When to pick tomatoes after germination and how to replant them correctly: timing, step-by-step instructions. How to properly pick tomatoes for seedlings in a diaper, cups, milk, juice, cell bags

Picking seedlings is the procedure of transplanting young plants from containers when they reach a certain age. Tomatoes are planted in the ground in prepared beds or in larger containers. Whether the plants will take root in the new conditions and how large the harvest will be depends on the correctness of this task.

When to pick tomatoes after germination, at what stage of growth, in which leaf phase: timing

If you are planning to pick tomatoes for the first time, then you should do it when the seedlings already have the first 2 well-developed leaves. As a rule, they appear 10 days after the seeds germinate. Professional gardeners advise using the lunar calendar, which will tell you when to do picking and other garden work.

Picking tomatoes

There are certain conditions during which you should definitely start picking tomatoes:

If you want the seedlings to have strong roots, do the picking earlier. Then, after it is carried out, a wide network of lateral root system is formed.
If you planted tomato seeds in one box, then transplant the seedlings into separate cups. After this, the plants will develop healthy and adapt better when transplanted into the ground. If you leave the seedlings without replanting, then they will be weak and the root system will become intertwined. In the future, it will be difficult for you to plant it, and even damage to the roots is possible.
If the seedlings grow densely and form unevenly, sort them in the early stages of development, leaving viable tomatoes.
Picking is needed if the soil you use contains pathogens. Picking will become like a “surgical operation”, thanks to which you will remove the infected seedlings and transplant healthy ones into new soil. Thanks to this event, you will be able to save some of the plants and stop diseases in the initial stages.
If your seedlings look good, but it is too early to plant them in open ground, then picking will stop the development of the seedlings. Please note that overgrown tomato plants do not tolerate transplantation well.

Picking tomato seedlings according to the lunar calendar

The lunar calendar is very popular among amateur gardeners. Agronomists and representatives of large agricultural enterprises claim that if they had waited for favorable days to plant a particular crop, they would have been left without a harvest.

If a gardener wants to complicate his life and use the lunar calendar, that is his right. You just need to combine the sowing dates and when to pick the tomatoes.

It is believed that on the waning moon, any actions with crops that produce fruits in the aboveground part of the plant will lead to crop failure. This is the time for root vegetables - onions, potatoes, beets, carrots.

The waxing moon is favorable for picking tomatoes:

seeds are sown at the beginning of the second phase, and dry ones 2-3 days earlier, so that by the time the embryo is activated they have time to swell;
seedlings are transplanted at the beginning of the first phase.

How to combine numbers is the concern of gardeners. After all, in order to grow high-quality seedlings, 14, or even 10 days must pass between sowing and picking. And the favorable time will come only after 21.

What size glasses should you use to pick tomatoes?

An important condition for seedlings to feel comfortable is a spacious container. For tomatoes, take cups with a diameter of at least 10 cm. Thanks to them, you will create ideal conditions for the plants to develop; the roots will not suffer, but will begin to develop more actively.

Which cups to choose? You can take paper or cardboard. Such cups are good because they do not require re-planting into the ground, since they will rot in the ground over time, therefore, you can replant the seedlings with them.

Peat containers are also considered ideal. You can put tomatoes into plastic containers. Before transplanting, simply cut the cups, free the seedlings and plant them in a place prepared in advance. Instead of cups, use ordinary plastic bottles. Trim them by about 15 cm to make a volume of 200 ml.

Glasses for pickled tomatoes

Experts recommend adhering to the following rules:

Do not deepen the seedlings beyond the growing point, otherwise they will grow slowly.
Before planting in cups, disinfect the roots using potassium permanganate. Small seedlings are considered quite weak, therefore, they will not cope with bacteria. Don't miss this manipulation.

After 2 weeks, replant the seedlings. Take a larger container, with a volume of at least 500 ml.

Suitable container for picking

The container must be prepared before picking the tomatoes. Many gardeners fill cups or other containers with substrate long before sowing the seeds.

There are two main ways to grow pickled seedlings:

in individual containers;
planting in boxes.

The first method should be preferred if there is enough space. This way the seedlings will stretch out less, they can be arranged and placed as you wish. Care becomes easier; when transplanted into the ground, the roots are not additionally injured, they quickly take root, and the growth of green mass and flowering begins.

