For gardeners, now is a hot period: we are planting seedlings ...
How? Where? What? The internet is full of offers. some seem interesting. others are unusual. I will share my opinion on what is better to plant seedlings.
Method 1: Planting seedlings in food trays
pros:
- free (you can collect during the winter by buying cookies and cakes)
- have a transparent cover (it is convenient to germinate seeds, creating a "greenhouse")
Minuses :
- brittle (break quickly)
- shallow (suitable only for growing up to the picking stage)
conclusions: It is good to use such trays for germinating seeds - they can accommodate many plants at once, create a greenhouse for germinating. It is not a pity to throw out after growing up. I use them with pleasure both for small seeds and for sprouting seedlings of peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. The tray is not suitable for those. who does not use a pick or is afraid to do so.
Method 2: Planting seedlings in snails (hand-rolled)
pros :
- low cost - consumables - laminate backing, toilet paper, rubber band for money :)
- compact: almost all plantings fit on one window sill
- a lot of sprouts fit in one snail (I got up to 40)
Minuses :
- So far I haven't found any cons for myself.
conclusions: I met snails \ cigarettes (they are called differently on the Internet) quite recently, but I really liked the method. It is convenient to germinate both large and small seeds in them. The biggest plus is the space savings.
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Method 3: Planting seedlings in egg containers
pros :
- free
- with lid
Minuses:
- very small volume
conclusions: Actually, this is not a place for seedlings, but a germinator. very convenient to use for super-fine seeds. As you can see in the photo, I do not even use the earth, but germinate on toilet paper, watering with nutrient fertilizer. This is how I grow herbs for greens. For example, in the photo - thyme. it sprouts with a brush, you grow it up to 2-3 cm and then you plant it in separate containers, simply splitting the wet paper into pieces with your hands. I will show in a separate article. By the way, if you fill it with earth, it is convenient to expel seedlings of cucumbers. Until the seeds germinate, you can store one on top of the other container in several rows. Use only plastic containers - cardboard ones will "float".
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Method 4: Plant seedlings in eggshells
pros :
- free packaging
- natural material
- roots do not deteriorate during transplantation
Minuses :
- very small volume
- fragility
conclusions A: In my opinion, it is troublesome. you need to competently beat the eggs, store the shell somewhere before planting, etc. However, there is a way. Many plant and praise.
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Method 5: Planting seedlings in peat tablets
pros :
- compact
- available (sold everywhere)
- no need to think about the composition of the soil - wet it with water and go
- roots are not injured during transplantation
Minuses :
- high percentage of fake
- due to the fact that there are no walls - they dry out very quickly
conclusions : When peat tablets first appeared, I considered them to be the best alternative for cups. but then, unfortunately, poor-quality tablets began to come across, either they do not get wet, or they have a very strong shell (and the roots do not germinate through them), or they are unevenly filled (and the seeds fall through them and cannot germinate). And yes, they dry out all the time. so I personally stopped using them. But if you are lucky enough to buy quality ones and you like using them, then use them with pleasure.
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Method 6: Planting seedlings in cups
pros :
- "classics of the genre"
- availability
- sufficient volume for cultivation before planting in the ground
Minuses :
- it is not always convenient to get it out, you can damage the roots
- take up a lot of space
conclusions : Cups are an excellent container for seedlings. Just remember to poke holes at the bottom with a hot needle or awl to drain water. otherwise you will get mold and a black leg. We can also solve the minus about the inconvenience of getting it - after some time of use, you can adapt to get it jewelry. So for me there is only one minus - they require a lot of space. and on two windowsills you can’t really turn around ... You can use sour cream cups, milk and juice bags, etc.
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Method 7: Planting seedlings in cassettes
pros :
- convenient for large volume, industrial use
- can be cut into the desired number of cassettes
Minuses :
- not convenient to get, because turn over the entire cassette at once
- take up a lot of space, you can’t just put it on the windowsill
- difficult to pick up pallets
- inconvenient to store - need to buy every year
conclusions : Cassettes are still more convenient to use. if you are planting seedlings in very large volumes and you have large areas for growing. If you notice. seedlings are always sold in cassettes. The manufacturer, in fact. no matter how you get the plants. I have stopped using them...
