PLANTING TOMATOES IN PEAT TABLETS IN THE FORM OF SEEDS FOR SEEDLINGS: HOW TO GROW TOMATOES IN SUCH A WAY, HOW TO PREPARE A WASHER FOR SOWING AND HOW TO USE IT PROPERLY?

At the moment there are many devices aimed at facilitating the work of agronomists. Peat tablets are one such facilitating invention.

They allow with less effort to grow seedlings, which will have a high percentage of rooting in the open field and a rich harvest.

The article tells in detail about planting tomato seeds for seedlings in peat tablets, how to use them. You will also learn how to care for the seeds and replant them if necessary.

What it is?

In fact, this is a common peat, pressed into a washer and placed in bags of non-woven material. They are intended for growing seedling material, as well as rooting cuttings.

Note. In addition to the main component - peat - the tablets also include other components: humus, nutrients, growth stimulants and elements that fight against bacteria.

Pros and cons of this method of growing tomatoes

The advantages of using this method include the following factors:

seed planting is quick and effortless;
the risk of infection of seeds with fungal infections is significantly reduced;
growth stimulants and microelements present in the “puck” make it possible to accelerate the process of growth and development of seedlings;
facilitates the process of planting seedlings in open ground, so that seedlings are not damaged;
after moving the tomatoes to a permanent place, even the weakest root system will be able to germinate through a thin grid of pills;
the agronomist is exempt from preparing a mixture of soil;
even the smallest and weakest seeds germinate in such a tablet;
there is no need for additional dressings in the initial stages;
peat has good air circulation.

Despite the huge list of benefits of planting in peat tablets, this method has its drawbacks:

The high cost of the tablets themselves. The price of one is 4-5 rubles. And if we consider that a separate “house” will be needed for each seed, it can be calculated that the amount spent on pills is considerable.
The importance of constant control over the humidity of the washer, as the peat dries very quickly and becomes quite hard. At the same time, if the peat is too wet, there is a risk of mold dilution, which will destroy the seeds.
Tablets in large quantities take up a lot of space, which is especially important in a small apartment.
The inability to put the "washers" close to each other, because they require constant ventilation.

Training

How to choose the "puck"?

It is necessary to give preference to tablets with soft peat, because rough will not allow young roots to germinate.
Pay attention to the acidity of the substrate. It is both high and almost neutral. For tomatoes, the most appropriate neutral level. To learn about this characteristic, it is enough to carefully consider the packaging - it always indicates the level of acidity.
For tomatoes, you need to buy a large pill. The most optimal diameters are 41, 42, 44 mm.
There are two options for tablets - with special nets and without them. Those who have such a shell, are a little more expensive, but they are impregnated with a fungicide, which is an additional protection for seedlings. Therefore, it is better to overpay a little and buy tablets with a shell.

reference. Buy a peat tablet at any store that specializes in selling flowers or seeds.

How to cook?

You need to pick up any shallow container that will serve as a tray.
Place the tablets in it so that the indentation for the seed is on top.
Moisten the substrate should be separated with water at room temperature. Moreover, it is not necessary to immediately water the peat, it should be done gradually, over several hours. Thus, the moisture is evenly distributed over the tablet, and the agronomist will be able to see how much liquid is needed so that later there is no need to squeeze the tablet.

And you can just put all the tablets in a container of water for about a third of an hour. During this period of time "washers" should increase by about 5 times. But at the same time they will not lose their shape, as they are protected by a special mesh. If there is excess water in the pan, it must be drained.

Seeds can be bought in the store, and you can cook them in advanceby collecting from their last year's fruit.

Step-by-step landing instructions

Sowing one seed in each tablet is carried out; there are special holes for this. You need to deepen the seeds about two sizes of the seed itself.
It is advisable to sprinkle the seeds with a small layer (about 1-2 mm) of regular peat.
After this, the containers with the planted seeds are covered with a film or glass. Such a manipulation will accelerate the germination of seeds.
"Washers" put on a well-lit place.
Seeds should be kept warm, but they should not be located near heating appliances. At the same time, the film must be opened every day for 30-60 minutes in order to allow the seeds to breathe.

Watering seeds immediately after planting is not necessary, since before that we had moisturized the peat well.

We offer to watch a video about tomato sowing in peat tablets:

How to care for seeds?

The main thing - do not forget about the daily ventilation of seedlings. And also keep an eye on the state of peat moisture (it dries faster than ordinary soils), especially on sunny days. Otherwise, the tablets may dry up and the seeds die.

Moisturize substrate in several ways.:

spray spraying - suitable for those cases where the sprouts have not yet sprouted or they are too weak;
through the sump, the separated water is poured into it, and after half an hour, the remaining liquid must be drained so that the peat does not moldy.

As soon as the first shoots appeared, the glass or another coating is removed. The rest of the care does not change after the appearance of the first sprouts. Also 15-20 days after the seeds have risen, tomatoes need to fertilize. Suitable for this complex liquid fertilizer, which is simply added to the water during irrigation.

To understand that the seedlings are ready for transplanting into open ground, just look at the root system of the seedling - it must completely take a pill.

A seedling grown in this way does not need a pick., it can be immediately transferred to a permanent place. It is very important not to wait out with the planting of tomatoes, because otherwise the roots will grow too quickly and intertwine with each other. By this they greatly complicate the process of seating.

Attention! Since the seeds in peat tablets grow a little faster than in ordinary soil, then sowing material should be sown a little later. This will protect seedlings from overgrowth and stress.

How to transplant?

In this process there is no difficulty. It is enough just to make your own hole for each tablet, the diameter of which will be several centimeters larger than the “washer” itself. Then place the pill in the ground. We need to dig the hole to such a depth that the whole tablet could fit in, and there is still some space left for the upper layer.

Even if the tablet has a protective mesh, you do not need to delete it, because such a shell dissolves in the soil in a few days. Immediately after planting the soil should be well moistened. And then take care of the tomatoes in the usual way.

Peat tablets are becoming increasingly popular among agronomists. After all, when they are used, the vegetable grower saves his time and energy, moreover, when transplanting into open ground, the root system is not damaged, which is very important for obtaining a rich harvest.