When to plant tomatoes for seedlings in April 2022. The most favorable days for tomatoes according to the lunar calendar. Rules for planting seedlings, the best time, tips for a good harvest.
Tomatoes are a heat-loving crop. It simply cannot withstand the cold at night. Therefore, in April, tomatoes are planted either as seedlings or in a greenhouse. Next, you can read how to properly plant tomato seeds for seedlings, when to do this in order to be planted in open ground in time, you will find out all the favorable and unfavorable days for the whole month.
As already mentioned, tomatoes are a heat-loving crop. It is recommended to transplant seedlings into open ground in the second half of May or June. This can be done much earlier in greenhouses and greenhouses - in early May. In the southern regions, accordingly, this procedure takes place 2-3 weeks earlier.
To calculate the timing of planting seedlings and planting them in the ground, you need to know that at home, from seed germination to transplanting into the garden, 60-70 days should pass. Thus, if you plant tomatoes for seedlings at the beginning of April, at the end of May it is time to start planting.
Is it possible to plant tomatoes in open ground in April?
No matter how surprising it may sound, it is permissible to plant tomatoes in open ground in April if during the day the air warms up to +15...+18 °C, and at night it does not cool down below +8...+10 °C.
Even before the event, you need to check the soil temperature at a depth of 8-10 cm. It should reach +8...+12 °C. But, if the weather remains cool, then it is better to postpone the event.
To plant tomatoes in open ground, you need to choose early varieties that can develop even at low temperatures.
Favorable days for planting tomatoes in April 2021
It is necessary to indicate the most favorable days in April 2022. Such days are calculated according to the lunar calendar. It is believed that in certain positions the Moon can influence plants positively or negatively. Some days may be favorable, others ordinary or satisfactory, and others completely unfavorable.
We will briefly describe how this calculation is done. At the end of the article you can see a complete lunar calendar for each day indicating all the characteristics of the Moon.
Tomatoes are plants, the useful part of which is located above the surface of the earth. According to the lunar calendar, it is best to plant such a crop during the growing phase. We also look at what dates fertile signs fall on (Libra, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, Capricorn and Pisces). We avoid planting and any work with plants during the full and new moon. Using this simple method, it is easy to determine when the Moon is most suitable for planting tomato seedlings.
- Favorable days for planting tomatoes in April 2022: 13, 14, 18, 19, 25, 26.
- Good days for planting tomatoes: 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28.
- Unfavorable days: 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 27, 30.
In which regions can you plant tomato seedlings in open ground in April?
You can plant tomatoes in open ground in April according to the lunar calendar in the warmest regions. If spring is early and warm, then at the end of the month you can hold an event in the Central regions. In the north, there is no need to start planting until early summer.
Dive rules
The optimal time for an intermediate transplant is 7-10 days after the appearance of the first shoots. So that by this time the seedlings are ready for intermediate transplantation, the temperature in the room with the seedlings is maintained at +20-22 oC during the day and +16-20 oC at night. The duration of daylight should be at least 14 hours. In the conditions of the middle zone (Moscow region, Belarus), artificial additional lighting is required.
By the time of transplantation, the young seedlings should have formed several true leaves, and the root system is already beginning to develop.
On a note!
Some people believe that tomatoes should be picked at the cotyledon leaf stage. This is very dangerous, since the sprouts are very weak and will slowly adapt to the new place.
Classic picking method
The most common option for growing tomato seedlings. Young seedlings growing in a common container are carefully removed from the ground using a fork or dessert spoon. Remove the plants carefully so as not to damage the roots.
Young sprouts are placed in separate containers. These could be plastic cups. Holes are first made in them, and a drainage layer is laid underneath.
It is much more convenient to plant tomato seedlings in peat pots. Such seedlings can then be transferred to a permanent place without damaging the root system.
From a snail
A very convenient way for those who do not have a lot of space on the windowsill. A positive point: this method allows you to heat the soil evenly, as well as prepare the seedlings for transfer to a permanent place.
The essence of planting in a snail is that the seeds are laid out on a thin layer of soil applied to a strip of fabric. From above, the soil with seeds is covered with the second half of the material and rolled up like a snail.
The principles of care do not differ from the classic options. The advantage is that the roots of the seedlings do not intertwine. When transplanting, the snail is carefully untwisted, transferring the sprouts to separate containers.
