Planting seedlings of tomatoes in May is carried out after the disappearance of the last frost. It depends on how well the seedlings and soil are prepared, the timing of transplantation and even the distance between the beds, whether it will be possible to grow tomatoes and harvest a good harvest.
Tomato seedlings in May 2018: when and how
best planting tomato seedlings
under the film, in the greenhouse, in open ground
Planting tomato seedlings in May carried out after the disappearance of the last frost. If an early planting is carried out, then the plant dies when the night cold sets in. Seedlings must be hardened off before planting. Hardening occurs by taking seedlings to fresh air.
Greenhouse seedlings are hardened somewhat differently. To do this, the greenhouse opens during the day, and closes in the evening.
Seedlings are planted after heating the air to 15 degrees. This temperature ensures the safety of seedlings at night.
Seedling requirements:
- Seedlings ready for planting are considered to have 6-9 leaves.
- The height of the seedlings should be 25 centimeters.
- In greenhouses, seedling height can be much higher.
- For planting, it is better to use seedlings no older than 50-60 days. Mature seedlings are more difficult to take root. To avoid risks, part of the sprouts younger than 45 days is used.
When in May 2018 seedlings of tomatoes
better to plant in the ground
Planting seedlings of tomatoes under the film, in the greenhouse:
- 9-11, 18-19 May
Planting tomato seedlings in open ground:
For those who are determined to plant tomato seedlings only on those days that are marked as favorable in the lunar sowing calendar, we report these dates:
- May 18, 19, 24, 25, 26,
- 14, 15, 21, 22 June.
If on none of these days you can find time to plant tomatoes in open ground, then we recommend that you do this on any day, avoiding strictly prohibited dates.
These are the full moon and new moon days. In 2018 they fall on May 15 and 29, as well as on June 13 and 28. These days, try not to plant anything in open or closed ground (unless, of course, you believe in the power of the moon).
We report the dates not prohibited by the lunar calendar for planting tomatoes in June 2018:
- June 1-2, 2018
- June 6-7, 2018
- June 10-11, 2018
How to plant tomato seedlings in open ground in 2018
Planting tomato seedlings in the ground best on a cloudy day. If the weather is sunny, it is necessary to wait until the evening so that the plants get a little stronger overnight and normally endure the open sun. Scheme planting seedlings in the ground depends on the variety of tomato, their height, irrigation system.
plant seedlings it is necessary so that neighboring plants do not interfere with each other. Each tomato should be provided with the maximum amount of air and sunlight. Medium-sized tomato varieties are planted at a distance of 50 - 60 cm from each other, while the row spacing is 60 cm.
Low-growing tomato varieties are planted at a distance of 40 cm from each other, a distance of about 50 cm is left between the rows. Convenient plant tomatoes in two rows, leaving a technical opening between them, as shown in the diagram. When watering, the hose can be thrown directly into this passage. Between two pairs of rows you need to leave a passage about 80 cm wide.
The root is lightly sprinkled with earth and a little compost or rotted manure is scattered around the stem. Then the hole is again sprinkled with soil, tamped down and watered with 1-2 liters of water for each tomato.
Near each tomato, pegs are immediately installed for further garters. For undersized tomato varieties, pegs about 50 cm high are suitable, for medium-sized ones - 80 cm. It is worth noting that it is better to tie tomatoes not to pegs, but to arcs and stretched wire to a height of 1 - 1.2 m. It is advisable to use synthetic twine for tying tomatoes from which the stem does not rot.
After planting tomato seedlings in the ground the bed should be covered with a transparent film. When the seedlings take root and warm weather sets in, the shelter can be removed. Until the seedlings take root in a new place, they do not water it. Tomatoes usually take 8-10 days to adapt. After this time, you can make the first watering. A couple of weeks after planting in the ground, tomatoes need to be planted to a stem height of up to 12 cm.
Gives its fruits. By planting your seedlings under a film, you will get a harvest much earlier than by planting just in open ground.
Planting seedlings of tomatoes under a film means planting them in a greenhouse. The greenhouse is a covering material + film, which are stretched over special arcs. Such a greenhouse is warm enough and can even tolerate slight frosts. In addition, a greenhouse effect is created under the film, which has a very good effect on the growth of tomatoes. It is very good to plant tomatoes under the film on the so-called “”.
