Tomato seedlings do not grow well in the box. Why don't tomato seedlings grow after picking? Is getting insufficient nutrition

Experienced gardeners love to grow their seedlings on their own, without resorting to purchased options. Putting all your soul into your harvest, following the growth process from seed to large fruits, with proper growth control, the most wonderful result is obtained. How pleasant it is to hold in your hands the result of your own labors!

The process of growing seedlings is a complex and time-consuming business that requires skills and knowledge. Many questions often arise. For example, when to start planting? How to prepare for planting in the ground? Why does pepper seedling grow poorly and what to do?

The main key points are outlined below. Pay attention to all the subtleties - the volume of the future harvest depends on it.

The quality of the planting land is the main and main condition for successful germination. Just digging up land in the country is not enough to get a good seedling front.

What should be the soil for planting pepper:

1. Airy, crumbly, water permeable. To achieve this result, the earth is mixed with sand or sawdust. It is preferable to use sawdust of deciduous trees - birch, mountain ash, aspen, oak.
2. Have a pH neutral composition, that is, a certain level of acidity. This factor is very important, so you should take the choice of soil very seriously.

With an increase in acidity, much less nutrients are supplied to the roots of the plant, which are necessary for growth. Result: the plant dies from hunger strike.

Among other things, bacteria actively develop in an acidic environment, so boasting a rich harvest is unlikely to work.

If you are an experienced gardener, then a device such as a pH meter will definitely come in handy on the farm. It determines the qualitative composition of the soil with a high degree of accuracy in a few minutes.

Don't be friends with technology? Then adopt folk methods:

1. Pour vinegar over the ground - if the soil is neutral, then bubbles will be visible on its surface;
2. Help of grape juice - put a handful of earth in a glass of juice. When the color changes or bubbles appear, feel free to collect land for seedlings.

Also, the soil should have a beneficial environment for fruit germination. Particularly vigilant gardeners love to decontaminate the soil, and the actions often reach the point of absurdity. The soil killed by microwave rays is unable to germinate, and fried in a pan is unlikely to give at least one fruit.

If you are a supporter of the fight against bacteria in the preparatory stage, then do not forget that after any treatment, the soil needs a shake. You can "cheer up" it with such microbiological fertilizers as "Baikal" or "Extrasol".

The soil must contain a variety of elements for vigorous plant growth. Use humus or compost to add nitrogen to the soil. An important point: rotting plants, manure in the decomposition phase is categorically not suitable for this. The decomposition process is accompanied by an active release of heat into the environment, and with it useful substances (including nitrogen) evaporate.

Mineral fertilizers are commercially available everywhere, their cheap and affordable analogue is ash.

You can also buy ready-made planting mix at the store. When choosing, pay attention to the composition: if the product consists only of peat, feel free to dismiss this option. And if black soil and bark are added to it, it will do just fine.

The soil should not contain a large amount of clay. Alumina will absorb moisture well, but retaining it will not. Water passes through the clay and plants are left without life-giving liquid, which means that their growth slows down or is reduced to zero. No matter how much water is poured into the clay, it instantly goes further.

If for some reason you could not prepare high-quality soil in advance, then the situation can still be saved. When picking or transplanting a plant into open ground, add more good soil to the existing soil. Form a voluminous lump, and feel free to continue planting - the peppers will grow healthy.

Unprepared pepper seeds

Planting unprepared seeds means reducing the chance of sprouting by 10-15%. In the absence of proper preparation, the seeds germinate longer, and the seedlings do not develop too strong. While the neighbors have already begun to appear fruits, you run the risk of getting only thin blooming stalks.

Seeds bought in a store or harvested by themselves must first be discarded. What does it mean? The seeds are placed in a container with salt water for 15-20 minutes (4 tablespoons per liter of water are enough). Full-fledged, heavy seeds, when wet, go to the bottom, and empty, unsuitable for planting, float.

After deciding on the source material, the immediate preparation begins.

The first stage of preparation is preventive disinfection. For this you need:

1. Prepare a strong solution of potassium permanganate. Its color should be bright pink.
2. Soak the seeds in the solution for about half an hour.
3. Rinse treated material abundantly with clean water.

The second stage is to stimulate plant growth. The seeds take a bath in a solution of a special preparation (for example, "Bud", "Ovary") for 2-3 hours. In the process of soaking, it is necessary to monitor the change in appearance: as soon as the seeds have swollen, they can be pulled out to dry.

You can also prepare a growth stimulator at home. The infusion is prepared from dried nettle in the proportion of 1 tablespoon per glass of boiling water. Leave to cool, stirring occasionally and pressing on the grass.

The third stage is seed germination. It is considered alternative. Swollen ready-made seeds are quite capable of giving full-fledged shoots. But if you want even more guarantee, you can wait for the small sprouts to appear.

Incorrect determination of the sowing time

It is necessary to prepare the seedlings for planting in advance, but if you get down to business too early, then the plants will stretch to growth, bloom early. Ovaries may appear even before transplanting into open ground.