In a diaper
If you are growing seedlings in a city apartment, then it is convenient to use the method of picking seedlings in a diaper. The method is that young seedlings are wrapped in polyethylene with soil according to the principle of swaddling. Pre-prepare polyethylene diapers measuring 10x15 cm.
On a note!
If there is no film, then use newspapers or thick material.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Soil is poured onto the upper corner of the square.
- The seedling is carefully placed on top. About 1 tbsp is again poured on top. l. soil.
- The free edge is folded towards the leaves and wrapped tightly.
To prevent the structure from falling apart, it should be carefully secured with tape or an elastic band. As the seedlings grow, the film is unrolled slightly. Each time you need to add a little soil. When watering, fertilizer must be added to the water, since the seedlings are in an enclosed space.
To the greenhouse
If you have a warm, heated greenhouse, you can grow seedlings in it. In the southern regions, seeds are planted directly into the ground.
If the greenhouse is heated, then seedlings can be grown almost all year round. The main thing is to provide sufficient lighting.
On a note!
In the northern regions (Siberia, the Urals), young seedlings are transplanted into a greenhouse only in the month of May. And in warmer regions, in early spring, seeds can be sown directly into the ground.
For heating, you can use biofuel, which is placed under the soil layer. Manure, straw, and bark are used as artificial batteries. They will help keep the soil temperature in the desired range.
When grown in a greenhouse, tomato seedlings turn out strong and healthy. The seedlings have a well-developed root system. There will be no problems with pulling out the sprouts.
Other picking options
To cause minimal stress to plants during transplantation, the transshipment method is used. Its essence lies in the fact that the tomatoes are not replanted, but transferred to a new container with a lump of earth.
A more complex variant of picking is two roots. First, two sprouts are planted in one container at a distance of about 2 cm. After rooting, the stems are pressed against each other. After some time, cuts are made on each one. On one sprout, make an oblique cut upwards, on the second - downwards. Almost immediately, one of the tomatoes is cut, and its oblique cut is inserted into the other. You immediately get a bush with a powerful double root system.
You can grow young seedlings without soil. The method is very similar to the method of growing in a diaper, only the seeds are placed in a damp cloth. It is possible to get sprouts in this way, but it is unlikely that you will be able to grow strong, powerful seedlings.
Soil preparation
Before transferring seedlings to a greenhouse or open ground, the soil must be properly prepared. Tomatoes love mineral fertilizers. The beds or greenhouse must be dug up in the spring, adding superphosphate at the rate of 40 g per 1 square meter and potassium salt at the rate of 20 g per 1 square meter.
It is prohibited to add manure, humus, or bird droppings to the soil in winter. These active organic fertilizers are added every few years and mainly in the fall. They contain a lot of nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of tomatoes and the growth of green mass. The plants seem strong and healthy, but at the same time few flowers are formed on them, and even fewer fruits are set. All energy goes into growth.
In addition to applying fertilizers, do not forget about soil disinfection. If there were no problems last year, it is enough to water the beds with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or a solution of Fitosporin. The situation is different with areas where diseased crops grew last year. In such cases, stronger fungicides must be used.
How to properly harvest seeds: harvesting tomato seeds
Preparing seeds for planting
Regardless of whether you bought seeds or collected them yourself, you need to prepare tomato seeds before planting seedlings. It is recommended to carry out the following preparatory procedures: disinfection and germination.
Disinfection is necessary to eliminate pathogens that can spoil seedlings during cultivation. To disinfect seeds, follow the following procedure:
Place the seed in a fabric bag or wrap it in gauze, previously folded in several layers.
Prepare a dark solution of potassium permanganate and immerse the seeds in it.
Let the material steep in the potassium permanganate solution for about half an hour.
After the time has passed, remove the seeds, rinse them well with running water and dry.
Germination should be carried out after disinfection and immediately before sowing. This manipulation helps accelerate the emergence of seedlings. Germination of tomato seeds is carried out as follows:
It is necessary to moisten the gauze or paper napkin generously.
Place gauze or napkin on the saucer.
Then you need to put the seeds on one end of the gauze or napkin and cover them with the other end.
Wrap the saucer in a plastic bag and place it next to the battery.
Regularly moisten the seed; do not allow it to dry out.
After about three to five days, germination will begin, at which point you can sow them for seedlings. And it is not recommended to plant those tomato seeds that have not sprouted, since most likely the seedlings will grow frail and be susceptible to diseases and pests.
