Growing tomato seedlings is the prerogative of avid gardeners. Many people prefer seedlings grown on their own. You can get ready-made sprouts in two ways: with or without picking. From this article you will learn how to organize high-quality cultivation of seedlings without picking.
What is picking and why is it needed?
Before you figure out how to organize the cultivation of tomato seedlings, you still need to find out what it is.
So, picking is transplanting sprouts into a separate or larger container at a certain distance from each other to expand the nutritional area for the plant.
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Tomatoes are often replanted not once, but twice or even three times. Their rhizome recovers quickly, and the stress received during this “event” does not affect the growth of the plant. The few days it took the seedlings to recover pay off in the future due to the accelerated increase in the number of lateral roots.
Advantages of an additional transplant:
- The planting material has a more developed rhizome than that of a tomato without picking.
- There is no need to thin out sprouted sprouts.
- Rejection of weak, diseased and non-viable seeds. That is, an increase in the percentage of germination and, accordingly, an improvement in the yield.
But despite this, there are now several methods for growing tomatoes without this procedure. In this case, the same high yield is observed as in the case of picked seedlings.
Advantages of unpicked seedlings
It would seem that picking is an integral process of growing a good harvest. However, even without this procedure, the material is grown just as successfully. Experts include the main advantages of not having multiple transplants:
- saving time that needs to be spent on replanting each sprouted seedling;
- the presence of a well-developed main tap root that has not been pinched (which is required by additional planting);
- As a rule, tomatoes that have not undergone this procedure are highly resistant to unfavorable growing conditions and can bear fruit in an area where “prepared” tomatoes simply will not survive.
For reference! This vegetable crop can easily grow a main tap root up to 1.5 m and, using simple agricultural techniques, can easily do without frequent watering. This is quite convenient for gardeners who do not have the opportunity to regularly visit their plot of land.
VIDEO: Elementary! How to grow good tomatoes without picking
Three methods of growing tomatoes without additional planting
Of course, there are several more ways to grow vegetable seedlings without numerous transplants. For example, some gardeners plant seedlings in peat tablets. This article will present the most common methods for growing plant material without picking. They can be easily modified and supplemented to suit individual needs.
Regardless of the chosen option, first of all you need to first prepare the soil that is suitable for growing tomato seedlings and disinfect it.
Soil preparation
The best choice for seedlings of this vegetable crop is soil mixture, humus or lowland peat and sand mixed in equal quantities. In the absence of other ingredients besides peat, you need to add ash or lime. For 50 kg of peat you will need 2 kg of wood ash or lime. You can also fertilize peat by adding 2% phosphate fertilizers.
Soil preparation
The main rule is to be sure to sift the soil to prevent all kinds of rotten debris from getting into the container for future vegetation, which will harm the root system.
After this, you need to disinfect the soil mixture, that is, remove all pathogenic bacteria and infections from it. This will help increase the germination rate and quality of the future harvest. To do this, you must first subject the soil to a kind of heat treatment: every other day we take the prepared soil out into the cold. After which you should treat the ground with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (3 grams per 10 liters of water).
It is worth saying a few words about preparing seeds. They will sprout better if they are planted already germinated and disinfected. To do this, you first need to place them in a damp cloth, which is lowered into a container with warm water. They stay in this state just long enough until the first shoots swell and hatch. After which the seeds are filled with a light manganese solution for 2-3 hours.
If you have purchased coated seeds (coated with a colored shell), then they do not need to be prepared. They are sold ready for planting.
So, having prepared the soil and the planting material itself, we begin to grow sprouts.
Method No. 1 - planting in separate containers
This method is recognized as one of the best, with the exception of one “but”. When planting each individual seedling in a separate cup, a lot of space is required to store them. If you plan to get a dozen or two bushes, then of course this option will be the most preferable. You can find a place for this amount. But what to do if the volume of planned seedlings exceeds two hundred? Alas, nothing.
This method is only suitable for small-scale cultivation of seedlings. Of course, if you do not live in a private house and you do not have a special well-lit room for such purposes.
So, growing non-picked seedlings in pots looks like this:
- First you need to take a small pot or glass (it could even be a peat glass), the volume of which does not exceed half a liter.
- Next, you need to make a hole at the bottom of the container through which excess moisture will escape.
- After this, fill the glass 1/3 with moistened soil mixture.
- We make a small depression in the ground (10 mm) and plant 3 grains in it.
When the seedlings appear and they grow a little taller, it is necessary to discard the weak plants. To do this, select the lowest ones and cut them with nail scissors.
If you are used to planting two plants in one hole, then leave the two strongest sprouts. In general, despite the widespread habit of planting a couple of seedlings at once, this is not entirely correct. Such manipulations only aggravate the growth and development of each seedling, which does not have a very good effect on the future harvest.
Method number 2 - growing in boxes
If you need a large quantity, you can grow it in boxes. To do this, they are filled 1/3 with soil mass and sprouted grains are rarely sown (step 50-70 mm). If possible, it is better to place seedlings at an equidistant distance from each other.
After the sprouts stretch out, we install cardboard partitions in the box. This will prevent the roots of the plants from getting tangled and injuring each other. And again, as the seedlings grow, soil is added to the box.
Method No. 3 - culture growth in film
Some gardeners grow seedlings in film cut into pieces (15x25 cm). To do this, place 3-5 spoons of moistened prepared soil on a film base, wrap it in an envelope and place it in a tray close to each other. We plant 3 sprouted seeds in each film “container”.
Well, then, as the seedlings grow, we visually select the strongest of them, and the weak ones are eliminated. Just as in the previous options, from time to time you need to add soil to the polyethylene “container” so that the root system fully develops.
