How to pick tomatoes in 2018
The picking of tomatoes in 2018 must take place on time - not earlier and not later than the required time. This process is very important for growing healthy and strong seedlings.
Picking tomatoes in 2018
When determining the timing of transplanting tomatoes, you can focus on the lunar calendar. Usually gardeners determine the time, respectively, before the date of planting or the phases of development of the shoots.
The benefits of picking
The essence of the process consists in transplanting plants from smaller containers into large ones filled with a new substrate containing useful substances. In the early stages, seedlings do not interfere with each other. They can exist side by side, as long as there are enough trace elements in the soil. But over time, the stronger plants overwhelm the weaker ones. Both those and others begin to develop incorrectly. Therefore, they need to be transplanted.
Topping
Some gardeners, before diving, pinch the main root of the seedlings. This is done in order to develop lateral processes. Thus, the root system is strengthened, which will affect the yield in the future.
When planting a crop in 2018, you can dive tall tomatoes twice, others once. The second transplant should be carried out 20-22 days after the first.
The need for a pick is as follows:
- Further in the process of growing tomatoes are the strongest sprouts, weakened ones are left - they are not transplanted.
- Moving to new containers creates a lot of space for plants to develop the ground part and root system. The sprouts will not interfere with each other, their roots will not intertwine. This will make it easier to land on a permanent site in the future.
- Seedlings receive clean, disinfected soil.
- It is especially useful to perform this procedure when the seedlings are overgrown. Then the plant will stop growing, as a result of which the roots will be strengthened.
Correctly carrying out this process will ensure that the plants develop well in the future. Then, with proper care, the yield will be high.
If you grow tomatoes without a dive stage, you must immediately plant the seeds in large vessels (2-3 pcs.). Of the sprouted seedlings, one is left - the healthiest. From time to time it is necessary to add earth to strengthen the roots. This method can be used when few plants are required, as there is not always enough space on the windowsill for a large number of pots.
Dates of picking seedlings in 2018
Gardeners calculate favorable days when seedlings can be moved. When the moon rises, the tides occur. The water level will rise. For tomatoes, these changes have a beneficial effect on their growth - moisture moves from the roots to the green part of the plant. They begin to actively develop.
The best option would be to comply with the terms of planting and transplanting seedlings according to the lunar calendar. According to it, in 2018, picking tomatoes in March can be done on such days: from 9 to 11, from 13 to 15, from 26 to 30.
Transplanted somewhere around 10 days after germination (depending on the variety and conditions).It is necessary to approximately calculate the sowing time so that full shoots fall on such days: from February 28 (29) to March 01, March 03, 04 and 05. It is also worth considering at what stage of development the sprouts are so as not to harm them. Seedlings should have 2-3 true leaves (cotyledons are not taken into account).
If the seeds were planted later, then the following may be favorable days in 2018 for picking tomatoes in April: from 16 to 18, from 24 to 27.
When planning work, you should also pay attention to unfavorable days in the calendar, on which it is not advised to do anything:
- January 1, 27-28;
- February 23-26;
- March 23, 24, 28;
- April 19, 20, 26;
- May 16-18, 25;
- June 13, 14, 24.
Preparation for a dive
Prepare carefully for the procedure
The transplant process includes several stages.
Preparation of containers
First, you need to take care of the choice of vessels into which the seedlings will move. They should have a sufficient volume - 500-700 ml, dimensions approximately 9 cm * 9 cm * 10 cm. If you choose larger ones, pathogens may develop. Containers made of paper, cardboard, plastic are suitable. Use peat cups or do it yourself from several layers of newspaper. The last two options are considered optimal, because when transplanting seedlings to a permanent place, the roots will not be damaged.
Soil preparation
Before diving tomatoes, you need to know which land to choose. It should be loose, light, absorb moisture well and contain useful substances. You can buy it in the store or make it yourself. Garden soil is added to the universal soil mixture in a 1: 1 ratio. This manipulation will help plants adapt faster.
To prepare the soil with your own hands, you need to take 1 part:
- sand;
- peat;
- humus;
- turf land.
There are other mix options. Here is one of them: 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of peat (leafy soil), 1 part of river sand, ½ part of rotted manure, 1 part of perlite.
