Tomato is a plant of tropical origin and requires a long period of time for active growth and fruiting. warm period. Optimal temperature for the growth and development of this crop - 22-24 degrees, of course, subject to good lighting. At temperatures above 30 degrees, growth slows down, and above 35, it stops.
The seedling requires good lighting.
Tomatoes also need good lighting - 12-14 hours a day. That is why, in the absence of additional lighting, the later tomatoes are sown as seedlings, the faster they begin to form reproductive organs. For example, tomatoes sown in April can form the first inflorescence after 4-5 leaves, and plants sown in winter - after 10-11 leaves and even later.
How worse conditions lighting, the later the flower brushes are laid. The difference in the time of flower cluster formation in plants of the same variety sown at different times can reach 30-45 days.
That's why to get early harvest for tomatoes, it is not so much the early sowing that is important, but good conditions lighting, comfortable temperature regime, provision of balanced nutrition.
Dates for sowing tomatoes
When determining the timing of sowing tomatoes for seedlings, it is assumed that the first 15-20 days after emergence, tomatoes grow slowly (during this period they grow roots). Then they grow more actively, and
after 40 days, the vegetative mass increases by leaps and bounds.
After sowing, the seeds are sprinkled with soil in a one-centimeter layer.
If such seedlings are not transplanted in time permanent place, it will quickly lose its qualities: the lower leaves, not receiving enough light and nutrition, begin to turn yellow and die, the stems stretch.
Tomatoes can be grown in seedlings and without seedlings
Summer residents who grow tomatoes not only by seedlings, but also without seedlings, have long been convinced that the same variety in different conditions required different time from germination to fruiting. For example, from a seedling plant the first fruits can be obtained in 100-110 days, and a bush that grew from a seed sown immediately in a garden bed will begin to produce a harvest after 80 days.
We drop the seedlings into cups.
Seedling plant in initial period there is not enough light, the temperature may be higher or lower than optimal, but a seedless tomato immediately finds itself in favorable conditions and develops rapidly. Therefore, the time frame from sowing to harvest, which is indicated in the descriptions of any variety or hybrid, is arbitrary: they can range from 10 to 30 days. Significant difference.
It is difficult to create seedlings in a room optimal conditions. But you still need to try to get closer to them.
Before germination, the temperature of the tomatoes is maintained within 22-25 degrees. After the emergence of mass shoots, it is advisable to reduce the temperature of the seedlings for 4-5 days during the day to 15 degrees, at night to 8-10 degrees, thereby helping to develop a good root system and preventing the seedlings from stretching out.
In the future, 20-25 degrees during the day and 8-12 degrees at night are considered favorable for the development of tomato seedlings. Harden off seedlings to outdoors start at a temperature not lower than 10 degrees.
Don't keep seedlings crowded
If you have enough space on well-lit windowsills, you can immediately sow tomatoes in individual cups or cassettes to avoid picking. Another option is possible - sparse sowing of seeds (5-7 cm apart) in seedling boxes.
It is better to sow two seeds in cups and cassettes so that some of the seedling containers are not left without seedlings. From the cups in which both seeds sprout, you can later plant one plant at a time. But often summer residents plant two plants in one hole in open ground.
It is convenient to sow the seeds directly into cups.
The earlier the seeds are sown for seedlings, the larger the volume of the cups or cassettes should be. When filling seedling containers with soil mixture, take into account that you will have to add fresh soil mixture to the growing plants 2-3 times to give them additional nutrition and create conditions for the formation of additional roots.
The soil mixture is usually added for the first time two weeks after germination. After ten days, soil is poured into the seedling containers again.
Sowing on seedlings that are going to be grown without picking can be done a week later than on seedlings that are planned to be picked. Growing seedlings without picking is beneficial for two reasons.
- Firstly, later crops always develop in more favorable conditions: in spring the sun becomes more active every day.
- Secondly, plants are not injured during picking.
But growing seedlings without picking already in March requires a lot of space. But there is not always enough of it on the window sills of city apartments.
Tomato seedlings can be grown without picking.
Therefore, gardeners often first sow seeds in small containers. By the time the tomatoes are picked, some of the seedlings from the windowsills (for example, cabbage) can already be taken out to glazed loggia, thereby freeing up additional space for more spaciously planted heat-loving crops.
The densely sown seedlings are picked at the stage of 1-2 true leaves. This is done in order to increase the feeding area for plants, improve their ventilation and illumination.
Without meeting these conditions, grow strong seedlings, capable of resisting diseases, is impossible.