Seedling care
There is no fundamental difference between caring for pike and non-pike, but there are certain points that it is advisable to pay attention to:
- After the first shoots have appeared, the containers are moved to a cooler place, where weak plants are removed. Experienced agronomists advise not to pull out such sprouts, but to carefully cut them off. It’s still not possible to grow a crop from them, but if you pull them out, you risk damaging the root of a healthy sprout.
- Regularly - at least once a week - hill up the soil in the pot. The golden rule applies here - it is better to loosen well twice than to water poorly once. In this case, it is necessary to gradually add soil so that the ground level remains constant.
- To avoid encountering blackleg, seedlings are watered infrequently, but abundantly enough so that the lump is well saturated with moisture. The next watering is only after the lump dries out.
- During growth, the “cubs” are fed at least twice.
- Before planting them in open ground, they must be hardened, for which they are periodically taken out onto the street or balcony, allowing them to freeze slightly (the temperature outside is not lower than +8°C).
We hope these tips will help you grow a high-quality and rich harvest of this vegetable crop!
VIDEO: The easiest way to grow tomatoes without picking
It tolerates picking worse.
When growing seedlings and then picking, many gardeners face the same problem.
After pinching, the roots take a long time to take root.
Plant growth is blunted, and some even die.
With experience, the picking technique can be perfected. For those who cannot do this, it is much easier to plant pepper seedlings without picking in an easy way. With this method, peppers grow well and are not stressed. The seedlings are more stable and adapt faster to new conditions.
Not only germination, but also the future harvest depends on the degree of selection and preparation of seeds.
Planting seeds is the most important stage, so you should not neglect these recommendations.
If you purchased pre-treated seeds, these points do not apply to them.
They can be planted directly into the ground.
In the case of ordinary seeds, experienced vegetable growers advise adhering to the following rules:
- Buy high-quality material or use seeds collected yourself; they should not be expired. Pay attention to the packaging; packaging and storage times are always indicated there.
- The required amount of seeds should be filled with melted or distilled water. Weak seeds will immediately float, good ones will sink. The weak ones need to be collected; they will not bring much benefit and will not serve worthy seedlings. Soak them in water for about 1 hour.
- The next step is to disinfect the seeds using a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Or use hydrogen peroxide diluted in small concentrations in water. In addition to these time-tested methods, there is soaking the seeds in solutions that are sold in specialized stores.
- Remove the disinfected seeds from the solution, place in a heated cloth and wrap it. Leave them alone for a day, then look in, they should have an adventure. This moment cannot be missed; you should not wait for the seeds to take long roots.
- Properly prepared seed is ready for planting. All that remains is the preparation of soil favorable for seedlings.
Choosing the right soil
For small volumes it is much easier to buy ready-made soil. If you plan to grow a lot of peppers, it is more economical to make the soil yourself. Take the soil available in the garden as a basis or use soil from forest plantations. We decide exactly how much soil is needed based on volumes. The main thing is to correctly observe the proportions of applying fertile compounds and fertilizers.
To enrich the soil with useful substances and achieve its looseness, it is necessary to add peat in a 1:1 ratio. Peat consumption can be reduced by using peat pots for planting seedlings. Then the amount of peat can be reduced by half. If the garden soil is loamy, you need to add a little sand.
It is very good to use soil from compost pits for seedlings. Prepare it in advance. Features of preparing compost are a separate but very useful topic. The contents of the compost pit rot over the winter, leaving the soil loose and fertile. This composition is an excellent alternative to peat; it is practically not inferior to it.
It is recommended to disinfect the prepared soil with special means or heat it in the oven. By warming the earth with high temperatures, we rid it of pathogens that may be present there. Watering the soil with a solution of manganese water also helps fight microbes.
Sowing and caring for seedlings
The technology for planting pepper seeds consists of several very important points that should be strictly observed. Important points must not be missed, otherwise you can make mistakes or even ruin the harvest. Having mastered the simplified technique, gardeners stop wasting time and energy on picking seedlings not only of peppers, but also of other crops. We plant pepper seedlings without picking correctly and adhere to the following rules:
- Sprinkle the prepared soil into peat pots or any other containers in which the seedlings are supposed to be grown. Unlike the picking method, the seeds are sown in common containers. Without picking, vegetables are immediately planted in separate containers. There are many options today. Milk jars, egg trays, tea bags and even eggshells will work.
- To ensure reliable germination, take 2-3 seeds per container. Subsequently, leave the strongest plant. There is no need to plant the seeds deeply, just sprinkle them lightly with soil, otherwise they will take longer to sprout and take root.
- After planting, be sure to water. Watering should be careful at first. It is best to use the spray method. The water should be at room temperature.
- It is also necessary to provide the seedlings with good lighting. Placing this on the window is not enough, since it gets dark early in winter and additional light is needed.
- You can create a greenhouse effect at the initial pore using a transparent film. Cover the pots with it; moisture will accumulate inside; this method does not require watering. As soon as the seedlings reach the edges of the film, it must be removed.
- Another very important point: if suddenly the seedlings begin to reach towards the light in one direction, the pots need to be turned in the opposite direction.
- You need to constantly keep an eye on the seedlings, regulate the amount of watering, and monitor their behavior.
- Recently, growth stimulants have often been used to grow good seedlings. Under their influence, the plant takes root better, gains strength and does not get sick. On sale you can find growth stimulants on a natural and synthetic basis. The most popular: Heteroauxin, Etamon, Epin. Use them according to instructions.
In what conditions is it better to keep
At first, if the window space allows, pepper seedlings can be left there; later they can be transferred to. You need to be careful when moving seedlings, because pepper is a very heat-loving plant.