Direct planting of tomato seeds
Step-by-step instructions, which you will see below, will help you correctly plant tomato seeds for seedlings. Depending on how the planting is carried out - in a common container or separate containers, the sowing pattern will also differ.
Tomato planting scheme
For normal growth and development, tomatoes need sufficient space.
There is no need to thicken the plantings. This not only prevents plants from receiving adequate nutrition from the soil, but also creates conditions for the development of late blight, a very insidious disease that can destroy crops. The leaves of neighboring plants should not touch each other. In a greenhouse, you can plant tomatoes at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other. The distance between the rows should be 50-80 cm. In open ground, approximately the same recommendations should be followed. But it is also important to take into account varietal characteristics. Indeterminate (tall) varieties can be planted closer to each other, growing them into 1-2 stems. Determinate tomatoes are more spreading and require more space in width.
The influence of the moon on plants
The moon has a great influence on vegetation. It determines the intensity of movement of roots to stems and leaves. When the lunar phases change, the activity of fluid movement changes. This must be taken into account when sowing and planting garden and horticultural crops, when planning work in the garden and vegetable garden (or greenhouse), and when caring for indoor flowers.
There are 4 lunar phases:
- growing (the moon in the sky resembles the letter P if you mentally draw a straight line to it on the left);
- full moon (the moon takes the shape of a circle);
- aging (looks like the letter C);
- new moon (no satellite visible in the sky).
During the waxing moon, sap moves from the earth's surface upward to the above-ground parts of the plant. At such a time, you can plant and sow those crops that form fruits above the earth's surface. It is useful to carry out actions aimed at growing seedlings in height and to apply foliar fertilizing.
The waning (aging) moon inhibits the development of leaves and shoots and activates the process of root formation. At this time, it is recommended to plant root crops and potatoes. It is useful to apply root fertilizers and loosen the soil, improving its breathability. Plants must not be replanted, pruned or sprouted. This will slow down their further development.
Full and new moons have a negative effect on vegetation. During these periods, all plants go into a dormant state, metabolic processes in the cells slow down. Any actions aimed at enhancing growth and development or improving flowering are prohibited. You can carry out work aimed at eliminating parasites, removing weeds, pruning damaged and large stems.
Care after planting tomatoes
Immediately after transplanting into open ground, tomatoes need to be watered. You can put 3-4 tbsp in the holes. l. ash or vermicompost. After this, the bushes are not fed with anything for about 10 days. They need time to get over the disease and take root.
Water the tomatoes once a week. But it is better to focus on the condition of the soil. It should be slightly damp, not dry. Water should not be poured on the leaves and stems, but around the plants. If you plant tomatoes in rows, it is convenient to pour water between the rows. Tomatoes have very powerful roots that can draw moisture even from deep layers of soil. Watering should be plentiful.
Determinate tomatoes, as a rule, do not form. Care consists mainly of removing damaged, yellowed leaves. Tall bushes need to be formed by cutting off the stepsons. You can leave 1-2 stepsons, then the bush will have 2-3 stems.
2 weeks after transplantation, plants can be treated with Fitosporin to prevent fungal diseases. Subsequently, the procedure must be repeated every 10-14 days. Fitosporin is harmless, so there is no waiting period after treating fruit-bearing plants with it. If the tomatoes start to hurt and Fitosporin does not help, you can use more potent fungicides, but not all of them are absolutely safe. Dosages must be strictly observed and waiting periods must be maintained.
What problems may arise and how to deal with them
It often happens that even if the basic rules are followed when transplanting, seedlings still stop growing. She may have a sick, stunted appearance.
Stunted growth may be evidence of one of several care errors:
- Insufficient watering. Pinching the central root promotes the development of lateral roots, this activates the development of the superficial root system, which requires more frequent watering.
- Slow formation of adventitious root system.
- Errors during transplantation (insufficiently deep location of the root in the hole, insufficiently compacted soil around the sprout).
- Lighting conditions (exposure to direct sunlight can cause burns, which affect the development of the entire plant and slow it down.)
- Diseases (diseases such as blackleg cannot be immediately determined; they develop due to watering seedlings with cold water).
- Spread of pests (spider mites often appear on seedlings).
- Insufficiently drained container (lack of a drainage system leads to rotting of the root system, damage to the entire central root).
- Lack of minerals in the soil.
- Increased indoor air temperature.