From seedlings that developed in cramped conditions, low-productive plants are formed: their yield can be two times lower than those tomato bushes that grew freely from germination to planting in a permanent place.
Tomato is the most popular garden crops. Growing tomatoes on personal plots Many vegetable growers, our compatriots, practice today using the seedling method.
Summer residents who do not have information on how to plant tomatoes for seedlings at home often purchase seedlings from market traders. Purchased seedlings have a number of disadvantages. Young plants do not always correspond to the variety declared for sale. Due to the fact that a different soil was used to grow purchased seedlings, there is no guarantee that they will adapt to the soil conditions in the new garden. As a consequence, to obtain great harvest For quality tomatoes, it would be preferable to plant tomato seedlings done by the vegetable grower himself.
Successful cultivation of tomato seedlings directly depends on informed choice and successful preparatory processing of seed material. Initially, you will need to decide on the optimal varieties of tomatoes. 
For this purpose, you need to pay attention to studying information about the varieties and hybrids you are interested in; determine their ripening time, frost resistance, yield, germination percentage, etc. It is extremely important to give preference to seeds of varieties adapted to the climatic conditions of the area in which the summer cottage is located.
You should definitely find out the expiration dates of the seeds; the use of expired seed material is strictly prohibited.
Purchased seeds should be inspected in order to reject excessively small or broken specimens. By placing the seeds in salt water, you can get high-quality planting material. Good seeds will end up at the bottom, and the empty ones will float up. Next, the selected tomato seeds should be rinsed under running clean water.
Experienced gardeners advise carrying out the procedure for disinfecting seeds in a weak aqueous solution of manganese (the color of the liquid is pale pink) or hydrogen peroxide (2 teaspoons per 1 liter of water). Recommended solution temperature: about + 40 ° C. Seeds are immersed in disinfectant liquid for 15 minutes.
Germination of tomato seeds
When germinating tomato seeds, modern summer residents use aloe juice, which is an excellent natural growth stimulator. Its use accelerates germination, stimulates metabolic processes, and disinfects seed material. Plant leaves aged three years or older are suitable for this procedure - they need to be chopped using a meat grinder. The resulting mass will need to be squeezed out to obtain juice, which must then be diluted with warm water in a 1:1 ratio.
The prepared seed material is placed in gauze and lowered into the resulting solution. After 17 - 18 hours, the gauze is removed from the liquid, wrapped in plastic bag and placed in a warm place before the seeds hatch.
Recommendations for preparing soil mixture and containers for seedlings
When deciding how to properly plant tomato seedlings, you definitely need to take care of preparing the soil in advance. Ideally, a similar procedure should be performed in the fall, mixing equal parts of garden soil, humus, clean river sand. Add to the resulting mixture (1 bucket): ground chalk or eggshell(100 gr.), ash (150 gr.).
Many summer residents recommend another composition of the soil mixture for tomato seedlings: turf soil (up to 70%), humus (up to 50%), additives in the form of ash, chalk, peat, urea, potassium sulfate, superphosphate (up to 15%).
Whichever of the two proposed methods is chosen, as a result it is desirable to obtain breathable, loose, moisture-absorbing, non-acidic soil rich in nutrients. The planting soil prepared in the fall should freeze well in winter period so that no harmful larvae or bacteria remain in it.
If it is not possible in advance, it is allowed to purchase a ready-made soil mixture in a specialized store. This measure justifies itself if there is not very fertile soil on the site.
When studying recommendations on how to plant tomatoes as seedlings in an open ground apartment, vegetable growers are often interested in the size and material of the required container. Summer residents actively use wooden boxes, plastic containers, polystyrene cassettes, cut-off washed cardboard bags from dairy products, peat pots.
Each gardener chooses the most convenient container for seedlings, and also decides on the location of its installation (on the windowsill, on the floor, on a table near the window, etc.).
Timing for sowing seeds for seedlings
Most vegetable growers are concerned about the question of when to plant tomatoes for seedlings, in what numbers, so as not to make a mistake with the sowing dates? Here everything depends on the selected variety of tomatoes, as well as the planned date of planting the seedlings to a permanent place in the garden or in the greenhouse. Summer residents whose plots are located in the northern regions practice sowing seeds 75 days before the planting date. Gardeners from more southern regions sow seeds within 60 days.
As a rule, sowing seedlings of early ripening tomato varieties is completed in 45 - 55 days. Mid-season varieties are sown in 55 - 60 days. Late-ripening varieties and tall hybrids require about 70 days to form seedlings. More late boarding seedlings are not justified because the plants become too tall, their flowering is slow, and they do not adapt well to constant growing conditions.