Follow the seed manufacturer's instructions to determine when to plant. On the back of the package it is always indicated at what time to start sowing, to transplant seedlings, by what time to wait for the beginning of the harvest. The most suitable time for sowing is 2, and preferably 2.5 months before the planned planting.

It is important to check the favorable working time with the lunar calendar. Since the cycles of the moon directly affect the growth and development of plants, seedlings will be better accepted if planted during the waxing moon.

The sowing calendar is not grandmother's fairy tales, as advanced gardeners are used to thinking. The interaction of the Earth and the Moon has a planetary scale. The satellite of our planet alone controls the ebb and flow of all earthly seas and oceans. So is there any reason to doubt that the Moon also acts on living organisms that inhabit the Earth?

During the waning moon, the growth processes in living organisms slow down, but with its renewal, the pace of development becomes much faster.

Unsuitable temperature

For the quick and correct development of seedlings, moderately warm air, fertile soil and sufficient water are needed.

The place where the seedlings are located should be reliably sheltered from wind or drafts, which can provoke plant diseases (for example, decay, fungal ailments). But it is still necessary to carefully ventilate the room. Excessive heat leads to weakness and thinning of the stems.

In the room where the seedlings grow at the initial stage (from sowing to the appearance of the first shoots), it should be at least 15 ° C. When the seedlings have already matured well, the conditions are closer to natural, that is, about 25 ° C on sunny days and about 20 ° C in cloudy weather.

Soil temperature is just as important as ambient temperature. If the soil is too cold, the result will be sad.

Possible troubles:

• putrefactive processes in the root system;
• poor absorption of nutrients by the roots;
• poor growth of seedlings.

Be sure to measure the temperature of the soil, even if the apartment is warm enough. The surrounding air will not warm the ground sufficiently if cold blows on it, for example, from a window glass.

The degree of heating the soil should be within 26-28 degrees during the germination period and 20-22 degrees after hardening the seedlings.

It is undesirable to place containers with seedlings on windowsills. Causes:

1. Cold air when opening and closing a window can freeze immature sprouts or overcool the soil.
2. Hot streams from the battery under the windowsill heat up the ground too much. Even with sufficient watering, it will be difficult for the seeds to germinate due to the development of putrefactive bacteria.
3. Direct sunlight can cause burns on young plants.

Therefore, it is better to use special shelves that are very convenient to use, take up little space and can be moved (if there are wheels).

Water the seedlings with warm water to ensure a comfortable temperature regime.

Lack of lighting

Lack of light catastrophically affects the growth of seedlings. With its small amount, crops can stop in their development, freeze in one pore. Seedlings released only two leaves and stopped growing further? The reason is undoubtedly the lack of light.

If the light in the room falls only from the side of the window, then the peppers will turn only in this direction. Since the plants are always drawn to the sun, the seedlings will eventually become elongated and crooked, the main part of the leaves will move to the lighted side.

In order for all plants to receive a vital portion of light, there is a simple way out - to use additional lighting. Usually fluorescent lamps are used as the light source. It is suspended or fixed in some other way above the seedlings so that it is fixed at a distance of 25 cm above the tops of the plants.

An important point: the lamp will need to be moved from time to time in accordance with the growth of the tops.

The best option is one long lamp. But if the seedlings are located in such a way that it is impossible to fulfill this condition, you can install several pieces at the same height. So all plants will have enough light, and their growth will be healthy.

A foil screen will help provide a natural level of light. It can be glued to the wall of a bookcase or cabinet and it will reflect the light emitted by the lamp. This is the most comfortable way to recreate natural light for the seedlings.

Since the duration of daylight hours in winter is very short, it is advisable to leave the lamp on until late at night. Thanks to this, the plants will be able to significantly increase their growth and prepare for planting.

Picking

Picking is the process of dividing the total mass of seedlings into individual containers, in each of which only one pepper will grow.
The picking process is not easily tolerated by plants.

The root system of peppers and tomatoes regenerates slowly. Plants, after separation, lag behind in growth from similar ones grown by the no-pick method, on average by 2-3 weeks.

After a pick, it is even possible to lose part of the seedlings - plants with a fragile root system are guaranteed not to withstand such a procedure. To get around it, you need to think over the layout of the seedlings, give each bush enough space.

If it is difficult to do this (for example, growing seedlings takes place in a city apartment, where there is very little space for placing containers), then the seedlings begin to grow in a common box, and then a delicate dive is made.

