Favorable planting days for tomatoes in March 2025, when is the best time to sow

Gardeners prefer to grow their favorite vegetables themselves and use the March 2025 planting dates for tomatoes as a guide. Each tomato variety has its own characteristics and planting time. Information on planting dates is printed on the paper bags the seeds are sold in. For a better yield, consult the lunar calendar and consider the climate of your region.

March for sowing seeds: pros and cons

It's not advisable to sow seeds too early, such as in February. The seedlings will lack sunlight and become very elongated before they can be transplanted outdoors. The optimal time for planting is March 2025.

Advantages of March sowing:

• longer days, seedlings receive more sunlight;
• The seedlings have a compact appearance before planting in the garden bed.

Cons:

• late varieties do not have time to fully ripen;
• Early ripening plants stretch out a lot before being transplanted into the garden bed.

With the arrival of spring, seeds are sown in the ground on the recommended planting dates in March. Plastic cups, small containers, or wooden boxes are filled with prepared and fertilized soil. The pots with seedlings should be kept in a warm room, such as a windowsill or a heated greenhouse, until planting in the garden.

Favorable planting days in March are calculated using the lunar calendar. The moon has a strong influence on plant growth on Earth. As this planet transitions from one phase to another, changes in vegetation occur.

Early planting - problems with overgrown seedlings

Those who like to plant seeds early will have to deal with the problem of overgrown seedlings. Overgrown seedlings are difficult to transport, for example, to the dacha. Tall stems have a harder time taking root. When transplanting to the garden, they should be tied to a support immediately.

The seedlings will not outgrow if you take the following recommendations into account when planting:

• tall varieties should be sown at the end of March;
• early and mid-season - in the middle of the month;
• Tomatoes that will be grown in greenhouses - in mid-March.

When to sow tomatoes for seedlings in March?

The best days for sowing in March correspond to the waxing moon phase. These are the 7th to the 13th and the 15th to the 20th. It is not recommended to sow seeds during the full moon and the new moon. These lunar phases occur on March 6th and 21st. Tomatoes should not be sown during the waning moon.

Before planting, the seedlings need to be prepared. First, soak the seeds in salted water for a couple of minutes, then in clean water. Any seeds that float to the surface are considered unsuitable for sowing.

The seedlings will not get sick if the seeds are pre-treated for 15 minutes in a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Then, place the tomato seeds on a damp cloth for 10 hours to allow them to swell. To stimulate growth, you can add a few drops of Bud or Energen to the water.

Tomatoes are sown in loose, moist soil. The soil is prepared before planting. Garden soil is mixed with humus, sawdust, and sand. Ready-mixed peat soil is also available. For sowing, use special seedling containers or ordinary wooden or plastic boxes and trays. Small pebbles are placed at the bottom of the containers for drainage, then the prepared soil is added.

You can plant the seeds in peat pellets. When the stem takes root and grows strongly, it is transplanted into a small pot. growing seedlings in peat tablets, picking tomatoes they don't carry out.

The seeds are sown to a depth of 1 centimeter. The soil is then watered and covered with glass or plastic. The planting area should be kept at 25 degrees Celsius. The first shoots will appear within a week.

Sow the seeds loosely to avoid damaging the roots during transplanting. Leave 2 centimeters between seedlings. If the seedlings are too dense, thin them out.

Tomatoes require plenty of light. Daylight should be 14 hours long. If the tomatoes don't get enough sunlight, artificial lighting is provided during the dark period. After the first shoots emerge, the plant tray is illuminated 24 hours a day for three days.

Tomatoes don't like too much moisture. However, it's recommended to ensure the soil doesn't dry out. Water the plants every 2 or 3 days.

Favorable days for planting seedlings in a greenhouse

Seeds are sown on planting days in mid-March (during the waxing moon), and the seedlings are transferred to an unheated greenhouse in mid-May. Young tomatoes should appear firm and free of any damage. The stem should be about 33 centimeters tall, with healthy, green leaves (about 12) and developed inflorescences.

Into open ground

When sowing seeds in March and then planting the grown seedlings outdoors, it's best to consider the climate conditions in your region and the planting dates. Seedlings are transplanted to the garden bed in early, mid, or late May, so sowing seeds occurs on the planting dates of early or mid-March (during the waxing moon).

