Tomato seedlings are initially grown in a common container, later the seedlings are planted in separate pots. When transplanting plants into individual containers, the central root is pinched to cause branching of the root system. Mistakes made during picking can affect the health of tomatoes and cause a decrease in yield in the future. Beginners tend to make 4 typical mistakes during this procedure.
Violation of picking deadlines
The picking is carried out within a strictly defined time frame. When a pair of true leaves appear on the seedlings, it is time to plant them in separate cups or small pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm. If the picking is done too early (at the stage of appearance of cotyledon leaves), weak seedlings will die, since their adaptive capabilities have not yet been developed .
You can’t be late with the procedure either. Young plants develop rapidly. Every day the volume of their root system increases exponentially. If picking is done late, the roots may be heavily intertwined by this point, which means they will inevitably be injured. Recovery will take a long time. As a result, the tomatoes will stop growing, fruiting will be delayed and may not be as abundant as expected.
Incorrect planting depth
Tomato is one of the crops that readily grows additional roots in the lower part of the stem. Experienced gardeners use this property by planting tomatoes so that they can develop a more powerful root system. When picking, seedlings are buried down to the cotyledon leaves.
Planting plants at the same level threatens not only that the roots will be weaker. Improperly transplanted seedlings will develop a longer and thinner stem. This, in turn, will require careful handling of the seedlings so as not to accidentally damage them during care or during planting in the ground.
Careless handling of seedlings
Some gardeners say that they refused to pick tomatoes because the plants do not tolerate this procedure well and may get sick or die after it. In fact, the cause of such incidents is the inept actions of human hands.
If removed from the ground carelessly, the roots of the seedlings may be torn off; naturally, the plants will take a long time to recover or even die.
To avoid such consequences, seedlings are watered moderately the day before picking. Then the seedlings will be removed from the container along with a lump of earth. In this process, you need to help yourself with a teaspoon, prying the root system from below. Do not pull on the base of the thin stem, as this may damage it. The central root of strong seedlings is shortened with scissors. It is better not to touch weak plants.
Excess moisture and sun after picking
Immediately after the seedlings are in individual pots, they are watered abundantly.The water will help the soil compact so there are no air pockets left in the soil. After this, a break is taken in watering. The root system of tomatoes will adapt and will not be able to absorb much moisture at this stage.
After picking, the tomatoes are placed in a bright place without direct sunlight. Seedlings can be shaded by attaching a white sheet of paper or a piece of light-colored material to the window, changing the angle of the blind slats. Tomatoes are exposed to bright sun 4-5 days after picking. The first watering is carried out after the top layer of soil has dried and the leaves have weakened their turgor.
Correct and timely picking is an important, but far from the only technique used to obtain strong, healthy tomato seedlings. Tomatoes need rare but abundant watering and fertilizing. 2 weeks before planting in the ground, the plants begin to harden off. With comprehensive care, you can count on a good harvest of vegetables.
