Broke tomato seedlings what to do. Seedlings of tomatoes stretched out what to do. Non-compliance with the temperature regime

Very often, healthy and strong-looking tomato seedlings begin to suddenly wither: the leaves of the tomato seedlings wither, the tomato seedlings fall and will inevitably die if you do not provide them with an ambulance.

Before applying rehabilitation measures, it is necessary to find out why tomato seedlings do not grow at home, why tomato seedlings wither and fall, that is, to make sure why the leaves of tomato seedlings wither, what is the root cause of this. So, tomato seedlings fall - the reasons are described below.

Unsuitable soil: disinfection methods

The first reason why tomato seedlings do not grow at home is acidic dense soil. Seedlings need to be transplanted into another soil, otherwise it will turn yellow, fall and die. The soil for transplantation (and the store one too) must be decontaminated in order to destroy pests and pathogens.

There are several ways to disinfect: you can spill the earth with boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate, freeze or ignite. It is necessary to do this, since pests in the soil can cause the death of seedlings.

Planting density of planting material

The second reason why tomato seedlings wither is the thickening of plantings. Perhaps the plants are crowded, so they die. When planting tomatoes, the following distances must be observed: row spacing - 5 cm, between plants in a row 2 cm.

Picking seedlings of tomato

Because of the density, tomato seedlings fall - what to do in this case with seedlings so that they do not die? Dive, and sprinkle the vacated row-spacings with sand or ash to prevent the black leg. After picking seedlings, a tomato can stand sluggish for 2-3 days, this is normal.

The main reason why it falls is an incorrect pick. There are several picking rules:

• Seedlings dive when 3 true leaves appear on it.
• To form a strong root system, it is necessary to pinch the longest central root by 1/3. If this is not done, root system will remain undeveloped, and the transplanted seedling will stop growing and turn yellow.
• Before picking, it is necessary to carefully water the tomato seedlings and carefully remove it along with a clod of earth without damaging the roots.
• When transplanting, you need to make a deep hole so that long roots do not bend, otherwise the plant will begin to turn yellow.
• You need to carefully monitor the composition of the soil and transplant plants only in the right soil.

Excess moisture in tomato seedlings

If the cotyledon leaves of the transplanted plants began to turn yellow and fall off, then the tomato seedlings suffer from excess moisture. After picking, the need for seedlings in water decreases, which means that it should not be watered for 2-3 days. It is best to dive plants into a plastic transparent container, making not only a drainage hole at the bottom, but also in the side walls. This is necessary so that the roots are saturated with oxygen, since plastic does not breathe.

Improper watering of seedlings

The third thing you need to pay attention to is watering the seedlings. Tomatoes - moisture-loving plants. But abundant watering mortally harms them: the roots rot, the tomato seedlings wither, stop growing, the leaves turn yellow, wrap, the smell of mold appears, the tomato seedlings fall and die.

So how to save tomato seedlings from withering after overflow? To avoid unpleasant consequences from excessive watering even at the stage when the leaves have just wilted and twisted, you need to turn over the container in which the seedlings grow and check for a drainage hole.

If there is no drainage hole, you need to make it immediately. If it is, it must be thoroughly cleaned, perhaps the hole is clogged and therefore does not release excess water.

One drainage hole is needed in each container with seedlings, as the roots of the tomato must breathe, saturating the entire plant with oxygen. Excess water drains without harming tomato seedlings. Otherwise, the roots will rot, which will inevitably lead to the development of bacteria and pests in the soil, and the seedlings will turn yellow, rot, fall and inevitably die.

Lack of moisture in tomato seedlings

Lack of moisture also leads to the death of seedlings. If the earth is dry and crumbly in a container with tomatoes, then the tomato seedlings die from insufficient watering, which is why the tomatoes wilted, they cannot be watered abundantly right away.

Dried seedlings must be watered during the day no more than a tablespoon per root, being afraid to overfill, otherwise the seedlings will turn yellow from excess moisture. Tomato seedlings should be watered regularly, plentifully, but only after the topsoil has dried. Excess water will flow out through the drain hole.

To ensure oxygen access to the roots of plants, so that the leaves of the tomatoes do not dry out, it is also necessary to regularly carry out dry watering, namely: to loosen the soil in a container with tomato seedlings every day.

