Typical mistakes when growing tomato seedlings: what problems do summer residents face

To get a good harvest, you must first grow strong and healthy seedlings that will be able to withstand temperature changes, wind, rain and other unfavorable factors.

Unfortunately, many gardeners make typical mistakes when growing tomato seedlings, which can lead to their death or slow growth.

What are these mistakes and how to avoid them?

In this article, we will look at the 10 most common mistakes when growing tomato seedlings, and also give you some useful tips and recommendations on how to properly care for seedlings, says Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .

Lack of lighting

If you planted tomato seeds at the beginning of February, the seedlings will not have enough light and will begin to stretch out.

Such seedlings must be illuminated in the morning and evening with phytolamps to extend the daylight hours. The recommended daylight hours for normal seedling growth are 15-17 hours.

Incorrect soil composition

Often, inexperienced gardeners buy universal soil in the spring and plant seeds there.

But this is wrong, it is better to buy soil, on the package of which it is written that it is intended specifically for growing tomatoes. It will contain nutrients that are suitable only for tomato seedlings.

It also happens that beginners make the soil themselves, without paying attention to its acidity. For tomatoes, the soil should be neutral.

What will happen to seedlings in acidic soil:

• the roots grow and develop slowly or stop growing altogether;
• seedlings do not absorb many useful substances, for example, nitrogen (N), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), phosphorus (P), molybdenum (Mo), magnesium (Mg);
• The most important thing is that with such soil, iron (Fe), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) become poisonous for bushes.

But you can determine the acidity of your soil yourself using a household pH meter or indicator strips; if the soil is acidic, add dolomite flour to it.

Incorrect picking

If you sowed the seeds in a common box, then when picking you can spoil many plants, since the sprouts have very delicate roots. It is better to plant the seeds in small cups, and from them pick into separate pots together with a lump of earth.

Wrong watering

If you pour too much water into the pots, the seedlings, which are constantly in water, may become infected with “black leg”.

It is better to pour water into a tray, placing cups with holes in it so that the seedlings themselves collect the required volume of water.

If your seedlings are in over-dried soil, the bushes will begin to shed their leaves in order to survive.

Incorrect soil temperature

Let's say you put your seedlings on the loggia to harden off, you need to remember that if the soil temperature is below +14 degrees, the roots will not absorb nutrients and water.

However, even in fertile and moist soil, the bushes will starve and lack water.

The seeds are not treated against diseases.

If you collect the seeds yourself, you should definitely put them in a strong solution of manganese for half an hour before planting, as they may contain pathogens or fungal spores. But the seeds that are sold in special stores are already disinfected.

Causes of yellowing foliage on bushes

There may be several reasons, including simultaneously.

Leaves turn yellow due to:

• soils with acidic characteristics (transplant seedlings into normal soil);
• lack of nitrogen (fertilize the bushes with nitrogen, for example, urea);
• lack of nutrition, that is, the soil is depleted, in this case, feed the plants with complex mineral fertilizer, for example, nitroammophoska;
• high indoor air temperature and low humidity;
• if the soil is too dry, be sure to water the plants;
• stagnation of moisture at the roots, but do not water the tomatoes for several days;
• If you loosen the soil deeply after watering, your seedlings' roots will be damaged.

Causes of leaf curling

Leaves may curl due to:

• depleted soil, in this case, fertilize the plants with nitroammophoska according to the instructions;
• if there is a lack of water, then water the plants;
• swelling of leaves due to stagnant moisture, do not water the seedlings for several days, constantly ventilate the room, transplant the seedlings so that they grow in separate containers, provide additional light with phytolamps;
• if the soil is acidic or has a low temperature;
• lack of light;
• pest attacks, treat seedlings with Fitoverm according to the instructions against pests;
• too active growth, in this case lower the air temperature.

What to do if seedlings grow slowly

Be sure to understand how acidic your soil is. If it is alkaline, the seedlings will not grow well.

Then transplant the bushes into new soil with neutral characteristics.

If the soil is neutral, the bushes grow poorly due to:

• lack of nutrition (fertilize with nitroammophoska);
• lack of nitrogen, feed with urea;
• insufficient daylight, the bushes should be illuminated 15-18 hours a day, illuminate the seedlings with phytolamps;
• too high a temperature in the room and low air humidity, lower the air temperature and increase its humidity;
• lack of moisture.

What to do if the seedlings have outgrown

If you transfer the bush into another container and sprinkle it with soil up to the cotyledon leaves, this will restrain the growth of the seedlings.

It is also worth reducing the volume and frequency of watering. It is necessary to lower the room temperature. You can also cut off the top of the bush and plant it in the soil.

Earlier we talked about spring care for strawberries.