When growing tomato seedlings, many gardeners have problems. This can be due to many reasons. Each of them must be dealt with separately.
Causes of poor growth of tomato seedlings
To fix the problem, you need to figure out why it occurred. There are many reasons why tomatoes do not grow after a pick.
- Seedlings are not irrigated correctly. If watering is carried out strictly according to the rules, it is recommended to check the condition drainage system... It is simply necessary so that excess liquid comes out of the container in which the seedlings grow. This will help keep the soil moisture at the required level.
- The composition of the soil is incorrectly selected. Often, gardeners use soil directly from the garden to grow seedlings. Its acidity level may be too high or low. This stops the growth of the seedlings.
- A lot of fertilizers are applied to the soil. The growth of plants can be adversely affected not only by the lack of nutrients, but also by their overabundance.
- Infection with fungal or infectious diseases also inhibits the growth of seedlings. Damage by pests can not only stop the growth of seedlings, but also completely destroy them.
- If the pick is made incorrectly, it is damaged root system plants. Inexperienced growers can improperly compress the roots, resulting in air cushions.
- The plants are very densely planted. Planting of seedlings is recommended.
A pick should be carried out no earlier than 10 - 12 days after the first shoots appear.
It is better to use peat pots as a container. They have the property of dissolving in the soil. Due to this, when transplanting seedlings, the plants can not be removed from the container without damaging the measles system.
Seedling appearance
At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing complicated in the dive process, but in fact the dive should be carried out in compliance with certain rules.
Priming
Soil composition has a direct impact on the growth and development of seedlings. In order to grow good seedlings, in no case should you use soil from the beds.
Important! It is not worth saving on the ground.
The soil must not only have the correct composition and structure, but also be decontaminated. To do this, it is thoroughly watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. As a result, the development of pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria in the soil. The presence of peat and special fertilizers in the soil will help to increase the level of its fertility.
If this is not taken care of in advance, seedlings will develop very slowly. But the situation can be corrected. For this, peat and the necessary fertilizers can be poured onto the topsoil in containers where plants grow. After a while, all nutrients will go to the root system.
Until the seedlings are ready for transplanting into open ground, it is recommended to feed them at least 4 times.
- For the first time, plants are fertilized immediately after germination. To do this, you can use a solution of nitrophoska and water. The plant is watered at the root until the soil gets wet.
- The seedlings are fed the second time after the flower clusters are formed. This can be done using already ready-made funds that are sold in retail outlets.
- After the development of the third cluster of flowers, the plant also needs feeding. Gardeners recommend top dressing using Ideal fertilizer, which is mixed with nitrophosphate and water.
- The last feeding of the plants is done 2 weeks after the third. Superphosphate dissolves in water and is applied at the root of the plant.
If tomato seedlings are not growing, what should I do? You can use folk method: Add chicken droppings dissolved in water under the root. Such watering is carried out for several days as needed.
Important! If you choose the wrong proportion of the solution, it is possible that the leaves on the plant may turn yellow or completely fall off.
Seedlings also respond well to feeding crushed eggshell flooded warm water... The liquid is infused until it becomes cloudy. Under each tomato bush, no more than a spoonful of the finished solution is applied.
Feeding with yeast is often used. To prepare the fertilizer, the yeast dissolves in warm water with sugar. After a day, the solution is ready for use.
Important! Such a solution should not come into contact with the leaf plates or the stem. This can lead to yellowing.
After the seedlings are planted in the beds, they can be watered with water in which the Athlete fertilizer is dissolved. As a result, the ground part of the plant will slightly slow down its growth and development, but the root system of tomatoes will grow quite actively.
Watering and growing place
The soil should not be too dry
At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing difficult in organizing watering of seedlings. In fact, it is very important point... The soil should not be too dry, but it is also not recommended to be zealous with watering. This can lead to the development of pathogenic microorganisms or putrefactive processes.
If the soil is still too wet after watering, you can put a dry cloth on its surface. After a while, it will absorb excess moisture. You can also gently loosen the surface of the soil in the container. This will facilitate the evaporation of moisture from it.
