Spring is a period of activation of summer residents. At this time, they are actively taken to growing seedlings. This procedure requires strength, attention and patience. It is necessary to prepare boxes, soil in advance, select suitable seeds and sow them. As soon as the first leaves appear on the seedlings, they are given a short period of time to get stronger and grow. After that, you can start picking.
In other words, diving is the planting of plants with their further transfer to a new environment for growth. This procedure is also necessary for the selection of high-quality and strong specimens, because fragile and weak plants are removed. Good, strong and strong sprouts are transplanted into separate containers. Picking seedlings allows you to prepare planting material for planting in open ground. Plants will be able to get stronger and quickly take root in open ground.
What is the pick for?
There is still debate among summer residents as to whether it is worth transplanting plants into small separate pots. Many sow seeds in a large container and grow seedlings there almost until the period of planting in open ground. But when should seedlings be picked?
All summer residents know that this process involves thinning rows, removing immature, weak seedlings and transplanting strong ones into separate pots or special cups.
Many are wondering why you need to use a pick. The answer is obvious, because if the sown seeds have sprouted densely, they will need to be thinned out. Many people reasonably think: why lose seedlings if they can be planted in separate cups from the beginning and soon get strong plants? But if the seeds were sown in a common box, and not in special cups or cassettes, then they still have to be transplanted. It is better to approach this procedure before the root system is intertwined. Late picking of seedlings is often accompanied by injury to delicate roots. In this case, the seedlings may not take root well in a new place.
In addition, growing in dense conditions contributes to malnutrition of the plant. Immediately after transplantation, lateral roots actively grow, a fibrous root system develops, which is formed in the upper soil layer. Transplantation of plants must be carried out under favorable conditions.
How to dive?
There are general rules for picking seedlings of any culture. The main thing is that a plant can be transplanted only at a time when more than 2 true leaves have appeared on it. At this stage of development, the main organs of the root system are already formed. And this will ensure a painless soil change.
Many gardeners claim that the picking of seedlings of some crops (for example, tomatoes) is carried out 2 times. To correctly determine the picking period, it is necessary to take into account the stage of development of the seedlings. If they are strong, they will be able to transfer the transplant well. Often this period occurs 2 weeks after the emergence of seedlings. But it is also important to consider the type of plant and its characteristics.
How to dive seedlings of tomatoes and peppers
Avid summer residents use various special containers for planting any plant: peat tablets, a sleeve for seedlings, cups, pots, etc. Often, when transplanting, they use a ready-made soil mixture purchased at a flower shop. Such soil does not need additional processing.
If you use forest, garden or soddy soil, heat treatment is necessary. This will destroy the pathogenic microflora.
To replenish beneficial microorganisms, it is necessary to pour humus under the root. This nuance is very important, because in the absence of a favorable microflora, minerals will not be broken down. This means that the root system will not receive the necessary nutrients.
Many people are interested not only in the question of how to feed the seedlings after picking, but also when exactly this should be done. You can feed seedlings already 2 weeks after transplantation. After complex fertilizers must be applied every 10 days.
Features of picking tomatoes depending on the variety
Main goaleach summer resident - getting a good harvest. To achieve a good result, it is necessary not only to choose the right seeds, but also to care for the plants from the moment they emerge. To do this, it is necessary to properly pick the seedlings of tomatoes. The required number of seedling transplants directly depends on the plant variety.
All tomatoes are conditionally divided into:
- tall;
- short;
- medium height.
Tall varieties of tomatoes need repeated replanting. For the rest, one transplant is enough.
The first pick of tomato seedlings is carried out approximately 10 days after the first shoots appear. During this period, the roots are already strong enough, which means that the procedure will be painless for the plant.
In no case should seedlings be allowed to grow. The root system of neighboring tomatoes can be confused and injured when separated. As a result, the plant may take root poorly, get sick, and this will negatively affect the quality of the crop.
Preparatory work
Before you start transplanting, you need to prepare everything for work:
- capacity;
- soil;
- water for irrigation.
The soil can be prepared by yourself at home, and not purchased in a store. To do this, mix humus, peat, forest or sod land in equal parts. To the resulting mixture add 1/3 of the washed river sand, 200 g of ash and 20 g of complex fertilizer. Everyone stirs.