Soil preparation
Soil preparation is carried out in advance, even in the fall, after the previous harvest. The bed is carefully dug up to a depth of 30 centimeters, while fertilizers are applied. For 1 square meter of beds, 1 bucket of compost, 1 bucket of rotted sawdust and 1 glass of wood ash are added.
You need to choose the brightest place for growing tomatoes, and it is desirable that the bed is located from east to west, then the plant bushes will receive the most light. You should not re-plant tomatoes for the second year in the same place, as the risk of late blight infection is high.
A week before planting seedlings, the soil must be disinfected. Disinfection can be done with a solution of potassium permanganate, or copper sulfate. It is recommended to disinfect the soil with warm water at a temperature of 60-70 degrees. Everything, now you can stretch the film.
Planting seedlings under the film
A week later, tomato seedlings can already be planted under the film. Agricultural technology is very simple. Ridges are made, holes are made in them at a certain distance, these holes are fed and seedlings are planted. Usually, tomatoes are planted in 2-3 rows under one film, this is most convenient. The distance between the ridges should be 30-50 centimeters. The distance between plants in one row is 30-40 centimeters.
First, a hole is dug and watered very abundantly with water (7-10 liters per hole). Then fertilizers should be poured into the hole, right under the root - you can get by with urea and ash. You should pour a little. Fertilizer will contribute to better strengthening of the root system and faster survival.
Tomato seedlings are planted in the holes. It is advisable to immediately tie them to a support. Then it is covered with a covering material and a film.
In severe frosts, tomatoes can additionally be covered with another layer of film. If the weather is hot outside, then the film is opened on the sides.
It's no secret that many summer residents carry out. More precisely, in the spring they plant seedlings of tomatoes under temporary film shelters that protect plants from spring frosts and maintain a more favorable temperature regime for tomatoes. Then grown and strengthened plants, even after removing the film, grow and develop perfectly. In this case, the harvest, as a rule, will ripen 12-15 days earlier, and the gardener will collect 1.5-2 times more mature fruits than from the same open ground plot.
Let's take a closer look at what's inside
Growing tomato seedlings under a film
To grow tomatoes under temporary film shelters, seedlings are obtained in the usual way, as well as for open ground. You just need to worry about seedlings in advance: they plant them under shelter 2-3 weeks earlier than in open ground. For example, tomato seeds for open ground in the central regions of the Non-Black Earth Region are sown on April 1-5, and seedlings are planted in open ground on June 5-10. When using temporary shelters, sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out on March 5-10, and on May 15-20. Some vegetable growers, wanting to get an earlier harvest, sow the seeds much earlier. Seedlings are planted earlier, at the risk of losing them altogether.
For growing tomatoes under film, as a rule, the earliest varieties are used. The site for film shelters is carefully prepared - fertilized with mineral and organic fertilizers, in the autumn and spring, the soil is loosened or dug up to cause weeds to germinate and destroy them. They cut the soil well, level the site, lay ridges 140 wide, 20-25 cm high, make a furrow in the center along the ridge, bring manure or humus into it and cover it with soil.
Seedlings for temporary shelters are usually planted in a tape way according to the scheme (50 + 90) x35 cm or (40 + 100) x30 (35) cm. rows in 30-35 cm. One sheet of film covers two rows of tomatoes with narrow row-spacing.
Shelters for tomatoes are made on the basis of tunnel or tent-type frames, for which they take a polyethylene film 100 microns thick, 140-160 cm wide. Film supports are wire arcs 160-180 cm long, 7-8 mm in cross section. They are placed across the tape of planted plants after about 1 m (bottom width 0.7-0.8 m, height 0.6-0.7 m). On a plot of 100 sq. about 50-70 such arcs are required. For the stability of the frame and to prevent sagging of the film, the arcs are connected from above, and sometimes from the sides, with twine or thin wire. Then the film web is stretched over the frame. On both sides and from the ends of the frame, the film is sprinkled with earth.
