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Planting tomatoes in open ground is the only way for those who do not have greenhouses on the site. If the climate is temperate or warm, then the tomatoes will do well outdoors, when the climate is cool, then it is better to cover the tomatoes with foil.

Tomato seedlings are planted in the ground. Thus, the time for ripening and obtaining fruits is shortened. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to plant tomatoes correctly.

Time to plant a tomato

The planting time of seedlings of ground tomatoes depends on the variety of this vegetable. There are early, mid-season and late varieties of tomatoes.

Early tomato varieties bear the first fruits in 105 days, Not earlier. Thus, you can eat a light salad of tomatoes or canning them in early summer. And there are also super-early varieties of tomatoes. Their fruits can be harvested after 85 days from the moment the first stems of the seedlings appear.

When buying such varieties of tomatoes, you need to carefully read the information on the package... As a rule, early tomatoes emerge a week after sowing, at least five days. This period is not added to the total period indicated on the package.

Tomatoes are planted after 45-50 days after the appearance of the first stalks of seedlings. There is no exact date, since the temperature in each region is different. It is necessary to focus on the weather outside the window. Warm and dry weather should be a week before planting tomatoes.

At night the temperature should not fall below 10 degrees with a plus sign. Otherwise, the seedlings will be frosty. It is necessary to plant seedlings approximately:

1. In the southern regions - from April 15 to May 1.
2. In the middle regions - from May 1 to May 15.

The beginning of fruiting of a mid-season tomato variety - 110-115 days... They need more time to develop in the open field. As a rule, tomatoes of this variety are very large, which is why they need more nutrients and sunshine.

It is necessary to plant mid-season tomatoes in 55-60 days after sprouting seedlings. Drop off time:

• for the southern regions - from May 1 to May 15;
• for the middle lane - not earlier than June 1.

Late-ripening tomato varieties begin to bear fruit after 116–120 days after germination. There are also very late varieties that begin to bear fruit after 121 days. Such varieties are transferred to the ground after 70 days after the emergence of sprouts.

Late-ripening tomato varieties are suitable for cultivation in southern regions, where there are more warm days than cold ones.

Preparing the soil for planting a tomato

Many rules have been derived that help protect tomatoes from disease and loss of yield. These same rules must be adhered to even at the stage of preparing the soil for planting tomatoes. It can be cooked in the fall or spring. Features of autumn soil preparation:

After the site has been selected for planting, it must dig to a depth of 22 to 25 cm... The soil does not need to be leveled. If organic fertilizers were not applied to the soil, then they must be applied at this stage.

Typically used for fertilization humus or compost... Fertilizers are applied to a depth of 25 cm. For fertilization, it is not necessary to mix humus with ash or ammonium sulfate. This will lead to a loss of nitrogen.

Features of spring soil preparation:

• The soil for planting is prepared in a week.
• Digs up the site, level the soil, remove all lumps.
• Fertilizers are introduced for digging. Nitrogen fertilizers must not be applied.
• Before planting, make holes 15 cm deep. The distance between the holes will depend on the variety of tomato.

Planting tomatoes in open ground - schemes

Tomatoes are planted in open ground according to schemes that directly depend on the variety, height, irrigation system and weeding of seedlings. There are several schemes for planting tomatoes, but in any case, there should be enough space between the bushes for air and sunlight.

Schemes for planting tomatoes in open ground:

1. Square-nested. The scheme is suitable for planting high varieties. For them, a special place is occupied by the possibility of processing between the beds. Only in this case will they remain weed-free and loose. The square-nesting scheme involves planting seedlings in the corners of the square in such a way that the number of seedlings in the rows decreases. With this planting, it is convenient to care for tomatoes.
2. Ribbon-nesting. This variant of the scheme allows you to plant more seedlings in one area. For planting, it is necessary to divide the site into irrigation furrows every 140 cm, the bushes themselves are planted on both sides of the furrow.

After the soil has been prepared, it is necessary make holes according to one of the schemes and pour them with warm water. To plant the tomato at the correct depth, you need to pay attention to the height of the bush. You only need to deepen the soil bag.

Before removing the seedlings from the pot, need to water well... So, it will pull out faster and you will not damage the root system of the seedlings.

Planting a tomato in the soil

To plant seedlings in open ground, it must be pulled out of the pot along with the resulting lump. Then we lower it into the hole, which is previously covered with earth.

You can also sprinkle a small amount of compost around the bush. So, the plant will receive nutrients and will be able to take root faster.

Fertilizer is sprinkled with earth and tamped around the bush. Then you need to water each seedling bush. One bush 1-2 liters of water should go away... After disembarking, you must put a peg next to the bush. The height of the peg will depend on the height of the tomato variety.

If these are low-growing tomatoes, then the peg should be 50 cm high, for medium-sized bushes, it is necessary to prepare pegs 80 cm high. The most effective way to tie tomatoes is garter to wire or arc 1 meter high.

So, we figured out the issue of planting tomatoes in open ground. They told when to plant tomato seedlings in the garden. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the variety of tomatoes and the region of planting.

In addition, it is necessary to prepare the very soil for planting seedlings. And only after that you can plant seedlings in the garden. Before boarding, you must pour the holes with warm water.

