Tomatoes can be grown by direct seeding in the ground only in warm regions. In the middle lane and to the north, it is imperative to grow a vegetable through seedlings. On a bright and warm windowsill, the seeds are provided with ideal conditions for germination and caring care.
Some prefer to buy seedlings in the market so as not to mess with them. However, in this case, you cannot be sure that you are offered exactly the right variety. And you can be 100% sure of the quality of your seedlings.
When to sow tomato seeds for seedlings in 2020?
Growing tomatoes through seedlings allows you to get an early harvest, but it is important to meet the sowing time. The date of planting depends on the characteristics of the variety and the region of cultivation.
If you plant tomatoes too early, the seedlings will overgrow, which will create certain problems. Late sowing of seeds will delay the transplanting of seedlings into the ground and the beginning of fruiting.
Sowing dates for tomatoes of different ripening dates
In order for the seedlings to become strong and gain strength for transplanting into the ground, it needs an average of 45 days. The specific ripening period is indicated on the bag of seeds, it depends on the characteristics of the selected variety. Conventionally, tomatoes are divided into four groups:
- ultra-early;
- early ripe;
- mid-season;
- later.
- Ultra-early hybrids include modern hybrids with a ripening period of 75-85 days.
- You can get a crop from early ripe tomatoes in 95 days.
- The onset of fruiting in mid-ripening tomatoes occurs after 90-100 days from the moment of germination.
- In late varieties, the growing season lasts 110-125 days, which is exactly how long it will take to get ripe fruits.
Terms of planting tomatoes for seedlings
In each region, sowing work should take place at its own time. After all, somewhere the heat comes early, somewhere it lingers, and in the cold climate zone the threat of frost finally disappears altogether only at the beginning of summer.
In outskirts of Moscow
Moscow region, sowing tomatoes for seedlings begins at the end of February and ends in early April.
Zoned varieties with different ripening periods are usually used for planting. The earliest tomato seeds are sown with medium and late fruiting periods for growing in a greenhouse.
Ultra-early varieties are sown last, which do not require shelter when grown in the ground. It is for these tomatoes that particularly precise adherence to deadlines is required, taking into account the climatic features of the current season.
The date of sowing should be calculated so that by the time of planting in open ground, the threat of frost has finally passed. On average, for the Moscow region, such a period occurs on May 8-10.
By planting seedlings after these numbers, you can be sure that they will successfully take root and will not suffer from low temperatures.
On the note! Usually, the package with seeds indicates at what age the seedlings can be planted in a permanent place. To this period, 4-7 days are added for seed germination and 5-7 days for plant adaptation after picking.
In the Urals
Summer in the Urals passes differently than in the middle lane. It is short, wet, warm. Often partly cloudy and rainy.
Due to the vagaries of the weather, tomatoes in the Urals are best grown in greenhouse conditions, although in some areas the temperature in the summer months can rise to 30 degrees, which gives a good chance of getting an open field crop. In the subpolar Urals, the temperature in summer reaches only 12 degrees.
Due to the fact that the summer is short, planting time is very important. Tomatoes must have time to go through a full cycle of vegetation and produce a crop. Usually early varieties are planted here, it is necessary to properly grow seedlings at home.
Preparation of seedling material will require from 30 to 45 days. Many in this area arrange warm beds for planting tomatoes using straw and black film, which isolate the roots of plants from the cold clay layer.
For planting in a greenhouse, tomato seeds are sown for seedlings in the last decade of March, transplanted into closed ground is carried out after May 20.
To grow tomatoes without shelter, keep in mind that they should only get to the garden at the end of June, after stable warm weather has been established.
In Siberia
Since the summer in Siberia is short, the gardener should not be late with the planting date of tomatoes, otherwise the crop simply will not have time to ripen. Sowing for seedlings in this region is carried out in March, focusing on the manufacturer’s recommendations for growing a particular variety.
Early tomatoes are planted in the first decade of March, mid-ripening – in the next 10 days. Late varieties need sowing at the end of February.
Tall (indeterminate) tomatoes are planted starting from mid-February, cherry tomatoes – in early April. As well as in the Urals, in this region it is better to use greenhouses and warm beds for growing tomatoes.
In the Leningrad region
For the successful cultivation of tomatoes in the Leningrad region, it is important to choose the right variety. Experienced summer residents recommend purchasing seed material from manufacturers such as Siberian Garden and Biotekhnika.
In the future, it will be possible to take seeds already from their own plants. Tomatoes grown from such seeds are more adapted to local climatic conditions. Alas, there are not so many sunny days in the summer in the Leningrad Region. It often rains and winds blow.
To get an early harvest, it is better to choose determinant varieties with limited growth. Indeterminate tomatoes ripen later, but they form fruits until the very frost.
It is better to sow seedlings after February 20. It does not make sense to do this earlier, since the powerful roots of tomatoes will lack nutrition in seedlings and the seedlings will begin to wither, and it will be too early to plant them in a permanent place.
On the note! If the windows face south, you can postpone sowing until the 2nd week of March. The abundance of spring sun will allow the seedlings to grow healthy and strong in a shorter time.
When to plant tomato seeds for seedlings
The difference in growing tomatoes in open and closed ground is quite significant. A heat-loving culture needs protection from low temperatures, precipitation, and wind.
