Properly organized conditions will help the seedlings to achieve the best condition, to take root faster in the open field and to better withstand various diseases. Growing seedlings is a structured process, each item of which has its own subtleties, which manufacturers, professionals and experienced farmers are happy to share. If you have a minimum of theory and you have a detailed guide at your fingertips, planting and growing seedlings will be an interesting and orderly process, and the tomato crop will pleasantly surprise you.
Better conditions
The best conditions are the conditions most favorable for the cultivation of a particular variety with specific climatic and resource parameters. But before going into subtleties, it is wise to consider constant basic requirements.
Cabbage, Bulgarian pepper, eggplants, strawberries, beets, and zucchini are also grown by the seedling method.
Substrate and capacity
Tomatoes - quite demanding culture. They need organic and mineral fertilizers. The ideal soil for open cultivation is sandy sand, and for sowing seedlings it is better to use a specially prepared substrate. Coconut substrate. In the huge commercial greenhouses successfully used mineral wool and coconut substrate.
Entrepreneurial housewives can grow seedlings even in toilet paper.Applying such a thing as a coconut substrate is really very cool:
- due to excellent ventilation, the possibility of the appearance of a black leg, the scourge of tomatoes, is excluded;
- it is saturated with water, in which all the necessary substances are already dissolved, so that it is not necessary to bother with fertilizers;
- plant roots are not entangled in fractions and remain completely unharmed during transplantation;
- reusable: properly dried and packaged, the coconut substrate can be used for the next year.
Minus the use of coconut substrate at home - difficulties in maintaining the required level of moisture. In the conditions created at the factory, the liquid is supplied to coconut mats and blocks through special droppers, while at home it is quite difficult to control the drying.
Important! Land for seedlings need to start cooking for ten days. If the soil was taken from the street, in addition to loosening, it must be watered with warm water (about 40 ° C), so you start the necessary metabolic processes.
Mix for tomatoes. If tomatoes are planted at home, the quality of the seedlings is positively affected by a mixture of peat substrate and sod land (sandy loam, black soil) in a 60/40 ratio, respectively. Basically, three types of peat are used: pure peat, peat mixture with perlite, peat mixture with cealite. In the mixture, you can add a third component - humus, but then the components must be taken in equal parts. If you make a mixture of pure components, here Another popular recipe:
- peat - 1 part;
- sod land - part 1;
- humus - 1 part;
- river sand - 1/2 parts;
- ash - 0.1-0.2 of the taken parts.
Alternatively, you can buy ready-made mixtures for seedlings in a gardening shop. It is easier and faster than messing with individual components, but if you have access to high-quality raw materials, it makes sense to mix the substrate yourself. Experienced gardeners advise to prepare the substrate in advance, so that the mixture becomes sufficiently uniform and evenly soaked with water.
The choice of capacity depends on whether germinated grain or not. If the grain is germinated - you can immediately sow the tomatoes separately, if the grain is not germinated - first it is sown in boxes or trays, and then swoops in separate pots. As we have already figured out, it is better to grow seedlings in separate containers, as it is much easier to transfer seedlings to open ground. 
The material from which the containers are made does not matter. To get rid of unnecessary trouble, you can buy disposable cassettes or pallets. Disposable cups, cardboard and plastic bags from under the shelving products, etc. will do.
Did you know? If the upper part of the stem of a tomato is planted on the stem of a potato or, for example, tobacco, you get a plant that has the properties of both. Thus, a hybrid of tomato and potato bears fruits like tubers and tomatoes; By the way, the plant is about 2 m tall and is called Tomtato (the fusion of the English words: tomato - tomato, and potato - potato).
Temperature, humidity, lighting
The optimum temperature for the growing season of tomatoes - 22-24 ° С during the day, not lower than 18 ° С at night. But optimal conditions are significantly dependent on the growth stage at which the seedlings are located.
Sprouted seeds usually sprout for 2-3 days after planting in the substrate, and not germinated - after 4-5. In the period from sowing to germination, the light does not play a role and is even harmful because it will dry out the soil. In the sunlight, cassettes with seedlings are taken out after germination, to ensure photosynthesis.
Maintain humidity is very important. During this period, crops are covered with a plastic lid or piece of polyethylene to create a greenhouse effect. Condensate will accumulate in the greenhouse - this is normal, but it needs to be removed on time. After the seedlings grow, move them closer to the light and remove the film. From now on, the care of tomatoes consists in timely watering and maintaining a stable temperature. 
If you sowed tomatoes at the end of March, then they will be enough for the spring day, but the February seedlings need to “extend the day” with the help of lamps.
When to plant
When you choose the time to plant tomatoes, consider that external factors will affect the quality of the seedlings: light, humidity, temperature, atmospheric pressure. Season and season are not important only if tomatoes are grown in artificial conditions, for example, in closed greenhouses with climate control and other professional equipment.
According to the technology, tomato seedlings can be planted from late February to mid-March, but many practicing gardeners do not quite agree with this. As practice shows, February saplings, even when using phytoprotectors, have a very elongated and weak stem that does not hold fruit well.
