What fertilizers are needed for tomato seedlings. Do I need to fertilize tomato seedlings

The role of feeding seedlings in its cultivation is underestimated by many gardeners. But in vain! Fertilizers strengthen the immune system of plants and help it withstand stressful conditions. Before fertilizing seedlings of tomatoes, peppers and other plants, the soil in the containers must be lightly watered with ordinary water so that the roots are not burned with a nutrient solution. This is especially true for seedlings grown in small containers, such as cassettes. How to feed seedlings? How? What kind of fertilizer to use?

To feed the seedlings, you can use various special solutions in low concentrations - organomineral fertilizers, trace elements. Now on sale there are many different drugs that can be used to feed seedlings. These are, for example, Uniflor Growth, Kemira Lux, Agricola for various garden plants, other.

I have used the preparation "GUMI Kuznetsova" more than once for feeding. Very satisfied. It can be used to soak seeds before sowing (1 drop per glass of water). It is possible for dipping the roots when picking seedlings (2 teaspoons per 5 liters of water), or for foliar feeding (spraying) seedlings (2 teaspoons per 10 liters of water). This is an organomineral fertilizer, a natural elixir of fertility. Water or spray the seedlings with this solution once every 10-14 days.

Elements that contain such preparations stimulate the growth of plants - first the root system, and then the vegetative mass. In addition, such fertilizers have fungicidal properties, that is, they prevent rotting of seedling roots damaged during picking or transplanting.

You can make a complex fertilizer for seedlings yourself from the main preparations, which, for sure, every gardener has.

Below is a table of the order of feeding. Doses are given in grams per 1 liter of water.

culture	Top dressing sequence	Ammonium nitrate (gr/l)	Superphosphate (g/l)	Potassium sulfate (g/l)
Cabbage	1	2	4	1		2	4	4	1,5		3	2	4	6-8	Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant	1	0,5	4	1,2		2	1	8	2,4		3	1	4	6-8	Cucumbers, watermelons, melons	1	1	1,5	1		2	1,5	3	2		3	1,5	4	2
culture	Top dressing sequence	Ammonium nitrate (gr/l)	Superphosphate (g/l)	Potassium sulfate (g/l)

I usually have a lot of seedlings and, of course, 1 liter of fertilizer solution for watering is not enough. Therefore, I don’t bother too much, I don’t measure out such tiny doses - I measure fertilizers with teaspoons or tablespoons.

Ammonium nitrate:

• 1 teaspoon - 5 g,
• 1 tablespoon - 15 g,
• matchbox - 20 g.

Superphosphate granulated:

• 1 teaspoon - 6 g,
• 1 tablespoon - 17 g,
• matchbox - 23 g.

Potassium sulfate:

• 1 teaspoon - 4 g,
• 1 tablespoon - 13 g,
• matchbox - 17 g.

As can be seen from the table above, it is necessary to carry out 3 top dressings for the entire period of seedling development - from the emergence of seedlings to planting in open ground.

The first feeding is carried out with the advent of the first true leaf.

The second - 10-14 days after the first.

The third - one or two days before disembarkation. This is the so-called hardening top dressing.

Growing seedlings - fascinating process which will give you a lot of emotions. Feel free to take on this exciting business, experiment and share your experience with us!

When feeding seedlings, it is important not to lose a sense of proportion: underfeeding plants is just as dangerous as "falling in love to death" with large doses of fertilizers. How to choose the right composition and feeding system?

Feeding seedlings before picking is not recommended. The nutrients contained in the soil are enough for the seedlings during this period, and their excess can lead to too rapid growth and the seedlings will stretch too much.

The first feeding of seedlings should be carried out 2 weeks after picking or when 2-4 true leaves appear, if you grow seedlings without picking. Then, before planting in the ground, seedlings need to be fed every 7-10 days.

Important! Watering seedlings and top dressing is carried out in the morning, so that by the evening, when the temperature drops, the leaves and the surface of the soil have dried up. Cold and excessive moisture can lead to mold in the soil.

If the soil is too dry, before feeding the seedlings, you need to water a little and let the moisture soak well. If

the soil is moist, we simply replace the irrigation water with a solution of fertilizers.

In order for the plants to absorb nutrients well, loosen the top layer of soil in pots to provide oxygen to the roots, but not deep so as not to damage the roots. It is better to do this about an hour after watering.

What fertilizer to choose for feeding seedlings?

For feeding in this case, liquid or instant fertilizers are suitable. The composition should include: nitrogen (N1), potassium (K), phosphorus (P or P205), meso- and microelements: magnesium, iron, boron, zinc, etc. Fertilizers can be in the form of liquids, tablets, granules or powders. The main thing is that they are intended for liquid plant nutrition.

Instant mineral fertilizers are very convenient. They are available in granular, powder or tablet form and come with detailed recipe instructions to reduce the risk of overdose. In addition, the price of such fertilizers is more democratic than that of the same organomineral complexes. One of the types of such fertilizers are organomineral complexes. These are liquid fertilizers of dark color. They contain humic additives that increase the immunity and vitality of plants. When choosing such a complex for feeding seedlings, please note that the composition should include not only humates, but also mineral components for a balanced plant nutrition.

Liquid mineral fertilizers are similar in composition to instant ones, but are sold in the form of a solution. Their advantage is in a convenient dosage, but the price of such fertilizers is higher.

Experienced gardeners often use diluted cow and bird droppings as top dressing for seedlings. But with these fertilizers you need to be very careful. If you make a mistake with the concentration of the litter solution, then you will simply burn the roots and the seedlings will die. Therefore, if you are a beginner gardener, it is better to consult with more experienced relatives or neighbors, or buy ready-made fertilizer, and feed the plants with organic matter after planting in open ground.

The most the best top dressing for seedlings - this is top dressing with infusion from medicinal plants. This infusion feeds seedlings and protects against various diseases.

What is the dosage for fertilizing seedlings?

Regarding the dosage of purchased fertilizers, follow the recommendations indicated for feeding seedlings by the manufacturer. Usually, the concentration of fertilizer for feeding seedlings is needed two times lower than when feeding adult plants. Most often, it is 7-10 grams per 10 liters of water (approximately a tablespoon). When using liquid fertilizers, the dosage may be different.

