Why tomato seedlings stretched out and what to do?

Tomatoes - an indispensable companion of a variety of dishes. These are soups, salads, side dishes, and sauces.Tomatoes are perfectly combined with meat, other vegetables, dressings, and therefore every housewife dreams that these fruits never end in her kitchen. Prices for this vegetable can not be called the most affordable, and given its versatility and the need for large quantities, the cost is very high. And because the best solution - to grow tomatoes yourself.

It is not so difficult, however, every novice gardener faces some problems. And the most common of them - stretching seedlings.

The seedling method is at the heart of growing early tomatoes. Very often, shoots that appear are pulled up, the leaves of neighboring plants begin to touch each other and fight for space and light, the bushes become flimsy, thin and lifeless, their root system is poorly developed, old leaves fall off, large gaps are formed on the trunk between the nodes - namely this is the process of pulling seedlings.

In order to cope with the stretching of seedlings, you should first determine the exact causes of this phenomenon. Factors that have impaired growth are as follows:

• if the seeds are planted too thickly, then the emerged shoots overlap the light to each other, and therefore the sprouts begin to reach in order to get at least some sip of sunlight;
• abundant watering also leads to the fact that seedlings brighten, their stems stretch out, become too thin, usually this error is characteristic of novice gardeners and summer residents;
• the problem arises in the case of re-feeding of seedlings with nitrogen, at least - in the situation of its lack;
• the required daylight for the sprung shoots is 16 hours, in case of non-observance of this condition, the sprouts begin to drag upwards in search of the required amount of sun;
• in the first days of the emergence of shoots, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime, otherwise the seedlings will weaken in this situation;
• a good influence on the future harvest has a proper selection of soil, the wrong choice can affect the quality of seedlings, and hence the future yield.

As you can see, there can be several reasons, but one of them can also lead to a poor condition of seedlings. Having found out, that so negatively affected the growth of seeds, we will try to rectify the situation and stop the enhanced growth of seedlings.

If the cause of the pull is too thick planting, then the seedlings need to be relocated. Consider the algorithm of action.

• Prepare an elongated container, suitable box or container.
• In the ground we make shallow grooves, about 8-10 centimeters.
• Carefully separate the strongest shoots.
• Holes plentifully watered. Inside we put the shoots, gently sprinkle the root with soil, at the same time gently lift the top.
• Landing is made at a distance of 15-20 centimeters.
• Lightly press the earth, we water the stems.

If the tomato seedlings stretched out before the pick, you can correct the situation as follows:

• carefully add a spoonful of quality soil to a container with sprouts;
• 2-3 centimeters should remain up to cotyledon leaves, everything else should be hidden under the soil;
• if you want to raise the height of the container where the seeds are planted, you can use the materials at hand, for example, cut the neck and bottom of a plastic bottle of a suitable size.

Proper watering - the key to quality seedlings. Basic rules for proper watering:

• the measure must be observed: from too large a volume of water, the roots may rot, some sprouts are affected by a fungus;
• Before watering, it is necessary to check the soil; the plant needs moisture if the soil is completely dry;
• conduct fertilizer irrigation.

If the leaves have become weak and have begun to fade, then this is a sure sign of a lack of moisture. To save the situation associated with a shortage or excess of watering, it is proposed to spray the seedlings with stimulant preparations. Particularly popular in the circles of gardeners enjoys the composition of "Athlete". It can slow down the growth of the ground part, strengthen sprouts, and accelerate the growth of the root system.

It is recommended to water the seedlings with the specified means, and also to spray. The main thing is to do it no more than once a month. Also cope with the problem will help drugs "Tour" and "Stabilan".

If the seedlings began to stretch due to lack of light, then it is necessary to plant the plant on a plot with good illumination. Solar activity will help ensure good photosynthesis. Also useful is the use of fitolamp or fluorescent lamps, fixed at a height of 50 centimeters.

These measures will stop excessive growth. The use of another transplant method is recommended:

• prune the sprout to the second or third leaf;
• leave the cut off head in water, after 7 days, the roots will begin to form;
• land the top, which gave the roots, in the ground;
• leave the rest in the same position until the new stepsons appear;
• For those who have taken a step back, wait a week in the water or immediately place it in the ground in the aforementioned “recumbent” way.

A surplus of nitrogen is a common cause of stretching, however, if the seedlings are not only stretched out, but also acquired a pale green shade, the reason for this was the opposite factor - nitrogen deficiency. In this case, you need to feed the plant. To do this, we make a solution of water (10 liters) and urea (1 large spoon) and carefully pour the seedlings with the mixture. Put the pot in a cool room (8-10 degrees) for a few days. These measures should return the healthy color of the leaves, as well as stop growth.

In the event that the stretch occurred immediately before transplanting into the ground, it is worth leaving this problem as it is. True, the process of planting is important to slightly adjust, namely: to plant seedlings not in the furrows, but in the wells with a maximum depth of 10 centimeters. If you increase the depth of the hole, the plant will not be strong.

If the listed methods of plant rehabilitation did not bring positive results, then the reasons for stretching are poor-quality soil, non-observed temperature conditions or an excess of nitrogen. To avoid these problems, it is necessary to ensure preventive measures in advance.

