When to pick tomatoes in March 2022 according to the lunar calendar

March is the first month when summer residents, based on the recommendations of the lunar calendar, begin to pick tomatoes.
Dear readers! For you, we have created communities on social networks in which useful articles and interesting ideas are published several times a day! Subscribe and receive useful content in a convenient format!
For beginners, the procedure may seem complicated, although with proper skill it is very easy to handle.

In this article we will tell you how to pick tomatoes correctly, whether there are any nuances to the procedure, and how the lunar phases affect seedlings.

In what cases do tomatoes peak in March?

Tomatoes in Russia are grown exclusively in seedlings on private farms. It is most convenient to first sow in a common container, and then, when the tomato seedlings reach a certain age, plant them in separate containers.

REFERENCE. Of course, you can immediately sow several tomato seeds in a glass or peat tablet. But this method is quite expensive. Especially if there are not 20 seedlings, but 90-100.

So, picking tomatoes in March is carried out if the plants have produced a second true leaf. In this case, you cannot leave the seedlings in a common container.

The seedlings will begin to compete with each other for light and food.

The second reason for picking is that a container of the wrong size was initially chosen, and the tomato does not have enough space.

In addition, seedlings are picked when it is necessary to cull diseased seedlings.

And finally, emergency picking is carried out if the seedlings were accidentally flooded during irrigation.

How to pick tomatoes correctly

The main rule with the classic method of transplantation is not to damage the root system, because it is still quite fragile. If the young roots are broken, the tomatoes will die after replanting.

The least traumatic option is to do the so-called transshipment. In this case, the plant, along with the previous lump of earth, is carefully moved to a new container and the required amount of soil is added. This option is acceptable if the seedlings were originally grown in separate cups. Then the soil is not watered before diving: it is easier to remove the dried lump entirely from the container and transfer it to a new one.

Where to transplant? Before the procedure, you need to take care of purchasing containers and the availability of suitable soil. You can use the same mixture that is recommended for sowing tomato seeds.

It is prepared based on:

1 liter of soil from the garden;
1 liter of turf;
4 liters of peat;
a glass of compost or humus.

A ready-made mixture, which is sold in stores, is also useful. It is best to prepare the soil mixture before use, disinfect it by calcining it or watering it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

If the plants were sown in a common container, then in this case, diving includes the following step-by-step actions:

Preparing seedlings for transplanting. To do this, water the pots well several hours before the upcoming procedure. It is much easier to remove plants from wet soil without damaging the root system.
While the soil is saturated with moisture, prepare containers with new soil. For picking, the best option is disposable 500 ml plastic cups. You must make holes in the bottom of them. If peat cups are used for planting, then there is no need to make drainage holes in them. It is worth pouring a little drainage into the bottom of each glass; a fine fraction of expanded clay or perlite will do. The containers are filled with soil, depressions are made about 5 cm. The hole is well watered.
Transplant into prepared cups. The seedlings must be taken out of the container, carefully separate the specimens from one another, “unraveling” the roots. In this case, the central spine should be shortened by about a third. Then each plant is carefully transferred to a new container. Its stem must be placed at a depth to the first (cotyledon) leaves. The earth around the stem is gently pressed.

In any case, diving is a certain stress for the plant. After transplantation, it is necessary to provide the tomatoes with the correct conditions so that they can more easily endure this procedure.

Some gardeners even dump all the seedlings out of the container onto the table. And then they carefully disassemble the plants using a wooden skewer and transplant them into individual containers. You can dive using this method only if you have experience, otherwise it can be easily broken. An hour before such a procedure, the boxes are spilled generously with settled water.

Choosing the time to pick tomatoes in March 2022 according to the lunar calendar, depending on the variety

Now let's talk directly about when to pick tomatoes in March 2022 according to the lunar calendar.

Let us repeat once again the main criterion for picking tomatoes - picking is carried out at the stage of the appearance of the second true leaf (cotyledons do not count!).

Any variety of tomatoes dives into the rising moon.

Early varieties will have to be picked earlier, as they develop faster. For example, in March 2022, picking of early varieties can be carried out from March 3 to March 17.