And also it is necessary to water the seedlings in pots abundantly so that they can be pulled out more easily. It is necessary in advance prepare the pegs and after planting seedlings, they need to be stuck near each bush. After planting, the bushes need to be watered again.

Tomatoes are a crop that needs to be germinated before being planted outdoors, in a greenhouse or in a home flower pot. There are many options for obtaining quality seedlings, and each of them has its own supporters. For example, seeds can be planted:

• dry or pre-soaked (pecked);
• hardened or not;
• with various watering options;
• feeding or without additives.

Let's consider one of these options, which is simple, affordable and gives 100% results.

Buying seeds

This is currently not a problem. The main thing is to choose a variety that will take root well in your climatic conditions. It is also important to pay attention to the production date. It is optimal that the seeds were harvested for the previous harvest. Germination and other indicators are standardized by law.

Seed preparation

After you have selected quality seeds from the bag, you need to prepare them for planting. You can plant tomato seeds in dry form - this method has enough fans. Moreover, it is believed that hybrid varieties should not be soaked. But most gardeners still prefer to pre-soak the seeds.

You need to do the following:

• we disinfect - we keep it for a day in 0.8% acetic acid, we treat it with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, rinse;
• start growth - wash with hot (about 60 ° C) water for 30 minutes;
• soak - put in warm (25 ° C) water for a day;
• we harden (this increases the resistance to temperature extremes) - we leave it in the refrigerator for 24 hours, it is possible for two days.

Useful: there are special mixtures for disinfecting seeds, as well as compositions for watering seedlings, which include the necessary antiseptic impurities.

After that, we select the required amount of the best-grown (hatched) seeds and plant them in the ground.

Priming

There are enough options for mixtures for vegetable crops in stores, there are also specific soils for seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. You can also make a soil mixture yourself, mixing in equal proportions:

• ordinary garden soil;
• humus;
• peat.

It is advisable to feed the soil with superphosphate, wood ash, and water it with mineral fertilizers. The latter should be added in the following proportions:

• potassium sulfate (contains sulfur, calcium, potassium, magnesium) 20 grams per 10 liters of water;
• urea - 10 g / 10 l;
• superphosphate - 30 g / 10 l.

Important: if you buy ready-made soil, these fertilizers and top dressing may already be included in its composition. Then you don't need to add anything.

Landing dates

Tomato seedlings are considered the best if they were planted 50-60 days before planting in open ground or in a greenhouse. So, for central Russia:

• early varieties should be sown in mid to late February;
• greenhouse - in the first week of March;
• usual - in the last week of March.

But, of course, you need to be guided by climatic conditions and by the thermophilicity of the variety.

We plant seeds in the ground

A variety of containers can be used for tomato seedlings. Most often, seeds are sown in a common container, for example, plastic or even cardboard boxes, purchased and homemade boxes. Later, the plants are planted - dive. But you can plant each seed in its own container, although this complicates care and slows down the development of the root system. The procedure is as follows:

1. We pour a layer of expanded clay into the box so that the water does not stagnate.
2. We pour in the soil 5–6 cm, tamp it a little, water it a little, loosen it.
3. We make grooves 1–1.5 cm wide and deep at a distance of about 5 cm from each other.
4. We spill the soil, and especially the grooves, with water or nutrient mixture with a temperature of about 50 ° C.
5. We place the seeds at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other in the groove, slightly (!) Crushing them into the ground.
6. We fill the grooves from above with loose soil, lightly crush it, but not much.
7. Sprinkle with water from a spray bottle. Everything should be slightly moistened, abundant watering is unacceptable.
8. We close the box on top with a greenhouse film, glass or just transparent polyethylene.
9. We put the container with the future tomato seedlings in a place with sufficiently high illumination and a temperature of about 22-25 ° C.

What to do when shoots appear

After the seedlings appear (hatch), and this should happen in 3-10 days, the top cover of the box must be removed and the plants must be moved to a cooler room. The optimum temperature is 17–20 ° C during the day and 15 ° C at night. The insolation should be very high. Then the "loops" of the sprouts will very quickly unfold the first leaves - cotyledons, and later real leaves will appear.

Table of approximate terms of emergence of sprouting seeds.

The most powerful are the seedlings that appear on the 6-7th day at a temperature of 25 ° C. They must grow together. Those that are far behind can be cut off immediately, if, of course, you have enough seedlings. Just do not "uproot" them, as this will disrupt the root system of other plants.

How to water and feed

After sowing the seeds, the first watering will take place around the 10th day. By this time, mass shoots should appear and take shape well. For a start, 1 teaspoon of water will be enough for each plant.

Further, before the appearance of the first true leaves, watering is carried out approximately once every 5-6 days. The soil should be moist, but not wet. Otherwise, oxygen will not flow to the roots, and this will slow down their development or even cause decay. Before picking, somewhere in 2 days, tomato seedlings can be fed with mineral fertilizers and watered.

Important: picking is carried out when the soil is slightly dry. So the last watering before it needs to be done somewhere in 1-2 days.