• The most necessary substances that the soil should contain at the stage of planting seedlings are phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is not in this list, because it promotes enhanced plant growth. It is recommended to rinse the ground thoroughly with warm water before use, this will reduce the amount of nitrogen. If these measures could not prevent stretching, then transplantation of tomatoes into a special substrate will help slow the growth.
• Complex fertilizers will prevent accelerated growth and poor development of the root system. It is better to buy the mixture in specialized stores. Also, gardeners recommend the use of fruit tree ash, which contains trace elements. Suitable for this purpose infusion of chicken manure or mullein.

• Ideally, plant the seeds in separate containers in advance. If this is not possible, then they should be planted at a sufficiently large distance from each other.
• It is necessary to pick up in advance the illuminated and blown area where the seedlings will be located. Disembarkation is carried out in the period when night frosts are excluded.
• Watering should be carried out only if the soil is completely dry.
• The ideal light day for tomato seedlings is 15-16 hours. It is necessary to pay attention to the light coming from all sides evenly. The best place to grow is a window in the southern part of the house.
• Sowing is carried out at a temperature of +25 degrees. When the first shoots appear, it is required to reduce the temperature to +17 degrees. In such conditions, the seedlings should be within two to three weeks, then the room temperature should again be raised.
• In order to avoid stretching, the pot with the sprouted sprouts should be taken out on the loggia or the glazed balcony. Temperature drops should be no more than 4-5 degrees. That is, the difference between the air temperature in the room and on the balcony should not exceed the specified figures. For hardening in the cool tomatoes enough a few hours a day.

To prevent seedlings from being pulled, it is recommended to pre-select and prepare high-quality, hardy seed. Therefore, it is subjected to the following actions:

• We carry out a germination test. To do this, leave the planting material in a weak salt solution. Seeds that have surfaced, you can throw away the remaining at the bottom of the grain will be used to grow seedlings.
• For 20 minutes we release the selected seed in a one percent solution of potassium permanganate (1 gram per liter of water). He will disinfect grains, otherwise they may become infected with an infection called blackleg, which also causes the plants to be pulled out.
• Sunflower seeds, taken out of the solution, are washed and left on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 12 hours - this will harden them, make them more durable.
• Place the planting material in a special mixture to activate growth, for example, "Epin", a solution of potassium humate or sodium, aloe juice.

Competent actions at the stage of planting seedlings will avoid not only the problems associated with pulling sprouts, but also ensure a successful harvest in the future. When planting follow the following rules.

• Before sowing, fill the tank with fertile wet soil. As a container fit pots, cups, plastic containers, small boxes.
• We make furrows about 1 centimeter deep. The distance between them is at least 3 centimeters.
• We spread seeds into the dug indentations at a distance of at least a centimeter from each other, preferably more.
• Sprinkle grains with soil.
• Top cover pack with film or glass. The required humidity for seedlings is 80-90%.
• Leave at a temperature of 25-30 degrees until the spitting of the first shoots. It is recommended to keep the container near the battery.
• Daily check moisture. In case of drying, spray the soil with plenty of water. If you overdo it with moisture, you need to open the film and wait for it to dry.
• In the case of mold (due to the abundance of water), carefully remove the top layer and spray the ground with a solution of potassium permanganate or an antifungal drug, for example, Fundazole or Fitosporin.

Keep in mind that at a temperature of 25 degrees the first shoots will appear in 3-4 days; if the air temperature is 20-25 degrees, pecking is worth waiting for about 5-6 days; at a temperature of 10-12 degrees, the wait is more than 12 days.

The tricks passed on to each other by generations of gardeners, also well help cope with the presented problem.

• Many summer residents are confident in the spiritual connection of the gardener and the plant. So that the culture at the seedling stage does not stretch, they touch 2-3 times a day to the shoots with a hand from the bottom up. This method is quite effective, but, of course, there is no mysticism in it. The fact is that the touch of human hands activates the release of a special gas - ethylene, which helps to slow down excessive growth.
• Another popular way to protect seedlings from stretching is to turn the container from the sun 6-7 times a day. Thereby stimulating shoots to the light source. Sprouts concentrate on turns and begin to give all the power to this action, rather than pulling.

Some plant growers use folk recipes for making dressings of tomato seedlings. Feeding shoots at the right time in the morning, the gardener protects tomatoes from stretching, and also provides stability and strength to the stems and leaves.

• In a liter of water, several banana skins are drawn, watering is carried out every 7 days.
• Dried egg shells should be crushed and insisted for three days, stirring occasionally. Watering plants is recommended only after dilution with clean water. The recipe is useful content in the composition of the eggshell phosphorus, potassium, iron, magnesium.
• 2 kilograms of chicken manure are proposed to be dissolved in 5 liters of water. Hold for 50 hours. Dilute the mixture in water in a ratio of 1: 3, water the seedlings with the resulting solution.
• In 10 liters of water to dissolve a liter of milk and 15 drops of iodine. Mix for spraying ready for use immediately.
• It is recommended that, together with the seedlings, enter the coffee grounds in the soil, it will feed the young roots, and can also serve as a baking powder.
• In 4 liters of water insist onion peel for 3-4 days, water the young shoots with a solution.

What to do if tomatoes stretched out and how to fix it? You will learn the answers to these questions in the following video.