Important: If the manufacturer indicates the same dosage of fertilizers for seedlings and adult plants, you may have come across low-quality fertilizer that will not bring any harm or benefit. The same concentration in this case can not be.

To grow good, healthy seedlings, you can (and should) feed them with biohumus and a biococktail.

Biohumus - excellent microbiological fertilizer.
For liquid feeding of seedlings, a glass of biohumus is poured into a bucket of water at room temperature. Everything is mixed and infused for a day at room temperature.

In addition to beneficial microorganisms, the bio-cocktail contains substances that increase the immunity of plants and accelerate their development.

To prepare a bio-cocktail, take a liter of water and dissolve in it two drops of the drug "NV- 101", two granules of the preparations "Healthy Garden" and "Ecoberin".

To grow tomato seedlings at home, you need to follow some rules. And one of these rules is the correct and timely feeding.

Let's take a closer look at how to feed tomato seedlings.

"Nitrophoska"

Traditional mineral fertilizer for tomatoes. It is based on three components: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This type fertilizers are the most commonly used for tomatoes. It supplies tomatoes with all the necessary nutrients.

It is introduced not only when growing seedlings, but also when planting it in open ground. A tablespoon of nitrophoska is poured into each hole and diligently mixed with the soil. In addition, this drug is used in the form of a solution (50 g of the drug per 10 liters of water). The resulting liquid must be watered plants 7 days after planting in the garden.

It should be noted that when using this drug, you get an environmentally friendly product. The main thing is to adhere to the dosage when feeding.

Agricola

One of the popular dry fertilizers for growing tomato seedlings. The product contains: 13% nitrogen; 20% each of potassium and phosphorus, as well as magnesium and essential trace elements.

For the first time, this fertilizer is applied 2 weeks after planting the seeds for seedlings, re-feeding - after the appearance of the ovaries, the third time root feeding is carried out after 10 days. After another 7 days, the plant is sprayed with this agent, and then again after 10 days.

Used in both dry and liquid form. The method of preparing the solution can be read on the package.

The nutrients in this preparation are balanced, which makes it possible to supply the tomatoes with all the required nutrients. Tomatoes should be fertilized with "Agricola" only after abundant watering.

Otherwise, you can harm the plant. Be sure to adhere to the required dosages when feeding, otherwise you can destroy the seedlings. Do not use the drug in concentrated form.

"Effecton"

Organic fertilizer that stimulates the growth of seedlings, obtained by composting peat with added to it: dolomite flour or shale ash, phosphorite flour and potassium chloride. This drug is widely used both on open soil and in greenhouse conditions.

This tool is more effective than manure. In addition, it does not contribute to the development of pests and weeds in the soil.

"Athlete"

This is a fertilizer that is used to slow down the growth of the part of the plant that is above the soil surface. It is widely used when growing seedlings at home, so that it grows better, and does not stretch in length, which can cause a decrease in yield.

When using Athlete, the escape gains required thickness, the roots are strengthened, and the number of fruits increases by 30%.

When fertilizing with this fertilizer, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. While the plant is being processed, it should not be watered.
2. When spraying seedlings, the soil is moistened only after a day.
3. If root feeding is carried out, the plant can be watered only after two days.
4. The use of "Athlete" is terminated 5 days before planting seedlings in the garden.

Tomato seedlings are shed with this drug after the appearance of four true leaves. This dressing, if desired, is replaced by spraying. Only in this situation, seedlings are processed three times with an interval of 8 days.

Folk methods

Although today there are many different organic and mineral fertilizers, some gardeners believe that it is better to use folk methods. Let's consider some of them.

Use of yeast

Since yeast is rich in fungi (and, as a result, in protein), as well as iron, amino acids, macro and microelements, their use improves the quality of tomato seedlings.

This requires top dressing from yeast, which is prepared as follows:

1. The dough is put, as for the test. We dilute a bag of dry yeast in slightly warmed water with the addition of sugar. After raising the dough, dilute it with 10 liters of water. Watering is carried out at the rate of 0.5 l of the resulting liquid for each plant.
2. A large jar is filled 2/3 with dried black bread. All this is poured with heated water and 100 g of raw yeast is added. The mixture should be infused for 5 days. Then it is diluted in a ratio of 1:10.

You can use infusions of yeast with herbs (the main thing is that the added plants were without seeds).

You can also use the following recipe: 0.5 l of manure + 0.5 l of ash + 10 l of water + 10 g of dry yeast. All this should be mixed and insisted for 5-6 days. It is used only in a diluted form, in a ratio of 1: 2.

We fertilize seedlings with ashes

This feeding is characterized by the fact that it beneficial features do not lose their power. Ash is applied in combination with various organic fertilizers, as it is well adjacent to them.

The use of hydrogen peroxide

To disinfect tomato seeds, the usual potassium permanganate can be replaced with hydrogen peroxide. In addition, this drug helps tomato seedlings fight late blight.

To do this, one tablespoon of peroxide is diluted in 10 liters of water and 40 drops of iodine are added. The resulting mixture is sprayed with seedlings. For root dressing, 30 drops of peroxide are diluted in a glass of water.

The use of hydrogen peroxide contributes to:

1. Disinfection of all wounds on the plant.
2. Prevention of decay and hygiene of the root system.
3. Saturation with oxygen.
4. Elimination of diseases.
5. Increase immunity.
6. spread of pathogenic plants.

What to feed during flowering?

At the time of flowering, you need to feed manganese. Potassium and superphosphate are added to it, 20 g each. You need to use iodine top dressing.

As it turned out, “iodine deficiency” can be not only in humans, but also in tomatoes. If the plant does not have enough iodine, then the seedlings get sick. Top dressing with iodine solution (2 drops per 1 liter of water) is carried out when the first leaves appear, again - after 14 days.

In order for the seedlings to grow better, they are sprayed with the same solution. To disinfect seedlings, you can use the following recipe: 1 liter of water + 5 drops of iodine + 1 glass of skim milk.

When is feeding not needed?

If you used a purchased soil mixture before planting, then feeding tomato seedlings is not needed. In this case, there will be an excess of fertilizer for the plant. This can lead to bad consequences.

Tomato seedlings also do not need to be fed before planting. The first top dressing will be after transplanting into a greenhouse or into open ground.