The transplanting time depends on weather conditions and the absence of night frosts. The air temperature should be 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). The soil should warm up to 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). When transplanting tomatoes into the garden, in addition to temperature parameters, consider the lunar calendar. It is best to transplant tomatoes during the waxing moon.

It's not recommended to plant tomatoes in soil where potatoes were grown last year. Soil previously occupied by carrots, beets, or corn is ideal for tomatoes. Before planting, the garden should be dug, loosened, and fertilized with compost and wood ash. Before planting, make small holes in the soil. Add settled water to each hole. The plant is placed in the hole until the soil bag is completely buried.

For home use

When planting tomatoes at home, consider the characteristics of the chosen variety. Early-ripening varieties are planted in late March, while late-ripening varieties are planted in mid-March. Seeds are sown during the waxing moon.

Unfavorable days for sowing and planting

Sowing seeds depends on the regional climate and the characteristics of the particular variety. However, there are days when it's best not to plant. It's not recommended to plant during the waning moon. During this period, plant sap moves downward to the roots, making this time suitable only for planting root vegetables.

Plants have minimal energy during the new moon. It's best not to garden on such a day.

What influences planting times?

The specific sowing time depends on the variety, the climate conditions where the tomatoes will grow, and the phases of the moon. It's important to remember that after the first shoots appear, seedlings can only be planted outdoors 60 days later. Transplanting occurs on warm days, when the soil has warmed up completely and the risk of night frost is low. Gardeners determine the appropriate time period based on their region.

Region

In southern regions, tomatoes can be planted outdoors in early May. This means it's recommended to sow seeds for seedlings as early as early March. In cooler regions, it's best to plan planting seedlings in the garden for late May. Seeds for seedlings should be sown only in mid- to late March.

Moscow region

In the Central region, seeds are sown in mid-March. The seedlings have two months to grow and strengthen. Transplanting into open ground occurs in mid-May, when the temperature has warmed to 15 degrees Celsius and there is no risk of frost at night.

In the Urals

For Tomatoes are chosen for planting in the Urals Early to mid-early ripening varieties. It's best to buy seeds of short, determinate plants. They don't require pinching or shaping. You can also choose indeterminate tomato varieties, which have compact, not very elongated plants. Sow seeds in late March. Transplant the seedlings to the garden in late May.

Siberia

For Siberia, it's best to choose early-ripening varieties. It's recommended to sow seeds in late March. As summer approaches, transplant the seedlings to the garden. It's best to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse.

We decide depending on the variety

Tomato varieties best planted in March include Juliet F1, Bull's Heart, Black Pear, Sherkhan, White Filling, Sanka, Fireworks, Pigmey, and Bonsai. Gardeners can choose their favorite variety. Planting time information is usually written on paper bags.

Further care of tomatoes

The seedlings need care. To prevent them from stretching too much, the room temperature should be reduced from 25 degrees Celsius to 20 or 15 degrees Celsius. Until the end of March, while the days are short, the seedlings need supplemental lighting. For this, use LED or fluorescent lamps.

Seedlings need constant watering. Water as the top layer of soil dries. Fertilizing is essential. For this purpose, you can purchase ready-made complex fertilizers for seedlings (phosphates and potassium preparations).

When each sprout has formed two or three leaves, the plants are pricked out. The tomatoes are carefully removed from the soil, a third of the root length is pinched off, and the plants are then planted in a separate, larger container. The day of pricking is determined by the lunar calendar. It should be during the waxing moon phase.

It is advisable to place each stem in a separate container during picking.

Two weeks before planting tomatoes outdoors or in a greenhouse, harden off the plants. The seedling trays are placed outside for an hour at first, then the hardening time is increased. The air temperature should be at least 15 degrees Celsius.

An hour before planting, the potted seedlings are watered. Then, the plant is carefully removed from the container, along with the root ball. The plant is lowered vertically into the hole and covered with soil. After transplanting, the tomatoes are watered (2 liters of liquid per plant). Planting is done in the evening.

Once the plants have established themselves in their new location, water them regularly to prevent the soil from drying out. The soil is constantly loosened during the growing season. Weeds are removed from the bed, and the plants are hilled (two or three times per season). Three weeks after planting, the tomatoes are fertilized. During flowering and fruit formation, the tomatoes are fertilized twice more, at two-week intervals. Tall plants are tied to stakes installed nearby.