Picking

When the first two true leaves appear in tomato seedlings (the lowest ones are false and are called cotyledons), a pick can and should be carried out - planting plants in individual pots. For this:

1. We take out the group with the earth from the box.
2. We carefully disassemble the clod of earth, separating one plant.
3. We pinch the main root root (this can be omitted if the tomatoes grow on arid soil, which will rarely be watered).
4. We transplant the plant into an individual container with a volume of about half a liter. There should be holes at the bottom of the pot for water drainage. We fill the container with soil about 2/3, make a hole in which we place the young tomato. At the same time, it is necessary to take it away from the group with a lump of earth, since the roots already have lateral processes - hairs that can be damaged by knocking down the earth.
5. Sprinkle the stem of the plant with earth about 1/2 or 2/3 from the root to the cotyledon.
6. Gently crush the ground around the seedling.
7. We water the plant too much.

Video - Tomato seedlings: from seedlings to picking

What to do with seedlings from picking to planting

1. Plants need to be watered regularly, however, the first watering after picking can be done no earlier than 4 days. At first, tomatoes are irrigated about once a week, but as the seedling grows, the frequency of watering increases. It is necessary to pour water enough to soak the entire earthen lump. The next watering is only after the soil dries up. Before planting in the ground, the tomato will require daily watering. The water temperature is about 22 ° C, it is advisable to defend the water.
2. You need to feed the plants with nitrogenous, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. It is better for novice gardeners to purchase ready-made mixtures, dilute them in water and water young tomato seedlings. If you want to prepare the solution yourself, then its composition for 10 liters of settled water should be as follows:

• ammonium nitrate - 10 g;
• superphosphate - 35 g;
• potassium sulfate - 10 g.

The first feeding is carried out on the 12th day after the pick. You can repeat feeding after 10-15 days.

Important: Phosphorus and potassium are found in regular ash, so proponents of "pure" fertilizers can use a solution of 1 tablespoon of ash per liter of water.

1. Daylight hours for young tomato seedlings should be about 12 hours. It is desirable that the plants are oriented "towards the sun" in the same way that they will be oriented on the site.
2. The ideal temperature for tomatoes is 22-24 ° C during the day and 14-16 ° C at night.
3. Hardening of seedlings is an important process, because it is impossible to achieve ideal conditions in the natural environment. So 10-12 days before planting in the ground, you need to gradually lower the temperature to 14-15 ° C. For 4–5 days, the temperature can be set between 12–13 ° C. Airing, cloudy weather, changes in humidity - all this will accustom the plant to future real conditions of existence.

As a result, a tomato seedling should have 7 or more leaves, the trunk thickness should be about 7 mm, the height should not be more than 25 cm, the root system should be well developed.

Let's summarize

Before planting tomatoes in the ground, they must be germinated at home. To do this, prepare seeds and land, sow, dive after the appearance of two leaves, feed, water and maintain the correct temperature and light conditions. And then all the plants will necessarily take root, and the gardeners get a good harvest of tomatoes.

Tomato is a finicky plant, reacts to temperature and light, does not like gusts of wind and excessive watering. For these reasons, in garden plots for tomatoes, the best places are usually chosen. Harvesting a good crop in open land while following simple rules is not such an overwhelming task for a gardener. Definitely, planting tomatoes in open ground is characterized by its own characteristics, the understanding of which will help to grow a rich harvest.

In order to understand when to plant tomatoes in open ground, it is necessary to provide good external conditions for seedlings among the first tasks. It is worth paying attention to soil preparation, calculating the right time for planting tomatoes in the ground, optimally forming the beds and planting scheme, and ensuring good follow-up care for the bushes. Carry out pinching, garter, top dressing in time, identify pests in a timely manner, or - tomatoes respond well to proper care.

Soil preparation for tomatoes

To get a decent harvest, even before the time when you plant tomatoes in open ground, you should choose the best place for tomato bushes. The culture loves indirect sunlight and usually does well in lighted but sheltered beds. The best pre-tomato plants are onions, carrots, and cucumbers. If you plant seedlings next to strawberries, both crops will react well. The yield of both plants will noticeably increase, and ripe fruits will grow more voluminous. The beds where eggplants, peppers, potatoes were previously planted should not be given to tomatoes, since there is a high probability of finding pathogens of various diseases in these areas.

The quality of the soil is different not only in each region, but even in the fields of the same locality. Tomato crops are quite whimsical to the soil, which is why, before planting tomatoes in open ground, it is best to find out the condition of the soil in future beds for tomato seedlings, if possible. In the garden department there are tests for the acidity of the soil on sale. The lower the indicator is, the higher the acidity level is considered. Soil with a 7.0 number is considered neutral. Tomatoes will grow well with an acidity range of 6 to 7. If the figure is lower, it is worth adding lime to the soil, if higher, sulfur.

Compost is ideal for preparing land for planting. It also acts as a good bait for earthworms, which are known to loosen the soil well and provide a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria. Experienced gardeners know how to plant tomatoes correctly, and they begin to prepare the soil in the fall, immediately after thoroughly cleaning the site from previous plants and their debris. It is better not to use manure, since tomatoes, after fertilizing with manure, begin to actively grow leaves to the detriment of the fruits. If the soil does not warm up well, it is usually covered with black film or dark plastic.