The second method of picking is also good, but you can’t plant 5 tomatoes in a box; they will definitely start to stretch. When moving to a permanent place, injury to the roots cannot be avoided. They will recover quickly, but fruiting will take several days. But the method allows you to save space on the windowsill.

The following can be used as containers for picking up seedlings:

boxes;
pallets with large capacity cells;
plastic cups;
small pots;
pieces of newspaper rolled up like a diaper;
polyethylene sleeve cut into pieces.

Any small containers will do. All dishes should have drainage holes at the bottom. In plastic cups they can be easily done with a soldering iron or a hot nail.

When planting tomatoes in separate pots, their capacity is of great importance:

in small ones, the root quickly fills the entire volume, and the growth of green mass begins;
Large ones are taken if the seedlings are sown early, and, on the contrary, the development of the above-ground part should be slowed down.

Used containers must be thoroughly washed using disinfectants; for new ones, baking soda and hot water are sufficient.

Then they are filled with substrate, not reaching the edge 0.5-1 cm, placed on pallets for convenience, and moistened.

If the seedlings are overgrown, you can take larger containers. They are filled half or 1/3 with soil mixture. Picking of elongated tomatoes is carried out differently from normally developed ones.

What kind of soil is needed for picking tomatoes, at what temperature?

Before picking tomatoes, prepare the soil in advance. Prepare the soil for replanting 7-10 days in advance. Make sure the soil is at room temperature.

If you prefer ready-made soil that you purchased in the store, then do not add anything to it. As a rule, the finished soil is perfectly balanced and contains all the nutritional components.

Correct temperature

Prepare the garden soil in advance. First, warm it up to room temperature for about 10 days. Add compost to the soil in the following proportion: 2:1. Mix the soil well. Leave for 2 days.

Take soil for transplanting seedlings that is fertile and has neutral acidity. Increased acidity of the soil causes the development of seedlings to stop after picking. To avoid this, add some ash to the soil.

Do I need to pinch the roots when picking tomatoes?

The roots of tomatoes are pinched during picking to obtain more powerful roots. This practice has become firmly established in the life of every gardener. If you decide to pinch the central root of a tomato, keep in mind that once it is cut, it will stimulate the growth of the superficial root system. In this case, you will have to water the tomatoes more often and add additional fertilizer.

When picking tomatoes, you need to pinch the root as well.

During picking, pinch the central root by about 1/3 of the part. After this, the growth of the plants will slow down a little, and therefore they will stop stretching and outgrowing.

How to properly plant tomatoes for seedlings in a diaper: step-by-step instructions

Picking tomatoes planted using this method is very easy, so you can handle the job without any problems. In addition, seedlings after such picking will never get sick. The procedure is performed as follows:

Prepare all the necessary tools, including film (you can replace it with other similar material).
Cut out rectangles from the film. They should look like a piece of notebook paper.
Place soil (1 tbsp) in the left corner at the top of the diaper.
Place the plant on top of the soil. The leaves should be above the diaper.
Add soil again (1 tbsp). Take the soil slightly moist.
To prevent the film from unfolding, secure it using an elastic band.

How to properly plant tomatoes for seedlings in cellophane: step-by-step instructions

Tomato seedlings can also be transplanted into regular cellophane. You can use the previous method, but you should take into account the characteristics of the roots. If you damage the root system during picking, their restoration will be carried out very quickly. The roots will form powerful and branched. Therefore, you can replant the seedlings several more times in the future. You will not harm the plants.

Tomatoes in cellophane

When picking, do not pick up weak stems with your hands. Take the plants by the first couple of leaves. Many gardeners and gardeners pinch out the central root. Do not use this method if you are going to plant tomatoes in a dry place where you plan to water infrequently. The central root absorbs water more actively than the lateral roots.

For transplanted plants in a bag, when a full 7 leaves appear, unwind the rolls, add a couple of spoons of fertilized soil to the root system, and wrap again.

Why are tomatoes transplanted?

Picking when growing tomatoes using seedlings is not necessary. You can also sow seeds in large cups, where the seedlings are kept until planting. Most often, sowing is done in trays or cassettes: on the one hand, this saves space on a room window sill, balcony or in a small greenhouse, on the other hand, it creates the most favorable conditions for obtaining strong seedlings.

