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The consumer is already accustomed to the endless variety of varieties and hybrids of tomato that fills the horticultural market today, but still you always want something new, unusual. Cherry tomatoes do not seem to be a novelty; many got to know them better not only during the festive meal, but also by trying to grow them on their own. Well, many only look at them closer, and no, no, and the thought will flash, and not try to grow them on their site.
Moreover, among these amazing babies there are varieties that can be grown at home, on the windowsill or on the balcony. But wherever you are going to grow them in the future, cherry tomato seedlings should definitely decorate your window sills if you decide to take up this culture. After all, cherry tomatoes – even the earliest ripe varieties – cannot be sown immediately into the ground in the conditions of our short summer. They just won’t mature. Therefore, it is necessary to get better acquainted with the features of growing seedlings of these crumbs.
What are cherry tomatoes
Among the variety of small varieties, many even experienced gardeners sometimes do not see the difference between cherry, cocktail and currant tomatoes. Or even for simplicity, they are all called cherry tomatoes. But this is not entirely correct, since these types of tomatoes differ not only in size, but also in internal content.
Currant – the smallest of the tomatoes, weighing literally 5-10 g, grow in long brushes of 40-60 fruits each and really resemble clusters of currant berries. The taste of the fruits is sweet and sour and they only remotely resemble tomatoes.
Cocktail – represent the latest direction of selection. They are larger than cherry tomatoes in size, from 30 to 60 g, and have a delicious taste, due to the increased fructose content and a rather strong aroma.
Cherry tomatoes – in size are located in the middle between the two above-mentioned types, fruits from 10 to 30 g. But the most important thing that distinguishes them from all other tomatoes, including large-fruited ones, is a double concentration of dry nutrients and sugars in cell juice. And breeders have managed to bring out cherry tomatoes with strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and melon flavors. Therefore, many people perceive them more like fruits than vegetables. And the most diverse color of cherry tomato fruits also contributes a lot to this.
Choice of sowing dates
So, you decided to grow this miracle vegetable-fruit and please your loved ones with the exotic taste of cherry tomato fruits. To determine the approximate timing of planting cherry tomato seeds for seedlings, you must first decide on the choice of a particular variety. After all, if initially cherry tomatoes were created by plant breeders in Israel, as a result of an experiment on slow ripening in a hot climate, and therefore differed in late ripening and extended fruiting, many early-ripening cherry varieties have now been created.
In addition, you need to think about where you are going to plant cherry tomato seedlings in the future. If in a greenhouse, then the choice of varieties is practically unlimited, if in garden beds, then it is necessary to choose special varieties intended for growing in open ground.
Having decided on the variety of cherry tomato, find out its duration of the growing season – usually it is indicated on the bag in the description. Then subtract that number of days from the expected or desired harvest date. Subtracting another 4-5 days (average seed germination time) you will get the estimated time for planting cherry tomato seeds for seedlings.
Of course, there may be a desire to get a crop of cherry tomatoes in May, and theoretically this is quite possible, but only with the use of constant additional lighting during the winter months of seedling cultivation and the presence of a heated greenhouse. Although, some gardeners have already mastered the technology of growing cherry tomatoes in room conditions – for this you need to choose only special indoor low-growing varieties.
The harvest will ripen earlier and will be even more abundant.
For most regions, sowing cherry tomatoes for seedlings in March will be optimal.
Tanks and soil for sowing
There are two methods for growing cherry tomato seedlings: without picking and with picking. When using the first method, it is assumed that there will not be very many seedlings and seeds, so you can sow directly into individual containers or pots. If you need a large number of seedlings of cherry tomatoes for sale, treats to friends or your large plot, then it is better to sow cherry tomato seeds initially in one flat container in order to subsequently pick them up in separate pots.
In the first case, ready-made plastic cassettes or so-called seedlings are great for sowing. This is a set of several plastic containers – cups, placed in one deep tray. They are handy for uneven germination – individual cups can be moved to lighter, cooler conditions while the rest remain warm until germination. You can see a photo of such a nursery below.
In garden markets and in specialized stores, a huge variety of various soils for planting for all occasions is now presented. For sowing seeds of cherry tomatoes, it is better to choose either soil for tomatoes and peppers, or soil for growing seedlings. When buying, it is best to focus on well-known manufacturers, although in any case, it is advisable to ignite any land before sowing in the oven or spill it with a solution of biofungicides (phytosporin or gliocladin). If the earth seems too wet and dense to you, it is best to add baking powder such as perlite or vermiculite to it.
seed treatment before sowing
There are many operations that are carried out with cherry tomato seeds to increase their germination, disinfection, as well as increase the resistance and resistance to diseases of future seedlings. The main ones are listed below – this does not mean at all that it is necessary to apply them all. Choose a few that you find most suitable and easy, and treat your cherry tomato seeds before planting them.
- Sorting in 3% saline solution – pop-up seeds are discarded.
- Warming up in hot water – the seeds in a fabric bag are placed in a thermos with hot water (45 ° -50 ° C) for 20-30 minutes. Then immediately send to cool under cold water for 2-3 minutes.
- Soaking in a nutrient solution – you can use both home remedies for soaking: honey, aloe juice, wood ash solution, as well as purchased bags with trace elements and biofertilizers.
