If my tomato seedlings are outgrowing, they must be planted in a special way. I tell you what I do in this case and how I save the situation

Planting overgrown seedlings at first glance may seem like a complicated procedure, but it is not. Using some tricks, you can get viable bushes from elongated plants that will bring full and abundant harvests.

Seedlings of tomatoes. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com

Reasons for elongated seedlings

Tomato seedlings will outgrow if the plants are not properly cared for or in the wrong conditions. The main reasons for outgrowth are:

1. Sowing seeds for seedlings was carried out too early or the sprouts grew too densely.
2. Untimely picking.
3. Lack of light.
4. The room temperature is too high (more than +24 degrees).
5. Excessive and frequent watering.
6. Very dry indoor air.
7. For some reason, the transplant to a permanent place was delayed.

Preparing for transplant

About a week before transplanting to the garden, I begin to harden the seedlings. To do this, I take it out every day on the veranda for several hours. The duration of the stay of the plants in the coolness is gradually increasing. By the end of the allotted time, I leave the seedlings on the veranda for a day. I cover them with spunbond at night.

If the seedlings are already well hardened, but it was not possible to start planting, I immediately take measures to build up the root system. In this case, the aerial part of the plant will stop growing.

I proceed as follows: at the bottom of the stem, I remove from 2 to 5 leaves. On this section of the stem, I put on a cylinder made of cardboard or a plastic bottle, and I put the substrate there. After a while, new roots form in this place.

In overly elongated bushes, I cut off the top, leaving only half of the stem in the pot. I place the separated stalk in a vessel with water, after removing the lower leaves. The parts remaining in the ground will begin to develop shoots, and the cutting after the formation of roots can also be planted.

Planting in a greenhouse

If the seedlings have outgrown, then when planting in the greenhouse, I do the following:

1. I cut off the lower leaves on the bushes, leaving only the lush top.
2. I make trenches about 20 cm deep and 15 cm wide.
3. I spill the made grooves with warm water.
4. I put the plants on the bottom so that the roots are in the center of the trench, and the greens are at the edges.
5. I fall asleep with earth and water it again.
6. Near the green part, I install supports, to which I fix the stems.
7. After 15 days, I feed young bushes with potash fertilizers to strengthen their immunity.

When tomatoes start to grow, caring for them becomes standard. But keep in mind that their roots are close to the surface of the earth, so try not to damage them when loosening the soil.

Landing in unprotected ground

How to plant elongated seedlings in open ground depends on its height. Experienced gardeners distinguish three stages of overgrowth:

1. Weakly overgrown seedlings. The plant has 4 leaves, elongated internodes and its height reached 30 cm. Such plants do not require special transplanting methods, as they quickly adapt to a new place. Before planting, I only temper the tomatoes for a few days.
2. Medium overgrowth. The height of the bushes can reach 45 cm. The bushes have 6 leaves and a long stem with large internodes. On such seedlings, buds are already beginning to form. The survival rate of these plants is approximately 60%. To achieve fruiting, I try to plant the bushes at an angle. I deepen not only the roots into the ground, but also half of the stem, so that new roots form from it. After a while, the bush will catch up with its fellows.
3. Strongly overgrown seedlings. It can reach a height of 50-60 cm. There are already 6 leaves on the stem. Two of them are often already yellow and dry at the time of transplantation due to a lack of light and nutritional components. May have flowers, but they will most likely fall off after moving to a new place.

The survival rate of overgrown seedlings is very low. For full rooting, you need to plant the plants horizontally.

I am digging a trench 10-15 cm deep. I put humus or compost at the bottom, after which I spill the soil with warm water. I spread the plants on wet soil so that the roots face south. Sprinkle the root system and the main part of the stem with soil and water everything well again. I tie the rest, protruding above the ground, to stakes driven into the ground.

Then I mulch the bed with straw. You can also use a dense non-woven fabric. This is necessary in order to protect closely spaced roots from damage and drying out in the heat.

Correct planting of overgrown seedlings will allow you to get a full harvest of tomatoes, albeit with a slight delay. Therefore, do not be upset ahead of time and do not throw out the seedlings, on the cultivation of which you spent a lot of time and effort.

Read also: Let's figure out whether it is worth leaving the polycarbonate greenhouse open in winter or not.

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