Peat pots for seedlings, how to use. Peat pots: how to use? Growing seedlings in peat pots Do I need to remove seedlings from peat pots?

The use of peat pots for growing seedlings has been practiced in Russia for about 20 years. This remedy has many benefits. The value of these peat pots is known not only to professional gardeners, but also to rural residents. Self-disintegrating peat pots can extend the growing season of plants. In this article we will tell you about what peat pots for seedlings can be. In addition, you can learn how to use them correctly.

What is the main meaning of the idea?

And the idea is quite simple:

After the plant reaches required height, the peat pot is placed in open soil, along with all its contents. After a certain time, the pot begins to gradually disintegrate in the ground into individual microparticles.

Many gardeners are engaged in growing young plants that do not need to be disturbed when they are planted in open ground or in an open street greenhouse. Since some fruit plants and the flowers simply die at the time of replanting.

When located in the walls of a peat pot, the roots of the plant are well supplied with oxygen, since the material is porous. It is capable of allowing oxygen molecules to pass through. Based on this, the young plant is further strengthened in its first weeks of life.

On a note! There is no need to dig up peat pots after the plant has fully established itself in the soil. You can thus harm its root system. You don't have to worry about peat residue. After a few rains, it will completely go into the soil.

A suitable solution in this case would be natural materials for seedlings. Plants will feel great in such pots. It is clear that the inventors of these pots decided in this way to protect the soil from the harm of chemicals. Yes, it is worth noting that they managed to do this. In addition, the material itself is of great benefit to the surrounding soil and additionally fertilizes it.

The main advantages and disadvantages of peat pots

IN Lately Peat pots for seedlings began to be used quite often. When a person is faced with a choice, he always tries to weigh all the pros and cons. In the same way, the choice regarding peat pots occurs. This question, as a rule, is of interest to beginners who have started mastering gardening and horticulture quite recently.

Advantages.

These advantages of peat pots include the following properties:

Natural circulation of moisture at the time of transplantation into the soil (moisture easily penetrates the peat walls of the pot (usually both there and back).
Until the pot undergoes disintegration, root system the developing plant can grow freely through this material.
Additional fertilization of the soil with natural peat after the pots have completely disintegrated. Peat is an excellent organic material that is included in the formulations of many modern fertilizers.
Durability of peat pots. It carries real tasks - the pot is able to maintain its shape as long as it is required. The inventors were able to calculate the required density of the material so that it could withstand the load from the contents.
Environmental Safety. We talked about this earlier.
Providing plants with a state of rest – Protecting their roots from possible damage at the time of transplantation. (seedlings are placed in the soil together with a peat container. They are not removed from it.

The main disadvantages.

Are there any disadvantages? And finding them is not so easy. Here are a few reasons to think about it:

During the peak summer season, these products simply cannot be found on sale in specialized stores, since they are sold out very quickly. To avoid this, you need to buy pots in advance, or order them on the appropriate Internet sites.
Peat pots are disposable products. You will need to purchase them annually. But can this circumstance be attributed to the main disadvantages? You should take into account the fact that this material, after decomposition, becomes part of the soil on your personal plot, nourishing and enriching it.
Cases of dishonesty on the part of manufacturers of peat containers have increased. Unfortunately, they are starting to add cardboard to the peat. As a result, peat begins to decompose in the soil incompletely. And a year later, when digging up the soil, you can find remains of paper on your site.

On a note! Should not be purchased this product in dubious markets. You need to use the services of only trusted stores and outlets.

Peat can create an acidic environment in the soil. If the plant does not tolerate it negatively, then in order to reduce the acidity in the soil, you will need to add lime, chalk or special additives.
On sale you can also find products that are very Low quality. The walls of the pots begin to collapse as the seedlings grow. And mold appears on the sides of these containers.

How to use potties

If you are thinking about the next question, can you plant seedlings in peat pots? Then you realized that this can be done. Next, we will tell you how to use these products.

Pots with a square cross-section are often welded together into one tray. They are somewhat reminiscent of egg cells. In this form ready product comes off the assembly line immediately after stamping. Before you start using the pots, you need to cut them using scissors. It is very inconvenient to work with a single plate.

Peat pots with round section, as a rule, are sold in cellophane film.

At the time of purchase, it is quite difficult to guess the density and thickness of the material. Especially if you are buying products for the first time.