Apparently, the activity of the February sun is still insufficient, so it makes sense to wait until March, and in February to start preparing the soil and equipment for future greenhouses.
By lunar calendar
The theory of the influence of lunar cycles on shoots is based on changes in magnetic fields and atmospheric pressure depending on the phase of the moon. It is these processes that formed the basis of the lunar calendar, which farmers actively use. 
In the lunar calendar, there are two key concepts that determine favorable and unfavorable days for sowing - the phase of the moon and the constellation through which it passes during a given period of the cycle. The phase of the moon is its position relative to the sun. We determine the phase according to the illumination of one of the parts of the moon (growing, decreasing) or the entire side (full moon).
In the old days, people said that it was necessary to plant a garden, like starting a new business, on a growing moon. But now astrologers clarify: when the moon grows, it is better to sow what grows up (tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, etc.), and a waning moon will have a good effect on seedlings of prostrate or tuberous crops.
Moon in zodiac sign. The house of one of the signs in which the moon is located has an advantage over the phase, and if a contradiction arises - an unfavorable phase / favorable sign - are guided by the sign:
- Fertile signs: Cancer, Taurus, Scorpio.
- Relatively fertile: Libra, Capricorn, Pisces.
- Relatively barren: Virgo, Gemini.
- Barren: Aquarius, Aries, Sagittarius, Leo.
The lunar calendar is similar to the solar one, which we are accustomed to use in everyday life. The difference is that in the "lunar month" 29.3-29.5 days, respectively, in the lunar year - 354 days. In the adapted calendar, the lunar cycles and phases are superimposed on the grid of the usual solar calendar. Such a lunar calendar is very convenient for choosing the time of sowing seeds for seedlings. 
Favorable days for planting early tomatoes in February:
- February 17-18 - the growing moon in Pisces;
- February 21-22 - growing moon in Taurus;
- February 25-26 - Growing Moon in Cancer.
Favorable days for planting tomatoes in March:
- March 6-7 - the waning moon in Scorpio;
- March 20-21 - the growing moon in Taurus;
- March 24-26 - Growing Moon in Cancer.
According to manufacturers recommendations
Usually, on the reverse side of the package, all the necessary information about the seeds and about the features of their handling is given. The problem is that some important details go unnoticed, as an experienced manufacturer simply considers them obvious and self-evident, but this is not always the case for the buyer.
Depending on ripening time tomatoes are early and late. The timing of planting seeds for seedlings depends on the precocity of tomatoes, and the efforts that will have to be made to grow them are different.
Early varieties yield a month earlier than ordinary varieties, but require more heat and light. Between the sowing of seedlings and the first fruits, an average of 80-100 days pass, and the fruits can be collected already in the beginning - middle of June. At once we say that the period of 80-100 days is not universal for all early ripe varieties: for some it is 70-80 days, and for others it is 90-100. Agree that a difference of two weeks matters.
On the territory of Russia and Ukraine (not counting zones with a subtropical climate) it is impossible to grow early tomatoes on open ground in the usual way. In latitudes, where frosts can continue until the middle, or even until the end of May, heat-loving plants are simply too cold. Therefore, the only way to do without a greenhouse here is to sow the seedlings earlier and later transfer them to the soil.
First, early tomatoes are planted and grown as usual, but after about a month the seedlings are transplanted into large containers of 4-6 liters, in which she will grow for another month and a half. When it comes time to plant seedlings of tomatoes in open ground, seedlings reach 2/3 or more of the size of an adult plant and soon begin to bear fruit.
Read about the intricacies of growing such varieties of tomatoes as "Honey Savior", "Gigolo", "Rapunzel", "Samara", "Miracle of the Earth", "Pink Paradise", "Red Red", "Verlioka", "Spasskaya Tower", " Golden Heart, White Pouring, Little Red Riding Hood, Persimmon, Jagged Bear, Yamal, Tretyakovsky, Sugar Bison.
Late varieties planted March 10-20. Late and early ones are transferred to the ground approximately at the same time, in the middle - the end of April. The fruits of late tomatoes are distinguished by their keeping quality, abundance of vitamins and suitability for preservation. For commercial reasons, large enterprises grow fewer late varieties, but for reasons of concern for themselves and their health, it is advisable to plant at least a third of all planned areas with them. 
Did you know? The content of lycopene - the strongest antioxidant that is included in the composition of tomatoes, during heat treatment is doubled. So both fresh vegetables and dishes made from them are useful.
Growing seedlings
With the right treatment to grow seedlings is not troublesome and even exciting. This process has several steps:
- seed selection;
- seed preparation for sowing;
- care for seedlings at different periods of growth.
Let's look at each of their stages in more detail.
Seed selection
Manufacturer. It is better to buy seeds from bona fide producers that have proven themselves in the market: "Esasem", "Seeds of Altai", "Senor Tomato", "Flora", "Professional seeds". Such a product usually costs more, but it is a grateful investment.
Shelf life. Do not buy seeds, the shelf life of which is coming to an end, because despite the fact that tomato seeds remain viable for 2 years, this ability is gradually lost. It may happen that two packs of still suitable, but different-aged seeds will have a difference in shoots of up to 40% in favor of more fresh ones.