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Method 8: Planting seedlings in boxes with cups
pros :
- hard bottom at the pallet, easy to carry
- in each cup there is a removable bottom - it is convenient to get the plant along with a clod of earth, simply by pressing your finger on the bottom
- aesthetics - beautiful
- enough space for the plant
- long term use (one-time investment)
Minuses :
- not cheap
- over time, plastic bottoms from cups are lost (well, personally for me)
- a lot of space
conclusions: Perhaps the most beautiful way to grow seedlings. I have 10 such trays, each with 14 cups. Everything is thought out. Comfortable for everyone, except for the size. True, I adapted to place them on the window not along the windowsill, but across. If you don’t hurt, they don’t fall, and so on. I have 6 pallets per window, i.e. 84 plants. I use them for seedlings of eggplants, peppers and tomatoes after a pick (I already said that I am not afraid to dive peppers and eggplants and grow only through a pick). Thanks to a durable pallet, it is convenient to carry (remember, after all, these wonderful moments when seedlings need to be transported from an apartment to a summer house and the whole family drags and balances bags and boxes in their hands and teeth, moving in small dashes from the door through the elevator to the car)
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Method 9: Planting seedlings in boxes
pros :
- sufficient amount of land - the roots have room to grow sideways
- rigidity (easy to carry)
- high sides
- long term use
Minuses :
- take the place
- re-injury to the roots when planting in the ground
conclusions: I like these boxes, but they take up too much space ... I recommend using them for tomatoes - an extra pick will not hurt them. it is also good to use for planting without a transplant, for example, for growing vegetables on a windowsill - you can plant salads, dill and flowers. It seems to me that it is good to use them if you live outside the city - in the morning I grabbed it, carried it out into the sun, and brought it back to the house in the evening.
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You can argue with me, because everyone defends his point of view. But you can not argue. Everyone has their own truth anyway.
I told you about my experience and my preferences. Try different methods. Don't be afraid to use one method or another. After all, gardening should be fun, only then will your plants grow healthy and strong.
If you have any questions - ask, I will definitely answer.
Always yours, Erika.
When and at what time to plant seeds for seedlings.Very useful information for amateur gardeners. Perhaps someone does not know when and what to plant seedlings then check out this information. You still have time to plant something.
It is not difficult to calculate the timing of sowing vegetable seeds for seedlings.
If you want to get the first harvest by a certain date, you must also take into account the duration of the plant's vegetation from planting to the first fruits (usually it is indicated on the bag of seeds).
For example, in early varieties and hybrids of tomato, the growing season to the first fruits is about 100 days. The optimal age of seedlings for planting in a permanent place is 45-50 days. The average time from sowing to germination is 7-8 days. The optimal time for planting prepared seedlings in a greenhouse is around June 1. Thus, in order to get the first crop of lettuce tomatoes by July 20, you need to start sowing seeds 100 days before this date, plus a week from sowing to germination and about five days to adapt the seedlings after planting. Approximate sowing date is April 1-8.
Approximate sowing dates for seedlings of the main vegetable crops for central Russia:
Celery. Landing - 25 May. The age of seedlings is 70-80 days, from sowing to germination - up to 15 days. Sowing - after February 25.
Bell pepper. Landing in the greenhouse - June 5th. Seedling age - up to 70 days, from sowing to germination - 12-14 days. Sowing - after March 10.
Early white cabbage. Landing - after May 20. Seedling age - up to 50 days, from sowing to germination - 5 days. Sowing - 15 March.
Cauliflower and broccoli are sown along with early white cabbage.
Black onion and leek. Landing - in mid-May. Seedling age - up to 50 days. Sowing - after March 15.
Eggplant. Landing in the greenhouse - June 5th. Seedling age - up to 50 days, from sowing to germination - 12 days. Sowing - April 1.
Cucumber. Planting in a greenhouse without technical heating - after May 25. Seedling age - 25-27 days, from sowing to germination - 3 days. Sowing - not earlier than April 25.
Lettuce head. Landing - 10 June. Seedling age - up to 40 days, from sowing to germination - 4 days. Sowing - after April 25.
Mid-season white cabbage. Landing - after early white cabbage. Seedling age - up to 40 days. Sowing - at the end of April.
Pumpkin, zucchini, squash. Landing - 10 June. Seedling age - 25-27 days, from sowing to germination - 4 days. Sowing - after May 10.
Recommendations are given for the Central region of the Russian Federation. The timing of planting seedlings in the ground depends on the actual weather conditions and may require changes.
FLOWERS:
PETUNIA:
A favorite of many gardeners, long-blooming and abundantly blooming petunia (Petunia) is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and endurance. And a huge number of varieties of various colors allows you to choose plants for any garden or balcony composition.
Petunias are sown in late February - early March. The seeds are very small, and sowing is carried out exclusively on the surface of the soil, in no case burying the seeds. Seedlings usually appear together, after 10-14 days (if the seeds are of high quality). The grown seedlings dive into separate pots. In general, petunia seedlings develop better if they are transplanted 2-3 times during the growth period, gradually increasing the volume of the planting capacity. In mid-May, seedlings can be planted in flower beds or containers. By this time, her buds are usually already formed, and some varieties even have time to bloom.
LOBELIA:
A charming plant, appropriate in almost any garden composition. When Lobelia (Lobelia erinus) blooms, its foliage is not visible among the many small flowers of amazingly pure, bright colors.
Lobelia is sown in late February - early March in seedling boxes on the soil surface. The crops are slightly rolled, without covering the seeds with soil, and moistened abundantly with a spray bottle. Seedlings appear in about 2 weeks. Seedlings dive and place in a bright, well-ventilated place, and from mid-May they are planted in the ground or in containers.