Until you have the necessary experience, you need to make small holes in the bottom of the pots and in the walls using an awl, just in case. Thanks to this method, you can ensure that the plant roots have the opportunity to emerge as they grow.

Choose the size.

What sizes should you focus on? We bring to your attention some tips from experienced gardeners and gardeners.

10*11cm. (volume 0.5 liters). Perfect for growing seedlings of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and also eggplant. As for flowers, you can grow fuchsia, cyclamens and gerberas.
9*9. (volume 0.4 liters). These pots are suitable for growing peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers. You can grow flowers: begonia, primrose, balsam.
8*8. (volume 0.25 l). Suitable for tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, wild strawberries. As for flower crops - coleus, cyclamen, hydrangea, primrose.
7*7 (volume 0.200 liters). Suitable for watermelon, melon, garden strawberries, cabbage, and also for annual flowers.
6*6 (Volume 0.100 l). We recommend growing annual flowers in them (ageratum, gillyflower, dahlia, aster).
5*5 (Volume 0.5 l). Suitable for growing food greens. (lettuce, cilantro, dill, basil, fennel, parsley).

Planting seeds.

It is worth noting that growing seedlings in peat pots requires some rules, which we will list below.

Main rules:

It is necessary to fill the pot with soil not to the very edge. You definitely need to leave a little space. (8-15 cm from the edge of the pot to the level of the seedlings). Why is this required? When placing the seedlings in protected soil, some natural soil will need to be added to the base of the plant. This procedure will help speed up the plant’s adaptation to local conditions.
2-3 seeds should be placed in one pot. This measure applies to untested seeds - in case you doubt whether they will be able to sprout or not. And if every seed you planted sprouts, the sprouts can be placed in separate pots.
It is necessary to lay nutrient soil and fertilizing mixtures at the bottom of the peat container.
The planting seed must be in the soil at a depth of about 1 cm from the top soil level in the container.
All peat pots should be placed in a tray close to each other. This procedure can prevent the fall of individual containers in case of careless handling.
It is best to place plastic film under the peat pot, or pour a small amount of soil, sand or gravel. This procedure will help preserve the water flowing out when watering the seedlings from below.
The regularity of watering the plant will depend on the dryness of the room.

Planting in the soil.

Once the time comes to plant the plants in the soil, you need to do the following:

First of all, you need to prepare the bed.
Then you should start placing furrows, based on the number of plants you have in the bed and the density of their placement.
Dig holes or ditch.
Moisten the soil with water before planting.
Each peat pot must be placed evenly in its designated place. Then cover it with soil.

Finally

Planting plant seeds in peat pots does not require any difficulties. Yes and disembarkation ready-made plants into the soil is not difficult. Thanks to these advantages, peat pots are so popular in our world and have only positive responses from Russian summer residents.

) for seedlings are very convenient to use. Many people prefer peat pots over other containers for seedlings.

Some craftsmen make such products themselves. The raw material is a mixture of equal parts of well-decomposed humus and peat. Liquid mullein is added to the mass (for viscosity and enrichment with nutrients), pressed using special molds, and dried. But most summer residents prefer to buy goods in stores.

Material

It would seem that peat pots are a simple product, but here, too, quality is of paramount importance. Initially, such containers were conceived as peat-humus containers and came off the assembly line exactly as such. In pursuit of simplification and cheaper production, they were replaced simply by peat ones. The advantages and disadvantages of such pots depend on the quality of the raw materials and their processing. Finally, analogues have appeared made from cheap cardboard (from recycled materials), which are still called “peat pots”; they require special handling.

Positive properties

Containers made of peat or cardboard:

Ecologically harmless
not too expensive for the price,
light in weight,
opaque - this means that greenish algae do not grow on the walls from the inside,
disposable - therefore do not require washing, disinfection, subsequent storage,
When planting seedlings, an earthen ball with feeding roots is preserved.

Benefits of high quality

Not every gardener can immediately distinguish a good product from a paper and cardboard surrogate. As a rule, high-quality peat cups are slightly more expensive, smooth, have a thicker wall, darkish color and slightly porous structure. They have a lot of advantages.