If the site is protected from strong winds, one or both sides of the film can not be sprinkled with earth, but fixed on the soil with the help of babins, slats, hairpins, stones, bricks or in another way. In this case, the film is easy to open for plant care and ventilation. When it is impossible to hide plantings from strong winds, the film is additionally fixed from above with arcs, placing them every 2-3 m. . It is desirable to remove shelters in cloudy warm weather. So the plants will not get sunburn and will more easily endure the change in growing conditions. Before removing the film, a 3-5-day enhanced ventilation is also desirable, for which the film is opened from the ends and sides of the frame. After removing the shelter, the tomatoes are watered.
Under adverse weather conditions during the summer, the film shelter is left for the whole season, but the plants are periodically ventilated by opening the end or one side of the film shelter.
The experience of experienced vegetable growers shows that, with any construction of structures, with early planting of seedlings, it is always necessary to have a supply of materials (film, burlap, matting) for additional shelter of plants in severe frosts (below minus 3-5 ° C). As a rule, pinching and limiting the growth and fruiting of plants by pinching, leaving 1-2 stems and 4-5 brushes on each of them, help to accelerate the fruiting of plants and increase the early yield under film shelters. Such techniques are required when leaving a film shelter for the entire growing season, since it limits the growth of plants.
The placement, planting method and that require the cultivation of tomatoes under the film (by the way, even after its removal) are the same as with conventional open field crops.
To obtain high tomato yields, gardeners use several methods of growing plants. Each method has its own individual technique. But, regardless of the choice, it is extremely difficult to grow strong vegetable bushes without seedlings. In obtaining strong seedlings with a well-developed root system, a film coating is required, which will need to be removed from the seedlings in a timely manner.
Film coating is the simplest structure for protecting the soil from external negative factors. It is located on the surface of the boxes, during the cultivation of seedlings at home.
Due to the structure of the film coating, the following microclimate is created inside the frame:
- optimal air temperature;
- constant soil moisture;
Such favorable factors are well reflected in the germination, growth and development of seedlings. And also these conditions will allow in the future to extend the growing season for plants and provide them with good immunity to various diseases.
It is worth paying attention: the polymer shelter is a short-term link from seed germination to a certain growth of seedlings.
Using and removing film
Before proceeding with covering the boxes with foil, you first need to plant the seeds. Sowing is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Fertile soil is poured into pre-prepared boxes 24x35 cm in size and 7-9 cm high.
- With the help of improvised means, grooves are made about 1 cm deep.
- Tomato seeds are located in each groove at a distance of 1 cm from each other.
- Spilling the planting material by drip method, the seeds are backfilled with loose, sifted soil.
Having thus sowed, the boxes are covered with plastic wrap and removed to a dark place, with a constant temperature regime of + 25 degrees.
After 3-5 days, when the first seedlings appear, it is recommended to move the boxes to a well-lit place. The best place for further seed germination is considered to be a window sill, where the daytime temperature will vary within +22 degrees, and the night temperature will be about +16 - + 18 degrees. At the same time, it is not recommended to remove the film until the seeds germinate completely.
When the boxes are covered with dense seedlings, it will be possible to start hardening the seedlings. To do this, within 1 week, the film is gradually opened. Every day you need to increase the hardening time interval. After 10 days, after planting the seeds, the film can be completely removed from the boxes.
In order for tomato seeds to sprout together, and young seedlings to develop well, high soil and air humidity is required. At the slightest decrease in humidity, young plants may die. Therefore, before closing the box with a film, it is recommended to shed the soil well with warm water, but at the same time try not to swamp the soil. After 1 week, if dryness is observed during the examination of the soil, it will be possible to shed it once with warm water. In this case, the next irrigation should be carried out at intervals of several days.
Important: When growing seedlings of tomatoes, the drying of the soil should not be allowed. This is justified by the fact that the roots of the plant are located at the top layer of the soil, so if it is too dry, the plants will simply die.
Choice of film coating
Today, the consumer market offers several types of seedling cover film. Each product has its own distinctive features in terms of performance.
But, despite the variety of species, it is more rational to choose a material that will meet the following indicators:
- Ease. The less the film will have weight, the less it will sag from condensate.
- Light transmission. In order for the plants to receive enough light, the light transmission of the film should be about 80%.
- UV resistant. Such qualities will save heat in the boxes, and save the seedlings from sunburn.
- Environmental friendliness. Covering product should consist only of environmentally friendly material.