When is feeding needed?

Top dressing for a tomato is necessary in such cases:

1. The plant needs nitrogen. In this case, yellow leaves appear on the tomatoes, the seedlings become weak. Usually the bottom leaves wither first. This is the first sign of the necessary feeding.
2. Phosphorus is not enough for tomatoes. Violet lines appear on the veins of the vegetable. You can see a characteristic mark on the stem and on the leaves.
3. Lack of iron for the plant. The top of the tomatoes begins to wither and dry out. The leaves gradually turn yellow, and the roots die off.

General instructions on how to feed

For proper feeding tomato gardeners have developed a unified scheme. Fertilizers are additionally applied when the soil in your garden is poor in minerals, the seedlings look weak, and flowering is poor.

However, with good formation of tomato seedlings and excellent appearance, excessive fertilizers can only harm.

When applying top dressing, you should adhere to some requirements:

1. Additional fertilizers are applied early in the morning, later in the evening or on cloudy days.
2. Before fertilizing and at the end of the seedlings watered clean water.
3. Do not exceed the dosage of fertilizers. Everything is done strictly according to the instructions.

It should be noted that top dressing at the root using any nutrients, carried out only after good watering.

Without fail, seedlings are fed only twice:

1. 14 days after the dive.
2. 10 days after the first introduction of nutrients.

In the future, monitor the formation of seedlings. Tomato seedlings can be fertilized at intervals of every 14 days. And with proper development, the plants may not be fed at all.

If this is your first time growing tomato seedlings on your own, then keep a diary. It should record: what fertilizers were applied to the soil, and how many.

First time

The first time the seedlings are fed, when the first leaf appeared. This time we need top dressing from the following fertilizers: "Nitrofoska", "Agricola - Forward" or "Agricola No. 3". One teaspoon of any remedy is diluted in one liter of water. This amount is enough to feed 40 bushes. This procedure helps small shoots to get stronger.

Second top dressing

The second time the seedlings are fed when the stems have lengthened. For this top dressing, superphosphate is used (1 tablespoon diluted in 3 liters of water) or the Effekton agent (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water). If the seedlings are too long, then use the Athlete preparation, it will slow down the growth of the top. At this stage of growth, you can already use folk remedies, for example, bird droppings.

Third time

This top dressing is carried out 7 days after the second stage. One spoonful of "Nitrophoska" is diluted in 10 liters of water. Pour 0.5 cups of the resulting liquid into each pot with seedlings.

Fourth time

This top dressing is carried out after 10 days. It is needed to strengthen root system. One tablespoon of potassium sulfate or superphosphate is diluted in 10 liters of water. With this solution, the earth is abundantly watered.

Fifth time

After 10 days, another top dressing is introduced. 1 st. l nitrophoska is diluted with 10 liters of water and watered at the rate of 1 glass of solution per 1 plant. In this way, we fed the root system. And now we need to carry out foliar top dressing. To do this, spray the same solution as for the roots of the leaves.

After 3-4 days, it is necessary to spray the plants with clean water. And if there are weak leaves on the seedlings, we spray it for 3 days with the Bud for Tomatoes preparation.

Results

We have reviewed the most effective methods feeding tomato seedlings. If you wish to receive high yield delicious tomatoes, you can use one of them. Observe everything step by step recommendations to achieve maximum results.

Material prepared by: Nadezhda Zimina, gardener with 24 years of experience, process engineer

Plants that have a long growing season are usually grown from seedlings. This helps to get a good harvest from heat-loving vegetable crops even in adverse climatic conditions. Many popular annual flowers are also propagated by home seedlings, which, with this method of cultivation, can be planted in flower beds already in bloom.

Growing seedlings is a responsible process that requires knowledge and experience. To get a good result, you should take into account many factors. Planting time, soil composition, fertilizing, watering - all this affects the quality of seedlings and has its own characteristics for each plant. Young plants at the initial stage of growth are still weak, and even a small mistake can kill them, so you should follow the rules that will help you achieve a good result when growing seedlings at home.

tomatoes

It can be called one of the most popular crops, which is cultivated everywhere. By planting nightshade seedlings on your own, you can be guaranteed to grow your favorite varieties adapted to the climate of a particular area, and not play the lottery by buying young plants in a store.

Soil preparation

In order to grow the right tomato seedlings, soil must be prepared in advance, in the fall. It is kept ready-made all winter, on the veranda or glazed balcony, before use for a day they bring it into a warm room. There are many recipes for soil mixtures for tomatoes, but the most optimal is the classic recipe, which always allows you to get a good result:

All components are thoroughly mixed and sifted through a sieve. In ready-made mixtures for seedlings sold in stores, the size of the lump does not exceed 8 mm. At home, it is difficult to make such soil, and you should not strive for this - even if there are larger lumps in it, they can be placed on the bottom of the seedling container in the process of filling it.

Seed preparation

The procedure for preparing seeds for planting seedlings of tomatoes is required, it helps to choose the best seed material and disinfect it. So that the sprouts do not die from the black leg, or other fungal diseases, tomato seeds are disinfected with potassium permanganate, for this:

a teaspoon of granules is dissolved in 1 liter warm water and put seeds in it. Water must be stirred, then full-bodied, most best seeds will sink to the bottom, and the empty ones will remain floating on the surface. All tomato seeds with good buoyancy must be collected from the surface of the water and discarded. Seedlings of them will not work. The remaining seeds are "pickled" in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, then placed in a strainer and washed with running water.

Whether it is worth germinating seed material for tomato seedlings - opinions differ. Many gardeners claim that plants obtained by direct sowing of unsprouted seeds into the soil grow stronger and have greater resistance to various diseases. At the same time, germinating seeds for tomato seedlings, you can get fast and reliable seedlings, selecting the very first of the hatched seeds for planting seedlings, since they have more life force. Sprouting is also used for seed material which has expired.

Usually the seeds are soaked in plain water, but the following solutions can be used for best results:

1. Aloe juice. It acts as a natural biostimulant and has good disinfecting properties, so pre-soaking tomato seeds in potassium permanganate is not required.
2. Appin. This stimulant is diluted with water at room temperature in the proportion of 8 drops per 1 liter. Under its influence, tomato seedlings acquire powerful immunity, and high resistance to negative factors. environment.
3. . Recommended dosage - 4 drops per 1 liter. This drug helps plants form a powerful root system, which is very important when growing tomato seedlings.

