Picking or transplanting seedlings into other containers with a pinch of the central root is done in order to strengthen the root system of the seedling. This operation allows seedlings to gain strength by the time the tomatoes are planted in a permanent place.
Picke - removal of 1/4 of the lower part of the central root to enhance the development of lateral roots. Usually, seedlings are dived once, but tall tomatoes must be transplanted into larger containers before planting in a permanent place.
The optimal period for pickling seedlings is immediately after the formation of 2-3 real leaves on plants. A pick of tomatoes allows you to:
• Create comfortable conditions for plants to grow rapidly;
• Choose the healthiest and strongest seedlings;
• Remove weak, damaged and diseased plants.
A third real leaf is formed on tomato seedlings 10 days after the emergence of seedlings. For the first time, the plants still have a very weak root system and at first a minimal amount of space in the box is enough for them.
Just as the plants begin to grow for growth of roots and vegetative mass suitable conditions will be required. One of the most important conditions is the amount of land sufficient for rapid development, the free space for honey by individual seedlings is also of great importance.
They allow the seedling to develop with a short stalk (seedlings will not stretch), and with a powerful (branched root system).
Seedlings up to 10 days of age have a small root, which is very difficult to transplant correctly, and even more so to pick.
The restoration of the root system in a weak plant will take a long time, and seedlings will lag behind in development. If you tightened it with a pick up to 15 days of age, then in the box you will find tightly intertwined roots of seedlings, which are almost impossible to separate without damage.
By pulling the seedling, you will inevitably tear the roots of neighboring plants, this also will not benefit the seedlings and as a result will significantly reduce the future crop.
Preparing plants for a pick
What do you need to know in order for the picking of tomato seedlings to benefit them?
Be sure to pre-water the boxes with seedlings (6-10 hours before the pick).
Immediately after watering, you don’t need to touch the plants, because immediately after watering the soil is very heavy, picking increases the risk of breaking a thin tomato stalk or seriously injuring the roots.
Attention! The soil into which tomato seedlings will be tilled should be the same as the soil used for sowing seeds.
The correct pick of tomato seedlings
First you need to prepare:
1. Capacities for dive seedlings. Any cups for seedlings are suitable for this - from plastic, peat, paper. Often gardeners use cups from cropped plastic bottles. Peat and paper containers are also often used; seedlings can be grown in them before the plants are transplanted to a permanent place. The seedling is simply planted from the pots on the bed, peat or paper does not interfere with the roots of plants. Plastic dishes are simply cut to extract the root system. It’s not a bad idea to pour drainage material into the cup first, or you must provide a hole to remove excess water that accumulates during irrigation;
2. The soil for seedlings. It’s great if you still have the soil that you used to plant the seeds. Then, during a dive, you will have the soil of the required composition, and you can dive plants without wasting time to prepare the soil. Before replanting the plants, sanitize the soil again.
Essential tool
To work, you need:
• Wooden spatula;
• Tea spoon;
• Suitable peg.
Some gardeners use a toothpick when working, seedlings are dug with these devices.
Before picking, you need to check how wet the soil is in the drawers. Pre-prepared pots fill the soil at 2/3 of the height. A small depression is made in the middle of the pot, water is poured into it.
After that, a seedling is dug out together with a lump of earth, its root (central) root is cut to 1 / 3-1 / 4 of the length and the roots are lowered into the prepared and watered hole.
When transplanting, the plant must be held by the root lump of earth, thereby minimizing the risk of breaking the stem of the tomato.
It is necessary to straighten all the roots, do not allow them to bend when diving. Gently lower seedlings into the soil mixture no deeper than the cotyledon leaves. This will enable the plant to grow additional lateral roots in a short time. After that, compress the soil near the stalk.
Attention! Watering the soil is necessary only through the planting hole, it is not necessary to specifically wet the entire surface of the soil near the plant. Due to moisture, a crust will begin to appear, making it difficult for fresh air to reach the roots.
During a dive, it is necessary to try less to touch the seedling and its roots with your hands. If you can’t take the seedling for an earthen lump, put on gloves made of cloth and carefully take the plant by the leaves, the cotyledons are not as important as the edge of the stem.
Plants when planted are planted according to the scheme - 8x8 for short and 10x10 for tall varieties of tomato. If the capacity for seedlings is large, it is better to plant seedlings in a checkerboard pattern, in which case they will be better lit.
Care after a dive
After transplanting, plants need to adapt and recover; 4-5 days it does not need to be watered. Then we restore regular watering, it is best to water the seedlings 1-2 times a week (depending on soil moisture).
After a while after diving seedlings, you need to start feeding them, for this you can use any complex formulations.
Top dressing should be carried out with such a frequency:
• Feeding begins 14-15 days after the pick;
• Repeated feeding is carried out two weeks after the first.
Attention! In the composition used for feeding tomato seedlings, the necessary high content of sodium and phosphorus is needed to improve the growth of the root system.
Important recommendations:
1. In no case do not fall asleep at the seedling growth point;
2. Do not oversleep the optimal time for diving, small plants faster and better take root;
3. Before planting, destroy harmful microorganisms in the soil, this will help to grow healthy and strong seedlings;
4. Do not rush to feed the plants, wait a bit and let adapt and take root seedlings. Otherwise, injured roots can be burned with fertilizer.
What to do with tomato seedlings if they are long?
Not every gardener can correctly transplant elongated seedlings.
This problem is very simple to fix:
• 2 hours before transplanting, remove the plants from the ground. After this, the tomato stalk will slightly wither and become very flexible and obedient;
• When replanting plants in a new pot, it is necessary to place the wilted stalk in a pot with a spiral, and fill it with soil.
New roots will grow from the stem over time, seedlings will become much more viable and stronger.
To get an excellent planting material, you need to properly feed tomato seedlings throughout the entire growing period.