He doesn't like cold and drafts. Deviation from the norm can be disastrous for him. Let the plant gradually begin to adapt to natural conditions:
- Optimal temperature for seedlings is 20 °C during the day, 18 °C at night
- in greenhouse conditions, on warm days, ensure gradual access of air
- continue to water, spray, monitor the general condition
Strengthened sprouts should have a beautiful dark green color. The legs of the seedlings are thickened. The leaves are shiny. We keep the seedlings in this state until weather conditions allow the peppers to be planted in open ground.
If you plan to grow peppers in a greenhouse. Plant in peas or carefully remove the roots along with the soil without damaging the earthen ball.
How to get good seedlings
From the presented material, you can make a competent conclusion about how to get good seedlings. By following every stage from selecting seeds to planting in the ground, you can achieve decent results. Even if you have no experience in growing seedlings, a simplified method will allow you to engage in vegetable growing with the least fear.
Picking vegetables is a troublesome task, and not every gardener can handle it. According to outdated concepts, many continue to grow pickled peppers. Modern vegetable growing will allow you to gradually get rid of unnecessary manipulations in the garden, while obtaining high yields.
It is necessary to pay due attention to soil preparation. After all, it is in it that the plant will have to spend several months. The more fertile and safer it is from microbes, the better the seedlings will grow. This method allows you to grow peppers by sowing them from seeds once. After a certain time, the vegetable crop will be completely ready for planting in the beds.
Video of growing peppers without picking
By nature, vegetable growers are very sociable and kind people, many of whom share their experiences and post relevant video material. By watching pepper seedlings without picking a video, you can find something new for yourself. There is never too much advice on growing, they all go towards achieving good ones. Based on their experience, the finished seedlings are placed on the beds, observing the following proportions:
- distance between rows 40-50 cm
- between plants 20-25 cm
Do not be afraid of relatively close planting; peppers grow and bear fruit better in this position. Plants support each other; staking is not required in this case. When planting, you should also pay attention to the depth.
The root collar should be at the same level as in the pot. If the plant is buried, the growth of the pepper will stop, but this will not have a detrimental effect. It’s just that the harvest will come much later.
Pepper is very moisture-loving; it does not tolerate drought; the plant withers due to extreme heat and lack of water. The leaves droop and the color and fruit may fall off. However, even with excessive humidity, the roots can rot. Regular loosening of the soil around will help to avoid this situation. Oxygen-saturated soil avoids moisture stagnation, nourishes roots, and promotes growth.
At the end of winter, summer residents who grow vegetables on their plots begin sowing seeds for seedlings. And since tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetable crops, tomato seedlings are most often grown in gardeners’ homes. You can plant tomato seeds for seedlings either with subsequent picking, or initially grow them in such a way that you don’t have to pick. Below we will talk specifically about the latter method.
The need to pick tomatoes
Let's start with the fact that picking is a process in which seedlings are transplanted from a common container into individual containers, or from individual smaller containers into larger ones. The procedure is necessary so that plants can grow, develop, and build up their root system normally.
Thanks to picking, the area of growth and nutrition of the seedling expands. You can also discard weak, frail and diseased seedlings by transplanting only the strongest and healthiest specimens into a new container.
But some vegetable growers are wary of the picking process, because it can do more harm than good. What does it mean? The fact is that if you pick incorrectly, inattentively and carelessly, you can damage the root system or the above-ground part of the seedling, causing stress in the plant. And this, in turn, will make the seedlings weaker and more frail, they will be more susceptible to disease, and in especially severe cases they may die.
Tomato seedlings are fine with picking, so many gardeners initially sow in a common container - a wooden or plastic box. But tomato seedlings can also be grown calmly and normally without this manipulation.
Advantages of growing tomato seedlings without picking
If you perform the dive correctly and carefully and provide proper care afterwards, then, of course, there will be no problems with the seedlings. However, the method of planting and growing tomato seedlings without picking at home has very significant advantages:
- You will save your energy, time and resources. You won’t have to spend money, for example, on buying new planting containers or universal soil, and the time that would have been spent on picking could be used for some other gardening tasks or just to relax, leaving strength for the opening of the summer season. And this takes into account the fact that the procedure in some cases is performed more than once.
- Seedlings without picking are not inferior in quality to seedlings that have undergone the procedure. Thanks to this planting material, you can also easily grow a tasty and rich harvest of juicy tomatoes.
- Seedlings are protected from stress. Even a properly carried out procedure can cause stress in plants. If you plant seeds without subsequent picking, the plants will be able to avoid stress, which means they will be stronger and will be able to adapt faster, take root after transplanting into open ground, and also withstand negative factors and conditions.
- Seedlings are protected from possible damage. Even the most skilled gardener can make mistakes, not to mention novice vegetable growers. No matter how much we would like to, we can still accidentally damage the roots, stem or leaves during picking. And this can have a very negative impact on young tomato seedlings.
- The central root will have good development. When picking, the tap root is pinched by one third, and without the procedure it will be able to develop perfectly, which will allow you to water the plants less often in the future.
Features of sowing seeds without picking
Planting tomato seeds for seedlings without subsequent picking is done in almost the same way as with conventional sowing.
With any method, planting technology is carried out according to the following algorithm:
But unlike conventional planting, to grow tomato seedlings without picking, you must initially select suitable planting containers! Ideal for these purposes:
By the way! When sowing in peat cups or tablets, you can transplant the seedlings into open ground directly into them, just make a cut on the side.
You need to initially select large containers so that from the moment of sowing until planting in open ground, the plants do not become cramped in the container. The optimal volume is 1 liter. If you do choose a smaller container, please note that it must be at least 0.5 liters!