Medium and late varieties, when planted simultaneously with early varieties, will have to be picked after March 20.

Favorable days in March 2022:

6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 29, 30, 31

Dive tomato transshipment

If the seeds were planted immediately in separate cups, then picking is needed to increase the volume of soil. This will improve nutrition and accelerate development. The action is carried out immediately after the roots appear on the surface of the earth. The soil will dry out quickly. Delaying transplantation can harm the sprouts.

Rules:

A day before the start of work, the seedlings need to be watered. On the day of work, larger containers and soil treated in industrial conditions are prepared.
To make it easier to remove tomatoes, you need to crush the sides of the cups. So the earth will move away from the edge.
Soil is poured into a new pot. Take into account that the seedlings must be buried to the level of the cotyledon leaf.
They pull out an earthen lump, which is entwined with roots. It is forbidden to destroy it during transplantation.
Using a shovel, add soil along the walls. Periodically you need to tap on the walls. This way the earth will be evenly scattered throughout the container.

Finally, watering is needed. For the first 2 days, the sprouts are shaded from the sun. This will prevent burns on immature leaves.

Tomato picking time depending on region

When choosing the time to pick tomatoes in March 2022 according to the lunar calendar, it is necessary to take into account the climatic characteristics of various regions of Russia.

Despite the fact that the condition and development of seedlings plays a decisive role, we must not forget that they will then grow in a certain climate.

Moscow region

In the Moscow region there is no need to rush into a pick.

According to the calendar, it is better to plan the procedure for the 15th of March. In 2022, a minority of them will occur during the waxing moon phase, which is very fortunate.

Leningrad region

In the North-West of Russia, tomatoes are picked in the last ten days of the month.

However, if you have a heated greenhouse, then you can dive in mid-March.

Central Black Earth Region

In March, those tomatoes that were planted for further cultivation in the greenhouse begin to peak. The procedure is carried out on March 21, 22, 29, 30, 31, 2022.

South of Russia

In the southern regions of the country, picking has been carried out since the second ten days of March. By this time, those tomatoes that were sown as seedlings in late February - early March are just approaching.

At the end of the month, tomatoes intended for growing in open ground begin to peak.

Volga region

For the Volga region, the time to pick the first tomatoes comes on the 15th of March.

Ural

In the Urals in March, the time for picking may not yet come. Tomatoes are planted quite late here. However, when planting for greenhouses, tomatoes can be harvested at the end of the month.

Siberia

In the coldest Russian region, picking tomatoes in March 2022 according to the lunar calendar is possible only with further planting in protected ground.

That is, successful dates will be March 21, 22, 29, 30, 31.

But in general, it is better to plan sowing of tomatoes in Siberia in such a way that picking is carried out at least in the second ten days of April.

Far East

Far Eastern summer residents should also not rush to pick tomatoes. In March, the time for the procedure may not come until the last days of the month.

Possible mistakes when feeding tomatoes

Novice gardeners often make mistakes when picking tomatoes. What are they:

carrying out the procedure at the wrong time. This leads to slow growth, weakened immunity and a shorter growing season. Gardeners advise following the rules of the lunar calendar and picking tomatoes on the most favorable days for this procedure;
too harsh actions during the transplantation process, which lead to damage to the root system. If the gardener acts harshly and presses the seedlings hard, their roots may be damaged. This leads to infection, the formation of putrefactive areas, and weakened immunity. You can avoid the problem if you act with extreme caution.
excess fertilizer. Any vegetable crop needs feeding and nutrition, but an excess of vitamins and minerals often leads to weakening roots, dry leaves, and slow growth. Fertilizing should be done in moderation.

How do the phases of the moon and the sign affect the picking of tomatoes?

For those who have been involved in vegetable growing for a long time, it is no secret that the moon and lunar phases have a direct impact on plants.

By the way, this is precisely why a lunar calendar is drawn up, in order to know exactly when to carry out certain manipulations with plants.

The full moon and new moon have a negative effect on plants. During these lunar phases, everything freezes. Therefore, there is no need to disturb the plants.

The waxing moon is optimal for picking. At this time, sap flow passes from the roots to the top. That is, microelements are evenly distributed throughout the plant.

