings is as follows:

Before planting the sprouts in the ground, they are watered abundantly. This makes it easier to remove seedlings from pots, and also reduces the likelihood of damage to the roots during transplantation.
Holes for seedlings are made as deep as a spade bayonet. After digging the holes, they are filled to the top with water, and the gardener waits until it completely goes into the ground.
When removing seedlings from pots, it is advisable not to destroy the earthen ball. Depending on the growth of the tomato sprout, it is either planted vertically or placed on the edge of the hole.
The root is sprinkled with a little soil, after which a little rotted manure or compost is scattered around it. After this, the hole is filled with earth and lightly compacted, and also watered at the rate of 1–2 liters of water for each plant.
For gartering, you need to install a peg near each sprout. But it is best to tie tomatoes not to pegs, but to synthetic twine (preferably) or wire stretched at a height of 1–1.2 meters.
The first few days after planting, tomato sprouts are covered with a transparent film. After the seedlings take root and warm weather sets in, there is no need to cover them with film.
During rooting of sprouts, they are not watered. On average, tomatoes need 8–10 days to adapt. 1.5–2 weeks after planting the seedlings, they hill up to a height of 12 centimeters.

Care after placement in open ground

Proper care of tomato seedlings is a guarantee that your work will not be in vain. It can be divided into watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing and picking.

The amount of water depends on the variety and weather conditions.

Before tomato sprouts take root, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil. The soil should be loose. Otherwise, the resulting cracks can affect the root system, which will lead to a slowdown in the development of plants or their death.

Approximate amount of water needed for tomatoes:

when transplanting sprouts – 1.5–2 liters per plant;
during flower formation and flowering - 20–35 liters per square meter;
during the formation of ovaries - 40–50 liters per square meter;
during regular fruit formation - 70–80 liters per square meter.

Before harvesting fruits, to reduce the risk of late blight, cracking tomatoes and other problems, watering is gradually reduced.

After planting the seedlings, the soil around it is loosened once every 3–4 days after watering. To preserve the integrity of the roots, the loosening depth should not be deeper than 10–12 centimeters. After a month, you can increase it to 14–16 centimeters. At the beginning of the process of closing the tops, it is necessary to crack the soil. To do this, cracks 60 centimeters deep are made in the ground at a distance of 1–1.5 meters from each other.

Processing young tomato bushes planted in a greenhouse.

The first feeding is done 2 weeks after planting tomato sprouts. Mix the mixture per 1 square meter:

20–35 grams of potassium salt and superphosphate;
8–10 kilograms of saltpeter;
10–12 kilograms of nitrophoska or 5–6 kilograms of urea.

The second feeding is carried out 25–30 days after the first. The composition of the mixture and proportions remain the same. If the tomatoes begin to wilt due to weather conditions, then the following mixtures will add strength to them:

a mixture of bird droppings and water in a ratio of 1:14;
a mixture of cow manure and water in a ratio of 1:10.

The mixtures are soaked for a day, after which half a liter is mixed with 10 liters of water and distributed among 3 tomatoes. After 7 days, feeding must be repeated.

The first picking (removal of the 3 lower leaves) is carried out 1.5–2 months after planting. After a day, the tomatoes are watered. This procedure is repeated at least once a week. If this is not done, the plants will begin to hurt due to the resulting stagnation of air.

Useful video

In conclusion, watch a practical video about planting tomato seedlings in open ground:

I always grow tomato seedlings - both for the greenhouse and for open beds. Plants are not afraid of transplants - you can sow seeds in common boxes, and then “move” them into separate cups or pots.

Boxes will save space if you have a small apartment, but there are a lot of seedlings. But the grown seedlings will then have to be transplanted into separate containers. Planting each seed in a separate cup will take up more space, but then you won't have to waste time planting.

For many years I have been choosing mixed soil for tomato seedlings: peat and humus (about 2:1). Place a glass of sand on a bucket of substrate. Before planting seeds, I always fertilize the soil:

– 1 glass;
double superphosphate – 2 tbsp. spoons;
urea – 1.5-2 tbsp. spoons;
potassium sulfate – 1 tbsp. spoon.

