How deep to plant tomato seeds for seedlings

Tomatoes are a culture widespread in Russia. Tomato seeds should be sown according to certain rules. They include the preliminary preparation of material, soil, the choice of containers for seedlings. The depth of seed placement is also of great importance. It determines how strong the plants will be already in the first stages of growth.

How deep to plant tomatoes for seedlings: sowing rules

Planting tomatoes for seedlings requires a number of knowledge and skills. It is not always possible for beginner gardeners to grow strong seedlings the first time, which will give a bountiful harvest in season.

Growing rules consist of several consecutive steps.

Seed selection. Seeds for seedlings must be selected for germination. To do this, all dark seeds are removed from the total mass. The rest are filled with water. Those that pop up are considered empty. They will not produce quality shoots.
Decontamination and hardening. Before embedding, processing and hardening of tomato seeds is required. For pest control, a solution of manganese is used. For hardening, the seed is placed first in a glass of warm water, then for 1-2 minutes in a container of ice water. It is also recommended to soak the seeds in a growth activator solution.
Soil preparation. For sowing tomatoes for seedlings, a soil mixture based on turf and humus is used in equal proportions. The best option is a ready-made soil composition. It contains all the necessary components, but requires treatment with disinfectants or a solution of manganese before planting tomato seeds.Recently, coconut substrate has been actively used. Tomatoes grown in it have a strong root system and fast growth.
Choice of containers. You can sow tomatoes in a common container or individual containers. The height of the boxes is at least 10 centimeters. This condition is necessary for the development of a good root system. In the early stages, enough pots measuring 5 by 5 centimeters. After picking, capacities can be increased.

Rules for planting tomato seeds. The material is sown only on moist soil. No more than 2 tomato seeds are placed per 1 square centimeter. If individual pots are used for seedlings, then 2 seeds are placed in one at a distance of 1 centimeter. It is also convenient to sow tomato seeds in peat tablets with a diameter of 35 mm. One tablet contains 2 to 4 seeds. After germination, weak plants are removed.Only the 2 strongest remain. When choosing at what depth it is necessary to plant tomato seeds, they start from the original size of the seed. On average, the height of the powder layer is from 0.5 to 1 centimeter. In the case of large seeds and the use of growth inhibitors, the powder is made thicker, up to 1 centimeter. If the seeds are small or it is a Cherry variety, then they are covered with a layer of no more than 0.5 cm. When planting germinated material, the holes are prepared to the depth of the root, pushing the soil layer apart.
Seedling care. After the tomato seeds are planted for seedlings, the containers are covered with glass or film until the first entrances appear. It is important during this period to maintain a temperature of at least 20 degrees. The optimal conditions are considered to be the range from 22 to 25 degrees. After the emergence of seedlings, seedlings are placed on a bright window sill. For irrigation use the spraying method.

Rules for timing seed sowing

It is important not only to plant the seeds correctly, but also to be able to choose the right time. Depending on early maturity, seeds should be sown from the second half of February to the second half of March.

Two main factors influence the timing of planting tomato seeds.

Planting method. Tomatoes can be sown in open ground or protected greenhouses. When planting in open ridges, seedling material begins to be harvested later. When planting in heated, protected greenhouses, they start sowing tomatoes earlier. This is due to the fact that landing at a permanent place is made on average 2-3 weeks earlier. In protected greenhouses, there is no need to protect plants from night frosts. You can safely plant tomatoes for seedlings at the end of February. But during this period additional lighting is required in the morning and evening hours.
The rate of maturation of the variety.All tomatoes are divided into early, mid-season and late varieties. Early maturity determines when we sow the material. For early maturing varieties planted in closed greenhouses, this period can be shifted to a later date. Sow late and mid-season varieties 1-2 weeks earlier. This will allow you to harvest faster.

Seedlings are considered ripe for planting in the ground if at the time of transplantation they have reached the age of 50-60 days from the moment of germination.

Another sign of readiness for transfer is the presence of 5-6 adult leaves on the bushes. When transplanting to a permanent place, it is important to choose the right hole depth and planting pattern.

The negative impact of improper seeding

Mistakes in choosing the depth of sowing tomatoes can adversely affect the growth of seedlings and yields. Experienced gardeners identify two main problems:

planting depth too deep;
tomatoes planted too close to the ground.

Both options lead to the development of frail seedlings, which in the future gives a poor harvest. In cases where the seed is planted too deep, there is a high probability of rotting and slow germination.

Seeds and sprouts may not have enough strength to break through the soil layer. In this case, the sprout dies already at the initial stages. If the seedling has enough strength, then it takes more time to germinate than with the right choice of sowing depth of tomato seeds.

Longer germination leads to the fact that the plants at the time of planting in open ground are too small. They need more time for all stages of growth. The crop from such bushes ripens later.

When sowing tomato seeds for seedlings too close to the soil surface, germination occurs in a shorter time. In this case, the plants are characterized by a weak root system. The situation can be corrected by diving with the deepening of the stem of the sprout.