What to sow tomatoes in

Tomato seedlings can be grown in different containers: in common boxes, separate pots, etc. Each sowing method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Before you start preparing the containers, you need to estimate the number of seedlings and the area they will occupy. Let's look at the most popular containers that are suitable for sowing.
 

Common containers and boxes

Tomatoes tolerate picking well - so the seeds can be safely sown in common seedling boxes 8-10 cm high or food trays. It is convenient to sow the seeds of each variety in a separate tray so as not to make partitions inside the planting container.

Before filling the containers with soil, you need to make drainage holes in them and select trays where excess water will drain. It is advisable to lay out the seeds in rows, according to the 3x4 pattern. To prevent the seedlings from stretching out and to reduce damage to the root system of the plants during transplantation, do not thicken the crops. The less often the seeds are sown, the stronger and healthier the seedlings will be.

When the seedlings have real leaves, you need to transplant the seedlings into separate pots or cups with a volume of 400-500 ml. The advantage of this method of growing is that at the beginning of the growing season, the seedlings take up little space, they are easy to move, water and illuminate with phytolamps.
 

Collapsible boxes

Collapsible boxes are very convenient for growing any seedlings. As a rule, they are made of durable plastic, they have fairly large cells (about 200 ml) and such containers are suitable for long-term cultivation of seedlings without picking. Plants in such boxes are easy to care for: water quickly (you can water them directly into the tray), move them easily and turn them with the desired side facing the sun. And when it's time to plant the seedlings in a permanent place, the partitions of the box are easy to disassemble, and when removing the plants, their root system is practically not damaged.
 

Cassettes

Casettes for growing seedlings come in different types and sizes. In cassettes with small cells (up to 80-100 ml), seedlings are grown at the initial stage of vegetation. From such cassettes, plants are easily removed together with a lump of earth and transplanted into individual volumetric pots using the transshipment method. However, it is worth considering that the smaller the cells, the faster the soil dries out in them - and the seedlings often suffer from a lack of moisture and nutrition. Therefore, you should not delay transplanting.

In cassettes with a large cell (200-300 ml), tomatoes can develop much longer. And if you sow the seeds 35-40 days before planting in a permanent place, then you can plant the seedlings directly from the cassette in a greenhouse or under temporary shelter.
 

«Snails»

«Snails» for seedlings are bundles of scrap materials and soil. They are usually made of thick oilcloth or a thin substrate for laminate. Such structures take up little space and reduce damage to plant roots during transplantation.

To make a «snail» for growing tomatoes, oilcloth or substrate is cut into strips 10-12 cm wide and 50-100 cm long, nutritious disinfected soil is poured on top, leveled with a layer of 1.5-2 cm and moistened with a spray bottle. Then the material is rolled up and secured with tape, rubber bands or pins.

But it is worth considering that tomato seedlings will not be able to grow in the «snail» for long. After all, tomatoes quickly develop both the above-ground part and the root system: seedlings in the «snail» will eventually begin to stretch, bend, deviate, shading each other. Therefore, as soon as the plants have real leaves, dive the seedlings into separate pots.
 

Peat humus pots

Peat pots, or peat humus pots, are usually made of pressed peat and cardboard. Peat pots provide oxygen access to the roots and prevent moisture stagnation, which is the prevention of root rot. However, the soil in such pots dries out quickly, so you need to water the seedlings quite often, especially in sunny weather.

Peat pots take up little space and are convenient because the seedlings can be planted in the beds directly in the planting container: this does not damage the root system, the plant does not experience stress. The material from which the pot is made will gradually decompose in the soil.

When planting plants in a permanent place, the soaked and root-permeated lower part of the peat pot can be left. And it is better to remove the upper dry part so that it does not interfere with the development of the roots.
 

Plastic pots and cups

Plastic pots are convenient because they can be used for many years in a row, unlike peat pots, and the soil in them does not dry out as quickly. And when we remove seedlings from individual containers, the root system is not damaged and the plants quickly take root in a permanent place.

Cups and pots with a volume of 500 ml are suitable for growing tomatoes. If you use plastic disposable cups, do not forget to make drainage holes in the bottom and select a tray where excess water will drain. Tall glasses can initially be filled with soil only two-thirds, and then, as the seedlings grow, gradually add soil - this will promote the development of lateral roots.