Soil for tomato seedlings

Tomatoes are a crop that has a high yield. Tomatoes can be grown both in open ground and in a protected place, for example, in a greenhouse. The growing process begins with planting seeds first in closed ground, after which the finished seedlings are planted in open areas.

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The entire preparation process must begin in the autumn - this is the best time to make the soil as favorable as possible for planting tomatoes. Tomatoes grow only in a sunny place, which is reliably protected from gusty and cold winds. As for the soil, a favorable option is sandy loam soil, the acidity level of which does not exceed 6.5 pH.

If there are beds in the garden that were previously cabbage grew or cucumbers, then you can place tomatoes in this soil, since during the growth of previous vegetables, the required amount of useful microelements was deposited in the soil, which favorably affects the development of tomatoes.

Autumn preparation includes the process of digging up all the beds, as well as adding the required amount of fertilizer - this can be compost or humus. In the spring, right before planting tomatoes in open ground, it is advisable to add mineral fertilizers to it.

In order to have a really good harvest, you cannot plant seeds directly into the soil taken from the garden. The main secret of tasty and juicy tomatoes is properly prepared soil, and each gardener can carry out this entire process independently, since there are no difficulties in this.

The basis of humus is rotted manure or humus from plants. This component is necessary to saturate the soil with a number of micronutrients, which creates favorable conditions for growing almost any garden crop.

Coarse-grained river sand gives the soil a good level of porosity, allowing sufficient air, moisture and oxygen to reach the plant roots. Sawdust can be used together with river sand and peat, but they must first be treated with boiling water.

Soil with leaf soil has a high degree of looseness, but its nutrient content is at a minimum level, so it is not worth using this soil as the main soil for growing tomatoes. When combined with other types of soil, it gives good results.

Leafy soil can be found in an area where there is a large amount of deciduous trees. But you should not use soil under oak, chestnut or willow for mixing purposes, since this soil is oversaturated with tannins, which will only slow down the growth and development of tomatoes on the site.

Disinfection is an important soil preparation process, the essence of which is to remove all harmful microorganisms from the soil. Today, you can use a wide variety of purposes for disinfection, but the most effective is freezing the soil.

If freezing is not possible, disinfectants or steam can be used. The first method is to use a solution of potassium permanganate. Dissolve 3 g of the substance in 10 liters of warm water, water the soil; in addition, you can also use drugs that prevent the development of fungus.

The second method is to place the soil for seedlings in a fabric bag or in a container that has a large number of holes. All this must be left to steam for 45 minutes.

You can calcine the earth in the oven, but then not only harmful microbes will disappear, but also necessary microorganisms. After the process of disinfecting the soil is completed, you can plant tomato seeds in the resulting mixture.

The seedlings that have already sprouted small sprouts must be planted in 0.5 cm of prepared soil. The soil is in a box, and the box with the seeds after planting them should be covered with polyethylene or glass, and the box should be placed in a warm place.

The first tomato shoots should appear on the 3rd day. But if you took seed material of foreign origin or a hybrid type, sprouts may appear within a week. If the seeds have been stored for a long time, they are characterized by slow germination and further development.

The optimal temperature for the appearance of sprouts is +20... +25°C, at night +8... +12°C. Seedlings need to be watered abundantly, but rarely.After the first entrances appear, after some time they can be planted in open ground, but it is best for them to grow in a greenhouse at least for the first time.

In order for tomatoes to develop well and produce an excellent harvest, the soil must be regularly loosened, fed with mineral fertilizers and provided with regular watering. When the plant is at the budding stage, stimulating substances can be used for spraying, for example, a solution of baking soda or boric acid.

In addition, it would be a good idea to add a small amount of ash under each bush, after which the soil should be thoroughly loosened and watered generously. After 2-3 weeks, you can additionally treat the soil with a solution of copper sulfate, which has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of tomatoes.

As soon as they appear first flowers on the plant, care must be taken to ensure that the greenhouse is thoroughly ventilated. Even when the weather is cool outside, you still need to provide your tomatoes with regular ventilation.

If tomato flowers begin to fall off in cloudy and cold weather, this indicates poor development and excessive moisture. In order to correct this situation, it is necessary to spray the plant with a weak solution of boric acid.

Useful video about preparing soil for growing tomatoes: