Fertilizer selection
Release form
Nothing more effective and more convenient than liquid feeding has not yet been invented for seedlings. Therefore, we choose either liquid or instant granules, tablets, powders. We are interested in precisely those fertilizers that are specially produced for liquid fertilizing and are not applied in dry form. If it is a powder or granules, then their consumption is small, and they are produced in small sachets.
Compound
Fertilizer for seedlings must include: nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P or P2O5), meso- and trace elements (magnesium, iron, boron, zinc and others).
Trace elements are needed in a chelated form, not in a sulfate form. Sulfates are not suitable for feeding seedlings: in solution, they decompose into ions with an electric charge and therefore are easily bound by soil particles. Firstly, this makes them less accessible to plants, and secondly, accumulating in a small volume of soil, metal ions from useful elements turn into poison. The manufacturer does not always indicate the form of trace elements on the packaging, but usually chelates are still added to the fertilizer. If there is no exact information, just in case, at least make sure that the packaging does not have the word "sulfate" or chemical formulas ending in "SO4".
Dosage
Be sure to see how the grower recommends fertilizing the seedlings. General rule: the concentration should be 2 times lower than when feeding plants in the garden. If the same doses are recommended, this should be alarming - it is possible that the fertilizer is obviously a dummy, from which there will be neither harm nor benefit.
Depending on the composition of the fertilizer, its consumption may vary, but on average for seedlings it is approximately 7-10 g (tablespoon) of dry fertilizer per 10 liters of water. For liquid fertilizers, it is more difficult to check how adequate the manufacturer's recommended application rate is.
Fertilizers
it is a dark colored liquid fertilizer. In addition to the salt solution, they contain humic additives obtained from peat, which increase the immunity and vitality of plants. For seedlings, it is important that this is not a simple peat extract, but really a complex containing mineral and organic components, so carefully study the composition.
Instant mineral fertilizers - the most traditional type with an optimal price-efficiency ratio. They have a clear and understandable recipe - also a plus.
Liquid mineral fertilizers - the same mixtures of salts, but sold already in the form of a solution. Their use is more expensive, but convenient dosage attracts.
"People's" fertilizers. Many experienced gardeners get good results by feeding the seedlings with chicken manure. But experts recognize this method as risky, requiring skill and flair. This is especially true of poultry droppings: poultry has a peculiar metabolism. One portion of the fertilizer can be very poor in nutrients, while the other is so concentrated that it will burn the roots. In addition, manure and droppings can provoke infections if the overall plant content is not ideal (too dark and hot, stale air, irrigation errors). Of course, this should not happen if you breed and apply organic fertilizers according to the rules.
When to feed seedlings
We take into account the composition of the soil mixture, since it is generally not recommended to feed the seedlings before the pick. There are enough nutrients in the soil for seedlings, and their excess in early spring with a lack of light will not lead to anything good. The first feeding is done 2 weeks after the picking of the seedlings "transshipment" or when 2-4 true leaves appear (if the seedlings are grown without picking). Our further actions depend on the composition of the soil.
Self-prepared soil with the use of garden, leafy soil, humus and other nutrient components, it is not only fertile in itself, but also well retains salts dissolved in dressings, keeping them available to plants. Seedlings in such soil can be fed every 2 weeks.
Purchased peat-based soil
although it usually contains fertilizers, it places higher demands on the plant maintenance regime. The seedlings will have to be fed every week.
Feeding rules:
- It is necessary to feed the seedlings, as well as to water, only in the morning, so that by the evening, when the temperature drops, the leaves and the soil surface have time to dry out. Cold and dripping moisture is an ideal environment for pathogenic fungi.
- If the soil in the pot is dry (the lump has lagged behind the walls, the pots are light and "ring" when tapped), the seedlings should be slightly watered before feeding and the moisture should be allowed to absorb well, and only then fed.
- If the soil is still slightly moist, the fertilizer solution is simply replaced with the irrigation water. For seedlings, only solutions of low concentration are taken, so preliminary thorough watering is not needed.
- For plants to assimilate nutrients well, oxygen must be available to the roots. From time to time, loosen the topsoil in the pots with a skewer or knitting needle, but not very deeply so as not to damage the roots. It is best to do this about an hour after watering.
The feeding rules do not obviate the need for observation. If you notice signs of starvation of seedlings, carry out extra feeding. In this case, it is better to change the fertilizer, because it is not known whether the problem was caused by its imbalance.