Seedlings can grow poorly or slowly if the place for their placement is not chosen correctly. It is necessary to select a well-lit place, without drafts. Otherwise, the plants may die.
Also, don't forget about the room temperature. As soon as the seed is planted in the ground, the room temperature should be at least 25-28 degrees. To create greenhouse conditions, containers can be covered with foil. In addition to helping maintain the desired temperature, the shelter helps retain moisture.
After the shoots appear, the film can be removed, and the room temperature must be lowered to 18-20 degrees. Otherwise, the leaves on the plant will most likely turn yellow.
After the appearance of 2 true leaves, the seedlings must be hardened. This will help make her stronger. You can simply open the window for a while or take the boxes out onto the balcony for a while. At the same time, the air temperature outside should be at least 18-20 degrees. Each time the seedlings hardening time increases by 3-5 minutes.
Important! If the seedlings are in direct sunlight, it is possible that the leaves will turn purple or fall off completely.
Diseases
Fusarium
Often, the reason that tomato seedlings do not grow is the development of diseases characteristic of vegetable crops... It is necessary to establish what kind of disease is harmful to the plant and makes it frail.
Fusarium... This ailment is caused by a fungus, the spores of which enter the plant from the ground or through infected seed. The disease leads to the fact that the growth of seedlings becomes slow or stops altogether. Seedlings become lethargic, may turn yellow or die.
When the first signs of an illness are found, it is necessary to immediately remove the diseased plant from the container where other seedlings are located. In addition, the soil in the pot must be completely replaced or disinfected. To do this, you can use drugs such as Fitolavin, Fitosporin, Bravo or Profit Gold.
Blackleg. The causative agent of the disease is a pathogenic bacterium. When infected, the stem of the plant turns black, and after a while it completely falls. You can help seedlings only at the very beginning of infection. The soil is disinfected by using a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Black rot. The disease begins to develop with an excess of moisture and a lack of heat in the room. In this case, the plant becomes sluggish, its growth stops. It is no longer possible to help such a plant. When the first symptoms of the disease are detected, the infected plant must be immediately destroyed. Healthy bushes need to be transplanted into another container and ground.
To minimize the risk of contracting diseases of vegetable crops, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures. First of all, it is necessary to acquire high-quality seed material. It is better to give preference to varieties that are resistant to ailments, adapted for cultivation in open ground.
How to speed up the growth of seedlings
In order for the seedlings to be strong and grow actively, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules. Among the most important are the following:
- the place in which the seedlings are grown should be light and warm;
- the soil in which it is planned to plant seeds should consist of peat, sand and humus. It should be disinfected in the oven or with a solution of potassium permanganate;
- it is better to water the plants with warm, settled water;
- if the room is too hot, it is recommended to spray the seedlings from a spray bottle;
- before picking, the soil must be thoroughly watered. As a result, transplanting less injuries to seedlings;
- after picking, the ground near the root must be well tamped. Otherwise, the measles system may die;
- after sprouting, the plants can be watered with a solution of milk and water. This will minimize the risk of developing disease.
Knowing what to do if tomato seedlings are not growing, you can grow healthy and strong seedlings.
Even experienced gardeners very often face such a problem that tomato seedlings suddenly stop growing. If this happens, then there is no need to panic. It is necessary as soon as possible to find out what is the reason for this sudden stop growth, and there may be several of them:
- Malnutrition,
- Wrong pick
- Bad care
- Diseases
- Pests.
Having figured out why tomato seedlings are not growing, you can begin to eliminate it.
Lack of seedlings nutrition. How to eliminate the consequences?
If the plant grows and develops poorly, it is likely that it lacks nutrition. Symptoms of a deficiency of a particular element may be as follows:
With a lack of nitrogen, plants look stunted with a thin stem, small pale leaves. The appearance of a reddish-purple hue on the underside of the leaves indicates a phosphorus deficiency. The lower leaves turned yellow at the edges and curled up, which means there is not enough potassium. The absence of such an element as magnesium is manifested by the marbling of the leaves. In these cases, the treatment of seedlings consists in carrying out the necessary fertilizing.
