Tomato seedlings bloomed before planting in the ground, what should I do?

Gardeners are delighted with tomato seedlings lovingly grown on the windowsills of their homes. But what to do if buds suddenly appear on them? It’s good if it’s warm outside and the sprout can be moved to the garden bed. But what if the weather doesn’t allow it yet? Some people advise picking them off, others leave them and start pollinating on their own using a brush. So what should you do if the tomato seedlings bloomed long before planting in the ground?

Why do seedlings bloom?

Flowering of young bushes is quite normal. Experienced gardeners know that the appearance of the first buds a few days before transplanting becomes a sure sign of plant maturity. Tomatoes of all types and varieties are covered with ovaries from bottom to top. This means that formations will appear at the very top of the head when the lower ones have already formed mature fruits and completely disappeared. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with the early opening of buds.

However, lush flowering and active formation of peduncles, especially long before transplantation, can damage the formation of other systems and elements. By the time of transplanting into open ground, the tomato should have an extensive root system, a thick and stable stem, lush greenery that can receive enough nutrients from sunlight. The key reason for the appearance of early and unwanted flowers is violation of agricultural practices:

• disembarkation too early;
• excessive heat;
• excessive feeding.

On a note! Some varieties can be replanted even with the first fruit ovaries.

If the bushes were planted before mid-March, flowers may appear as early as mid-May, when planting is not always possible. The same thing happens if the room is too hot. As the bush grows, it is better to reduce heating, which will not only stabilize the growth of the above-ground part, but will also become a measure for hardening future tomatoes. Gradually the temperature is reduced from 25 degrees during the germination period to 18 and even 15 degrees in the period before planting in the ground.

If a gardener does not use complex fertilizers, but selects them independently and combines them with folk remedies, there is a possibility of enhancing the development of one part of the plant, thereby disrupting the nutrition of all the rest. For example, high concentrations of superphosphates are undesirable, as are large amounts of nitrogen fertilizers in combination with potassium preparations.

Why could tomatoes bloom?

The time and requirements for the condition of tomato seedlings depend primarily on the conditions in which they will be grown in the future. Plants are transferred to high beds in an unheated greenhouse three weeks earlier than to open beds. The moment of planting the seeds is calculated so that the sprout is fully formed by the date of transplantation. The tomato should be 20-30 cm tall and have 5-6 full leaves.

Seedlings bloom most often when seeds are planted too early. This is the main reason. This is precisely why there is no need to rush. Moreover, many have already had the opportunity to repeatedly verify that seedlings planted in February grow and develop much more slowly than those planted in March.

You need to focus on climate conditions. If in the south you can transplant sprouts with 2-3 leaves into the ground, then in the north you have to work for a very long time on hardening and it’s not worth risking young ones.

Sometimes seedlings bloom and are planted at all established times. Why? Perhaps the reason is excessive fertilization. The plant should receive normal, dosed care. A large amount of fertilizing results in vigorous, lush greenery and active flowering. Only fruiting may be minimal or absent altogether.

The third reason does not depend on the person. Seeds planted on time and receiving proper care can bloom on time. But at home, this happens because the time for transplanting into the ground has already come, and weather conditions do not allow this work to be carried out. The climate is changing. Be that as it may, you should be prepared for such a situation and know what measures to take to save the sprouts.

Consequences of the phenomenon

In most regions of Russia, natural conditions simply force summer residents to germinate seedlings early and plant bushes late not only in open ground, but also in greenhouses. Therefore, you have to do this with flowers. However, experts in the field of agricultural technology remind that if the flower stalks have already developed, it will be impossible to avoid serious losses. Every grape that falls off a tomato is a lost harvest. One formation can develop up to five or even more fruits, depending on the characteristics of the variety. Therefore, the main consequence of early flowering is a decrease in the total yield.

On a note! Flowers may fall off in other cases, but this always indicates disturbances in the development of the bush.

In some cases, especially when using the wrong fertilizers, flowers develop before the bush itself becomes strong enough. The stem may remain too thin and the root system undeveloped; a small number of leaves will also indicate improper growth. At the same time, when the first flowers appear, all the vital forces of the tomato will be thrown into the formation of the ovary, so the growth of the remaining parts will slow down. The survival rate in this case will be very low, the losses of the bushes themselves will be quite large.

Three necessary activities

6 days ago we sowed the seeds of the tall varieties Agilis and Belflor, and 4 days ago the seedlings began to appear. Today I estimate their germination rate to be 91%, and this is not bad, especially since seedlings continue to appear. As a result, I expect to achieve a germination rate of 96%.

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Remove film

As luck would have it, seedlings most often appear at night, but this moment cannot be missed: if the film is not removed from the crops in time, the seedlings will have time to bend over by the morning. Therefore, in the evening, carefully inspect the tomato crops, and if you notice the appearance of loops, lift or completely remove the glass to prevent the seedlings from lodging. Pressed down by glass, they will take a long time to straighten, and this will slow down the development of seedlings.

Reduce temperature

After the emergence of tomato seedlings, you must immediately reduce the temperature to 17-18 ⁰C, but no more, otherwise the processes of absorption of nutrition from the soil by the roots will slow down, and this will affect the growth of seedlings.