CLOVE SHABO:
Without seedlings in the conditions of the Middle Stripe, it will not be possible to admire the flowering of the Shabo carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus var. schabaud): it occurs 5-6 months after sowing. Therefore, February is the optimal time to start growing seedlings.
BEGONIA ETERNAL FLOWERING:
An amazing unpretentious plant that blooms from June to the very autumn cold. There are many options for placing it in the garden: begonia (Begonia semperflorens) can be grown as an ampelous plant or a flowering border, it is planted in containers for balconies and terraces and used in carpet plantings.
Seeds of ever flowering begonia germinate for a very long time, so they are sown in February. You need to sow on the surface of the soil, then lightly press to increase the area of \u200b\u200bcontact of the seed with the soil, and thoroughly moisten the soil. The optimum temperature for seed germination is +20 degrees. After 1.5 months, young plants dive into separate pots, and in early June they are planted in the ground.
SALVIA:
Heat-loving salvia (Salvia splendens) in the climate of our latitudes is grown as an annual. It comes from South America, where it is cultivated as a perennial plant. In our gardens, salvia, also known as sparkling or brilliant sage, is quite popular.
Salvia is sown in late February - early March, sprinkling with a thin layer of soil. They dive in phase 4-5 of this leaf, and in late May - early June (depending on climate and weather) they are planted in the ground, preferably in a sunny place.
VIOLA(VIOLET):
If you want Viola (Viola x wittrockiana) to bloom in the year of sowing, and bloom from the end of May until the snow, sow it for seedlings in February.
This popular plant probably needs no introduction. Let me just remind you that this biennial culture, very widely used by flower growers, is valued for its long flowering, an abundance of varieties of various colors and amazing unpretentiousness. Viola calmly tolerates a transplant even when flowering, grows well and can grow both in flower beds and in all kinds of containers.
And there is also such a plate, take a look additionally.
It's no secret that tomatoes are one of the most beloved vegetable crops, which are grown with pleasure in summer cottages. Therefore, it is impossible to allow such a responsible event as planting tomato seedlings in open ground to go by chance.
Depending on the climatic features of your region of residence and current weather conditions, the timing of planting tomato seedlings in open ground may vary.
So, as a rule, in the Middle lane (Moscow region) - this occurs in the second half of May, in the Urals and Siberia not earlier than the end of May - the beginning of June, at about the same time tomatoes are planted in the ground in the North-West (in the Leningrad region) , and in the southern regions, of course, much earlier - in the second half of April.
Advice! The main reference point for planting tomatoes and other vegetables is soil temperature, which by this time should warm up to + 8-10 degrees, and even better up to +12 degrees. Moreover, the depth of heating should be almost the bayonet of a shovel (20 centimeters), in other words, this is the depth of the landing hole. That's about how deep you should put a thermometer in the ground to find out its temperature.
If you are going to plant seedlings of tomatoes under a covering film or other material, then you can do this a little earlier, about a week.
The procedure for processing seedlings with an open root system (if your seedlings grow in a common container) is as follows: simply immerse the roots of the plants in the solution for 1 hour.
With a closed root system: water each cup or pot with seedlings with 30-50 ml of solution. In this case, the solution is prepared at a lower concentration.
Video: preparing tomato seedlings for planting in open ground
Soil preparation and beds for tomatoes
It is advisable to prepare a bed for growing tomatoes in the fall, adding humus to it and then dug it up well. Optionally, you can add bio-humus, deoxidized high-moor peat and river sand.
To improve the structure and nutritional value of the soil, you can plant winter crops in the future bed before winter, for example, oats or vetch. Actually, if you plant in the spring, the effect will be similar.
Advice! It will not be superfluous to check the acidity of the soil, for the successful cultivation of tomatoes, the acidity should be neutral, about 6-7 pH. If the acidity is below 6-5.5 pH, then you should use one of the deoxidizers, for example, or add more.
If you are preparing the bed immediately in the spring, then you should be careful about fertilizing before planting. So, right into the hole before planting the seedlings, you can pour a little (about 1 tablespoon), or a handful of humus and 1 tbsp. spoon, or a handful of biohumus, and then mix thoroughly with soil.
Advice! To disinfect the soil, add 1 tablet of Trichocin or Gliocladin per 1 plant.
Concerning crop rotation, then the best predecessors for planting and growing tomatoes will be onions, carrots, beets, cabbage and any legumes.
The worst, after which it is undesirable to plant - all nightshade (eggplant, pepper, potato and tomato itself).
Thus, if you want to get a good harvest of tomatoes, then every year you need to either find a new place for planting tomato seedlings, or carefully remove the entire top layer of soil and cover it with new fertile soil.