With a lack of iron, tomato seedlings do not grow, because they develop chlorosis. Plant leaves discolor and turn yellow. In the presence of such symptoms, immediately stop highlighting the seedlings. In advanced cases, feed and spray with iron-containing preparations.
Wrong pick
Another of the most common reasons for the stunted growth of seedlings is an incorrect pick, namely:
- The roots are bent.
- The spines are torn off or damaged too much,
- When planting, the roots were poorly compressed, which created air pockets next to them,
Care errors
Seedling growth may stop for the following reasons:
- The flooded seedlings suffocated from lack of oxygen.
- The soil is not suitable.
In the first case, it is necessary to clean the drainage hole, and in its absence, transplant the remaining plants. In the second, change the soil as soon as possible.
Seedling diseases
Often tomato seedlings do not grow due to diseases. The most common diseases that inhibit its growth are:
- Root and root rot, which leads to overflow of seedlings at low air or soil temperatures. Rescue the remaining seedlings urgently by transplanting them into fresh soil. Pre-wash the roots in a solution of phytosporin or magrantsovka.
- Blackleg is a common infectious disease that develops very quickly in adverse conditions.
Symptoms: darkening of the root collar, its softening and plant death.
Control measures: the affected seedlings are watered with a weak solution of potassium manganese. Then it hides and is placed more rarely. The room must be systematically ventilated. However, it is possible to save plants only at the very first stage of the disease, so inspect the seedlings every day.
Pests
Of the pests, spider mites, earwigs or wood lice are most often found. Treat the seedlings with phytoverm, actellik or karbofos.
Tomatoes are grown in almost every vegetable garden - this is an easy crop to cultivate. It is planted in the open, in the ground, in a greenhouse, it happens, seeds are sown right away, and sometimes seedlings are made. Tomatoes harvest different varieties give satisfactory, but only at good growth... Unfortunately, there are times when tomatoes develop slowly. Why tomatoes grow poorly and what to do about it will be described below in the article.
Why do tomatoes grow poorly outdoors?
Why do tomatoes grow poorly outdoors? At least once this question was asked by every gardener who grows them. There can be many reasons and all of them are quite realistic to solve.
Why do tomatoes grow poorly in a greenhouse?
Check out these articles as well
In greenhouses, there is usually a completely different microclimate, therefore, slow growth of tomatoes due to incorrect temperatures is extremely rare, and yet it is possible, so the thermometer in the greenhouse should always hang, and the temperature should be checked all the time. But more often than not, the reason why tomatoes grow poorly in a greenhouse are completely different factors.
What to do if tomatoes do not grow?
There are many reasons why tomatoes grow poorly, as you can see, but how to solve them? Several have already been given above. simple tips, now it is worthwhile to study in more detail how to prevent growth stagnation or to correct the situation.
Why doesn't tomato seedlings grow?
Not only adult tomatoes, but also seedlings may lag behind in development. But why does tomato seedling grow poorly and how to avoid it?
The reason for the slow growth of seedlings can be excessive watering, poor soil chosen for seedlings, damage to the roots when picking from a common pot into separate containers. Also, growth may be affected by a lack of light and feeding. These are the most common causes and are fairly easy to deal with or avoid.
- Seedling soil is easier to buy if you are not confident or practice mixing.
- You need to dive seedlings very carefully, according to all the rules and preferably in peat cups.
- Watering is necessary regularly, but in small doses. Plants should not be poured, but small holes should be made in the containers at the bottom so that excess moisture did not accumulate in the ground, but went out. Plus it provides additional ventilation for the roots.
- Seedlings are grown only in a lighted place (windowsill, veranda, greenhouse, or something like that).
- Top dressing is applied in low concentrations for seedlings, but if this is not done at all, growth may stop. So you should not neglect this point of departure.
Experienced gardeners share tips on how to enhance the development of the plant, improve the quality of the fruits obtained and not think about the question of why tomatoes grow poorly.
- Watering tomatoes should only be done with warm water infused in the sun. This should be done early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun has disappeared.