But wooden or plastic containers, small individual containers should be left for planting and growing with subsequent picking.
Planting scheme in individual containers
Before boarding you must disinfect containers, for example, with a solution of potassium permanganate and make drainage holes if there were none initially (no need to make holes in peat pots!). Peat tablets do not need to be disinfected and holes made in them; they should be prepared in a different way, this is described.
Before planting, the container is filled 1/3 with soil.. In one individual container you need sow three seeds at once. This is necessary in case some seeds do not germinate. And if 2 or 3 seedlings grow at once, then you can simply leave one, the strongest sprout, and carefully trim the rest with sharp scissors. But if you want to get as many seedlings as possible, you can simply transplant the sprouted “extra” seedlings into other containers.
After sowing, seedlings will gradually appear, and As the seedlings grow, it is necessary to add soil to the container. This technology helps to grow additional roots.
Video: sowing seeds in individual cups for growing without picking.
Features of planting in bags
There is another interesting and profitable planting technology - in soft bags from any products (for example, milk, kefir) or in bags made independently from polyethylene. Examples of such cultivation in the photo:
The edges of the bag are wrapped and filled with earth according to the standard pattern. After sowing and the emergence of seedlings, as they grow, the edges of the bag unfold and soil is added to them.
The method of growing seedlings without picking in bags is very economical: you don’t have to spend money on planting containers.
Video: sowing tomatoes in milk cartons.
Planting scheme in a common box
If you do not have a sufficient number of planting containers, then you can plant tomato seeds as seedlings and in a common large box. If you follow a special technology, this can also be done without subsequent picking:
- The volumetric box must be filled 1/3 with soil mixture.
- Tomato seeds are sown at intervals of 10 centimeters.
- After the first shoots appear, it is necessary to install partitions in the soil between the seedlings. To do this, you can use plates made of thick cardboard or plastic.
- As the seedlings grow, it is necessary to add soil.
This way, tomato seedlings can be grown in a common container, but they do not need to be planted. Thanks to the partitions, the roots of different seedlings do not intertwine.
How to properly care for seedlings that do not need to be picked
Caring for tomato seedlings at home, grown without picking, and according to the usual scheme is essentially no different. It is necessary to regularly water and monitor humidity, ensure normal temperature conditions and lighting, and feed. Here provides detailed information on how to properly care for tomato seedlings.
Caring for seedlings that are grown without picking has one main feature - it is necessary to add soil as the seedlings grow!
Video: how to add soil to cups.
Tomato seedlings should be transplanted to a permanent location in open ground when the plant has 8-10 true leaves and a height of about 25-35 centimeters. Also, the soil in the garden should warm up to +12-+15°C.
How to plant and grow tomato seedlings at home is up to you. For the sake of experimentation, you can try to grow seedlings in the usual way and try the method of growing tomato seedlings without subsequent picking. And then compare the results and decide which technology is more convenient and closer to your liking, in order to save your energy and time in subsequent years.
Absolutely every novice gardener can grow an excellent crop of tomatoes at home without outside help, observing all agrotechnical norms for sowing, picking and planting seedlings. Only by ensuring the correct vegetation regime for the development of an annual plant can you expect excellent results from your work on your garden plot.
The key to a large harvest always lies in the quality of the seeds. Before sowing them, you need to decide on the varieties of tomatoes, the timing of their ripening and the temperature conditions of sowing.
Varietal classification of tomatoes
One should take into account the fact that tomatoes are classified according to stem height, fruit shape and ripening time. Among the most popular high-yielding modern varieties that take root in our natural and climatic conditions are:
- small-fruited – Sweet 100, Evita, Mirabell;
- medium-fruited - Martina, Goldene Koeniging, Harzfeuer, Balkonstar;
- plum-shaped – Roma, San Marzano;
- large-fruited - Master, Beefmaster, Supermarmande.
Each owner of a plot of land selects the variety of tomatoes for planting based on the fleshiness and elasticity of the fruit for further use on the farm - canning, sandwiches, salads or making sauces.
Before planting, you should decide in advance whether the variety is classified as a determinate or indeterminate species. The first option involves the development of low-growing plants, the second is prone to forcing the stem more than two meters. This aspect implies completely different agrotechnical conditions for growing tomatoes in open ground.
Preparation of seed material and timing of sowing tomatoes for seedlings
Planting tomato seeds for seedlings begins with preparing the seed material, in particular, soaking the seeds in water at room temperature with the addition of flower fertilizers and growth stimulants. The proportions of the drugs are always indicated on the packages.
After bubbling, the seeds are distributed in one ball on damp gauze folded in several layers and covered with the same material to create a warm vacuum at a temperature of 30°C to create effective air exchange. After a couple of days, wet and warmed seeds swell and expel the first buds.
Sow seeds in the soil in early March or early April. Growing tomato seedlings in a greenhouse leads to earlier sowing. To force seedlings, you will need a tray, the dimensions of which are selected depending on the expected number of tomato seedlings to be grown. This can be a rectangular flower pot purchased in a supermarket, or an unnecessary old vessel in the form of a metal or plastic basin.
The sowing container is filled with loose soil mixed with compost. You can buy loose humus in a specialized store, or prepare it at home in the autumn.
The poured layer of soil should not exceed fifteen centimeters; this height will ensure optimal saturation with moisture and will not create an excess of it. Sowing tomato seeds for seedlings is carried out at the rate of one seed per three square meters. see lands. The layer covering the sown seeds should not be dense or thick. The ideal option is 2-3 millimeters.