Growing seedlings with plants that are too closely spaced tends to delay the start of the first harvest, resulting in a partial loss of the benefits of the seedling method.

Benefits of transplanting tomatoes:

the breakage of small lateral roots stimulates the growth of the root system of the seedling;
a gradual increase in the area of plant nutrition helps to increase productivity;
Sick and damaged plants are removed;
costs at the initial stage of growing tomatoes are minimized.

There are also disadvantages: illiterate or untimely picking leads to long-term adaptation of transplanted plants, and therefore to a delay in fruiting.

Growing seedlings in large containers also has disadvantages. The soil, not developed by the roots of the plant, turns sour. Neutral soils are the most suitable for tomatoes; acidic ones contribute to a decrease in immunity.

In vegetable growing there is such a thing as the coefficient of area expansion during picking. This is a number showing how many times more area the plants will occupy after picking compared to the area they occupied before. For example, for cabbage this coefficient is 5-7, and for tomato, pepper and eggplant - 8-10.

When to pick tomatoes planted in a snail?

Be sure to keep an eye on the period during which your tomatoes will grow and sprout in the snail. As soon as you notice the first sprouts, place the seedlings on the windowsill and remove the bag. This is necessary to ensure that your tomatoes grow evenly in the future.

Plant tomatoes in a snail around the end of winter if you want an early harvest. If you want to plant tomatoes for planting in open ground, then plant the plants in the second week of March. Sow seeds at different times.

Landing in a snail

Plant tomatoes sprouted in a snail after the same period of time as during normal planting. To ensure that your seedlings do not lack soil, compensate for this with regular fertilizing. Add fertilizer 2 times a week using humic acids.

What types of procedures are there?

Today you can hear about a large number of effective methods for picking tomatoes. Let's look at the most popular of them.

Traditional method

There is nothing simpler than the classic and familiar method of picking. Using a fork or any other convenient gardening tool, the sprout is carefully lifted, inspected, and then placed in a previously prepared hole in a new location.

Using film

Picking in a film
One of the rare methods, due to its relative complexity, is picking using the diaper method. For it they take a piece of fabric, paper, and sometimes a plastic bag. The ideal dimensions are a rectangle of 10x15 cm.

The sprouts are carefully removed with a lump of earth. A tablespoon of nutrient solution is poured onto the diaper, then a bush is placed and a tablespoon of soil is poured on top. Then the root is wrapped from the bottom corner, and the diaper is secured at the stem with an elastic band or thread.

As may have already become clear, the method received its name because of its similarity to swaddling a baby.

Method - snail

The snail method is the most compact method of seed propagation. It is used by those who do not have a lot of space, for example, on a windowsill. It is also believed that the snail method is the best way to warm up the soil in a container, as well as immediately prepare the sprouts for planting in open areas.

The essence of the method comes down to laying out a thin layer of soil in which the seeds are planted. Then all the shoots are covered on top with the remaining part of the matter and twisted into a spiral (reminiscent of a snail).

Picking using the “Snail” method

All seedlings are placed in a container and then grown in a completely standard manner. Only its roots do not intertwine, and excess tomatoes can be removed, leaving only the strongest ones at a certain distance from each other.

Transshipment

In general, picking is often also called transshipment. Essentially, this method means transplanting the tomato sprout into a new container completely with a lump of old soil.

Some gardeners willingly practice transshipment because they are confident that this method causes minimal stress to the plants.

Two roots

A very difficult pick - transplanting onto two roots. With this method, two sprouts are taken and planted in one pot very close to each other (2 cm). When the seedlings take root and grow in new conditions, the stems are gradually brought closer to each other. A little later, a small section of the skin is removed from each of the stems and an oblique cut is made upward on one, and downward on the other. Almost immediately, one of the bushes is cut, and the oblique part of it is inserted into the cut of another bush and wrapped with cloth, bandage or paper. It turns out a tomato with two root systems.

Picking 2 roots

It is believed that this way you can create a particularly strong and prolific garden crop.

Without land

Another method of growing is called “without land” or “Moscow method”. It is used when there is not enough space for the traditional growing method and is very similar to the “diaper” method.

Only in this case, gauze or cloth that is well moisturized is used. The seeds are laid out in it without soil and then covered with the second part of the material.