Planting tomato seedlings
A gardener who is interested in how to properly plant tomatoes for seedlings at home, on what date, needs to fill prepared containers for sowing with drainage holes with a damp soil mixture. When deciding at what depth to plant tomato seedlings, you should know that it is optimal to make grooves in the soil with a maximum depth of 1 cm. The interval between the grooves is 3 - 4 cm. Seeds are laid out in them at a distance of 2 - 3 cm and sent with soil.
The container with the planted seeds is covered with glass or film and located closer to the heat source to ensure optimal heat (+ 25 ... + 30 º C).
Tomato seedlings “Moscow style”
A vegetable grower who is worried about how best to plant tomato seedlings can take very original ways sowings, invented and successfully practiced by many gardeners. It's quite possible to get good seedlings, using toilet paper and plastic bags. Tomato seedlings grown on toilet paper are in no way inferior in quality to seedlings obtained by planting using traditional methods.
Gardeners claim that it is very easy to plant tomatoes as seedlings in toilet paper. Toilet paper(napkins) is moistened with water, placed on polyethylene (in 3 - 4 layers), seeds are placed on it with an indentation equal to the length matchbox. The package is wrapped in a tube, secured with an elastic band, and placed in a jar of water. Knowing what day the tomato seedlings sprout (days 5 - 6), you can observe the germination of seedlings.
This method is justified if there are problems with allocating sufficient space for installing containers with seedlings. As the seedlings develop true leaves, they are transplanted into large containers with soil.
Seedlings in “diapers”, “snail”
From experienced gardeners you can hear many others interesting tips: how to plant tomato seedlings at home in unusual ways. In particular, tomato seedlings grown in diapers and snails are popular.
This method involves immersing the seeds in lumps of moistened soil and then wrapping them in cut pieces of oilcloth, called “diapers.” The resulting rolls, often called “snails,” are installed in a vertical position on the windowsill. In a similar way, tomato seedlings are grown in a snail, when the functions of the film are performed by a substrate under the laminate.
Tomato seedlings in a greenhouse
Quite a lot of summer residents who know how to plant tomato seedlings at home nevertheless prefer greenhouse planting of seed material. Information on how to sow tomatoes for seedlings in a greenhouse in such cases will come in handy.
Having prepared the soil in a heated greenhouse, you need to make furrows 3 - 5 cm deep on the ridges, with a distance of 15 - 20 cm between them. A vegetable grower who is interested in how to plant tomato seedlings in a greenhouse will need to place seeds in well-watered furrows at intervals of 1 - 2 cm , followed by backfilling with peat or wet sand.
The temperature regime in the greenhouse is maintained at + 25 ... + 30 º C. Knowing how long it takes for tomatoes to sprout, after the mass emergence of sprouts, you need to gradually reduce the temperature in the greenhouse so that during the day its values are + 20 ... + 22 º C, and at night they were within + 16 ... + 18 º C.
Picking tomato seedlings
Not all summer residents approve of picking seedlings, considering it stressful for the seedlings.
At the same time, many vegetable growers practice this procedure in order to subsequently obtain strong bushes. An undeniable advantage of picking is the provision of better conditions for the development of seedling roots.
When planting seeds in spacious containers, picking may not be necessary. Otherwise, you will have to plant the seedlings using cut cups plastic bottles, other prepared containers. When studying information on how to properly plant tomatoes in cups, you need to pay attention that the optimal time for picking is considered to be the presence of three true leaves on the seedlings.
The seedling is carefully removed from the pre-watered soil using a small garden spatula. The lower third of the root is pinched off. Then the plant is lowered into a new container, filled with soil, and lightly compacted. After picking, you will need to increase the air temperature in your home or greenhouse by several degrees. In the room with strengthened sprouts, the previous temperature is restored.
Watering and feeding seedlings
It is very important to implement proper watering seedlings, since waterlogging of the soil can cause rotting of plant roots. If there is soil that retains moisture well, it is allowed to water the seedlings after 5 - 7 days using settled or filtered water. 
If drying out of the soil is noted, the plant root system is moistened by spraying water from a spray bottle. It will be necessary to prevent drops from getting on the seedlings when spraying.
The decision to implement must be made with an eye to appearance seedlings. Seedlings with thick stems and bright green leaves do not need feeding - they only need soil nutrients. If there are frail seedlings, we can conclude that they are not receiving sufficient nutrition. Purple shade foliage indicates a lack of phosphorus, yellowish indicates a lack of nitrogen. A sharp wrinkling of the leaves is a signal of potassium starvation; the appearance of white spots on the leaves and yellow tips on the shoots indicates a lack of iron.
