March is the ideal month according to the lunar calendar to plant tomato seedlings. At this time, you no longer have to solve the problem of which variety to choose: an early one for the greenhouse or, conversely, one that will ripen longer but will bear tastier fruits.
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In March, you can plant any tomatoes, checking the recommendations of the lunar calendar and focusing on what weather is more typical for your region.
Today we will discuss the recommended timing of sowing seeds in order to grow tomato seedlings for each region of Russia where tomatoes are grown. Let's consider when to plant those tomatoes that were bred by breeders for further greenhouse cultivation, and when to plant those that are planned to be planted in soil unprotected by permanent shelter.
What varieties of tomatoes are planted as seedlings in March
As mentioned above, you can plant tomatoes in March 2022 for seedlings according to the lunar calendar, without particularly worrying about what variety of tomatoes to choose. The main thing is to focus on the climatic conditions of the growing region and the lunar calendar.
Before choosing the tomatoes that you will plant in March, let us once again remember the timing of fruit ripening:
- Early ones produce a harvest 80 - 100 days after germination;
- Mid-season – 100 – 110 days;
- Late – 115 – 120 days.
Early tomatoes are traditionally planted at the end of the month, as these varieties develop very quickly (relative to other tomatoes). Among specific varieties, we can mention Siberian early ripening, Sanka, Vzryv, Zemlyak, etc.
Mid-season tomatoes are usually planted in the middle of the month if greenhouse propagation is planned, and at the end of the month if there is no greenhouse, but there are 6 acres of vegetable garden.
Interestingly, March 2022 favors summer residents. The fact is that the lunar calendar has developed in such a way that the moon will grow mainly in the middle of the month. That is, on those days when it is best to plant any tomatoes.
But this does not mean that at other times in March it is prohibited to plant seeds in order to obtain seedlings. Late-season tomatoes, for example, can be planted as soon as March arrives before World Women's Day. The seedlings will vegetate longer, but will be suitable for replanting along with early tomatoes. Specific varieties include De Barao, Gnome, Golden Domes, Blizzard, etc.
Also in the first ten days you can plant greenhouse varieties of tomatoes: Blagovest F1, Raspberry Wine, Persimmon, Aphrodite, etc.
ON A NOTE. It has long been noticed that if you sow seeds for seedlings at the end of the month, tomatoes grow better. Therefore, if possible, delay the landing procedures as long as possible.
Favorable days for planting tomato seedlings in March 2022 according to the lunar calendar
In accordance with the recommendations of the lunar sowing calendar, seeds germinate faster if they are planted on a waxing moon, since germination processes are most active at this time.
In March 2022, this time will come in the middle of the month. The moon will wax from the 3rd to the 17th. Accordingly, it would be most correct to plant tomatoes in March 2022 for seedlings according to the lunar calendar on any of the days 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 29, 30, 31 are better suited than others to arm yourself with seeds , a bag of substrate and plant tomatoes.
According to the monthly lunar calendar, the moon wanes on March 1st and from the 19th to the 31st. It is worth saying a few words about planting these days. In general, of course, it is better not to plant on the waning moon, but sometimes it happens that this is the only time when there is a chance to start seedlings.
Well, in this case, plant the seeds, but first be sure to treat them in a liquid mixture of any growth-stimulating drug to speed up germination.
Containers and soil for tomato seedlings
You can plant tomatoes in any container, any suitable container. Peat pots work great. You can transplant or dive directly into them; the seedlings are not removed. Peat tablets are convenient for growing tomatoes. Before use, they must be soaked in warm water.
The soil can be used either from your own plot or ready-made from the store. Self-made material requires additional disinfection with a light pink manganese solution. You can plant immediately in store-bought soil without additional treatment.
To make a homemade mixture, mix soil from your home plot, peat (or a universal peat mixture for all types of plants), and river sand in equal proportions. The soil from the site is selected from a place where nightshades have not grown in the last year. River sand must be calcined in the oven for at least half an hour.
A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the seedling container; it is necessary to quickly remove water from the soil. Without it, the soil becomes compacted, the amount of air in it becomes less, and plants may die. You can use vermiculite, perlite, expanded clay, crushed stone, gravel, charcoal.
When is it not worth sowing tomatoes in March 2022?
Now we need to decide on which days it is better to rest and do other things, rather than engage in landing procedures.