In all these solutions, the seeds are soaked for a day, after which they are placed in damp cloth and wait for the emergence of seedlings. Usually, germination of tomato seeds at home lasts from 36 to 48 hours.(the appearance of the root process), but if the seeds are old, then it can be delayed for 3-4 days. The most important thing in the process of germination is not to miss the moment of pecking. As soon as the seed bursts, and a white tail appears from it, plant it, placing it down the hole, with the seed up. The depth of the hole into which the germinated tomato seed is dipped should not exceed 2 cm.

Growing tomato seedlings

Tomato seedling planting calendar depends on the region and variety. All information on growing dates is usually placed on the seed packaging. It also indicates the time interval from the appearance of full shoots to the ripening of the first fruits. If a period of more than 110 days is indicated, such varieties must be planted in mid-March. In colder regions - 10 -12 days earlier. Also, in the middle of the first spring month, seedlings of those tomatoes are planted, which are transplanted into a warm greenhouse at the end of April. Mid-season and early-ripening varieties with a growing season of 55-65 days should be sown in early April. This allows you to grow the right seedlings that will not stretch and turn yellow due to lack of space and light.

After the appearance of the first shoots, home seedlings of tomatoes begin to additionally illuminate. Lamps are used for this. daylight, which are located at a distance of 15-20 cm from top leaves plants. It is not recommended to hang above, this can provoke the stretching of young tomatoes. It must be remembered that tomatoes grow quite quickly, so the height of the lamp suspension should be adjusted almost every day so as not to burn young leaves.

Top dressing of tomatoes

To grow healthy seedlings, it must be properly fed. In principle, in the presence of high-quality nutrient soil, you can get a good result without top dressing. But, additional nutrition for small tomatoes on early stage in the future will help to get from them a more plentiful and high-quality harvest. Therefore, there is a reason to spend time on this, and feed young plants several times.

• The first feeding is carried out after the appearance of a fully developed third leaf on the plant. For it, complex fertilizers are used, with a predominant nitrogen content. At this stage, young tomatoes can be fed with preparations such as "- Forward", or "Agricola No. 3".
• The second feeding of tomatoes is carried out on the 12th day after picking. It is used for it by dissolving half a tablespoon of fertilizer in five liters of water. Consumption - 100 ml of solution per plant.
• The third top dressing of seedlings - in two weeks, it completely repeats the second top dressing.

The fourth dressing of tomato seedlings is done when the plants reach two months of age. At this stage, they have already gained sufficient green mass, the need for decreases, the need for and increases. To feed the grown tomatoes at this stage, the following cocktail is prepared: for 5 liters of water take 0.5 tbsp. spoons of simple and 1 tbsp. a spoonful of wood ash. Plants are watered with this composition at the rate of 0.5 cups per 1 plant.

Picking tomatoes

To increase the feeding area of ​​​​tomato seedlings, she needs a pick, during which young plants are transplanted from a common container into separate pots. Perform this procedure after the plant reaches the age of 14 days, but not later than a month after the appearance of full shoots. So that home seedlings do not get sick after transplantation, pots of earth are prepared in advance, the soil must settle. Two hours before picking, the earth in individual pots and in a common container is well spilled with water. Then the young plants are carefully separated, and holding the clods of earth in the root zone with their fingers, they are transferred to individual pots.

Pick sequence

When transplanting, the tomato root must be shortened by a third. In the future, this will help form a stronger and more branched root system. Another feature of tomato picking is that the plant is planted deeper in a new place than it grew before. From the level of growth of the cotyledon leaves to the ground, there should not be more than 1 cm. This action is aimed at strengthening the root system, since additional roots are formed on the stem buried in the soil over time, providing additional plant nutrition.

Landing in the ground

Tomato seedlings in the greenhouse begin to be transplanted in April (depending on the region), in open ground, with a favorable weather forecast - from May 10. For soil, seedlings must first be hardened, taking them out into the street with the onset of warm days.

At the end of the hardening period, young tomatoes should calmly stand outside all day. During the hardening period, you should carefully look at home seedlings. Changes in environmental conditions are a strong stress for plants, and if they lack nutrients during this period, this will immediately become noticeable by the changed appearance young tomatoes.

For example, if the seedlings turn yellow, then most likely they were underfed with potassium. To eliminate the deficiency of this element, it is necessary to feed the seedlings with an ash solution - 1 glass of ash per 10 liters of water. One liter of solution is spent on two tomato bushes.

If at the stage of hardening the leaves of tomatoes turn purple-purple, and begin to take on a tuberculous shape, then, most likely, the plant lacks phosphorus. But, you should not rush to feed tomato seedlings with this element. Most likely, the hardening happened too quickly, and young tomatoes did not have time to adapt to the uncomfortable temperature regime, and stopped absorbing phosphorus from the soil.

In this case, they need to be allowed to rest for several days at their usual home conditions. If the leaves begin to turn green again, then everything is in order, and after a few days you can proceed to the progressive hardening of the plants. If the tomatoes do not “depart”, remain purple, then we can state a lack of phosphorus, which was revealed by lowering the ambient temperature. In this case, it is necessary to feed the tomatoes with superphosphate, and only then resume hardening.

By the time of planting in open ground, tomato seedlings should reach the age of 2-2.5 months. Younger tomatoes should not be planted. Even if favorable weather conditions are established, and night temperatures do not fall below 15 ° C, the plants have not yet accumulated the necessary vitality to quickly adapt to transplantation. Yes, most likely they will take root, but the acclimatization period will drag on for a long time, and seedlings will not grow and develop at this time. As a result, the resistance of tomatoes to various negative external factors, and as a result, you can not expect a good harvest from this bush.