A competent approach to growing seedlings will be the key to obtaining strong bushes tomatoes, which will certainly give an excellent harvest of fruits of high commercial quality. The main thing is to correctly apply the acquired knowledge in practice in order to please your household. delicious tomatoes throughout the season, make excellent homemade preparations from grown tomatoes, and sell excess fruit at a profit.
Better conditions
Better conditions- these are the conditions that are most favorable for growing a particular variety under specific climatic and resource parameters. But before getting into the details, it's wise to consider the basic requirements that never change.
Substrate and container
Germinated seeds usually germinate 2–3 days after planting in the substrate, and ungerminated seeds germinate after 4–5. During the period from sowing to germination, light does not play a role and is even harmful, since it will dry out the soil. Cassettes with seedlings are brought into sunlight after germination to ensure photosynthesis.
Maintaining humidity is very important. During this period, the crops are covered plastic cover or a piece of polyethylene to create a greenhouse effect. Condensation will accumulate - this is normal, but it must be removed in time. After the seedlings sprout, move them closer to the light and remove them. From this point on, caring for tomatoes consists of timely watering and maintaining a stable temperature. 
If you sowed tomatoes at the end of March, then the spring day length will be enough for them, but February seedlings must be “extended the day” with the help.
When to plant
When you choose the time to plant tomatoes, keep in mind that the quality of the seedlings will be affected external factors: light, humidity, temperature, atmospheric pressure. Season and time of year are not important only if tomatoes are grown in artificial conditions, for example, in closed ones with climate control and other professional equipment.
According to technology, tomato seedlings can be planted from late February to mid-March, but many practicing gardeners do not entirely agree with this. As practice shows, February seedlings, even when using phyto-spotlights, have too elongated and weak stems that do not hold fruit well.
Apparently, the activity of the February sun is still insufficient, so it makes sense to wait until March, and in February start preparing the soil and equipment for future “greenhouses”.
According to the lunar calendar
The theory about the influence of lunar cycles on seedlings is based on changes in magnetic fields and atmospheric pressure depending on the phase of the moon. It is these processes that formed the basis that farmers actively use. 
In the lunar calendar there are two key concepts that define favorable and Not favorable days for sowing - the phase of the moon and the constellation through which it passes in this period cycle. The phase of the moon is its position relative to the sun. We determine the phase by the illumination of one of the parts of the moon (waxing, waning) or the entire side (full moon).
In the old days, people said that planting a vegetable garden, as well as starting a new business, should be done on the waxing moon. But now astrologers are clarifying: when the moon is waxing, it is better to sow what grows upward (tomatoes, corn, etc.), and the waning moon will have a good effect on creeping or seedlings.
Moon in zodiac sign. The house of one of the signs in which the moon is located takes precedence over the phase, and if a contradiction arises - unfavorable phase / favorable sign - focus specifically on the sign:
- Fertile signs: Cancer, Taurus, Scorpio.
- Relatively fertile: Libra, Capricorn, Pisces.
- Relatively infertile: Virgo, Gemini.
- Infertile: Aquarius, Aries, Sagittarius, Leo.
The lunar calendar is similar to the solar one, the one we are used to using in Everyday life. The difference is that in " lunar month» 29.3–29.5 days, respectively, in lunar year- 354 days. In the adapted calendar, lunar cycles and phases are superimposed on the grid of the conventional solar calendar. This lunar calendar is very convenient for choosing the time to sow seeds for seedlings. 
Favorable days for planting early tomatoes in February:
- February 17–18 - waxing moon in Pisces;
- February 21–22 - waxing moon in Taurus;
- February 25–26 - waxing moon in Cancer.
Favorable days for planting tomatoes in March:
- March 6–7 - waning moon in Scorpio;
- March 20–21 - waxing moon in Taurus;
- March 24–26 - waxing moon in Cancer.
Usually on the back of the package all information is given necessary information about seeds and the peculiarities of handling them. The problem is that some important details go unnoticed because an experienced manufacturer simply considers them obvious and self-evident, but for the buyer this is not always the case.
Depending on the ripening time tomatoes are early and late. The timing of planting seeds for seedlings depends on the early maturity of tomatoes, and the efforts that will have to be made to grow them also differ.
