Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers are one of the most popular vegetable crops for growing in a garden, a summer cottage. Every year, gardeners germinate seeds, plant them in individual pots, dive, take care of the bushes in every possible way. The correct temperature for seedlings is the most important factor at all stages of plant development.
As practice shows, a crop of vegetables can be obtained in any climate zone, but the temperature indicator plays the most important role here. Before planting seedlings for permanent residence, the soil should be warmed up by sunlight to approximately + 12 ° C. Keep in mind that the earth should not be overheated either, young bushes can suffer from this.
Each individual vegetable requires its own temperature regime. What temperature can withstand seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, you will learn from the information below. These vegetables are very demanding on environmental conditions, any temperature difference or deviation from the norm can ruin your work. To prevent this from happening, consider their characteristic features.
Temperature for tomato seedlings
Consider the temperature regime for tomatoes in more detail:
- Seedlings germinate at a temperature of +12 .. + 16 degrees Celsius, after which it should gradually increase.
- At +25 .. + 30 ° C, the sprouts show active growth so that they do not stretch at this stage, the temperature should be reduced to the initial value (+14 .. + 16 degrees). In this case, the roots of seedlings begin to form even with a lack of lighting.
- What is the minimum temperature for tomato seedlings? It is necessary to ensure that it does not reach + 10 ° C, otherwise the growth of the bushes will stop. Since tomatoes are quite thermophilic, the minimum border is +12 degrees at night and +23 in the afternoon.
- The maximum temperature indicators at which flowering stops and the ovary falls - above +28 and below + 13 ° С. At high temperatures, pollen is sterilized, but at low temperatures it simply does not ripen.
- At what temperature does tomato seedlings die? Upon reaching the lower point of the scale of the thermometer - + 5 ° C or the upper - + 40 ° C, the plants first lose their appearance, but then they can even die. Index minus 0.5 ° С - death for delicate bushes.
Thus, the acceptable temperature for growing tomatoes is +20 .. + 23 during the day and +16 .. + 18 at night. For soil, the optimal indicator is similar during the day, and at night it should not fall below + 16 ° C, as this affects the adaptation (survival) of plants.
At what temperature should seedlings be brought to the balcony? Before planting it in the ground, it must be accustomed to street conditions - harden. You need to start these procedures about two weeks before planting the tomatoes for permanent residence. The open balcony for tomatoes is a great place where they adapt to the sun's rays and cold air.
When the day is warm (+ 12 ° C or higher), seedlings can be opened and taken out to fresh air - two to three hours in the first 2-3 days will be enough. After this period, it will already be possible to leave her there all day. If you decide to leave it on the balcony for the night, it will be better if you cover it with film. The temperature at this stage should not be lower than + 10 ° C, if the column of the thermometer rushes down, then do not hesitate, bring seedlings into the house. An indicator that the bushes are tempered will be a light purple shade of the foliage, do not forget to water them during the adaptation process.
The first few days, do not expose the plants to the open sun, they can get burned - the leaves turn white.
Shadow is the best place for them at first. Rooted strong seedlings can withstand even frosts, weak - immediately dies.
After 45-50 days from the appearance of seedlings, the tomatoes are sent to the beds. Wait a cloudy day for planting tomatoes in the open ground - this is an important condition. They will easily take root, but at the same time, the temperature of the soil should be acceptable (not lower than + 12 ° C).
Air and soil temperatures are also important if tomatoes are first planted in a greenhouse. The soil under the film warms up quickly, two days will be enough. Thus, the temperature of the upper layers of the soil should not be lower than + 10 ° C, otherwise the root system of plants will cease to develop, will begin to rot. Ideally, if the soil temperature in the greenhouse for planting seedlings is not lower than + 15ºС. This is an acceptable level for the harmonious adaptation of plants in a new place, the development of new roots.
Seedlings of cucumbers - growing temperature
Cucumbers are also a heat-loving crop, sprouts appear on the 4th-6th day after planting. The higher the air temperature, the faster the shoots will appear. This vegetable needs little time to please us with a harvest, from the time of the first sprouts to bite to the fruiting period, approximately 50 or 60 days pass.
Acceptable indicators for the appearance of sprouts - +25 .. + 30 ° C. After seedlings, the temperature for seedlings of cucumbers should vary from + 20 ° C to + 23 ° C. No longer needed, because excess heat and lack of light can provoke stretching of the bushes. The plants must be ventilated (open the window), and later brought to the balcony - temper.
When 4 full leaflets appear, cucumbers are transplanted into the open ground, the ground for them must be warmed up to + 18 ° С. If at nightfall the air temperature drops below +15, then the beds are strongly recommended to be covered with a film.
Cucumbers do not tolerate even minimal cooling (and dampness), at + 15 ° С their growth stops, and at + 10 ° С and lower they start to hurt - later they die. Since cucumbers grow at night, the temperature at this time of day should be at least + 18 ° C.
For cucumbers, the temperature difference between day and night indicators is very important, if it is more than 7 degrees, then the seedlings get stress. Therefore, again, do not forget about the covering material for the beds at night. In addition, provide the bushes with regular moderate watering.
Temperature for pepper seedlings
Day temperature for seedlings of peppers should be +22 .. + 25 degrees, night - +11 .. + 14 (slightly higher than that of tomatoes). Moreover, before the appearance of sprouts, it should stay within + 25 .. + 28 ° C. After the pepper rises, you need to lower it to + 20 ° C literally for 2 or 3 days, then raise it to +22 .. + 25 ° C and continue to maintain it constantly at this figure.
On non-sunny days, it is recommended that the temperature be reduced to +18 .. + 22 ° C. Also, like tomatoes, cucumbers, seedlings of peppers need to be tempered - put out on the balcony if the air temperature does not drop below + 15 ° С.
Organization of watering, timely application of fertilizing is part of an important and sometimes time-consuming process of growing vegetable crops. The temperature for seedlings should be maintained at the required level at all stages of plant development.