1. The time of the beginning of the pick is the appearance of at least 6 leaves in the peppers. If there are fewer of them, then the seedlings are still too small, and there is no need to disturb the roots.
2. A few days before the proposed procedure, you need to finish watering. So the earth will be moderately dense, which will allow fixing the separated roots, and the roots themselves will be less torn and injured.
3. Before diving the plants, you need to prepare new dishes, soil, water for irrigation. The crockery should be tall so that there is enough room for roots and for supporting the stems and first leaves. Holes need to be made in the bottom of the container so that the water leaves and does not stagnate - excess water will cause root rot.
4. After proper preparation, the neatly separated plants are planted in a new dish, gently sprinkling with earth and slightly pouring warm water. It is important to pay special attention to the transplanted peppers in the early days: a slight wilting of the leaves is possible. If the pick is carried out according to all the rules, then the plant quickly recovers.

Incorrect feeding

Even with excellent initial soil, the reserves of nutrients are quickly depleted. The volume of soil in the pot is very small, and the seedlings develop, gain strength and absorb minerals until they are completely depleted.

Pepper is a unique vegetable, it is truly a storehouse of vitamins. Moreover, he needs plentiful, but not frequent feeding. Feed two (maximum three) times before disembarking will be sufficient.

When to do it right? The most appropriate time will be the following moments:

1. The first introduction - with the appearance of two or three leaves. During this period, the plant is actively developing, it needs special care and a large amount of nutrients.
2. The second introduction is after transplanting (picking) seedlings. Plants are weakened after separation, minerals are necessary to maintain their vitality and stimulate active growth in the future.
3. The third application is a few days before planting in open soil. The peppers have to adapt to extreme conditions, so it is imperative to maintain and strengthen the strength of the plant.

The diet of peppers must include nitrogen fertilizers and minerals. Lack of sufficient feed leads to growth inhibition.

What happens if the plant is deprived of:

• nitrogen - the stem becomes thinner, the leaves are faded from lack of nutrition, the seedlings develop very slowly;
• phosphorus - the stem is bent, the plant stops growing;
• potassium - the ovary of flowers does not occur, the harvest will be poor.

If your wards grow poorly, then the reason may also be in the lack of micronutrients. The essential ones are iron and copper. With an insufficient amount of fertilizers in the soil, the seedlings are susceptible to massive diseases.

You can make inexpensive organic fertilizers at home using regular nettles and ash.

Excessive improper watering

Watering seedlings is a whole ceremony that should be neat and unhurried. Simply pouring water from a bottle into containers with seedlings is an option for amateurs.

Excessive moisture is just as unacceptable as drought.

The slow growth of seedlings, and therefore poor yield in the future, are explained by plant diseases. Bacteria, fungi or insects are equally dangerous if you do not provide timely assistance.

Most often, diseases manifest themselves in flooded soil in a company with low temperatures.

How to support a sick plant:

1. The first step is to isolate diseased seedlings from healthy ones: this minimizes the risk of infection for all other plants. Then you need to get rid of diseased leaves, create comfortable conditions for the plant (do not allow excessive watering or dry out, monitor the temperature of the surrounding air and soil).
2. If the plant continues to wither, use a disease-fighting drug (eg, "Barrier", "Barrier"). Ash, which is popular with gardeners, is also suitable for these purposes, it will not only help to feed an exhausted plant, but also relieve pests and destructive disease-causing effects.
3. In the event that none of the methods gave results, you will have to get rid of the infected pepper. It is imperative to throw out the ground, it is enough to disinfect the container from under the seedlings.
4. Deterioration of the general condition or problems in a separate area (for example, leaves) is the reason that pests have settled somewhere. These are small beetles, ticks, aphids. Their main food is nutritious juices from the leaves of the plant, therefore, most often they stick to the leaves, and after the life-giving juices are completely sucked out, they pass to the roots.
5. Regularly inspect the seedlings for the appearance of pests or their marks (holes in the leaves, laid eggs, plaque on the leaves). If they have not bypassed your seedlings - be fully prepared.
6. For direct control of phyto pests, insecticides are used. "Match", "Confidor" and other drugs have an active structure that is dangerous for humans. Therefore, when using them, protective equipment is required. A prerequisite is breeding and spraying seedlings with gloves, without inhaling vapors of toxic substances. Exclude contact of drugs with dishes and food. After processing plants, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

If there are no pests on the seedlings, but you are worried, you can take a number of preventive measures:

1. Folk method: spraying with infusions of onions or garlic, as well as marigolds (calendula). Coniferous infusion also has excellent antibacterial properties.
2. Hardening - take out the seedlings for a short time in the air (on the balcony or in the garden). So plants get used to the external environment and adapt to it. An important point: hardening should not be carried out simultaneously with watering (spraying), so that the sun's rays do not burn the leaves and stems.

Untreated open ground

The time of planting seedlings in open ground plays an important role. You should not rush or delay landing.

Even if the spring is cold and prolonged, wait until a stable temperature is established and the earth warms up to no less than 15 degrees at a depth of 10 cm. How to measure this? Dig a hole halfway up the shovel and measure the soil temperature with a regular thermometer.

Immediately before transplanting, open ground is spilled with warm water to create comfortable conditions and increase survival.

