How to plant seeds for seedlings in peat tablets? How to plant seeds in peat tablets and why they are good What can be planted in peat tablets.

To date, invented different ways, allowing to simplify and speed up the process of germinating seeds for seedlings. One such method is the use of special peat tablets. With the help of an environmentally friendly device, growing becomes a pleasant and easy process. Peat tablets are easy to use and, thanks to their unique composition, provide seedlings with nutrients.

The advantage of peat tablets

The shape of the peat seedling sprout tablets resemble ordinary medical tablets, only much larger. They contain a large number of useful trace elements and other substances that have a beneficial effect on the development and growth of plants. Peat-based tablets help to grow a full-fledged strong plant that can give in the future good harvest.

The tablets are peat pressed into a round washer, wrapped in a special mesh.

The initial size of peat tablets is 8 centimeters in diameter and 3 centimeters in height. And the soaked, ready-to-use peat tablets increase several times in height, while the diameter remains unchanged. Planting seeds in peat tablets has a number of advantages over other germination methods:

rapid ascent of seeds;
ease of use;
saving space;
financial benefit.

The soft consistency of peat allows you to keep the root system of plants intact. The structure of peat provides easy penetration of water and air to the roots, which is favorable for the rapid development of seedlings. Even an inexperienced gardener can plant seeds in peat tablets. Seedlings grown in these devices are easy to transplant to permanent place, as they are planted together with peat without prior extraction.

How to plant seeds

Before planting seeds, you need to pick up a container made of transparent plastic, which will act as a mini-greenhouse. For this, packages from under the cake, salads and other similar containers are quite suitable. The height of the container should be sufficient to fit several times larger tablets, as well as seedlings.

The process of planting seeds in peat devices, although simple, requires a clear implementation of several steps:

1. First, remove the cellophane wrapper from the purchased washer, which protects it from damage and possible shedding.
2. The tablets are laid out in the prepared container up with the side where there is a hole for the seed. At the same time, the nylon mesh is not removed. It is necessary to maintain the shape of the substrate. The tablets are stacked tightly to each other so that they do not turn over when they swell.
3. Then pour warm water into the container to make the tablets swell. Water should not be poured onto the washers themselves, but into the pan so as not to destroy them. In this case, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate, growth stimulants, fertilizers or fungicides. Water will be absorbed in about half an hour, after which excess moisture should be removed from the pan with a sponge.
4. Seeds are planted in the prepared tablets by placing them in a recess in the center of the peat column. Seeds can be planted singly or in multiples, depending on their size and value.

The seed should be planted at a depth that is twice its size. If they are very small, then you can not bury them, but simply scatter them on the surface without covering them with a substrate.

Growing seedlings

After all the seeds have been sown, the container in which the posts are located must be covered with a lid with holes made in advance. This will allow air to circulate and prevent stagnation. The prepared mini-greenhouse is placed on the windowsill on the south side of the apartment so that the plants have enough light. If the daylight hours are short, then you can use special lamps for plants, highlighting the greenhouse with them.

You can not allow the effect of cold on the greenhouse, it will destroy the plants. If it is cold on the windowsill, then a piece of foam or foam rubber should be placed under the container for thermal insulation and protection from drafts. When condensation begins to collect inside the cover, it must be periodically removed and the plants ventilated. After germination, the lid is removed completely and the container is placed in such a way that the seedlings have enough light. You need to moisten the seedlings from below, pouring water into the bottom of the container, and spray the top of the plants with water from a spray bottle.

After root system will develop well enough to penetrate the bollard netting, increase the space between the seedlings to prevent entanglement of the root systems. Before the appearance of green leaves, the seedlings do not need to be fed, as it has enough of that amount. useful substances, which was incorporated into the tablet during its production. Then you can add the first mineral fertilizers. But as practice shows, in most cases this is not required.

Before planting seedlings that have been grown in peat devices, they do not need to dive. Simply loosen the soil in your bed or flowerpot to a depth that will allow you to place the peat column flush with the surface or slightly lower. The mesh that bounds the peat column can be removed or left in place. It does not interfere with the development of the root system in any way, and over time it completely dissolves in the soil. After that, the peat will mix with the soil and will at first act as a fertilizer.