Lack or excess of light

The fourth reason why tomato seedlings fall, the leaves of tomato seedlings wither, is the lack of light. Tomatoes should be covered at least 12 hours a day. So that the seedlings do not die, it is necessary to illuminate it with phytolamps. Otherwise, the seedlings will stretch, become tall, thin, fall and die.

Excess light also negatively affects the development of seedlings, the leaves begin to burn, wither, turn yellow, and the plant dies. It is not necessary to illuminate the seedlings at night, it is in the dark that the plants absorb useful substances.

Non-compliance with the temperature regime

The fifth reason why tomato seedlings die on the windowsill is non-compliance.

At temperatures above 36 degrees, tomato seedlings will dry out and die from overheating. Therefore, it is impossible to put containers with tomato seedlings near the battery. And at temperatures below 15 degrees, the seedlings will stop growing. To avoid this, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime of cultivation: 18 - 20 degrees above zero.

1. When the seedlings grow up, it must be hardened, gradually lowering the temperature by 3-4 degrees at night. Only in this case, the seedlings will be healthy and strong.
2. Draft is unacceptable! Tomatoes are heat-loving plants, so cold air causes seedlings to wilt. During airing, seedlings should be removed away from the window.

Seedlings on the windowsill of the apartment

In general, the windowsill is not an ideal place to grow tomato seedlings. Even from a closed window it blows into the cracks, the plants are supercooled, the leaves turn yellow due to a draft, so the tomato seedlings on the window wither, it may even die due to non-compliance temperature regime.

Before growing tomato seedlings on the windowsill, it is necessary to close up all the cracks or seal the windows with paper. You can not open the window - the cold wind will destroy the plants.

On the windowsills of the windows overlooking north side, growing seedlings is not recommended, as it will wither and turn yellow from a lack of light and an excess of cold air. At best, the seedlings will stop growing, at worst, they will weaken and fall, so it is better to move it from the windowsill to the table away from drafts, using artificial illumination.

Seedlings should not be left on windowsills facing south, the direct rays of the sun harm the delicate stems and leaves of plants, they burn them, the seedlings die from overheating, which is the main reason why tomato seedlings wither on the windowsill - it burns in the sun.

Feeding tomato seedlings

The next reason that the seedlings began to turn yellow is the lack of nutrients in the soil. For this, plants need to be properly fed.

It should not be forgotten that an excess of fertilizers can cause not only a burn of the roots of tomatoes, which will inevitably lead to the death of seedlings, but can spoil the topsoil, turning it into a hard whitish crust that blocks the access of oxygen to the roots of plants.

Such a crust must be removed and the seedlings of tomatoes should be watered with a weak solution of humate for several days. It will help restore the soil and stimulate further seedling growth.

Diseases of tomato seedlings

Other reasons why cotyledon leaves wither in tomato seedlings are diseases. If the seedling is infected with diseases, it is very difficult to save it from death. If the soil was not disinfected before planting, and the leaves on the tomato seedlings began to dry and fall off, and dark brown veins appeared on the root of the plant, then this is fusarium.

Fusarium seedlings of tomatoes

Fusarium is a fungal disease of plants. They are sick not only tomatoes, but also cucumbers, peas, corn, wheat and many other plants. Fusarium of tomatoes affects vascular system seedlings.

The disease manifests as follows: first wither lower leaves the seedlings have a tomato, then all the leaves and the top of the seedling turn yellow.

If the plant has not turned yellow at all, it can still be saved by transplanting it into another container using disinfected soil.

If the plant turns yellow from root to top, the seedling will have to be mercilessly thrown away so that it does not infect healthy plants.

Most effective method fighting Fusarium - planting seeds that are resistant to this pathogen.

black leg of a tomato

Another dangerous bacterial disease(not only tomatoes are sick with it) - this is a black leg. - main reason why seedlings fall as if cut down.

Signs of a black leg: rot root neck at the base of the stem, the leaves turn yellow and fall, the plant droops, wilts and falls.

So what to do if tomato seedlings wither due to a black leg? It will not work to save plants affected by the black leg, they must be removed and destroyed. Otherwise, they will infect the entire seedling, as the disease is transmitted very easily from one plant to another.

In order to prevent infection of healthy tomato seedlings with a black leg, it is necessary to disinfect the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate before planting the plants.

Rot at home seedlings

From excess moisture and lack of heat, a disease such as rot can occur - the leaves of plants affected by rot turn yellow, fall off, the plants rot and fall.