At the initial stage of growth (1.5-2 weeks), it is better to water the seedlings with warm water. This helps to protect even weak roots from hypothermia. Only transplanted plants should be fertilized sparingly, once (if urgently needed - 2 times) during the first month of growth.

Ideally, the area where the pepper is planted should be protected from strong winds, since the seedlings are difficult to tolerate sudden gusts and can break off or die. But to protect the stems, it is not necessary to deeply deepen the plant into the planting hole, so the crop will ripen longer, and the fruits will grow small.

Experienced gardeners highlight an important point: peppers grow well in the beds after beans, peas, cucumbers.

Planting sweet and bitter peppers nearby is not recommended. Ovaries are often cross-pollinated, bell peppers can turn bitter and vice versa. Outwardly, no dirty tricks are observed, but a surprise can be expected in the process of eating.

I wish you a rich harvest and bon appetit!

Svetlana Shcherbak from Krasnoyarsk shares her personal experience of growing seedlings:

Finding out why seedlings grow badly

It happens that the seedlings grow poorly, or even simply stop developing. This kind of nuisance can happen to any culture. What is the reason for this? In my practice, there were such reasons:

1. Poor quality seeds.

It is especially clearly observed when you sow one crop, but several different varieties. At the same time, the soil is the same, and the conditions of detention, but in one container there are strong and joyful shoots, and in the next one there are skinny small "misunderstandings", which at first noticeably lag behind in growth, and then may die altogether.

You can try to feed the seedlings with complex fertilizers, support them with growth stimulants. But with me, as a rule, such seedlings still remain among the "lagging behind". I think this: it's easier to come to terms with the loss at this stage, because then you can not wait at all for a normal harvest. As a rule, if poor quality seeds are the cause of poor growth, nothing worthwhile will grow out of them anyway.

2. Conditions of detention.

Passion for watering, lack of heat can lead to oxygen starvation of the roots and their decay, growth retardation of seedlings, and then to disease and death of the plant.

For some reason, this happens to me more often in the first days after the pick: I try to support with water the disturbed plants that have undergone the stress of transplantation, and as a result - losses. If I notice that the plant is "thinking" and does not add to its growth, and even more so when other symptoms appear, I urgently take action: I correct the microclimate, loosen it, reduce watering. It is important to do this as early as possible, before the process becomes irreversible.

* By the way! In printed sources, it is recommended to spray the seedlings with "Epinom-Extra" after picking. It helps plants to survive the pick easier, increases the survival rate of seedlings, relieves stress. Costs a penny, easy to use. A modern drug (though a chemical one).

3. Seedlings of tomatoes and petunias often suffer from chlorosis - a lack of iron.

This deficiency is manifested by a pale yellow, sometimes almost white color of the apical leaves. Gradually, this color scheme covers all the leaves, the plant slows down growth, weakens. I noticed that the plant does not always die, but it blooms poorly, looks weak and sick (and, for example, for a petunia this is completely unacceptable).

Trouble is easily treated. With an interval of 5-7 days, I spray all plantings with a solution of a preparation containing iron, always in a chelated form. In addition, experienced ones recommend canceling the supplementary lighting of seedlings.

4. Damage to the roots when diving.

Another reason may be inaccurate picking, when the roots are damaged or bent when transferred to a new container.

5. "Scourge" for seedlings - root rot, "black leg".

Among the reasons for the development of the disease are thickened crops and waterlogging of the soil. To prevent the development of the black leg, I spread the seeds sparsely during sowing, if necessary, immediately after germination, I thin out so that all plants are "ventilated". For prevention, I water it with a weak solution of Bordeaux mixture or copper sulfate.

* Of modern drugs for the prevention and treatment of black leg, the drug "Glyocladin" is successfully used.

6. Stunted growth can be caused by a lack of nutrients.

Yes, yes, and it happens, although I prepare fertile soil with humus for seedlings. Therefore, fertilizers should not be neglected.

So that the seedlings grow well ... What to do?

The seedlings will "tell" themselves about their "ailments" or the need for additional nutrition. You just need to carefully inspect the landings every day and stop troubles when they are found. As, for example, in the case of chlorosis described above.

How to water, feed, spray?

Pale or yellowish bottom casts indicate nitrogen demand. With a lack of fluoride in petunias, for example, the leaves (or only their veins) turn purple, but in tomatoes this shade may indicate hypothermia of the seedlings, and in cabbage seedlings - about full health. If additional nutrition is needed, we proceed to urgent feeding.

I add superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, urea or complex azophoska under the root in the form of a solution (30 g per bucket of water). I use these fertilizers in cases when the plants themselves "signal" about the lack of any element.

In general, I try to feed every 7-10 days with the mineral complex "Nitroammofoska". I water at the root, only after watering with plain water.

By the way, in order for the seedlings to grow well, experts recommend not to wait for alarming symptoms, but to apply fertilizers regularly, starting from the second week after the pick.