Peat tablets were invented to make it easier for gardeners to grow seedlings and enrich the root system of plants with everything they need. In this case, the most favorable microclimate is created for the plants: the necessary humidity, air access and a suitable substrate density.

Many gardeners tend to plant petunias on their own. But this does not always work out due to the fact that unsuitable conditions for germination are chosen. by the most the best way for planting it is recognized to consider rooting in tablets of compressed peat. Before deepening the seedlings, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the rules for planting and growing seedlings of a bright beauty. The information in this article will help you learn how to properly plant petunia seeds for seedlings in peat tablets. In addition, you are expected step by step instructions, recommendations, tips, videos.

What are peat tablets, what are they, the benefits of planting

Peat tablets are round plates made from compressed peat of several varieties. Manufacturers add a certain set of mineral components to the composition of the material, as well as trace elements that stimulate the growth of the root system. In a kind of dragee, all the required nutrients for good start development of a young seedling.

WITH outside peat tablet is fixed with a dense mesh, which perfectly passes excess moisture to the outside. Through the fabric shell, which is the mesh, the necessary air easily penetrates. This property is required for the normal development of petunia seedling rhizomes at home.

Also specific shell holds its shape very well. When peat absorbs nutrient moisture, the latter tends to swell. At this point, the mesh does not allow the inner soil to fall apart, remaining in the form of an inflated barrel.

Thanks to all the advantages of this method, using peat tablets for petunia seedlings is very easy and convenient.

There are the following advantages for planting seed material:

Peat tablets look like full-fledged cups, no need to prepare plastic containers to accommodate petunia seedlings.
When placed take small area.
Designed specifically for planting small seeds (like petunias) - they have a special groove.
have specific internal structure– porous inside, excellent permeable to both moisture and air. The soil constantly remains airy and loose, which has a beneficial effect on fast development root system.
When planting petunias in tablets no additional mineral fertilizers are required to stimulate seed development. More full information about feeding petunia seedlings in other cases, you can study.
It is impossible to over-water the plant causing stagnation of water in the soil. All excess nutrient moisture that is not required for the plant flows into the pan. It is poured out of the pallet.

Important! Planting a plant in open ground, it is necessary to cut the mesh in the middle and completely remove it from the peat. If this is not done, then the root system will completely fill the entire space, as a result, the flower will begin to wither and eventually die.

Tablets come in various sizes: 27, 36, 42, 70, 90 mm. For germination of seedlings, both the smallest and largest sizes are suitable. Before you plant petunia seeds in peat tablets, you should choose optimal size for planting material.

The photo below illustrates what petunia seedlings planted in peat tablets look like:

Important! Purchase well-packaged tablets. It is imperative to check that they have a protective polyethylene mesh and a forming mesh. Without their presence, material for planting petunia seeds is not worth buying.

How to plant petunia seeds in peat tablets

For planting the seed material of petunias, a certain time is selected. Deadlines are set for different varieties separately. Landing in most cases takes place in March. With early planting, the appeared sprouts will have to be additionally highlighted with phytolamps. If you sow the petunia for seedlings in peat tablets, then the seedlings for planting will be ready in 3 months.

Note! Choosing T orphic tablets for growing petunias from seeds at home, it is better to stop at a cassette diameter of 4 cm.

Let's figure out how to plant petunia seeds in peat tablets step by step.

First of all necessary pre-prepare the planting soil. A deep container is selected in which the tablets are placed in one row. Water is poured on top of them and left for a short time (up to 30 minutes). They manage to absorb all the moisture from the container and turn into a kind of barrels, having increased by 8 times.

Important! It is forbidden to abruptly pour water into the pan, as the liquid that has fallen on the peat can wash out all the nutrients contained in the soil.

After the water has been completely absorbed, the remaining moisture should be removed from the pan. Now the landing process begins. Petunia seeds are the smallest grains. A moistened toothpick will help to sow the petunia in peat tablets correctly. With its help, small seeds are picked up and laid out in the hole located on top of the tablet.

Carefully! After sowing petunias in peat tablets, the seeds should be slightly pressed into the ground. Under no circumstances should the seeds be buried in the soil. Then they will rot and will not rise. Seed germination is stimulated only in the light.