- Treatment with growth stimulants is the same soaking, only a variety of growth stimulants are used: Epin, Zircon, HB-101, Immunocytophyte, Energen, Succinic acid and many others. Instructions for obtaining a working solution are usually located on the package itself.
- Bubbling is the treatment of cherry seeds in water actively saturated with oxygen or air. It is usually carried out using an aquarium compressor, the hose of which is placed in a jar of water.
- Hardening – soaked seeds alternate in content for 12 hours either at a temperature of + 20 + 25 ° C, or in a refrigerator at a temperature of + 2-3 ° C.
- Germination – after all treatments, cherry tomato seeds are germinated in a damp cloth in a warm place until sprouts appear.
From sowing to the first transshipment / picking
The day before sowing, the prepared soil must be well moistened, mixed and hidden in a plastic bag in order to be sure of uniform moisture before sowing the seeds.
On the day of sowing, fill the prepared containers with soil and plant the seeds at a shallow depth (about 0,5-1 cm), since cherry tomato seeds are slightly smaller than usual. With a large number of seeds and the use of separate containers for planting, it is recommended to sow 2 seeds per cup. And later, after the emergence of seedlings, choose one of them, the strongest and strongest, and remove the other.
After sowing the seeds, the containers must be covered with polyethylene or glass to create greenhouse conditions of high humidity and placed in a warm place (+22°+27°C). The crops do not need light at this stage.
If cherry tomato seeds are fresh and have undergone at least some pre-treatment, germination can begin in a day or two.
Check and ventilate the makeshift greenhouse 2 times a day, and when the first shoots appear, create completely different conditions for them. They are placed in the brightest place and the temperature drops quite significantly, to + 14 ° + 16 ° C during the day and preferably another 2-3 degrees lower at night. This technique allows you to prevent the seedlings from stretching and has a beneficial effect on the development of the root system of young cherry tomatoes.
Until the first cotyledon leaves are fully opened, there is no need to water the seedlings. In general, when watering seedlings of cherry tomatoes, the basic rule should apply – it is better not to top up a little than to overfill. Although with the onset of warm, and, most importantly, sunny weather, daily watering of the seedlings will most likely be necessary. But in cloudy weather, you need to check the soil with your hand every time before watering – if it is at least a little wet, there is no need to water.
When the first two true leaves are opened, cherry tomato seedlings, if grown in one flat container, need to be picked and planted in separate pots. Here, the opinions of experts differ: some advise pinching the main root one third of the length when transplanting, others believe that this should not be done, since, on the contrary, this procedure slows down the development of plants. The choice is yours – both options are equally used in growing cherry tomato seedlings at home.
When planting plants in new containers, they can and even need to be deepened to the first cotyledon leaves. Tomatoes are very supportive of this procedure and actively begin to grow additional roots.
If cherry tomatoes were originally grown by you in separate cups or cells, then they also need to be transferred to large containers without disturbing the previous root ball. But the terms of this procedure can be more extended in time, from the first to 4-5 leaves. If the roots begin to appear from the bottom of the cups, the transshipment of seedlings cannot be postponed any longer. Roots need freedom for the active development of plants.
From the first transplant to planting seedlings in the ground
About a week after the first transplant, cherry tomato seedlings can be fed for the first time. Up to this point, the plants had enough nutrients in the soil. Moreover, it is advisable to put about a tablespoon of biohumus or other organic fertilizer together with the soil mixture at the first transplant into each new container. In this case, you can wait another 2-3 weeks before the next top dressing. If your cherry tomato seedlings seem to be stunted or unhappy with their appearance, foliar foliar feeding is the best way to quickly help. To do this, you need to dilute any complex fertilizer with microelements in a sprayer according to the instructions (boron and iron are required for cherry tomatoes) and spray the growing seedlings with this solution.
The effect of foliar feeding is almost instantaneous, unlike the traditional one, since the nutrients are immediately absorbed by the leaves and enter all parts of the cherry tomato plant.
Before planting seedlings in the ground, it must be fed 2-3 more times. Or you can, if space on the windowsill allows, transfer it several times into large containers, each time adding fresh earth mixed with organic fertilizers (biohumus, humus). In this case, top dressing is optional.
Before planting in the ground, the age of cherry tomato seedlings should be approximately 55-65 days, but, most importantly, it should have a strong thick stem, pencil-thick and up to 30 cm high. There should be at least eight real leaves. The photo below shows what a strong and healthy cherry tomato seedling should look like.
Two weeks before the proposed planting, especially when it comes to open ground, cherry tomato seedlings must be hardened off. To do this, containers with tomato seedlings are put outside in good weather at temperatures ranging from + 16 ° C for several hours. Gradually, the residence time of the seedlings on the street is adjusted to 12 hours. Cherry tomato seedlings are planted in the ground only when the average air temperature reaches + 16 ° C. Therefore, in the middle lane and to the north, it is recommended to grow cherry tomatoes in greenhouse conditions in order to fully enjoy the garlands of delicious fruits.
Conclusion
So sow seeds, grow seedlings of cherry tomatoes and, gaining additional experience in growing these exotic tomatoes, delight your loved ones with delicious and varied dishes and preparations from very healthy, sweet and beautiful fruits.
