Every gardener eagerly awaits the moment when they can plant tomato seedlings in open ground.
But what to do if instead of strong, stocky plants you get thin, elongated "threads"?
Don't despair! The situation can be corrected with a little effort and knowledge, says Anastasia Kovrizhnykh .
Causes of seedling stretching: analyzing mistakes
Before you start reviving seedlings, it is important to understand the reasons for their stretching. Most often, this happens due to:
- Lack of light: tomatoes are light-loving plants. If there is insufficient light, they begin to stretch upward in search of sunlight.
- High temperatures: too warm a microclimate also contributes to the stretching of seedlings.
- Overwatering: Overwatering the soil makes plants weaker and more prone to stretching.
- Crowded planting: When plants are too close together, they compete for light and nutrients, which can also cause them to stretch.
How to fix stretched seedlings: act wisely
If your tomato seedlings have already stretched out, don't give up. There are several effective ways to fix the situation:
- Supplementary lighting: provide seedlings with additional lighting using phytolamps or fluorescent lamps. The optimal length of daylight for tomatoes is 12-14 hours.
- Lower the temperature: Lower the room temperature to 16-18°C. This will slow down the growth of plants in height and promote their strengthening.
- Moderate watering: water the seedlings only after the top layer of soil has dried out. Avoid stagnant water in the trays.
- Pricking out: if the seedlings are planted too densely, perform a picking out – transplant the plants into separate pots or cassettes.
- Pinching: If the plants are very leggy, you can pinch the top of the stem. This will stimulate the growth of side shoots and make the plant more compact.
Preventing seedling stretching: prevention is better than cure
To avoid problems with elongated seedlings, it is important to follow certain rules for growing them:
- Timely sowing: do not sow tomato seeds too early. The optimal sowing time depends on the variety and the climatic conditions of your region.
- The right choice of soil: use loose, nutritious soil specifically designed for tomato seedlings.
- Optimal watering: water the seedlings moderately, avoiding over-watering.
- Sufficient lighting: provide the seedlings with good lighting, if necessary, use additional lighting with phytolamps.
- Hardening: Before planting in open ground, harden the seedlings - gradually accustom the plants to sunlight, wind and temperature changes.
Earlier we talked about the best way to feed cabbage so that it grows strong.
Expert: Anastasia Kovrizhnykh