The greenhouse climate for a tomato can be considered ideal; heat is especially well preserved in a polycarbonate structure. The cellular structure of this material allows you to protect plants from frost in spring and vagaries of weather in summer.
For polycarbonate greenhouses
A polycarbonate greenhouse at a fairly low cost can serve 10 years or more. The material has excellent thermal insulation properties and protects plants from ultraviolet radiation. This also comes with some downsides.
- On hot days, the temperature inside the building reaches critical values, it is necessary to provide a ventilation system.
- Since autumn, the soil in such greenhouses must be covered with a film so that there is no freezing to a great depth.
If this is not done, it will not be possible to plant seedlings in a greenhouse in early spring. It will be necessary to wait until the soil temperature in the building reaches 15-17 degrees. In the northern regions, for an earlier landing, it will be necessary to organize heating.
The timing of sowing tomatoes for a polycarbonate greenhouse in the middle lane depends on the characteristics of the variety.
- Late and tall varieties are sown in mid-February, tomatoes with medium ripening dates – from March 5 to March 15,
- Early tomatoes – from 15 to 25 March.
On a note! In the southern regions, the dates are shifted 2 weeks ago, while in the northern regions, on the contrary, sowing is done later.
For open ground
In open ground, tomatoes are not protected by anything and can die even with small spring frosts. To prevent this from happening, they need to be sown at the very end of February.
Planting earlier does not make sense, otherwise the seedlings will outgrow and painfully transfer the transplant to the ground, which will negatively affect the amount of the crop in the future.
Just as when planting greenhouse varieties, it is necessary to take into account the climatic features of the region.
- In the southern regions, seedlings can be sown 10-14 days earlier.
- In the northern area, sowing activities are postponed for 2-3 weeks.
The variety of tomatoes must be zoned. All its characteristics are indicated on the package with seeds.
Lunar calendar 2020 for sowing tomatoes
Like other vegetables that produce aboveground crops, tomatoes are recommended to be sown on a growing moon. It is better to guess the timing so that the seedlings appear on the full moon. In this case, it turns out that the roots will begin to grow in the waning phase of the moon, which is favorable for them. Experts have compiled a lunar landing calendar for 2019 in advance.
According to it, the following dates can be considered favorable days for sowing tomatoes:
- in January – 4-7, 9-10, 27-29;;
- in February – 1, 2, 6-7, 24, 25, 26-28;
- in March – 1-2, 4-6, 26, 28, 31;
- in April – 1-2, 24-25, 27-29;
- in May – 6, 25-28.
Some time periods may be categorically not suitable for landing operations. Such days are called unfavorable, it is better to do other things at this time. For tomatoes, these dates in 2019 fall on:
- January 11, 24-26;
- February 3, 8-9, 17, 21-23;
- 9, 19-21, 24, 27 March;
- 8, 16-17, 21, 23 April;
- 7, 13-14, 22-23 May.
If it was not possible to sow on favorable days, you can do it at neutral times. In this case, the timing of replanting will not affect the quality of seedlings and their growth rate. The condition of the seedlings will depend entirely on your care.
Early planting – a problem with overgrown seedlings
Overgrown seedlings stretch out, her immune system weakens. Such plants do not tolerate transplantation well, take root for a long time, as a result, fruiting is delayed. If it so happened that in terms of time the seedlings need to be planted in the ground, and climatic conditions do not allow this, certain measures must be taken.
Try slowing down plant growth with the following tricks:
- completely stop all feeding;
- reduce the volume and frequency of watering;
- put the seedling box in a dark place;
- reduce the temperature of the content;
- treat with a growth inhibitor.
On a note! Overgrown seedlings require special planting. Plants are planted at an angle or the seedlings are cut into two parts. The lower part is planted in the ground, and the upper part is rooted in water. A root stimulator will help speed up the appearance of roots.
Tips from seasoned gardeners
To make the gardener happy with the tomato crop, you can use additional tricks. Those who grow tomatoes year after year are ready to share their secrets with beginner growers:
- In order to properly pickle the seeds, they are first dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes, then washed and dipped in garlic slurry for 7-10 minutes. This method will protect planting material from bacteria, viruses, fungal spores.
- Before planting seedlings in the soil, the hole is usually filled with fertilizer. Do not forget to sprinkle top dressing with a layer of earth after this, otherwise the roots will burn.
- 2 weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground, it is advisable to spray it with copper-containing preparations, it is at this stage that the plants are most vulnerable to various diseases and can quickly disappear.
- Be sure to observe the watering regime, if this is not done, the fruits will begin to crack. Tomatoes love dry air, so they are watered under the root or drip method.
- Spraying with a weak solution of iodine contributes to the rapid ripening of fruits, after which the tomatoes turn red literally within 2 days.
When to plant tomatoes for seedlings – video
Harvest varieties of tomatoes seed collection for 2020
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Today, gardeners can find a lot of useful information about growing vegetables, including tomatoes. You just need not be lazy to use all this knowledge in practice. Observe the correct planting dates for tomatoes, take care of seedlings and adult bushes. This culture is very responsive to care and will surely thank you with a generous harvest.