The prepared mixture must be disinfected to prevent fungal diseases. To do this, a week before the transplant, they are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate (1 mg per 1 liter of water). You can use the fungicide Previkur (10 ml per 6 liters of water).
Before diving, the soil should warm up to the temperature of the room in which the seedlings will grow. Then it is placed in vessels, filling them by 2/3 of the volume.
Pickling tomato seedlings
The day before this process, the seedlings are treated with Epin or Zircon. Spraying is carried out to reduce stress.
There are two ways to dive tomatoes: transplanting and transshipment. In the first, the roots are cleared of soil, in the second, an earthen lump is left.
Transfer
To transplant, you need to moisten the soil well 2 hours before. Then you can clear the roots of the earth. You should try very hard not to damage the roots. To do this, you can use a wooden stick, which is used for cleansing. The main root is pinched 3-5 mm. A depression is made in the center of the vessel and the plant is placed up to the height of the cotyledon leaves. You can hold the seedling only for them or by the roots, so as not to break the young, fragile stem. Sprinkle with earth. For good contact of the roots with the soil, it is necessary to compact it with your hands.
Transshipment
Transfer is recommended for the second picking of tall varieties. With it, the roots of the plant are not damaged. Tomatoes then do not need time to adapt. To keep an earthen lump, seedlings are not watered 2 days before transshipment. Place in a vessel filled with 1/3 of the earth, add the required amount. Compact the soil near the base of the stem.
After diving, the soil is watered abundantly with warm water. The tomatoes are left in partial shade for 2 days. Then they are rearranged on the windowsill.
Recommendations
Check the quality of the transplant
There is a way to check if the transplant was done correctly. To do this, you need to pull the plant up by the cotyledon leaves.Well-planted tomatoes will stay in place, poorly planted tomatoes will pull out without effort.
After transshipment of seedlings, the soil can be covered with foil. It will reflect light. This will save the seedlings from overgrowing - they will not stretch too much.
It is necessary to pick a tomato using gloves. Young stems are very sensitive. Therefore, the temperature difference between the environment and the hands is quite noticeable. This is additional stress for tomatoes.
Seedling care after picking
In order for the seedlings to take root and develop well, it is necessary to provide them with optimal conditions:
- illumination;
- temperature regime;
- watering;
- loosening;
- top dressing.
Shine
For tomatoes, daylight hours should be about 10 hours. Therefore, lamps are installed above the seedlings at a height of 50 cm, which are turned on as needed. Be sure to organize additional light in February and March. There is enough natural light in April.
Direct sunlight can burn the leaves, so they are shaded with newspapers when needed. From time to time, the vessels are turned over so that the tomatoes do not grow with a slope to one side.
Temperature
The correct temperature readings have a beneficial effect on the development of seedlings. It should be 18˚C in the afternoon, 15˚C in the evening. After a few weeks, the temperature is lowered in order to harden the tomatoes. Before disembarking to a permanent place, you should take them out for a while outside in the shade.
Seedlings do not tolerate drafts. When ventilating the room, it is necessary to ensure that cold air does not get on it.
Watering
Watering is carried out as the topsoil dries up. Moisturize sparingly. To drain the remaining moisture, you can put drainage in the pot. And also holes are made in the bottom.
Loosening
Loosening will provide oxygen to the roots, which will speed up the growth of the tomatoes. It is advisable to carry out this procedure 2 times a week.
Top dressing
2-3 feeding of tomatoes is carried out before they are planted. The first one is applied 2 weeks after the pick. This will help the plant grow. Use commercial products that are dosed exactly according to the instructions. You can prepare the fertilizer yourself. It requires the following components:
- urea (1 g);
- potassium sulfate (3 g);
- superphosphate (8 g);
- water (2 l).
The next feeding is done 14 days after the first. The third is carried out in the event that a second pick was made.
Conclusion
To calculate the most favorable days in 2018 for picking tomato seedlings, all factors must be taken into account. The lunar calendar is worth a look. But if the days of the transplant did not coincide with those indicated in the calendar, do not be upset. You just need to follow all the rules for diving and caring for seedlings.