By the way! After tomatoes, it is recommended to plant only those vegetables that enrich the soil with nitrogen: legumes (peas, beans); pumpkin (pumpkin, zucchini, cucumbers); root vegetables (carrots, beets); cabbage (white and red, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi), onions and garlic.
Video: soil preparation for planting tomatoes in open ground
Planting tomato seedlings in open ground: step by step instructions
As for the time, it is best to choose either cloudy weather for planting tomato seedlings, or in the afternoon in the late afternoon when the sun sets.
The optimal size of the beds for planting tomatoes: if you want to make a high bed, then its height should be about 15-25 centimeters, and its width should be 0.9-1.2 meters.
The optimal scheme for planting seedlings of tomatoes: the holes are made in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other in a row and 50-70 cm between rows. If you have tall tomatoes, then the distance between seedlings should be increased by 20-25 centimeters.
Advice! In order for the roots of the seedlings of the seedlings to remain completely intact, the earthen ball should be watered about an hour and a half before planting the seedlings in the garden. If you can’t get the plant, then a cardboard or plastic cup can be easily cut with scissors. And if your seedlings grew in peat tablets, then you do not need to take them out.
Step-by-step instructions for planting tomato seedlings on a garden bed in open ground:
Further care for tomatoes in the open field
Landing in the ground was successful, it's time to consolidate the work done ...
Overgrown stepson
Tomato seedlings will have more prospects to grow, develop, and then bear fruit in the open field, if you correctly determine the timing of its planting, and also take into account all the information about soil preparation, beds and the rules for planting seedlings in the garden.
Video: when and how to plant tomatoes in open ground
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Gardener's cheat sheet or what, when and how to sow and plant
First, some general information.“Sowing on the full moon - food for worms” - this is what the wise ancestors said, and this is how the lunar calendar now claims. Everything that grows up is planted with a growing moon, and down - with a waning one. Plants with round fruits are best planted closer to the full moon.
At noon from 12 to 14 o'clock it is better not to plant or sow anything. Until 12, it is best to plant and sow onions on feathers, beets, sorrel, parsley, lettuce, dill, cucumbers, zucchini, sunflowers, corn, melons, watermelons. On a sunny day, spread the soaked onion sets on the garden bed for planting turnip onions. From 2 pm it is better to plant carrots, potatoes, turnips, cabbage, seedlings of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, strawberries, garlic.
First of all, parsley, lettuce, dill, sorrel, carrots, onions, garlic, spinach, cilantro are planted.
Secondly, after the frosts have passed, they plant radishes, peas, beets, potatoes, and corn.
Last but not least - cucumbers, pumpkin, beans, eggplant, basil, zucchini, squash, peppers, tomatoes.
|
Name of the vegetable |
When to plant |
How to plant |
When to Harvest |
| Sorrel | Late April - early May | Seeds are sown to a depth of 2 cm, row spacing - 25 cm. To speed up the appearance of sunrises, the seeds must be kept in a damp cloth for 2-3 days before sowing. | 2 months later |
| Spinach | March to May | Sowing is carried out with individual seeds in grooves to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, row spacing 30 cm. | After 8-10 weeks, late varieties after 12. |
| Garlic | Garlic is planted before winter and early spring. | Most often propagated by teeth. When planting in winter, they are planted to a depth of 5-8 cm. In spring, to a depth of 3-4 cm with two-three-line ribbons. The distance between the lines is 12-15 cm, between the ribbons - 50, between the plants - 5-8 cm. | In July - August, when the leaves dry up and dry membranous leaves of the wrapper form on the bulb. |
| Beans | May June | Seeds are soaked overnight before planting. It is sown in two-line ribbons: between lines 20-30 cm, between ribbons 50 cm, in a row after 7.5-10 cm or in single-line rows after 45-60 cm. The seeding depth is 2 cm on dense soils, 5 cm on loose soils. | 8-12 weeks after germination. |
| Dill | April | To obtain early shoots, the seeds are soaked in water for 2-3 days (the water is changed 3 times a day) with their subsequent drying. Dill is sown on a flat surface, to a depth of 1.5 cm, with a distance between rows of 15-20 cm. | 30-40 days after sowing. |
| Pumpkin | In March-April for seedlings. Into the ground in May. | The seeds must be germinated. First, seedlings are planted, which are then planted in open ground. | Early ripening varieties after 90-100 days from germination, late-ripening varieties after 110-130 days. |
| Tomato | Usually sits through seedlings. 50-60-day-old seedlings are planted in open ground. Tomatoes are planted on ridges, ridges or a flat surface. The roots are covered with earth to the cotyledon leaves. Strongly elongated plants are placed obliquely, with their apex to the south, immersed in the ground at 1/4 or 1/3 of its height, leaving a part of the stem with leaves 20-25 cm high above the surface. The lower inflorescence should remain above the soil surface. | 90-125 days after germination. | |
