It's no secret that tomatoes are one of the most favorite vegetable crops, which are grown with pleasure in summer cottages. Therefore, such an important undertaking as planting tomato seedlings in open ground cannot be allowed to go to chance.
Depending on the climatic characteristics of your region of residence and current weather conditions, the timing of planting tomato seedlings in open ground may vary.
So, as a rule, in the middle zone (Moscow region) - this occurs in the second half of May, in the Urals and Siberia no earlier than the end of May - beginning of June, around the same time tomatoes are planted in the ground in the North-West (in the Leningrad region) , and in the southern regions, naturally, much earlier - in the second half of April.
Advice! The main guideline for planting tomatoes and other vegetables is soil temperature, which by this time should warm up to +8-10 degrees, and even better to +12 degrees. Moreover, the heating depth should be almost the length of a shovel (20 centimeters), in other words, this is the depth of the planting hole. This is approximately the depth you should place a thermometer in the ground to find out its temperature.
If you are going to plant tomato seedlings under a covering film or other material, you can do this a little earlier, about a week.
The procedure for treating seedlings with an open root system (if your seedlings are growing in a common container) is as follows: simply immerse the plant roots in the solution for 1 hour.
With a closed root system: water each glass or pot of seedlings with 30-50 ml of solution. In this case, the solution is prepared at a lower concentration.
Video: preparing tomato seedlings for planting in open ground
Preparing soil and beds for tomatoes
It is advisable to prepare a bed for growing tomatoes in the fall by adding humus and soil to it, and then digging it thoroughly. If desired, you can add biohumus, deoxidized high-moor peat and river sand.
To improve the structure and nutritional value of the soil, you can plant winter crops, such as oats or vetch, in the future garden bed before winter. Actually, if you plant in the spring, the effect will be similar.
Advice! It would be a good idea to check the acidity of the soil; to successfully grow tomatoes, the acidity should be neutral, approximately 6-7 pH. If the acidity is below 6-5.5 pH, then you should use one of the deoxidizing agents, for example, or add more.
If you are preparing a bed right away in the spring, you should be careful when applying fertilizers before planting. So, right into the hole before planting the seedlings, you can pour a little (about 1 tbsp.), or a handful of humus and 1 tbsp. spoon or a handful of vermicompost, and then mix thoroughly with soil.
Advice! To disinfect the soil, add 1 tablet of Trichocin or Glyocladin to 1 plant.
Concerning crop rotation, then the best predecessors for planting and growing tomatoes will be onions, carrots, beets, cabbage and any legumes.
The worst ones, after which it is undesirable to plant, are all nightshades (eggplants, peppers, potatoes and the tomato itself).
Thus, if you want to get a good harvest of tomatoes, then every year you need to either find a new place to plant tomato seedlings, or carefully remove the entire top layer of soil and fill it with new fertile soil.
By the way! After tomatoes, it is recommended to plant only those vegetables that enrich the soil with nitrogen: legumes (peas, beans); pumpkin (pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers); root vegetables (carrots, beets); cabbage (white and red, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi), onions and garlic.
Video: preparing the soil for planting tomatoes in open ground
Planting tomato seedlings in open ground: step-by-step instructions
As for time, it is best to choose either cloudy weather or the second half of the day in the late afternoon when the sun has set for planting tomato seedlings.
Optimal bed sizes for planting tomatoes: if you want to make a high bed, then its height should be about 15-25 centimeters and its width 0.9-1.2 meters.
The optimal scheme for planting tomato seedlings: the holes are made in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other in the row and 50-70 cm between the rows. If you have tall tomatoes, then the distance between seedlings should be increased by 20-25 centimeters.
Advice! To ensure that the roots of the seedlings remain completely intact, the earthen ball should be watered approximately an hour and a half before planting the seedlings in the garden bed. If you can’t get the plant out, then a cardboard or plastic cup can be easily cut with scissors. And if your seedlings grew in peat tablets, then you do not need to remove them.
Step-by-step instructions for planting tomato seedlings in open ground:
Further care for tomatoes in open ground
Planting in the ground was successful, it’s time to consolidate the work done...
Overgrown stepson
Tomato seedlings will have more prospects for growing, developing, and then bearing fruit in open ground if you correctly determine the timing of planting them, and also take into account all the information about preparing the soil, beds, and the rules for planting seedlings in the garden.
Video: when and how to plant tomatoes in open ground
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Since ancient times, farmers have determined that the Moon influences the speed of development of the crops they grow. Today science has provided an explanation for this phenomenon. The star of the night attracts or repels water molecules in plants. It depends on what phase it is in.
