2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Almost all gardeners, preparing for the upcoming season, begin to grow seedlings of cultivated plants in early spring. The stretching of young shoots is a big disappointment. This article will tell you how to solve this problem
A very important stage in the growth of a young plant is its release from the seed. It is during this period that the formation of the hypocotyledonous knee occurs - a section of the stem from the root to the first cotyledonous leaves. At the stage of seed germination, the diameter of the future stem and the size of the mechanical tissues that are responsible for the plant's resistance are laid down for each plant.
If an extension of the hypocotal knee is observed, then this affects the intended appearance of the plant. The deformation observed when the stem is pulled out cannot be corrected.
Growing conditions for seedlings
In order to prevent the young plant from stretching, observe the following measures:
1. Correct watering time
Take your time to sow seeds, observe planting dates. Read the instructions on the seed bag carefully, because each crop has its own sowing time. It is recommended to start sowing seeds for seedlings no earlier than March. If a plant has a long growing season, but is sown later than the optimal period, then under favorable conditions it will "catch up" even with early seedlings. There is such a thing as the ideal age for planting seedlings in the ground. So, for white cabbage of early varieties, this period is 40-50 days, for peppers, eggplant 60-65 days, tomatoes 50-55 days. Knowing this, the sowing time is calculated.
2. Balanced diet
For development, feed the seedlings with products that have complex properties. Use Zircon, Epin, Athlete, Stoprost as special growth regulators.
3. Moderate watering
As everyone knows, living organisms are almost 90% water. This also applies to plants that actively consume it during the growth period, as a result of this, a rapid cell division and increase in size occurs. With a slight lack of water when growing seedlings, vegetative growth slows down, which is a stimulus for plant development and an impetus for early flowering.
To determine that the seedlings require watering is simple - you need to squeeze the soil into a lump, if it crumbles when you press your finger, then this indicates that the seedlings already need moisture. Do not make abrupt transitions from excess to lack of water, this will not benefit the young plant, as well as watering with water below room temperature.
4. Sufficient lighting
The main factor for the growth of seedlings is lighting. If the weather is cloudy outside the window, then the appearance of the seedlings does not give pleasure and the quality of the plant decreases. Lack of light is the main problem when growing seedlings indoors. To solve this situation, experienced vegetable growers use additional lighting in the form of special lamps.
Fluorescent lamps are suitable as additional lighting, they do not emit infrared rays, therefore they do not heat or dry the leaves of the seedlings. Choose lamps with a spectrum of 830 or more, if the emission spectrum will not be lower than the result. The best fluorescent lamps for supplementary lighting have a spectrum of 965, they have a good light output.
The most effective devices for illumination are considered to be metal halide lamps, they are more expensive than fluorescent lamps, but much more reliable. Having spent money on such a lamp once, you will provide yourself with excellent seedlings and a decent harvest for many years. When choosing a photographic lamp, make sure that it emits white light that is close to natural daylight. Install the lamp above the seedlings from above, the light on the plants should fall from a height of 30 cm. The time of additional lighting depends on the weather, if the day is cloudy, then the lamp operation time will be at least 10-16 hours, on a sunny day 2-2.5 hours will be enough in the morning and in the evening.
5. Compliance with temperature conditions
Disproportionate, intense growth can be suspended by maintaining a certain room temperature. After emergence, maintain the temperature within the range from +18 to +24 degrees during the day, at night from +12 to + 16-18 ° С.
6. Pruning leaves
You can resort to the "shock" effect - to cut off the cotyledon leaves of the seedlings, as a result of this agrotechnical technique, the rapid growth and elongation of seedlings stops.
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