Video: tomato seedlings - sowing seeds

Video: tomato seedlings - from germination to picking

Video: tomato seedlings - from picking to planting

Video: tomato seedlings - planting in a greenhouse

Peppers

Soil for seedlings

Growing seedlings is a lot like growing tomato seedlings. Although these plants are different classes(nightshade and pepper), their habits and needs are similar. Pepper also likes loose nutrient soil, warmth and moderate humidity. In order to plant seeds for seedlings, you can use both purchased soil (“Living Land Terravita”, “Fortress”, “Baby”), and prepare the ground for peppers with your own hands:

All components of the soil mixture must be thoroughly mixed, sieved through a sieve with large cells (1-2 cm), spread out in containers for growing seedlings, and frozen for several days. Then the finished soil can be brought into the room, after 2-3 days it is ready for transplantation.

Seed preparation

It is advisable to germinate seeds for seedlings of peppers before planting. Due to the dense outer layer, they burst heavily, which affects the timing of the appearance of the first seedlings. Sometimes the outer edge of the pepper seeds is cut for the fastest germination, but inexperienced gardeners are better off not doing such manipulations, since there is a high risk of making an incision in the wrong place and damaging the young plant. The best way to start the germination process is to gently heat the seeds. To do this, they are placed in a cloth moistened with warm water, and, having covered the top with a small container, put for a couple of hours in warm place. After that, the germination process is continued at room temperature.

Before planting, pepper seeds must be disinfected. You can do this with the help of manganese familiar to everyone, but if you can’t get it, you can use folk remedies, such as:

• Terrible horseradish. The rhizome of the plant must be crushed on a coarse grater, the resulting slurry should be wrapped in gauze. Put a bundle on the bottom of a jar of water, in which pepper seeds are placed. Essential substances, which are found in excess in horseradish, will qualitatively disinfect planting material. After the procedure is completed, the seeds must be washed and dried.
• A mixture of mineral fertilizers. To prepare the solution, take manganese sulfate (0.2 g), (10 g) and superphosphate (10 g), and mix with a liter of water. Soak seeds for pepper seedlings in this solution for 15-20 minutes.

Seedling planting dates

V different regions pepper planting calendar is different, depending on climatic conditions each specific region. But the basic rule that most gardeners adhere to is that peppers must be planted two weeks before the tomato. They are more rigid than tomatoes, and if they are sown without sprouting, then seedlings can be expected for 2-3 weeks. And sometimes the seeds that have sat out can appear from the ground even after a month, when they have already been forgotten about, and new seeds of another crop have been sown in a pot.

Peppers grow slowly and occupy a small area, so they are planted early. Already in early February, in Siberia and the Urals, pepper varieties with a long growing season begin to germinate. In the middle lane, they begin to plant peppers from February 15-20. Sowing varieties with a shorter growing season can be done in early and mid-March.

Care

There is an opinion that pepper seedlings are one of the most unpredictable in cultivation. Young plants, which just yesterday felt great and looked five plus, suddenly suddenly wither, dry out and may even completely wither. This is usually due to the fact that the peppers do not have enough nutrition. If you urgently feed the seedlings, then in most cases it can be saved. But it is best to start top dressing in advance, and continue to apply them throughout the growing season.

1. Nitrogen-potassium supplement. Young plants are fed for the first time after the first full-fledged leaf appears on them. To prepare a nutrient solution, take a tablespoon and dissolve it in 10 liters of water. Before watering, the earth in pots is sprinkled with ashes.
2. In order not to overfeed the peppers, the second top dressing is carried out no earlier than three weeks later. Its composition is identical to the composition of the first.
3. The third dressing is carried out a week before transplanting plants into a greenhouse or into open ground. Its composition includes double superphosphate, which will help the root system to better transfer the transplant. The need for pepper seedlings in nitrogen is also still high, so urea is also included in the mixture (it can be replaced with any other nitrogen-containing fertilizer).

Pepper picking is done 10 days after the first feeding. The root is pinched off by a third, and the plant is placed in a new container, while the pepper seedling cannot be planted deeper than it grew before. It is worth considering that peppers do not need the same vast area of ​​\u200b\u200bnutrition as tomato seedlings, so it is not at all necessary to take a large pot for transplanting, a capacity of 0.5 liters will be enough.

Seedlings of peppers can be grown without picking. To do this, the seeds of the plant must be immediately sown in separate containers, for example, in cut liter milk bags with a capacity of 1 liter.

Landing in the ground

Pepper seedlings, like any other, must be prepared in advance for transplanting into open ground. To do this, it is hardened. At home, this should be done gradually. First, pots with grown peppers are taken out into the room after airing, then they are put out for short periods. glazed loggia. The next step may be snow hardening. To do this, on the surface of the earth in a pot thin layer melted snow is applied. On this day, the seedlings are no longer watered.

Before planting young peppers in open ground, they begin to take them out into the street, accustoming them not only to a less comfortable temperature, but also to the sun's rays. Keep a close eye on the plants, because under the unusual influence of the sun, home seedlings can wilt in a matter of minutes. If this happens, the stems drooped, and the leaves hung with lifeless rags, it is urgent to bring the young peppers into the room and pour them with warm (but not hot) water - perhaps they will come to life. For the next few days, the hardening procedure should be canceled.

Planting peppers in a greenhouse, depending on the region, peppers start from the beginning of May. In the open field after transplantation, these plants feel comfortable if night temperatures are consistently above 15 ° C. At temperatures below 10 ° C, peppers stop growing, so it is advisable to plant them in open ground after May 15.

Video: pepper seedlings - sowing seeds

Video: pepper seedlings - from shoots to picks

Video: pepper seedlings - from picking to planting

eggplant

Soil for eggplant seedlings

Eggplants love loose soil, slightly acidified, well fertilized. The classic soil mixture recipe for this crop looks like this:

• Humus - 2 l;
• Peat - 1 l;
• rotted - 0.5 l.

For sowing eggplant seeds, you can also use soil seasoned with mineral fertilizers. It consists of:

1. Garden land - 10 l;
2. Simple superphosphate - 1 teaspoon;
3. Urea - 0.5 tablespoon;
4. - 0.5 tablespoon.

One of the main rules in preparing the soil for planting eggplant is that it must be disinfected, since they are more susceptible to damage than other plants various types rot, and they are difficult to grow at home. There are several ways to destroy harmful microorganisms that may be contained in any of the components of the substrate:

Planting dates for eggplant seedlings

Traditionally, in the middle lane, eggplant for seedlings must be sown at the end of February, and in the northern regions, for example, in Siberia, these heat-loving vegetables are often planted already in the middle of the last month of winter. Seeds must be calibrated before planting, choosing the largest and heaviest, and pickled in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. It is better not to soak eggplant seeds in biostimulants, as they tend to stretch from excess macronutrients at the initial stage of growth.