- Frequent watering is much preferable to sparse, but abundant. The latter lead to cracking of the fruit.
- It is not worth collecting seeds from sown tomatoes from year to year. It is necessary to update the seed, otherwise the yield of the variety will rapidly fall every year. Once every three years, it is worth buying new seeds, store-bought in bags and sowing them, rather than picking from the tomatoes sown for this year.
- When choosing a variety for planting, you need to pay attention to where it should be grown? If tomatoes are intended for a greenhouse, they cannot be grown outdoors and vice versa. If you neglect this rule, tomatoes, having reached a certain growth, will simply stop developing or will not bear fruit.
VIDEO - 10 mistakes when growing tomatoes
Growing tomatoes is always associated with a lot of effort. To avoid failures on the way to getting the harvest, I would like to offer some recommendations. Here they are.
The appearance of symptoms of plant development disorders, we must notice in time and create favorable conditions for growing them. And then we will be able to answer the question - why tomatoes grow poorly, what to do with it. Based on experience, it has been established that tomatoes grow poorly when there is a nitrogen deficiency. In this case, the growth of the apical and lateral shoots is delayed, yellowness appears on young leaves. The lack of sulfur compounds during the development of tomatoes is akin to a lack of nitrogen. This is manifested in the fact that the stem becomes thinner and hardens. Nitrogen nutrition affects all stages of tomato development.
With an excess of nitrogen, the leaves grow intensively, flowering and fruiting occur with a delay. Nitrogen fertilizing sometimes it is necessary to exclude, since with an excess of nitrogen, fungal diseases occur.
When the level of nitrogen nutrition is normal, then the presence of manganese, calcium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, zinc in plants is completely normalized.
When there is a lack of fluoride in the soil where tomatoes grow, then there is a slowed down growth of shoots, their thinning. The leaf becomes dull in color.
In the case of a lack of potassium in the soil, the development of fruits on which there are spots of green and yellow color is observed. Their fall is characteristic.
If the soil is depleted in calcium, then the growth points die off in the plants. With a lack of magnesium supply in tomatoes, marbling occurs on young and old leaves. Iron deficiency manifests itself through yellowing of the leaves. Zinc deficiency manifests itself in the fading of growth points and the appearance small leaves.
Absence the required amount boron is accompanied by damage to the core of the stem, and the fruits are prone to cracking. A simple one, familiar to many, will help to get rid of such phenomena, boric acid... Dissolve it in hot water(1 g in 1 liter of water) and carry out the spraying procedure.
The picture is clear and now it is clear why tomatoes do not grow - what to do ?! To overcome the painful phenomena in green tomato plants, you should pay due attention to feeding.
Remember that experts recommend that primary feeding should be carried out 2 weeks after planting the seedlings with a solution of mullein (1:10) or chicken droppings (1:20).
The next "feeding" is advisable to carry out every 10 days mineral fertilizer in full composition (60 g of nitrophoska per 10 liters of water).
During the flowering period, it is enough for tomatoes to add 1 liter of such feeding to the diet. After flowering up to 5 liters.
Fermented herbs such as nettles are a suitable food.
With the benefit of plants up to 4 times per season, you can use trace elements (grind 5 tablets, dissolve in 10 liters). The rate for each bush is 1 liter. Practice confirms the effectiveness and foliar feeding mineral and organic fertilizers, as well as micronutrient fertilizers
The green mass of plants effectively absorbs nutrients as well as roots, to the extent necessary, which promotes plant growth.
Practice confirms the effectiveness of foliar feeding with mineral and organic fertilizers, as well as micronutrients.
The green mass of plants effectively absorbs nutrients as needed.
It will not be superfluous to prepare an organic infusion from nettle (replenishment with microelements), lupine (nitrogen enhancement), comfrey (a storehouse of potassium), apple extracts (champions in phosphorus and potassium).
We put all the components in a 2-bucket container, fill it with water, stir and keep the infusion for at least a week.
We process the leaves of our green friends in the evening with a solution of the color of tea of weak brewing.
Pay attention to the area of the tomato feeding.