The waning moon is optimal for working with root crops. For example, onions, carrots, beets. But for tomatoes at this time it is better not to pick.

Zodiac signs are also important for picking.

When the lunar path passes through the signs of Virgo, Pisces, Aries and Gemini, then you should not pick tomatoes.

But Taurus and Scorpio have a positive effect on tomatoes after the procedure.

Work options

Picking seedlings can be done in various ways. In addition to the classical method, farmers also use unusual ones. All of them are known and effective.

Diving into the ground on the site

For the procedure to be successful, it is important to adhere to the algorithm. This rule applies to all stages of growth and development of culture. So, it is necessary:

Prepare beds with a width of at least 0.6 m.
The distance between sprouts should be 50-60 cm.
The depth of the hole can vary between 25-35 cm.
Before planting tomatoes in a permanent bed, the soil must be well watered. In order to disinfect the soil, it is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
For additional heating of the area, you can lay manure along the beds and sprinkle sand on top. In this case, there is no need to feed the first 4 weeks.

As soon as the beds are prepared, picking can begin. If everything is done correctly, the crop will begin to bear fruit in a timely manner and produce a good harvest.

Diving into the greenhouse

In areas with a warm climate, you can plant tomatoes for a permanent “place of residence” under shelter: a greenhouse or greenhouse.

Attention! The soil at a depth of 25 cm should be heated to at least 15℃.

The sprouts are ready for replanting if they already have 6 true leaves. Such tomatoes will quickly adapt to new conditions and temperature conditions.

The procedure is carried out as follows:

make beds 60 cm wide and 25 cm deep;
leave a distance of at least 50 cm between plants;
water the soil and you can replant.

In such regions, you can plant the vegetable directly in open ground. But in this case you will need to monitor the weather forecasts. If frost occurs, the plants will need to be covered.

Snail dive

This method will be appreciated by those who have little space for seedlings because it is compact. The snail method will allow you to prepare the seedlings for transplanting to a permanent bed, and the soil mixture in the container will warm up well.

The meaning of this method is as follows:

Prepare a long piece of fabric on which to place the nutrient soil. Sowing will be carried out in it.
Then cover the seeds with the same piece of cloth and roll them into a spiral. It should look like a snail.
Place the workpiece in a suitable container and grow it in the usual way.

Attention! When choosing a snail, you need to be prepared for the fact that the seedlings will be weaker than those grown using the standard method. But he quickly adapts to new conditions.

During the growth of tomatoes, intertwining of roots is excluded. In addition, it will be possible to constantly monitor the condition of the seedlings and remove weak ones in a timely manner.

Other options

In addition to the already known methods of planting tomatoes, there are also little-known ones. But their effectiveness is no worse, so gardeners also resort to them.

Picking seedlings in diapers

The picking of diaper seedlings occurs differently, because the soil near the crop is contained in a polyethylene film. Before the procedure, you need to prepare polyethylene pieces of 20x30 cm. Pour 1-1.5 tbsp onto the edge of the film. soil mixtures. Seedlings that have been removed from the container must be pinched at the end of the root system and placed in the ground, and then the film must be folded in the same way as a diaper is wrapped.

You need to secure the bags with rubber bands for money and place them tightly next to each other. The prepared diapers should be placed on a tray and watered with warm water with the addition of fertilizer. Fertilizers are necessary because there are not enough nutritional components for the full development of seedlings.

Picking in cellophane

You can plant the crop in plastic bags. To do this, you should prepare unusual containers and soil in advance. Procedure algorithm:

Fill the bag 3-5 cm with soil;
remove the seedlings from the container;
pinch the roots and place them 1/4 full in a new “container”;
dig the sprouts down to the first true leaves;
pour over warm liquid.

Attention! Do not touch the stems with your hands while working, because there is a high probability of damaging them.

Place bags of tomatoes in hard containers - this will make it easier to transport the crop. When the time comes for planting, you need to tear it apart or remove it from the earthen clod.

From peat tablets

Planting of sprouts that were sown in peat tablets must be done earlier, because the nutrients in such containers are not enough for the normal development of an adult plant. When the seedlings have 3-4 true leaves, they should be transplanted into small plastic cups. In this case, the soil must be added to the bottom of the new container and on top of the tablet. You need to make a hole at the bottom for drainage.