Planting tomatoes under the film is an important stage. Seedlings can develop well in greenhouse conditions, but when faced with temperature changes and possible diseases and pests of the garden, they will receive some stress. Here it is very important to observe the disembarkation deadlines.
Optimal drop off time
When to plant tomatoes under the film depends on climatic conditions. So, in the southern latitudes of Russia, which include the Kuban, seedlings are transferred to greenhouses as early as April, or even earlier. In the Moscow region, the best option is May, the beginning or middle, and basically seedlings are planted here on May holidays. Accordingly, the farther the region is from the south, the later the tomatoes are planted in open ground. For example, in regions such as the Urals, Siberia, the landing may be delayed until mid-June.
On a note! There is a calendar with regional planting dates that allows you to grow tomatoes in almost most climatic zones.
The term for planting tomatoes under a film of finished seedlings can be determined not only by region, but also by air temperature, regardless of the climatic zone. When the average daily temperature stays at plus 8 degrees for five days, you can already safely plant tomatoes in the ground.
When to plant tomatoes
Soil temperature is equally important. Even if it is planned to plant under the film, it is important to wait for the earth to warm up completely. Sometimes it is recommended to spill the ground with boiling water before planting. This method is good if the film or polycarbonate greenhouse is constantly closed and the soil in it warms up quickly. If the film is stretched on the ground, which wintered open and froze, even covering it in the spring, it will not work quickly. You can speed up the heating of the earth by covering the beds with an old film and black roofing material on top. Under the rays of the sun, the area warms up faster. For tomatoes, the minimum soil temperature is plus 12 degrees.
How to plant tomato seedlings
To get an early harvest and save tomatoes from rains and various diseases, they arrange greenhouses and plant tomatoes in a greenhouse. This method is especially relevant for those who are faced with such a common tomato and potato fungal disease as late blight (late blight).
Rules for planting seedlings of tomatoes in a greenhouse and in open ground
Rule number one: don't overcrowd. Even if the area is small, if the greenhouse is small, crowding will still not increase the yield. On the contrary, the plants will suffer, and there will also be inconvenience in the cultivation of the land and in the harvest. Here's what the scheme for planting seedlings of different types of tomatoes looks like:
- tall ones are those varieties that are good in small areas, as they give the greatest yield from one bush. One bush can form up to a dozen fruit clusters, with less weeding and watering work than with several ordinary bushes, while tall tomatoes do not obscure each other. The ideal planting pattern here is a meter between rows and 70 cm in a row. In some cases, it is allowed to reduce the area under the bushes to 70 and 50 cm between rows and between plants, respectively;
- medium-sized - these tomatoes are planted denser, leaving a distance of 80 cm between rows, and 55 in a row. This scheme is used both when planting in open ground and in greenhouses;
- undersized tomatoes are planted half a meter between rows, the distance from bush to bush is 30 cm. As a rule, these are the earliest tomatoes that private gardeners love to grow so much. At the same time, undersized tomatoes are often planted in a checkerboard pattern, which compacts the plantings and makes them even more productive.
Knowing the optimal distance, it is easy to calculate the planting pattern in the greenhouse. If it is small, it is wiser to make one pass between the beds. With a large greenhouse area, it is more convenient to use two rows of aisles.
Advice: Tomatoes are very fond of light. In order for all the plants in the greenhouse to have enough of it, it is worth planting tall varieties closer to the center, short ones - to the edges, that is, along the walls. And in an open area, when planting in the ground, just choose the right location relative to the light source.
Seedling farming
Planting tomato seedlings in a greenhouse
Many gardeners grow their own seedlings. But what if the window sill is not suitable for this? There is a proven way to grow seedlings directly in the ground using a film coating. In comparison with greenhouse seedlings, such seedlings have a number of advantages:
- seedlings grown under a film cover are more hardened, it takes root more easily and tolerates temperature fluctuations;
- seeds can be sown about a month earlier;
- harvest is speeding up.
How to care for tomatoes under the film? It is not so difficult, it is only important to choose the right varieties of tomatoes, prepare the land for planting, and build a quality shelter.
Tomatoes should not be planted all in a row, but zoned varieties adapted to local conditions. As a rule, these varieties include cold-resistant and hybrids. Among them are, for example, Siberian precocious, Sanka, Far North, etc.