It is not possible to save such seedlings at home. It needs to be uprooted and thrown away, healthy - transplanted into another container and strictly observe the watering regime and temperature regime.

This article discusses the main reasons why tomato seedlings fall in boxes. To avoid this kind of trouble, you need to follow all necessary rules caring for tomato seedlings.

Good day, dear readers!

Finally spring! The gardeners are already itching with might and main - the seeds have been bought, the land for seedlings has been prepared, fertilizers have been stocked. They sowed the seeds for growing seedlings, and here you are - the sprouted seedlings stretched out and died.

eternal questions,

The reasons

There are many reasons why seedlings are stretched. Seedlings are stretched due to the fact that the proportion between lighting, heating, irrigation regime, frequency of sowing seeds and top dressing is violated.

1. Insufficient lighting at elevated temperatures and dry air lead to the fact that the stem of the plant is stretched, becomes thin and weak.
2. Too dense sowing of seeds causes seedlings to reach for the light, competing with each other.
3. Excessive fertilization speeds up this process.

What conditions need to be created for seedlings so that it does not stretch?

For sowing prepare the soil filled with complex fertilizers.

• Nitrogen is essential for the growth and development of plants.
• Phosphorus fertilizers will allow the root system to grow stronger and develop.
• Potassium will strengthen the immunity of the plant.

Temperature

Seeds are disinfected, germinated and hardened. Sowing containers are kept warm until germination. Most cultures germinate at a temperature of +20-25°C, lighting is not required.

But with the advent, not even shoots, but only the first loops, the seedling container is transferred to a place with good lighting and a lower temperature. With the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the temperature around the seedlings is reduced to + 12-15 ° C. It will delay the growth of seedlings.

Athlete

With the advent of 2-3 true leaves, young plants can be sprayed with Athlete-type preparations. But this drug does not just slow down the growth of the plant, it affects the cells - stopping their division. In the future, it is not known how this will affect the crop. Therefore, use these drugs with caution.

Watering

Another factor affecting the quality of the resulting seedlings is soil moisture. Even the presence drainage holes in containers where seedlings are grown, does not protect against excess moisture soil. Definitely not recommended. But we can say that the seedlings need watering if the leaves begin to hang slightly.

Densely growing seedlings compete with each other for food, water, light, they grow long, pale and frail. Transplanted to the garden, such seedlings are sick for a long time and are not able to bring full harvest.

In dense plantings, the likelihood of fungal diseases is high, and the close location of seedlings allows the infection to spread quickly among all plants.

"Ambulance" for seedlings

No matter for what reasons, the seedlings stretched out. What to do with her? The answer to this question depends on the type of plants that have outgrown. What is suitable for tomato seedlings should not be used for peppers or eggplants, the method of planting overgrown pumpkin seedlings is not applicable for cabbage. Let's start with tomatoes.

Tomato seedlings stretch out and fall - what to do?

There are two reasons why tomato seedlings can fall: the seedlings have overgrown or the seedlings are sick. Remedies depend on the cause.

If the tomato seedlings are very stretched There are several options for correcting overgrown tomato plants. A strongly stretched tomato bush can be cut into several parts and each segment rooted separately. Or just cut off the crown and put in water until the roots appear.

If the tomato stalk is not very long, it can be planted obliquely. Digging a hole too deep to plant an elongated bush is not worth it. It is enough to dig a trench when planting, shallow, but long. Place a tomato stalk horizontally in it to a well-developed leaf and cover it with earth. With this planting, the roots will be at the right depth, and the stem buried in the ground will give rise to the growth of additional roots, which will bring an additional crop.

Tomato plants can also fall due to the defeat of the "black leg" - infectious disease that affects the seedlings of densely sown seeds. In this case, diseased seedlings are removed, the soil is shed with Fitosporin, a pink solution of potassium permanganate, or any fungicide.

Trimming and rooting the top or planting horizontally with an elongated stem is useless. You won’t wait for additional roots - this method is only suitable for tomatoes.

With a lack of lighting and heat, peppers stop their growth, while the growth of roots stops. At the same time, peppers are less likely to stretch and are more tolerant of growing conditions. A flower that has grown in a fork can delay the growth of a pepper seedling.

If this happens at a permanent place of growth, the flower is urgently removed, and at the seedling stage it will stop the stretching of the bush. Before landing in open ground the flower or ovary is removed from the fork, and seedlings without a fork are pinched over 5-6 leaves.