In specialized stores, pelleted seeds are sold in almost all packages. They have a dense shell, equipped with nutrients that help the sprout hatch faster, while nourishing it with a growth stimulator. For accelerated germination, you can help dissolve the upper shell. For this use a spray bottle by sprinkling planting petunias with warm water.

Landings are covered with a plastic cover or film in order to create greenhouse conditions and promote rapid germination of petunia seeds at home.

step by step photography planting petunias in peat tablets:

The greenhouse is placed in a warm place where there is a lot of sunlight.. It is recommended to keep the temperature inside the tank at +21..+25 0 C. Lowering the air degrees negatively affects the seedlings, they stop growing.

Video: how to properly plant a petunia for seedlings with seeds in peat tablets.

Petunia seedling care after germination

After sowing petunia seeds for seedlings in peat tablets, you should periodically open the container for watering and removing condensate.

Attention! The first shoots appear after 5-15 days. Some earlier, others slightly later, but almost all of the landed planting material has good germination.

To obtain quality seedlings, you should properly care for petunia in peat tablets after germination:

Emerging seedlings need to be constantly monitored. temperature for rapid growth should be left at +22 0 C, placing the container with plantings in a sunny place. On cloudy days, it is worth additionally highlighting with phytolamps in order to withstand daylight hours for 12-14 hours.
During the opening of the greenhouse It is recommended not only to ventilate, but also soft cloth or with a napkin to eliminate wet evaporation. This will help prevent any fungal diseases, which often affects young seedlings, for example, a black leg.
There are no specific requirements for watering petunia seedlings in peat tablets. It is necessary to carry out the introduction of nutrient moisture at the moment when the peat begins to dry out.. Having completely dried out, the soil will entail the death of a developed plant. Irrigation requires settled water room temperature. After watering, water that has seeped through the soil must be removed from the pan.
Feeding should not be done. All nutrients are pre-packaged in a peat pot. If at this stage you feed the plant at home, you can provoke a bush disease. It is better to leave the shrub without mineral supplement than destroy him.

Transplanting seedlings in open ground

transplant petunias in open ground from peat tablets are carried out in the last days of May and until the middle of the first decade of June. These terms are optimal for planting in the southern regions of Russia and above, due to the fact that the air temperature is set at a positive level of + 10 + 15 0 C. At the same time, the soil warms up thoroughly, and there is no longer any danger in the last frosts that can destroy tender seedlings.

Attention! Before planting in open ground, the mesh on the ground must be cut off, otherwise the seedling will outlive itself and die from lack of soil.

Although many gardeners advise leaving the grid, arguing that it will dissolve on its own, such a judgment is wrong - it will remain and will interfere with the development of the root system.

Before carrying out planting activities in open ground, seedlings should be prepared and training days arranged for them. 9-10 days before transplanting the petunia from peat tablets into open ground, it is necessary to stop watering the seedlings, but at the same time, do not allow the peat to dry out completely.

Take the pots outdoors daily to harden them. Here's how to do it:

On the first day, hold them for no more than 5 minutes. fresh air. The next day, it is worth slightly increasing the interval of air baths.
By day 10, petunia seedlings in tablets should be taken outside for the whole day.
In the next 3 days, you need to leave the plant to spend the night on the street, but under a canopy, so that in case of rain the drops do not fall on the seedlings.
On the last day before the start landing work you should start preparing a flower bed or garden where the plant will be placed.

If the acidity level of the earth does not show 5.5, then an additional 0.2 kg per 1 m 2 of lime should be added. It will equalize the pH environment in the area to the required level. It is possible to introduce rotted humus into the soil, the plant will respond to such top dressing with active growth and development of both green mass and rhizomes.

Landing in open ground should be carried out early in the morning, but best late in the evening. During the night, the plant will be able to acclimatize in a new place. Besides, the best option it will be a cloudy warm day.

A hole in the ground should be dug no more than 10 cm both in depth and in width. Distance between holes for planting seedlings of petunia in peat tablets is required choose based on variety which you want to grow at home:

For small-flowered petunias - from 19 to 22 cm;
For large-flowered bushes - 24-28 cm apart;
For bush plants - up to 35 cm.