This preparation is quite sufficient for tomato seedlings.

How I chose seeds for seedlings: a review of popular varieties

There are a lot of varieties of tomatoes: more and more new ones appear every year. When choosing a bag of seeds, I first look at how suitable this species is for our climate zone. Let me introduce you to gardeners' favorites:

Early maturing: Augustine, Red Rooster, Riddle, Abundant, Raja, Agatha, First-Grade, Family, Red Arrow, Aphrodite.
Fruitful: Djinnah, Snow Leopard, Wonder of the World, Wild Rose, Astrakhan, Pudovik, Crimson Giant.
For open ground (low-growing, but high-yielding): Eldorado, Golden Flow, Supermodel, Anastasia, Red Fang, Bobcat, Rio de Grande.

Before soaking, I discard misshapen, small seeds. Then I wrap them in an envelope made of paper napkin or gauze, place in a bowl with water room temperature.

Caring for tomato seedlings

To grow healthy and powerful seedlings, do not forget about these subtleties of care:

Place containers with young plants on east or south windows. But in the northern and western regions, natural light is not enough for them - they cannot do without a phytolamp (the device is sold in gardening centers). Artificial lighting - at least 12 hours a day, according to the same schedule (for example, 7.00-19.00).
Suitable temperature for tomato seedlings: 18-19 C. Usually it is warmer in apartments, so tomatoes quickly grow. Ventilate the room more often, turn on the air conditioner.

I’ll share my secret with you: I “pacify” elongated seedlings with ordinary superphosphate. I dilute 2 tbsp. tablespoons of fertilizer in a bucket (10 liters) of water, I water it with this mixture every week.

The first picking method

The meaning of this procedure is that you pinch the main root, thereby giving the lateral roots the opportunity to actively develop. As a result, the tomato grows a more branched root system, which will actively absorb nutrients from the substrate. The more nutrition, the richer and tastier the harvest.

Picking is carried out after the appearance of the first pair of true leaves. I combine it with transplanting young tomatoes from a common box into separate glasses. I carefully dig up the plant, removing the lower part of the earthen root to find the central root. I cut it off by about a third, after which I transplant the tomato into a separate container.

The work is labor-intensive and requires caution. Therefore, I recommend that novice gardeners use separate cups at once. There is no need to pinch the spine here. The only thing is that when planting in open ground, do not forget to deepen the stem to the cotyledon leaves. This will contribute to the growth of lateral roots.

Second picking method

Let me introduce you to the “lazy” picking method. The plants do not need to be dug up or replanted - they remain in the boxes. By the way, this technique allows you to restrain their excessive stretching:

Take a sharp utility knife.
Use it to cut the soil in each box vertically and horizontally so that there is a seedling in the center of each resulting square.
Side roots damaged by a knife will produce additional branches. This means they will absorb useful material from the soil is more active.

During the entire period of growing seedlings, make 2 such “lazy” picks: when the second true leaf is formed, 4-7 days before planting in a permanent place.

Top dressing

About a week before transplanting, I feed the tomatoes in the morning or evening. I offer you two simple effective ways:

Root. Choose a fertilizer based on liquid vermicompost (for example, Gumistar). Pour the mixture strictly under the root so that it burns the leaves. “Gumistar” can also be used for spraying greenery, but in this case its concentration is reduced by 2-3 times.
Foliar. This is spraying the solution onto the leaves from a spray bottle. The seedlings are already able to absorb nutrients and microelements in this way. I use growth stimulants - for example, Epin (1 ml of the drug per 5 liters of water).

If the seedlings are too elongated, I advise you to remove the cotyledons and true lower leaves before fertilizing. I recommend doing the same for tall varieties.

When to plant seedlings

Be sure to pay attention to appearance their seedlings. Plants ready for transplanting:

at least 25-30 cm in height from the root collars;
6-10 true leaves;
there are the first buds.

When there are a lot of seedlings, I reject all non-standard plants: too small or elongated, damaged.