The lunar calendar always says that sowing is not carried out on the full moon and new moon.
In the lunar calendar of March 2022, these are the 2nd and 18th.
Experienced summer residents recommend refraining from sowing not only on the new moon and full moon. The fact is that the moon moves evenly across the sky, so it is more correct to allocate several days for the new moon and full moon. In this case, additional “bad” days for sowing tomatoes will be March 1, 2, 3 and 18.
Planting tomatoes depending on regions
When exactly to plant tomatoes in March depends, among other things, on where the summer resident lives.
- Rostov region, Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, Astrakhan, Caucasus. Here you can sow almost any variety for seedlings (including those zoned for other regions, if you wish): both early-ripening and late-ripening. Both for greenhouses and open ground.
- In the central zone (Kursk, Orel, Bryansk, Tver, Ryazan, Kaluga, etc.) and the capital region, late tomatoes and varieties for the greenhouse are planted in early March. Towards the end of March, the time for mid-season varieties comes. It is better to leave early varieties and hybrids for April.
- Late varieties are planted in the Ural Mountains, Eastern and Western Siberia, as well as in the Far East and Volga region. If there is a greenhouse, then plant it in early March; if you plan to grow tomatoes in unprotected soil, then plant it in the second half of the month.
- Leningrad region. Tomatoes are planted here no earlier than mid-March. Of course, in especially warm years, planting can be done earlier, but the second ten days of March is a general guideline for this region.
ON A NOTE. We advise you to check the weather forecast first. If the warmth comes early, you can plant a week or a week and a half earlier than usual. If the cold weather lingers, then it is better not to rush into planting.
Let us remind you once again that it is necessary to plant tomatoes in March 2022 for seedlings according to the lunar calendar, correctly selecting zoned varieties and hybrids. That is, buy tomatoes intended for growing in a specific region. This will make caring for tomatoes much easier for you, and will also increase the possible yield.
No need to worry about taste. Modern varieties of even early-ripening tomatoes have excellent taste.
Regional features
Depending on the location of a particular region, favorable days for sowing seedlings also change. In the southern regions of our country - in Astrakhan, in the Krasnodar Territory - there is no need to grow tomato seedlings separately: the crop grows remarkably well in the local warm climate.
Moscow region
Taking into account the climatic conditions in the Moscow region, as a rule, tomatoes for seedlings begin to be planted in mid-March - this is the best time. These seedlings can be safely transferred to the ground under a film, but the deadline for tall varieties for the greenhouse is the last date of March. Early varieties are recommended for sowing seedlings in late March - early April, the same days are suitable for low-growing varieties for greenhouses. And for very large varieties of tomatoes, the best days for sowing will be in early March.
Ural
In the Urals, the climate makes its own adjustments, and taking into account the characteristics of this region, it is not advisable to sow this crop earlier than the first days of April. Favorable days for this will be April 6, 11, 12, as well as April 17 and 18. It is recommended to sow early varieties on February 14–16, and large-fruited varieties in the last ten days of February.
Siberia
The territory of Siberia is characterized by sharp temperature changes day and night, as well as a short summer. Therefore, in this region, tomato seedlings are grown mainly for planting in greenhouses, and are sown no earlier than in April (the days are the same as for the Urals regions). Only in greenhouses does this crop feel completely safe, both from temperature differences and from bad weather and precipitation. However, in warmer regions of Siberia, for example, in Altai or the southern territories of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khakassia, seedlings are planted directly into the ground.
When to plant tomatoes as seedlings for growing in a greenhouse
If you have a heated greenhouse or greenhouse, then you are in luck: you can safely plant tomatoes throughout March.
But it is important to correctly distribute the varieties: at the beginning of the month according to the lunar calendar, you can plant seeds of mid-season tomatoes. In the middle and end of the month, start planting early greenhouse hybrids.
If your greenhouse is heated, you can try to harvest two crops of early-ripening tomatoes. Having carried out the first planting of seedlings at the very beginning of spring. And the second - in the middle of summer.
Planting tomato seeds in March for planting in open ground
If you don’t have a greenhouse, and the maximum shelter you can offer tomatoes is film or spunbond, then it’s better to plant the seeds closer to the end of March. At this time there will be favorable days of the waxing moon.
