How to plant tomatoes in a snail by Yulia Minyaeva, a step-by-step guide

Every gardener prefers to grow the crop the traditional way. But to get strong seedlings and a large harvest, gardeners recommend plant tomatoes in snails Yulia Minyaeva. Anyone can evaluate the effectiveness of this method for themselves. It's especially appreciated by those who don't have much free space on their windowsills.

Advantages of the method

This method certainly has its advantages, as noted by Yulia herself and by gardeners who have followed her example.

The Tomato Club identifies numerous advantages of this method:

1. Space saving. Tomatoes planted this way take up little space. And you can plant a lot of seeds this way.
2. A well-developed root system. Each seed is planted individually, so the roots don't touch each other.
3. Uniform seedlings. Each tomato plant grows at a specific distance from the next. This way, they develop equally, without interfering with each other.
4. Easy transplanting and picking. Separate placement of each seedling allows for freedom of planting without disturbing others.
5. Simplified watering and other benefits.

Tomato seedlings don't require additional feeding, as sufficient nutrients are added during planting. The garden and vegetable patch are formed according to the gardener's wishes. Growing seedlings is simplified, as caring for the tomatoes doesn't require much time.

Korean-style picking is easier than other methods of planting tomatoes.

Preparing tomato seeds for seedlings in snails

Growing seeds using Yulia Minyaeva's method requires special preparation of the planting material. The seeds go through several stages:

1. Selecting planting material. It is recommended to purchase last year's seeds. They germinate better and produce a rich harvest. Sorting is done using a salt solution. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt in 1 liter of water, then soak the seeds. Discard any that float to the surface, and rinse the rest and let them dry.
2. Hardening. The planting material is wrapped in cloth and placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then, it is removed and left at room temperature for 24 hours. Then, the procedure is repeated.
3. Soaking in a stimulant. Various products purchased from specialized stores are used. Follow the instructions.

Yulia Minyaeva recommends sprouting planting material, as this procedure reduces the time until sprouts appear.

4. Before planting, sprout the seeds. Wrap them in a thin cloth and soak them in warm water. Watch for sprouts to emerge. Then, begin planting.

Prepared planting material will sprout faster, and the plants will be strong and vigorous.

Yulia Minyaeva's 2025 snail planting guide

Proper sowing will ensure healthy seedlings and strong transplants. Proper timing will help ensure a bountiful harvest.

When to sow seeds

Late varieties are planted at the end of February, early and mid-season varieties later, in early and mid-March.

The planting time is determined by the gardener, because tomatoes should be planted when the threat of night frosts has passed.

Formation of the cochlea

The snail is made from a substrate. If you follow all the instructions exactly, even a beginner can do it. tomatoes are grown in diapers, polyethylene is used:

• The substrate is cut into pieces 15-17 cm wide. The cut pieces are placed on a surface where it will be convenient to plant.
• Lay out the toilet paper. Cover the entire width of the backing, leaving only 1.5 cm uncovered at the top.
• The growth stimulator is diluted in water and poured into a spray bottle. It is then sprayed onto toilet paper.
• The first seed is placed 4 cm from the edge of the piece. The distance between seeds is 2 cm.
• Once finished, carefully roll up the snail, being careful not to move the layer of toilet paper with the planting material laid out on it.
• The finished bundles are placed in containers and covered with plastic wrap. They wait for seedlings to emerge.

The approximate time is 4 to 7 days, depending on the variety. Once the seedlings emerge, proceed to the next step.

Adding soil

The sprouts of future plants are a signal that soil should be added. The snails are carefully removed from the containers:

• The bundles are unrolled and laid out on the surface.
• Sprinkle soil over the sprouts and water using a spray bottle.
• The soil layer is 1.5 cm thick. The earth is compacted slightly.
• Once finished, twist the snail again and tie it with a rope or elastic band.

The snails are placed in containers and covered with plastic, creating a greenhouse effect.

Pricking out tomatoes

A necessary process when growing a crop, but some gardeners manage without it. Pricking out is the process of transplanting plants into individual containers.

Growing seedlings in a snail without picking

Planting tomatoes in snails is quite possible without pricking out. However, the seeds are initially planted at a greater distance from each other. Otherwise, the planting technique is the same.

Picking in diapers

For replanting, use a thicker polyethylene, cut into pieces roughly the size of a notebook sheet.

Add a small amount of soil to one of the seedlings, preferably in the upper left corner. Then position the seedling so that the lower leaves are above the piece of plastic. Cover the roots with more soil and cover them with the bottom edge of the seedling. Finally, roll it into a tube and tie it with a rope.

Picking out overgrown seedlings

Overgrown seedlings are transplanted into diapers. The plant should be planted deeper, covering the stem with soil. This encourages additional roots to form. Side shoots are removed after the plants have been transferred to the ground or greenhouse.

Peculiarities of planting tomato seedlings from diapers into the ground

Planting from diapers into the ground is easier than from other containers. Simply unroll the plastic wrap and carefully transfer the seedling to the prepared hole.

There's no difference between growing tomatoes outdoors or in a greenhouse. The planting technique is the same.

Planting is easy, and the root system is not disturbed. The crop experiences less stress.

Feedback from our readers

Gardeners have mixed opinions about the new method of growing seedlings. Some believe that planting in snails is successful, while others, on the contrary, point to its drawbacks. The final decision rests with the gardener. Whether or not to take the risk is up to them.

Alexandra: "I decided to grow seedlings this way. There wasn't enough soil, so the sprouts stretched out, and the seedlings turned out weak. Plus, the roots broke during transplanting. Growing this way is only possible until transplanting."

Growing tomatoes in snails is a simple and effective way to plant tomatoes.