1. Thanks to the porous structure of the material, the roots breathe and do not rot.

2. When watering, excess water flows freely, without stagnation.

3. Easy to water through the tray (water is absorbed from the bottom up).

4. Rot and mold do not form on the walls of the pots outside and inside.

5. After planting the seedlings in the ground, its roots pass freely through the bottom and walls.

6. Containers quickly decompose in the soil.

Features of second-class pottery products

Cups made of cardboard or poorly treated peat are also suitable for seedlings, you just need to take into account some nuances. Paper can quickly become wet and lose its strength, distort its shape, and become moldy. The walls, which have a dense structure and a smooth surface, do not allow air and water to pass through easily, and take a long time to decompose in the ground. Therefore, if there are doubts about the quality of the proposed peat pots, we take the following measures:

We do not purchase large containers,
Be sure to make good holes in the bottoms for the drainage of excess moisture,
for filling we use only a very loose substrate that easily allows water to pass through,
When planting seedlings in the ground, cut off the bottom or tear the walls of the pot!!!

Most of the negative reviews after using peat pots are due precisely to the fact that the roots of the planted plants cannot escape into the open space, beyond the walls, for a long time, and growth and development are delayed.

Variety of sizes and shapes

Seedling pots are available in both traditional round and square shapes (which is convenient for denser placement and saving a little space). The largest ones, as a rule, have a diameter and height of about 10 cm, and a volume of half a liter. The smallest ones are 5 cm, 50 ml. In this range, many containers of intermediate sizes are produced; can be picked up best option. Rectangular and square dishes are sometimes connected in the form of cassettes (on the principle of cells for transporting eggs). If necessary, they can be separated by cutting with a sharp knife or scissors.

The purpose of peat pots for seedlings of any plants

In small and medium-sized cups, seedlings of annual flowers are prepared, which have medium-sized seeds, form a compact, fibrous root system, and develop slowly in the initial growth phase. Sow ageratums, asters, bacopas, marigolds, verbenas, gatsanias, annual dahlias, sweet tobacco, iberis, gillyflowers, lobelias, Snapdragon, mesembryanthemums, mimulus, nemesia, osteospermum, petunias and calibrachoa, purslanes, salvias, phlox drummond, celosia, cineraria, zinnias, eustomas, etc. Do the same with biennials and perennials - violas, carnations, heleniums, delphiniums, bells, daisies , aubriet, primrose, chamomile, evening primrose, etc.

Using pots of different sizes

Small

In a small volume of land they successfully pass initial stage development of indoor balsams, begonias, gloxinias, pelargoniums, cyclamens. In small containers, strawberry seedlings can be grown from seeds - small-fruited, large-fruited, remontant. Among vegetables, seedlings of root and petiole celery, fennel, basil, and head lettuce feel great in such a container.

Average

These dimensions are convenient for annuals with large seeds - for example, datura and nasturtium. A relatively large volume of seedling substrate is required for amaranths, ornamental cabbages, cleomes, cosmos, kochia, and scabiosis. This also applies to loaches - dolichos ( hyacinth beans), sweet peas, morning glory, kobea, thunbergia, annual hops, decorative pumpkins and beans. Peat pots for growing seedlings of vegetable cabbage, watermelons and melons, potatoes (from botanical seeds) should not be too large or very small. Containers for cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, and physalis berries are taken a little larger.

Large

Extremely good for producing powerful planting material tomatoes. Peppers, eggplants, vegetable physalis, and edible nightshades require the same (or slightly smaller) volume. A large lump of earth is necessary for edible and decorative varieties sunflower and corn.

Not only are seeds sown in peat pots and seedlings are planted, they are used for rooting and growing cuttings (for example, chrysanthemums, petunias, pelargoniums, roses, etc.), bulbous and rhizome crops, and shrubs.

Operation of peat products

1. Peat pots must be placed on durable stands.

2. A small layer of sphagnum moss or coconut fiber can be placed at the bottom of the tray (to prevent drying out or rotting).

3. Seedling soil must be reliable, light and at the same time moisture-intensive - quickly (without stagnation) let excess water pass through, but at the same time dry out slowly. Sand (without admixtures of cement and dust) gives looseness; small additions of hydrogel or crushed coconut fiber retain moisture.

4. The containers are completely filled with slightly moistened substrate; after watering, the soil settles a little (it is possible to add more if the plants stretch out).

5. Dust-like and very small seeds are sown superficially, small ones are lightly sprinkled with light soil, medium and large ones are placed in holes and covered with soil.

6. Low lighting and dampness are contraindicated for peat containers with seedlings (mold and rot may develop). For prevention, the outer walls of the pots can be sprayed with fungicidal solutions (CHOM, potassium permanganate, phytosporin).