Tomatoes suspend their dynamics due to such unpleasant phenomena how root rot and "black leg".
I can stop the growth of tomato seedlings with pests: wood lice, earwigs, spider mites. To get rid of this invasion, you can use the following drugs: karbofos, fitoverm, actellik.
It has been found that tomatoes do not grow well or slow down their growth after transplanting them into unsuitable soil.
Tomatoes lose their growth dynamics if they are formed at temperatures below 28 °.
They also grow poorly when the irrigation regime is not maintained.
Abundant watering once a week has negative consequences in the form of fruit cracking. At the same time, the period after a long drought requires small doses of moisture.
And also ... Remember that tomato friends prefer "wet bottom" (roots) and "dry top" (leaves)!
Compared to other nightshade crops, tomatoes are not capricious crops, responds well to care and quickly recovers after wellness treatments. Most of the problems arise when growing seedlings in indoor conditions, and the most common is growth arrest and inhibition of development. What to do if tomato seedlings are not growing?
The main reasons why tomato seedlings grow poorly or not at all are:
- Unfavorable microclimate.
- Deficiency of nutrients.
- Incorrect picking.
- Failure to comply with the rules of care.
- Seedling diseases.
- Pest attacks.
We will learn to determine the reason for the stopping growth of tomatoes by external signs and learn how to deal with this.
Unfavorable microclimate
To create a microclimate favorable for tomato seedlings, it is necessary to take into account the temperature, humidity and provide normal lighting for plants on initial stage vegetation.
Temperature and humidity
Violation of the temperature regime is becoming one of the main reasons for the slowdown in growth in tomatoes. Let us remind you that vegetative processes in tomatoes normally proceed in the temperature range from + 15 ° C to + 30 ° C.
In a living room, cooling of seedlings is possible when kept on non-insulated window sills, but most often inhibition of development is observed due to too much high temperature, at + 32 ° C, the development and growth of tomatoes completely stops.
In addition, a concomitant factor in an increase in temperature in an apartment is almost always low humidity, which also negatively affects the growth of tomatoes. What to do to normalize humidity and temperature:
- hypothermia can be avoided by removing the seedlings from the windowsills or insulating them in advance;
- reduce the temperature by ordinary ventilation, the procedure is also necessary for the gradual hardening of seedlings and helps to get rid of high humidity;
- in rooms with low humidity, water is sprayed with a spray bottle.
Lighting
Tomatoes are plants with long daylight hours. Ideally, seedlings need lighting for 12 to 16 hours a day. Gardeners start seedlings in February and March, when daylight hours last no more than 7-10 hours. In case of insufficient lighting, the processes of photosynthesis at the intracellular level slow down, respectively, the seedlings develop poorly and do not grow.
To compensate for the lack of sunlight, the sprouts are supplemented with phytolamps; alternatively, you can use fluorescent lighting... The procedure should be carried out an equal amount of time in the morning and in the evening, but many vegetable growers perform only evening supplementary lighting and are quite successful.
When there is a lack of light in greenhouses, they are often used potash fertilizers... This way you can support the seedlings at home. To do this, you can use a solution of potassium salt (5 g / 3 l) or potassium sulfate (6 g / 3 l). Humates or complex fertilizers are often used for feeding, since in addition to potassium, seedlings need nitrogen and phosphorus.
Nutrient deficiency
Nitrogen is responsible for the growth of vegetative mass. The roots of seedlings develop normally if there is enough phosphorus in the soil. If tomato seedlings have stopped growing and have acquired a pale green or yellowish tint, this indicates a lack of nitrogen. If the stems and leaves turn bluish or purple, this indicates phosphorus starvation.
Nitrogen is replenished with urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and phosphorus with superphosphate fertilizer. Cow dung also contains a lot of nitrogen and phosphorus, so many vegetable growers use mullein infusion as a top dressing, and wood ash is added to replenish potassium.
To feed tomato seedlings, first prepare a concentrate (1 kg mullein / 2 l), which is diluted 1:10 with water immediately before use. For 5 liters of organic feeding add 100 ml of wood ash.