It is necessary to alternate nutrient compositions with different elements, or use complex mineral fertilizers. It is noted that foliar dressing (spraying on the leaves) is in many cases more effective than root dressings, they act faster.

I use a folk remedy for spraying. A week or two after the picking, I spray the seedlings of petunias (and other flowers), peppers, eggplants, tomatoes with a solution of iodine and milk: 9-10 drops of iodine and a glass of milk for 10 liters of water. Such "treatment" is good not only for the prevention of viral and bacterial diseases, but for some reason it also helps in some incomprehensible (for me) cases when the seedlings wither for no apparent reason, droop their ears, and signs of oppression appear.

Before planting seedlings in the ground, I spend at least two more preventive spraying:

• Boric acid (solution 5-10 grams per bucket of water). Boron is needed not only for the correct and active development of plants, but also for flower crops - for lush, long flowering, and for fruit species - to increase productivity;
• Bordeaux liquid or light blue solution of copper sulfate I process both leaves and soil. Such treatment is the prevention of the development of fungal and bacterial diseases. The description of this method of feeding seedlings is found in few places. But in my own practice I was convinced: it works perfectly. Copper sulfate does an excellent job with black leg. Tomatoes, due to copper, get resistance to late blight (there is also such a method: the lower part of the tomato stem, when planted on a ridge, is pierced with copper wire, made a loop out of it, and so left). It works against fungi and bacteria in seedlings in the same way as in adult plants. I can still do without boric, but certainly not without copper sulfate! Bordeaux mixture is prepared according to the instructions (200 gram pack per bucket). If simple vitriol - by eye. I feed the seedlings, I even process the tomato 2 times: before or after the pick (when it takes root), and then when it grows up.

Once on one of the Internet forums I read that seedlings of petunias "love" sour - common culinary citric acid ... I followed the advice, once a week I water the petunky with a weak solution. I pour a little "lemon" water under the root of the seedlings, using a small syringe (without a needle) for this. Indeed, petunias look more fun after that.

Other problems and how to solve them ...

As, probably, every gardener, sometimes atypical "complications" occur.

For example, in a vessel with pre-treated soil, the plants suddenly began to fall one after another. Under a magnifying glass, I found a smooth cut of a painfully flattened stalk. I treated the soil with Aktara (0.2 mg per 10 l). Apparently, insects attacked.

Other pests periodically attack the green parts of the seedlings. For example, a spider mite. The result of his "activity" - a thin mesh on the leaves that turned yellow at once - is not immediately visible. Bathing of plants (whole) in a saturated soap solution helps. Ordinary laundry soap will do. It is good if the soapy moisture and the soil soak.

Curiosities also happen. Here, very small seedlings began to fall out. I remember the background: I shed the soil with Phytosporin and potassium permanganate, after sowing I did not abuse it, sprayed it with copper sulfate a week before the incident, and 2-3 days later - with milk and iodine.

Watering with something else is dangerous, the humidity is already high. I remembered about a folk remedy I had read somewhere: I diluted 25 grams of medical alcohol in a bucket of water (I think a simple one would do), just in case, I added Fitosporin thicker and risked watering ... I don't know what it was, and what remedy worked, but seedling loss stopped! "

Svetlana Shcherbak, Krasnoyarsk Territory

Compared to other nightshade crops, tomatoes are not capricious crops, reacts well to care and quickly recovers after wellness treatments. Most problems arise when growing seedlings indoors, and stunting and inhibition of development becomes the most common. What to do if tomato seedlings are not growing?

The main reasons why tomato seedlings grow poorly or not at all are:

1. Unfavorable microclimate.
2. Nutrient deficiency.
3. Incorrect picking.
4. Failure to comply with the rules of care.
5. Seedling diseases.
6. Pest attacks.

We will learn to determine the reason for the stopping growth of tomatoes by external signs and find out in what ways you can deal with this.

Unfavorable microclimate

To create a microclimate favorable for tomato seedlings, it is necessary to take into account the indicators of temperature, humidity and provide normal lighting for the plants at the initial stage of the growing season.

Temperature and humidity

Violation of the temperature regime is becoming one of the main reasons for the slowdown in growth in tomatoes. Let us remind you that vegetative processes in tomatoes normally proceed in the temperature range from + 15 ° C to + 30 ° C.

In a living room, cooling of seedlings is possible when kept on non-insulated windowsills, but most often inhibition of development is observed due to too high a temperature, at + 32 ° C development and growth of tomatoes completely stops.

In addition, low humidity is almost always a concomitant factor in an increase in temperature in an apartment, which also negatively affects the growth of tomatoes. What to do to normalize humidity and temperature:

• hypothermia can be avoided by removing seedlings from the windowsills or insulating them in advance;
• reduce the temperature by ordinary ventilation, the procedure is also necessary for the gradual hardening of seedlings and helps to get rid of high humidity;
• in rooms with low humidity, water is sprayed with a spray bottle.