Eggplants are tight plants, so the appearance of the first loops will have to wait. Some gardeners, in order to speed up the process of germinating eggplant from seeds, cover them with a film and put them on a battery. It is undesirable to do this, since in this way excellent conditions are created for the development of root rot. The best conditions for germination of eggplant can be created by covering them with a glass mini-greenhouse, and by regularly watering the earthy coma, then in 10-14 days the first sprouts will appear.

eggplant seedling care

Traditionally, caring for eggplant seedlings consists of feeding, picking, loosening and timely watering. For eggplant, the optimal nutritional base is multicomponent mineral fertilizers, which are applied at least five times during the growing of seedlings. In this case, it is advisable not to use natural fertilizers for young plants, as they can cause rotting of the stem of a young plant.

Landing in the ground

Many sources recommend growing eggplants only in peat pots, they say, these whimsical plants have too delicate root systems, and they do not tolerate transplanting. In fact, this is far from the case. Healthy, proper eggplant seedlings tolerate transplanting, so it can be grown in any container. Most a budget option- cut plastic bottles from milk or soda water, in the bottom of which holes are made with a hot knitting needle. When transplanting tomatoes into open ground, plastic bottles are simply cut from both sides along the side walls, and opened like a flower bud, pushing out a clod of earth without damaging the roots at all.

As a container for growing seedlings, cropped kefir bags have also proven themselves well - they are laminated on top, so they can retain their shape throughout the entire period of growing eggplant - from the moment the seedlings are planted until they are planted in open ground. The grown and hardened eggplant seedlings are planted in open ground in the twentieth of May. In order for young plants to take root well, in the first week a mini-greenhouse can be built above them using agrotextile stretched over arcs.

Video: eggplant seedlings, agricultural technology, features

cucumbers

Seedlings begin to grow 3-4 weeks before planting in a greenhouse or open ground. To speed up the process, you can soak the seeds, but if the timing is not running out, then it is better to plant the seeds for seedlings in a dry container.

Cucumber seed dressing is desirable, but not required. They are less susceptible to various types of rot than seedlings of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. To speed up germination, pots with seeds planted in them are watered with warm water and covered. plastic bags, which during the day are slightly opened for a few minutes for airing. As soon as the first green loops of cucumbers appear above the ground, the bags are immediately removed so that white mold does not form inside.

Cucumbers should be watered moderately, Otherwise, they are pulled out, and this is unacceptable. Home seedlings are already much weaker and thinner than those grown in the ground, and with abundant watering, cucumber sprouts turn into thin threads, dry and turn yellow.

Soil for seedlings

Cucumbers are melons, they love warmth and thrive on soil rich in organic matter. For growing seedlings of cucumbers, it is best to use a soil mixture with natural ingredients, rich in well rotted . For middle lane and northern regions, it is recommended to use the following soil mixture:

• Turf land - 5 l;
• Dry humus (mullein) - 5l;
• Wood ash - 1 cup.

Such a substrate does not have high acidity, which allows cucumbers to feel comfortable. But, before planting seeds, it is desirable to disinfect the soil by destroying harmful microorganisms. Under cucumbers, it is best to disinfect using gentle means, such as Fitosporin, or, which are of natural origin and affect the soil at a structural level without polluting it with pesticides.

Care

Cucumber seedlings are quite unpretentious, and patiently tolerate a little shading. The most dangerous for her is the lack of moisture, so the seedlings of this gourds watered more often than tomato or pepper seedlings. Due to frequent watering, the frequency of loosening also needs to be increased. Insufficient air supply to the roots is one of the reasons for stunting in young cucumbers.

It is necessary to fertilize cucumbers twice during the period of growing seedlings.. The first dressing is done after the appearance of the first true leaf on the whip. For its implementation, you can take any complex fertilizer with a predominant nitrogen content. The composition of the second feeding, which is carried out two weeks after the first, should include the following components:

1. Double superphosphate - 5 g;
2. Potassium nitrate - 10 g;
3. Wood ash - 3 tbsp. spoons;
4. Complex - 5 g;
5. Water - 1.5 liters.

10 days after the application of this top dressing, cucumber seedlings are planted in a greenhouse or open ground. In the same soil, you can grow seedlings of zucchini.

Landing in the ground

The best containers for cucumbers are peat pots, since the plant can be planted in the soil without taking it out of the container, and without damaging the root system. Using peat pots, you should always maintain constant soil moisture in them, otherwise the dried lump will move away from the walls, and all the water during irrigation will go into this gap, practically not getting to the roots.

If the timing allows, then you can not resort to this rather expensive method of growing cucumber seedlings. Ordinary plastic cups also suitable, however, after transplantation, cucumbers will take root longer.

At early dates transplanting young cucumbers in open ground, they must be protected from the threat of return frost. This can be done using mini-greenhouses made of arcs with polyethylene or agrotextile stretched on top. But there is a less time-consuming way - at night, each young cucumber can be covered with a plastic or tin can. This method guarantees the protection of plants even with a slight minus, and is very economical, since the banks can be used for many years, and agrotextiles and polyethylene film torn after a couple of seasons.

Video: growing cucumber seedlings at home

Video: sowing seeds and planting seedlings of cucumbers in a greenhouse

Cabbage

In many regions of our country, cultivation is possible only through seedlings., otherwise she does not have time to form heads of cabbage before the onset of frost. As soil for this crop, you can use garden soil, fertilized and wood ash. In no case should you plant cabbage in containers made of wood - the soil in such a container begins to turn sour, and cabbage does not tolerate high acidity. For this seedling, plastic trays and pots are best suited.

You can grow cabbage with or without a pick. In the villages, cabbage seedlings are very often planted in April-May in cucumber greenhouses, in a row, without planting until transplanting to a permanent place in open ground.

Cabbage has a tap root system, which allows young plants to be content with a small feeding area at the first stage of their life. But, in order to get high-quality seedlings at home, it is necessary to feed it and loosen the aisles. It is not necessary to illuminate seedlings of cabbage, and with a row method of cultivation it is undesirable, as it will begin to stretch.