After the sowing procedure is completed, the container is placed in a warm place and the first shoots are expected. When these appear, it is necessary to take care of effective lighting of the place where the container is installed, since a heat-loving plant, receiving a sufficient amount of light, will form not only a stem, but will devote all its strength to the leaves, which will ensure subsequently strong and hardy seedlings.
At the beginning of forcing, the first two leaves are formed on the stem. It is from this moment that intensive illumination of the shoots begins in order to ensure the effective formation of the root system by the plants and their hardening - taking them outside for several hours, increasing the time daily by about twenty minutes. As the shoots grow, the time spent outside to plant seedlings also increases.
Planting tomato seedlings in a greenhouse
After hardening procedures at 60 days of age, the seedlings can be planted in a pre-prepared greenhouse, the soil for tomatoes in which should be similar in structure to the soil in the tray for growing seedlings. The main beneficial property is the saturation of the soil with necessary microelements, which can determine the conditions for the growth of strong and fruit-bearing stems. The greenhouse must have a collapsible design, since after planting the tomatoes in the ground, the process of its adaptation to natural climatic conditions will continue.
Many professionals in the agronomic field advise sowing seeds in the greenhouse immediately. This makes it possible to simplify the task of growing seedlings, hardening them and picking them significantly.
Picking tomato seedlings
Growing tomato seedlings at home may involve planting them in open ground without the use of greenhouse structures. To do this, the sown material at the age of 30 days is picked and transplanted into separate pots in order to develop a strong root system of a separate stem. After the end of the period of late frosts, the picked seedlings are planted in fertilized soil, immersing the stem to the first lower leaf. If the seedlings have long stems, it is worth paying attention to tying them to a stable support, which can be served by an ordinary wooden glazing bead.
After the seedlings have taken root at the planting site, it is worth regularly monitoring the appearance of new shoots with already developed leaves. These sprouts should be removed in order to further form a strong root system of tomatoes.
To ensure a high future yield of growing tomatoes, you should not miss the appearance of four shoots on the seedlings and remove the tops.
Feeding tomato seedlings
Initial fertilization of the soil for tomatoes requires the presence of a sufficient amount of humus in it. However, this is not at all enough to provide plants with the necessary micro and macroelements throughout the entire growing season of development and fruiting. If the soil contains a balanced composition of the necessary biological substances, then there will be no problems with the growth of tomatoes. However, the ideal option is rarely found in nature; often the gardener has to independently monitor the condition of the soil and plants, regulating the lack of useful components by applying fertilizing.
The lack of certain types of elements is always characterized by external defective manifestations on seedlings:
- if the stems of the planted plants are thin, dense and acquire a purple color, while the plants are stunted and do not throw out inflorescences for a long time, there is a lack of nitrogen, which can be replenished by applying nitrogen fertilizers;
- if yellow and dark brown spots appear on the leaves of the seedlings, the foliage curls and dries out, and the stalks die - the tomatoes do not have enough magnesium, due to which the so-called chlorosis develops;
- if the tops of the seedlings have turned yellow, but the lower rows of foliage are still green, you urgently need to feed the tomatoes with calcium and iron;
- in cases of a long absence of inflorescences, it is advisable to add phosphorus fertilizers to the soil;
- with a lack of manganese, seedlings fade, weaken and are unable to physically form inflorescences;
- lack of boron promotes the growth of many shoots from the rhizome when the main stem withers, the seedlings turn into bushy plantings.
Tomatoes are very demanding when it comes to watering and saturating the soil with useful ingredients. A particularly useful component is ordinary wood ash, which must certainly be present in tomato growing beds.
Pest Control
A very important aspect in growing seedlings is pest control. Particularly dangerous for tomatoes is aphid, which devours foliage and inflorescences. Modern means of intoxication help fight it. An effective biological method of combating harmful insects is to grow tomatoes in the same area with nasturtium or poppy, which attract other types of insects that destroy aphids.
Tomato seedlings love bright sun, warm, well-ventilated places, protected from the sultry afternoon heat, and frequent watering of the base of the stem with water at room temperature.
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It is recommended to pick tomatoes twice: the first time when a couple of leaves appear, and the second time directly into the greenhouse or open ground. After which the seedlings will be healthy and the root system will be strong.
How to pick tomatoes
It is better to start picking when a couple of leaves appear on the seedlings, then they will better take root in the new place and will hurt less.
Picking stages:
- The seedlings need to be watered before picking, the water softens the soil, so the tomatoes will be easy to remove;
- After a couple of hours, you can remove the seedlings one at a time and transplant them into separate pots (cups, etc.);
- It is better to wear gloves on your hands, well, rag ones are better, they will protect both your hands and the seedlings;
- In separate containers, the soil should be the same as in the general box, treated against pests with a weak solution of manganese, preferably warm (room temperature);
- The seedling is removed from the common box with a spatula or spatula (scoop), while the root is shortened by a third;
- It is better to take seedlings by the leaves, and not by the stems, since the stem can be damaged and the sprout will die, but if the leaf is damaged, the seedling will be fine. And from below the sprout takes hold of the clod of earth in which the root is located;
- A hole is made in a separate pot, you can use your finger or a pencil, 5-6 cm deep, where the seedling is placed, it is important not to bend the root, and all the leaves should be above the ground;
- After planting, compact the soil around the seedling;
- When all the seedlings are picked, they need to be watered with water at room temperature and the seedlings should be left in the shade.
Caring for seedlings after picking
In the future, the seedlings are watered twice a week, the main thing is that they do not dry out. As soon as the picked seedlings take root, they are transferred to a bright and ventilated place.
