Most vegetable crops are grown through seedlings: first, seeds are sown, shoots are obtained, grown to a certain point, and then transplanted to a permanent place - in a greenhouse or open ground. They do this in the Urals too, because it is a harsh region. When to sow seedlings in 2022 in the Urals and what subtleties every gardener should know about, we will tell you in the article.
Recommendations for sowing 2. Sowing dates for various crops 2.1. By region 2.2. Vegetable crops 2.3. Flower crops 2.4. According to the Lunar calendar
Photo pexels/Lara Jamison: When sowing various crops for seedlings, it is important to observe certain subtleties.
Conditions for growing tomatoes in the Urals
Generally speaking, the different regions and republics of the Urals are distinguished by a variety of climates. The climate of the northern and southern parts of the Ural region are completely different from each other. The Northern Urals are characterized by very harsh weather conditions, while its southern part is quite suitable for successful gardening, including growing tomato varieties with a long ripening period.
The climate of the Middle Urals is not entirely suitable for planting tomatoes in unprotected soil: the period of absence of negative air temperatures lasts less than three months. And yet, not a single garden can do without tomatoes in the Urals. True, they are mainly grown in greenhouse conditions; in unprotected soil, subject to the construction of temporary shelters, only the most early ripening varieties have time to ripen.
In most Ural regions, preference is given to modern varieties and hybrids of tomatoes, which are characterized by high disease resistance and resistance to changes in weather conditions. These are, for example, the ultra-early ripening Boni-M, the mid-ripening Velmozha and Malinovka, the early ripening Raspberry Viscount and Sever, the mid-early Smilyansky Rudasa, etc. Relatively old, honored varieties are also quite suitable for the region, for example, Alpatieva 905 A, Victorina, Volgogradets, Gruntovy Gribovsky 1180 , Siberian early ripening, White filling, etc.
Ground Gribovsky, of course, is not the best variety of tomatoes, but its taste is very good, and agricultural technology is simple
Where the climate is similar to the climate of the middle zone, they try to plant determinate and super-determinate varieties in unprotected soil, and tall tomatoes in greenhouses. In the conditions of the Middle Urals, and even more so in the north, various varieties are in use, since they are planted almost exclusively in greenhouses. Modern heated greenhouses can operate almost year-round, and traditional film greenhouses, including home-made ones, can increase the growing period of tomatoes compared to open ground by about a month, but this is also enough to obtain normal yields for the Urals.
Planting by seeds
The seedless method of growing tomatoes is increasingly being used by gardeners due to the emergence of new varieties and hybrids that are resistant to cold and ripen very quickly. In the Urals, this technology is not very easy to use, but in principle it is applicable. It has obvious advantages related to the fact that plants do not have to experience stress when changing their place of residence, and the gardener is freed from the need to occupy all possible places in the apartment with boxes of seedlings.
Sowing seeds in open ground
Of course, in the Urals, the seedless method is only possible with the use of temporary film shelters. Seeds are sown in a greenhouse with a double film at the very end of April or early May. Since this technique is used for planting early determinate varieties, the holes can be placed compactly, at distances of about 30 cm from each other (in a checkerboard pattern), which facilitates the construction of shelters.
The bed is prepared in advance: as soon as the weather permits, it is watered with hot water and covered with film to warm it up. Place 4-5 seeds in the hole to a depth of about 1.5 cm, water with warm water and cover again with film.
Instead of film, so as not to monitor the emergence of seedlings, you can cover each hole with a cut-off plastic bottle, but on top of the entire bed anyway, on the surface of the bottles, cover it with film or spunbond for the first time.
Caring for such crops is normal, but you have to constantly monitor the weather: either remove the cover or return it to its place. When the time comes, 1–2 seedlings are left in the holes. No picking is carried out, the bushes are watered as needed. With this method, tomatoes grow more hardened than in the case of home seedlings, but bear fruit 2-3 weeks later. Of course, the number of varieties suitable for this is limited, but there is plenty to choose from, for example: Besrassadny, Vologda Urozhainy, Iceberg, Explosion, Amur Zarya, Apples on the Snow.