| Beet | May | To speed up germination, seeds are soaked in warm water 2-3 days before sowing. Seeds are placed in grooves made at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. | In September - early October, before the onset of severe frosts. |
| Radish | Early April | Sow in furrows, with a distance in rows of 8-10 cm, to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. | Early-ripening varieties after 18-21 days from full shoots, late-ripening varieties after 40-45. |
| Parsley | Late April, late June - early July, late October, early November | During spring sowing, parsley seeds are sown to a depth of 2-2.5 cm. Summer sowing is carried out with soaked seeds on well-moistened soil. | After 60-70 days from germination. |
| Pepper | For seedlings in February - early March. In the ground in late May - early June. | Seeds are soaked for 2 days. After planted for seedlings. 60-day-old seedlings are transplanted into open ground. | The fruits are plucked selectively, not simultaneously. Some varieties of sweet ripen in August. |
| Cucumber | May | Before sowing, the seeds are soaked for 12 hours. Seeds are sown in rows, to a depth of 2-2.5 cm, in a row a distance of 8-10 cm, between rows 50-70 cm. | After 45-50 days from sunrise. |
| Carrot | In the second half of April | To get early shoots, the seeds are soaked for 1-2 days, then kept wet for a week until they hatch. On ridges 1 m wide, four rows of carrots are placed with row spacing of 28-30 cm. | Early varieties ripen in 60-80 days, late ones in 80-115 days. |
| Corn | End of April - May | Sow seeds in rows with a distance between them of 70 cm and 25-30 cm between plants, sowing depth - 6-8 cm | Early varieties ripen in 60-70 days, late - 102-105 days. |
| Potato | May | Propagated by germinated tubers. The optimal planting depth on light soils is 10-12 cm, on medium loamy and heavy soils - 8-10 cm, the distance between tubers is 25 - 30 cm. Row spacing is 60-70 cm. | Early ripe varieties ripen in mid-July. Mid-season and late varieties - in August-September or in the first half of October. |
| Cauliflower |
From March 15 to March 30, then with an interval of two weeks until the end of May - sowing seeds. From April 25 to May 10, then at intervals of two weeks until June 10 - landing in open ground. |
It is preferable to plant through seedlings. Seedlings are planted in open ground 6-7 weeks after germination, at several times. Seedlings are planted on a bed in 2 rows, the distance in a row is 30-40 cm, between rows is 50-55 cm. Planting depth is on the first true leaf. Seedless method - sown 3-5 seeds per hole, extra seedlings are pulled or planted. |
Early-ripening varieties in 85-90 days from germination, late-ripening varieties in 120-130 days. |
| Chinese cabbage | Under the film - the beginning of April, in open ground - the end of April-beginning of May. | Planted either through seedlings, or by sowing seeds in the ground. When sowing seeds in open ground, they are placed on ridges in 3 rows with row spacing of 35-40 cm. They are sown in nests every 35-40 cm. 4-5 seeds are planted in each nest. After germination, thin out, leaving two, and then one of the most developed plants. | Cabbage planted under the film can be harvested as early as June. |
| Brussels sprouts | For seedlings in March-April. In the ground in May-June. | Planted through seedlings. Cabbage should be planted at a distance of 90 cm from each other, so that its lower leaves are above the soil level. After the plants are transplanted, they need to be well watered. | September October |
| White cabbage | End of April - May. | Planted through seedlings. After 50-60 days, the seedlings are transplanted into open ground. | Ripens in 100-170 days (depending on the variety). |
| vegetable marrow | For seedlings at the end of April. In the ground in late May-early June. | It is grown in seedling and seedless way. Seedlings are planted in the ground after 20-25 days. Seeds are soaked for 3 days before sowing. The depth of sowing seeds on light soils is 5-6 cm, and on heavy soils 3-4 cm. | After 60-70 days. |
| Peas | The end of April, then with an interval of two weeks until the beginning of July. | Seeds can be soaked or planted dry. A furrow 15-25 cm wide is made with a flat chopper along the beds. Scatter the peas at a distance of 5-8 cm from each other over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe furrow. Next, sprinkle them with earth from the sides so that the peas are at a depth of no more than 5 cm and be sure to compact the earth from above with the back of the rake. | After 7-14 weeks (depending on the variety). |
| Celery root | For seedlings in early March. In the ground at the end of May. | Sits through seedlings. Seeds are soaked before planting. The peculiarity of celery seeds is that they cannot be heavily sprinkled with earth, they must be on the surface, in bright light. After 60 days, the seedlings are planted in open ground. Most often, celery is planted in beds with a distance between rows of 65 cm, between plants in a row of 20 cm. Mid-season varieties of celery are planted according to the scheme 50-60x20-30 cm. | After 170-180 days. |
Have a good harvest!
How to properly grow healthy seedlings in order to get a good harvest of vegetables and favorite flowers in the country and avoid unpleasant moments that may occur during the growing process and pretty spoil your mood.
