Don't miss the perfect time: when tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are planted outdoors

A generous and high-quality harvest depends on many nuances: weather conditions, optimal watering, and regular fertilizing. However, experts emphasize that the timing of planting seedlings plays an important role.

You can focus on the sowing calendar. For example, nothing has been planted on the new moon for a long time, and the period of the waning moon is ideal for planting root crops. OBOZ.UA figured out when tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers should be planted in the open ground.

When to plant tomatoes

Tomatoes are quite hardy, so they can survive a nighttime drop in temperature to 5-6 ⁰C. Nighttime cold snaps will not affect growth and fruiting, but sudden frosts can kill seedlings.

Here are some factors that will tell you about the right time to plant tomatoes in the garden:

• if the seedlings are in good condition, have a thick stem 20-30 cm high and 1-2 flower clusters:
• if the average daily air temperature has warmed up to +14 +15 ⁰C, and the soil - to +10 +12 ⁰C;
• if you have the opportunity to create additional protection in case of nighttime temperature drops: a film or agrofiber will be useful.

Beforehand, it is worth exposing the seedlings to fresh air in direct sunlight 10-14 days before planting.

If the seedlings have already begun to outgrow, and the weather conditions are still unfavorable for planting, take the containers to a cool place with night temperatures of 1-6 ⁰C and provide good lighting. Tomatoes are usually planted in the last week of April and the first week of May.

When to plant peppers

Peppers are more demanding to temperature fluctuations - they need an average daily temperature of 20-25 ⁰C.

Already at 15 ⁰C, there is a slowdown in growth, and at 13 ⁰C, seedlings can stop developing altogether. In addition, pepper does not tolerate drought and is very demanding on lighting.

Experts do not advise picking peppers, and an excessive transplant into a greenhouse is undesirable for the plant. It is better to sow the seeds in individual containers and transplant them to the beds after 50-55 days.

Conditions for planting in the garden:

• the seedlings have 8-10 leaves, a height of 20-25 cm and unopened buds;
• the soil has warmed up to 15 ⁰C.

When to plant cucumbers

During the growing season, a drop in nighttime temperatures can trigger the development of root rot. When the temperature drops below 16 ⁰C, the growth of the ovaries slows down and the yield decreases.

Seedlings that have been sown for 35 days should not be planted in the beds. The optimum temperature should be 18-20 ⁰C, and the soil temperature should be 12-13 ⁰C. In the first week after planting, the seedlings should be covered at night.

Folk signs

When there were no weather forecasts, our ancestors relied on folk signs. For example, it was advised to start planting cucumbers in the garden when lilacs and acacia bloom.

If the dog rose blossomed and the oak leaves bloomed, you could start planting tomato and pepper seedlings.

Even scientists say that signs can be a good guide, because the development of wild plants also corresponds to the temperature regime and the length of daylight hours.

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