7. Wet cups continuously evaporate moisture and cool the root system; This is harmful when there are sudden changes in temperature or constant cold, so it is necessary to maintain moderate heat.

8. The sun and excessive heat require frequent watering. This can cause the seedlings to stretch out, as with a lack of light. (Special preparations - regulators Atlet, Stopprost, etc. - can slow down the growth of the aerial part and strengthen the root system.)

9. On the eve of planting day permanent place Excessive watering should be carried out to ensure good softening of the peat (cardboard).

Glasses with seedlings are installed in soil holes of similar size without excessively deepening the root system. Elongated specimens are placed under the surface of the ridge obliquely, at an angle. Good watering is required to ensure that the walls of the container are in close contact with the moist soil.

The essence of the method is that when the tomato seedlings reach the required age, the peat pot is placed in open ground together with the seedling. With this method, the plants do not die, which often happens with other transplantation methods.

Important! Once the tomatoes have taken root, there is no need to dig up the pots. This can harm the root system.

What kind of containers are these?

Peat pots are small containers.

They come in the form:

truncated cone;
trapezoid;
cube.

You can find peat pots connected into blocks of several pieces. The wall thickness is 1-1.5 mm, the transverse dimensions range from 5 cm to 10 cm.

They consist of a mixture:

peat 50–70%;
cellulose;
humus.

Peat pots do not harm the soil, seedlings and crops.

Properties

Peat pots are used due to the integrity of the roots; when transplanted to a new place, the plants quickly take root and grow. The soil poured into such containers retains moisture longer. From the moment of sowing until the period of planting in a permanent place, the roots of tomatoes are in the same substrate.

Located in pots, nothing prevents seedlings from receiving the necessary nutrition and oxygen. After planting in the ground, the roots quietly grow through the soft walls of the pot. They withstand soil loads well.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of peat pots for tomato seedlings are:

moderate porosity;
natural moisture turnover when transplanting into the ground;
free germination of the roots of a growing plant;
strength.

There are no downsides to high-quality peat pots for seedlings, except that these products are disposable.

To use good products, you need to buy them in specialized stores. Purchasing a bad product, in which simple cardboard is added to the peat, leads to the fact that next year when digging up the ground you can find paper residues.

Preparation

It is recommended to buy peat pots in specialized agricultural stores. The average price of one container is 3 rubles, and the cost of a set depends on the number of pots and varies from 120 to 180 rubles. You can make them yourself at home.

To do this, mix:

garden, humus, compost and turf soil;
sand;
stale straw cuttings or sawdust.

To prevent the resulting cube from falling apart, you need to add water and mullein until it reaches the consistency of thick sour cream.

After thorough mixing, the mixture is poured into a greenhouse or box covered with film. The thickness of the poured layer is 7-9 cm.
After drying, cut lengthwise and crosswise with a knife.

The ideal size of a peat pot for tomatoes is 8x8 cm. To start planting tomato seedlings in peat pots, you need to prepare the soil.

To do this, mix in equal proportions:

turf land;
humus;
sawdust;
sand;
vermiculite

The composition needs to be disinfected. To do this, you can heat it in the oven or pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Glasses

At the bottom of the peat cups, you need to make small holes with an awl to allow drainage. excess water. This will also allow the roots to emerge more easily. To prevent the pots from drying out, experienced gardeners it is advised to wrap each plastic film. Otherwise, the salt contained in the soil will crystallize and harm the tender tomato seedlings. You need to remove it right before planting the bushes in a permanent place.

Seeds for germination

consists of the following steps:

rejection;
disinfection;
soak;
stratification.

During culling, empty, overdried and broken seeds are removed. They are left in a solution of table salt for 5-10 minutes. Those that float are thrown away because they are not suitable for planting.

During the process of disinfection in 3% hydrogen peroxide or 1% solution of potassium permanganate, the seeds become resistant to various diseases. The soaking procedure helps the seed material to germinate faster.

The seeds are placed on a damp cloth or cotton wool, which is covered with a lid. All this is placed in a warm place, thanks to swelling they begin to germinate.

The stratification procedure involves placing the hatched tomato shoots in the refrigerator overnight, and during the day they are placed in a room where the temperature reaches +18°C...+20°C. This must be done several times. As a result of the stratification, the seedlings become resistant to temperature changes.