Harvest a month earlier regular varieties, but require more heat and light. An average of 80–100 days pass between the sowing of seedlings and the first fruits, and the fruits can be harvested already in early to mid-June. Let’s say right away that the period of 80–100 days is not universal for all early ripening varieties: for some it is 70–80 days, and for others it is 90–100. Agree that the difference of two weeks makes a difference.
On the territory of Russia and Ukraine (not counting zones with a subtropical climate), grow early tomatoes on open ground in the usual way impossible. In latitudes where frosts can last until the middle or even the end of May, it is simply too cold for heat-loving plants. Therefore, the only way to do without a greenhouse here is to sow the seedlings earlier and later transfer them to the soil.
First, early tomatoes are planted and grown as usual, but after about a month the seedlings are transplanted into large containers with a volume of 4–6 liters, in which they will grow for another month and a half. When the time comes to plant tomato seedlings in open ground, the seedlings reach 2/3 or larger size mature plant and soon begin to bear fruit.
Late varieties planted March 10–20. Late and early ones are transferred to the ground at approximately the same time, in mid-late April. The fruits of late tomatoes are distinguished by their keeping quality, abundance of vitamins and suitability for preservation. For commercial reasons large enterprises Few late varieties are grown, but for reasons of taking care of yourself and your health, it is advisable to plant at least a third of all planned areas with them. 
Did you know? The content of lycopene, the strongest antioxidant found in tomatoes, doubles during heat treatment. So both fresh vegetables and dishes prepared from them are useful.
Growing seedlings
When handled correctly, growing seedlings is not troublesome and even fun. This process has several stages:
- seed selection;
- preparing seeds for sowing;
- caring for seedlings during different periods of growth.
Let's look at each of their stages in more detail.
Seed selection
Manufacturer. It is better to buy seeds from bona fide producers who have proven themselves in the market: “Esasem”, “Altai Seeds”, “Senior Tomato”, “Flora”, “Professional Seeds”. This product usually costs more, but it is a worthwhile investment.
Best before date. You should not buy seeds whose shelf life is coming to an end, because despite the fact that tomato seeds remain viable for 2 years, this ability is gradually lost. It may happen that two packs of seeds that are still suitable, but of different ages, will have a difference in germination of up to 40% in favor of fresher ones.
Zoning. Choose varieties that suit your climate zone. A gorgeous variety with huge half-kilogram fruits will not please you if it is zoned for the subtropics, and you live in the Moscow region.
Germination test. To immediately separate viable seeds from the dummies, prepare a 1% solution of kitchen salt (about a teaspoon per 0.5 liters of water) and place the seeds there - the viable seeds will sink to the bottom, and the dummies will remain floating on the surface.
Did you know? Tomato juice- a natural bactericidal agent. Helps fight kidney and urinary tract infections.
Preparation and sowing
Tomatoes suffer greatly from blackleg, so before planting, you need to soak the seeds in a three percent solution for 3-5 hours, then rinse thoroughly in clean water.
Sowing ungerminated seeds. Ungerminated seeds are usually planted in a bowl or container in rows, followed by picking. If you treated the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate immediately before sowing, you do not need to soak them additionally and immediately plant them in the soil. If the seeds have already dried out, place them on a damp cloth or cotton wool for 6–7 hours to soften the shell.
The prepared seeds are sown at a distance of 0.5 cm from each other in a groove 0.5–1 cm deep made in the soil and sprinkled with a thin layer of soil. The work is so painstaking that it is inconvenient to do it with your fingers, so many people use special tweezers to grab seeds and manipulate the soil.
But if you don’t have a tool, don’t worry: just lightly press the seeds so that they disappear underground. 7–10 days after emergence, the seedlings are planted in separate containers.
Sowing germinated seeds. Germinated seeds can be sown immediately in separate containers. This eliminates the need for further picking and greatly simplifies the process.
Important! It happens that the seed coat remains on the leaves of the seedling; in such cases, the plant can be helped by removing it yourself. To do this, you will need a syringe and water: simply apply a couple of drops of warm water to the shell and wait a couple of minutes, then carefully peel it off with your fingers.
Seedling care
Caring for seedlings can be divided into:
- period from germination to picking;
- from picking to landing in the ground.
Prepare for the fact that the seeds will germinate unevenly: some may germinate on the second day, others on the fourth or fifth, and others may not germinate at all. These "tomato nurseries" usually look very disorganized and cause uncertainty about the quality of the seeds, but there is nothing to worry about. Simply put, this always happens.
12–14 days after sowing, regardless of size, all seedlings are already strong enough for picking. If some of the plants seem too small to you, you can wait another 3-5 days, but no more, since tomatoes do not like crowding. It's also worth remembering that you don't have to plant out all the seedlings, and if any of them are growing too poorly, it may be a problem with care and it might actually be worth sacrificing them.