Spring

If you plan to grow seedlings for open ground, there is no need to soak the seeds for seedlings in late February-early March. These terms are good only for greenhouse plants. And for seedlings in an open garden bed, the seeds are soaked only towards the end of March or beginning of April.

I focus on the timing of the transplant. I plant the seeds approximately 50-60 days before the seedlings are expected to move into the garden.

Summer

I usually plant tomato seedlings in open ground in two stages to get both an early and late harvest:

In the beginning of May. I definitely protect the plantings with covering material. Before transplanting, I warm up the future bed, covering it with black polyethylene.
After June 10. By this time in middle lane Russia has passed the threat of frost - shelter is no longer needed for planting.

But these are still approximate dates. Depending on your region of residence, I recommend that you follow this schedule:

Middle lane. Planting in open beds is possible from the beginning of May.
Ural, Siberia, north-west of the country. Not earlier than the end of May or beginning of June.
Southern regions. From the second half of April.

If you use a covering film, the planting dates can be set a week earlier. The main reference point is the soil temperature. You should not plant tomatoes if the soil has not warmed up to at least 8-10 C. The best soil temperature for tomatoes is 12 C. It should be not only on the surface, but also throughout the entire depth of the hole (approximately the bayonet of a shovel). Frost is the enemy for heat-loving tomatoes. If the soil temperature drops to 0-2 C, the plantings may die.

According to the lunar calendar

Important periods in 2020 for gardeners who follow the lunar calendar:

Favorable dates for planting seedlings: March 7-10, 15, 16, April 6, 7, 11, 12, 17, 18.
Favorable dates for landing on garden plot: 2, 3, 8, 9, 15-18 May, 5-6, 13-15 June.

Hardening of seedlings before planting in open ground

I always harden off my seedlings - I start 2 weeks before transporting them to the garden. The procedure itself is simple:

Take the cups or boxes with plants out onto the balcony. If you are planting seedlings in the country, in a heated greenhouse. Make sure that the room temperature does not fall below 8-10 C.
On the first day, half an hour of hardening is enough for young tomatoes.
In the following days, gradually increase the time the seedlings stay in the new conditions.
By the end of the 2-week hardening, they should already spend a full day on the balcony.

In order not to harm young plants, prepare the hardening site: protect it from strong drafts and direct sunlight. To do this, open the balcony frame only to the microventilator, and place the tomatoes themselves in partial shade. You can use newspapers, not transparent curtains.

The day before transplanting, I always carry out pest control. This is the best time - everything harmful to human body substances are already completely removed from the plant. I prefer to use “Antikhrushch”: it protects seedlings from several pests at once - whiteflies, wireworms, beetles, and mole crickets. For each glass of tomato – 30-50 ml of a weak concentration solution.

Selection and preparation of a site for planting seedlings

I have already tested in my own experience how planting winter green manure improves the nutritional value of the soil. But it’s not too late to plant the same oats in the future tomato bed in the spring. Before planting seedlings green manure dig up.

Tomatoes love acid-neutral soil (no more than 6-7 pH). If the acidity is below 5-5.5 pH, it is increased using a deoxidizing agent. For example, .

If you started preparing the bed in the spring, I advise you to be careful when fertilizing the soil. The following scheme has never let me down:

Before planting the seedling, I pour a tablespoon of ash into the hole.
Second option: a handful of humus, 1 tbsp. spoon of superphosphate per well.
Third option: liquid vermicompost.

Do not forget to thoroughly mix the fertilizer with the substrate. You can additionally disinfect the soil with Glyocladin or Trichocin (1 tablet per 1 seedling).

If you want to harvest an excellent harvest of tomatoes every year, you will have to either find a new place for the tomato bed every year, or completely remove the entire top layer of the substrate and replace it with fresh soil. When choosing where to plant tomatoes, pay attention to their predecessors:

Successful: carrots, onions, cabbage, beets, legumes.
Unsuccessful: nightshade relatives - tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, potatoes.

legumes;
pumpkin;
cabbage;
roots;
garlic and onion.

That is, those crops that enrich the substrate with nitrogen.