The time of planting tomatoes in the beds

The most common period when you can plant tomatoes in open ground is undoubtedly May. Usually this month, the hardened one is transplanted to open beds. Some gardeners try to plant the bushes a little earlier during the warm spring, hoping for an early harvest. However, do not rush, tomatoes planted in mid-April can take root for a long time, get sick and even die, since the soil is still not warmed up enough.

In the first decades of May, the first planting of seedlings gradually begins, which has already grown a little stronger in the air and the sun. The hours when planting tomatoes in open ground are best chosen in the afternoon or evening. At this moment, the sun is no longer shining so brightly, or it is worth choosing cloudy weather for transplanting to the beds. Thus, the entire process of planting young plants may not take place in one go.

As soon as the spring frosts end, you can safely start planting.

Formation and arrangement of beds

Gardeners have long formed the opinion that the tomato planting scheme affects the future number of fruits. The most common arrangement of the beds: traditional and double rows.
According to the traditional method, rows of beds about a meter wide or slightly more in the direction from north to south are formed on the prepared soil about 5 days before planting. This rule helps to ensure uniformity of illumination of the sprouts. A distance of 70 centimeters is usually made between the beds, regardless of the tomato variety.

The placement of young bushes is in two rows. As for the space, at what distance to plant tomatoes, for low varieties, the gap is made about 30 centimeters, for medium and tall ones - 45 cm.When forming double ridges, tomato bushes are arranged in a checkerboard sequence on a strip of soil about half a meter wide, leaving wide paths between themselves beds. Wide paths are comfortable, it is convenient to pull hoses along them, to process bushes, with such a planting, each sprout receives more light.

Landing method according to Mitlider

It should be noted that planting tomatoes in Meathlider trenches is quite reliable and practical. Using this technology, it is necessary to form and dig trenches so as not to go beyond the boundaries and not to affect other areas of the soil. It is not necessary to loosen the land, weeds will grow quite rarely. You can plant tomatoes in narrow trenches made in boxes with sand and sawdust. The Meatlider method is usually used on difficult, barren land. A small piece of land is suitable for this method. The length of the trenches can be of any length.

If the garden is located on a lowland, then for this method it is worth raising the ground level by 20 centimeters using bulk soil or subsoil flooring. It is necessary to form a clear horizontal soil level.

Understanding how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground according to Meatlider will help to harvest tomatoes that taste different from those from ordinary beds.

Proper feeding, regular watering, and photosynthesis will help the tomatoes purify themselves. After harvesting, all waste is best left between the trenches.

Open ground planting technique

Before planting tomatoes in open ground, the soil in containers with seedlings is well watered. This contributes to the easy extraction of the bushes from the seedlings, and also prevents the possibility of damage to the roots of the shoots. The holes for planting and subsequent cultivation of tomatoes in open soil should be about 10-15 centimeters deep.
Usually they are watered at the rate of a bucket of water for 8-10 holes, then fertilizers are applied along with humus.

Gardeners know how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground, so the sprout is usually carefully removed from the container with two fingers, removing all leaves except 2-3 on top. The stem, together with the root soil, is placed vertically in the hole and covered with earth and compost. In this case, the sprout must remain open. Only the roots enter the soil. After planting, the land is often treated with mulch. After transplanting to the ground, the tomatoes do not touch for 8-10 days, during this period the plants get used to the new place and take root.

There is no need to water the bushes yet. However, one should not forget about possible frosts. Therefore, it is worth choosing the right time when to plant tomatoes in the ground, in order to avoid the death of immature sprouts. To protect against a cold snap, immediately after placing in the soil, the bushes can be covered with a transparent film. The film is usually kept until the tenths of June, when the threat of cold will disappear. After 10 days, the sprouts are watered for the first time, after two weeks - they are spudded.

Rules and nuances of caring for tomatoes in an open area

The carried out planting of a tomato in open ground is supported by the subsequent care of the plants. One of the mandatory procedures is pinching or removing excess shoots. When pinching, the side shoots should not be pulled out with the application of force, but gently broken out by pulling to the side. If the stepsons have become powerful enough, they should be cut off with a razor or a sharp knife. First of all, shoots are removed under the brushes so that the bush does not throw off the ovary. It is also better to get rid of extra brushes with flowers where the fruit could not be tied.

Many gardeners are of the opinion that a plant is like a tomato: planting and care in the open field should be accompanied by extremely competent actions, since tomatoes are one of the most demanding plants. The main components that are more necessary for tomato plants are phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen. Creating fertilizers on their own with the addition of various components, gardeners have long been using many traditional types of dressings, proven in practice.

Sowing seeds in open ground

The planned planting of tomato seeds directly into the ground has its own subtleties. As you know, tomatoes are susceptible to the same diseases and pests as peppers, potatoes and eggplants, therefore, when sowing seeds, it is better to avoid places where these crops previously grew, because carriers of diseases in the soil can remain active for several years. The most favorable predecessors of tomatoes are legumes, pumpkins, cabbage, zucchini.

