Tomatoes are a thermophilic vegetable crop. They are one of the most popular vegetables grown in summer cottages.
Unfortunately, not many people know how important it is to maintain a certain temperature in order to obtain its seedlings. The further development and fertility of the plant depends on this.
The value of the temperature regime when growing tomato seedlings
Inexperienced summer residents who seek to get an early harvest sow tomato seeds as early as possible. It is believed that the sooner the planting, the faster it will be possible to enjoy delicious fruits. But as a result, they acquire weak sprouts and a lot of trouble in care.
These situations arise if tomato seeds are planted very early, for example, in February. At this time, the day is short, and the air temperature is far from what the vegetable needs. For a heat-loving plant, frosts and sudden changes in temperature are very dangerous.
In the event of a cold snap, it becomes almost impossible to save the root system. Experienced gardeners recommend not rushing, and planting tomato seedlings a little later – in mid-March, early April.
Air temperature
Providing seedlings with daylight and observing a special temperature regime will result in a strong and good vegetable crop. Not many people know that at each stage of growth, a tomato requires different conditions.
When planting seeds
After the tomatoes are sown in a container for seedlings, the optimum temperature for them will be 24-26 ° C. The culture box should be covered with polyethylene.
It is better to place it on the windowsill, and put a sheet of foam under the bottom, the windows should be kept closed. A prerequisite should be the penetration of daylight into the room.
By observing the important rules for ensuring the required temperature, you can get the first shoots 5 days after planting. As soon as sprouts appear, the polyethylene should be removed, and the foam should be left in the same place.
After germination
When shoots appear, seedlings need to lower the air temperature. In the first 7-10 days – approximately + 13 … + 18 ° C during the day, + 11 … + 14 ° C at night. In this way, the sprout can be prevented from stretching, which will subsequently give a strong stem.
There are situations when seedlings cannot germinate due to the thick seed coat. This is most likely due to lack of moisture.
In this case, it is necessary to moisten the soil with water at room temperature using a special sprayer. Irrigation should be carried out with caution, avoiding an excess of moisture, otherwise the seeds may rot.
After 7-10 days in the room where the tomatoes grow, the temperature must be gradually increased:
- on clear days up to 20-23 °C;
- in overcast days stick to 18-20 °C;
- at night, 17-19 ° C will be optimal.
Experienced vegetable growers follow a slightly different regime, for example, in rainy or cloudy weather: +16 … + 19 ° C, and at night they recommend: + 10 … + 13 ° C.
It is worth considering that a decrease in temperature by 2-3 ° C can adversely affect tomato seedlings: the root system will become weak, the culture will develop much worse, which will affect the crop. Overheating the sprouts is also not helpful, it causes the plant to stretch upwards, resulting in a thin, weak stem.
This care is important to carry out before the appearance of the first pair of leaves on the seedlings. For this, 30-40 days should pass from the moment of landing.
Daylight hours for proper maturation of seedlings should be at least 10 hours, therefore, if necessary, light should be provided to the plant with special lamps.
In addition to a special thermal and light regime, seedlings need moisture. The soil should be sprayed with a spray bottle, avoiding abundant watering.
An excess of fluid can provoke fungal diseases and rotting of the root system.
How to observe the thermal regime after picking
When vegetable seeds are sown too densely, they need to be dived. For this, ordinary half-liter plastic cups are suitable. It is advisable to transplant into separate containers after the first leaves appear on the seedlings.
The temperature regime is also important here, the exact observance of which will give good results in the future.
What temperature do seedlings need after diving:
- on a clear day 20-23 °C;
- on a cloudy day 16-18 ° C;
- at night 12-15 °C.
Effect of different temperatures on seedlings
At high temperatures, tomatoes quickly begin to bloom and bear fruit, but because of this, the number of fruits in the future will be much less. When the seedling is in a place where the temperature is below the optimum, the growth of the plant is significantly slowed down, but the result is a very good harvest.
If it is very different from the required parameters, the tomato is much later and bears fruit rather poorly. Such tomatoes have a significantly lower rate of sugar and fruit acids.
Sudden temperature changes can adversely affect crop growth. When the thermometer drops to +5 ° C, the plant stops developing.
You should not think that only a low temperature level adversely affects seedlings, raising the mark to +40 ° C also entails its death.
Minimum
It is important to ensure that the place where the seedlings are located has an optimal thermal regime. The mark on the thermometer should not reach +10 ° C, otherwise the growth of the plant will stop. Tomatoes are very fond of heat, so it is recommended that the minimum figure be +12 ° C at night, and +23 ° C during the day.