Step-by-step instructions for planting in open ground

I choose calm, cloudy weather for planting seedlings. If the day is sunny, I work only in the morning or in the second half of the day, or even late in the evening.

Tomatoes love high beds (25-35 cm) with an optimal width of 1-1.2 m. I make the holes “checkerboard”: 50-70 cm between rows, 30-40 cm between plants in one line. If the seedlings are large and tall, I increase these distances by another 20-25 cm.

I have prepared for you a step-by-step algorithm for planting tomato seedlings:

Before transplanting, water the plant - this will make it easier to pull the soil ball out of the cup.
To make it easier to remove the plant from the pot, lightly tap the bottom. I use plastic containers - their walls wrinkle, which allows the lump of earth to separate more easily.
The base of the seedling should be lightly pinched between your index finger and thumb. With a quick and sharp movement, turn the pot with the plant over.
If the earthen lump has not separated from the walls of the container, very carefully pull the base of the plant stem towards you, slightly rocking it from side to side. At this time, do not stop kneading the walls of the pot with the fingers of your other hand.
When you cannot remove the seedling, do not pull it too hard. It is better to cut a plastic or cardboard cup with a knife or scissors.
Place the earthen ball in the already prepared hole: fertilize the soil in advance with a special fertilizer.
Deepen the stem approximately 10-15 cm below the previous level.
Tilt the young tomato slightly to the side and water thoroughly. I do this in several stages: I wait until the water is completely absorbed into the substrate and again take up the watering can. Watering is the most an important part landings. The better the soil is moistened (but not swamped), the faster the root system adapts and begins to develop. For one hole, 3-4 liters of water (preferably warm) is enough.
Leaving the seedling on its side, fill its hole with soil. Lightly compact the substrate, and then sprinkle with loose soil.
After planting, there is no need to water the plant, otherwise a soil crust will form.
If the tomato is tall, tie it to a stake. Low-growing tomatoes are not tied up, but the soil around them is mulched with straw or hay.
Place arches and protect the beds with covering film.

For large tomatoes, mulching when planting is not necessary. The need for it appears after the seedlings have already taken root - they use forest litter. The next mulching is after removing the lower leaves.

How to properly tie tomatoes

Let me introduce you to the main rules of garter:

Use only disposable garter materials (to prevent fungal diseases).
Before use, all supports are disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate (0.02 g of the drug per 1 liter of water).
Do not squeeze the stem with a bandage - this will disrupt the metabolism in its tissues.
Tying is necessary at the stage when the bushes begin to bend to the ground under their weight.

I use hemp rope as a garter material. Wire, fishing line, ropes are not suitable for this. But old nylon tights work well. You can buy special clothespins and clips.

As for the support itself, there are several options:

Individual. These are wooden stakes, iron rods, plastic tubes, which are placed next to each bush. The support should be approximately the same height as it. The device is not suitable for tall varieties.
Horizontal trellises. Wooden stakes are driven between the rows at a distance of 1.5-2 meters. A wire or twine is stretched along their height at a distance of 30-40 cm. Tomatoes are already tied to it with scraps of fabric.
Net. Between the rows, mesh sheets are installed, to the rods of which the tomatoes are attached with garter material or special clothespins.

There are also special store accessories: wire frames for each bush or pyramid caps.

What problems may arise after transplantation?

As I noticed, the main cause of most tomato diseases, late blight - high humidity. To avoid this problem, I recommend:

Do not overwater the tomatoes or make the soil waterlogged.
If you cover tomatoes, be sure to ventilate them.
Trim off the lower leaves.

Tomatoes do not tolerate continuous shade or density. But they also feel bad under the scorching sun. Therefore, try to choose a “golden mean” for them - a moderately lit and humidified place.

Caring for tomatoes in open ground

Subsequent care of plantings comes down to several mandatory procedures:

Watering.
Weeding.
Mulching.
Loosening (if there is mulch, optional).
Depending on the variety - bush formation, pruning, pinching.
Protection from pests and diseases.

