Long-term experience shows that growing seedlings of tomatoes, or tomatoes, in a greenhouse is the most suitable way to produce strong and healthy seedlings. In the conditions of a city apartment it is not always possible to grow good seedlings of tomatoes.
As part of our article we will try to simply and in detail tell about the pros and cons of the greenhouse cultivation of tomato seedlings.
We give step-by-step instructions on the preparation and planting itself, consider the nuances of the subsequent care of young tomatoes.
The advantages and disadvantages of growing tomatoes in the greenhouse
The method of growing tomatoes in the greenhouse has many advantages, eg:
- growing seedlings on their own - significant budget savings;
- seedlings remain compact in size and not “pulled out”, as in the case of growing on a window in an apartment;
- the root system is getting stronger, becoming more branched;
- they are more resistant to changes in weather conditions, therefore, susceptibility to disease and late blight is reduced;
- get the first harvest can be much earlier.
As a drawback, you can mention that you need to constantly be on the site, in time to air the greenhouse, to moisten the soil. This can be a serious problem for those who do not live in the country.
Preparatory stage
In order for in a short time to get a good strong seedlings that will not be prone to late blight and other diseases, it is necessary to correctly carry out the preparatory stage. Particular attention is important to pay for the preparation of greenhouse, soil and seeds. Consider the recommendations for each of the items in more detail.
Preparing a greenhouse or greenhouse from polycarbonate
Planting tomato seeds on seedlings can be carried out both in a polycarbonate greenhouse and in a greenhouse covered with a film.
Film greenhouse: the first crops are carried out in late April - early May, when the nights are still quite cold, so the frame should be covered with a film in 2 layers. Raise the temperature in the greenhouse will allow the air gap between the cellophane cover. Moreover, the inner layer will last longer. It is important to leave room for airing, for example, air vents or air vents.- Polycarbonate greenhouse. As a rule, it is permanent. The preparation here consists in sanitizing all parts of the structure with a disinfecting solution in order to exclude the presence of spores of various diseases.
Film greenhouse: the first crops are carried out in late April - early May, when the nights are still quite cold, so the frame should be covered with a film in 2 layers. Raise the temperature in the greenhouse will allow the air gap between the cellophane cover. Moreover, the inner layer will last longer. It is important to leave room for airing, for example, air vents or air vents.Further, the rules are fairly general: last year’s soil is removed on a spade (13-15 cm) bayonet, then the earth is treated with copper sulfate disinfectant. It is prepared in the proportion of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water.
Important! Most of the infections remain in the soil, so you can not plant tomatoes in one plot of land / in one greenhouse for 2 consecutive years.
The soil
In order for the soil to settle, as well as the nutrients from the fertilizer to dissolve, the beds should be prepared about 10 days before transplanting. In another case, the seeds can go deep under the ground, and young plants will burn the roots.
- First you need to remove all the weeds.
- The earth is loosened, carefully breaking up all the lumps in order to saturate the earth with oxygen.
- As enrichment make humus. If the soil is poor, then additional fertilizers will be required: a glass of ash, humus (6-7 kg, per square meter).
Tomato seedling loves nutritious soil. If the land is rich and fertile, it is enough to add a small amount of humus. remember, that loamy or sandy, breathable soil is best for tomatoes.
By the way, today in garden hypermarkets you can buy ready-made soil mixes, in which nutrients are already balanced. They are selected taking into account the "taste" preferences of tomatoes.
An excellent solution would be to prepare the soil in the fall. So over the winter it will freeze, which will kill all pathogenic bacteria and viruses.
Seeds
Before sowing in a greenhouse or greenhouse, seed material must be prepared.. Consider the steps:
All selected seeds are divided into groups and placed in a bag of gauze.- The bags are immersed in warm water (at least 60 degrees) and left for several hours to soak the seeds.
- Then, for disinfection, they are immersed in a weak (1%) solution of potassium permanganate, and then washed several times in warm and clean water.
- It is also necessary to carry out the procedure "hardening". To do this, they are placed in a tray under the freezer for 1.5 days.
- The final step is to warm the seeds for about 5-6 hours.
All selected seeds are divided into groups and placed in a bag of gauze.After such procedures, seedlings for tomatoes grow strong and healthy. Tomatoes for seedlings, prepared in this way, are highly resistant to disease and stable yield.
Then you can watch a video about the preparation of tomato seeds for planting:
Landing secrets
Cultivation of seedlings in the greenhouse will be successful if some conditions and steps are met. We will tell more about the important nuances:
- The term of sowing seeds in the greenhouse for seedlings depends on the climatic conditions of the region. So, for example, in order to harvest early, in the Leningrad, Kirov, Perm, Vologda regions, as well as in the Republic of Karelia, seeds should be planted as early as March 15-17, of course, if the frosts have already receded. If you live in a warm southern region, then you can safely start landing in early March.
- 20-25 degrees - the ideal temperature in the greenhouse for sowing seeds. If it is taller or you feel that it is too hot in the greenhouse, it should be ventilated before the establishment of necessary conditions.
- Before you lower the seeds into the ground, you must decide whether you will dive. The landing scheme depends on it. If so, you will need small boxes with the ground. It is necessary to make indentations and abundantly moisten. Ready-to-sow tomato seeds are neatly arranged in rows, trying not to be thick, then sprinkled with earth.
- One of the key points of growing tomato seedlings in greenhouses is the appearance of "eyelets." Now they require more light. Try to move the box to a more sunny place. Now it is necessary to keep the seedlings in cool, at a temperature of + 15-16 degrees at night, and in the daytime the temperature mark of +19 degrees.
- After 14 days, 2 true leaves appear at the seedlings. This is a signal that it's time to start picking seedlings.
We offer you to watch a video on how to sow tomato seeds in a greenhouse:
Care
However, preparation for planting and sowing seeds is still half the battle. How to grow seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse, especially if you need it for sale? In order for your seedlings to grow really strong and healthy, you need proper care for the seedlings, which is quite troublesome.
- It is important to closely monitor the appearance of plants. If the foliage has become pale, then it's time to feed. The best recommendation here is ready-made complex fertilizers. Before watering, it is necessary to dilute the mineral mixture in the proportion of 1 teaspoon to 1 liter of water.
- When it is cloudy outside, it is better to keep the temperature in the greenhouse low, to about 14-15 ° C, so that the seedlings do not stretch out. Sprawling seedlings do not need much watering, let the earth dry out a bit.
Observing these simple tips, we hope you will be able to grow strong and healthy seedlings that will delight you with tasty fruits all summer until the end of September.
