How to pick a tomato in 2018

A pick of tomatoes in 2018 should take place on time – not earlier and no later than the required date. This process is very important for growing healthy and strong seedlings.

Picking tomatoes in 2018

When determining the timing of tomato transplants, you can focus on the lunar calendar. Usually, gardeners determine the time, respectively, until the planting date or the phases of development of the sprouts.

The benefits of picking

The essence of the process is to transplant plants from smaller containers to large ones, filled with a new substrate containing nutrients. In the first stages, seedlings do not interfere with each other. May exist side by side, as long as there are enough trace elements in the soil. But over time, the strongest plants suppress the weaker ones. Both those and others begin to develop incorrectly. Therefore, they must be transplanted.

Pinching

Some gardeners pinch the root of the seedlings before picking. This is done in order to develop the lateral processes. Thus, the root system is strengthened, which in the future will affect yield.

When planting a crop in 2018, you can dive tall tomatoes twice, others once. The second transplantation should be carried out 20-22 days after the first.

The need for picking is as follows:

1. Next, the strongest shoots go into the process of growing tomatoes, leave weakened – they are not transplanted.
2. Moving to new containers creates a lot of space for plants to develop the terrestrial part and root system. Sprouts will not infringe each other, their roots will not be intertwined. This will simplify planting in a permanent place in the future.
3. Seedlings receive clean, disinfected soil.
4. It is especially useful to perform this procedure when the seedlings have grown. Then the plant will stop its growth, as a result of which the roots will be strengthened.

Proper implementation of this process will ensure the plants good development 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 leave one – 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 needed, since there is not always enough space on the windowsill for a large number of pots.

Duration of seedling dives in 2018

Gardeners calculate favorable days when seedlings can be moved. When the moon grows, tides occur. The water level will rise. For a tomato, 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 timing of planting and transplanting seedlings on 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 on the 10th day after emergence (depending on the variety and conditions). It is necessary to approximately calculate the sowing dates so that full seedlings fall on such days: from February 28 (29) to March 1, March 03, 04 and 05. It is also worth considering at what stage of development the sprouts are in order not to harm them. Seedlings should have 2-3 real leaves (cotyledons are not taken into account).

If the seeds were planted later, then in April, the following days may be favorable days for picking tomatoes: from 16 to 18, from 24 to 27.

When planning the work, you should also pay attention to the unfavorable days in the calendar, which are not advised to do anything:

• January 1, January 27-28;
• February 23-26;
• March 23, 24, 28;
• April 19, 20, 26;
• May 16-18, May 25;
• June 13, 14, 24.

Prepare for a pick

Prepare yourself carefully for the procedure

The transplant process involves several steps.

Preparation containers

First you need to take care of choosing the vessels into which the seedlings will move . They should have a sufficient volume – 500-700 ml, about 9 cm * 9 cm * 10 cm in size. If you choose larger ones, pathogens may develop. Suitable containers of paper, cardboard, plastic. Use peat cups or made with your own hands from several layers of the newspaper. The last two options are considered optimal, because when transplanting seedlings to a permanent place, the roots will not be damaged.

Preparing the soil

Before you dive tomatoes, you need to know which land to choose. It should be loose, light, absorb moisture well and contain nutrients. You can buy it in a store or cook it yourself. Garden soil in a 1: 1 ratio is added to the universal soil mixture. 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 varieties of mixtures. Here is one of them: 2 parts of turf land, 1 part of peat (leaf soil), 1 part of river sand, ½ part of rotted manure, 1 part perlite.

The prepared mixture must be decontaminated 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 in 2/3 of the volume.

Tomato seedlings picking

The day before this process, seedlings are treated with Epin or Zircon. Spraying is performed to reduce stress.

There are two ways to dive tomatoes: transplanting and transshipment. In the first – the roots are cleared of the soil, in the second – they leave an earthen lump.

Transplant

To transplant, you need to moisten the soil well 2 hours before. Then you can clear the roots of the earth. Care should be taken not to damage the roots. To do this, you can use a wooden stick, which is cleaned. Pinch the main root 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.The seedling can be held only for them or for the roots, so as not to break the young immature stalk. Sprinkle with earth. For good contact of the roots with the soil, it is necessary to compact it with your hands.

Transshipment

Transshipment 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 remain an earthen lump, seedlings are not watered 2 days before transhipment. They are placed in a vessel filled to 1/3 of the ground, add the right amount. Seal the soil near the base of the stem.

After diving, the soil is abundantly watered with warm water. Tomatoes are left in partial shade for 2 days. Then they rearrange it on the windowsill.

Recommendations

Check the quality of the transplant

There is a way in which you can check whether the transplant is done correctly. To do this, pull the plant up by the cotyledon leaves. Well-planted tomatoes will remain in place, poorly planted tomatoes will be pulled out without effort.

After transplanting seedlings, the soil can be covered with foil. It will reflect light. This will protect 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 an additional stress for tomatoes.

Caring for seedlings after picking

In order for seedlings to take root and grow well, they must be provided with optimal conditions:

• illumination;
• temperature conditions;
• watering;
• loosening;
• top dressing.

Light

For tomatoes, the length of daylight should be about 10 hours. Therefore, over seedlings at a height of 50 cm, lamps are installed, which are turned on as necessary. Be sure to organize additional light in February and March. There is plenty of natural light in April.

Direct sunlight can cause burns to the leaves, so they can be shaded with newspapers when needed. From time to time, the vessels are turned over so that the tomatoes do not grow with a slope in one direction.

Temperature

The correct temperature is favorable for the development of seedlings. Day should be 18 ° C, in the evening 15 ° C. After a few weeks, lower the temperature in order to harden the tomatoes. Before planting in a permanent place, they should be taken out into the shade for a while.

The seedling does not tolerate drafts. When ventilating the room, make sure that cold air does not get into it.

Watering

Watering is carried out as the topsoil dries up. Humidify should be moderate.To leave the rest of the moisture, you can put drainage in the pot. They also make holes in the bottom.

Loosening

Loosening will provide oxygen to the roots, which will accelerate tomato growth. It is advisable to carry out such a procedure 2 times a week.

Feeding

Spend 2-3 feeding the tomatoes before planting them. t 2 weeks after a pick. This will help the plant grow. Use purchased 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

In order to calculate the most favorable days in 2018 for picking tomato seedlings, we must take into account all factors.It’s worth a look at the lunar calendar. But if the days of transplantation did not coincide with those indicated on the calendar, do not get upset. You just need to follow all the rules of diving and caring for seedlings.