On a note! Organic matter of animal origin is a source of pests and many diseases of tomatoes, therefore, it is used with caution on seedlings.
Recipes for nutrient solutions to stimulate the growth and development of tomatoes:
- urea 1 g / simple superphosphate 8 g / potassium salt 3 g / 2 l;
- ammonium nitrate 1 g / simple superphosphate 8 g / potassium sulfate 4 g / 2 l;
- 30 g nitrophoska / 2 l.
The first feeding is performed 10 days after the emergence of shoots, the second - 5 days before the pick or a week after it. For the third time, seedlings are fertilized 5 - 7 days before transplanting into the ground. Any nutrient solutions are applied to well-watered soil.
Wrong pick
The picking requires special care and attention of the gardener. When transplanting into separate containers, air voids in the soil mixture must not be allowed. This can lead to poor survival and decay of immature roots of seedlings, growth arrest, and often complete death of the plant.
In the process of picking, the pinching of the main shaft of the rhizome is carried out. This is necessary to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, and is also a measure against stretching the seedlings. After picking, the seedlings intensively build up the underground part, the vegetative part from above stops its development. But, if the roots are severely damaged, the plant will stop growing and simply die.
Failure to comply with the rules of care
In order for the seedlings to grow better, it is necessary to follow certain rules of care: water, fertilize, prevent diseases, observe the optimal for tomatoes temperature regime, lighting and air humidity. The most common mistakes when growing tomatoes are not observing temperature, light and humidity indicators, as well as improper watering.
You already know about the microclimate, let's talk about how to water tomato seedlings... Immediately after sowing the seeds, the soil in the boxes should be constantly moist, but when sprouts appear, watering should be reduced. The potting mix shouldn't dry out too much, but daily watering will also not be beneficial. Watering is carried out when the top layer dries up approximately 2 or 3 times a week.
At proper watering oxygen access to the roots improves, the likelihood of developing fungal infections decreases.
Diseases
Diseases on tomato seedlings most often appear due to a violation of watering norms. Poor seed quality, neglect of soil disinfection and planting material also lead to infection.
Tomato seedlings may not grow due to the following diseases:
- blackleg;
- root rot;
- white spot.
Blackleg
Fungal infection in which the stem of the seedling turns black at the soil level. Further, the disease spreads to the entire stem, the plant dies. The disease is not cured. At the first sign, diseased seedlings are removed, the rest are transplanted. The soil mixture from under the diseased plants is not used or is disinfected by calcining in the oven.
The planted tomatoes are treated with "Fundazol" or other fungicides. Disease prevention is the addition of ash to the soil before planting and dusting the seedlings with it, the use of biostimulants "Baktofit" or "Fitosporin".
Root rot
Overmoistening in combination with hypothermia, which is characteristic of seedlings on windowsills, leads to the appearance of root rot. Control and prevention measures are the same as for black leg lesions.
To strengthen the immune system, the roots of non-infected plants are soaked in Fitosporin or a solution of potassium permanganate.
White spot
Small spots white with a dark border - a sign of septoria or white spot disease, as vegetable growers call it. Septoria is difficult to treat, it is impractical when growing seedlings. Sick plants are removed, those that do not have time to get infected are transplanted.
White spot will be prevented by soil disinfection and seed material before landing.
Pests
In living quarters, there are few pests that can stop the growth of seedlings, the most dangerous are spider mites and wood lice.
Spider mite
Usually, spider mites are infested with houseplants... Before starting growing tomatoes, it is necessary to treat all home crops with insecticides, and also transfer them to a separate room. Against spider mite will help funds "Aktellik" or "Fitoverm".
Woodlice
Woodlice live in damp rooms. In old buildings, this is usually a bathroom, basements and storerooms, but wood lice infestation can spread to living rooms.
Before planting tomatoes for seedlings, you should treat the room with "Karbofos", and more often air it.
To grow healthy seedlings tomatoes, which subsequently adapts well to the beds, is not difficult. In the process of growing, problems are possible: the seedlings do not grow, wither or stretch out. But the culture is responsive to care and responds well to wellness activities.