Maximum
The temperature at which growth stops in seedlings is above 28 °C and below 13 °C. In this case, the pollen of the plant is sterilized.
Rules for adjusting the optimal air temperature
Creating favorable conditions for tomato seedlings is quite troublesome when it comes to premises. If the weather is cloudy, you can use heating with service more detailed. Also, do not forget about the foam, which can be wrapped in a box with sprouts. The top of the plants can be covered with polyethylene or other material, but only so that it allows daylight to pass through.
In a greenhouse, the temperature can be regulated using daylight. In case of its increase, ventilation is used. Thanks to this, you can get a better and earlier harvest.
Soil temperature
If the plant is in cool soil, its growth is significantly reduced. Sprouts do not take root well, wither, the root system begins to freeze slightly. Even if the seedling leaves, it will subsequently be vulnerable to various diseases, which will significantly add to the worries in care.
Too warm soil is also not the best option, the plant begins to wither. This can be indicated by a refined stem and yellow leaves.
With proper care, seedlings can be restored, but in the future this will affect fruiting.
When the planting of bushes is carried out according to the specified parameters, the tomato is taken as quickly as possible in a new place.
Optimal temperature
The temperature of the soil in which the tomato develops well enough and bears fruit is 20-22 ° C. It is recommended not to rush to plant seedlings in a permanent habitat until the soil temperature is as close as possible to the desired indicator.
Maximum
Above 30 ° C and below 12 ° C, it helps to stop the proper development of seedlings – the pollen becomes sterile.
Minimum
The minimum temperature indicator that is allowed for planting seeds is 18 ° C. For seedlings – not lower than 16 ° C, otherwise the plant will absorb phosphorus and nitrogen poorly, the root system will stop developing, which will result in the death of the sprouts.
What happens to seedlings in violation of the temperature regime
Unsuitable conditions for seedlings entail many problems with the plant, from instability to diseases and pests to poor yields.
Low temperature contributes to the thickening of the stem and a decrease in its growth, which is not good. With a significant increase in temperature, the sprouts have an elongated stem and small leaves of a pale color.
How low soil temperature affects seedlings
A slight decrease is sometimes beneficial for the tomato. In this way, the correct development of the root system can be obtained, which will affect the crop in the future. The maximum period that is allowed to reduce the temperature is from one to two weeks.
Planting seedlings at low temperatures is fraught with a cessation of the supply of nutrients to the root system. In case of severe frosts, the plant may die. If it was not possible to pass the cold weather, then you can create a special shelter on the arcs. Sometimes summer residents use ordinary plastic bottles, but this method is only suitable if the cold snap is temporary. With a regular decrease in temperature, unfortunately, the death of the plant cannot be avoided.
Influence of high temperature
Prolonged heat deprives the tomato of vitality, dries out the soil and slows down the growth of the bush. Often the plant begins to hurt, for example, with a black leg.
In what ways can you save tomatoes in these conditions, consider below:
- create shelter from the sun;
- do not let the soil dry out, regularly moisten it;
- apply the mulching method (lay mowed grass around the sprout with a layer of 5 cm).
Hardening seedlings before planting in the soil
Few people know how important it is to apply the hardening procedure so that the plant is adapted to any conditions. This method helps the vegetable to accumulate sugar, increases defenses. It is worth performing the procedure, if only because non-hardened seedlings can die with a sharp decrease or increase in temperature.
What you should pay attention to before hardening:
- the temperature during the hardening period of seedlings should be at least 8 ° C;
- you need to be careful with the light, keep a balance;
- exclude draft.
Hardening is carried out in 2 stages:
- hardening of seedlings;
- seedling hardening.
After the seedlings sprout, the room temperature is kept at 15-17 ° C during the day and 7-10 ° C at night for about a week. The ground temperature must not be below 12 °C. After hardening the seedlings, until the hardening of the sprouts, they withstand 20-23 ° C on a clear day, on a rainy day at least 10 ° C.
Hardening of seedlings is carried out at a temperature not lower than 10 ° C during the day, at night not lower than 4 ° C.
In fact, this procedure is not mandatory. It all depends on the conditions in which the tomato will germinate. If severe frosts are expected or, conversely, stuffy and hot summers, then this technique is best applied.
Important! Hardening shifts the fruiting period of the crop by one to two weeks.
To observe the temperature regime for tomato seedlings is relatively troublesome, but very important. Tomatoes that grow in the wrong conditions are most susceptible to diseases, which is why they do not bear fruit well. Following the right regimen will help you get a strong vegetable culture that will delight the summer resident with delicious fruits.
