Hardening of tomato seedlings begins in early April. The procedure allows you to prevent the stretching of the bushes. Plants have a strong root system. If this procedure is not done, then the bushes will take root for a long time, become lethargic and may hurt.
The nuances of hardening
Seedlings should not have sagging stems. If the bush is too tall, it often has rather weak roots. Hardened tomato bushes are dark green with a lilac tint. Their leaves and stem are covered with fluffy hairs. The ovaries form several days earlier.
You can not buy seedlings, but grow them on your own. Hardening begins with seeds. You need to put them in water so that the empty ones float.
To disinfect seeds, you can take a 1% manganese solution, in which they are kept for 20 minutes. The seeds are kept in 2% hydrogen peroxide for 8 minutes.
Before hardening, put a cotton cloth in a container so that it can cover the seed material with a piece and fill it with water by 1 cm. A couple of drops of "Fitosporin" are added to the liquid.
On the first day, the seeds should lie at room temperature, then in the refrigerator at +2 degrees.
The remaining seeds will sprout 100%. After the procedures, they must be planted in the usual way in the prepared land. Hardened seeds germinate in two days and immediately with leaves. They do not form loops. Tomatoes from them are strong and strong.
Tomato seedlings should be watered about once a week when the leaves begin to wilt. Seedlings should be prepared for lack of moisture. After the appearance of leaves in the room, you need to lower the temperature by opening the window for several hours. They do it daily. Further, tomato seedlings can be put on the loggia or taken out into the yard for a couple of hours. It is important to monitor the reaction of the leaves to changing environmental conditions. It is necessary to avoid direct sunlight on seedlings to prevent burns.
Before you take the seedlings to the street or balcony, you do not need to water the ground. With each subsequent procedure, the duration of exposure to air is increased by 1 or 2 hours. A couple of days before planting in the ground, seedlings should be taken outside for 2 or 3 days. Tomato seedlings grow at a temperature of 24-25 degrees Celsius. The temperature during hardening should be from 16 to 20 degrees during the day and from 8 to 10 degrees at night.
How to harden seedlings in greenhouses
Two weeks before planting in an open garden, watering should be reduced. The greenhouse should be ventilated every day. On the first day, the duration of ventilation is up to 3 hours. Further, airing up to 6 hours.
At the final stage of hardening, seedlings are not returned to their place even at night.
A week before planting, watering the seedlings should be stopped.
Seedlings are transplanted when 10 true leaves and at least one inflorescence appear on it. The plant should be about 20 cm tall. If hardening is carried out correctly, then the owner receives powerful tomato bushes and an excellent harvest.
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