In this way, it is possible to germinate the seeds, but it is not always possible to form strong seedlings ready for planting in open ground.

Picking without land

No real leaves

Picking without true leaves is replanting tomatoes with only cotyledon leaves. Of course, this is not recommended. It is desirable that at least one true leaf is formed.

Many gardeners are in too much of a hurry for fear that the tomatoes will become too elongated. That's why they resort to early transplantation. Others rightly note that picking tomatoes cannot be done perfectly: all plants are formed differently, which means it is simply impossible to achieve the same conditions for each sprout. In any case, some will be planted not fully formed. And sometimes - completely without real leaves.

Is it possible to plant tomatoes directly into a greenhouse?

Dive the seedlings into the greenhouse if the soil has already warmed up well and the threat of frost has passed.

The ground temperature at a depth of 20 cm should be +14°C. Choose plants that already have 6-7 true leaves and a strong root system. At this age, plants begin to quickly get used to the place and different temperatures.
If you live in the southern regions, then plant the tomatoes in a well-prepared bed by mixing sand, peat, and soil. Make the height of the bed no more than 20 cm. Monitor the temperature. If it is cool, be sure to provide heating in the greenhouse.
Use manure for such purposes. Place it around the perimeter of the trench, sprinkle with sand and regular soil. Due to the rotting that occurs, heat will be generated.

How to pick thin tomato seedlings if they are stretched out: tips

Are your tomato seedlings stretched out? There are many reasons for this phenomenon. But you can easily fix the situation.

The main reasons why seedlings stretch are:

Lighting. All living organisms on earth try to reach for sunlight. If you don't provide enough light, your seedlings will continue to actively grow.
Are your plants densely planted? That's why they block each other's light. Remember the main rule - fewer plants are better. Plant fewer tomatoes, but in the end you will get strong and strong bushes.
Overprotectiveness. Excessive attention also affects plants, sometimes causing harm. Sometimes, due to frequent watering and fertilizing, plants begin to actively grow, and therefore stretch out. Water the tomatoes when the soil becomes dry.
Incorrect temperature. Try lowering the temperature in the room where your tomatoes are growing. So that it has the proper appearance and the desired phase of development before picking.

Picking thin seedlings
Correct the problem as follows:

Plant the plants in extended boxes. Make even grooves in the soil; the holes should not be very deep. Carefully separate the seedling from other seedlings and transplant into a container with soil. Do this with other plants. Plant the seedlings almost lying down, but the top of the plants should be vertical. Water the holes before picking, place the bushes in them, sprinkle the root system, while lifting the top of the seedlings. Leave the top of the plants with leaves at the top. Then press down the soil and water the tomatoes.
Pinch off the tops and place in a container of water. Leave 6 leaves on each bush. After 1.5 weeks you will notice roots on the sprouts. When their length is 2 cm, plant the plants in the ground.
If your seedlings have stretched out long before picking, add soil to the container. Using soil, increase the required “height” so that the plant stems are covered.

Optimal time for transplantation

If you do not plant tomatoes on time, then due to poor root development they will wither, become very elongated, and may even die. In addition, older plants tolerate transplantation much worse.

In most cases, the time for diving is April, but the exact timing depends on the period of sowing the seeds and the climate zone. Days may vary. It is best to focus on the size of the seedlings themselves.

The most favorable period for replanting sprouts is the age when the first 2 true leaves form on them. They should not be confused with cotyledon leaves - these are the very first two leaves (pair) that appear above the ground. The real ones appear after them. This time comes approximately 7 or 10 days after the seeds have sprouted, sometimes 2 weeks after germination. It is at this stage that the tomatoes begin to dive.

How to use "Kornevin" when picking tomatoes?

"Kornevin" is a well-known stimulant that allows roots to grow more actively. This drug is not a fertilizer. "Kornevin" is a hormonal drug that contains biologically active components. The main active component of Kornevin is indolylbutyric acid. When acid penetrates the soil, it becomes heteroauxin, stimulating seedlings to actively grow roots.

During picking, tomatoes experience stress, as a result of which the plants themselves begin to form hormones. The main thing you should remember at this stage is to carry out the picking itself correctly.