Important! When transplanting petunias into open ground, in no case should you get seedlings from a tablet - all rhizomes will be damaged. The only thing that needs to be done is to carefully cut and remove the mesh.

The plant is placed in the ground and covered with earth from above, slightly compacted from above. Must be watered large quantity warm water. This is necessary to smooth out the difference between open ground and peat land.

Further care should be carried out according to the recommendations for caring for adult petunia shrubs.

Thus, planting petunia seeds for seedlings in peat tablets is the most the best way for growing seedlings. This method does not require additional care at home while in separate flowerpots. Planting seedlings is carried out together with a lump of peat, from which the plant receives all the nutrients. Therefore, gardeners in most cases choose this particular method of sowing seeds, which helps to grow remarkably healthy and high-quality seedlings of beautiful flowers.

Video: proper fit petunias for seedlings in peat tablets.

In contact with

For growing seedlings that do not tolerate transplantation, peat seedling tablets are a convenient thing. In addition, the seeds do not always germinate together, and in this case it is possible to transfer the “first-born” to cool place, and give the latecomers the opportunity to "soak up" in the warmth. This year I will plant tomatoes and peppers in tablets, s, I don’t plant one-year-olds due to the catastrophic lack of time in the summer. As they grow, I will transplant into larger containers.

True, I was very worried about the question - do they have an expiration date? That is, immediately purchase a large number of 30-100 pieces in order to use them next year. They are small and compact, I liked them. It turned out to be possible. If stored in a dry place, they absolutely do not lose their properties.

How to plant in peat tablets

First you need to pour dry tablets with warm water (for efficiency, I added epin), and wait 5 minutes until it increases in size. It increases in height by about 7 times. Then drain the water, expand the recess that is in the upper part of the tablet, place the seeds there, 2 - 3 pieces, depending on the germination of the seeds, not all will sprout. Place the tablets in a greenhouse or mini-greenhouse for better seed germination.

Be sure to monitor the humidity and water the seedlings regularly. The thing is that the tablets dry very quickly and you need to constantly monitor their moisture content. It is very convenient to use peat tablets, planting cucumbers in peat tablets is especially good. Because cucumbers do not tolerate when their roots are disturbed during transplantation, and if you grow cucumbers and other similar plants in peat tablets, then they can be immediately transplanted into the garden in the garden, under and the roots are not damaged.

Flower seedlings, for example petunias, and strawberry seedlings grow well in peat briquettes. And making a mini-greenhouse for peat briquettes is very simple. You need 2 cups. In one we put a soaked briquette with seeds or a sprout, and close it with another glass on top.

Peat tablets reviews when using

It is very convenient to germinate tomatoes and peppers anyway, then transplant them into large cups. If they are placed on the ground or sawdust, peat small roots will sprout and then easily separate after transportation.

It all depends on the size of the roots and the plant itself, agricultural technology. Lettuce, cabbage, as it grows, can be immediately transplanted into a polycarbonate greenhouse or greenhouse without damaging the roots. It all depends on the number of transplants and the size of the required coma. It is convenient to transplant a tomato into a large container to shove it deeper and not every large container is suitable for a large tablet if it is lowered and sprinkled. Dive tomatoes quite crumbs. It is easier not to weaken by pulling out the roots with breaks, but simply germinate in tablets. Cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini and watermelons generally do not like transplantation. Sprouted and while the little ones were buried in a large container before planting in (or immediately in peat pots). Let us consider more specifically how to use seedling tablets for certain crops.

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How to plant cabbage in peat tablets

A peat tablet is prepared for any planting of seeds in the same way - it must be filled with warm water and swell to a state ready for use. Cabbage seeds, if they are not bought in a store, undergo hardening preparation in the form of immersion in hot (about 50 C) water for 15 minutes, and then in cold water for a couple of minutes, followed by drying. Two seeds are planted in each tablet in order to remove the weaker sprout in the future. Cabbage is quite demanding on light, i.e. seed tablets should be conveniently placed in a seedling box, which in turn is placed in a well-lit area of the window.

