Sometimes you can hear the story of some hapless summer resident, who decided to grow seedlings for the garden with his own hand, that he soaked the seeds and planted in the ground, but they do not grow and do not grow ... What is the reason?
One of the main factors at all stages of plant development is temperature. Varying it, you can stimulate the germination of seeds, the growth of stems or branching of the root system of plants.
Each crop needs its own temperature regime, ensuring that it is possible to achieve significant success in harvesting. This article is devoted to the issue of compliance with the necessary temperature indicators for a crop such as a tomato, at different stages of its cultivation.
Under what temperature conditions can the seedlings be grown at home?
One of the methods of preliminary preparation of seeds for sowing is heating. It should be noted that this procedure is not used by all vegetable growers, but the seeds treated in this way give friendly and strong shoots. There are several methods for the implementation of the warm-up of tomato seeds, the most common of which is heating in an oven or on a central heating radiator. The technologies of these procedures are as follows:- tomato grains are placed on a baking sheet and sent to the oven, preheated to + 50 ° C - + 60 ° C, for 3 hours with regular stirring;
- The seeds are placed in a cotton bag and suspended from the battery tube (from + 40С to + 70С) for 1.5 - 2 months.
- Many gardeners talk about the benefits of "hardening" the seeds before sowing in the ground, which ensures the development of resistance to low temperatures in future plants and increases their viability.For hardening, the seeds are placed in a cloth with a damp cloth, then in a plastic bag, which will not allow the moisture to evaporate.
The bundle should be sent to the refrigerator (-1C) for 12 hours, the next 12 hours the seeds should be held in a warm room at + 20C. And so for 10 - 15 days. If the seeds gave sprouts during this period, their stay in a warm environment should be reduced by 3 to 4 hours.
- The next step in preparing seeds for sowing is their germination. This event will allow to select the highest quality and sturdy seeds, to stimulate their germination, promotes earlier fruiting. For seed germination, it is necessary to prepare a saucer, gauze (cloth, filter paper), previously heated seeds. A cloth dipped in warm water is spread on a saucer, seeds are distributed over its surface and the saucer is placed in a warm place (+ 23С - + 25С).
The result will be evident in 7–10 days, but under the condition of maintaining a high temperature and constant moistening (the fabric must be moistened all the time, preventing it from drying out).
One of the methods of preliminary preparation of seeds for sowing is heating. It should be noted that this procedure is not used by all vegetable growers, but the seeds treated in this way give friendly and strong shoots. There are several methods for the implementation of the warm-up of tomato seeds, the most common of which is heating in an oven or on a central heating radiator. The technologies of these procedures are as follows:With how many degrees should you plant young tomatoes?
We must not forget about the correct temperature regime when sowing seeds, which is carried out at + 22С - + 25С.
After sowing
After the seeds are immersed in the soil, the boxes should be placed in a place where the temperature is maintained at + 23C - + 25C until the emergence of seedlings (after 5 - 6 days).- To provide these temperature indicators, the boxes are covered with glass or tightened with plastic wrap in order to create a “greenhouse effect”, which is not opened before germination.
- In addition to temperature, light is important for future plants, so it is advisable to place containers on the window sill of a south window or under lamps of artificial lighting.
After the seeds are immersed in the soil, the boxes should be placed in a place where the temperature is maintained at + 23C - + 25C until the emergence of seedlings (after 5 - 6 days).For growing seedlings
What temperature should be when growing seedlings of tomatoes? When the seedlings have already appeared, the temperature should be lowered for a week to + 16С - + 18С in the afternoon and + 11С - + 15С at night.: such a measure will prevent excessive stretching of the shoots. Uniform, healthy growth of the seedlings will be provided by thermometer indicators frozen in numbers + 20С - + 22С in bright sun and + 18С - + 19С in overcast weather (night indicators - + 17С - 18С) until the second true leaf appears (after 30 - 35 days after germination).
If the temperature deviates from the recommended parameters, then deviations in the development of plants are possible: the seedlings will be pulled up with an overestimated thermometer reading, will stop their development at lower temperatures. But, at the same time, with the indicators + 14С - + 16С, the root system is actively developing. The full stop of tomato seedling development occurs at + 10 ° C, and death at + 5 ° C.
During and after picking
The appearance of two true leaves on each seedling is a signal that it is necessary to pick the plants in separate containers. Since this procedure is stressful for fragile plants, the seedlings must first be prepared.
3 - 5 days before the estimated date of the seating, the temperature should be lowered to + 16С - + 18Сthat will stimulate the development of their protective mechanisms, contribute to the future abundant flowering and ovary. The moment of a dive and the period after this procedure should be accompanied by indicators of + 20С - + 22С on a sunny day, + 16С - + 18 С in overcast weather and + 12 С - + 14 С at night.
Optimum temperature
Heat protection
The highest temperature of the air, which the seedlings can tolerate without growth, is + 30 ° C, although adult plants withstand + 40 ° C. Hot spring and summer are capable of causing significant damage to still immature plants. Experienced gardeners are taking certain measures to protect the tomatoes from the heat.
For example, to protect young foliage from the scorching rays of the sun above the seedlings they stretch an artificial shelter with the help of a spanbod, which allows the air to circulate quietly, but not letting in bright light. The next way is to mulch the soil with mowed grass or sawdust, which allows you to save the soil from drying out and the roots from overheating. Additional shading, and, therefore, lowering the temperature will help to create tall plants (grapes, corn) planted around the perimeter of the site with tomatoes.
Rescue from frost
The weather is always unpredictable, and in a warm spring a cold snap may occur with unexpected frosts. To save tomatoes from death, experienced gardeners above the beds set up a temporary film shelter on the arches, and old blankets thrown over them and old clothes can further increase the coefficient of thermal insulation.
For individual protection of individual bushes, you can use cut plastic bottles or glass jars; during short frosts, each bush can be covered with a paper cap, the edges of which are covered with soil.
Each gardener, after planting seedlings on the plot, should monitor the weather forecast in order to prepare the plants for low temperatures in a timely manner.
Minimum threshold degrees for transplanting into the ground
When the tomatoes appear 5 - 6 true leaves, seedlings should begin to prepare for planting in open ground. An integral part of the training system is the "hardening" of young seedlings. 10 - 14 days before landing, first for 20 - 30 minutes you need to open the windows in the room (but avoid drafts!), Where the seedlings are located, and after - the containers with young plants should be taken out to the open air, provided that the temperature is not lower + 16C.
The hardening time should first be no more than half an hour, and then daily increase the time spent on the street; the last 2 - 3 days boxes with plants, it will be advisable to leave for the night in the open. A transplant of tomatoes into the ground is made after the threat of recurrent frosts is completely over, and the average temperature of the soil is within + 12 ° C, and the air is no lower than + 15 ° C at night and + 20 ° C during the day.
Temperature is a tool in the hands of a skilled gardener. Using the recommendations contained in the article, and ensuring the correct temperature for the tomatoes, the gardener at the end of the season will receive a decent reward for all the efforts and cares - a generous, bountiful harvest.