A crop growing in this way will need another pick into a larger container before being planted in open ground. Caring for such tomatoes involves fertilizing and diffused lighting.

Boxes or cups: how to grow tomato seedlings The quality of tomato seedlings depends on the container in which they are grown: in a special box or cup. The 2 planting options presented have their advantages and disadvantages for obtaining…

Double-root picking

One of the little-known methods of picking tomatoes is double-root dissection. Thanks to it you can get a rich harvest. For the procedure, you will need to plant two seedlings in one container so that the distance between them is 5-6 cm. When adaptation to the soil takes place, grafting will be needed. It should be done like this:

on the sprouts from the common side, using a blade, cut off 2-3 cm of the skin along the stem;
pull the resulting segments tightly and rewind with plastic tape;
About 7 days before transplanting into open ground, pinch the weak side of the doubled sprout at a distance of 3-5 cm from the grafting site.

Such seedlings should be planted so that they are buried in the ground to the level of the joint. The graft should not be sprinkled with soil, so as not to infect the area. The advantages of this method are the rapid development of tomatoes and resistance to diseases and parasites.

How to care for tomato seedlings in March after picking

After picking, tomatoes need to be provided with appropriate care. Below is more information about what to do with picked tomato seedlings.

Let’s immediately make a reservation that it is better not to touch the seedlings after picking for a while. Replanting is stressful for tomatoes. The plants will be over-stressed.

It will take two weeks just for rooting.

Watering

The first irrigation is carried out on the second or third day. The water should be warm and settled.

A couple of hours after watering, loosening is carried out. This agrotechnical measure will provide air access to the root system.

Top dressing

Summer residents often feed seedlings immediately after picking. The logic of such an act is understandable, but it is completely wrong.

The first feeding is carried out 2 weeks after the dive. Liquid humic fertilizers are used.

The second feeding is done after another 2 weeks. The drugs are the same.

ON A NOTE. You can use a yeast solution as a folk remedy. To do this, dissolve 15 grams of live yeast in a liter of warm water.

What about mineral fertilizers? Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium?

They should be added to the diet only if the seedlings are sick and there is a pronounced deficiency of any element.

Life hack: if you need to urgently feed tomatoes in the first days after picking, spray them with a solution of a regulator or growth stimulator.

Temperature and lighting

Comfortable temperature for tomato seedlings after picking is +20+23 degrees. If the temperature is too low, growth will slow down and diseases will develop.

Elevated temperatures make seedlings lethargic and turgor disappears.

Lighting should be 10-12 hours. The light is better diffused so that direct rays do not burn the leaves.

Sowing tomato seeds for seedlings

Seeds are sown dry or the seeds are soaked before planting. Sowing in boxes or cassettes with drainage to avoid blackleg infection. Inspect and discard before sowing. Types of soil: a mixture of turf and humus; seeding substrate, peat sand; coconut substrate; peat tablets.

Algorithm for the classic procedure on how to sow tomatoes for gardening at home:

for sowing, we use a small garden box and pour pre-prepared soil into it with a layer of 6 cm;
we make the surface of the soil smooth and compact it a little;
Using a ruler or knife, we make seeding furrows 1.5 cm deep and maintaining a distance of 5 cm between them;
place the seeds in the grooves at intervals of 2.5 - 3 cm;
sprinkle the crops with soil;
if there is snow, put a small layer on top, and if there is no snow, water the boxes with crops, avoiding soil erosion;
cover the box with film and move it to a warm room with a temperature from +24 to +28 degrees;
shoots will appear on the 5th or 6th day, before this the crops do not need lighting;
to avoid pulling out the shoots, you need to sharply reduce the air temperature: during the day to +17, and at night to +15 degrees;
After a week, we begin to gradually increase the air temperature, bringing it to the following parameters: at night – 16, and during the day – 20 degrees Celsius.

Do I need to pinch the roots of tomatoes?

There are supporters and opponents of this method. Some people do this on purpose by pinching the tip of the spine. Although, when the seedling is removed from the ground, large roots still come off.