If the picking of tomatoes was done not into separate containers, but into another larger common box, then repeated picking is done in the same way, only the distance between the seedlings increases to 8 cm.
How to water tomato seedlings before picking
Before picking, tomato seedlings are watered 2-3 times a week with water at room temperature. First, water little by little until the first seedlings appear, then every other week. You can’t water it often; the soil should dry out a little, but not dry out.
You should not water the seedlings from above; you should try to water them under the roots so that water does not get on the leaves.
In addition, you can spray the seedlings with skim milk. Half a glass of milk is diluted with one liter of water, and the leaves are sprayed in the morning. This helps against leaf curl and viral diseases of tomatoes.
note
Is it necessary to pick tomatoes?
Many gardeners grow tomatoes without picking them. To do this, the seeds are planted immediately in separate containers so that the roots of the seedlings do not become intertwined.
With this planting, tomatoes will not need to be planted when planted in the ground or greenhouse. Only in this case the seedlings get sick and take a long time to take root.
How to plant tomatoes without picking
In order to plant tomatoes without picking, you need to plant the seeds in separate containers or a common box, partitioned inside into separate parts as follows:
- Plant 3-5 seeds in one glass, it doesn’t matter whether they are dry seeds or sprouted ones;
- When the seeds have sprouted, they need to be thinned out; for this, unnecessary and weak seedlings are not pulled out, but cut off at the root, so as not to damage the roots of other plants. Usually two seedlings are left;
- When leaves appear, thin out again, leaving one strongest and healthiest seedling;
- You should add soil to the pots as the seedlings grow, this strengthens the roots and speeds up their growth.
Caring for seedlings without picking
These seedlings are watered with water at room temperature depending on the dryness of the soil. You can also feed the seedlings with fertilizers and expose them to light, turning the pots in the direction of the light each time so that the seedlings do not grow crookedly.
Before planting seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground, they need to be hardened off. To do this, the room where the seedlings are located is ventilated, and over time the seedlings are taken outside for a while.
Is it necessary to pick tomatoes and peppers?
It is believed that diving strengthens the plant because:
- When diving and pinching off a third of the root, the root system begins to branch, thereby strengthening the plant;
- Planting tomatoes slows down their growth, which prevents the stems from stretching too much;
- It is easier to transplant seedlings into the ground from separate containers without damaging the roots than from a common box, where the roots can become tangled and break when planted;
- If the size of the pot matches the size of the seedlings, then when watering the root system develops and strengthens, but in large containers the water stagnates, the roots lack air and the seedlings begin to stretch out.
Many gardeners argue about the importance and necessity of diving.
note
It is believed that in regions with short summers and cold climates, diving is necessary, since when diving and pinching off the root, the root system begins to grow to the sides, which is good for the plant. In such regions, fertile, nutritious and warm soil is found on the surface
At the same time, in warm regions there is no particular need for diving, since the root system will receive everything it needs at depth.
vogorodah.ru
Picking or picking is the transplantation of young plants to another place. This method is widely used when growing seedlings. Tomatoes tolerate this procedure quite well, and some gardeners replant young shoots twice or even three times as they grow. The time for the first picking comes when the plants have their first true leaves, approximately 7-10 days after germination.
Previously, following the general opinion that picking is necessary, even necessary and brings great benefits to the seedlings, I also transplanted small tomato sprouts from a common box into separate cups. It should be noted that this work is not difficult, but it never brought me much joy, probably too painstaking for me. So one day I tried to grow tomato and pepper seedlings without picking at all. It turned out no worse, and since then I haven’t been picking for many years, to my satisfaction.
Tomato seedlings without picking
I grow seedlings mainly in cups. And to avoid picking, I sow both tomatoes and peppers directly into cups. Moreover, I fill the containers intended for seedlings of tomatoes to a third, and for peppers - almost completely.
Plastic cups for seedlings
Before sowing tomatoes, I fill the cups one-third full with soil.
For planting, I use seeds that I have prepared myself; I always have plenty of them, so I sow at least 3-5 seeds in each glass and don’t skimp.
I sow 3-5 seeds in a glass
When tomato shoots appear, I thin them out twice, and I don’t pull out unnecessary plants, but carefully cut them off with scissors. At first I leave two sprouts in each glass, and when they grow, get stronger and throw out 3-4 true leaves, then I leave only one of the strongest and healthiest plants.
Tomato seedlings shoots
I leave one plant in a glass
During thinning, if necessary, excess seedlings can, of course, be transplanted into other containers.
As the seedlings grow, I gradually add the prepared soil to the cups. To avoid an unpleasant disease - “black leg”, I hill up young plants a little. After adding soil, the tomatoes quickly grow additional roots, grow actively and practically do not suffer from anything. Peppers do not stretch as much as tomatoes, and you do not need to add a lot of soil to their cups.
Sometimes I grow some of the seedlings directly in boxes.
Tomato seedlings in a box
In this case, I also fill the containers first only a third, and then, as the tomatoes grow, I add soil to the required level - 12-15 cm. I put partitions between the plants in the boxes, so the roots do not intertwine and are not damaged during planting. This means that the adaptation of seedlings after planting in open ground goes very well.
A rigorous selection of the best plants and good care allows us to obtain powerful and strong seedlings of both tomatoes and peppers by the time of planting.
Tomato seedlings
Sweet pepper seedlings
Plants practically never fall out; they don’t even wither and immediately begin to actively grow.
I, of course, do not urge everyone to give up picking seedlings completely, but simply draw attention to the fact that good seedlings can be grown without this procedure.
blog Delicious Vegetable Garden
Is it better to grow tomatoes with picks or as peppers?