Every year, a sowing calendar is compiled, which indicates favorable dates for planting various crops and other agricultural activities. It is entirely based on data about the position of the Moon. Today, dear summer residents, we will consider the topic: planting seedlings in 2019 according to the lunar calendar.
Lunar calendar - what needs to be taken into account?
The basic principle of planting according to the Moon is this: after the new moon, you need to plant plants with above-ground fruits, and after the full moon, root crops. If you follow this principle, then in each month the farmer will have 13-15 days to plant a certain crop. You just need to look at the lunar calendar and determine the date of the new moon and full moon.
For gardeners who coordinate their sowing plan with the phases of the moon, there is such a law: on the day of the full moon and the two days closest to it, never plant anything. On the new moon and the days closest to it, you cannot plant “roots,” but this is the most favorable time for planting “tops.”
However, over time, in addition to the phases of the Moon, agronomists began to take into account its passage through the signs of the Zodiac in sowing work. Some of them began to be considered fertile, while others were sterile. You can research this issue and decide for yourself whether this nuance is worth considering.
When to plant seedlings in 2019, taking into account the lunar phases?
Now let's move on to specifics. Let's consider suitable periods for planting seedlings of various crops in accordance with the lunar calendar. The time you choose will depend on the region you live in and how you grow.
Plant the “tops” on the growing Moon:
February - from 16 to 28;
March - from 17 to 29;
April - from 16 to 28.
February - from 1 to 15;
March - from 3 to 16;
April - from 1 to 15.
Favorable days according to zodiac signs
Specific dates for planting crops, recommended by the sowing calendar, are calculated based on the location of the star in the signs of the Zodiac. If you decide that the exact location of the Moon in the sky plays a significant role in the development of cultures, then the information provided below will be useful to you.
For zucchini And eggplant in 2019, suitable days in February are 4-8, 18 and 23; in March - 20-24; in April - 4-6, 8-11, 19-23.
Boarding dates beets, radishes And legumes: March - 20-23; April - 6-9, 19, 20, 23-26.
Plant Bell pepper For seedlings, the sowing calendar advises as follows: in March - 8-11, 20-24; in April - 7-11, 22, 23, 26, 27.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots And chestnut The calendar advises planting seedlings: in March - 19-24, 27-28; in April - 5-9, 20-24.
Bulbous flowers: in February - 21-23; in March - 22-24, 26-27; in April - 4-8, 19-23, 26, 27.
What else is important when planting crops for seedlings?
Even those gardeners who always adhere to the recommendations of the sowing calendar know that loading planting material on the right day is only a small part of what they can do to increase crop yields. Plant care plays the most important role.
Important Reminders:
- Buy seeds from trusted producers. Be sure to etch those that you collected yourself. Before planting, check the seeds for germination by placing them in water - good ones will sink to the bottom.
- Follow the rules for preparing seed material corresponding to the individual crop. For example, cucumber seeds need to be warmed before planting. Small carrot seeds are mixed with sand or glued to paper strips.
- When picking and planting seedlings in a permanent place, spare their roots. Damage to the root system can lead to stunted growth and the development of diseases. Always try to preserve the earth ball. The ideal option is peat pots.
- Do not forget to feed the plants, since starving seedlings will not be able to later turn into a strong plant and bear many good fruits.
- In February and March, it is necessary to provide additional light to the plants, since due to lack of light they will become thin and frail. In April, the daylight hours are already long enough to avoid this procedure.
- Make sure the seedling containers have good drainage. Excess moisture can kill young plants. But also don't let the soil dry out completely.
- Loosen the soil in containers so that more oxygen reaches the roots. It is impossible to grow a truly strong plant in tightly packed soil.
- Maintain the same temperature in the room throughout the entire period of growing seedlings. Sudden temperature changes or drafts can greatly weaken fragile plants.
- Before planting in exhaust gas, seedlings need hardening. To do this, two weeks before relocation, you need to take her outside, gradually increasing the “walk” time. If this is not possible, then ventilate the room thoroughly.
Many farmers are interested in planting seedlings in 2019 according to the lunar calendar. However, not everyone is ready to put themselves within such strict limits in the distribution of agricultural work. Some do not recognize such a thing as “favorable days,” focusing only on the lunar phases. Whatever your opinion, remember that compliance with all the rules for planting and growing crops is of paramount importance. If the wrong choice of planting date can be covered with good care, then a gross violation of the rules for growing seedlings will not be covered by timely planting.
For many gardeners, the question of when to plant tomato seedlings is very important in order to get an excellent harvest. It is very important to take into account the climatic characteristics of the area, as well as the variety of tomatoes.