The main crop is formed on the growing lateral branches. In addition, in a pinched plant, the stem does not grow in height within 2-3 weeks, but thickens and branches intensively.

If eggplant seedlings stretched out, how to help?

With them, too, everything is very simple. If, with the advent of seedlings, the temperature is lowered environment, then the seedlings will not stretch. When picking seedlings into separate cups, it is very convenient to pour a layer of earth not to the top edge, but a little lower.

If the plant stretches out, there will be a place where it will be possible to pour the earth. If there is no such place left in the cup, a separate cup can be slightly increased. To do this, the top of the cup is wrapped with a tape made of dense polyethylene or a substrate for parquet board. It is cut out 5-7 cm wide and wrapped around the upper edge of the glass in such a way that a free space is formed above the glass. It is convenient to fix the edges with a stapler or tape.

The earth is poured into this volume. Additional roots may not form, but the plant will stand straight and strong.

Cucumbers, zucchini, watermelons

All these plants, as well as pumpkin, melon and zucchini, belong to the gourd family. By nature, these are creepers. They have a very flexible stem. With their overgrown seedlings, they do this: the elongated stem is carefully folded into a ring, pressed to the ground and sprinkled with soil.

Cabbage

Growing cabbage often occurs through seedlings. It is not difficult to grow it, it is important to create the necessary conditions. The most important of these are temperature, lighting and watering.

Germination of seeds of any cabbage occurs at +20 degrees. With the advent of seedlings, seedlings should be moved to a colder room, where + 10-12 degrees is maintained.

Maintaining seedlings in such conditions with simultaneous sufficient lighting allows you to slow down its growth. Seedlings become rich green, undersized with a powerful root system.

If, for any reason, the seedlings of any cabbage are stretched out, they correct the mistakes made in the same way.

1. They start with a pick. Each plant is planted in a separate cup.
2. When transplanting, be sure to pinch the tip of the seedling root - this will slow down the growth of seedlings.
3. When planting, the cabbage plant is buried to the cotyledon leaves.
4. Elongated plants are provided with good lighting, if necessary, they are illuminated with fluorescent lamps, the air temperature is lowered to + 10-12C, nutrient soil is poured to the stems of elongated plants.
5. After a week to ten days, the transplanted seedlings are fed potash fertilizers or infusion of ash.

Flowers

Planted for seedlings ornamental plants can also stretch. The reasons for this phenomenon are the same as when growing vegetables: elevated temperature with insufficient lighting, too dense sowing, high humidity and too abundant top dressing.

. At this time, the day is short, there is not enough light. Seeds are sown in a hot, dry apartment atmosphere. Seedlings are hot, dark, they stretch. It is possible to bring such seedlings to flowering.

To do this, when picking, it is necessary to plant young plants a little deeper, to the cotyledon leaves, pinch the tops, improve the lighting of the plantings and lower the ambient temperature. Heavily overgrown plants can be pruned, and the resulting cuttings root easily.

And sow seedlings very early. They have very small seeds and take a long time to germinate. The emerging seedlings suffer from excess heat and lack of sunlight, trying to compensate for the dryness of the air, flower growers fill the seedlings with water.

When sowing, small seeds are difficult to evenly scatter over the surface of the sowing container - seedlings appear thickened.

You can fight this problem by pinching the tops of the plants, shortening the roots, picking a sufficient distance into the seedling box, lighting up the seedlings with lamps daylight up to 14-16 hours of daylight, by lowering the temperature of the plant content.

Preferably. so that the seedlings were like that!

You can get viable schisanthus seedlings only by providing it with fertile soil, sufficient lighting, and moderate watering. With a lack of lighting and nutrition, the stem of the plant is stretched and there will be few flowers. For abundant flowering in spring, it is better to plant seeds in autumn and cover crops before frost.

Planted in January can stretch out a lot. Friendly shoots sometimes stretch out strongly even with additional lighting. After the seedlings are planted in separate cups, the elongated seedlings are pruned. The remaining plants are stretched less. Cut off parts can be rooted.

They germinate easily and are undemanding to growing conditions. Seeds sown for seedlings give friendly shoots, easily tolerate unfavourable conditions cultivation - elevated temperature, lack of lighting, uneven watering.

Even if the seedlings stretch out on the window, then after transplanting to permanent place seedlings take a normal shape and bloom well.

Weak, stretched, pale seedlings are bad. It is impossible to get a full-fledged harvest from such plants. Even ornamental plants from overgrown seedlings bloom weaker.