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Provide lighting

During the first two weeks, you need to provide the seedlings with round-the-clock lighting. I use fluorescent lamps for this, but you can purchase any other light sources. After two weeks of continuous lighting, start turning off the lights at night.

Let's summarize: as soon as tomato seedlings begin to appear, you need to immediately remove the film, lower the temperature and provide the seedlings with 24-hour lighting for two weeks.

What to do to stop flowering

First of all, it is necessary to study the maintenance regime of the bushes and adjust it. It is advisable to exclude additional lighting, since it can stimulate the rapid ovary of numerous flowers. By slowing down the growth of the entire bush, further spread of flowering can be eliminated. Watering needs to be reduced slightly. Instead of once every two days, switch to the regime once every 72 hours, and the rest of the time use external non-root air humidification. It is advisable to move the seedlings to a cooler place where the temperature will not exceed 16-18 degrees even during the daytime. Keeping the room a little cooler in the evening and at night will also stop untimely growth.

It is necessary to exclude all fertilizers that stimulate ovary and flowering. Folk remedies include various caffeine-containing substances, as well as mixtures with the addition of live yeast. Mineral fertilizers include concentrates of nitrogen and phosphates. It is advisable to switch to those complex feedings that concentrate the plant’s strength on the development of roots and stems. In this case, the survival rate will be much higher.

There is no need to remove the flowers; this will not stop new brushes from appearing. It is advisable to limit the growth of the ovaries themselves. You should not pinch greens during this period. Active leaf formation may still continue. It is advisable to speed up the transplantation into a greenhouse or greenhouse.

On a note! You can build a simple temporary greenhouse, which provides good protection from wind and cold air currents.

Conditions for growing healthy seedlings

It is quite possible to grow good, healthy seedlings by familiarizing yourself in advance with the requirements for the growing conditions. It is important to take into account that these requirements must be met in combination - only then will a result that suits you be obtained.

The necessary conditions:

• take into account the characteristics of the selected variety (early, mid-season, late);
• complete preparation of seeds (calibration, heating, disinfection, soaking, hardening);
• preparation of nutritious and loose soil and its disinfection;
• good lighting, preventing the seedlings from being pulled out;
• correct temperature regime (up to 20 °C during the day, 10-15 °C at night until the first leaves appear, then no higher than 22 °C during the daytime);
• hardening procedures;
• absence of drafts;
• compliance with the norms and irrigation regime (warm, settled water, moderate watering without waterlogging);
• timely application of fertilizers;
• picking on time (there should be 2-3 leaves on the stem).

Preliminary familiarization with the rules for carrying out all stages and their correct implementation will allow you to grow good, strong seedlings. From the experience accumulated by gardeners, several points can be highlighted that are useful for everyone to know:

• the stem will not stretch if you remove the two lower leaves when there are five leaves on the plant;
• use only the liquid version of fertilizing;
• provide adequate lighting by installing additional lighting;
• if there are no flower buds in the first ten days of April, it is necessary to cut the stem just above the second true leaf - two stems will grow at this place;
• sow seeds on time.

Correct prevention

The first and main preventive measure is the selection of certain varieties and the timing of their planting. Super early species can ripen much faster, which applies not only to the fruits themselves, but also to the bushes. Late ones, on the contrary, bloom in a different period. Therefore, you should carefully plan work with seedlings and bushes ready for replanting, focusing on climatic norms, lunar calendars, and current forecasts for spring and summer.

Excessive illumination can give incorrect signals about the need for flowering to begin, so it is necessary to follow the rules. The optimal daylight hours for seedlings are 14 hours during the main period and 16 hours during the first stages of germination. Sometimes gardeners, especially beginners, try to compensate for the lack of this resource by constantly turning on special lamps. The need for them disappears in most regions already in mid-April, which must be taken into account.

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Stage 1 – sowing seedlings

If possible, immediately sow in cups - plastic, cardboard, peat - you won’t have to pick. If you don’t have enough space, take rectangular plastic containers - they can be placed compactly on window sills.

Before sowing, soak the seeds for 10-12 hours in warm water, preferably rain or melt water - it contains a lot of oxygen and few salts (just melt a handful of snow). The soil can be taken ready-made or a mixture can be prepared from turf soil, peat, humus and coarse river sand (in equal proportions). For nutritional value, the finished mixture is spilled with a solution of superphosphate and potassium sulfate - 2-3 grams per liter of water.

Make furrows in the soil, plant the seeds 1.5 cm deep. Sprout under the film. Planting to a shallower depth risks that the seed coat will not be able to peel off in time and will complicate the opening of the cotyledon leaves. If you make this mistake, do not try to remove the shell with tweezers. It’s better to drip warm water onto it (from a pipette or syringe) 3-4 times a day. This way it will peel off faster.

Tips and tricks

If the tomato seedlings still bloom, and this is not uncommon, you should not despair. It is important to properly maintain and plant bushes in open ground. First of all, it is necessary to eliminate unnecessary mechanical movements, for example, frequent rearrangement of the boxes and pots themselves. Pollen from the upper flowers will fall on the lower ones, thus pollinating the plant normally. But if flower stalks appear ahead of time, you will have to replant a bush with small tomatoes, which, most likely, will not grow normally and will only take away the strength of the plant.

