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Optimal soil temperatures for germination
are 20-30°C. The soil should be watered to keep it moist
but not waterlogged. Thin seedlings and feed with a soluble fertilizer
after their true leaves appear. Seedlings can be grown in either
trays or seedling beds: |
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Seedling tray method. Fill the holes with a medium that drains well,
such as peat moss, commercial potting soil, or a mixture of sand,
compost, and burnt rice hulls. Sow 2 seeds per hole, thinning
to keep the strongest plant. |
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Seedbed method. Choose a well-drained area not recently cropped
with a Solanaceous crop. Burning a 3-4 cm layer of rice straw
on the seedbed before sowing and forming a raised seedbed of
15 cm or higher to improve drainage might reduce soilborne disease
problems. Sow the seeds in rows 6-cm apart at a rate of 750-900
seeds per square meter. Cover the bed surface with a thin layer
of compost or rice straw mulch. Do not allow the soil to dry
and form a crust. |
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"Damping-off" disease can be due
to fungal infection. Fungicides such as Ridomil Gold (mefenoxam)
can be applied to the seedbed at or before seeding to control
pythium damping-off. Seed can be treated with broad-spectrum
fungicides, such as captan and/or thiram to reduce losses from
damping-off. |
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Insects, such as whiteflies, thrips, and aphids,
can transmit viruses to young tomato plants. Admire (imidacloprid)
is effective as a seed, soil, or foliar treatment for these insects.
If whiteflies are a problem, cover seedlings with a net (60-mesh
or finer) to prevent infestation. |
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