Speaking about caring for tomatoes, you need to remember that this light-loving plant tolerates direct Sun rays even at the most tender age: tomatoes very rarely develop burns or loss of turgor. But the temperature is below 20 ° C during the day and high humidity will definitely slow down the development of seedlings and can cause root rot (blackleg). 
From picking to landing in the ground. After each plant is in its own territory, caring for it consists of maintaining temperature, light conditions, humidity and hardening before planting tomatoes in open ground.
- . Recommendations for watering are very variable: it depends on air humidity, container volume and age of the plant. If at the beginning of the growing season, when the length of the seedlings does not exceed 10 cm, watering once a week is enough, then before planting, daily watering may be necessary.
- Light. The duration of daylight should be at least 12 hours. With a lack of light, the seedlings will stretch out and absorb poorly useful material from the soil.
- Temperature should not be lower than 22 °C during the day. Cold will slow down development and can also cause fungal diseases.
- Hardening. You can start hardening off seedlings at the end of April. There is no need to rush too much, since early hardening of immature seedlings can undermine the plant’s resistance and have a sharply opposite effect. You can start with 15–30 minutes, gradually increasing the time you spend outside. You need to start hardening on a fine day and carefully monitor changes in the condition of the seedlings. At first, the reaction can be very different: from loss of elasticity of the leaves to a stem bent almost in half, but there is no need to panic - this is just a reaction to changed humidity and, possibly, wind. In any case, the main thing is not to rush and do everything gradually.
So, in conclusion, let’s highlight a few key points:
- You need to choose high-quality seeds and be sure to check them for germination before sowing.
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When to plant tomatoes for seedlings in 2018. It is difficult to imagine a modern summer resident's garden without tomatoes. Tomatoes have become the favorite vegetable of our compatriots. They are used to prepare salads, put them in soup, make stews, preserve them for the winter, etc.
To obtain good harvest enough for the whole family, you need to know when to plant tomatoes. Weakened plants planted too early, which did not receive proper care on cold, cloudy days, will bloom later, and you will have to wait for the harvest. When should you plant tomatoes to get a rich harvest? Let's talk about this.
You can’t plant seeds too early, but it’s not recommended to be late either, especially if you want to enjoy your tomatoes in the middle of summer. The timing of planting tomatoes is important. When should you plant tomato seedlings? To understand this, when to sow the seeds, you need to make simple calculations.
- Date of planting seedlings in the ground. Calculate the approximate date when you will plant the seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse. It is worth finding out in advance the forecasts for spring, whether it will be early or late. Where you plant your plants is important. In a heated greenhouse, planting occurs earlier, just like in a greenhouse, than when planting in open ground.
- Age of seedlings. As mentioned above, seedlings can only spend so much time in the house. It depends on the variety: early tomatoes – 40-50 days; mid-season varieties - 55 -60 days; late-ripening tomatoes – 70 days.
- Subtract this number of days from the previously determined date. Time for germination. Tomato seedlings do not appear immediately; it takes 5-6 days. These days must also be subtracted from the resulting date. This will give you an approximate landing time.
Let us show with an example how to carry out calculations. You have a film greenhouse where you expect to plant seedlings on May 10th. When to plant seeds of early ripening varieties? Subtract 50 days, we get March 24, minus 5 days for the seeds to hatch.
Thus, early varieties are planted around the 19th of March.
Now let’s calculate the time for planting mid-season tomatoes. We take the same date, May 10, and subtract 60 days. March 14, minus 5 days – March 9. As we see, there is nothing complicated about this.
On a note! For tall tomatoes, sowing seedlings begins from February 20 to March 10. For early and mid-season varieties, sowing time begins from March 10 to March 22. For ultra early varieties and Cherry tomato also have their own individual dates - early April. But late-ripening varieties of tomatoes must be planted as seedlings in the third ten days of February.
When to plant tomatoes for seedlings in 2018 according to the lunar calendar
To trust or not lunar calendar, everyone decides for themselves. In the year of sowing, you can familiarize yourself with the recommendations for a specific year, where they are written exact dates landings.