At the same time, it is better not to plant late varieties and hybrids, since there is a high probability that they simply will not have time to ripen before the onset of autumn frosts.
ON A NOTE. Of course, this does not apply to residents of the southern regions of our country: Krasnodar Territory and Stavropol Territory, Rostov and Astrakhan regions.
How to care for tomato seedlings planted in March
After the sprouts hatch, the seedlings should be provided with the necessary growing conditions. Let us examine in a little more detail the basic parameters for growing tomato seedlings.
- The temperature should be about +25 degrees. This is the most comfortable value for tomato seedlings. At lower values, the growth of seedlings slows down, at higher values, the plants become uneasy: turgor decreases and tissue overheats.
- Watering is carried out exclusively with water at room temperature. If you draw water from the tap, let it sit for at least a day so that the hard microelements settle to the bottom.
- Humidity should be high. Due to the heating radiators, the room will be dry, so moisten the seedlings by spraying them.
- Feeding is carried out 2 weeks after picking. The second – two weeks later. Give preference to complex liquid mineral compositions and folk remedies. Use classic nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus fertilizers only if there is a deficiency of these microelements. Deficiency can be determined by the appearance of the plants.
- Lighting must be sufficient. This means that the ultraviolet light must illuminate your seedlings for at least 12 hours. For seedlings that you planted in early March, you will have to worry about lighting. For tomatoes sown in the second half of the month, you can get by with foil reflectors that will catch sunlight.
Preparation
Properly prepared seeds are an important key to success. Once a suitable date for sowing has been determined, preparations begin.
They should be purchased in advance, taking into account that the shelf life does not expire by the time of sowing. It is better to buy from trusted suppliers, since the future harvest primarily depends on their quality.
Sorting : Only intact and viable specimens are selected. They preliminarily check for germination and weed out empty ones. To do this, stir a spoonful of salt in a glass of water at room temperature, add seeds and leave for 30 minutes. All specimens that emerge at the end of this time are empty and are not suitable for sowing. At the end of the test, the good ones need to be washed to rid them of salt particles and dried.
Warming up : The preparation process often involves warming up. This is not necessary, but exposure to heat will help to get seedlings faster and avoid infection by pathogenic microorganisms.
To warm the seeds, they are laid out on a hard surface, which is previously covered with paper. Place on a heat source, such as a radiator. Approximate warm-up time (1-2 days).
You can warm them up in the oven. Place in the oven with the door open for about 1 hour at a temperature of no more than 60 degrees. When calcining, it is important not to overdo it and not overheat them.
Disinfection. To prevent contamination of seeds by possible viruses and fungi, disinfection should first be carried out. There are several common folk remedies for disinfection using: hydrogen peroxide, soda solution and potassium permanganate solution.
In our time, specialized drugs are considered the most effective. Disinfection is carried out first. In addition, before sowing, you need to calcinate or otherwise disinfect the soil.
Bubbling is one of the methods for preparing seeds. The procedure helps improve germination. Each grain contains a shell of essential oils. To speed up germination, they are treated with oxygen. Usually, to do this, they are placed in an aquarium, directing a stream of air using a compressor.
Activation. Next, they should be awakened, that is, activated. Properly awakened grains sprout several days earlier. There are several methods of awakening. The most popular: soaking in melt water or diluted aloe juice, aging on damp gauze. Awakening is useful for varieties that have a late ripening period.
Common mistakes
Summer residents often make mistakes:
- When selecting seed material. If early ripening varieties are sown at the beginning of the month, the seedlings will grow enough to be transplanted into a greenhouse or garden too early. As a result, the seedlings will outgrow. It would seem that there is nothing wrong with it, but, in fact, seedlings that are too tall are not very healthy. Most often they are thin and painful.
- When choosing soil. It is better to simply buy a ready-made disinfected substrate in the store than to prepare the soil yourself. The purchased soil is light, loose and nutritious with neutral acidity, which is ideal for the growth and development of tomatoes.
- When landing. Here we can mention too frequent sowing of seeds and excessive deepening. Plant seeds in increments of 2 cm and to a depth of 1 cm. These are the optimal values.
- When germinating seeds. In order for seedlings to appear faster, containers with crops should be kept in a warm and bright place. The colder it is, the longer you will have to wait for the sprouts.
