How to speed up the growth of tomato seedlings - 5 proven remedies

Provide optimal conditions for seedling growth

The main reasons for poor seedling growth:

When growing, it is important to create optimal conditions; any disturbances will cause growth to slow down.

1. Lack of lighting . If the windows face north or west, or if the daylight hours are still short, the seedlings should be provided with additional light. A special phytolamp is used, which helps plants develop much better.
2. The room temperature is too high . If the air is constantly heated by more than 23 degrees, then the seedlings will stretch out and their development will slow down. To minimize the harm from this factor, it is recommended to spray the plants in the mornings and evenings.
3. Excess nutrients . If you feed plants too much and too often, then instead of benefit you get harm. Excess nitrogen fertilizers are especially dangerous, since they cause leaves and stems to grow to the detriment of root formation.
4. Excessive moisture . Excess moisture causes the seedlings to stretch out. Plus, the risk of developing such a dangerous disease as blackleg increases sharply.
5. Planting density . If the seedlings are planted very tightly, then the plants have little space for normal development, they begin to stretch upward or to the sides and become deformed. Due to the high density, seedlings do not receive enough nutrients and grow much slower than they could.
6. Poor soil quality . It happens that the soil is not suitable for seedlings, and they grow poorly. Therefore, it is better to buy a ready-made mixture, in which the composition is adapted to tomatoes and provides them with high-quality nutrition. The problem can be solved by replanting in good soil.

How to improve the survival rate of seedlings in open ground? Place plants outdoors for 3-4 hours a day

How to enhance growth after picking tomato seedlings

Picking is carried out after the formation of 2 full leaves. Only strong plants remain in the container or pots.

A good effect comes from shortening the root (stimulating the growth of lateral roots).

A week after picking, the first fertilizing is carried out - either with a mineral complex fertilizer (saltpeter, potassium sulfate, superphosphate) or organic (mullein solution). Several such feedings are carried out during the period of seedling growth. At the initial stage, the plant quickly consumes useful substances; additional feeding is required for active growth.

Important! Tomatoes are sensitive to their environment; in addition to nutrients, they value warmth, light and moisture.

Pots with young seedlings are placed in a warm and very bright place. After picking, the plants develop quickly. The soil must be constantly moist.

Use Epin for both seedlings and adult plants

Folk tips for accelerating the growth of tomatoes

Opponents of using chemicals to stimulate the growth of seedlings use their own recipes, tested over many years.

Here are some of them:

• iodine is a stimulator of tomato ripening and protects against late blight (just 4-5 drops per bucket of water - and an excellent top dressing is ready). Each bush will need two liters of solution;
• ash is an excellent phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer. In liquid form: a glass of ash in a bucket of water, pour half a liter under the bush. It will also protect against pests;
• Baker's yeast is an excellent stimulator of seedling growth, especially if the seeds were sowed late.
  Dilute a pack of yeast in a bucket of water, add a few tablespoons of granulated sugar to speed up fermentation. Attention! water immediately.
• nettle - rich in microelements - iron, potassium, nitrogen - also a proven means for tomato growth. Water the tomatoes with fermented infusion diluted in water (1 to 10);
• eggshell - contains microelements vital for seedlings: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, they allow seedlings to develop harmoniously. It is used in fermented form, after the decomposition of hydrogen sulfide, as evidenced by a specific smell. It is also used in powder form to neutralize soil acidity;
• banana peel - designed to increase the amount of potassium, which improves the oxidation process in cells, increases resistance to pathogenic factors, and makes the plant more easily tolerant of lack of moisture. The solution is infused for several days (skins of 9-10 bananas per bucket of water).

If you follow all the rules for seed germination, soil preparation, picking and fertilizing, the seedlings will form strong and invulnerable.

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Use Zircon according to instructions

What kind of preparations are these for tomato seedlings?

Plant growth stimulants are preparations based on synthetic substitutes for natural phytohormones and humus stimulants. When growing tomatoes at different phases of their development, the following growth stimulants can be used:

• "Epin-extra".
• "Zircon".
• "Kornevin".
• "Silk."
• Sodium humate.

pros

1. Good germination of seed.
2. Strong and healthy seedlings.
3. Good root formation.
4. Better survival rate.
5. Increasing plant fertility.
6. Accelerates ripening and improves taste.
7. Reducing plant diseases.