At first, try to disturb the plants less to allow them to take root, but then weekly watering. For one bush: before flowering - 2-3 liters of water, after flowering - 5 liters. In hot, dry weather, the amount of watering is increased. The best time for water treatments is the morning or the first half of the day if the weather is cloudy. Please note: tomatoes are watered only at the root.

When tomatoes begin to ripen, it is important to maintain constant soil moisture. Mulch copes with this perfectly: compost, straw, humus, hay, sawdust, wood chips. If there is no such covering, do not forget to loosen the soil after each watering and remove weeds.

Complex fertilizers for feeding tomatoes

Three feedings will be needed after transplantation:

Nitrogen fertilizer. 2-3 weeks after planting in open ground. There are several effective options: nettle infusion (1 glass per 1 bush) or 1 tbsp. a spoonful of nitrophoska, 0.5 liters of mullein solution per bucket of water (0.5 liters of fertilizer per 1 bush). Another option: 2 tbsp. spoons of 10% ammonia per 10 liters of water (1 liter of solution per 1 bush).
Potassium fertilizer. Fertilizing before the start of active flowering. Use either an ash mixture (a one-liter jar of ash per bucket of water) or potassium humate (20 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water).
Potash fertilizer. The same fertilizers are applied during fruiting.

Before all fertilizing, be sure to water the plants - otherwise the products may burn the root system.

Another one important work- stepsoning. But it is only necessary for tall, medium-sized bushes. It is most convenient to pluck stepchildren with the nails of the thumb and index finger. I always leave a small stump, otherwise a new branch will grow in place of the removed one. Low growing plants do not require pinching (only the lower branches can be processed).

Do not forget to remove the lower leaves with scissors or pruning shears - this is an excellent prevention of phytospores. This work is carried out only after the start of fruiting.

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What vegetables are sown for seedlings?

Why grow seedlings when you can sow seeds directly into the ground? Seedlings are not so susceptible to attack by pests and the influence of weather, they are not so easy to choke out weeds, and they allow you to get an earlier harvest. In addition, in cool regions with short summers, crops with a long growing season can only be grown through seedlings.

What kind of vegetable crops are grown in seedlings? Root celery, peppers, eggplants, basil, parsley, chard, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, Beijing and cauliflower, tarragon, lemon balm, hyssop, marjoram, pumpkin, squash, zucchini - this is an approximate, but not complete list of garden plants that are grown through seedlings.

When to plant vegetable seedlings

Sowing vegetable seeds for seedlings in January

In the first month of the year, preparatory, pre-sowing work is carried out: they prepare the soil and containers for seedlings, a hand sprayer, sort and sort the seeds, checking them for germination, and buy the missing seed. In the third ten days of the month, from January 20, you can sow early cucumbers for the greenhouse on the windowsill.

Sowing vegetable seeds for seedlings in February

In the first week of February, celery root seeds are sown, and from the second ten days of the month - pepper and eggplant seeds. At the same time, we sow tomato seedlings for greenhouses, and from February 20, we begin growing chard, parsley and basil seedlings on the windowsill. If you have not yet sowed early cucumbers, you have the opportunity to do so in February.

Sowing vegetable seeds for seedlings in March

In March it’s the turn of the colored and white cabbage and tomatoes: cabbage is sown around March 10-15, a little earlier, in the first ten days, you can sow early tomatoes, Bell pepper, leek.

Sowing vegetable seeds for seedlings in April

In the first half of the month, seedlings of lemon balm, marjoram, hyssop, tarragon, basil, and lettuce are sown. In the first two decades, squash, pumpkins and zucchini are sown as seedlings. From the middle of the month, it is the turn to grow cucumbers for the ground, and at the end of April, sowing vegetables in open ground begins, as well as planting grown seedlings in the garden.

Pots for vegetable seedlings

For both beginners and experienced flower growers we have to solve the problem with containers for seedlings. Despite the fact that many have developed a prejudiced attitude towards plastic, today it is the most accessible and harmless material in which vegetable seedlings grow and develop well. For the manufacture of such containers, a material without harmful substances is used, unlike cardboard containers, which are impregnated with protection against bacteria and fungi that cause rotting. Under the influence of these impregnations, vegetable seedlings slow down or even stop growing until the chemical wears off.

