Features of growing tomato seedlings in a plastic bottle on toilet paper
There are many ways to grow tomato seedlings. Recently, this procedure has been done using a plastic bottle. The container is safe, you can grow seedlings in it and carry out a pick.
Advantages of the method
Growing tomato seedlings in a plastic bottle has many advantages:
- There is a saving of space, since the container takes up little space, in contrast to the wooden box.
- There is no need to use soil, which saves money and leaves the room clean, the earth does not crumble.
- There is no need to look for a suitable composition of the earth, since the soil replaces ordinary toilet paper.
- In a similar basis, you can grow not only tomatoes, but also seedlings of other vegetables.
Growing seedlings in this way will not do without a plastic bag, the most plastic transparent bottle (preferably a 2-liter), toilet paper and seeds.
Preparatory work
Before sowing seeds, you need to select. Only large and dense seeds are suitable for sowing. They can be picked by hand, using tweezers, or using a special solution. Salt is poured with water, stirred and all the seeds from the pack are poured into the resulting salt mixture. Hollow, small seeds that need to be thrown out will float to the surface.
Those seeds that have fallen to the bottom must be disinfected. There are many bacteria and fungi on the seed coat, which must be got rid of in time. You can place the planting material in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes.
In the future, some vegetable growers carry out the germination procedure. The seeds are spread on a wet cloth, covered with another layer of wet material and removed to a warm room. As soon as the sprouts hatch, you can start planting.
To grow seedlings, you can pick up any plastic or wooden container. If you don't have a suitable container on hand, you can use a plastic milk, juice or water bottle.
Landing options
How to plant tomatoes with a new method? There are several known methods for growing tomatoes in plastic bottles.
Option number 1, also called vertical, does without land. For tomato seedlings, a 2 liter bottle is useful, which is divided into two parts.
The part with the bottom will come in handy:
- Along the entire length of the prepared cellophane bag, wide strips of about 10 cm are cut.
- Toilet paper is cut to the same length as the bag strip.
- Several pieces of paper soaked in water are neatly spread on a strip of the bag.
- The seeds begin to spread, retreating from the edge of 1.5 cm, at a distance of 5.5 cm.
- From above, the grains are again covered with several more layers of paper and one polyethylene strip.
- A strip of all interlayers is carefully twisted.
- Water is poured into a glass, which turned out from a bottle, about 3 cm and twisted rolls are placed there.
You can add any fertilizer and place the bottle on a windowsill with good lighting.
Option number 2 - a horizontal method of growing tomatoes in toilet paper, which is carried out without land:
- Cut the plastic bottle across to make two pieces.
- Toilet paper is placed in the recess of each half and sprayed with water.
- Seeds are laid out at a distance of 3.5 cm. If they have germinated, then they are laid with sprouts up.
- The bottle halves are covered with a film or bag.
- Several holes are made in the film surface so that fresh air can flow inside.
- After all work, the container is moved in a warm, dark time.
Tomato seedlings planted in this way do not need to be watered, since the greenhouse effect remains under the film.
As soon as two leaves appear, the seedlings begin to be transplanted into separate containers. To do this, just unfold the roll or remove the sprouts from the horizontal container.
How to grow tomato seedlings in a plastic container, there is option number 3, which involves preparing the soil.
The prepared seeds can also be planted in 5 liter bottles. For planting, a part of the container with a bottom will be needed, into which the earth is poured, holes are made and seeds are sown.
Many vegetable growers choose plastic containers for seedlings. Feedback on this experience is only positive: “In recent years, I have grown seeds only in plastic bottles with a volume of five liters, which I cut in half. I do not make holes at the bottom, since the container is transparent, and you can see how long the moisture drains during watering. As a drainage, I use crushed shells of several eggs, then I fill in a layer of sand and soil suitable for the variety.
I must disinfect the soil by spilling it with boiling water. After the earth has cooled, I make recesses into which I lay out the planting material. Sprinkle with compost on top, cover the container with foil and move it to a warm place. The film keeps the heat inside, creates a greenhouse effect, seedlings will appear simultaneously and quickly. After sprouting, I remove the film and lay out the seedlings on the windowsill.
As soon as the time comes for transplanting into open or closed ground, the soil is watered abundantly, the bottle is squeezed, and the sprout, along with the earthy clod, freely go out. We plant seedlings at a great distance from each other in fertilized soil. "
Thus, it can be seen that growing a tomato in a plastic bottle is simple and convenient. The container does not need a pick, the water does not leak out during watering, so no pallets are needed, and the grown bushes quickly take root anywhere.
Fresh harvest all year round
After two leaves unfold on a young sprout, it is imperative to transplant into separate containers. The picking of seedlings can be carried out in plastic bottles.
When the weather is bad outside the window or even winter, you can pick up seeds intended for indoor growth. If it is supposed to grow tomatoes on your balcony or the windowsill, you can use a large bottle.
On the balcony windowsill, you can grow tomatoes in 5 liter bottles. The top with a neck is cut off, and a suitable soil is poured onto the bottom.
If there is not enough space on the balcony, then an impromptu hanging pot can be made from a plastic bottle. To do this, you need to take a plastic bottle with a volume of 1.5 or 2 liters. For work, only the upper third part of the bottle with a neck is required, so it is cut off. At the edge of the cut, holes are made from opposite sides through which a thick rope is passed. It is on it that the structure will be suspended.
As soon as the seedlings are two months old, they can be replanted. The landing will be unusual. The sprout is removed from the glass along with an earthen lump. The bush turns over with its growth point down and pushes through the neck. The roots remain inside the plastic container and covered with soil. After the container is completely filled with earth, it must be watered.
Further care consists in watering with a watering can and regular fertilization. Some tomato varieties require pinching the growing point, cutting off the side branches and tying the stem.
