What should be the temperature for growing seedlings: indicators for different vegetables

To get a good harvest from your garden, it is very important to grow strong and healthy seedlings. And you can't just put the seeds in the ground - you need to germinate them properly.

As OBOZ.UA has found out, gardeners recommend observing the correct temperature regime in order to get viable seedlings. This is especially true for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers - they are the most demanding and require the right conditions. Read on to find out what temperature is right for germinating them and other garden crops.

Heat-loving plants

Different vegetables require different temperatures to awaken the seeds and germinate the first greens. In this regard, it can be divided into three conditional groups.

Cold-resistant crops - they germinate easily even at temperatures of 13-15 degrees, and the optimal conditions for them are 14-18 degrees Celsius. At night, they tolerate a drop of 6-10 degrees. This group includes all cabbages.

Plants of medium resistance - temperatures from 16-18 degrees Celsius are suitable for them. At night, they need 12-14 degrees, and it will be a bit colder. These include onions, lettuce, celery, beets, and potatoes.

Heat-loving crops - if the air is colder than 18 degrees, they are unlikely to want to germinate. Ideally, they need to be provided with 20-25 degrees. The night temperature should be between 18-20 degrees. This is the behavior of the already mentioned tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, as well as beans and pumpkins.

Growing conditions

Of course, in March it is not possible to sow vegetables in the open ground, because in our latitudes it is not yet as warm as they need to germinate. Therefore, seedlings are sown and germinated at home. They start in February-March, put the seeds in special cups for seedlings and illuminate them with special lamps so that the duration of daylight hours for the plants is 8-10 hours.

To ensure that the first leaves appear earlier, it is good to set up a greenhouse for the seedlings, where they will live until germination. Water the soil in the greenhouse by spraying. For plants from the first group, it will be enough if the temperature in the greenhouse is 18-20 degrees, for the second - 20-25, and for the third - 25-30.

When the first sprouts appear, the greenhouse should be removed and the plants should be provided with 17-18 degrees during the day. Under such conditions, the seedlings will stop growing upward and will concentrate on the development of the root system. This hardening period should last 7-10 days.

From the second week after germination, the temperature should be raised again. The soil should warm up to 14 degrees and remain at this level and above. Only under these conditions will the seedlings absorb phosphorus and nitrogen from the soil and develop well. At this time, it is important to protect young plants from drafts and water them in time.

Hardening before planting

Before transferring the seedlings to the open ground, it is good to give the plants another temporary cold snap. It should be carried out 10-15 days before planting. For the first group, it is necessary to provide 6-8 degrees of heat, for the middle group 12-14, and for the most thermophilic, provide 15-18 degrees.

You need to return to normal values 3-5 days before planting. Seedlings need to get used to the conditions that await them in the open air, so the temperature should be as similar as possible to that which is established on the street.

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