Simple rules for growing strong, healthy seedlings:

1. For sowing, use full-weight, disinfected and germinated seeds.
2. Fill the planting containers with disinfected, fertile, loose soil.
3. Sow the seeds at a sufficient distance from each other.
4. Place seedling boxes in a well-lit area with a moderate temperature.
5. Watering warm water in moderation.
6. Fertilize seedlings in a timely manner.
7. Monitor daily and, if necessary, carry out the prevention of viral and fungal diseases.
8. Gradually accustom the seedlings to the open air.

Try to keep the seedlings from pulling to get a rich harvest and beautiful flowers!

Sincerely, Sofia Guseva!

Why do seedlings usually stretch out? There are several reasons: this is a lack of light, and problems with non-compliance with the temperature regime. And in each case there is different solution problems. Remember that plants need at least 16 hours of daylight for normal development. That is why, after planting, it is advisable to rearrange the container with seedlings to a window located on the south side.

Tomato seedlings stretched out

If the window faces north, you will have to create artificial lighting both top and sides to provide even access to light. To do this, you can use fluorescent lamps, including them in the morning and evening for several hours, creating a long "light day". It happens that the problem is caused by the fact that you planted the seeds too densely, as a result of which the plants simply began to shade each other. Some of them, trying to reach the sun, are pulled up very quickly.

To avoid this, you will have to dive tomato seedlings - this is the only option to "save" tomatoes from death. But after picking or in separate containers, or not such a dense landing, you will provide them with enough a large number of light, and explosive growth sprouts will stop.

There is another solution to the lighting problem. It was invented by Jacob Mittlider - the same one whose method is used for unusual. According to this technique, the leaves of tomato seedlings must be regularly trimmed.

Cutting the leaves of tomato seedlings

Why should this event help? The essence of the work is simple - you need to enter the plants into a state of shock using pruning, so that it will stop growing for about 10 days. As soon as you see that the leaves of the tomatoes begin to touch each other, remove 1-2 lower leaves. After this event, the stem will get stronger, “get fat”, which is necessary to obtain seedlings with a powerful root system.

Remember that pruning can only be done when at least one leaf has appeared on the seedlings - this is about 10 days after planting the seeds. Trim again if necessary to improve the result. Alas, this method of stopping the growth of seedlings is only suitable for tomatoes and onions.

Another important point when growing tomatoes, this is the temperature. At each stage of seedling development, plants should provide the optimal temperature regime:

1. After the container should be placed in warm room where the temperature will be around +25 °C.
2. After the first shoots appear, the temperature should be lowered to about +18 ° C and the containers should be kept for two weeks, taking the seedlings to the balcony. If this is not done, the tomatoes will immediately grow. But at this temperature, the root system will develop more, the stem will get stronger. After two weeks, transfer the seedlings to a warm room again. This will help give life to green leaves.

Tomato seedlings on the balcony

Well, do not forget about the need to properly water and fertilize young plants. Remember that seedlings should be watered only if the soil in the container has become dry, and for the first two weeks it does not even need to be fed, but then you can use superphosphates to enrich the soil.

What to do if the seedlings have overgrown?

But what if the tomatoes still managed to stretch out? There are several options here. If the time has come to plant the plants in open ground, you can slightly deepen the stems of the seedlings into the ground. To do this, make small grooves about 10 cm deep in the garden and plant plants there in a slope. Before planting, water the groove made and wait until the water is completely absorbed.

After that, carefully begin to lay the seedlings in the groove with the roots to the south so that the distance between the plants is about 0.3 meters. Then carefully cover the bush with earth, leaving only the top on the surface. After 14 days, roots will appear on the stem, the bush will straighten and grow.

If there is enough time left before the landing, you can do it differently. Simply transplant the sprouts into a taller container, gradually adding soil under each sprout and watering it well each time. If there is still free space in the pot where the tomato seedlings grow, try this: carefully lay the stem on the surface of the pot in a spiral, press it down a little and cover it with soil. After some time, the bush will take adventitious roots, which will begin to develop rapidly.

There is another option: carefully cut the bush above the sixth leaf and put it in a glass of water for rooting. In just a couple of days, small roots will appear on it, and when they reach a length of about two centimeters, you can transplant them into a new box, keeping a distance of about 10 cm between each seedling. Thus, you will get additional tomato seedlings. After 5-7 days, stepchildren will appear on the lower part of the plant - wait until they reach 5 cm, then cut off the lower stepchildren, leaving the top two. After three weeks, you can plant seedlings in open ground.