Minuses

1. Toxicity of some drugs.
2. Risk of overdose.
3. Use under certain conditions.
4. Short shelf life of solutions.
5. Little knowledge of the consequences of use.

Below we describe what you can soak the material in before planting and how it is recommended to dilute solutions for spraying.

Wear protective equipment when using Kornevin

Growing seedlings for open ground (greenhouses)

Let's start with the fact that it is best to start growing and sowing seeds for tomato and pepper seedlings no earlier than April if you plan to plant them in open ground.
During the winter months, the days are very short and plants receive little light to grow and develop further. It will be necessary to use additional lighting, and this is not always convenient. It is best to sow seedlings in separate pots - this way there is a greater chance of growing high-quality and strong plants. After planting in the ground, the pots need to be covered and placed in a warm place, since the seeds germinate better this way and have time to get stronger.

Next, we’ll find out when to plant tomato and pepper seedlings and what care is needed?

Picking peppers

It must be said that peppers do not like too much attention to their root system, so it is better to plant each sprout in a separate pot. However, not everyone has this opportunity

However, not everyone has this opportunity.

The best time for picking is the period when the plant has about 6 leaves, that’s when it becomes crowded in one pot.

IMPORTANT! If the picking is not done in time, the plants will darken each other. And you may not get a harvest.

Picking tomatoes

Tomatoes peak after two true leaves appear. 10-15 days after the appearance of the first shoots are considered optimal.

Picking stages:

1. Prepare the container. It should be tall, have a hole at the bottom, and be resistant to watering.
2. Fill the container with soil.
3. Take a small scoop and very carefully pry the seedlings with it, then remove them from the box, being careful not to touch the roots.
4. Pinch off the main root of the seedling a little from below.
5. Transplant each plant into a separate container and compact the soil.
6. Pour in settled, non-cold water.

ATTENTION! Pepper seedlings cannot be planted deep into the ground, unlike tomato seedlings, as they may rot.

By the time of planting in a greenhouse or open ground, seedlings must be 2 months old. Basically, planting can be done from May 10th.

Use Silk in the correct proportion

Watering and growing location

The soil should not be too dry

At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing difficult in organizing watering seedlings. This is actually a very important point. The soil should not be too dry, but it is also not recommended to be overzealous with watering. This can lead to the development of pathogenic microorganisms or putrefactive processes.

If the soil is still too wet after watering, you can place a dry cloth on its surface. After some time, it will absorb excess moisture. You can also gently loosen the surface of the soil in the container. This will promote the evaporation of moisture from it.

Seedlings may grow poorly or slowly if the location for their placement is chosen incorrectly. It is necessary to select a well-lit place, without drafts. Otherwise, the plants may die.

Don't forget about the room temperature either. As soon as the seed material is planted in the ground, the room temperature should be at least 25-28 degrees. To create greenhouse conditions, containers can be covered with film. In addition to helping maintain the required temperature, the shelter helps retain moisture.

After the shoots appear, the film can be removed, and the temperature in the room must be lowered to 18-20 degrees. Otherwise, the leaves on the plant will probably turn yellow. After 2 true leaves appear, the seedlings must be hardened off. This will help make her stronger. You can simply open a window for a while or take the boxes out onto the balcony for a while. In this case, the air temperature outside should not be lower than 18-20 degrees. Each time, the hardening time of seedlings increases by 3-5 minutes.

Important! If the seedlings are exposed to direct sunlight, there is a possibility that the leaves will turn purple or fall off completely.

Apply sodium humate according to the scheme

Watering germinating seedlings

The first watering after sowing grains in the ground is carried out on the tenth day. By this time, tomato sprouts will emerge from the soil en masse. They don’t need a lot of moisture, so pour a teaspoon of water under each plant.

The frequency of all subsequent waterings until the first full-fledged leaves grow on the plant is 6 days. The soil under the plants should be slightly moist. A large amount of water will lead to silting of the soil. This will cause the tomato root system to receive less oxygen and begin to rot. The last watering of seedlings is carried out 2 days before picking. At the same time, you can feed the tomatoes with mineral fertilizers.

The video shows the entire process of growing tomato seedlings from germination to picking:

That’s basically all the secrets of germinating tomato seeds for seedlings. Next, before planting the plants in the ground, there is still a lot of work to be done. This includes picking, fertilizing, plus adult seedlings need to be hardened off. But for these efforts, the culture will thank the gardener with delicious tomato fruits.