Also, cabbage moisture-loving plant, and the tablets, as we remember, dry quickly, therefore it is very important to observe the timely watering of the tablets when growing cabbage seedlings in this way. At the first stage of growth, the seedlings do not need to be fed, but since the tablets themselves do not contain useful nutrients, like some soils, it is planned to fertilize the seedlings in the future. So, what if someone has a question: is it possible to plant cabbage in peat tablets? Of course you can! The main thing is not to forget about care - air and water, in fact, like any other plant.

Planting tomatoes in a peat tablet

Tomatoes in peat tablets (planted in the same way as described above about cabbage) are germinated until the central root of the plant appears from the bottom of the tablet. After that, cut the root and cut the tablet itself from 2 or 4 sides, place it in a larger and more convenient container, for example, in a plastic half-liter glass or a cut eggplant, adding nutrient soil to it.

You can plant peppers in peat tablets in the same way as tomatoes. In the case of the germination of pepper seeds, it is better to use the planting of two seeds at once, so that in the future it will be possible to choose the stronger one from the two sprouts, removing the weak one.

Planting eggplant in a peat tablet

Eggplants are recommended to be planted in a tablet with a larger diameter than tomatoes and peppers, preferably in a 7 cm tablet. You should not put them very close to neighboring eggplants so that the roots do not intertwine during formation. How to transplant eggplant from tablets into open ground? This issue is more pressing, unlike transplanting seedlings, such as tomatoes, which tolerate transplanting much more easily than eggplant. Therefore, it is worth carefully cutting the mesh on the tablet, placing the eggplant sprout in the prepared hole, without deepening the plant to a greater depth than it was germinated from the tablet.

How to plant flowers in a peat tablet?

In peat tablets, it is convenient to germinate flowers that are considered difficult to grow, for example:

Eustoma - very small seeds of this flower should be applied to the tablet with a moistened tip of a toothpick, 4-5 pieces per tablet surface. Sufficient moisture without overflow will sprout in a week and a half. With the formation of several pairs of leaves at the seedling, it is already possible to transplant it into a separate pot and wait for sufficient warming for suburban area for transplanting it into open ground.
Petunia. Practical recommendations for eustoma, they are also suitable for this capricious and difficult-to-sprout flower. The seeds are just as small and the toothpick is just as relevant.
Balsams. Very well proven in germination in peat tablets. The seedlings grow very quickly, and in the first week they form a strong, viable sprout, which after a while pleases with a well-formed bush. It is worth monitoring the roots growing through the tablet in order to give them more space in time - transplanting into a large container before transferring to open ground.

Many houseplants such as cyclamens and violets can also be easily propagated in peat tablets.

Tips and reviews for growing seeds in peat tablets

There are peat tablets for seedlings of 2 cm and 4 cm, meaning in height. But I can’t even imagine what 2 cm is suitable for. It's easier to grow everything in 4 cm! I have grown in them. ampelous petunia, sown in March, before planting in the ground, transplanted along with tablets into cups! And what then about 2 cm to speak? Probably just something very small and slow growing, like primroses.

Growing in peat tablets reviews of an experienced gardener: rastyukhi, such as sweet peas, can be planted in tablets only if each tablet is in its own additional container (cup) so that the tablets cannot come into contact with each other. Sweet pea he does not like transplantation and his roots are very tender, but they grow very quickly and all the tablets are intertwined with each other by these roots. It is very difficult to separate them without injury.

Many people like to grow seedlings with their own hands. This process captivates and captivates, makes it possible to observe the birth of a sprout and its development.

At the same time, of course, every gardener wants to have strong seedlings with a strong root system. In a word, one that will give a good harvest and justify the financial and labor costs invested in it, as well as the time spent.

The benefits of peat for seedlings

How younger plant, the more it is sensitive and demanding to correct composition substrate, adequate nutrition, temperature and light conditions.

V last years peat tablets for seedlings appeared to help gardeners, allowing them not to waste time and effort on providing plants with suitable soil.

In addition to the actual substrate, composed of necessary elements in the right proportions, they contain nutrition for the seeds, which will provide them with everything they need.