Lighting

Tomatoes are plants with long daylight hours. Ideally, the seedlings need lighting for 12 to 16 hours a day. Gardeners start seedlings in February and March, when daylight hours lasts no more than 7-10 hours. In case of insufficient lighting, the processes of photosynthesis at the intracellular level slow down, respectively, the seedlings develop poorly and do not grow.

To compensate for the lack of sunlight, the sprouts are supplemented with phytolamps, as an alternative, you can use fluorescent lighting devices. The procedure should be carried out an equal amount of time in the morning and in the evening, but many vegetable growers perform only evening supplementary lighting and are quite successful.

When there is a lack of light in greenhouses, potash fertilizers are often used. This way you can support the seedlings at home. To do this, you can use a solution of potassium salt (5 g / 3 l) or potassium sulfate (6 g / 3 l). Humates or complex fertilizers are often used for feeding, since in addition to potassium, seedlings need nitrogen and phosphorus.

Nutrient deficiency

Nitrogen is responsible for the growth of vegetative mass. The roots of seedlings develop normally if there is enough phosphorus in the soil. If tomato seedlings stop growing and have acquired a pale green or yellowish tint, this indicates a lack of nitrogen. If the stems and leaves turn bluish or purple, this indicates phosphorus starvation.

Nitrogen is replenished with urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, and phosphorus - with superphosphate fertilizer. Cow dung also contains a lot of nitrogen and phosphorus, so many vegetable growers use mullein infusion as a top dressing, and wood ash is added to replenish potassium.

To feed tomato seedlings, first prepare a concentrate (1 kg mullein / 2 l), which is diluted 1:10 with water immediately before use. For 5 liters of organic feeding add 100 ml of wood ash.

On a note! Organic matter of animal origin is a source of pests and many diseases of tomatoes, therefore, it is used with caution on seedlings.

Recipes for nutrient solutions to stimulate the growth and development of tomatoes:

• urea 1 g / simple superphosphate 8 g / potassium salt 3 g / 2 l;
• ammonium nitrate 1 g / simple superphosphate 8 g / potassium sulfate 4 g / 2 l;
• 30 g nitrophoska / 2 l.

The first feeding is performed 10 days after the emergence of shoots, the second - 5 days before the pick or a week after it. For the third time, seedlings are fertilized 5 to 7 days before transplanting into the ground. Any nutrient solutions are applied to well-watered soil.

Wrong pick

Picking requires special care and attention of the gardener. When transplanting into separate containers, air voids in the soil mixture must not be allowed. This can lead to poor survival and decay of immature roots of seedlings, growth arrest, and often complete death of the plant.

In the process of picking, the main rod of the rhizome is pinched. This is necessary to stimulate the growth of lateral shoots, and is also a measure against stretching the seedlings. After picking, the seedlings intensively build up the underground part, the vegetative part from above stops its development. But, if the roots are severely damaged, the plant will stop growing and simply die.

Failure to comply with the rules of care

In order for the seedlings to grow better, it is necessary to follow certain rules of care: watering, fertilizing, preventing diseases, observing the temperature regime that is optimal for tomatoes, lighting and air humidity. The most common mistakes when growing tomatoes include not observing temperature, light and humidity indicators, as well as improper watering.

You already know about the microclimate, let's talk about how to water tomato seedlings. Immediately after sowing the seeds, the soil in the boxes should be constantly moist, but when sprouts appear, watering should be reduced. The potting mix should not dry out too much, but daily watering will also not be beneficial. Watering is carried out when the top layer dries up approximately 2 or 3 times a week.

With proper watering, oxygen access to the roots improves, and the likelihood of developing fungal infections decreases.

Diseases

Diseases on tomato seedlings most often appear due to a violation of watering norms. Poor seed quality, neglect of soil and planting material disinfection also lead to contamination.

Tomato seedlings may not grow due to the following diseases:

• blackleg;
• root rot;
• white spot.

Blackleg

Fungal infection in which the stem of the seedling turns black at the soil level. Further, the disease spreads to the entire stem, the plant dies. The disease is not cured. At the first sign, diseased seedlings are removed, the rest are transplanted. The soil mixture from under the diseased plants is not used or is disinfected by calcining in the oven.

The planted tomatoes are treated with "Fundazol" or other fungicides. Disease prevention is the addition of ash to the soil before planting and dusting the seedlings with it, the use of biostimulants "Bactofit" or "Fitosporin".

Root rot

Overmoistening in combination with hypothermia, which is characteristic of seedlings on windowsills, leads to the appearance of root rot. Control and prevention measures are the same as for black leg lesions.

To strengthen the immune system, the roots of non-infected plants are soaked in Fitosporin or potassium permanganate solution.

White spot

Small spots of white color with a dark-colored border are a sign of septoria or white spot disease, as vegetable growers call it. Septoria is difficult to treat, it is impractical when growing seedlings. Sick plants are removed, those that do not have time to get infected are transplanted.

