Choose a ready-made mix or prepare your own: the best substrate for sowing tomatoes.

The quality and strength of your seedlings will directly affect your future harvest. One of the key factors is soil preparation, and you have a choice here: create a mixture yourself or purchase a ready-made substrate. Each option has its advantages, so it's worth examining them in detail before making a final decision. More about this can be found in “Clioma Service”.

How to Prepare Soil for Tomato Seedlings by Yourself

Preparing soil for tomato seedlings begins in the fall when you need to gather soil and other components. Usually, turf soil, compost, and peat are used for such mixtures. Here are a few popular recipes:

1. Mix one part sand and two parts turf soil with peat.
2. Add 16 parts peat, 3 liters of river sand, 1 part cow manure, and 4 parts turf soil to a ready-made mixture purchased from a store.
3. Store-bought soil for tomatoes can be mixed with soil left over from growing onions, cabbage, or carrots. This soil must be disinfected.
4. Another option: mix two parts garden soil and humus with one part river sand.

When preparing the mixture, remember that fresh manure or undecomposed leaves cannot be used, as these components can lead to rotting and burn the roots of young plants.

How to Properly Disinfect Soil

If you are taking soil from your garden, be sure to disinfect it before use. There are several methods:

• biofungicides: the simplest way to treat the soil;
• oven treatment: spread the soil on a baking sheet and place it in a preheated oven at 70°C for half an hour;
• steaming: hold the soil in a colander over a water bath for about 8 minutes;
• freezing: take the soil outside in cold temperatures below -15°C for 2-3 days, then move it to a warm room for a few days. Repeat the process several times.

These methods will help kill harmful microorganisms and reduce the risk of diseases in the future.

Ready-made Substrates for Tomatoes

If you don't have the time or desire to prepare the mixture yourself, you can always buy a ready-made substrate. For growing tomatoes, it is important that the soil has a pH acidity of 5.5 – 7. If the acidity is lower, lime or dolomite flour should be added to the soil.

When choosing a ready-made substrate, pay attention to features such as:

• consistency: the soil should not be too dense or sticky;
• moisture: it should not be too dry or too wet;
• presence of mold: if it is present, this indicates improper storage of the substrate;
• cleanliness: good soil should not contain plant debris or excessive sand content.

Which Substrate to Choose for Tomatoes

If you are looking for a reliable substrate for growing tomatoes, consider the substrate “Remix”. It contains various types of peat, has an acidity of 5.5-6.5 pH, and is suitable for most vegetables, not just tomatoes. It can be purchased in packages of 70, 250 liters, or on a pallet with a volume of 5000 liters.