Why do seedlings not only stretch, but also fade? Perhaps the plant lacks nitrogen.

Try to simply feed the tomatoes using urea: dissolve a spoonful of the product in a bucket of water, then water the seedlings. After top dressing, transfer the box with seedlings to the balcony and keep it there for about a day at a temperature of 10–12 ° C. In just 2-3 days, they will begin to stop growing and turn green again.

I want to tell about what a long-suffering story happened to me with bell pepper- it will be useful to other gardeners. To begin with, I usually sow peppers in separate bowls at the end of February, coordinating the dates with the lunar calendar.

Then I keep everything near the heater (several times a day, if I have time, I put the bowls and directly on it - for 10-15 minutes). And shoots usually appear very quickly - on the 6-8th day.

Then I rearrange the bowls on the windowsill, where it is light and cool. After the appearance of cotyledon leaves, without waiting for the first permanent ones, I dive into cups filled with a mixture consisting of earth from the garden and purchased soil (it gives looseness to the entire soil mixture).

Well, now for the adventure. Last year I sowed Belozerka pepper. I did everything as usual, but contrary to expectations, for some reason, the shoots did not appear on time. I was surprised, but I decided that it was just myself planting material let us down.

And so that the bowl would not stand idle (and I didn’t want to stay without peppers), I planted the seeds of the Bogatyr and Gift of Moldova varieties there. After the appearance of the loops, I moved the bowl to a hanging shelf installed in the window opening, since my window sills are small, and even those were already occupied with seedlings of flowers.

Everything went back to normal, I calmed down, the peppers too - they began to gradually gain strength. I was already preparing to dive them, when one day, entering the room, to my horror I found peat tablets with seedlings of flowers, scattered on the floor, and a bowl of peppers - lying on the window on its side. So, everything is clear: one of my cats looked after himself a sunny place and, deciding to soak up the shelf, turned it over.

Fortunately, the pepper seedlings did not suffer much: the soil even moved to the edge, but the sprouts themselves were almost all intact. I quickly filled the cups with soil and transplanted each pepper into a separate "house".

When transplanting, each root was carefully dug up with a plastic disposable knife(it is very convenient for them to work without damaging the delicate roots), so the whole seedlings took root. I made indentations in the cups, watered these holes from a small watering can, put a plant in them and carefully, since the stems were very thin and fragile, poured soil a little higher than the level that was in the common bowl.

New Adventures

I put the cups in low biscuit boxes, on the second day I watered the plant moderately (after picking peppers, both thirst and high humidity are harmful). Then the boxes were transferred to warm bed, covered with a film, - she no longer left at home, fearing a repeated sabotage of cats. At night, I also covered the seedlings with covering material, and my peppers grew strong, healthy, until one day I had to leave on business for the whole day.

The morning then turned out to be gloomy and cool, and I did not open my landings. But, when I was already on my way, the weather suddenly improved, the sun came out and it started to get so hot that by the evening, when I got home, my peppers were already completely baked - only 10-12 cm high stumps remained from them. how upset I was ... What should I do now? Buying seedlings at the market?

But I don’t like this business, because very often it doesn’t grow out of it at all what the sellers promise.

The next morning she again went to her unfortunate peppers and, when she began to look more closely, she suddenly saw that living buds remained on the stems (where the leaves had crumbled).

Remembering that stepchildren grow very well in nightshade, I decided - come what may: I cut the stems, leaving only green tissues and sprinkled them with a growth regulator.

And I started watching. And indeed, after a while, new shoots began to grow from the stems, soon the bushes fluffed up and, after transplanting into the ground, turned into stocky strong men with a curly “hairstyle”.

I mulched the soil under them with dried grass, watered the bushes depending on the weather (but on average once or twice a week in the afternoon), and if it was too hot, the leaves drooped, then I refreshed them from the sprinkler. The next morning after watering, the earth was loosened so that a crust did not form on it.

And when the buds began to grow on the plants, my heart was relieved. And the pepper did not let me down: the bushes were all strewn with fruits, like small fluffy Christmas trees with toys. The harvest was rich.

Much to my surprise, I saw on my beds not only the bushes of the hero and the Gift of Moldova, but also Belozerka, which disappointed me. So, in vain I sinned on this variety, it turned out to be resistant, withstood all the tests.