White spotting will be prevented by disinfecting soil and seed material before planting.

Pests

In living quarters, there are few pests that can stop the growth of seedlings, the most dangerous are spider mites and wood lice.

Spider mite

Indoor plants are usually the source of spider mite infestation. Before growing tomatoes, it is necessary to treat all home crops with insecticides, and also transfer them to a separate room. "Actellik" or "Fitoverm" means will help against spider mites.

Woodlice

Woodlice live in damp rooms. In old buildings, this is usually a bathroom, basements and storerooms, but wood lice infestation can spread to living rooms.

Before planting tomatoes for seedlings, you should treat the room with "Karbofos", and more often air it.

It is not difficult to grow healthy tomato seedlings, which subsequently adapt well in the beds. In the process of growing, problems are possible: seedlings do not grow, wither or stretch out. But the culture is responsive to care and responds well to wellness activities.

Tomato seedlings are not so whimsical compared to eggplants and peppers, however, this crop can also cause a lot of trouble. It often happens that it does not grow. This problem can overtake both novice summer residents and experienced vegetable growers. In this article, we will analyze what to do if tomato seedlings grow poorly, and the factors that led to this.

There are many reasons why tomato seedlings have suspended their growth.

Improper nutrition

When the seedlings begin to grow very poorly, first of all, you need to pay attention to the feeding of the seedlings. Often vegetable growers do not pay enough attention to this, although tomato substrates are in great need of feeding. Before transplanting plants into open ground, this must be done at least 4 times with certain breaks.

To begin with, carefully examine the seedlings themselves:

1. From a lack of nitrogen, the stems become thinner, the leaves become pale and small, and the seedling itself looks frail. In this case, the seedlings must be fed with urea (for 10 liters of water, 4 g of the substance).
2. If the tomato leaves turn red on the underside, then this indicates a lack of phosphorus. Fertilize with superphosphate (12 g per bucket of water).
3. Yellowing and twisting of the leaf plates is observed with potassium deficiency. Feed with potassium sulfate as directed.
4. With a lack of magnesium, the seedlings become marbled, and they cease to grow from a lack of iron. To cure the seedlings, remove the bushes in the shade and add magnesium sulfate (per 25 g bucket).

It is important to adhere to the indicated proportions so as not to overdo it with fertilizers. Bird droppings are also considered extremely useful. Fill it with water and let it brew for a few days. Pour the tomato mixture into the root zone.

Dive errors

When seedlings fail to develop, it is likely that poor growth is due to a poor pick. This procedure is very important for the full growth of tomato seedlings. It is carried out when the time has come to separate the grown sprouts from each other so that they do not intertwine with roots.

The process is quite scrupulous. When transplanting unstable plants, the root system can be damaged. In this case, it remains only to wait until it grows back and recover.

If you are a beginner gardener and do not want to mess around with a pick, then this can be avoided. In this case, sow the seeds in different containers.

Care errors

If the tomato seedlings have sprouted and stopped growing further, then perhaps you are not taking care of the seedlings so well.

The most common care mistakes are:

1. Poor seed quality. Experts recommend planting only those seeds that are less than 5 years old.
2. Lack of heat. Tomatoes are very thermophilic plants. The optimum temperature for them is 24 degrees and above. If the room is cold, periodically turn on the lamp above the box with seedlings.
3. Low nutritional value of the soil. Of course, land from the private sector and the garden belongs to the budget option, but it may not always be of good quality. It is best to buy the substrate at a flower shop.
4. Improper watering. Seedlings should be watered once a week. It is not worth overdrying the soil, excessive watering is also harmful.
5. Cat urine. Oddly enough, a pet can greatly harm plants. It is generally accepted that cat urine destroys tomato seedlings, so try to remove containers with sprouts as far as possible.

When growing tomatoes at home, watch out for every little thing. Only in this case can full-fledged seedlings be grown. We will separately analyze about diseases and pests that interfere with the growth of seedlings.

Diseases of seedlings and their pests

The most common lesions are:

Blackleg

This is a fungal disease that poses a particular danger to seedlings. First, the stems darken from below, then the plant dries up and the roots begin to rot. In addition, this ailment is contagious - there is a possibility of infection of other germs.

Diseased plants should be removed, and the remaining ones should be transplanted into another container. The soil is taken new and calcined sand and wood ash are added there. Then you should spray it with Fundazol in accordance with the instructions and do not water until the soil is completely dry.

Septoriasis

The main symptom of the disease is off-white specks with a dark border around the edges. This is also a fungal disease that is carried along with the soil. Diseased plants are completely removed, and the surviving ones are transplanted. Before sowing, it is necessary to warm up and disinfect the soil.

Root and root rot

Appears in case of overflow of soil or a long stay of a container with seedlings at low temperatures. You will have to act quickly. Dig out the seedlings, rinse the roots in a solution of potassium permanganate or "Fitosporin" and plant in a new soil.