Tomatoesgratefully respond to root dressings. Summer residents recommend using complex fertilizers that contain a large number of various micro and macro elements.
Make sure that there are drainage holes in the bottom of the container that will allow excess moisture to escape. Small pebbles are placed on the bottom as drainage. The vessel is filled with prepared soil, tamping it well. This ensures better adhesion of the root system to the soil. The container should be empty 1 cm from the edge.
A dark solution of potassium permanganate must be added to each cup, which will disinfect the soil.
Features of planting tomatoes
12 hours before picking, seedlings need to be watered. Saturated with moisture, the plants will transfer the transplant much easier. Work must begin either in the morning or in the evening.
Right before planting, it is necessary to moisten the soil well. In containers, using a pencil or stick, make a hole in the soil. Seedlings are carefully dug up with a spatula, removed from the soil and lowered into prepared holes. After the fingers gently press the earth around the stem.
Be sure to pay attention to the long main root. If he himself has not fallen off, he needs to be pinched off by 1/3. This stimulates the growth of lateral roots. They provide the plant with the necessary moisture and minerals.
Often summer residents resort to a different method of growing seedlings. Picking in this case does not take place in individual small cups, in a larger containersize. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that there is an optimal amount of soil for each seedling. To do this, you need to remember the scheme of planting plants. Tall varieties should be planted at a distance of 10 cm from each other, and undersized - 8 cm.
Seedlings must be planted in a checkerboard pattern. They are buried in the ground almost to the cotyledons. This planting provides a branch from the stem of adventitious roots, which enhance the nutrition of the future plant.
After transplanting, the seedlings are watered, mulched and placed in a dimly lit place. Here the seedlings should stand for about 4 days. During this period, she will move away from the received stress, take root.
Pepper picking dates, features
All summer residents know that pepper is a rather capricious culture. Being engaged in its cultivation, it is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the plant. Otherwise, minor errors can cause the development of various diseases, which will further affect the yield. Getting a good harvest directly depends on the correct picking of pepper seedlings. Of course, you should also create optimal conditions for the development of seedlings - provide the necessary amount of nutrients, moisture and lighting.
To obtain seedlings without picking, it is enough to sow the seeds immediately in separate containers. In this case, the plant will develop in one place before planting in open ground.
If the seeds were sown in a common large container, then seedlings should be planted at the stage of appearance of 2 true leaves. Atin dense planting, picking pepper seedlings should be carried out at the stage of formation of 3-4 leaves. After all, by this time the seedlings begin to actively fight for survival.
It is impossible to name the exact date of planting seedlings. If they were sown in early February, then picking should be carried out in March. The main thing is to monitor the condition of the stems and leaves.
How to plant peppers
Before planting, it is necessary to water the soil abundantly. Containers are prepared, most often peat pots are used. Already grown seedlings can be transferred to open ground directly with a pot.
Transplanting pepper seedlings follows the same principle as planting tomatoes. Only the main root needs to be pinched to a ¼ part. It should be remembered that in no case should you bury pepper seedlings during transplantation! Adventitious roots will not appear from the stem, so such seedlings can get sick, rot and even die.
The transplanted plants are watered, mulched and placed in a dark place for several days.
Strawberry Pick
Picking strawberry seedlings consists in transplanting the plant into an individual pot filled with suitable soil. The moment of transplantation is the appearance of 2-4 true leaves. The optimal container is 9 cm in diameter and 11 cm deep. When planting strawberry seedlings in a common container, one should be guided by a planting pattern of 8 x 8 cm.
The ideal soil mixture for transplanting is prepared from the following ingredients:
- garden soil (3 parts);
- peat (6 parts);
- coarse sand (1 part);
- mineral fertilizers (per 1 kg of soil 2-3 g).
If it is not possible to use peat, you can replace it with a mixture of humus and earth, taken in equal proportions.
Conclusion
Picking is an important step in growing high-quality, he althy seedlings, which will give a good harvest in the future. It is important to properly transplant a plant, given its type, variety and characteristics.