Another important factor when sowing seedlings is choosing the right time, which means timely ripening of the fruits. In addition, you need to choose a suitable place for planting the crop - a greenhouse or open ground.
People often ask, what is the time frame for planting tomato seedlings? Planting in a greenhouse occurs approximately two months after germination. The height of the seedlings during this period should be thirty-five centimeters.
For the Moscow region, planting tomato seeds for seedlings begins in early March and throughout the month. For seedlings under film covering - in mid-March.
For Siberia and the Urals, the time for planting seeds is from March to April.
But for accurate calculations it is better to use the above advice, depending on:
- from tomato variety;
- places for further cultivation;
- opportunities for lighting seedlings during early planting;
- planting on time in a greenhouse or under film;
- weather conditions expected this spring;
- moon calendar. There is a belief that the landing will take place according to the lunar calendar.
Folk signs say: If the snowdrop blooms, then you can plant tomatoes as seedlings. Seedlings can be planted in a permanent place when the mountain ash and lilac bloom.
Do you think that folk signs help to grow a good harvest of tomatoes?
Yes, this is the experience of the previous generationNo, it's all superstition
Preparing soil for seedlings
It is better to prepare the soil in the fall, as the soil shrinks in winter. The work can be done outside if the weather is warm or in a shed:
- Before you start mixing, the soil and sand must be sifted. This procedure is necessary to remove various types of debris, pest larvae and the like.
- Then spread out the polyethylene, pour out and mix everything that is required to prepare the soil. Add fertilizer as needed, mix everything and place it in containers or bags.
- The prepared soil mixture is stored in a barn. Two weeks before preparing tomato seeds for planting, the soil is placed in a warm room. This will allow you to reach the optimal temperature, i.e. warm up.
Soil disinfection. An accompanying procedure when preparing the soil for planting tomatoes for seedlings is disinfection. Experienced gardeners are advised not to neglect this procedure. Disinfection allows you to get rid of larvae and eggs of pests and pathogens. Land can be cultivated in several ways:
- To freeze. The soil is left outside for the winter, covering the container from precipitation. Before the soil is used to prepare the soil mixture, it should be brought indoors for a month, heated, mixed with the necessary components and taken outside again.
- Treatment with potassium permanganate- the prepared soil is watered with a solution of manganese 3 g per 10 liters of water, antifungal drugs such as phytosporin are added.
- Steaming. For this procedure you need two reservoirs - a smaller one and a larger one. The soil is placed in a smaller container and placed in a larger container on a stand. A large container is filled with water and placed on the fire. The container with earth is not covered, the second one is covered accordingly. After the water boils, steam it for an hour. You can preheat in the oven for 30 minutes at +40 C.
Each gardener can choose the best option for himself, based on his own considerations. For some, steaming and calcination methods are considered unacceptable, since along with the destruction of harmful microorganisms, beneficial ones are also destroyed. In this case, you can recommend adding to the moist soil:
- antifungal biofungicides (phytosporin);
- bioindecticides (fitoverm).
After disinfecting the soil, you can begin to sow the seeds.
How to plant in the ground?
It is necessary to plant the plant in the afternoon or, even better, in cloudy weather:
- In this case, the seedlings will not dry out and will “feel” better. If, however, you decide to plant your tomatoes before noon, then it is best not to water them that evening.
- Next, holes are made in the dug up soil every 30 cm. In them you need to add compost and a little ash or superphosphate. Add water.
- Take the seedlings out of the cups (if you bought them at the market) or take them out of your own container (if you grew them yourself) and lower them into the hole. Plant seedlings must be planted carefully so as not to damage them.
Gardeners usually plant plants at a depth that matches the height of the glass in which the seedlings were purchased, or so that the first leaf is above the soil. This makes it easier for you to plant and for the plant to take root.
Seedling care
Proper care of tomatoes after planting is the key to a good harvest. Therefore, it is very important to know all the intricacies of this action. All care can be divided into four types of work:
- watering;
- loosening;
- feeding;
- collection.
Before the seedlings are fully acclimatized, you need to monitor the condition of the soil surface. Thus, the soil must be loosened. Otherwise, the cracks that appear will affect the formed roots. As a result, they will be torn apart. Then there are two options for the development of events: either the seedlings slow down their development, or even die.
Watering the tomato should also be correct. This should be done accordingly:
- when transplanting seedlings into soil in one hole, 1.5-2 liters;
- flowering time - 20-35 liters per 1 m²;
- ovary formation time - from 40 to 50 liters per 1 m²;
- with repeated formation of fruits - from 70 to 80 liters per 1 m².