- When picking. The sprouts should be picked at the stage of 3-4 true leaves into separate cups with drainage holes. The holes are needed to allow excess moisture to leave the container. Excess liquid leads to the onset of rotting processes.
- When watering. This is the most common mistake beginners make. For some reason, it is believed that in any unclear situation, seedlings must be watered. Although watering should be done very moderately and only when the soil under the seedlings dries out.
How to sow correctly
After selecting and preparing the seeds, the soil is pre-calcined for disinfection. If the soil was taken from the street, it must be processed. It is best to disinfect with a solution of potassium permanganate. Before sowing, the soil is allowed to stand for about 2 days.
Containers should be prepared in advance. These can be individual cups or boxes. By placing seeds in cups, you can avoid diving and immediately transfer the grown seedlings to the ground.
The process of sowing in cups involves the following actions:
- Holes are made in the bottom of plastic cups for drainage;
- Small pebbles, expanded clay or other drainage are poured onto the bottom;
- The container is filled with earth and watered abundantly;
- Holes up to 2 cm in size are made in the soil. 2-3 seeds are sown in each. The soil is sprayed with a spray bottle.
- Cover the cups with film and leave them warm.
When sowing in a container, it is filled with soil and watered. The seeds are placed in the ground at a distance of about 2 cm from each other so that several even rows are obtained. It is important not to place them too close. Thickening leads to a lack of food and nutrition, the plants weaken, which can cause diseases.
Using a special stick or pencil, each one is lightly buried in the ground by about 1 cm. The top is sprinkled with earth and no longer watered. The containers are covered with a lid or film and placed near the battery until shoots appear.
This takes up to 7 days. Afterwards, the container must be placed in a well-lit place and the temperature maintained at no higher than 18 degrees.
Answers to frequently asked questions
What are the advantages if you plant tomato seedlings in March, focusing on the lunar calendar?
Tomatoes planted in March will be ready for transplanting into the garden and greenhouse in May-June, which is the optimal time.
What difficulties might arise?
If spring is late and March turns out to be cold and snowy, then the seedlings will have to be additionally illuminated.
If you plant seeds in the second and third decades, then there will be no special need for lighting (at least in Central Russia).
Is it possible to plant late-ripening varieties for open ground in March?
In general, it is possible. But it is better to sow seeds for seedlings at the beginning of the month.
Do I need to germinate the seeds first?
Let's put it this way: this procedure will not harm the planting material, but it is quite possible to do without it.
Are peat tablets good for growing tomato seedlings?
Peat tablets have only one significant drawback - high cost. Otherwise, this is an ideal option. The seedlings do not need to be picked or fed, and they are planted in open ground directly with a peat tablet.
Growing region also matters
So, we know how old the seedlings should be before planting in the ground (40-80 days). Now, to accurately answer the question of when to sow tomatoes for seedlings, you need to decide on the timing of planting. And from them count back the conditional 40-80 days.
Weather conditions in different regions differ significantly. And if in the southern regions of Ukraine planting work is already underway in full swing at the beginning of May, then in Siberia there may still be snow at this time. But the age of tomato seedlings is still determined and should not be longer than the period established for the variety.
Important!
Tomatoes are heat-loving vegetables. You can plant seedlings in the ground only with the arrival of stable heat, when the air temperature does not drop below +15 °C during the week.
For the Moscow region and central Russia, the following seed sowing dates are optimal (for planting in the exhaust zone):
- late varieties - February 25 - March 5;
- mid-season varieties - March 5-15;
- early and ultra-early varieties - from March 20 to the first days of April.
In the Urals and Siberia , spring comes later, the soil does not warm up for a long time. Therefore, there is no need to rush with sowing:
- late varieties - March 5-15;
- mid-season - March 15-25;
- early and ultra-early - April 1-15;
In the southern regions of Russia (Kuban, Astrakhan region) and Ukraine, you can plant tomatoes as seedlings from mid-February:
- late varieties - February 15-25;
- mid-season - February 25 - March 5;
- early and ultra-early - March 10-25.
Belarus is geographically located in a temperate climatic region. Its characteristic features are mild winters, cold springs and humid summers. Tomato seedlings can be planted in the ground at the end of May, when stable warmth has established. Therefore, sowing seedlings is carried out according to the following schedule:
- late varieties - early March;
- mid-season - mid-March;
- early and ultra-early - early April.