Plastic boxes for seedlings or cassettes for seedlings with a tray are the most optimal choice if you have big plans for growing garden crops. It is better, of course, to grow a small number of seedlings in ceramic pots, since in this case you can avoid picking the seedlings, but the pots are bulky, and there is already not enough space on our window sills.

Instead of ceramic pots, seedlings with a long taproot, which is easily damaged during transplantation, can be sown in peat pots, which eliminate the need to pick plants, and seedlings are planted in open ground without removing them from the pot, but directly in it: it does not prevent the roots of the plant from growing through its walls and bottom deep into the soil. In addition, the porous walls allow the seedlings to breathe; they do not contain pathogens or harmful impurities.

Another great invention will help you grow healthy seedlings - peat tablets for seedlings. They can be stored somewhere in a drawer, taking up almost no space, until they are needed. And when you need them, you simply throw them into the water, wait for them to swell, then lay out the seeds on them, which you sprinkle on top with a thin layer of soil. Then the tablets are put on a tray and placed on the windowsill to await germination.

Soil for vegetable seedlings

Land for seedlings comes in different compositions, but it must meet certain requirements:

the soil must be fertile and balanced, saturated with macro- and microelements in the form in which plants can accept them;
the soil for seedlings must have such qualities as lightness, porosity and looseness, so that oxygen can flow through it to the roots of the plants;
the soil must be hygroscopic;
the soil pH for seedlings should be within 6.5-7;
the soil must contain beneficial microflora.

But what should not be in the soil for seedlings is:

toxins that saturate the ground along airfields, major highways, and on lawns in smoky cities. It is better to take soil from a forest, grove or forest plantation;
actively decomposing components, the decomposition process of which increases the temperature sometimes up to 30 ºC, from which the root system of seedlings can die;
clay, the presence of which makes any soil unsuitable for seedlings.

Today there are soils on sale for literally all vegetable crops, and there are also universal compositions on the basis of which you can independently create the substrate you need. The following components are unsuitable for preparing a seedling soil mixture: various composts, leaf soil, rotted manure (humus), wood shavings, unprocessed lowland peat, sawdust of wood, varnished or impregnated with creazote, hay dust and chopped straw, unwashed sea sand, unwashed clay quarry sand.

Components used to compose seedling soil mixtures: high-moor, transitional, as well as frozen and weathered low-lying peat, high-temperature turf soil, sand and sandy loam from meadows, but not garden peat, sphagnum, pine sawdust, crushed bark of coniferous trees, fallen pine needles, shells peanuts, grain husks.

Lamps for vegetable seedlings

Let's make a reservation right away: we do not consider incandescent lamps as lighting for seedlings, since they generate too much heat and too little light. For seedlings, lamps with a different radiation spectrum are needed. Fluorescent lamps are most often used to organize lighting at home. daylight or phytolamps with a violet-pink spectrum of light.

From fluorescent lamps For illuminating seedlings, those with a cold spectrum are more suitable. To organize the illumination of a window sill 80-100 cm long, you will need one fluorescent lamp with a power of 30 W of the cold spectrum, and in the electrical department you can purchase a lamp, lamp, plug and wire in a set. Became more popular in Lately phytolamps, since they emit even less heat and have a better light spectrum at the same power as fluorescent lamps. A good result is obtained by combining a phytolamp and a fluorescent lamp in one place, each 18 W.

On initial stage When growing seedlings, when shoots have just appeared, the lamps should be placed close, at a distance of 10-15 cm from the container. It would be appropriate to use reflectors that increase the efficiency of illumination, not allowing the light to spread in different directions, but directing it directly to the seedlings, and at the same time protect our vision from the tiring light of fluorescent lamps and the harmful radiation of phytolamps. Reflectors are made from self-adhesive mirror film glued to cardboard, foil for flowers, or just a sheet of Whatman paper - the most successful device for reflecting light, which does not form glare, but produces soft diffused light, which is so useful for plants.