Why am I having this whole conversation? And besides, we, gardeners, should not give up and lose heart in the most seemingly hopeless situations.

Sadness and disappointment are experienced by gardeners who, in return for the time and effort spent, receive faded, long or thin seedlings of tomatoes at home. After transplantation, low-quality seedlings do not take root well and develop poorly, we are not even talking about good fruiting. Next, we will talk about why seedlings can stretch, brighten or bloom, as well as what to do and how to feed.

Experienced gardeners are familiar with the problems that can be encountered when growing tomato seedlings. In this article, the basic rules for planting seeds and caring for shoots are selected, because most of the reasons lie in their violation. The knowledge gained will help to avoid difficulties not only with tomatoes, but also with peppers, cabbage, cucumbers and strawberries. The requirements for agricultural technology in these crops have much in common.

The following examples of standard seedling situations will be part of the gardener's desktop growing guide. vegetable plants. And the recommendations will point to the right actions aimed at saving the future harvest.

What may be missing seedlings? For an adequate assessment of the condition of the shoots, you need to know exactly what should be healthy seedlings tomatoes. The following signs serve as a guide:

• saturated green color leaves and stem;
• elasticity of greenery;
• the intensity of shoot development corresponds to the timing this stage vegetation;
• the stem is formed strong, stable without bends to the side.

By the time the seedlings are ready to be planted in the ground, they should grow up to 25-35 cm, the stem will grow stronger to a thickness of 8-10 mm. Also, the presence of 7-10 leaves and the first formed flower brush is considered a mandatory factor.

If by the time of planting there are less than 6 leaves on the seedling, then the pair located below must be carefully removed and planted in warm soil to the depth of the torn leaves. It is better to reject underdeveloped shoots, they will either die or get sick anyway.

Causes of very thin and long stems

Among the main reasons leading to the thinning of seedlings:

• excessive watering (the development of the root part is suspended, all forces are directed to the growth of greenery);
• if the air humidity regime is not observed (dry and hot air thins the aerial part of the shoots);
• lack of lighting (sprouts reach for sunlight);
• sowing seeds ahead of schedule (planting should be planned no earlier than the 20th of March, when daylight hours are intensively increasing);
• violation of the feeding schedule (from an excess or lack of nutrients, the leaves wither and weaken, and the stem becomes thin);
• very thick seeding (seedlings are intertwined, creating shading for each other).

Improper seed preparation can also provoke intensive growth of seedlings. It is better to purchase seed in specialized stores. When buying from hand, it is necessary to treat the grains with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection.

• top dressing after sowing should be no more than 1 time in 10 days (use organic or mineral fertilizers);
• the first feeding is introduced 10 days after germination (nitrophoska solution), the second - after 10-12 days (solution from wood ash and ammonium nitrate);
• with intensive growth of seedlings, it is recommended to remove the 2 lower leaves and add a layer of soil;
• watering should not be excessive, dry air can be regulated by installing a humidifier (as an alternative to manual humidification with a sprayer);
• it is necessary to close the seeds at a distance of 8-10 cm, immersing 2-3 grains to a depth of 1.5-2 cm;
• to fill a box for seedlings or a pot, use fertile soil, which must be disinfected;
• after the formation of 2 sheets, you need to transplant the sprouts into separate containers (picking).

If the recommended actions did not solve the problem, then you can use special preparations: Stop growth or Athlete. The funds include nutrients, which in a short period of time make up for the deficiency of essential trace elements in the soil. After treatment, there is a suspension of growth of the upper part of the plant, the stem is strengthened, it becomes thicker. The root system is also gaining strength.

The validity period of drugs that stabilize the development of seedlings is limited to seven days, therefore, only 2-3 treatments are allowed during the period of growing seedlings.

Tomato seedlings on the windowsill are pale, weak and thin

Often, growing seedlings begin to turn pale, and the stem becomes thinner. The causes of the problem may lie in the following:

• insufficient lighting (from a lack of light, the sprouts begin to intensively reach for the sun);
• sowing density (shoots are pulled out due to the shading created);
• excess or deficiency of nitrogen;
• elevated air temperature;
• violation of the irrigation regime.

Simple activities will help to reanimate seedlings. First of all, it is worth adjusting the modes of watering and fertilizing. When using fertilizers, it is necessary to control the applied dosage; it is impossible to reduce or increase the volume recommended in the instructions.