The first dressing of seedlings of cabbage- diluted with water, in a ratio of 1:20. The second is ash (2 tsp) with superphosphate (1 tsp) per 1 liter of water. Two days after the first feeding, cabbage seedlings begin to harden, taking them out into the street. Healthy and hardened seedlings should be able to withstand temperatures of 3-5°C. 3-4 days after the second feeding, cabbage seedlings, on which there should already be 3-4 true leaves, are transplanted into open ground.

Video: growing cabbage - seeds

Video: growing cabbage - sowing seedlings

Video: growing cabbage - seedling care

Video: growing cabbage - planting seedlings in the ground

Flowers

Separately, I want to talk about growing seedlings of popular annual flowers . Most often seedling way grow marigolds (tagetes), asters, ageratum, carnations, tobacco, since they have a long growing season, and with direct sowing of seeds in the ground, they do not have time to bloom before the onset of autumn cold weather. Flower seedlings are undemanding to growing conditions, tolerant of poor lighting, stretching out only in frankly dark places, so the window sill can be given way to tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, and flower seedlings can be placed on a table moved to the window.

Asters

The very first of all popular annuals, aster seeds are sown for seedlings. They must be fresh, so take seeds that have at least a two-year germination margin.

Since the seeds of the aster are medium-sized, it needs loose, sandy loamy soil. The following composition is best suited:

• Dry peat - 2 l;
• Garden soil - 1 l;
• Calcined river sand - 0.5 l.
• 2 tbsp

The resulting mixture must be sifted through a sieve with a mesh size of not more than 1 cm. It is advisable to add perlite to the prepared soil (1 liter per 10 liters of soil), and disinfect it with a light solution of potassium permanganate.

You can start sowing asters for seedlings at the end of March. Seeds are distributed over the top layer of soil, leaving a distance of 1-1.5 cm between them, and sprinkled with a centimeter layer of sand. Watering is not necessary, as the moisture from the previously spilled soil will fall on the sand and moisten it.

Aster seedlings appear a week after planting. At this time, young sprouts need to be very moderate to avoid the appearance of a black leg. At the age of two to three weeks, when young asters have several true leaves, the plants dive into separate pots. 5-7 days after picking, they are fed with any complex fertilizer for flowers, for example, "Flora" or "Flower". Feeding is repeated after 14 days. When the aster seedlings reach a height of 5-7 cm, they are transplanted into the ground, after hardening. Planting dates are the beginning or middle of May, since well-rooted aster seedlings survive even slight negative temperatures.

Marigold

Tagetes, or marigolds, as these flowers are popularly called, are one of the best annuals for landscaping garden plots. They bloom even at home, on the windowsill, and retain their flower stalks until autumn.

Growing seedlings of marigolds is easy, it is unpretentious. Sow seeds begin 40-50 days before planting in the ground. It is desirable to do this immediately in separate pots. The best container for them will be cups of yogurt and curds, such an earthy coma is quite enough to feed a young flower for almost two months before transplanting into open ground.

As soil, you can take any garden soil, after disinfecting it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds are placed on its surface and covered with a layer of earth 1 cm thick. Shoots will appear in a week, it is better to keep containers with earth on a cool windowsill during germination.

Tagetes are fed twice. The first time is watered with a solution (1 tsp per 2 liters of water), ten days after the appearance of full shoots. The second time - ten days before planting in open ground, sprinkling the ground in pots with seedlings with a thin layer of ash before watering. The second top dressing is necessary in order to quickly form and bloom the first bud on the plant.

Ageratum

One of the best border plants is considered to be ageratum. These small lush bushes retain their beauty throughout the summer, not without reason the second name of the ageratum is "long-flowered". Growing seedlings of flowers belonging to this species is not difficult, the most important thing is not to lose the smallest seeds during sowing. Due to their small size, ageratum seeds are planted superficially, lightly sprinkled with a thin layer of soil. Also for growing seedlings from small seeds (herbs, flowers, strawberries), you can use peat tablets. They are best suited for ageratum, begonia, fragrant tobacco, lobelia, snapdragon, petunia, mimulus and purslane.

Using peat tablets, the ageratum seed is placed in them to a depth of 1-2 mm, sprayed abundantly with water from a spray bottle, and covered with a film until full shoots appear. After the first sprouts appear, the film is removed, and the seedlings of flowers continue to be watered from the spray bottle as needed.

Ageratum in the seedling phase is a very delicate plant, which does not respond well to the influence of various negative factors, such as changes in temperature or humidity of the environment. Therefore, it is better to cover the first weeks of flower seedlings with glass mini-greenhouses, then it does not fade or turn yellow.

In open ground, seedlings of ageratum must be planted after it reaches 60 days of age. Since the plants are still very small, they are planted without dividing, several pieces in each hole. Ten days before planting in the ground, home seedlings must be fed with complex fertilizer for flowers.

Video: flowers in the garden - seeds or seedlings?

You can get large yields by fertilizing tomatoes and peppers with folk remedies, alternating them with the introduction of nutrient compositions of organic and mineral types. To reduce the number of irrigations will allow mulching the soil between the rows with straw, greenery of mowed plants, green manure is especially good for this purpose, as a natural source of nitrogen and trace elements.

Green manure includes legumes, cereals, cruciferous crops, phacelia, which is part of the water-leaved family, and some other representatives. flora. When planting tomatoes and peppers in open ground, it is recommended to add organic fertilizers. On a bucket of compost, you can add 70 g of a complex mineral mixture containing potassium and superphosphate.

If there are no mineral fertilizers, wood ash is quite capable of replacing them; for this amount of compost, you need to take about 2 cups of this natural source macronutrients necessary for the growth and development of tomatoes and peppers. When using a bucket of prepared fertilizer in the garden for planting seedlings on open space it is enough for 10 landing pits. To prevent burning the tender roots of tomatoes and peppers, the mixture should be mixed with the soil inside the hole.

Planting seedlings in the ground

About a week and a half before planting the plants in the open field, they should be hardened, gradually reducing the temperature of the seedlings in the greenhouse. It is advisable to water the bushes immediately before planting, because if they are watered in advance, the stems will become juicier and more brittle. In each of the holes you need to pour 1 liter of water and then place the plants in this moist soil. This contributes to a good survival of seedlings of tomatoes and peppers.

