As of: March 23, 2024, 9:51 a.m
By: Ines Alms
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Separating the plants is a very important step in growing tomatoes.
To ensure that you get the best start in life, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
The first hurdles have been overcome when the tomato seeds have sprouted after sowing.
To ensure that the tender seedlings become strong young plants in the next few weeks until they are moved outside, there are still a few points to consider.
In addition to lots of light and the right temperature for growth, pricking out, i.e. separating and repotting the plants, is a very important step.
Weak specimens are sorted out and only the promising ones are further cultivated.
The following tips lead to the best results:
1. The right time: Don't wait too long
When pricking out, each individual plant gets its own pot.
It shouldn't be too big.
© Zoonar/Imago
About three weeks after sowing, the first “real” leaves of the tomato plant appear after the typical pair of cotyledons.
Now you don't have to give the plants a lot of time to develop further; it's best to get to work straight away, before the shoots shoot up too thinly.
As a rule, more seeds have sprouted than are needed.
It is therefore best to only choose the strongest specimens for pricking, not the longest ones.
2. The right technique: water the soil in advance
The tomato plants are watered about two hours before planting so that they can be removed from the seed tray more easily.
When the time comes, the plants and the soil are pushed out of the bowl from below.
Then they are separated from each other using a pricking rod or a stick.
The delicate roots should be handled very carefully so as not to damage the main root.
If the roots are more than two centimeters long, they can be shortened slightly to encourage vigorous growth.
You can find even more exciting garden topics in the regular newsletter from our partner 24garten.de.
3. The new pot: The best planting depth
The new pots (diameter about eight to ten centimeters) with compost, herb soil or a mixture of peat-free vegetable soil and growing soil should already be ready.
The earth must not be too cold.
Using the pricking stick, a suitable hole is pressed into the middle of the soil.
So that the young plants are not too wobbly after the stressful move and can quickly gain a foothold, they are planted in the ground almost up to the cotyledons - in contrast to lettuce or kohlrabi, tomatoes like the deep position because they will later root along them of the stem.
Then the soil is lightly pressed and carefully moistened with a spray bottle.
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4. The next few days: Not too sunny and not too warm
Once repotted, the new arrivals must not dry out and should be checked daily and ideally watered with a spray bottle (not directly on the leaves) and later from below.
The plants are not exposed to fresh air yet - until May they are placed in a bright location at around 15 degrees Celsius without direct sun.
If the plants are too warm, they will not grow as strong.
After the first two days, the plants can be gradually acclimated to the sun.
As soon as the plant is 20 to 30 centimeters tall and there is no longer any risk of frost, it is placed outdoors.