Preparing seeds for planting

One of the main things in how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground directly with seeds is the preparation of the land. In the spring, after the soil dries up, the soil should be well loosened and leveled to retain moisture and get rid of weeds. For sowing, it is better to choose a section of the garden protected from the wind. Sowing is usually done in mid-April. The seeds are evenly distributed in the pits with a diameter of 40 centimeters. Each hole is watered with potassium permanganate water.

Quite often, before sowing tomatoes in open ground, summer residents fear that during frost or cold snap, seedlings may die, and the beds will have to be sown. To minimize this, experienced gardeners often sow germinated seeds along with dry ones. From dry grains, sprouts will sprout later, but they will be able to avoid cold weather. Many gardeners believe that bushes grown from seeds are stronger, less susceptible to diseases than tomatoes planted with seedlings.

Thinning tomato shoots

When 2-3 leaves appear on the sprouts that appear, the shoots should be thinned out. The optimal distance between the bushes should be 5-10 centimeters. Before sowing tomatoes in open ground, gardeners know that not all hatched sprouts should be left, but only the strongest ones. The second thinning is done after 4-5 leaves have grown, again leaving only strong bushes at a distance of 15 centimeters. After the final thinning, the gap between the shoots is about 40 cm.

It is worth saying that planting a tomato in the ground is stressful for young seedlings. For this reason, some sprouts begin to wither. Most often these are the bushes that lacked sunlight. And this is not unusual. After about two weeks, the weakened sprouts will heal with proper care. assumes constant maintenance of the soil without weeds. Tomatoes are poured rather slowly, which means that a little moisture is needed. But, if the ground is too dry, green fruits can rot.

Tomatoes are a vegetable crop that loves warmth and careful, error-free care. Therefore, many inexperienced gardeners make various mistakes when growing it. A particularly significant stage is the planting of tomato seedlings in open ground, since this process is a huge stress for the plant.

In order not to provoke the death of seedlings, it is important to take into account a number of key points. We will try to tell you in as much detail as possible about the timing of planting, preparing the soil and young plants for life in the garden, and in general how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground with seedlings.

The process of planting tomato seedlings in open ground is associated with many important points that must be observed in order to obtain a good harvest.

With the onset of May, gardeners begin to wait for a stable heat and an early retreat of night frosts. I would like to take out all the prepared seedlings faster. After all, it seems that if you plant it early, then the harvest will appear much faster. But this is not the case.

Tomato seedlings can be planted in open ground only when truly spring warm weather is established outside.

In this case, two basic conditions must be observed:

• Favorable temperature regime - the daytime air temperature should be kept at the level of +20 - +22 ° С, and at night not lower than +15 ° С. The ideal soil temperature near the roots is + 15 ° C (minimum + 10 ° C). You can find out if it has warmed up enough by burying the thermometer into the ground by 10-15 cm and evaluating its readings.
• The occurrence of frost is completely excluded. Tomatoes react negatively even to -1 ° С. At this temperature, they will not die, but their growth will noticeably stop, and the beginning of fruiting will be delayed by 10-15 days. To reduce the impact of recurrent frosts (from which no one is insured!), Gardeners cover the planted tomatoes with a special covering material (lutrasil, agrospan, etc.) or a film.

Therefore, in Ukraine and in the southern regions of Russia, summer residents can plant tomato seedlings in early May. In the central regions of the Russian Federation, this procedure is carried out from the end of May to June 10 inclusive. And in the northern regions (Ural, Siberia), the temperature returns to normal only at the beginning of June.

But not only possible return frosts and air temperature affect garden work. Some summer residents decide when to plant tomato seedlings in open ground, guided by the lunar calendar.

The most successful dates for planting tomatoes in 2018 are:

• May - 4-6, 9-11, 13, 18-20, 24-29.
• June - 1-3, 5-8, 10-12, 14-16.

But there are also "bad" days for working with seedlings:

• May - 1-2, 14-15, 29-30.
• June - 12-14, 27-29.

The most suitable periods for planting seedlings are the days of the waxing moon. And the most unfavorable, stressful periods are the days of the new moon and full moon, as well as the days preceding and following them. It is believed that on such dates, the planted seedlings will develop poorly and bear fruit.

Signs of "adult seedlings" ready for planting in the OG

For a while, the seedlings grow and develop in a container, after which they are planted outside. The age of tomatoes ready for transplanting into the garden varies depending on the variety of the plant and its ripening time:

• early ripening varieties - spend 40-50 days in seedling status;
• mid-season varieties - 50-70 days;
• late maturing - 70-80 days.

When planting, it is necessary that the root system has a well-developed structure. The stem should be thick and as strong as possible, 25-35 cm long. Each sprout should have 6-10 leaves, in some cases the first flower cluster appears (in determinant varieties it is allowed that it has already bloomed, in indeterminate varieties it is ready to bloom). Ideally, if the seedlings are already hardened - the leaves and stem of such a plant darken, and near the root its color smoothly turns into a bluish-red hue.