In the case when old seeds are used, they are advised to be treated with phytohormone compounds., which stimulate the growth of seedlings.

Important! It must be taken into account that if seeds from fruits that are deficient in manganese and potassium are used, their germination rate will be low. To prevent such seedlings from stopping their growth, they need to be soaked in the solution for 24 hours before sowing. complex fertilizer and dry before planting.

Step-by-step instructions for growing

Let's look at how to grow tomato seedlings in peat cups. To sow tomato seedlings, you need seeds and peat pots with suitable soil. A drainage layer is poured onto the bottom of the pot. It could be crushed eggshell, on top of it prepared soil. It should not reach the edge by approximately 1 cm. After sowing the seeds, the pots are placed on a pallet or in a box, which is covered with polyethylene.

Sowing tomato seeds

For sowing, you need to take dry seeds, then mold will not appear. Seed material is sown in pots 1-2 pieces at a time, immersed to a depth of no more than 15 mm. They are sprinkled with earth on top and sprinkled with water. If the temperature is +22°C...+25°C, then germination will take 6 days; if it increases to +30°C, seedlings may appear in 2 days. After their appearance, it is desirable that the temperature be reduced during the day to +20°C, and at night – +16°C.

The development of seedlings is negatively affected:

drafts;
lack of sunlight;
very high temperature.

Stretching of seedlings and the presence of thin stems indicates a lack of lighting or planting density; they need to be thinned out. If several tomato seedlings have emerged in one pot, you should leave only one, choosing the most developed and strong one. It is best to pinch the remaining ones, otherwise the root may be damaged when pulled out.

How to care for seedlings before planting in the ground?

After 2 leaves appear on the seedling, begin picking. To stimulate the appearance of small roots, gardeners advise pinching the taproot by a third. At the beginning of their development, seedlings should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Peat pots with tomato seedlings should be placed at a short distance from each other. The dense arrangement interferes with air exchange.

After the second pair of leaves appears, the temperature in the room where the seedlings are located should be +18°...+20°C during the day, and +8°C...+10°C at night. Such indicators must be observed for three weeks, and then at night it must be increased to +15°C. A few days before planting in open ground, the seedlings are placed outside overnight to gradually get used to the place of their future growth.

A week after planting seedlings in peat pots in the ground, they need to be fed with liquid mineral fertilizers. It is recommended to water this kind of seedlings often, but not abundantly. Peat is a material that holds and retains water well. Bottom watering helps prevent the appearance of fungi and mold.

When and how to plant in the ground?

The cycle of growing tomato seedlings in peat pots is 60 days, and the date of planting in open ground depends on the tomato variety and region. Most often this is April in the southern regions, in the northern regions - May-early June. It is necessary to plant seedlings in soil that has already been warmed up to +12°C...+15°C, and also when the danger of return frosts has disappeared.

First of all, the beds are prepared and furrows are marked depending on the number of bushes in the bed and the density of placement.
Then they dig holes.
Attention! The holes must be dug to a depth no less than the height of the peat pot. The most suitable option is if they are 1.5-2 cm deeper.
You need to plant tomato seedlings together with a pot; before doing this, it is recommended to water them with water and treat them with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.
The planting sites are also spilled with water and peat pots are placed in them, which are sprinkled with soil on all sides.

After planting in the ground, you must not allow it to dry out, because the cups will become woody. In the future, you need to water the seedlings right to the roots.

Common Mistakes

When the seedlings lower leaves turn yellow, the cause is:

lack of light;
deficit nutrients;
development of blackleg.

The technology for growing tomato seedlings in peat pots is not complicated. This method allows you to get healthy and high-quality seedlings. And in the future, reap a good harvest.

Peat cups are a very convenient disposable container for growing vegetable and flower seedlings at home. Firstly, by planting plants immediately in separate containers, gardeners avoid picking that injures the roots. Secondly, the root system of seedlings remains unharmed when planted in open ground. Plants take root as quickly as possible in a new place and develop rapidly.

How to choose a suitable peat pot?

For the development of seedlings, it does not matter what the shape of the cups is, but this can play a role in the compactness of their placement. Gardeners recommend giving preference to divided cups rather than solid cassettes. The size of the pot is adjusted to the needs of the crop, as in all other cases.

Important tip: When purchasing a glass for seedlings, make sure that it is really peat. Sometimes a cardboard cup, which has significant functional differences, is mistaken for peat.
Do not confuse a peat cup for seedlings with a cardboard one.

