How to sow and grow tomato seedlings on toilet paper

Most gardeners are accustomed to planting tomatoes using seedlings or seeds in open ground if they're going to be grown in a greenhouse. But you can also grow tomato seedlings on toilet paper. This unconventional method is quite effective.

Why is paper an excellent substrate for growing tomatoes?

Toilet paper's properties make it ideal for growing tomato seedlings. The paper is soft to the touch and prevents the seedlings' delicate roots from getting tangled. It also makes transplanting the grown seedlings easier. Seedlings grown without soil grow faster and stronger. As with traditional growing methods, placing tomatoes on toilet paper on a windowsill allows sunlight to reach the seeds. This also allows you to save significantly on the cost of potting soil and drainage media for planting seeds.

Advantages and disadvantages of the "paper" method

The advantages of the paper method of growing seedlings include:

• the seeds do not require nutritious soil, and when grown on paper, the seedlings grow stronger and more robust;
• the method allows you to separate weak shoots from strong ones;
• seedlings get sick less often;
• The most important advantage of this method is that the seedlings do not get black leg disease, which often happens when grown in the traditional way;
• The paper method makes planting and caring for seeds easier;
• sprouts appear on paper faster than in soil;
• When grown this way, even bad seeds can be revived.

In addition, such tomatoes are more likely to survive and take root more quickly in a new location when transplanted into the ground.

The disadvantages of this method include:

• Not all crops can be grown this way (but tomatoes grow well);
• When the seedlings are very dense, they often don’t have enough light (but this also happens when grown using the standard method).

You will also have to carefully monitor the growth of the sprouts.Once the time has come to transplant the seedlings, they cannot be postponed to a later date. Otherwise, the tomatoes may not take root in the new location.

Tomato varieties suitable for growing

All tomato varieties are suitable for growing on toilet paper, but the following varieties grow best this way:

• Aquarelle is a low-growing variety, reaching a height of about 50 cm. The fruits are red in color and medium in size.
• Supermodel is an early-ripening hybrid tomato. The fruits are elongated with a pointed tip, weighing up to 130 g. The flesh has a sweet flavor.
• Skorospelka is a large-fruited hybrid, with tomatoes weighing up to 200 g. The flesh is red, juicy, and meaty. The crop ripens early.
• Zolotoy Potok is an early-ripening hybrid with medium-sized tomatoes. The tomatoes are yellow and very sweet.
• Rapunzel is a cherry variety. The bush is covered with fruits. The tomatoes weigh about 30 g and are a scarlet hue.

In principle, tomato planting material germinates well on toilet paper, regardless of the variety.

Seed preparation

Most seeds germinate well when planted using paper, but some never germinate. These should be discarded immediately. To test the quality of the seed, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and sprinkle the seeds into the water. After a while, some will sink to the bottom, while others will float. Discard any that float. Dry the remaining seeds until they are free-flowing.

Growing seedlings

There are three ways to grow tomato seedlings on toilet paper. All of them are simple, and even if this is your first time planting tomato seedlings, you shouldn't encounter any difficulties.

Moscow style

To plant seedlings using this method, you will need a roll of toilet paper, clean water, a syringe, bags and cups.

How to sow tomatoes Moscow style:

• Place a plastic bag on the table surface.
• Then lay out the paper so that it covers the entire bag in several layers.
• Place tomato seeds on each layer.
• Each layer is sprayed from a spray bottle.
• The edges of the paper should extend slightly beyond the bag.
• Then carefully roll the bag into a roll.
• You can write the variety of tomato seeds on the package.
• Pour some water into a plastic cup and place the roll of seeds in it.

Place the cup in a plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect. This will retain heat and speed up germination. Remove the bag once the first sprouts appear on the paper.

In a bottle

Another way to grow seedlings is using a plastic bottle. This method is similar to traditional container-grown seedlings, but without the use of soil.

You can plant in 1.5 and even 5-liter bottles.

The process of planting seeds:

• Cut the bottle in half so that the bottom is intact.
• Fold the paper in half and cut one side to the middle.
• Fill half the bottle with paper (horizontally).
• Then the paper is generously moistened with water.
• Pour the planting material into a five-liter bottle and cover it with the second part of the papers.
• Wet the papers with water.

At the end of planting, close the bottle with the lid and place it in a plastic bag. Periodically moisten the paper with water to prevent it from drying out.

Using boiling water

How to plant tomatoes on paper with boiling water:

• Cut out one wall of the bottle to create a container.
• Place several layers of paper on the bottom and moisten them with boiling water.
• Then place the seeds.

Cover the bottle with a plastic bag. Water the planting material several times a week.

Picking

Once the seedlings have developed a couple of full-fledged leaves, they are transplanted into individual pots filled with soil. Peat pots are the easiest to transplant into, so they can be planted immediately in their permanent location.

Further care

As soon as the seeds sprout, they are moved to a sunny location. In winter, lamps are placed near the containers with seedlings. Until the seedlings sprout, the temperature should be between 25 and 27 degrees Celsius. After germination, the temperature is reduced to 20 degrees Celsius. After sprouts appear, the paper is watered with mineral fertilizer in a 1:1 ratio. During transplanting, the seedlings are carefully separated from the paper. If this is not possible, they are planted with the paper.

To better see the seeds germinating, it's recommended to plant them on white paper. It's also softer to the touch and absorbs moisture more quickly.

How to plant in the ground

Tomatoes are planted in their permanent location after picking. Transplanting occurs after the seedlings have developed several pairs of fully developed leaves. It's also important to pay attention to the weather. Even if the seedlings have begun to stretch upwards and it's still cold outside, you'll have to postpone planting. Transplant tomatoes after overnight temperatures reach above freezing.

Before transplanting, seedlings are hardened off. To do this, they are moved outside for a few hours each day when it's not too cold. Hardening off lasts about two weeks. Hardened tomatoes adapt to the new conditions more quickly.

The process of planting seedlings into the soil:

• Dig up the soil and add manure.
• Make holes at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other.
• Plant tomatoes and water generously.

Water only with warm water. Cold water encourages fungal diseases.