Growing seedlings begins with determining the correct sowing time. When to sow tomatoes for seedlings in 2018? The lunar sowing calendar will tell you about this:
- January: 6, 10 and 30
- February: 14, 16, 18, 24, 26-28;
- March: 3, 4, 10, 12, 20, 25, 30, 31;
- April: 8, 12, 13, 22, 26-28;
Unfavorable days for planting tomatoes in 2018
- February 2, 3, 9, 10, 15
- March 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 2018
- April 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16
- May 2, 3, 7, 8, 15
When to plant tomato seedlings in open ground? In May, favorable days for this are: 9, 15, 19, 24, 25; in June: 2, 7, 11 and 16.
Do not sow tomatoes for seedlings during the new moon or full moon, as during these lunar phases plant juices collect either in the upper part, or, conversely, in the roots and tubers, which interferes normal development.
If you sow seeds during the waxing moon, that is, after the new moon, the growth activity of the ground part increases, and plants sown on the waning moon, after the full moon, develop intensively. root system.
It follows from this that grains should be planted in the waxing phase of the moon, and root crops in the waning phase. As for tomatoes, they are a demanding crop, so it is very important that tomato seedlings are sown on favorable days.
The timing of sowing tomatoes for seedlings also depends on the growing region and tomato variety. You can rely on the following recommendations.
Timing for planting seedlings in the Moscow region, the Urals and Siberia
When to sow tomatoes in the Moscow region
- early tomatoes for open ground - early April;
- early tomatoes for planting in the ground under film covers - the second half of March;
- tall tomatoes for greenhouses - late March;
- low-growing tomatoes for greenhouses - early to mid-April;
- large tomatoes - early March.
These dates are specifically for home conditions, when seedlings are grown on a windowsill. There is even such advice - it is dark and hot in our apartments, even on the windows, and tomato seedlings will “suffer” for a long time if they are sown too early. Therefore, it is better to be a little late than to hurry.
When to sow tomatoes in the Urals, Siberia and the Volga region
The average growth period for tomato seedlings is within 2 months, therefore, in accordance with the climatic conditions of each region, the required timing of sowing seeds can be determined.
In the Urals, Siberia and northern regions Spring comes later, so the time to plant tomatoes is shifted to early April.
This period is not the most favorable for planting tomatoes. However, don't despair. Choose the most favorable days according to the zodiac circle. These are April 1, 2, and 12.
Based climatic conditions Volga region, the timing of sowing tomatoes: late varieties - at the end of February - in the first ten days of March, and early and middle varieties - at the end of March - in the first ten days of April.
What containers to use for planting tomato seedlings
There are several common types of seedling containers for sowing tomatoes. Each of them has a number of pros and cons, and therefore any gardener gives preference based on his capabilities.
- Wooden (plastic) boxes have been used for growing seedlings for a long time.
They are easy to use. Sowing of seeds is carried out with their further picking into the same containers. They do not require special equipment for further transportation. Helps you save money because you can make them yourself. Of the minuses: a box filled with soil is very heavy, and when transplanting tomatoes to a permanent place, there is a high probability of significant damage to the roots.
- Plastic cassettes are cells of the same size fastened together.
If necessary, you can buy different lengths and widths. Often, you need to purchase a tray for them separately or come up with your own options for collecting excess water. Their advantage is that they are lightweight, can be separated with scissors, are easy to use, have ready-made drainage holes, and the seedlings are easily removed from the cell of the cassette. Their disadvantages: they are short-lived, inconvenient for transportation, when removing one seedling there is a possibility of damaging the neighboring specimen.
- Peat cups.
This type of container is very popular among gardeners, as it is made from environmentally friendly materials. But experts recommend using peat cups already when picking tomatoes. Their advantages: durable, safe, do not require plant replanting, as they dissolve well in the soil and serve as additional nutrition for plants. Their disadvantages: they are not always commercially available, require additional costs, moisture evaporates quickly, which leads to additional watering.
- Peat tablets They are compressed balanced peat placed in a special mesh.
Before sowing, soak in water for 10 minutes to swell. Their advantages: easy to use, promote the development of a strong root system, dissolve in the soil when planted in a permanent place. Their disadvantages: they have a high cost, require an additional tray, and dry out quickly.
- Plastic cups are considered the most common types of containers for sowing tomatoes for seedlings.
You can use two types of containers: 100 and 200 ml for sowing seeds and 500 ml for further picking.
Their advantages: ease of use, seedlings can be easily removed when transplanting, reusable, low cost.
Their disadvantages: you need to make drainage holes yourself, you will need an additional pallet, they need additional accessories during transportation.
In addition to the main types, many gardeners use improvised containers: yogurt cups, carton boxes from under dairy products, plastic buckets from under pickles and others.
Selecting seeds for sowing seedlings
No less important than the time to plant tomato seeds is the choice of tomato seeds. You need to think about them in advance.
