Subtleties of planting overgrown tomato seedlings

Grow tomatoes in the summer cottage is easy, the main thing - fertilizers and good watering. First, the seeds germinate in a pot on the windowsill or in the greenhouse, then they are planted in open ground. The only question that scares many beginning gardeners is what to do if a seedling has outgrown. Tomato bushes do not tolerate low temperatures well, and in early spring it is not always clear whether to expect more frost or not. Often, seedlings begin to grow and bloom right on the windowsill.

For a start, let's look at the notion of “overgrown tomato seedlings,” perhaps this is not your diagnosis at all.

The ideal bush, ready for planting in open ground, has a height of up to 20 cm. You already see healthy and elastic leaves and a hard stalk with a purple tint. This is an option that every gardener should strive for.

Overgrown or stretched tomato seedlings usually have the following characteristics:

• barrel height from 30 cm and above (30 cm - the limit of the norm);
• the stem of the tomato is thinning (the bush lacks light and fertilizer, in the future it will be difficult for it to hold the weight of the fruit);
• leaves are thin to the touch;
• the root system does not have enough space in the pot;
• you can see the formation of internodes and new sheets, a sign that the shrub is ready to bloom.

In order to effectively deal with the problem of pulling bushes, you need to understand its root cause. Most often, such a question arises because of the carelessness of the summer resident or simply because of ignorance. There are several rules for growing tomato seeds on a windowsill. Consider what you should pay attention.

The optimum temperature in the room is from +16 to +18 degrees. If the room is too hot, the crop will quickly grow and develop. But putting it in the refrigerator is also not recommended, you risk to freeze the roots.

Do not pour tomatoes and create a swamp effect. The root system can quickly rot, and the plant will wither. It all depends on the climate, but in general, watering is sufficient once a week.

On average, it is necessary to grow this garden crop on a window sill for two months before planting on the site. During this time the bush will get stronger enough and will be able to transfer the change of soil without serious consequences. If you work with a greenhouse, then boldly transplant the plant after 1.5 months. But it is important to guess the weather, if the nights are still cold, or frost is approaching, then the tomatoes will die after the transplantation. In addition, pick the right variety of tomatoes. There are early and late varieties, and some are only suitable for growing in a greenhouse.

With a lack of light in the room, the seedlings will become very thin and weak. As a result, she will not tolerate the "wild" conditions of the garden and die. Use artificial lighting if sunlight is not enough.

It is important to “feed up” seedlings so that they are strong and can easily transfer acclimatization. Do not forget that on the windowsill, seedlings of tomatoes need to be fed with nitrogen-containing and other fertilizers. You will quickly see the result in the form of bright green leaves and a strong trunk.

If you noticed the stretching of tomatoes in time, but it is too early to plant them, try to slow down this process. Put the seedlings in a cool place, for example, on the balcony. In other words, temper them. In a stressful state, the plant will cease to grow actively, but do not lower the temperature below + 7-8 degrees.

Reduce the amount of watering, but do not forget about the lighting and minerals. Remember, your goal is not to make the plant weak, but to reduce the speed of its development.

If the seedlings of tomatoes have outgrown, and you have already stretched bushes in your hands, do not panic. This problem is faced and solved by many people. Unfortunately, it is impossible to foresee everything, and there are things that do not depend on you. There are several proven ways to get a tasty crop of tomatoes.

The first and most common option is pruning. That is, from one bush to make two. Thus, it is possible to save the seedlings of tomatoes, and even increase its volume. The main thing is to know that you can divide a bush when it has the rudiments of stepsons, new leaves.

If you want to try out this option, you need to cut off the top of an elongated bush: not only the leaves, but also the stem. Remove all the leaves from the stem, leaving a couple of good leaves on top. And then put it in a jar of water to develop the root system. It is desirable that the water was not from the tap, and the snow or rain settled. You can also add fertilizer to it. When strong roots appear, feel free to transplant the seedling into the pot.

The second solution to the problem of overgrown tomato seedlings - landing at an angle. This is a special method due to the size of the bush. The solution can be divided into two ways.

When the plant is stretched slightly, up to about 30 cm, plant it there is no particular problem. The depth of the hole should be about 10 cm. At the bottom, put a little fertilizer and humus and fill all with water. Some gardeners believe that a longer plant needs a deeper hole. The root system in this case will develop better, but leaves and flower ovaries may fall off, which is undesirable for the fruit.

As a precautionary action, tie the tomatoes to a stick for rigidity. Such garden crops can be planted both in the greenhouse and in the open soil.

It is more difficult to plant tomatoes that have outgrown if the stem reaches 50 cm in height. In this case, gardeners use the method of landing in the elongated pits. You put tomato seedlings in a hole at an angle so that the stem can be covered with earth. Upstairs remains green about 20 cm.

Thanks to this, you retain the “strength” of the tomato, which will not grow over the entire height of the stem. This will give time for the culture to grow and blossom. With proper planting this way you will cause minimal damage to the future harvest.

Such advice you can often hear from people who grow tomatoes in the greenhouse or on the windowsill. The holes are dug not so much deep as elongated, the soil is fertilized and watered abundantly. To tie up is optional, the plant is fragile. In sunny weather, it will stretch on its own. The above are the most popular solutions.

When your tomatoes are in the garden or in the greenhouse, it's time to increase your concern for them.

• Replant shoots in the evening and on cloudy days. The bright hot sun will quickly burn all your labors.
• The young must adapt to the new conditions, so create her tenek and cool. But if it is an artificial shadow, air the room so that the seedlings do not begin to sweep.
• Do not be zealous with watering. In total should be in moderation, flood tomatoes, and the crop is not visible.
• The same goes for fertilizer. Useful prikormka positive effect on the fruit, but excessive - will ruin the tender shoots.
• When the fruits appear, tie the stem so that the tomatoes can ripen.

As you can see, the issue of overgrown tomato seedlings is solved quite easily, if the problem is identified in time. The main thing is not to panic, but to properly plant and care for the culture.

To learn how to plant overgrown tomato seedlings, see the video below.