At the beginning of the fruit harvest, watering the grown bushes of the plant should gradually decrease. It has a positive effect on tomatoes and protects:
- from late blight;
- fruit cracks and other diseases.
Weakening is an important step in caring for tomatoes:
- Therefore, after planting, loosen the soil every 3-4 days. It is necessary to hill up the planted seedlings immediately after establishment and after ten days. You should loosen the soil under tomatoes every time after watering by 10-12 cm, and not deeper. Otherwise, damage to the roots of the plant may occur.
- Only after a month you can add 2-4 cm and loosen at a distance of up to 16 cm. Before closing the tops, the soil is cracked so that air and moisture penetrate into it better. The process is not complicated: cracks are made in the soil at a distance of one and a half meters from each other and a depth of 60 cm.
- It is correct that the first fertilizing is carried out 14 days after planting the seedlings in the soil. One square meter will require from 8 to 10 kg of saltpeter, 5-6 kg of urea or from 10 to 12 kg of nitrophos, from 20 to 35 g of superphosphate and potassium salt.
Potassium salt
Second feeding
The second feeding is 20-25 days after the first. The same fertilizers are also used in the same proportions. Also take a "recipe" for tomatoes in case they start to wilt. This is due to the negative impact of weather conditions on plants. Have to take:
- Mullein with water (1:10) or bird droppings (1:14).
- Both mullein and droppings are soaked for 24 hours.
- Then half a liter of one solution is mixed with 10 liters of water and the plants are watered.
- You need to repeat it in a week.
Remove the lower leaves of planted tomatoes after 1.5-2 months. The bottom three sheets are subject to liquidation. After this, the seedlings need to be watered after 24 hours. This procedure is carried out once a week. If this is not done, air stagnation occurs and various diseases develop.
You can also watch a video where an experienced gardener will tell you how to properly plant early tomato seedlings in open ground.
Thus, planting tomato seedlings in open ground is not such a difficult matter. The main thing is to know the process and all its subtleties. Thanks to this article, you were able to learn the basic nuances of how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground. Planting tomato seedlings just got a lot easier!
Reading time: 6 minutes
Your seedlings have grown, and frosts are a thing of the past. This means it’s time to take care of the harvest and plant tomato sprouts in open ground.
To do this, when planting tomato sprouts, you need to follow several rules that will help the seedlings grow better and provide you and your family with tomatoes until the next harvest.
When to plant: determine readiness for planting
There is no need to rush and start sowing in winter, because by the time the germinated seeds are planted in open ground, it will become something unknown. Focus primarily on climatic conditions and tomato variety.
Please pay attention! The optimal time for most regions is mid-March. Long daylight hours and frequent appearance of the sun will “program” tomato sprouts for a high yield.
The optimal “age” is 50–55 days. Since planting takes place at the junction of May and June, the latest date when you can start sowing seeds will be the beginning of April. You can calculate the approximate time frame yourself. Subtract from the planting date 45 days required for seedling growth and 7–10 days required for germination.
For successful development of the root system, it must be watered every 6–8 days.
If, when growing tomato seedlings, you notice that they are becoming very elongated, then reduce the frequency of watering and lower the temperature in the room.
Preparing tomatoes for planting
Site selection and preparation
Since the tomato is a light- and heat-loving vegetable, it is best to plant it on the south side of the plot, which will be protected from the cold wind. It’s even better if there is a white wall nearby, which will improve the illumination of the plants. This species also reacts negatively to high humidity, which means low damp areas or a place with close groundwater are also not suitable.
The optimal soil acidity level for tomatoes is pH 6.0–7. A good option would be loamy soil with organic and mineral fertilizers added to it. You will reap a good harvest in a plot whose soil has the following characteristics:
- moisture capacity – 50%;
- porosity – 70–75%;
- air capacity – 20–25%;
- density – 0.4–0.6 g/cm².
You should not plant tomatoes in the same area for several years in a row. There is no need to choose a place where peppers, eggplants or potatoes were grown last season, and you should also not grow them next to tomatoes, as the risk of late blight increases. The best “predecessors” will be onions, cucumbers and cabbage.
Preparing the site for planting tomatoes begins in advance.
In the fall, you need to dig it up and add the following complex to 1 square meter:
- 40 grams of superphosphate;
- 700 grams of lime;
- 7 kilograms of organic fertilizers.
When it gets warmer, the area is dug up and loosened regularly. Additionally, 20 grams per square meter of potassium fertilizers and superphosphate are added. 2–4 days before planting the seedlings, the beds are prepared and fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers (20–30 grams per square meter).
Final preparations
Before planting seedlings, they are treated with Bordeaux mixture. Tomato sprouts can also be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. This is necessary to prevent disease.