Many experienced gardeners also consider peat mixtures to be the best substrate for seedlings. Due to its air and moisture permeability, as well as saturation with a large amount nutrients, seedlings will receive the right nutrition, which will allow it to develop actively and successfully.

Having appeared not very long ago on the market, they won the favor of buyers. On sale there are tablets for planting seedlings, combining a convenient form and beneficial effect peat substrate.

They are used by both professionals and amateur gardeners. direct appointment tablets consists of:

cultivation;
seed germination;
rooting cuttings
application as a soil for.

Peat consists of rotted marsh vegetation and mosses, in which nature has laid the full composition.

Did you know? Beneficial features peat is even used in the preparation of certain preparations for the treatment of eyes, joints, of cardio-vascular system and eczema.

Washers are a dry compressed substance enriched with antibacterial additives, growth stimulants and. Similar in shape to a pill, they got their name. The product is packed in a mesh that keeps it from spilling during use.

It can be removed so that the root system feels freer and develops better, or you can leave it as it is: the roots grow through it perfectly.

The composition of the washer is optimally balanced for the speedy germination of seeds and the comfortable well-being of plants.

A mixture of peat and humus saturates the plant with nutrients.
Antibacterial drugs inhibit the growth of pathogens.
Minerals stimulate growth.

In the manufacture of tablets, peat is used, which has a different fraction and, information about this should be present on the package.

Before buying tablets, you should find out what acidity the medium is required for the plants planted in them.

Neglecting this factor, one can get deplorable results in the form of a slowdown in growth and development, and even death of seedlings or seeds.

Did you know? About 3% of the entire solid surface of the planet is peat. Only Scottish lands are 30% peat. Russian peatlands occupy 32%, that is, a third of the entire territory of the state, and up to 280 million tons are produced annually.

You can not buy peat tablets for seedlings in bulk without packaging, which contains information about the characteristics of the substrate and its purpose, as well as detailed description how to use them.

Instructions for use of peat tablets

The use is not difficult. It is this simplicity, combined with the benefits for plants, that has won a huge number of fans.

Planting seedlings in tablets still requires some skills and following simple rules, despite the ease of use. Consider step by step how to use peat tablets.

First of all, the puck should be freed from the plastic packaging that protects it from premature shedding and other damage.
Place in a pre-selected container with a transparent lid, which will serve as a mini, right amount pills with the hole for the seed up.

At the same time, it is impossible to remove the nylon mesh - it subsequently retains its shape and prevents the substrate from scattering.

It is better if the tablets are located tightly, in contact with each other. Having swollen, in this case they will not deform and turn over, tightly held by their neighbors.

For fixation, disinfected sand poured onto the bottom is sometimes used. Tablets are installed in it, and it is subsequently watered. This method makes it somewhat difficult to control the moisture in the greenhouse, but you can not be afraid of displacement and falling during deformation.

A few words about the mini container. It should accommodate the number of peat washers you need, so you should “try on” how they will be located in advance.

It must be remembered that after swelling, the tablets will grow eight times in height, turning into columns. This circumstance must be taken into account when choosing a container, as well as not to forget about the place for the future sprouting sprout. The sum of these values is its height.
Best for these purposes is a disposable cake container, salad containers and other disposable tableware with transparent lids.

The location of each column in a separate container, for example, plastic cups, is impractical at any decent scale: after all, each of them will need to be covered with something transparent, and subsequently create the same microclimate.

It is much more convenient to place them under one "roof", where you can easily care for and control the process. Even a plastic bag fixed on top with an elastic band can play the role of a “roof”.

Fill them with warm water to swell.

It is not necessary to pour water into the tablets themselves, the jet can deform them. It is better to pour it into the pan in which they are located, in small portions to avoid floating.

Absorb excess water half an hour after the tablets swell and turn into columns, absorb with a sponge without turning the container with the contents over.

Important! Cold water will be absorbed longer than warm, you need to take this into account for the correct calculation of time.

Once the swollen posts are ready to receive the seeds, it's time to sow them into the substrate. In the recess made in the middle of the top of the washer, one or two should be placed, depending on the value and quantity of the available seed, prepared seed. They can be dry, soaked, processed and so on.

When sowing, remember the rule that seeds should be buried in the ground to a depth equal to two seed sizes. Small seeds can simply be laid out on the surface of the soil without covering with a layer of substrate.