Vladislav Nikolaevich ©
Sowing: if in a greenhouse, then 50-60 days before planting in a permanent place, if in open ground, 50 days before planting. (check with experienced gardeners when the return cold ends in your area).
Regarding picking: if you don’t have space and can’t provide normal additional lighting, sow as late as possible, up to 40 days old seedlings, and always in individual cups, so you won’t need to slow down the growth of seedlings with picking or drugs such as Atlet. If it’s the other way around, then especially without picking and in separate cups, just cut the roots in the soil with a knife, so that not a taproot, but a fibrous root system begins to develop. This is the least labor-intensive way to grow seedlings, of course, if you do not need to grow vegetables for more than 2 families.
Varieties for dummies. For 5 years I have been growing Semko 2003.ru, a red tomato, in open ground, it gives a harvest in any summer. Of the yellow ones - brawler yellow, early, tasty. You can recommend a lot of varieties for the greenhouse, but start with the win-win and tasty ones: Blagovest, Platus, Chimgan, Pearl of Siberia - their bushes are no more than 1.8 m (semi-determinate).
Svetik
It's better to pick tomatoes. First, I sow in rows in one container - cake boxes are convenient. Then I plant them in separate cups, pinch the roots, and even then not always :) And sometimes I immediately sow peppers in separate containers, sometimes just like tomatoes. But I didn’t notice much of a difference. Even the planted peppers are no different from those sown immediately on the spot. In general, there are many different reasons for the growth of seedlings - weather, quality of seeds and others. I sow peppers and tomatoes in March. Previously, it didn’t help, I also had experience with February seedlings. Martovskaya caught up with her and surpassed her in height. Good luck.
Galina Spylnaya
With a pick.
Kuzmich
It is IMPOSSIBLE to grow tomatoes in Siberia without picking.
P.S. Same as pepper. Our summer is short, without good seedlings of tomatoes you won’t get it.
Dina Erbit
Of course with a pick!
Nina Ablalimova
Tomatoes need to be picked. For a greenhouse you can try “grosmester”, for the street - “matryoshka”.
New day
I experimented last year, sowing with picking as usual and without it. Those without, I sowed 2 pieces in a container, which I made from film. I take a liter tank, wrap a thick film on it in 2 layers, secure the edges and bottom with a stapler, and remove the jar. I make this glass 25-30 cm high. It’s quite tall, I’ll explain why: I pour a little soil, about 5 cm, and plant seeds. If both plants have sprouted, I remove one. And as the seedlings grow, I add more soil. The result is excellent seedlings with a powerful root system.
Tomato bushes grown without picking were no different from bushes grown in the traditional way. The harvest is the same, and there is less fuss with seedlings.
I live in the middle zone, so it’s difficult to recommend varieties for your region. there are many respondents from Siberia, experienced gardeners. They will advise you something.
Anna Malchikova
Julia has a very interesting way of growing seedlings; she really gets a powerful root system. But I traditionally pick tomatoes and peppers. Just for convenience: there are a lot of indoor flowers, and jars with sown seeds take up little space on the windowsill. And from the beginning of April I throw the picked seedlings onto a plastic-glazed balcony and live with the door open. The family is not very happy, but they tolerate it.
Yulia Solovyova
you need to pick tomatoes and peppers and eggplants,
Olga
I plant tomatoes in liter milk bags, 3-5 pieces each. Those who sprouted later, I throw out the rest; I dive into the same bag, burying them up to my ears (I make a hole with a pencil). They grow additional roots. Before planting, 1-2 plants in the bag.
Marina
Now there are a lot of seeds from the Siberian Garden company on sale - it is Siberian selection, you should try them
Natalia Begisheva
tomatoes love picking. maybe a couple of times...
But it’s better to plant peppers in pots right away
Tatiana Tsivilskaya
I pick peppers, tomatoes and eggplants... I think it is necessary...
Len.to4ka
I also pick tomatoes, but not peppers. But I liked Julia’s answer!
Tatyana Savchenko SIBERIA
I sow tomato, pepper and eggplant seeds in small containers - plastic putty containers (I've been using them for many years). After the first pair of true leaves appear (when plants sprout, their first leaves are cotyledons; the real ones appear later), I pour them into 0.5 liter plastic glasses (I buy them at a disposable tableware store, they last 2-3-4 years). I fill the glasses with soil (slightly compacting them) approximately 3/4 full. Be sure to leave empty space in the glass, this is necessary so that you can add soil. When picking a tomato, I pinch off about 1/3 of the central root (this is necessary to stimulate the growth of the root system), but I do not pinch the roots of peppers and eggplants. I deepen all plants to the cotyledon leaves.
My sowing dates for tomatoes are as follows. Large-fruited, tall varieties for greenhouses - late February - early March, early ripening varieties for open ground - late March - early April.
From year to year I plant proven, well-proven varieties, adding 2-3 new ones.
For me personally, my favorites are:
For greenhouses, Raspberry Giant, Velmozha (improved Budenovka), Paul Robeson and sometimes, when hunting, Persimmon. The first 2 varieties are very large-fruited, thin-skinned, fleshy, low-seeded, sweet. Paul Robson are “black” tomatoes, very, very sweet, with good keeping quality, stored uncanned almost until December, without losing their “marketable” appearance. Persimmons are large-fruited yellow tomatoes. The disadvantage of this variety is that it is difficult to transport and is poorly stored, but it is incredibly tasty.
For open ground - Fighter (Buyan), Explosion (improved White filling), Altai standard varieties - completely trouble-free varieties, as they say “for the lazy”, do not require pinching, you don’t have to tie them up. Heavyweight of Siberia and Grushovka are more capricious.