Seeds are purchased exclusively from trusted agricultural companies that maintain their brand and offer consumers high-quality planting material with high germination rates, hardened and adapted to the region.
It is not worth stocking up for future use and making large reserves, but only purchasing the required quantity according to the planned planting area plus the cost of greenhouses.
Video: review of productive tomato varieties for planting seedlings
Many tomato growers ask this question regularly. Some sow in February, some in April, some manage to “torment” especially valuable varieties for almost years - in the fall they leave the stepson, and all winter they “marinate” it in a pot, constantly cutting off the top that stretches out in low light conditions and replanting it in pot...
But actually I digressed from the main idea - the timing of planting.
When to sow tomatoes, in conditions conditionally close to the Moscow region?
January. In principle, I don’t even want to consider this option, but briefly...
January 15 sunrise 08:41, sunset 16:28, while at 12 noon the height of the sun above the horizon is only 12.63º. If you are not going to illuminate the seedlings with metal-halide or at least very powerful ones, and if you are not planting tomatoes in a well-heated greenhouse, then even the most late varieties tomatoes, the seedlings of which can be conditionally kept on the window for 60 days, will turn into stunted blades of grass in these 60 days, spreading along the ground under their own weight.
February. Many sophisticated tomato growers sow tomatoes in February. Apparently in the old fashioned way it is believed that what bigger plant spend on the window - the faster the first tomato in the salad will turn out... This is not so, but we will consider why this is not so in subsequent entries.
February, 15. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 17:31, height above the horizon at 12 noon - 20.85 º. Not much better than in January, don't you think?
Tomatoes that sprouted in mid-February will have time to stretch out and get sick in almost the same way as the poor fellows planted in January. However, in the presence of the above-mentioned powerful lighting (and this is not the first fluorescent light bulb that comes across a full window sill of seedlings - such lighting is of little use...) yes.. and so, in the presence of proper lighting and a heated greenhouse, planting tomatoes in February makes sense for obtaining early fruits. But only if there is lighting and a heated greenhouse.
Update dated February 24, 2017.
6-7 years have passed since this short note was written. AT THAT TIME about illuminating seedlings LED lamps I didn’t even have to dream. Now the realities have changed somewhat, and in principle the lighting problem, even for the average user, is one way or another completely solvable. However, this is not the only factor that still holds me back early landings) especially with very good lighting - the seedlings grow faster, and in 45 days huge bushes grow, which clearly become cramped in the window!.. I bring to your attention a short "".
March. The rooks have arrived, drops, thawed patches and other attributes of the average spring. A cheerful tomato grower, joyfully rubbing his hands, takes out bags of seeds from the stash, says popular wisdom.
March 15th. Sunrise 06:41, sunset 18:28, sun height above the horizon at 12 noon - 31.45 º. Something already! However, the sophisticated tomato grower does not relax, but takes out a fluorescent lamp. Because in the morning and evening hours, as well as on cloudy days, illumination of seedlings in the first half of March is almost mandatory.
Tomatoes that sprouted in mid-March will undoubtedly be stronger and, very importantly, more prolific than their older brothers that sprouted in February. Why more prolific? Because the rudiments of the future harvest are laid in the first weeks of the plant’s life. If a sprouted tomato receives a lot of sunlight, the plant “believes” that it has found favorable conditions and programs a high yield.
And if the sprouted tomatoes do not receive enough light, then, according to the program embedded in them, they will try their best to stretch out, outgrowing their surrounding competitors for sunlight! They, unfortunately, do not understand that they are dark not because they are shaded by other plants in the neighborhood, but because they are simply on the window in cloudy weather.
April. Sow seeds in middle April is perhaps a little presumptuous... with the exception of perhaps the most precocious super-determinant ones. However, tomatoes sown at the very end of March - beginning of April will be the healthiest and strongest, and in unheated greenhouses or open ground they will certainly outperform their counterparts planted in February or early March.
April 15, sunrise 05:22, sunset 19:29, sun height above the horizon at 12 noon 40.65 º. This month, if tomatoes need additional lighting, it is only on the cloudiest days.
Typically, tomato varieties and hybrids are recommended to be grown in seedlings for no more than 60 days (late indeterminate varieties, such as San Marzano, de Barao, bull's heart. It should be noted that the volume of soil for each plant for this growing period should be at least 1 liter. Optimally - 3-5 liters. It is usually not easy to place such pots on our windowsills, so it is much wiser not to torture the plants, but to leave them to grow on the windowsill for no more than 50-55 days.