On the other hand, a tomato seedling has a long tap root. If you pinch it, a branched root system develops. And that doesn't seem to be a bad thing. But the root system of tomatoes is superficial. In dry summers, the soil is dry, and the plant will not receive the moisture it needs. And the taproot penetrates deep into the soil, where there is moisture.

What is picking?

Picked tomatoes
Picking is the process of gradually planting plants in separate containers.

Since when planted with seeds, seedlings can grow quite crowded, then with the help of diving you can reduce competition among seedlings and, as a result, direct all the forces of each individual bush into growth.

It is clear that in this way it is possible to prepare the seedlings for planting in a permanent place faster, as well as to achieve earlier fruiting.

Proper care after a dive

Replanting is stressful for any plant, and proper care will help it adapt faster.

Rules of care:

provide diffused lighting for the first 1.5–2 weeks;
maintain daytime temperature within 18–20 °C, night temperature – 15–18 °C;
water with settled water at room temperature;
moisten the soil based on its condition - it should be moist, but not wet;
avoid drafts;
cover from direct sun;
Feed for the first time with a solution of urea or superphosphate two weeks after picking, repeat every two weeks (after feeding, water with clean water);
loosen the soil in cups to improve the oxygen supply;
Avoid contact with indoor plants to protect against infections and pests.

How do tomatoes behave after the procedure? What to look for?

Usually, seedlings are slightly overbearing even for experienced summer residents. Accordingly, seedlings need time to recover from the stress associated with transplantation. But, if you did everything correctly, then after a few days the tomatoes return to normal and continue to grow.

If you made any mistakes, the seedlings will react to them accordingly. Let's look at the most common problems associated with the consequences of picking tomatoes.

What to do if the tomatoes are stretched?

One of the working methods to remove excessive upward growth of tomatoes is to deepen the sprouts almost to the cotyledon leaves . Don't be afraid of this process. On the contrary, tomatoes can easily take root from the stem. If you help the seedlings to form a well-developed lateral root system, then there is no doubt about the future rich harvest and the cultivation of tomato bushes firmly planted in the ground.

Tomato seedlings stretch out

The tomatoes have withered

Tomatoes can wilt if they don't get enough moisture. In this case, it’s worth watering them just a little, although this is not recommended for the first few days after picking.

The seedlings have fallen

Sometimes tomato seedlings fall over immediately after transplantation. You should be careful here, because there can be a lot of reasons.

For example, if only a few bushes fell, then most likely they were simply too weak and not ready for replanting. When the problem is widespread, the reasons lie in insufficient care. It is worth making sure that there is sufficient lighting (but not direct sunlight), and checking that the new soil is not too wet.

The seedlings "fell"

Finally, poorly calcined soil can cause diseases - for example, blackleg. In this case, it will be almost impossible to save such young tomatoes.

The seedlings stopped growing

It happens that newly transplanted seedlings immediately lose growth. Perhaps tomatoes in this case experience stress too painfully. As a recommendation, you can add Kornevin to the soil. This product helps tomatoes recover and continue their natural growth.

Transplanting tomatoes using different growing methods

If the crop is grown in snails, then picking is carried out when a pair of true leaves appears. When cultivating tomatoes in diapers, transplanting sprouts is carried out in the same time frame as with the usual method. When growing seedlings using the “Chinese” or “Japanese” method, the procedure is carried out 30 days after the sprouts appear.

How to choose a container?

Tomatoes are almost always sown in one large container, and as they sprout, they are planted in separate pots. Today the following dishes are the most popular:

the most convenient are peat pots;
The easiest way is to use plastic cups;
or you can give preference to cassette pallets.

Picking tomatoes into cassette trays
In all cases, the volume of the container must be at least 0.2 liters. at the very first transplant, and then - at least 0.5 liters. But it is also important to ensure that there are holes at the bottom for drainage. If there are none, then you should definitely do them - with a nail, an awl or any convenient sharp object.

INTERESTING MOMENT. In peat pots (they have been on sale everywhere for a long time, especially during the summer season and before it begins), there is no need to do drainage. Peat breathes well and allows moisture to pass through.