In order to properly grow good seedlings at home, you need to prepare the seeds for sowing (including), choose the right soil and pots, properly water, dive and fertilize the plants. You also need to take into account the date on the calendar, the temperature regime, determine whether there is enough natural light and pay attention to what phase the moon is in.
The time interval from sowing seeds of some vegetables to planting seedlings in open ground
Eggplant and peppers / medium-sized tomatoes / standard tomatoes / tall tomatoes, respectively: in 2 months / 40-45 days / 50 days / in 2 months.
Watermelon / pumpkin / cucumbers - in 20 days, strawberries (strawberries) - in 2 months.
Celery / onions, respectively: 2 months / 1.5-2 months.
Early tomato varieties
They germinate about a week after sowing. Therefore, we plant them in open ground in a month and a half. A favorable period for planting tomatoes in the garden is the beginning of June. If planted in a greenhouse, then this should be done in mid-May.
Mid-season and late varieties of tomatoes
They give sprouts for 6 days after sowing seeds, but they should be planted in a permanent place no earlier than 1-2 months later. This period falls at the beginning of June, so the sowing of seeds should be much earlier than the early varieties of tomatoes.
cucumbers
Their "upstarts" sprouts appear already in 2-3 days. A month later, the plants are ready for transplanting to the garden. They are transferred to the greenhouse at the end of May, and to the garden in June.
Pumpkin
Pumpkin, squash and zucchini, close relatives of cucumbers, sprout 4-5 days after sowing for seedlings. A month later, they are ready for planting in open ground.
When handling cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini and squash, their delicate root system cannot be damaged, therefore, first you need to moisten the soil well, and then transfer the plants to the prepared hole with a large clod of earth.
eggplant
They hatch for quite a long time. It is possible to wait for the emergence of seedlings of dark-skinned pets only after 2 weeks. And it should be planted in the garden only after 60 days, in the month of June.
Bell pepper
So it is with this vegetable. Pepper seedlings develop rather slowly, so they need to be sown at the end of February in order to plant them in the garden after 3 months. Under good conditions, seedlings may even bloom even before transplanting into the ground.
Salad
Fans of growing it in seedlings can be advised to sow the seeds at the end of May, and at the end of June, transfer them to the garden.
Preparing vegetable seeds for planting
Pre-sowing seed preparation plays an important role in obtaining good and healthy vegetable crops. There are many seed preparation methods, but some of them take time. If it is not enough, you can use simple methods of preparing seeds for sowing.
warming up
Seeds need to be poured onto a plate and put on a battery for 2 hours.
Disinfection
In order to disinfect the seeds, it is not necessary to dip them in a solution of potassium permanganate, you can put them on a white sheet and hold them in sunlight. An ultraviolet lamp also helps to kill microorganisms.
Sorting
Only good seeds need to be sown, so it is necessary to sort out quality seeds and remove defective ones. Pouring water into a glass, pour the seeds. The bad ones will stay on the surface, and the good ones will be at the bottom of the glass.
Seed germination and germination test
Those seeds that are at the bottom must be put on a cloth measuring 10 by 10 cm (you will need as many squares as there are varieties of seeds), wrap in a bag and tie with a thread. Each bag must be signed or a tag with the name of the variety attached to it. Prepared fabric bags must be placed on a ceramic or glass saucer, moistened with water and covered with a plastic bag. Now the seeds need heat, which means that the battery will again become the best place for seed germination.
Humidity Support
The main task at this stage is to prevent the bags from drying out, as the seeds will die. A plastic bag put on top of the "cloths" will help maintain constant humidity. Seeds will hatch after 1.5-2 weeks, in some plants - earlier. Now you need to select the best of them and plant them in the ground. Late hatched seeds can be thrown away without regret, since it makes no sense to expect a record harvest from them.
Planting vegetable seeds for seedlings
Soil preparation
Manufacturers offer a variety of soils to the attention of buyers for growing seedlings, but the soil for planting must be "correct". Of course, you can experiment with different soils, but the success of getting good seedlings will depend on the composition of the soil. The fact is that for sowing seeds, you need to take 50% of the purchased soil and mix it with 50% of garden soil. This is an important point. Seedlings will initially get used to the composition of the soil and when transplanted, the process of adaptation to the new soil will be much faster. Therefore, since autumn, you need to stock up on high-quality soil from your summer cottage.
Where to sow the seeds?
Due to the fact that dairy products are now on sale in plastic cups, housewives have no problems choosing pots for planting and growing seedlings. But you need to take into account the following, that, in the future, when transplanting into open soil, a clod of earth needs to be thoroughly moistened, cut cups on both sides with scissors, remove seedlings with a clod and plant them in open soil or a greenhouse.
You can buy pots made from compressed peat. When transplanting from them, we first dig a hole, then deepen the peat pot and sprinkle it with soil.
Peat pots should be completely covered with earth, this will allow the walls to get wet, and the cups will dissolve over time, thus forming a kind of nutrient substrate for plants.