Peat cups - how to use them?

There are no particular differences in the use of peat containers for growing seedlings. Here's what you need to do:

Prepare a nutrient substrate suitable for a specific crop, pour it into a peat pot, lightly compact it, and moisten it.
Dig a hole in each cup, immerse the seeds and cover with soil.
Place all containers end-to-end on the stand.
When the roots of the seedlings begin to grow, the cups should be separated from each other a short distance so that the young sprouts receive more heat and light.
Make sure that the soil is always moist - watering can be done either from the top or from below through the stand.
It is good to water the seedlings 24 hours before planting in the greenhouse or greenhouse.
Place each cup in a dug hole either level with the ground surface or 1-2 cm below.

In the purchased cups, small holes are made in advance on all sides with an awl. This is necessary so that it is easier for the roots to break through. When growing seedlings, it is better to wrap each cup with plastic wrap. It is removed only immediately before planting the plant in a permanent place.

Interesting trick: before filling the pot with substrate, soak it with a solution of mineral fertilizer. What will it give? First, food for the plant. Secondly, accelerated decay in the ground. Also, the cup is often treated with a mold repellent. It is better to fill it with soil not to the very top, but 1.5 cm below. So, after moving to a permanent place, this space can be filled with soil from the beds so that the plant quickly gets used to the new conditions.

How many seeds do experienced gardeners put in each peat container? If there is no complete confidence in the seeds, then two or three, and if there is a guarantee that they will all sprout, then one. Of several seedlings in a glass, the strongest one is selected for further growth. The rest pull out.

After moving the seedlings to a permanent place, there is no need to somehow try to dig up and remove the remains of the cup. It will dissolve on its own under the influence of water. You should not purchase peat pots for seedlings if you plan to use them for next year. To do this, it is better to purchase cheaper plastic containers. If you purchase a cassette that consists of several connected containers, they must be cut before planting.

And one more important advice, which is given to gardeners who are inexperienced in using peat cups by those who have been dealing with them for a long time - one should not take the quality of the container lightly. Low-quality peat pots do not decompose well in the ground after planting and may contain harmful impurities. Trust only trusted manufacturers. The experiment in this case can cost you dearly.

Have you not yet seen in practice how convenient it is to use peat cups for seedlings? You now know how to use this latest development in the field of agronomy. What prevents you from personally seeing its merits and practical benefits?

Watch a video about sowing pepper seeds in peat cups

To obtain young tomato seedlings, use peat cups. The variety of shapes and volumes allows you to grow any vegetable crop. A high-quality shell does not get wet or deform, and the root system of seedlings is less susceptible to injury during transplantation.

The cups include:

high-moor peat – 70%;
wood pulp – 30%.

The proportions should not be violated, otherwise the tomato seedlings in peat cups will not develop fully. On the packaging, the manufacturer indicates the presence of possible stimulants and additives. Peat is environmentally friendly pure material, free of pathogens and toxic substances.

The loose structure of peat cups promotes free penetration of air to the roots of tomato seedlings. Pay attention to the thickness of the walls (no more than 1.5 mm), such cups decompose in about 30 days.

Even a high-quality product has disadvantages:

The likelihood of hypothermia of the roots and the development of fungus. Constant evaporation from the surface reduces the temperature of the soil.
The walls of the container sometimes become an “impenetrable” barrier. Tomato seedlings obtained in this way may be slightly behind in development.
Peat is a soil oxidizer; such an environment prevents the absorption of potassium necessary for stem growth.

Preparation of soil and planting material

In order for the shell to rot underground faster, the container is impregnated with liquid mineral fertilizers; the walls can be additionally treated with foundationazole. It is better to sow seeds dry to prevent the appearance of mold. If there is doubt about the quality of the material, it is etched with diluted manganese or a fungicide. You can germinate seeds in soil extract. For this:

The ground is filled with water.
Let it sit for several hours.
Soak tomato seeds until sprouts appear.

Prepare a nutritious mixture for tomato seedlings in peat pots, add any baking powder: vermiculite, coarse sand, sawdust. Combine turf soil with humus (1:1). You can pour coconut substrate into the pots - for young tomatoes this good source nutrients. Before sowing, the soil is disinfected, kept in an oven or poured with boiling water and potassium permanganate.