In general, Siberia is big. I wrote for the conditions of Novosibirsk
Picking means transplanting tomato sprouts into separate containers. This process is labor-intensive and takes a lot of time. Moreover, the procedure has to be repeated up to three times before the start of the summer season. In this regard, gardeners have recently begun to resort to the method of growing tomato seedlings without picking. This approach, subject to appropriate rules, shortens the period of fruit ripening.
Tomatoes of any variety can be planted without prior picking. However, early-ripening tomatoes are considered the best for this growing method. Such varieties ripen 10-14 days faster.
Preparing a plant for planting without picking is carried out according to a standard algorithm. The seeds are first disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then laid out in a moistened cloth or immediately sown in prepared soil.
The main difference between the methods under consideration is that when planting without picking, tomatoes are immediately sown in separate containers of a fairly large size (0.5-1 liter).
An important feature of this method is that the crop can be grown during the spring. That is, it is allowed to sow seeds until mid-May.
The use of picking ensures better germination of the root system, thanks to which the plant receives more nutrients.
Advantages and disadvantages of the method
Growing tomato seedlings without picking has the following advantages compared to traditional methods:
- time costs are reduced;
- the main shaft develops well;
- the survival rate of plants in unfavorable conditions increases.
According to gardeners, if you sow tomatoes without picking, the main stem reaches 1.5 meters in length. Thanks to this, the plant becomes less demanding on the frequency of watering. In addition, during picking, up to 50% of the roots are torn off. Because of this, the number of sprouts taking root in a new place decreases.
Growing tomatoes with picks helps to cull weak plants before planting the crop in open ground or a greenhouse. This increases the overall tomato yield on the site.
How to plant tomato seedlings without diving?
There are several ways to plant seedlings without preliminary picking. The choice of method depends on the personal preferences of the gardener. Moreover, each of the above options requires preliminary preparation of the soil for seedlings.
The optimal soil mixture for growing tomatoes is one obtained by mixing humus (lowland peat) and sand in equal proportions. The latter can be replaced with ash or lime. Phosphate fertilizers are used as fertilizing. Before planting seeds, it is recommended to sift the soil mixture.
In order to increase the germination rate of tomatoes, it is necessary to keep the soil in the cold for a day and then treat it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
It is recommended to sow seeds germinated. To do this, planting material is kept in moistened fabric for 2-3 days. When the sprouts appear, the latter are placed in prepared containers with soil. Also, before planting, it is necessary to treat the plant with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
In separate glasses
This method is considered the best for planting tomatoes without picking. The only drawback is that growing seeds will require a fairly large area on which the cups will be placed.
To plant tomatoes in small containers, you must do the following:
- Take a glass or other suitable container with a volume of 0.5 liters and make a hole in the bottom to drain excess liquid.
- Fill a third of the glass with moistened soil mixture.
- Plant three grains into the soil at a depth of 10 millimeters.
After the sprouts appear, you need to leave the strongest ones and trim the plant with nail scissors.
In boxes
Planting in boxes is carried out according to a similar algorithm. The containers are first filled with a third of the moistened soil mixture. Then the sprouted seeds are planted in the ground in increments of 50 millimeters. It is recommended to place the seedlings at the same distance from each other.
After the first shoots appear, each plant must be fenced off from its neighbors with cardboard. This solution will prevent curling of the roots and increase the survival rate of tomatoes in open ground. As the seedlings grow, they need to add soil to the box.
In film
Film sowing is less popular than other methods of growing tomatoes. For this method, you will need to cut the polyethylene into several pieces with an area of 15x25 centimeters. Place 3 tablespoons of moistened soil mixture on top of the film. Then the polyethylene is folded into an envelope and placed on a pallet. 3 tomato seeds are planted in each such improvised “container”. In the future, as the tomato grows, it is necessary to promptly remove weak seedlings.
Seedling care
To grow tomatoes without picking that will produce a good and abundant harvest, you will need to do the following before planting the plant in the ground:
- After the first shoots appear, place the containers with tomatoes in a cool room, and discard weak seedlings.
- Once a week (or more often), dig up the soil in containers with seedlings, not forgetting to add soil as the tomatoes grow.
- Do not allow the soil to become waterlogged. Seedlings need to be watered rarely, but abundantly, each time waiting until the soil is completely dry.
- Before planting in the ground, fertilize at least twice.
For 5-7 days before planting in the ground, containers with sprouts are recommended to be taken out into fresh air for a day. Thanks to this, the plants harden and take root better in a new place. The ambient temperature should be above +8 degrees.
Inexperienced gardeners often make the following mistakes when germinating tomato seedlings without picking:
- Low quality seeds are used. To avoid such mistakes, it is recommended to buy planting material from well-known brands.
- They don't prepare the soil. Before planting seeds, it is recommended to disinfect the soil from pests with a solution of potassium permanganate.
- Unsuitable containers are used. Containers for seedlings should have holes in the bottom to allow excess moisture to drain out. It is equally important to create a drainage layer.
- They do not comply with the planting deadlines. The package with seeds indicates at what period it is recommended to sow the plant. Due to failure to meet deadlines, tomatoes turn out weak and stunted.
- The seeds are buried too deep.
- The sprouts are not thinned out. It is recommended to trim seedlings periodically. Thanks to this, the plant will have enough free space for development.
- Water immediately after sowing. The seeds are laid out in moist soil. And watering immediately after sowing promotes rotting of the plant.
If rotten shoots or leaves with abnormal spots are detected, such plants must be removed immediately. Gardeners do not recommend neglecting the procedure of hardening the crop. This can lead to the death of tomatoes with a slight drop in temperature.
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