Choosing a site for planting tomatoes

It is best to choose a place in the garden for the subsequent planting of a tomato in the fall, when all the harvesting work has already been carried out. When choosing a site, you must take into account several basic rules:

• It is not recommended to plant tomatoes on the same bed for several years in a row (they can be planted in their original place only after 3 years).
• The terrain should be well lit and sunny, it is desirable that there are no fences or buildings nearby that will shade the ridge in summer.
• Tomatoes grow well in most soils. The best yields are obtained on black soil and fertile loose loams. Sandy soils are too poor to fertilize more often. At the same time, the roots in a loose sandy environment are well oxygenated (breathe) and are less exposed to the risks of rotting. Clay soils, on the contrary, are nutritious, but too dense, it will be difficult for the roots to develop in them. Such soil is improved by introducing peat, coarse-grained sand, crushed bark, wood chips, vermiculite, sod and leafy soil, vermiculite, perlite into it.
• Another important indicator is soil acidity. Tomatoes prefer neutral and slightly acidic soils with a pH of 6.2-7.
• When choosing a plot for tomatoes, crop rotation rules are also important.

Tomatoes should not be planted in the beds after nightshades: peppers, potatoes, eggplants and, of course, tomatoes. The fact is that these related plants are affected by some diseases and pests. Among the diseases, the most vicious are late blight, alternaria, anthracnose. Among the pests - the Colorado potato beetle, wireworm. All these troubles fall 100% on tomatoes if you plant them, say, after potatoes. Because pathogens and insect larvae winter well in the soil and will be released in the spring in search of food.

Plus, related crops consume the same nutrients from the soil, so if only nightshade is grown in the garden, the soil on it will be depleted. And this will lead to a significant decrease in the yield.

Therefore, tomatoes are planted after other crops: cucumbers, onions, carrots, turnips, beets, cauliflower, peas, siderates (mustard, lupine, alfalfa, mouse peas, etc.).

Neighborhood tomato with other plantings

When placing and planning the location of the beds on your site, you need to take into account the compatibility of different crops with each other.

In this regard, tomatoes go well with spinach, beans, carrots, radishes, asparagus, onions, radishes, lettuce, beets, zucchini, garlic, cabbage, pumpkin, celery, parsley, basil, marigolds, mint, sage, calendula.

Asparagus effectively destroys nematodes, which are extremely susceptible to infection. The neighborhood with gooseberry and bird cherry bushes will help from the scoop, moth and sawer.

If the site is very windy, then the beans will be able to protect the plant from the wind. But in this case, you should not choose tall varieties, since tomatoes do not grow well and bear fruit in the shade. In addition, any plantings located next to tomatoes will grow much more intensively, since this plant contains saponin, which effectively affects any planting culture.

Undesirable neighbors of tomatoes include:

• Potatoes, eggplants and peppers belong to the same group of nightshades, which means that they are susceptible to the same diseases (especially phytophthora). Therefore, these crops should be placed far from each other.
• Fennel and dill - will deplete the soil, and take away all the nutrients from the neighbors.
• Corn - tall plants set off the beds, in addition, these crops attract the same pests.
• Turnips, grapes, sorrel and quinoa are also considered "bad" neighbors, as they negatively affect the development of tomatoes.

Soil preparation

The soil for tomatoes is prepared in advance, starting in the fall. At this time, they carry out the main filling of the soil, introducing organic matter and mineral fertilizers into it.

As organic matter, rotted manure is most often used, which is brought under digging in an amount of 4-5 kg ​​per 1m 2. To saturate the soil with phosphorus and potassium, mineral components are also introduced for digging: superphosphate - 60-80 g / m2 and potassium sulfate - 20-25 g m2.

Note!

The proportions of top dressing and the fertilizers used can vary considerably. Someone prefers to use only organic matter for these purposes, someone - more nutritious feeding with the addition of minerals. How it will be in your garden is up to you!

In the spring, about 5 - 7 days before planting tomato seedlings in open ground, dig up the ground again, remove all weeds and roots.

2 days before planting, the soil is shed with a hot solution of copper sulfate or potassium permanganate. This measure allows you to destroy fungal pathogens and some of the pests that may be in the ground.

• superphosphate (phosphorus) - 1 tsp;
• ash (potassium-phosphorus fertilizer) - 0.5-1 glass;
• crushed shells (calcium) - a handful;
• compost - a handful;
• biohumus - 1 glass.

Note!

A common fertilization scheme for the hole: superphosphate + ash.

Preparing seedlings for planting

Seedlings also need to be prepared. Then the adaptation process in the open field will be as quick and painless as possible.

10 - 14 days before planting tomatoes, they begin to harden, that is, accustoming to the outdoor climate. For this, containers with seedlings are moved to a colder room, for example, to a ventilated balcony or a summer veranda. At the same time, you should not expose the seedlings to the open sun, otherwise the delicate leaves will burn, and the plants themselves will suffer. Choose a shady spot or one that can be artificially shaded, such as curtains, blinds, or newspaper / cardboard screens.

Hardening begins gradually. On the first day, the seedlings are taken out for a walk for literally 1-2 hours, but every day this time is increased. From the second week, tomatoes are left in the air all day, and they are brought in only at night.

For 5-7 days, if the seedlings have outgrown and it is necessary to deepen it, the cotyledon leaves are cut off. At a greater height of the trunk deepening, the lower pair of true leaves is also removed, leaving small petioles from them (they should fall off or dry out by themselves by the time of transplantation). When growing tall, indeterminate varieties that tend to overgrow, more leaves can be removed.

