The annoying mistakes that ruin the tomato seedlings on the vine

Fiery fireworks, fellow gardeners!

Greetings to everyone who is puzzled by the cultivation of tomato seedlings for their site. The work is not easy, but rewarding and respectful for the hard work ...

Sometimes it seems to me that the ability to grow tomato seedlings is in the blood of Russian summer residents) To which of them you don't come home in April, you immediately see slender rows of greenery with well-recognizable leaves on windowsill. And the grandmothers, who have never heard of any of your agricultural technicians, have young tomatoes growing!

But sometimes something goes wrong. I consider it my duty to remind you, beloved readers of my channel, about the main mistakes when growing tomato seedlings. She herself filled the bumps 😊

Thoughtless use of drugs - "additives"

The horticultural market offers a long list of fertilizers / growth stimulants / adapagens / magic wands for every taste. Here is "Athlete", with him the seedlings will be stocky. Here is the legendary "Epin", saving frozen plants. Websites and social media are full

useless "folk" recipes with succinic acid, honey and cat hair extract.

And all this would be nothing. But in pursuit of the secondary beneficial properties of the proposed funds, we may lose the most important thing: the desire to comply with the basic rules for growing tomato seedlings. And humidity, light and temperature are much more important than spraying with another miracle cure.

Any use of growth stimulants always moves the plant from the path of natural development to another path. And where it will lead - one can only guess.

Using such drugs, you always need to firmly know why it is needed. And if in general it is not necessary, it is better to give up stimulatory adventures. Just let the plant be itself. It knows perfectly well the path along which it should develop.

And in cramped, and in offense

It has been noticed many times: plants love to be treated with respect. Tomato seedlings also have their own personal boundaries. Not the best option to grow it in a close flock, when the leaves of one plant obstruct neighbors. In the conditions of "sprat in a jar", not the strongest specimens grow, often ill and do not live up to the era of the greenhouse.

Yes, unfortunately, the area, length and width of our window sills usually leaves much to be desired. Perhaps, for now, it is worth moving some of the indoor flowers to a table near the window, placing the seedlings under a lamp not on the windowsill, or choosing the 12 strongest from 20 wards? In any case, try to give space to each of the seedlings.

Extreme to extreme, or vigil with a watering can

Sometimes I seriously think that you can write a whole novel about watering tomato seedlings. Although the theoretical rule is outrageously banal: do not overdry or fill the soil, in practice, mistakes are often obtained ...

The bay is dangerous in three ways. Firstly, an overly caring vegetable grower with good intentions can provoke root rot. Indeed, even if the top layer of the soil is already "that", moisture is still stored in the depths. Secondly, constantly wet soil means not far from the destructive black leg. And, finally, the slow development of the root system: the tomato has no incentive to actively develop it in search of moisture, because it gets it in full anyway.

Author's advice: The younger the seedling, the smaller its root system. I water them under the root with a little water. Then, when the plant becomes with a hint of growth, I increase the amount of watering.

Curiously, some vegetable growers deliberately rarely water their tomatoes. To life didn't seem like honey increase stress resistance and promote root development.

Everything is good, but in moderation. And never try to pull off a similar trick with seedlings of tender age (up to 3-4 true leaves): for them endurance experiments usually end with the death of thin roots and, as a result, an indefinite business trip to heaven.

"The neighbor is already growing!"

I would not like to remind once again about the need for backlighting. Deprived of normal light, tomatoes stretch and grow weak.

Lamps are inexpensive - if you wish, you can in any case organize something. But if growing seedlings without supplementary lighting is a matter of principle, plant them later when there is more or less acceptable natural light in your region.

We'll have to accept it as truth: a mid-March tomato without supplementary lighting will be stronger and more generous in harvest than a February tomato without a lamp

The harm and benefits of hardening. Do not confuse!

While the seedlings are very small, I do not advise you to test their patience with low temperatures. Tomatoes are generally a thermophilic culture, and until the age of 3-4 true leaves, attention to the thermometer should generally be special: not lower than 25-30 ° C. But then the coolness of about 15–20 ° C will only contribute to the formation of strong seedlings.

And one more thing: before you plant your own tomatoes, you should definitely start taking them to their permanent habitat in 2 weeks. First - in the afternoon, then - gradually increasing the time spent outdoors or in the greenhouse in the morning and evening.

Are you planting tomatoes and was the article helpful? Please put "Thumbs up" in response, my dears! Thank you! And I strongly recommend lovers of beautiful flower gardens to look here: Unpretentious annual: blooms all summer until late autumn