Proper planting of hatched seeds
We plant seeds only in pre-moistened soil. To avoid injury to seedlings during growth, you need to reduce the number of intermediate transplants, so you need to plant the seeds in separate cups. First of all, this applies to seedlings of cucumbers, eggplants (here about) and zucchini. The root system of these vegetable crops is too sensitive and some of the plants may die during transplantation. After sowing, planting is required to be watered.
You can plant a couple of seeds in one cup or cassette. After germination, when 2 true leaves appear on the plant, you need to leave a healthy plant and remove the weak one.
Marking
Marking should be done immediately after sowing seeds. On a label that is resistant to washing off with a felt-tip pen or marker, the following data must be indicated: date of planting, variety, manufacturer. In the future, labeling will make it possible to determine which, which producer grow and develop better, give a good harvest. You can simply stick seed bags into the ground by rolling them.
Natural and artificial lighting of seedlings at home
How to grow good seedlings with insufficient natural light? Of course, the main factor for good seed germination is adequate lighting. Young plants require more light than adults. If there is not enough daylight or it is not possible to place all the cups with seedlings on the windowsill, artificial lighting can be arranged by installing fluorescent lamps above the plants.
Germinated seeds should receive bright light from 14 to 16 hours a day. Place fluorescent lamps at a distance of 20 centimeters from seedlings. The outgoing light from the lamp should not be white, it would be more correct to install lamps with yellow light. From bright lighting, the foliage begins to brighten and becomes transparent, the leaves may even droop. If the seedlings develop on the windowsill, artificial lighting should not be connected during the daytime, the plants should be illuminated in the morning and in the evening.
The cups should be rotated from time to time to ensure proper development of the plants.
Temperature regime during cultivation
In the conditions of an apartment, seeds should be germinated while maintaining a temperature of + 20 + 24 degrees. This is doable, but for the proper development of seedlings, no more than + 15 + 18 degrees is required. This task is more difficult to cope with, but you need to try. To protect the landings from the hot air emanating from the batteries, they can be covered with a blanket. It is recommended to open the windows more often, ventilating the room and providing fresh air to the plants. The lower the temperature regime when growing seedlings, the better the planting material will turn out.
At low temperatures, growth will slow down, but the seedlings will be stronger, hardened and resistant to adverse environmental conditions.
Proper watering of seedlings
It is necessary to monitor the soil moisture in the cups. The soil must not dry out. Modern soils at the slightest drying become hard as a stone, air exchange stops, the root system "suffocates" from a lack of oxygen and the seedlings die. But stagnant water is just as undesirable as lack of moisture. You need to water the sprouts from a spray bottle, evenly wetting the soil and moistening the seedlings.
It is more correct to water young plants from above, but for adult seedlings, it is better through the pan. Thus, the growth of the root system is stimulated, the roots become strong and begin to branch, trying to get to the water. It is better to water the seedlings more often, but little by little.
Watering with melted and "living" water - only "for!" and no cons
The secret of proper cultivation of good seedlings lies in watering with melt water at the stage of development of 3-4 true leaves. To do this, you need to bring snow from the street into a house or apartment and wait until it melts and the water warms up a little.
For watering plants, you can prepare "living" water yourself. To do this, as soon as the first bubbles appear in the poured water in the kettle, put on heating, immediately remove it and cool it in cold water. One bad thing is that it is recommended to use this miraculous remedy no more than 2 times during the period of growing seedlings at home.
How to prevent blackleg vegetable seedling disease
Everyone has come across such a sad situation when the black leg "destroys" all the seedlings. In small and quite healthy plants, the stem becomes thin, like a thread, and breaks right at the very surface of the soil. Seedlings grown from small seeds are susceptible to fungal disease. To prevent the development of a black leg, only decontaminated and disinfected mixtures should be used for planting. The homemade substrate must also be disinfected. The black leg appears on too waterlogged soil, so you need to regularly open the glass or remove the polyethylene from the boxes to remove condensation and ventilate the seedlings.
Dive
Seedlings that have grown up to 3-4 cm in height should be dived. But this procedure is carried out only after the appearance of the 2nd pair of leaves on the sprouts. Picking concerns only strong plants, taking away all the nutrients and not allowing weaker specimens to gain strength. After all, small sprouts need space, lighting and nutrition to grow, so when the plantings are thinned out, this will allow you to get good seedlings from the remaining specimens.
A fork is brought under strong plants, they dig a little and, holding a hand under the first pair of leaves, carefully remove them with a small clod of earth. In order for the sprouts to grow a good root system, the main root should be slightly shortened during transplantation. In a new pot, the seedlings are deepened to the 1st pair of leaves, the soil around the plant is compacted so that the roots are not in the surface layer of the soil.