Sowing seeds in a greenhouse
Sowing seeds in a greenhouse is carried out in exactly the same way as in open ground, only this can be done a little earlier, and the range of possible varieties is somewhat expanded. Space in a greenhouse is expensive, so gardeners are trying to plant not only determinate varieties there, in order to make full use of the entire volume of the greenhouse.
To avoid disappointment, it is better to completely replace the greenhouse soil in the fall, and if this is not possible, thoroughly disinfect the old one by watering it with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate. In the spring, the beds are prepared by adding a sufficient amount of fertilizer to the soil and warming it up in advance. Sowing in a greenhouse can be done more sparsely, but they try not to leave more than 50 cm between holes.
Timing of sowing seeds for tomatoes of different ripening periods
In addition to the recommendations of the lunar calendar, you should also take into account the standard sowing dates for crops, depending on the variety:
- Late varieties are sown first . In areas with a colder climate this is done in February, in areas where it is warmer - at the end of January. Growing such seedlings requires additional costs for lighting, but the harvest will have time to ripen before frost.
- Medium-ripening varieties are sown for seedlings from the end of February to mid-March.
- Sowing of early varieties begins at the end of March.
- Extra-early tomatoes are sown for seedlings from the last days of April to mid-May. In warm climate zones, you can sow seeds directly into the ground from mid-April, taking into account weather conditions.
Naturally, each summer resident, when determining the timing of sowing, relies on his own growing conditions. Some people prefer to plant early tomatoes even earlier, using greenhouses and film shelters.
Care
When caring for tomatoes, operations well known to gardeners are performed: watering, fertilizing, loosening, etc. In addition, for those varieties that do not grow as very compact bushes, plant formation and tying to supports are required.
Growing in open ground
Tomatoes cannot be considered water-drinkers, but they have to be watered quite often, at least once a week. It is better to do this in the evening, when the water in the containers is well heated by the sun's rays. The amount of water depends on the weather and soil type, but you should not flood the bed until it becomes waterlogged. The soil should not be allowed to dry out too much, especially during the period of flowering and massive fruit growth. Water so that the soil is moist to the entire root depth. During fruit ripening, watering is significantly reduced.
Until the bushes have grown, after each watering or rain they loosen the soil, accompanying the procedure by lightly hilling the plants and killing weeds. Two weeks after planting the seedlings, the tomatoes are fed, and then the operation is repeated every two weeks. In the first half of summer, tomatoes need all nutrients, then eliminate nitrogen. Therefore, when choosing a recipe, at first they do not limit themselves to the use of organic matter, but after the fruits begin to ripen, only superphosphate and wood ash are left.
Wood ash is a valuable and almost free fertilizer
In the Urals they try to grow disease-resistant varieties, but at the end of summer the threat of late blight is high for any tomatoes. Therefore, preventive spraying, at least with low-hazard Fitosporin or Ridomil, is carried out a couple of times. When cold nights set in, if it is no longer possible to cover adult plants, you have to remove all the tomatoes, including unripe ones, and end the season on this note.
Most of the determinate varieties that people try to plant in open ground in the Urals require almost no bush formation. However, it is better to carefully read about this in the description of a particular variety. Perhaps the packet of seeds will say that the plant is formed into two or three stems. In this case, it will be necessary to leave one or two of the strongest (most likely the lower) stepsons, and systematically remove the rest.
Standard tomatoes do not require tying; the rest must be tied to strong pegs.
In addition to pinching, as the bushes grow, you have to tear off excess leaves. This is especially important in the Urals, since bushes are planted thicker than usual, and dense plantings are more susceptible to disease. Excess leaves also delay the ripening of fruits. Therefore, as they turn yellow, the leaves are systematically torn off, starting from the lower tiers.
There are various schemes for the formation of tomato bushes; at his leisure, every gardener should study the relevant literature
Growing in a greenhouse
Caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse is similar to that in open ground, but has some features. They are due to the fact that this crop loves moist soil, but prefers dry air. If the air humidity exceeds 70%, flowers may fall off. Therefore, the greenhouse has to be systematically ventilated. This means that greenhouse cultivation of tomatoes is completely unsuitable for those summer residents who can only visit the site on weekends.