If there is not enough sunlight for normal vegetation, you need to install lamps above the plants. It should be noted that the daylight hours for tomatoes should be at least 12 hours.

Timely picking will help to provide the necessary space and nutrition for each sprout. Shoots will not create shading and pull on themselves all the trace elements from the soil, depriving neighboring seedlings.

The most common cause of pale leaves is considered to be a lack of nitrogen in the soil.. You can correct the situation by watering the seedlings with a nutrient mixture of urea (1 tablespoon) and water (10 liters). After such top dressing, the box or pots should be moved to a cool but bright place where the temperature does not rise above 8-10 °.

If the reason for the blanching of greenery is the oversaturation of the soil with nitrogen, then superphosphate should be introduced into it (3 tablespoons of the product per 10 liters of water).

Light leaves of tomatoes and what they may lack

In the case of a change in the color of the foliage, the causes should be sought in the following factors:

• lack of nitrogen (the seedling becomes stunted, the stalk becomes thinner, the leaves become pale);
• iron deficiency (discoloration of the leaf tissue between the veins);
• lack of magnesium (marbling is formed).

Improper watering or lack of lighting can also provoke a problem.

To prevent lightening of the leaf on seedlings, it is recommended to use complex fertilizers. They include all essential trace elements, besides, it is much easier to comply with the dosage.

Among possible causes lightening greenery:

• sunburn (if the box is installed on a window where direct sunlight is directed);
• unsuitable soil (lack of trace elements in combination with a heavy structure);
• when watering, greens are poured.

If the foliage is damaged sun rays, spraying with the use of Epin or another agent that stimulates the immune system of the culture will help reanimate the plant. In the absence of more suitable place under seedlings, rather than a window sill, it is worth taking care of light shading (tulle, gauze, paper).

When irrigating, it is not necessary to fill the above-ground part with water. From this, the color of the foliage may change. In this case, it is enough to revise the irrigation regime and the method of applying liquid (under the root).

When viewed different options causes should not be ruled out fungal infections, especially when using untreated seeds.

Why seedlings can stretch out and how to plant them later

The reasons for the very strong stretching of tomato seedlings can be:

• lack of natural light;
• planting density (shoots create shading);
• excessively high temperatures.

To prevent stem elongation, you need to follow simple recommendations.

• During short daylight hours, install over seedling boxes additional lighting. More fit fluorescent lamps fixed at a height of 50 cm from seedlings. Do not use ordinary incandescent bulbs, they generate heat, which will be fatal for seedlings.
• The temperature regime for planted seeds should be at least 21-23 °. After germination of seedlings, the indicator decreases to 16-20 °. It is better if the day and night modes differ by 2-4 degrees (during the day - 18-20 °, at night - 15-16 °). Then the intensity of shoot growth will be under control.
• After the formation of two leaves on the stem, gardeners make a pick. This procedure provides access to sunlight for each plant, creating space for development. Picking slows down the growth of seedlings, making it possible for the root system and stem to get stronger.
• Frequent and strong watering seedlings is not needed. Enough 2-time irrigation per week. If necessary, the earth is moistened with a sprayer to maintain moisture.

What to do if tomato seedlings began to bloom before transplanting into the ground

It is undesirable to plant flowering tomatoes on the beds. But what to do, the seedlings began to bloom long before planting in open ground? You can solve the problem by shortening the shoot, especially if it is very elongated and thin. This should be done 2-3 weeks before transferring the seedlings to the garden, it is not worth pruning before, because other shoots can grow up and form inflorescences again at the wrong time.

When shortening a seedling, you should follow the main rule: the higher the pruning point, the less stress the plant will experience.

Plant the cut shoot in water for rooting and by the time of planting, the number of seedlings will increase. There are several trimming options, but shortening over the second real sheet is considered the most optimal. From a cropped seedling, a bush already formed into 2 stems will turn out.

Other ways to prevent seedlings from blooming include:

• removal of lower leaves;
• defloration.

In this case, you should not feel sorry for the inflorescences, the tomato will still throw out flower brushes, but for good fruiting it is better if this process takes place in the garden.

When caring for seedlings, you should carefully look at them, the plant itself gives a hint about the problems that have arisen. Any changes in appearance leaves or stem should alert. By addressing the issue early, the chances of correcting the situation increase. And it will be possible to plant healthy plants in open ground.