Caring for vegetable seedlings

Watering vegetable seedlings

The soil in the container with seedlings should always remain barely moist - neither the soil should dry out nor water should stagnate in it. To make it easier to maintain constant soil moisture, watering is carried out from a sprayer, and the container must be kept on a tray from which excess water is drained. The grown seedlings are watered with a watering can with a divider (shower nozzle), or even better, use the bottom method of moistening, watering into a tray - this stimulates the development of a branched root system in the seedlings.

Water for irrigation is taken settled or filtered, at room temperature, the plants are watered according to the principle “little by little, but often.”

Temperature for vegetable seedlings

According to the criterion of “heat requirements of seedlings,” vegetable crops are divided into three categories:

cold-resistant, which prefer a lower temperature on average of about 13 ºC, that is, 14-18 ºC during the day and 6-10 ºC at night. These include all types of cabbage (kohlrabi and cauliflower prefer a temperature a couple of degrees higher);
temperate plants that require 16-18 ºC during the day and 12-14 ºC at night - celery, onion and leeks, beets, lettuce, potatoes;
plants that require heat, for which a comfortable daytime temperature is 20-24 ºC, and a night temperature is 10-16 ºC - eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini and squash, melons and watermelons, tomatoes, beans.

The temperature can be adjusted if you are using a greenhouse for seedlings. To do this, adjust the quantity sunlight falling on plants, and also use ventilation. Seedlings grown at a constant and optimal temperature for the culture are distinguished by good health and subsequently higher productivity, while even a small and short-term decrease in temperature can lead to a delay in the growth of seedlings, and an increase in temperature causes the seedlings to elongate their stems and shrink their leaves.

Immediately after emergence, the temperature is sharply reduced:

for cold-resistant crops up to 6-8 ºC;
for melons – up to 15-18 ºC;
for heat-loving people – up to 12-14 ºC.

The emerging seedlings no longer need a greenhouse for seedlings, and 2-3 weeks before planting, the seedlings begin to harden, lowering the temperature to the level of open ground, first briefly, for 1-2 hours, but increasing the duration of these sessions every day.

Transplanting vegetable seedlings

When the sprouts grow to 3-5 cm in height and begin to produce a second pair of leaves, it is time to pick the seedlings - transplant stronger specimens into separate containers. This is done in order to increase the feeding area and the degree of illumination of each seedling. The plants are carefully removed from the soil with a fork, supporting them by the cotyledon leaves and, having slightly shortened their roots, they are transplanted into a separate container, buried into the soil up to the very cotyledons.

Some fragile crops are often damaged during transplantation, and those with deep taproots are generally contraindicated in picking. In such cases, the seeds are sowed individually directly into peat cups, so that there is no need to pick and subject the seedlings to unnecessary tests.

Feeding vegetable seedlings

After the first pair of true leaves appear on the seedlings, the seedlings need to be fed. You can mix granules of universal long-acting fertilizer into the soil for replanting when picking and no longer think about fertilizing until the seedlings are planted in open ground. You can also add liquid fertilizers of weak consistency to the soil. The number of feedings of seedlings before planting in open ground is two.

When to plant vegetable seedlings in open ground

Planting seedlings in open ground is carried out when the ground warms up and frosts have passed, and each crop has its own timing. For example:

tomatoes and peppers are planted in open ground, which warms up to 15 ºC;
eggplants require a soil temperature of 18-20 ºC;
cucumbers are planted no earlier than when the soil warms up to 16-18 ºC;
For celery, a soil temperature of 12 ºC is sufficient, and for onions – 10 ºC.

Planting is carried out on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon. The seedlings are immersed in the hole up to the lower pair of leaves; after planting, they are watered abundantly and the soil is compacted so that the seedlings cannot be easily pulled out of the ground. After a few days, liquid feed the seedlings with phosphates, for example water with ash, so that they take root faster. At first, the seedlings are very vulnerable and need frequent watering, shade from the sun and shelter from frost, and your task is to provide them with the necessary conditions for rooting.

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