Bees rarely fly into the greenhouse, so the flowers need to be helped to pollinate. They do this by simply shaking the bushes sometimes. After the end of flowering in the greenhouse, it is necessary to spray the bushes with Bordeaux mixture: the incidence of fungal infections in protected soil is higher than in an open garden bed.
More attention has to be paid in greenhouses and the formation of bushes. Most often, tall, indeterminate varieties are planted in them, and they are capable of unlimited growth. Therefore, in addition to removing stepchildren, there is also the need to pinch the growth point when the height of the bush reaches a reasonable maximum. It is necessary to pick off excess leaves even more often than in open ground: after all, the illumination in the greenhouse is lower, and in order for the fruits to ripen, it is necessary to create maximum exposure to the sun.
Video: greenhouse tomatoes in the Urals
Lunar calendar 2022 for sowing tomatoes
If garden work is carried out in accordance with the favorable phases of the moon, the plants develop a stronger root system, grow faster, and begin to bear fruit earlier. It is advisable to take into account the lunar cycle for all types of work with tomatoes, from sowing seeds to care activities.
In order for tomatoes to grow strong and healthy in the future, it is necessary to coordinate the timing of their planting with the Lunar calendar. The earliest sowing occurs in January. Sowing can be carried out until April. The following dates are considered favorable dates for sowing tomatoes in 2019:
- in January – 15, 16, 18;
- in February – 7, 13-15;
- in March – 7, 11-14;
- in April – 8-11.
It is also recommended to coordinate further care of seedlings with the Lunar calendar. It is advisable to carry out watering, fertilizing and picking on certain days suitable for these works.
Unfavorable numbers for planting any plants, including tomatoes, are:
- in January - 6, 21
- in February – 5, 19
- in March – 6, 21
- in April – 5, 19
- in May – 5, 19
- in June – 3, 17
Numbers not indicated are neutral; working with plants these days is possible if, during a favorable phase of the moon, for one reason or another, you could not plant or transplant tomatoes. For example, if a sharp cold snap prevented the planting of seedlings in the ground.
Harvest and storage
In the Urals, you should not wait for the tomatoes to fully ripen on the bushes. They have to be harvested unripe, and sometimes even slightly browned, otherwise you can lose a fair share of the harvest. But tomatoes ripen well indoors, lying on the windowsill, and the fruits ripened in this way are not much worse than those that hung on the bushes until full ripening. As a rule, browned tomatoes completely “arrive” in one and a half to two weeks.
At the same time, it is worth cautioning against picking completely green tomatoes. If they have already grown to the maximum possible size, they will most likely ripen when removed, although the taste will not be quite the same. If green fruits are picked too early, there is a high probability that they will wrinkle or rot. For early ripening varieties, this option should not be considered even in the conditions of the Urals: they manage to ripen almost in full on the bushes, but you need to be careful with varieties of medium or medium-late ripening. However, if the temperature drops to 5–6 °C, it is better to remove all grown fruits.
The signal to fully harvest late-ripening tomatoes and remove bushes is already the first signs of late blight, if they appear even at the very beginning of August. Unfortunately, at this time, tomatoes in the Urals are already difficult to save; you will have to be content with what has managed to grow. It’s better not to plant late-ripening varieties here at all.
The last green tomatoes are even laid out under the bed; many of them will have time to blush
The shelf life of ripened tomatoes is short: at room temperature for most varieties it does not exceed 1–2 weeks. However, if you take not quite ripe dry and clean fruits and carefully place them in a wooden box with a closed lid, then they can lie in a cool, ventilated room for up to two months. Slightly browned tomatoes can be stored even longer if each one is wrapped in paper and placed in a box covered with straw, which is placed in a dark cellar. Such tomatoes, brought to light on December 27-28, can become a decoration for the New Year's table.
Video: picking tomatoes in the Urals
Growing tasty tomatoes in the Urals is, of course, more difficult than in the Lower Volga region, but with a little gardening experience it is quite possible to do it. Both a greenhouse and unprotected soil are suitable for growing tomatoes. If you choose the right varieties and put in some effort, it is quite possible to provide your family with delicious vitamin products for the whole year.
- Author: Semyon Vladimirov
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