How to plant tomato seedlings correctly?
It is better to start transplanting seedlings on a day with high clouds or wait until the evening if the weather is sunny. This is necessary so that the sprouts become stronger during the night and can withstand exposure to sunlight normally.
The planting pattern depends on the tomato variety, irrigation system and tomato height.
Each plant should be provided with the maximum amount of light and air. General recommendations can be formulated as follows:
- for low-growing varieties the distance between the ridges is 50 centimeters, between plants – 40 centimeters;
- for medium-sized varieties, the row spacing is 60 centimeters, and between the stems – 50–60 centimeters;
- for tall tomatoes, the distance between rows will be about 70 centimeters, and between plants - 70–80 centimeters.
It is advisable to plant future tomatoes in an open area in a checkerboard pattern. You also need to leave room for a technical opening. Between a pair of ridges it is necessary to leave a passage about 50 centimeters wide. By observing these intervals, you will not only provide the tomatoes with the necessary light and air, but also make watering easier for yourself, as you will be able to throw the hose between the rows.
Considering the “tenderness” of the sprouts, the planting process itself is not as simple as it might seem. The algorithm for planting tomato seedlings is as follows:
- Before planting the sprouts in the ground, they are watered abundantly. This makes it easier to remove seedlings from pots, and also reduces the likelihood of damage to the roots during transplantation.
- Holes for seedlings are made as deep as a spade bayonet. After digging the holes, they are filled to the top with water, and the gardener waits until it completely goes into the ground.
- When removing seedlings from pots, it is advisable not to destroy the earthen ball. Depending on the growth of the tomato sprout, it is either planted vertically or placed on the edge of the hole.
- The root is sprinkled with a little soil, after which a little rotted manure or compost is scattered around it. After this, the hole is filled with earth and lightly compacted, and also watered at the rate of 1–2 liters of water for each plant.
- For gartering, you need to install a peg near each sprout. But it is best to tie tomatoes not to pegs, but to synthetic twine (preferably) or wire stretched at a height of 1–1.2 meters.
- The first few days after planting, tomato sprouts are covered with a transparent film. After the seedlings take root and warm weather sets in, there is no need to cover them with film.
- During rooting of sprouts, they are not watered. On average, tomatoes need 8–10 days to adapt. 1.5–2 weeks after planting the seedlings, they hill up to a height of 12 centimeters.
Care after placement in open ground
Proper care of tomato seedlings is a guarantee that your work will not be in vain. It can be divided into watering, loosening the soil, fertilizing and picking.
The amount of water depends on the variety and weather conditions.
Before tomato sprouts take root, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil. The soil should be loose. Otherwise, the resulting cracks can affect the root system, which will lead to a slowdown in the development of plants or their death.
Approximate amount of water needed for tomatoes:
- when transplanting sprouts – 1.5–2 liters per plant;
- during flower formation and flowering - 20–35 liters per square meter;
- during the formation of ovaries - 40–50 liters per square meter;
- during regular fruit formation - 70–80 liters per square meter.
Before harvesting fruits, to reduce the risk of late blight, cracking tomatoes and other problems, watering is gradually reduced.
After planting the seedlings, the soil around it is loosened once every 3–4 days after watering. To preserve the integrity of the roots, the loosening depth should not be deeper than 10–12 centimeters. After a month, you can increase it to 14–16 centimeters. At the beginning of the process of closing the tops, it is necessary to crack the soil. To do this, cracks 60 centimeters deep are made in the ground at a distance of 1–1.5 meters from each other.
Processing young tomato bushes planted in a greenhouse.
The first feeding is done 2 weeks after planting tomato sprouts. Mix the mixture per 1 square meter:
- 20–35 grams of potassium salt and superphosphate;
- 8–10 kilograms of saltpeter;
- 10–12 kilograms of nitrophoska or 5–6 kilograms of urea.
The second feeding is carried out 25–30 days after the first. The composition of the mixture and proportions remain the same. If the tomatoes begin to wilt due to weather conditions, then the following mixtures will add strength to them:
- a mixture of bird droppings and water in a ratio of 1:14;
- a mixture of cow manure and water in a ratio of 1:10.
The mixtures are soaked for a day, after which half a liter is mixed with 10 liters of water and distributed among 3 tomatoes. After 7 days, feeding must be repeated.
The first picking (removal of the 3 lower leaves) is carried out 1.5–2 months after planting. After a day, the tomatoes are watered. This procedure is repeated at least once a week. If this is not done, the plants will begin to hurt due to the resulting stagnation of air.
Useful video
In conclusion, watch a practical video about planting tomato seedlings in open ground:
