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In order to grow a decent crop of tomatoes, you need to approach the matter as seriously as possible from the very beginning, armed with practical and theoretical advice from experienced gardeners. Ganichkina’s tomato planting methods are considered one of the most effective. She is a Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences and has featured in numerous television shows, articles, and authored books on how to easily and cost-effectively grow large crops at home or in the garden.
Growing conditions (light, watering, temperature)
The soil, according to Oktyabrina Ganichkina, as well as the climatic conditions of Our Country and Ukraine (abundance of sun, dry air, the possibility of frequent watering) are ideal for the growth of crops such as tomatoes. Today, we see these bright fruits all year round on supermarket shelves, they are grown in greenhouse conditions, and they are also brought from abroad. But, of course, the most valued are tomatoes grown in the open field. 
In Our Country, the tomato has been known since the 18th century, but the tomato became common in vegetable gardens from the end of the next century. There are such types of this plant according to the nature of development:
- undersized, 30-80 cm. They are distinguished by rapid ripeness;
- medium height, 100-120 cm in open ground, in closed ground – 150 cm;
- tall. In non-greenhouse conditions they can reach 2 m, and in protected conditions they reach the entire height of the greenhouse.
In each of the periods of its development, the plant requires certain external conditions. It is important to remember, Oktyabrina says, that seedlings need a short daylight hours. It is important that the tomato gets a lot of light, as the plant loves light.
The temperature regime of a tomato, which will ensure comfortable growth is as follows:
- up to 25 °С during the day;
- up to 18°C at night;
- a temperature of 30 ° C leads to shedding of flowers, as a result, to the absence of fruits;
- a short stay at temperatures up to 3 ° C is tolerated by the plant calmly.
The tomato needs constant moisture, it is very important to water it during the development of the ovaries. Many do not know that the terrain through which groundwater passes is not suitable for a plant. A humid environment is also difficult to tolerate (the cause of the development of late blight, brown spotting, fertilization difficulties), as well as frequent rains. Light is also very important for the health of this plant. The lack of light can be seen by the characteristic features identified by Oktyabrina: strongly elongated seedlings, the color of the leaves is pale green, an increase in the number of leaves, and also the almost complete absence of fruits.
If the cultivation of tomatoes does not take place in open ground, it is especially worthwhile to approach moisture issues with particular care:
- comfortable – 60-70%;
- in greenhouse conditions – 80-90%.
We plant seedlings
Seedlings are acquired, or they go through the entire process of growing from seeds on their own. Oktyabrina Ganichkina advises gardeners to germinate tomatoes themselves. When buying ready-made seedlings, you should be careful: the best seedlings are those that have low growth, but a powerful root system.
Such young bushes should be placed in the ground to the cotyledon leaves, then sprinkle the roots with soil, lightly press. It is also worth forming small holes in the soil for better heat transfer to the roots, as well as high-quality watering.
The soil for planting should not be dry. For seedlings, small glasses or boxes of 10 × 10 cm are suitable. Before planting, they need to be made a little denser and watered with a diluted Bud stimulant (1 g per 1 liter), as well as any other preparation for planting seeds. In each of the glasses we make a hole up to 1 cm, place one seed, pour the soil on top. After sowing, the containers should be placed in a warm room (24-25 ° C) with good penetration of sunlight. If you want to achieve rapid growth, Ganichkina advises putting a film on the containers, which must be removed after germination.
Ganichkina notes that with early sowing, seedlings have an increased length, and later they do not take root well in open ground. Therefore, it is important to clearly know the right time for sowing plants.
The optimal period for planting in protected ground for undersized is up to 60 days, for medium-sized ones – 70 days. They are transplanted into greenhouse conditions from May 5 (without heating). Oktyabrina also advises holding the seeds in special liquids before sowing (Bud, Agricola Vegeta, Energen, Effekton).
The temperature of the solution must be above 20 °C. The bags are placed in liquid for a day. After we carry out the process of stabbing: put the wet bag in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The seeds can then be placed in the soil. Such preparation makes the plant sustainable and affects its development in the future.
Caring for seedlings
After germination, the growth of tomato seeds is very slow, but after 2-3 weeks, growth accelerates. In order for the seedlings not to stretch, you need to make sure that they get enough light and there is an appropriate temperature. The temperature regime is observed as follows:
- during the day not higher than 18 degrees, not lower than 13 – at night – the first seven days;
- not higher than 20 degrees – during the day, not lower than 15 – at night – until the appearance of 2 and 3 leaves.
Seedlings must be watered twice, as well as fed. For the first watering, we use boiled water at a temperature of 20 ° C. We pour water only under the root, in order to prevent young leaves from rotting. Turning the cups daily with the other side facing the light will protect against disproportionate stretching of the plant. Keeping cups just on the windowsill is not worth it; it is better to come up with a stand for free penetration of air to the roots.
Ganichkina notes that after 5 days of growing a tomato, weak plants can be removed. Top dressing of the plant begins after the appearance of the first leaf.
- First top dressing: 1 l. water – 1 teaspoon “Agricola vegeta” plus growth stimulator “Kornerost”.
- The second dressing after the appearance of the third true leaf: 1 l. water – 1 tbsp. spoon “Effekton-O”. Contact with leaves is undesirable.
Seedlings need to be watered qualitatively once every 7 days. Long pauses are bad for tomatoes. In April, hardening begins by opening a window for a day. You can also transfer the tomatoes to the balcony (the temperature should not be lower than 12 ° C). If the temperature drops, then the seedlings should not be outside. During the hardening period, it is necessary to moisten the soil well. Seedlings ready for the greenhouse have a height of 15-35 cm, as well as 12 developed leaves and 1-2 inflorescences.
Grown independently on the advice of Ganichkina, the seedlings will turn into an adult healthy plant that will bring a lush harvest in the future!
Video “Growing tomatoes according to the method of Oktyabrina Ganichkina”
On the recording, the famous gardener Oktyabrina Ganichkina gives practical advice on growing tomatoes from seeds.