Algorithm:
- If you plan to sow tomatoes under a film shelter in the spring, you need to take care of preparing the site in the fall. This is the digging of the earth, the introduction of organic matter and mineral fertilizers.
- In the spring, a trench is prepared with a width equal to the film coating, with a depth of no more than 20 cm. A layer of sawdust or straw laid along the bottom will protect the seedlings from the cold of the earth. This advice is especially relevant for the northern regions. Next, the excavated soil is laid, on which the seeds are sown in a tape way. Usually the aisles are made narrow, and the width of the film is enough for a couple of rows.
- Shelter is made of metal or plastic arcs, films with a thickness of at least one hundred microns. The number of arcs should be such that every meter of landings there is a new arc.
For ventilation, the end side of the cover is opened, and in case of possible frosts, the bed is covered with a second layer of film. When the weather stabilizes, the threat of frost disappears, the bed with seedlings can be freed from the film, having first hardened the greenhouse a little by airing for 5 days. If heat is not expected, the film is left, limited to ventilation.
Tips from experienced gardeners on the rules for planting tomato seedlings
When should seedlings be planted in the ground?
When to sow seeds for seedlings?
When to sow seedlings
Experienced summer residents know when it is warm in their region so that the soil can reach the right temperature. Approximately from this date it is necessary to subtract 60-65 days and at this time to start sowing seeds for seedlings. The usual time for sowing in Central Russia is mid-March, but in the south they sow earlier.
Advice! If you plan to plant seedlings in a greenhouse, then the timing of sowing seeds can be shifted forward by three weeks.
Years of experience tells summer residents that seedlings grow best if you sow seeds on the growing moon. Today, the so-called lunar calendars provide comprehensive information about the days allowed and prohibited for sowing tomatoes.
How to prepare seeds?
Seed preparation is usually necessary when using your own seeds taken from your garden. They must be checked for germination before sowing and selected empty, substandard. To do this, the seeds are immersed in water, and those that have surfaced are removed. If there are a lot of seeds, you can check their germination by soaking them in advance and waiting until they hatch. Some of the summer residents are accustomed to pickling the seeds with a weak solution of soda before sowing (2 g of soda is added to a glass of water). Someone soaks in aloe juice - it is believed that the seeds from this become more hardy. However, all these procedures are unnecessary if the seeds are bought ready-made, already processed and tested for germination. In this case, they just need to be sown correctly.
Sowing is recommended to be done in peat pots or ready-made tablets. In practice, many gardeners use low seedling boxes in order to save space on the windowsill. They are comfortable, ergonomic, they can be placed on any size window sill. The boxes are filled with nutrient soil, it is moistened and the seeds are sown in shallow grooves.
picking
Picking achieve rooting and strengthening of plants. What if the seedlings turned out to be weak, but there are a lot of them? Many advise diving two seedlings at once. They are transplanted together, fastening thin stems with synthetic thread. Subsequently, when the stems grow together, forming a single plant with one powerful root, the second tip can be pinned.
picking
It is better to plant plants in the garden in cool and cloudy weather. It is recommended to water, as the people say, three dawns. This means that watering is very important in the first three days after disembarkation. At this time, the plant takes root and really needs watering. It is also good to fertilize the holes a little before planting.
What if the spring turned out to be cold, and the seedlings outgrew?
Elongated seedlings can be saved if you dig a hole deeper and plant the root not up to the first leaves, but a little deeper - in this case, the first leaves must be cut off. It happens that the seedlings have become so tall and thin that it is impossible to plant them at all. Experienced summer residents have two tips:
- dig a small trench along the bed and lay the stem almost lying down, leaving the desired part on the surface of the earth. The rest of the stem will soon give underground roots and further strengthen the seedlings;
- Cut off part of the top and place in water. She will give new roots and she, too, can be planted in the garden. And plant the cropped part, as usual.
When choosing ready-made seedlings on the market, you need to look not at its height, but at the thickness of the stem. High-quality tomato seedlings have a large root lobe, a thick, bright green stem with a dark shade, in general, the bush is stocky and low. This is the best seedling, and you need to choose it.
The seedling method of growing tomatoes is a fascinating business, effective in terms of getting a quick harvest, and by and large, not so complicated. It is only important to follow all the rules.
Loading...