Important! It is recommended to scatter very small and especially valuable seeds on paper of a contrasting color and, picking up a seed with the tip of a moistened toothpick, place it in the place of future habitat.

Sowing in a suitable way all prepared posts, the container in which they are located, should be covered with a lid with several ventilation holes that must be done to avoid stagnation of air and related processes.

A mini-greenhouse is placed in a warm and bright place, on a windowsill, the window of which faces south, west or east. If there is not enough light, additional illumination is necessary with special ones to ensure its biological daylight hours.

Important! Cold is a big enemy of seedlings, therefore, if the window sill is cold, you should put it under the greenhouse thermal insulation material: Styrofoam, foam rubber and the like. Drafts should also be avoided.

From the moment when condensation appears on the inside of the lid, the seedlings need to be ventilated.

After the plants have hatched and shown their cotyledon leaves, the lid should be removed and make sure that they still have enough light.

Watering is carried out not in columns, but on the bottom of the container, the aerial part of the plants is sprayed with a spray gun.

Important! In no case should the peat be allowed to dry out - this will seriously damage, or even destroy, the seedlings.

After the developed and strengthened root system begins to leave the limits of the tablet, it is very important to move them away from each other so that the roots of the neighbors do not penetrate. In this case, it will be impossible to separate them without injuring them, and a strong and healthy root is the key to a strong plant and future harvest.

Picking, or transplanting seedlings from boxes into open ground, is a real stress for any plant. There is a high probability of damage to the root system, or that a fungus lurks in the black soil. In order to get a strong and healthy shoot from the grain, which will give a rich harvest, modern summer residents use peat tablets.

The benefits of peat tablets

In specialized stores, you can find brown washers of various diameters with a recess for seeds. Outside - a fine-mesh mesh that holds compressed high-moor peat with antibacterial additives and mineral components that nourish the plant.

There are several advantages of tablets:

The base is breathable, so the root system is constantly supplied with oxygen.
Such alternative pots are compact and do not take up much space. Tablets of small diameter can easily fit in a cake box.
Seedlings during transplantation are not removed from the peat base, but placed in the ground along with it.
The outer shell dissolves gradually, and at the initial stage protects immature plants from the fungus.
Thanks to mineral additives and growth stimulants, the seeds do not need additional fertilizer, and the shoots are strong and give a rich harvest.
In peat tablets, capricious and tender plants. Such devices are often used for growing expensive crops, and seedlings that do not tolerate picking.

How to choose peat tablets

It is better to buy tablets with a loose structure, because in coarse and tightly pressed varieties, the root system does not develop well and becomes weak. coniferous plants and flowers love acidic soil. vegetable crops and strawberries need to be grown in a neutral environment. It is worth buying tablets in boxes where the acidity level is indicated.

Size matters
Tablets with a diameter of 24 to 36 mm are suitable for small seeds of strawberries or petunias. Variants ranging in size from 41 to 70 mm are used for growing eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage, which need a lot of room for root development.

Saving is bad
Some summer residents choose cheap tablets without a paper shell, but it is better not to spare money and buy copies in cardboard cups. First, they are impregnated with fungicides that will protect plants from fungus. Secondly, it is thanks to the shell that the peat keeps its shape during swelling, otherwise it will crumble and fall apart in the hands.

Before use, tablets must be soaked in water so that they swell and increase in size by 6 times, and sometimes all 8.

You can put the peat base on a tray, plastic or iron, in plastic box from under the cake or from under the rolls and other products that do not leak and have a lid.
The recess for the seeds should be on top, because it is better not to turn over the swollen tablets.
Spacing between alternative pots must be maintained, otherwise, during growth, the seedlings may become intertwined with roots, and it will be difficult to carefully separate them.
It is better to take warm water, then the peat swells faster. Pour the liquid onto the tray so that it covers the tablets with the top. After 2-3 minutes, they will begin to absorb moisture and rise up.
If necessary, add a little water until the peat stops absorbing it. Drain any remaining liquid so that it does not stagnate in the tray.
If necessary, you can break the grid at the top to expand the crop area. Bend the edges inward so that they do not interfere and do not catch on each other.
In cases where only one grain is placed in a tablet, it is not necessary to tear the mesh.

