The key to a good harvest is the timely planting of tomatoes for seedlings and in the greenhouse, as well as the correct selection of varieties, taking into account the growing conditions of the plant. We will tell you when and how to sow seeds for seedlings and plant tomatoes in the ground, focusing on the gardener's lunar calendar in 2024, what are the features of different varieties on sale and how to properly care for the plant to achieve maximum yield.
Choosing the right variety
In 2024, in different regions, tomato seedlings will be planted for further growth in a greenhouse or in open ground.Depending on what the conditions will be, it is necessary to choose the right varieties, otherwise the plants will not take root well and will not give the expected yield.
All varieties of tomatoes presented in stores can be divided into 4 large groups:
| Group | Before fruiting |
| Ultraearly | less than 90 days |
| Early | 90-100 days |
| Medium | 100-115 days |
| Late | more than 115 days |
late varieties are not recommended for the middle zone and northern regions of the country.
The most popular today are early and ultra-early tomatoes, as well as hybrid varieties that have a certain protection against various diseases that plague gardeners in different latitudes of the country.
Greenhouse varieties
Experienced gardeners recommend choosing such proven varieties of tomatoes for planting in greenhouses:
| Sort | Group | Bush height | Fruit weight |
| Aphrodite F1 | ultratanny | 70cm | 50-100g |
| Oak tree | ultratanny | 60cm | 50-100g |
| Beautiful Lady F1 | early | 50-100cm | 120-200g |
| Kochava F1 | early | 100cm | 150-180g |
| Kostroma F1 | medium | up to 200 cm | 110-150g |
| Titanic F1 | medium | 100cm | 180-220g |
Open field varieties
Tomatoes are planted outdoors in the southern regions, where the summer is quite long and warm, as the plant is heat-loving and requires certain conditions for growth and fruiting.
The following varieties can be planted in open ground:
| Sort | Group | Bush height | Fruit weight |
| White filling 241 | early | 50-70cm | 80-130g |
| Katya F1 | ultratanny | 80cm | 110-130g |
| Lazy | early | 50cm | 300-600g |
| Lyana | early | 35-40cm | 65-90 g |
| Mongolian dwarf | ultratanny | 30-50cm | 100-200g |
| Diva F1 | early | 90-130cm | 120-150g |
| Sanka | ultratanny | 40-60cm | 80-100g |
| Dachnik | early | 40-55cm | 60-100g |
| Newbie | medium | 50-85cm | 75-105g |
Sowing seedlings
There are two ways to correctly calculate when to sow tomatoes in 2024:
- based on the recommended dates of the lunar calendar;
- depending on the weather conditions of the region and the estimated dates of planting young plants in the ground.
Auspicious dates
To make tomato seedlings strong in 2024, with a powerful stem and a good root system, it is recommended to sow seeds according to the lunar calendar. In 2024, the following days will be favorable:
| Month | Auspicious dates | Inauspicious dates |
| February | 2, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 19-21, 24-26, 29 | 9, 10, 13, 14, 22, 23 |
| March | 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 19, 22-24, 27-29 | 7, 8, 11, 12, 20, 21 |
| April | 1-3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 19, 20, 24, 25, 29, 30 | 3-5, 8, 9, 16-18 |
| May | 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 13, 16-18, 21, 22, 26, 27, 30, 31 | 1, 2, 5, 6, 14, 15, 23, 28, 29 |
You can also navigate by dates depending on the zodiac sign:
- perfect to sow when the signs are active: Cancer, Taurus, Scorpio or Pisces;
- Libra and Capricorn are considered neutral;
- sowing on the days of Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo, Leo or Aries, you can get a low yield;
- it is not recommended to sow seedlings in the days of Aquarian domination.
Calculation of sowing by day
Knowing when the period for planting tomatoes in the ground will come in your region, you can determine the convenient days of 2024 for sowing seedlings. In this case, it is worth considering the duration of the seedling growth stage recommended for different types of tomatoes:
| Sort | Recommended planting dates |
| Ultra early and early | 40-50 days from sowing |
| Medium | 50-60 days from sowing |
| Late | 60-70 days from sowing |
Thus, if in your region in 2024 the optimal conditions for planting tomato seedlings in the ground come by mid-April, then you need to sow the seeds in the second half of February or the first half of March (taking into account the characteristics of the variety).
In February and March, a heated greenhouse is used to germinate seedlings, which creates optimal conditions.
Sowing in open ground
If you plan to plant tomatoes immediately in open ground, you need to wait for the period when nighttime temperatures stay below 8-10℃, and the soil warms up to 14-15℃.
For most southern regions, this period begins in the second half of April or early May. In mid-latitudes, seedlings are recommended to be sown in greenhouses or greenhouses, since even in May the temperature regime may not be sufficient for the safe growth of young tomatoes.
Seedling care
Growing young tomatoes is not easy, because to get strong sprouts, you need to provide the plants with proper care.
Temperature:
- until seed entry - 23℃;
- first week after sprouts - 14-16℃;
- then during the daytime - 20-22℃, at night - at 16-18℃.
Watering until the entrances appear must be carried out by spraying water from a spray bottle. You can start watering the plant "under the root" only 3 days after the appearance of the entrances.
Length of daylight is very important for intensive plant growth. Tomatoes need to provide at least 12-15 hours of proper lighting. To do this, use special lamps that give light of the correct spectrum.
Containers with seedlings must be ventilated periodically. It is optimal to do this 2 times a day.
Dive is an important stage in the formation of the correct shoot. Usually young shoots dive 10-14 days after the appearance of sprouts.
Pay attention! Not all modern varieties need picking. Information on the proper care of seedlings is contained on the seed packaging, so we strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features of the purchased variety.
It is necessary to fertilize seedlings three times:
- a week after the dive;
- again (in another 7 days);
- 5 days after landing in the ground.
Immediately before planting in the garden, it is recommended to carry out the process of "hardening" of young shoots. To do this, the seedlings are taken out into the open air, located in a place protected from direct sunlight. The time spent by young shoots on the street should be increased gradually. It is worth considering that it is impossible to "harden" plants if such weather conditions are observed as:
- a sharp drop in temperature;
- rain;
- strong wind.
Ground landing
To understand when is the best time to plant tomatoes in March, April and May 2024, it is worth analyzing the lunar calendar.It is believed that the most favorable period for landing is the time of the growing moon, since these days the plants are well accepted and quickly adapt to new conditions.
| Month | Descending | New Moon | Growing | Full Moon | Descending |
| March | 01.03.24-09.03.24 | 10.03.24 | 11.03.24 - 24.03.24 | 25.03.24 | 26.03.24-31.03.24 |
| April | 01.04.24-07.04.24 | 08.04.24 | 09.04.24 - 23.04.24 | 24.04.24 | 25.04.24-30.04.24 |
| May | 01.05.24-07.05.24 | 08.05.24 | 09.05.24 - 22.04.24 | 23.04.24 | 24.05.24-31.05.24 |
Tomato seedlings are considered ready for planting if:
- a sufficient number of days have passed since sowing (taking into account the characteristics of the variety);
- stem is strong enough and 7-12 leaves are formed on it;
- the volume of foliage exceeds the volume of the stem.
For some varieties, planting seedlings with already formed buds is acceptable, but in general, such plants can tolerate transplanting worse, and their adaptation period will be delayed.