Spider mite

In general, as vegetable growers and amateurs note, growing tomato seedlings does not take too much time. The most important thing is to provide plants with an optimal microclimate and observe them periodically, because most growth problems can be prevented.

The best methods to protect tomato seedlings from problems are as follows:

• read the recommendations for growing tomatoes;
• prepare in advance the conditions for their successful growth (take care of the temperature regime, humidity and lighting parameters);
• choose a good soil;
• grow stress-resistant varieties.

Growing healthy and strong tomato seedlings is much easier than it seems at first glance.

Many inexperienced gardeners are faced with the fact that tomato seedlings grow poorly after a pick. In order not to ruin the plants, it is important to determine in time what is the cause of this trouble and what needs to be done to correct the situation. As a rule, you can save seedlings after an unsuccessful pick.

First of all, it will be useful for a novice vegetable grower to learn in detail about the technique of performing a pick and how then to care for tomato seedlings after planting seedlings of young plants in separate containers. The picking technology is easy to master by watching a video on this topic. However, such videos are shot by professionals. Therefore, it is difficult to find a video in which the seedlings do not grow and wither before our eyes. It is necessary to understand for yourself a set of rules about what actions and reasons can lead to the death of plants.

The picking rules are very simple:

• to protect the seedlings from diseases, the soil mixture must be disinfected before planting, and the pots must be thoroughly washed;
• start picking when the seedlings have 2-3 leaves;
• arrange good drainage at the bottom of the pot so that the roots do not rot;
• shorten the main root by a third - this stimulates the formation of a more branched and, as a result, a stronger root system;
• carry out rare but abundant watering with water at room temperature.

On the position of the roots of seedlings in a pot

The reasons why tomato seedlings turn yellow after a dive can be hidden from the eyes of a gardener in the earth. This happens in cases where the roots were damaged during the transplant or they are in the wrong position. This is one of the most common answers to the question of why seedlings wither and grow poorly. If you do not want to observe how the seedlings fall after the pick, follow the procedure in the following sequence:

1. The substrate with seedlings and new soil must be moistened with watering before transplanting.
2. After the water has saturated the soil, a peg is made into a hole in the ground of a new pot.
3. Using the applicator, gently undermine the seedling, taking it out of the substrate with an earthen clod.
4. In the new planting hole, the roots are straightened so that they are in an upright position.
5. To prevent the formation of air cavities at the roots, due to which the tomato seedlings do not develop correctly, the ground around the plant is compacted with gentle movements.

Nutrient substrate and feeding

It often happens that the picking was successful and according to all the rules, but the tomato still does not grow or even worse: the question arises, why does the tomato seedlings turn yellow? The answer may lie in the composition of the substrate into which the pick was performed.

The deficiency of nutrients in the soil can be determined by the following signs:

• seedlings do not grow with a lack of iron, and the leaves turn yellow;
• nitrogen deficiency is manifested by thinning of the stem, small and pale leaves;
• lack of phosphorus makes itself felt in the red-purple color of the back of the leaves;
• from a lack of potassium, the leaves turn yellow and curl;
• uneven leaf color indicates reduced doses of magnesium.

It should be borne in mind that an excess of nutrients is just as harmful to plants as a lack. Therefore, caring for tomato seedlings should include fertilization, but when feeding, you must observe the measure.

Seedling care

Care for tomato seedlings after picking should be comprehensive, and the conditions of detention should meet the requirements of tomatoes. In addition to fertilization, there are several other important points to consider:

• lighting;
• temperature regime;
• watering.

Illumination of tomatoes after picking should be moderate. It is necessary to accustom plants to light in stages. Direct sunlight is dangerous, they can cause burns, and from this the seedlings grow frail.

In the first days after transplanting, the pots need to be shaded.During this period, the room temperature should not exceed + 16 ° C. At the same time, you should know that when the thermometer drops to + 10 ° C, the seedlings stop growing. When the seedlings take root, sunbathing can be spent for a long time, turning the seedlings to the light source with different sides so that they do not stretch out and do not tilt to one side.In addition, caring for tomato seedlings additionally includes removing the bottom pairs of leaves. This will also prevent over-stretching of the stem.

If the question arose as to why tomato seedlings wither, you need to analyze how the plants are watered. If the liquid in the pot stagnates, the root will rot. And when watering is done with cold water, it can lead to black leg injury.

Caring for tomato seedlings after performing a pick is subject to the following rules:

• after the first pick of the seedlings, watering is performed in a week;
• after the second pick, the soil is moistened after 10 days;
• in the future, watering is carried out only after the soil in the pot becomes dry.

All these rules and subtleties of tomato agrotechnology only at first glance seem too complex and difficult to remember. After watching a video once on how to care for tomato seedlings, and consolidating knowledge from personal experience, it will become clear that growing tomatoes is not only quite simple, but also quite interesting.

Caring for tomato seedlings after picking (video)

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