Low bushes are placed vertically in the soil, elongated, the length of which exceeds 35 cm, in an inclined position, sprinkling lower part ground stem. In the future, new roots will grow from it, ensuring high rates of development and growth of the plant.

Tomato and pepper seedlings planted in open ground must be protected from late frosts by covering with matting, paper caps, as well as by evening watering and smoke fires.

Evening or night watering using about 2 buckets of water per 1 sq. m increases the temperature of plants, well protecting them from freezing. It is equally important to maintain soil moisture and during the period of fruit setting and growth - the need developing bushes is approximately a bucket of water per 1 sq. m. area. The lack of water adversely affects the development of peppers and tomatoes, threatening to fall off the ovaries, diseases and poor growth fruits.

The sequence of top dressing of planted seedlings

For getting good harvests tomatoes and peppers must be fertilized at least 4 times:

• The first top dressing is carried out approximately 20 days after planting seedlings on open area. For it, you can apply a solution containing Ideal fertilizers and nitrophoska, taking a tablespoon of each drug per 10 liters of water. Consumption per plant - 0.5 l;
• The second top dressing of peppers and tomatoes is carried out by the beginning of flowering of the next fruit brush. For this purpose, you can make an aqueous solution of Signor Tomato using 1 tbsp. a spoonful of the drug in a bucket of water. The consumption for 1 bush is 1–1.5 liters of water;
• For the third time, seedlings of pepper and tomato should be fertilized about 8 weeks after planting in open ground when a new brush with fruit ovaries blooms. One tablespoon of Ideal or Sodium Humate should be taken per bucket of water, adding the same amount of nitrophoska. The finished solution is consumed in the amount of 5 liters of water per 1 sq. m;
• The last feeding of pepper and tomato is carried out 70 days after planting. A solution is prepared containing superphosphate at a concentration of 1 tbsp. spoon for 10 liters of water. Consumption is 10 liters. per 1 sq. m area.

The first top dressing of tomatoes and peppers can also be carried out with chicken manure dissolved in water, containing the optimal amount of all the nutrients the plants need. Its solution is prepared as follows: a large container is filled up to half with litter, then poured with water to the top edge. After infusing the mixture for three days, it is diluted by adding 15 parts of water to one part of the concentrate. Under each bush pour 3 liters of solution.

Mullein can be used instead of chicken manure, good results in the growth and development of tomatoes and peppers will be obtained by combining or alternating the use of these two popular household fertilizers.

You can prepare a solution of mullein by mixing it with water in a ratio of 1:5. Enhance the nutritional value of organics will allow the addition wood ash and mineral preparations containing phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. Artificial fertilizers should be used, observing the dosages indicated in the instructions for the preparations.

Signs indicating the need for plant nutrition

It is possible to determine the need for fertilizing seedlings after planting in an open area by the state of the bushes. Lack of nutrition is evidenced by the lag in the growth and development of tomatoes, the pale shade of the stems and leaves. Strengthening the bushes will allow feeding with mullein, diluted in a ratio of 1 part of the litter to 10 parts of water. With excessive growth of the vegetative organs of the plant - "fatting", characterized by the lush development of trunks and leaves, it is necessary to eliminate components from nutrient mixtures that include nitrogen - urea, nitrate, ammonium chloride and similar types of drugs.

If seedlings in an open area of ​​​​the garden receive less phosphorus, the reverse side of their leaves becomes slightly purple, an excess amount of phosphorus leads to yellowing of the leaves.

The lack of potassium in the soil contributes to the drying out of the bushes, the variegated color of the fruit, the excess content of this element in the soil can lead to the appearance of dull spots on the leaves.

When twisting the leaves of tomatoes, it is necessary to stop the introduction of superphosphate with top dressing with an increase in the dosage of preparations containing potassium and nitrogen. It will be enough to use 30 g of this type of fertilizer per bucket of water.

The use of foliar dressings

To improve the process of fruit setting and accelerate their ripening, it is desirable to additionally use foliar top dressing, in which the solution is not poured separately under each bush, but in the form of drops is applied to the vegetative parts of the plant. After planting after 14 days, it is recommended to spray about 10 ml of liquid fertilizer on the leaves. As the tomato grows, the dose should be increased to 15 ml.

You can prepare a nutrient solution in the form of a 0.5% aqueous extract of superphosphate, taking 100 g of fertilizer per 20 liters of water.

Pour into a container with the drug required amount hot water, mix thoroughly. After settling the solution, it should be filtered.

Yeast supplements

V Lately more and more popular is this type of fertilizing seedlings of tomatoes and peppers with folk remedies, such as fertilizer with a yeast solution. Yeast has a unique composition rich in various types of nutrients. Their use as a fertilizer helps to improve the endurance of seedlings, their resistance to adverse factors.

For example, if, after planting tomatoes in an open area, cloudy weather sets in with an insufficient level of lighting for plants, yeast top dressing will allow them to tolerate insufficiently favorable conditions well. The first watering of seedlings using a yeast solution can be done already 7 days after the seedlings of pepper and tomato were planted in an open area of ​​​​soil.

Ways to prepare the yeast mixture:

• To prepare the nutrient mixture, you need to take 1 kg of fresh yeast per 5 liters of water. Then the resulting liquid mass must be diluted by adding a bucket of water to 1 liter of the solution;
• When using dry yeast, the mixture is prepared at the rate of 10 g per 10 liters, then further diluted with five times the amount of water. Under young bushes, 0.5 liters of solution are poured, an adult plant will need about 2 liters;
• You can prepare a complex fertilizer by adding half a glass of sugar, a half-liter jar of chicken manure and the same amount of wood ash to dry yeast in water (1 bucket). With further use, the resulting concentrate is diluted with a tenfold amount of water, watering should be done not at the root, but along the circumference of the near-stem fossa, so as not to damage the delicate roots with chicken droppings.

Activities for feeding seedlings and grown bushes give good results, increasing the yield and vitality of plants, increasing their fruiting time. When top dressing, one should carefully monitor the condition of their stems, leaves, flower brushes and growing ovaries, adjusting the number and volume of top dressing as necessary, ensuring optimal development and ripening of fruits.