Agricultural technology of planting work

Growing tomato seedlings in peat cups lasts 55-60 days. Tomatoes for seedlings are sown according to lunar calendar, choosing favorable days from January to March. The exact timing depends on the variety.

The smallest blocks of pressed peat or general containers are suitable for planting tomato seeds. Make grooves on the surface of the soil no more than 1.5 cm deep, sow one at a time, sometimes 2-3 pieces. Sprinkle the top with earth or vermiculite, then spray the tomato seeds from a spray bottle.

Germination temperature +20…+25 °C. With this regime, tomato seeds will hatch in 5-6 days; if you increase the temperature to +30 °C, then green “loops” will appear in 2-3 days. With mass shoots, the daytime temperature is reduced to + 20...+22 °C, and the night temperature to +16 °C. This is necessary for normal growth of seedlings. Negative factors during this period:

too hot, unventilated room;
lack of light (less than 12-15 hours);
drafts.

With a lack of lighting, excess fertilizer and thickening, tomato seedlings in peat pots are stretched out and the stems become thinner. The situation can be corrected by picking or adding more soil. Plantings that are too dense should be thinned out.

Picking seedlings

Tomato seedlings are planted in peat pots after the first pair of leaves appear. The tap root is pinched by 1/3, which stimulates the appearance of small suction roots. The temperature of the content is increased by 2-3 degrees. When the seedlings take root, they return to their previous regimes. In the first days, protect from direct sun rays and drafts.

Sometimes they practice growing tomato seedlings in peat pots: they plant several of them into one container at once. The stems are tied tightly (for fusion) with thread. Afterwards, the top of the weaker one is removed, the result is one strong trunk with a powerful “double” root system.

Possible diseases during this period:

Yellow lower leaves are a symptom of a lack of nutrients (nitrogen), light, or the beginnings of “black leg”, brown spotting.
Rotting of stems, the appearance of mold - overwatering or infectious diseases.

In block containers, make sure that the roots do not grow into adjacent compartments. Single peat pots with tomato seedlings are wrapped in dark plastic wrap. This helps prevent the soil from drying out and will prevent the crystallization of water salts under the influence of the sun, which poses a danger to the roots.

Tomato seedlings planted in peat pots are placed on a pallet, at a short distance from each other. Crowding will interfere with normal air exchange and aeration of seedlings.

Seedling care and hardening

Tomato seedlings are planted in peat pots to provide a larger feeding area. Overgrowing tomatoes are delayed in development in this way. You can also stop growth using hardening.

With the appearance of the second pair of leaves, the seedlings are kept for 2.5 weeks at temperatures:

daytime +18…+20 °C;
night +8…+10 °C.

Afterwards they return to the following modes: +14…+16 °C at night and +20…+22 °C during the day. A few days before transplantation, they are placed outside all night. Hardened seedlings have short internodes, strong pubescent stems, and blue-green foliage. Such plants can be planted in ridges 10 days earlier than usual.

It is impractical to sow tomatoes one at a time in a volume of 0.5 ml:

the container takes up extra space;
more time is required for care.

Tomatoes, unlike peppers and pumpkins, tolerate picking easily. After a few days, the seedlings begin to grow. 7-10 days after the procedure, tomatoes in peat pots are fed with a liquid solution of mineral fertilizers.

Crops grown in pots require frequent but light watering. Peat holds and retains moisture well, so do this as carefully as possible. This method will help prevent the appearance of mold and mildew. Bottom watering is convenient, when planting containers are temporarily placed in a tray with warm water.

Transplantation into open ground

Tomato seedlings grown in peat pots are transplanted to a permanent place along with the container. Before planting tomatoes, water the cups generously with water. For prevention viral diseases plants are sprayed with a 1% dilution of Bordeaux mixture.

The peat cups are deepened completely, sprinkled with 2 cm of soil. The soil in the circle around the trunk is watered and mulched. Over the next few days, the planting will be closely monitored. A slight drying out of the soil layers will cause “woodiness” of the walls of the undecomposed container. Developed culture with big amount leaves will be in a limited space.

For easier penetration of roots, the bottom of the containers is carefully cut off. The walls can be cut or holes made with a sharp tool, but not completely removed. Subsequently, the crops are watered strictly at the roots, combining irrigation with the application of liquid fertilizers.

Healthy tomato seedlings in peat pots can be done by anyone, even a novice gardener.