Feed seedlings with folk remedies

For feeding, you can use different options:

• Dilute bird droppings with warm water in a ratio of 1:2, leave for 24 hours . Dilute with ten parts of water and water the seedlings at the root once.
• Use coffee grounds . Just carefully spread it over the surface of the soil and lightly loosen it.
• Pour 20 g of onion peels into five liters of warm water . Leave for 4 days, water the seedlings as usual.
• Place the peels of 4 bananas in a three-liter jar and fill with warm water . After 4-5 days, throw away the peel and water the plants with the infusion.
• Grind the eggshells . Pour the powder with water at the rate of 1 liter per teaspoon. Stir and water at the root.

What to water with

To ensure that the stem is thick, the foliage is bright and wide, and the fruits are pleasing to the eye, you need to organize regular feeding. They are based on the use of drugs and folk remedies. Each is good in its own way, has its pros and cons. With the right product and dosage, you can not only strengthen the plant, but also provide it with all the necessary substances for full development and good fruiting.

What to feed tomato seedlings to make them grow faster? In this situation, unscheduled feeding can be carried out. Good folk remedies are suitable for this, which will be presented in table form.

As for drugs, the most effective for strengthening and full development are considered:

1. "Nitroammophoska". Used for foliar feeding, for application into the soil. Can be combined with mullein, sodium humate, potassium sulfate.
2. "Ideal". Used for foliar feeding. The basis of the composition is vermicompost.
3. “Krepysh” is a complex fertilizer recommended for use during the period from the first shoots to fruiting. Feeding is carried out every 14-16 days.
4. "Epin." Designed for foliar feeding. Used after the third true leaf appears on the seedlings.

When using synthetic products, be sure to adhere to the dosage indicated on the package. If you don't do this, it will lead to negative consequences.

Reviews from gardeners

Alla, Vladivostok

After I started using this fertilizer on my plot, my vegetable yield increased significantly. “Gumat” can be ordinary and “Gumat”+7, so when purchasing, pay attention, since “Gumat” is simply much better for vegetables.

Source: otzovik.com

Anastasia, Moscow

Inexpensive, you can use it dry, powdering the roots, or soak the plants for a day.

Source: leroymerlin.ru

Seed preparation

Choosing a tomato variety is an important and interesting matter. What matters is the location of the site (climatic conditions of the area) and the desired properties of vegetables that will please the table

Some focus on eating fresh fruits, others focus on prepared products

Seed selection comes down to the destruction of weak, small and damaged specimens.

Planting tomatoes

First, large, heavy and uniform light-colored seeds are selected in dry form. They are placed in a salt solution (1 large spoon per cup of water), after some time all that have floated are removed. After this, the seeds must be heated under natural conditions for a couple of days (a warm battery will do).

The next stage is disinfection in a solution of potassium permanganate or in heated hydrogen peroxide.

And the final stage before sowing is soaking in water at room temperature (pour the seeds into a gauze bag and lightly cover it with water in a glass container). The hatched seeds are ready for planting.

Protecting seedlings from fungal infections

If signs of fungal diseases appear in the crops, urgent action is necessary. Traditional methods - watering with potassium permanganate, sprinkling the surface of the soil with sand - are useless in this case. The use of microbiological preparations also does not give results. The seedlings are sensitive: even an hour or two of delay can cost the lives of most of them. It is better to dilute “Vitaros” (or “Maxim”) according to the instructions, pour it into a spray bottle and spray the plants and soil surface with a slight soaking of the soil, or gently pour the surface (“Maxim”). Only “Maxim” inhibits the development of seedlings.

Strong seedlings: how to achieve this?

The most effective way to prevent seedlings from stretching is to keep them at a temperature no higher than +15...+18 °C and in good lighting. But there are times when additional measures are required. Experts recommend using growth inhibitors; for the amateur garden, this is the drug “Athlet”.

However, according to the experience of colleagues, its use on seedlings of ornamental annuals (hybrid varieties of petunias) did not give a noticeable result. But when processing vegetable seedlings (sweet and bitter peppers), strong, stocky plants with wider leaves were obtained than those of the control specimens.

I do not know the results of using Atleta on perennial seedlings. As an additional means of strengthening the root system of plants, the drug “Ribav-Extra” has proven itself well.