One day before disembarkation, seedlings are spilled abundantly. This makes it easier for the roots to emerge from the seedling container. At the same time, the leaves of the seedlings are sprayed with Epin, which will reduce the stress from transplanting.

Schemes and distances of planting seedlings

Tomatoes need an abundance of sunlight for development, shading is not encouraged for them. Therefore, you should plant tomatoes outdoors at a certain distance. Which? There are some rough recommendations:

• Low-growing tomatoes - the distance between plants in a row is 30-40 cm, in row spacings - 50-60 cm.
• Tall - 50 cm between plants, between rows - about 70-80 cm.
• Low-growing standard - between plants 20 cm, in row spacings 30-35 cm.

For arranging the beds, the following schemes are most often used:

• Private is the simplest scheme. The bed is formed in the form of a simple row of tomatoes with a constant distance between plants and in the aisles. For example, the distance between the bushes is always 40 cm, and between the rows - 60 cm.
• Chess - the bed consists of two rows of tomatoes, planted in a checkerboard pattern. The width of the beds and the distance between them depend on the variety of tomatoes and the preference of the gardener. For example, the popular Meatlider planting scheme involves the formation of narrow beds with a width of 45 cm, with a passage between them 90-100 cm.
• Ribbon-nesting - the same double beds as in the checkerboard pattern. But in this case, the plants in the rows are located opposite each other, in parallel.

Technology of planting tomato seedlings in open ground

It is necessary to start landing on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon, when the air temperature drops and the rays of the sun can no longer burn the delicate leaves.

• Holes are dug in the garden bed, 15-30 cm deep - depending on the volume of the root system and the planned length of the stem deepening.
• Fill each hole with fertilizer (ash, superphosphate, compost, crushed shells, etc.), pour water there.
• Alternately, the bushes are transferred into the prepared holes.

Overgrown seedlings are usually buried - either to the cotyledons, or to the first two true leaves (they are removed in advance). Such seedlings are planted vertically or lying down.

Vertically - only if the deepening is planned to be small. It is impossible to place the root system of tomatoes too deep in the soil - otherwise it will rot. At a depth, the soil will not have time to warm up; water and air will not flow there well.

When planting lying down, a trench is dug, a root ball and an overgrown stem, freed from leaves, are laid there almost horizontally (under 30 degrees). The top of the tomato should be directed to the north, so that later the bush can rise towards the sun. Then the stem and root are covered with earth. A deepening planting contributes to the fact that overgrown bushes become quite normal: squat and stocky. And not only visually. Adventitious roots form on the buried stem, which falls into the soil. A more powerful root system contributes to the fact that the bush grows thicker stems, leaves grow.

Note!

When deepening, the beginning of tomato fruiting is inhibited for 1-2 weeks. This is due to the fact that the plant, after planting, for some time is intensively engaged in building up roots on a buried stem.

• In a normal planting, the bushes are installed vertically to the level at which they were in the seedling container. The hole is covered with earth and watered.
• It is advisable to mulch the soil on top - cover it with dry straw, sawdust or hay with the addition of compost.
• You can immediately install supports next to the bushes, or do it later, as you grow. These can be pegs, fittings, trellises.

After planting, a small depression must be left in place of each hole, water will collect in it when watering

For planting tomatoes with seedlings in a permanent place, see the video:

Another interesting story about planting tomatoes (high beds are used):

Caring for planted tomatoes

After planting, it is necessary to create favorable conditions for the tomatoes for their further development and growth. And also - if possible, reduce stress and the period of adaptation in new conditions. Proper care is essential.

Watering

In the first few days (7-10 days), it is advisable not to water the tomatoes, they were already filled with water during the planting period. Excess moisture can damage the roots and even cause rotting processes.

Top dressing

Fertilizers for tomatoes can be selected or compiled by yourself. At the same time, at different stages of plant development, the ratio of the main mineral elements (nitrogen N, phosphorus P, potassium K) will change.

All these ratios are compiled "according to science" and are not followed by all gardeners. As fertilizers, you can use infusion of mullein or chicken droppings, EM preparations. Ash solution is effective enough as a source of potassium and phosphorus. To learn how to prepare and use it, watch the video:

According to the standard feeding for tomatoes, they are applied every 2 weeks. But, in the event of symptoms of deficiency (excess) of nutrients, it is necessary to perform corrective feeding. For example, tomato tops die off when there is a lack of calcium or boron. Flowers and young ovaries dry with boron-nitrogen deficiency. Any symptom of starvation requires immediate introduction of the missing elements. And with the symptom of excess, a decrease in the content of the excess element in the usual fertilizer.

Stealing

With this manipulation, the shoots that grow in the gap between the true leaves and the stem of the tomato are removed. When a plant is formed into one stem, all stepchildren must be removed. In two stems - one stepson is left, growing under the first inflorescence. In three stems - two stepsons are left, one is under the first inflorescence, the second is the lowest.

Correctly planted tomato seedlings is a guarantee of its quick survival and accelerated appearance of fruits. There can be no trifles in this matter. Therefore, try to learn all the subtleties outlined above. And a rich tomato harvest will not be long in coming!

Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables around the world. But in regions with long and cold winters, they cannot be grown without using the seedling method. Seedlings begin to grow in January-March. Planting of late-ripening tomato varieties begins in January or February, early-ripening and mid-ripening - in March. To grow tomatoes, we need seeds, a container of soil and a windowsill. Of course, the process of growing tomato seedlings is quite complicated, but it's worth it. After all, it is the seedlings that are the indicator of the size and quality of the crop. If the seedlings are grown correctly, then the harvest will be good and you will be proud of it.

Tomato seedlings begin to grow in the winter months. The best time to plant seedlings is February.

Tomato seed preparation

Proper planting of tomato seeds in the soil requires careful preparation. To grow good seedlings, it is necessary to carry out all the main stages of seed processing. If all the steps are followed correctly, then the seedlings will get a high-quality and rich harvest. The first stage is sorting, that is, checking the seeds for full weight. For sorting, a 6-7% solution of table salt is used (2 tablespoons per 1 liter of water). The seeds are immersed in this solution, mixed and after 6-7 minutes the ones that have surfaced are removed, and the ones remaining at the bottom are washed and used for seedlings.

The next stage is disinfection. The seeds are disinfected with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (2 g of potassium permanganate per 200 ml of water) and washed again.

Tomato seed preparation consists of germination and hardening processes.

Next, you should enrich the seeds with mineral fertilizers. To do this, you can use either a ready-made, store-bought mixture, or a solution prepared with your own hands with trace elements. For 1 liter of water you will need: potassium salt - 0.3 g, boric acid - 0.02 g, ammonium molybdate - 0.05 g, superphosphate - 0.5 g, copper sulfate - 0.08, ammonium sulfate - 0.1 d. The seeds should be soaked in the solution for a day, and then germinated in a damp cloth in a warm place.

Many gardeners, tomato lovers, wash, soak and water the seedlings exclusively with melt water. Only water from snow in this case will not work, since snow in cities is dirty and such water will only harm the seeds. "Living" water is usually prepared at home. Experienced garden lovers recommend doing this: take a large plastic bottle, fill it with standing tap water and put it open on the balcony (at sub-zero temperatures). After most of the water freezes, pierce the bottle with a sharp object and drain the unfrozen water, since it contains all the harmful impurities. After 10 minutes, you need to drain the water that has thawed around the edges of the bottle - this is considered "heavy" water. The ice remaining in the bottle is "living" water, the best for watering. If it is not possible to prepare such water, tomato seedlings should be watered only with warm water that has been at least 10 hours apart.

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Soil and containers for tomato seedlings

Planting tomato seedlings should be carried out in loose soil that retains moisture well and contains nutrients. To grow large tomatoes, it is better to use turf soil. It is recommended to add humus and sand to it. In order for the acidity of the soil to be normal, for every 10 liters of soil mixture, it is necessary to add 100 g of chalk and 0.5 liters of resin. This mixture can be substituted with a mixture purchased from a store. Currently, in the public domain, you can find very high-quality mixtures that contain all the necessary nutrients.

Sowing tomato seeds is first produced in one large container, at a short distance from each other.

Usually, tomato seedlings are grown a lot. Therefore, at first, it is recommended to plant the seeds in large containers, and later to dive the sprouts into a separate container. Many people use dairy bags for seedlings. This is convenient, but there is one drawback: lactic acid bacteria can remain in the bag, which in the future can lead to moldy soil. The picking of grown tomato seedlings is usually carried out in plastic bottles or special store-bought peat pots. There should be drain holes in the bottom of each container.

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Sowing and growing tomato seedlings

Before planting the seeds, fill the planting container with soil mixture 3 cm below the edge in advance. Then the ground is watered, covered with a film and left for a whole day, so that moisture evenly penetrates into the soil. Next, the soil must be leveled and grooves made in it with a depth of half a centimeter. Seeds are planted in these recesses. After planting the seeds, the soil surface is watered with a warm solution of potassium permanganate, the container is covered with a film or glass cap and placed in a warm place, for example, to a battery.

The sprouts should appear in a week, Now the film is removed, the seedlings are placed in a bright place, and the temperature is reduced to 15 ° C. This regime must be maintained for 4-6 days. After 7 days, when the sprouts get stronger, the temperature must be raised to 24 ° C during the day, and up to 12 ° C at night.

When the first true leaves appear, the seedlings dive into separate containers. But it is better not to rush with a dive. Before doing this, you need to make sure that the shoots are strong and thick enough at the base. In order for the root system of tomatoes to actively grow, when picking, the main root must be pinched. Before planting tomato seedlings in open ground, it is recommended to carry out a hardening procedure. For this, the air temperature must be reduced to 17 ° C.

The seedlings of planted tomatoes must be fed. The first time is fed 10 days after the pick. To do this, make the following solution: 10 l of water, 30 g of superphosphate, 4 g of urea and 10 g of potassium sulfate. You can also buy ready-made fertilizers at the store. The second feeding is carried out after 2 weeks. After fertilizing, the tomato seedlings are watered and the soil is loosened. Excessive watering of seedlings and lack of lighting should be avoided, as all this can lead to disease and even death of seedlings.