When transplanting, you need to further deepen the seedlings. You can even pick off the first flowers by making a mound of loose earth right up to this mark. In this way, the tomato will be able to grow more roots, receive maximum nutrients and be able to provide the necessary nutrition for the ovaries even in such extreme conditions.

Tomatoes adapt well even to unfavorable climates, which is why they are especially loved by gardeners in all regions. If you stop the flowering of the bushes in time, preserve the first ovary and stimulate the development of roots, stems, and foliage, you will be able to get an excellent harvest. However, simple preventive measures should be taken initially so as not to risk plantings.

Trimming leaves from seedlings

Seedlings are transplanted into the ground at the age of 8-12 weeks. When sowing tomato seeds in early March, it can bloom in early May. The weather at this time is changeable; due to frost, it is dangerous to transplant tomatoes even under arches.

To prevent tomato seedlings from overgrowing and early flowering, experienced gardeners resort to the shock therapy method:

• in the phase of 3-4 leaves, seedlings dive into a container with a diameter of 5 cm;
• tomato seedlings adapt after transplantation for 2-3 days, then grow;
• when the lower leaves of adjacent plants begin to overlap each other, they are shortened.

On the one hand, pruning leaves is a shock for young plants. Having tested it, they stop active growth for 2-3 days. On the other hand, living conditions improve:

• illumination;
• ventilation.

Important!

Pruning the leaves prevents the seedling from stretching out and the early formation of buds, and stimulates the thickening of the stem.

You can shorten (cut) the leaves of tomato seedlings several times. It is optimal to do this 2 times. The interval between procedures should be 7-10 days.

Temperature violation

Tomatoes grow well at temperatures not lower than +13°C, but not higher than +35°C. If the regime is regularly violated, this can lead to problems with the formation of ovaries. For example, if the heat persists for a long time in the summer, the pollen will become sterile, and the bushes may even lose their flowers.

During abnormal heat, pollen becomes sterile and ovaries do not form

Advice from experienced gardeners

To prevent tomato seedlings from overgrowing, which inevitably leads to the formation of buds and the beginning of flowering at home, experienced gardeners recommend adhering to certain rules.

1. You should not sow seeds earlier than 2 months before planting seedlings in open ground. More mature seedlings begin to lay flower clusters.
2. With short daylight hours and cloudy weather, additional lighting is necessary. Having spent once on purchasing a lamp with a rotating leg, the gardener will save himself from the headache of pulling out sprouts. It is not necessary to purchase an expensive ultraviolet light bulb - a fluorescent one will do.
3. Excessive soil moisture in the planting container should be avoided. Watering is carried out only when the top layer dries out. The need for water treatments may be indicated by a slight loss of turgor in the leaf blades. Moderate watering will force the root system to develop more actively and will restrain the active growth of the above-ground part.
4. You should be careful when applying fertilizers. Usually, before sowing seeds, the gardener puts the required amount of mineral fertilizers into the soil, which provides the seedlings with all the microelements during the growing period at home. Excess leads to rapid development of green mass and, as a consequence, to overgrowth and the beginning of flowering. If you notice that the leaves are losing their rich color, you should feed them, but always in moist soil.
5. The process of hardening home seedlings must begin immediately after consistently warm weather sets in outside the window. At a temperature of 12-14⁰C, containers with tomato bushes are taken out onto the balcony and the time spent in the open air is gradually increased. This applies not only to overgrown tomatoes with several buds, but also to “babies”. Cool conditions make it possible to restrain the growth of the above-ground part and increase stress resistance when transplanting seedlings into open ground.
6. It is believed that periodically lightly stroking the tops of seedlings for 1 minute slows down the growth of seedlings and prevents them from overgrowing. It's not difficult or expensive, it's worth a try. There will definitely be no harm.

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Often, beginning vegetable growers are faced with the problem that pepper seedlings have bloomed before being planted in the ground; only experienced gardeners can tell you what to do in this case. Correct actions will help preserve the buds on the seedlings and subsequently obtain very early fruits. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, there is a chance of being left without a good harvest.

Stage 2 – picking tomato seedlings

Seedlings are transplanted into separate pots in the phase of 2-3 fully developed leaves. It is most convenient to remove seedlings with a fork - there is less risk of breaking the roots. To prevent blackleg disease, water the seedlings with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Important . If at the stage of caring for seedlings you do not have the opportunity to provide the seedlings with a 12-hour day (additional illumination with a phytolamp) and hardening in a cool room with a temperature of 14-16 °, you cannot do picking with depth to the cotyledons. In greenhouse conditions, the cotyledon ring is formed less dense and strong, which can lead to its rotting.

Advice . In the absence of a phytolamp, you can use the “mirror” lighting technique. Secure a sheet of food foil in front of the tomato seedlings - with the shiny side facing the window glass. Reflecting from the foil, daylight will intensify and highlight the seedlings.