Zoning. Choose varieties suitable for your climate zone. A chic variety with huge half-kilogram fruits will not please you if they are zoned for subtropics, and you live in the Moscow region.
Check for germination. To immediately separate the germinating seeds from the pacifiers, prepare a 1% solution of kitchen salt (approximately a teaspoon per 0.5 l of water) and place the seeds there - the viable seeds will sink to the bottom, and the pacifiers will remain floating on the surface.
Did you know? Tomato juice is a natural bactericidal agent. Helps fight kidney and urinary tract infections.
Preparation and seeding
Tomatoes are very affected by black leg, so before planting it is necessary to soak the seeds in a three-percent solution of potassium permanganate for 3-5 hours, then rinse thoroughly in clean water.
Sowing seedless seeds. Unsprouted seeds are usually planted in a bowl or container in rows, followed by picking. If you have treated the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate just before sowing, you can not soak them additionally and immediately plant them in the soil. If the seeds have time to dry, place them on a damp cloth or cotton for 6-7 hours to soften the shell.
The prepared seeds are sown at a distance of 0.5 cm from each other into a groove made in the ground with a depth of 0.5-1 cm and sprinkled with a thin layer of soil. The work is so painstaking that it is inconvenient to do with your fingers, so many use special tweezers to grip seeds and manipulate the ground.
But if there is no tool - not scary: just slightly squeeze the seeds so that they disappear underground. 7-10 days after the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings swoop in separate containers.
Sowing germinated seeds. Germinated seeds can be sown immediately in separate containers. This eliminates the need for further picks and greatly simplifies the process.
Important! It happens that the seed coat remains on the seedling leaves, in such cases the plant can be helped by removing it yourself. To do this, you need a syringe and water: just put a couple of drops of warm water on the shell and wait a couple of minutes, then gently separate it with your fingers.
Seedling care
Care for seedlings can be divided into:
- the period from germination to picks;
- from picking to landing in the ground.
Prepare for the fact that the seeds will germinate unevenly: some may ascend on the second day, others on the fourth or fifth, and still others will not ascend at all. These "tomato nurseries" usually look very unclear and cause uncertainty in the quality of the seeds, but there is nothing to worry about. Simply put - it always happens.
At 12-14 days after sowing, regardless of size, all shoots are already strong enough for picking. If some of the plants seem too small to you, you can wait another 3-5 days, but not more, because tomatoes do not like cramping. It is also worth remembering that you don’t have to plant absolutely all seedlings, and if one of them grows too badly, it’s probably not a matter of care, and it’s really worth sacrificing them.
Plant care also includes protection against diseases: late blight, fusarium, Alternaria, powdery mildew) and pests: whitefly, Colorado potato beetle, bear, scoop, aphid, slug.
Speaking about the care of tomatoes, you need to remember that this light-loving plant perfectly tolerates direct sunlight even at the very tender age: burns or loss of turgor are very rare in tomatoes. But the temperature below 20 ° C during the day and high humidity will definitely slow down the seedlings in development and can cause root rot (black leg). 
From picking to landing in the ground. After each plant has appeared on its territory, care for it consists in maintaining the temperature, light conditions, humidity and hardening, before planting tomatoes in open ground.
- Watering. Recommendations for watering are very variable: it depends on the humidity of the air, the volume of the container and the age of the plant. If at the beginning of the growing season, when the length of seedlings does not exceed 10 cm, there is enough watering once a week, then before the planting you may need daily watering.
- Shine. Duration of daylight should be at least 12 hours. With a lack of light, seedlings will be drawn out and poorly assimilate useful substances from the soil.
- Temperature should not be below 22 ° C during the day. Cold will inhibit the development, in addition, can cause fungal diseases.
- Quenching. Hardening seedlings can begin in late April. No need to rush too much, because early hardening of fragile seedlings can undermine the resistance of the plant and give a sharply opposite effect. You can start from 15-30 minutes, gradually increasing the time spent on the street. Начинать закалку нужно в погожий день и внимательно следить за изменением состояния саженцев.At first, the reaction may be the most varied: from the loss of leaf elasticity to almost half-bent stem, but you should not panic - it is just a reaction to the changed humidity and, possibly, the wind. In any case, the main thing is not to hurry and do everything gradually.
Find out whether it is possible to grow tomatoes without watering.
So, in conclusion, we highlight a few key points:
- You need to choose quality seeds and be sure to check them for germination before sowing.
- After pretreating with potassium permanganate and germinating proven seeds, you can plant them in containers and stock up on patience.
- Make sure the seedlings have enough light. The fact that the light is not enough, will say an elongated and thin stem, which hardly can withstand the weight of the foliage.
- Do not pour the seedlings, because for tomatoes moisture + darkness = death.
- In late April, when the heat-loving tomatoes are not harmed by the outdoor temperature, it's time to get ready to plant seedlings on the site and begin to harden the plants. The response to climate change may be strong, but moderation and timeliness will solve this problem.