Tip: Peat tablets can be placed on a pallet, in a cassette with special cells, or in a box filled with coarse river sand, which will take away excess water, preventing the appearance of rot and fungus.

Planting material is carefully checked and sorted out, empty and damaged specimens are discarded. Large seeds, like those of cucumbers or tomatoes, are stuck into peat and pushed inside with a finger. The grain should be at a depth, which is calculated by the formula: 2 * length of the workpiece. From above it is sprinkled with a layer of humus, or peat is carefully raked from the edges to the center of the tablet.

Small seeds, like those of strawberries or some garden flowers, are pryed with a damp toothpick or match. Put the workpiece in the recess, and lightly sprinkle with soil, or leave it open if the culture likes a lot of light.

How much to plant
To grow ordinary seedlings, for example, cucumbers or cabbage, you need to stick 2-3 seeds. Usually everyone takes root, but only the strongest and strongest sprout should be left. Pull out the rest carefully.

Expensive specimens are spent more economically: for 1 tablet of peat, only 1 seed, a maximum of 2, to be sure that the culture will germinate.

Optimal conditions for growing seedlings

Containers with future seedlings are covered plastic lid or a piece of plastic bag. You can use glass. Put the drawers on the bedside table or bookcase, the room should be warm, because in cold conditions the seedlings do not germinate, freeze, and die.

Do not place tablets near batteries or other heating objects. The soil will dry out, and the plants will become weak, in need of additional feeding.

During the day, you can put containers with seeds on the windowsill so that sunlight falls on them. It is useful to open the lid for 1-2 hours daily to prevent condensation inside the box.

Tip: Peat tablets with capricious plants can be placed in plastic cups which are covered with plastic bags. Thanks to the effect of a miniature greenhouse, seedlings hatch faster.

You can not keep the seeds on the windowsill around the clock, especially at night. They freeze, and make their way outside later than specimens that were in warm conditions. When pots with plants are on the windowsill, you can not open the window for ventilation.

Rules for watering peat tablets

Until the seedlings hatch, you can spray peat tablets from the sprayer so that they do not dry out, but do not get wet either. If a white fluff appears on them, you need to reduce the amount of liquid.

Water must be defended for at least a day, so that harmful impurities settle to the bottom. white bloom on tablets indicates an excess of salt and heavy metals. In this case, it is better to pass water through the filter.

The peat should dry out a bit between waterings. If the soil remains wet, it is better not to add liquid, so as not to create conditions for the development of the fungus.

First achievements

After the appearance of sprouts, it is advised to lift one edge of the lid by placing Matchbox. It is better to ventilate the seedlings for 2-3 hours a day, but avoid drafts. When green stems hatch, spraying is stopped. Now water is poured onto a pallet so that the peat absorbs it and waters the roots of the plants.

2 weeks after germination, components that stimulate growth can be added to the irrigation liquid. It is advised to try "Fitosporin", which disinfects the soil with water, preventing the appearance of mold and fungi.

Tip: It is not necessary to remove the outer shell from the tablets, which does not allow the peat to disintegrate. The roots develop well under such conditions, and become strong enough to break through a thin frame. Seedlings are planted in the ground along with a paper cup.

Secrets of experienced gardeners

It is useful to take grown and strengthened shoots to the balcony when the air outside warms up. 2 hours a day is enough for the plants to quickly adapt to new conditions after planting in open ground.
If the seed did not take root in one of the tablets, you can plant a ready-made sprout in its place, which remained after thinning the seedlings.
Sprouts can be moved to open ground after 3-4 weeks. If the culture belongs to the category of heat-loving and whimsical, it is better to wait until 10-12 weeks, when the roots begin to break through the outer shell.
Seedlings are placed in the ground without removing from the tablet. Cardboard or mesh eventually dissolves in the ground, turning into additional fertilizer for plants.

Peat tablets are a godsend for summer residents and gardeners who want to receive strong and stable seedlings every year that can give a rich harvest. They are compact and easy to use, containing all the necessary components for the rapid growth of garden flowers and vegetables.