"For" and "against" picks
Opinions about dive plants differ. Some believe that transplantation affects young seedlings. At this time, there is a high probability of damage to the root system, leading to the death of the plant. The opinions of others are completely opposite. They believe that diving will allow plants to become more resistant to stress, increase their endurance. Therefore, each summer resident must decide for himself whether he will dive or not. The process is simple, but before planting seedlings in separate cups, you need to think about whether there will be enough space to get good seedlings.
When diving peppers and tomatoes, no problems should arise. Vegetable crops tolerate transplanting well, grow well and quickly.
Fertilizer vegetable seedlings
Seedlings should be fed at the time when the second pair of leaves appears on the plants. Top dressing should be regular. You can apply fertilizer during picking, that is, add "long-playing" universal granules to the soil. They dissolve gradually, and the seedlings receive the required amount of trace elements. In the process of making granules, you must adhere to the proportion recommended by the manufacturers and indicated on the package. You can even take a slightly smaller amount, but not more.
You can also feed seedlings once a week with liquid fertilizers.
If the plants stretch up, the stems become skinny, and the leaves are light, then there was a bust with fertilizers. Excessive feeding is bad for the appearance of seedlings.
Stimulate plant growth with touch
As a result of recent studies, it has been found that love, care and a gentle touch on the leaves of seedlings have a positive effect on the development of vegetable crops. This is due to the fact that during the stroking of the leaves, that is, during mechanical action on the plant, a colorless gas is released - ethylene, which has no smell. In turn, it regulates plant growth, being a kind of growth hormone. We are all familiar with the effects of this gas. It helps fruits and vegetables to ripen. If, for example, a banana or an apple is put in a box with unripe tomatoes, the tomatoes will turn red faster. As you know, ethylene is present in large quantities in these fruits. The effect of the gas on young seedlings is expressed in the fact that the plants become stronger and become squat, and not stretched.
Growing healthy seedlings of vegetables in peat humus tablets
Country gardeners and gardeners are of great interest in the process of obtaining good seedlings when grown in peat tablets.
Advantages:
- Coconut and peat tablets do not take up much space, that is, you can get more specimens for planting and reap a good harvest;
- The tablets contain only pure substrate, no weeds, seeds;
- Tablets do not need to be disinfected, as they are already disinfected;
- There will be no need to think about picking, since only 1 seed grows in the 1st tablet.
The tablets are dark brown in color and are available in three sizes in diameter: 2, 3, 4 cm. The outer side consists of a mesh that is very difficult to see with the naked eye. It is noticeable only after swelling of the tablet. When soaked in water, the diameter of the tablet does not change, it only rises.
The process of growing in tablets
Before planting, they should be soaked in water. To soak 10 tablets you need 1 liter of water. In 15 minutes, they will increase by 5 times.
When the tablets "grow", excess water must be drained. Now you can start sowing seeds, just decide on the upper and lower sides of the tablet. From below, it is covered with a mesh, and at the upper end, the mesh is located only at the edges.
You need to make a recess with your finger, put a seed and sprinkle with the same soil that is in the tablet. It is forbidden to take other soil. Now it remains only to arrange the tablets on a pallet and cover with a transparent lid. A kind of mini-greenhouse can be created by covering the crops with a round transparent cake lid. In a self-made greenhouse, a favorable microclimate will be created for the development of healthy seedlings.
But even in tablets, seedlings cannot grow forever, when roots begin to appear from the side walls, which means it's time to "transfer" the seedlings into a large container.
"Transshipment" of plants into a large container - diving
You need to choose a pot that is larger in size than a tablet. Pour earth at the bottom and install a tablet with a plant. Before installation, you will need to remove the mesh, breaking it on the sides. Now it is necessary to pour soil around the tablet and fill the glass with it to the top so that the soil reaches the 1st pair of leaves. As the seedlings grow, you will have to fill the ground. After transplanting, the soil around the plant should be watered.
Preparing vegetable seedlings for transplanting into the ground
hardening
When the time is approaching for transplanting prepared seedlings to a summer cottage, it is necessary to harden it. So the plants adapt better and grow faster. First, you can take the seedlings to the balcony, and when the threat of frost has passed, you can leave the boxes on the street, but you still have to wrap them with foil at night. Hardening should begin 1-1.5 weeks before planting in open ground in the country.
Watering
Before planting, the plants need to be watered, and then planted in holes, deepening the plantings to the 1st pair of leaves. The earth near the plant must be pressed tightly with your hands. When the seedlings take root and begin to grow, the first top dressing with liquid fertilizer (for example, water with ash) will be required.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Young seedlings are vulnerable to the scorching sun, suffer from gusty winds and can "lie down" on the ground in heavy rain. Therefore, at first, it is recommended to protect plantings with covering material from the vagaries of nature. You can remove the shelter only after the plants are completely rooted.
To get healthy seedlings, and then a rich harvest, you should follow simple growing rules. After all, young plants are like little children. They also need an "eye for an eye". Therefore, constant monitoring and care will help to get good seedlings of vegetable crops.