Stimulant when picking

Do not use “Kornevin” for feeding and more active development of tender seedlings. When picking, treat only adult plants or cuttings with the drug. “Kornevin” may have a detrimental effect on more delicate plants.

When picking, use:

Dry matter. Mix “Kornevin” with ash (10:1). Treat the planting site and roots of the seedlings with the mixture.
"Kornevin", diluted in water. Add the drug (1 g) to water (10 l). Water the seedlings with this mixture.

How to plant tomatoes so as not to dive?

Do you want to grow tomatoes without picking? Then take separate containers for planting for each plant, filling 1/3 of them with soil.
Make drainage holes in the cups, place them on the windowsill, and place pallets under the containers.
Take loose, fertile soil for tomatoes. Prepare the soil yourself or buy it at the store. Before you sow the seeds, neutralize the soil from pests (calcine it in the oven).
Plant the seeds in moist soil. You can soak them in advance, then they will begin to sprout more actively.
Plant the seeds not very deep. The optimal depth is 1 cm.
When you plant the seeds, moisten the soil a little.
To make the seeds germinate faster, place the containers in a warm room. The ambient temperature should be +22°C.

Caring for tomatoes after transplanting

Transplanting is a real stress for tomatoes. Therefore, you need to wait until they take root, and only then carry out other measures aimed at abundant fruiting.

After a few days, the plants may need support to level themselves. You can take sticks as it, and use a thin rope or fabric for a garter. It is convenient to start hilling when the plants have new shoots. Previously, it is not recommended because the root can be damaged.

Fertilizer for tomatoes is also very important:

The first feeding should be carried out after 15-20 days. A composition of 20 g of potassium sulphide and 25 g of phosphorus fertilizer is ideal. In the case of very poor soil, ammonium nitrate is also included in the fertilizing.
The next fertilizer must be applied after the fruits begin to ripen. Per square meter of planted plants, 25 g of potassium sulfide and 20 g of ammonium nitrate should be added.

Tomatoes need regular but moderate watering. The water should be slightly warm. Irrigation measures should include loosening the soil so that oxygen reaches the roots of plants. As described above, you can leave plastic bottles with the bottom cut off and fill them with water. It will go directly to the root of the plant.

Is it necessary to pick tomatoes? What happens if you don’t pick them?

Many gardeners speak poorly of picking. They claim that because of it, the seedlings experience severe stress. But that's not true. Through this process you:

Provide your tomatoes with comfortable conditions for normal development
Sorting out strong seedlings and discarding sick ones

But you decide whether to use picking or not, taking into account the method of growing seedlings. You can initially plant tomatoes in separate cups or peat tablets. Therefore, you will not have to replant them in the future.

Why do seedlings fall after picking?

Tomato seedlings are very sensitive to growing conditions; they require a certain temperature, lighting, and watering. Therefore, if the seedlings begin to fall, you must first eliminate the unfavorable factors.

First of all, you should not plant plants too close to each other. When diving to transplant to a new place, choose the strongest seedlings. Weak and lagging sprouts should be discarded immediately; they still will not produce a good harvest.
If you prepare the soil for picking yourself and take a plot of it, it is necessary to treat it against possible disease damage. This is done by freezing the earth and frying it in the oven. After this, water the soil with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
In addition to the soil, it is useful to treat the seeds themselves, also using a solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds are placed in the mixture for half an hour, then dried a little and sown in the prepared soil.
To grow healthy seedlings, it is important to provide young plants with sufficient sunlight. If there is a lack of natural light, install additional lighting.
Another necessary condition for growing healthy seedlings is proper watering. It is better to do it early in the morning, water it infrequently, but abundantly.

If seedlings grow in comfortable conditions, but still fall, the reason may be various tomato diseases.

Fusarios is a fungal disease. This disease often occurs if the seeds were not treated (for example, with potassium permanganate) before planting. The fungus begins to develop on the roots, gradually rising to the top of the plants. The seedlings fall and look as if they have not been watered for a long time. In this case, the plants need to be transplanted into uninfected soil (buy special soil for tomatoes).

Blackleg is a disease that affects tomatoes if they are not properly cared for. It occurs when watering too frequently and moisture stagnation. This disease is easy to notice when examining the plant: the tomato stem turns black, then the roots die, and the leaves wither. In this case, you need to spill the ground with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, loosen the soil well and add wood ash to it.