Many of the people who start in the world of agriculture, start with seedlings because they are much easier to grow and more comfortable. However, sowing seeds has many advantages, and beyond reminding you that you should follow the package instructions to the letter, it is also important that you follow these tips to make a seedbed of tomatoes .
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Solanum lycopersicum , also known as tomatera, is a plant belonging to the Solanaceae family of American origin, which is grown worldwide because its fruit, tomato, is edible. The seeds should be planted in a seedbed of tomatoes in mid-February , and after two months to the pot. This plant can be grown in spring or summer.
The seedbed of tomatoes can be made of paper , plastic, pressed peat, peat, etc. Each of them has pros and purchases.
- Paper seedbed: it is cheap, biodegradable and can be transplanted along with the seedling.
- Plastic seedbed: helps maintain moisture, but its drainage is not good. It is reusable and cannot be transplanted next to the seedling.
- Pressed peat seedbed: it occupies little space, has good drainage, is transplanted along with the seedling, is biodegradable and does not require a substrate.
- Peatseedbed: it is biodegradable, allows transplantation along with the seedling and is less economical than paper seedbeds.
How to make a tomato seedbed
Although the tomato seeds contain the necessary nutrients to germinate , a good compost would be great. Love rich, well drained and aerated soils, to avoid parasitic causes. The ideal mixture would be compost and vegetable substrate, coconut fiber and perlite
Moisten the substrate before filling the seedlings so that there is no dry area that can prevent germination. Fill the seedlings with that substrate, leaving approximately one or two centimeters free to the edge. Press very well with your fingertips and place one to three seeds on the substrate.
Put a thin layer of moistened substrate on top covering the seeds and water. Use, if possible, a sprayer. The key to proper germination is to keep the substrate moist. To do this, you will have to use the greenhouse lid and spray frequently.
The seeds of tomato do not need light to germinate. However, when the first leaves appear, they will need approximately 12 hours of light daily. If necessary, complement with artificial light.
Once the seeds have germinated, good ventilation will be more important than a humid environment. In case the greenhouse lid does not have ventilation windows, you will have to remove it when the tomato seeds have germinated. When the first leaves arise, add a small dose of liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water.
How to transplant and when to harvest?
Fill the final pot with a mixture of coconut fiber and earthworm humus in a proportion of 60-40 percent and moisten with water. Make a hole with your fingers or with the help of a pencil the size of the seedbed and place the seedling. Remember to use a knife to separate the seedling from the rest of the substrate and avoid damaging the roots.
Take the seedling from the leaves, never from the stem because it can easily be damaged. The harvest of tomato after start two to three months after transplantation depending on the variety.
Parasitic causes
- Trips
- Caterpillars
- Red spider
- White fly
- Aphid
- Leaf miners
- Worms
- Potato Beetle
- Nematodes