Signs of starving seedlings:
The lower leaves brighten
, and more than one pair is a lack of nitrogen. This is not the worst phenomenon, during the period of active growth this can occur, especially in "gluttonous" crops such as eggplant.
Young leaves brighten
, especially between veins - lack of iron. Perhaps you have overdone the use of "potassium permanganate", it interferes with the absorption of iron.
Leaves wither
and do not straighten even after watering. This is similar to root rot that can be triggered by a copper deficiency. Plants on peat soils often lack copper.
Leaf veins turn purple
- phosphorus deficiency (found in tomatoes and peppers). In this case, before committing to fertilizing, first make sure that the plants are not too cold. The assimilation of phosphorus is sharply slowed down at low temperatures.
Every gardener knows that it is high-quality seedlings that are the key to a rich harvest, and if the seedlings are stunted and sluggish, then you can simply forget about a good harvest this year. Any deviations from changes in the normal growth and development of seedlings must be suppressed in one way or another - watering, highlighting, adjusting the temperature and humidity in the room, or applying certain fertilizers. It is precisely about feeding the seedlings that we will talk today. Let's talk about the most important nutrients for crops and how to feed those plants that are usually grown through seedlings.
Fertilizing pepper seedlings. © growingchillies
What is the best way to feed seedlings and at what time?
It is generally accepted by gardeners that the most suitable fertilizers for seedlings are complex, that is, they contain all three most important and familiar components, but this is not always justified, because in the soil, especially acquired, however, in the garden too, one or a couple of these elements is already perhaps, and as you know, an excess of fertilizer is hardly any less dangerous than a lack of it. Therefore, we advise you to feed your plants with dressings that contain only one important substance in their composition.
Direct application of fertilizers for seedlings containing potassium, phosphorus or nitrogen should be carried out early in the morning, when it is rather cool outside the window and in the room. When adding nutrition to the soil during additional feeding of plants, it is extremely important that fertilizers do not leave drops on the leaves of the seedlings or on its stems, because under the influence of the sun's rays in the future, burns may form on these places, that is, the stems and leaves, which is negative will then affect the general development of a particular seedling plant.
The best nitrogen fertilizers for feeding seedlings
As you know, thanks to nitrogen, protein synthesis occurs in the plant, the seedlings produce chlorophyll. With a lack of nitrogen, the lower leaves of a seedling plant usually acquire a yellowish color, and the plant itself is inhibited in growth and development.
If, when examining the seedlings, you notice such a situation with leaves, then immediately apply feeding with one of the nitrogen components. Ammonium nitrate (from 26% to 34.4% nitrogen), ammonium sulfate or ammonium sulfate (up to 21% nitrogen), urea (up to 46% nitrogen) or ammonia water (from 16% to 20% nitrogen).
Naturally, fertilizing with fertilizers dissolved in water is more effective for seedlings, nitrogen fertilizers are no exception. When watering (just watering, and not when applying fertilizers in a dry form), the substances necessary for seedlings enter the plants faster, and the leaves and the trunk will quickly become normal both in color and in their development.
As for the fertilizer concentration, it should be reduced by about two times compared to that when applied for adult plants. For example, seedlings need about one and a half tablespoons of nitrogen fertilizer per bucket of water.
Technique for feeding seedlings with nitrogen fertilizers: two hours before fertilizing, it is necessary to water the plants, moisten the soil well, then apply fertilizers in a dissolved form and after an hour slightly loosen the soil.
The best fertilizers with potassium for seedling nutrition
Maybe not everyone knows that potassium helps seedlings absorb carbon dioxide from the air, it stimulates the production of sugars, and helps plants acquire immunity. With a lack of potassium, chlorotic spots appear on the lowest leaves of the seedlings, new leaves, if they are formed, are much smaller than the size required for the culture, and their edges, even in young leaves, may already have rusty.
To eliminate potassium starvation of seedlings, the following fertilizers are used: potassium sulfate or potassium sulfate (up to 50% potassium), potassium magnesium or potassium and magnesium sulfate (up to 30% potassium), potassium monophosphate (up to 33% potassium) and potassium nitrate (up to 44% potassium) ).
It is most appropriate to first fertilize plants with substances containing potassium after the seedlings form two or three leaves. During this period, you can dilute about 8-9 g of monophosphate in a bucket of water and use this amount per square meter of the nursery. You can re-apply potash fertilizers a week after the pick or even after planting the plants in a permanent place in the soil or greenhouse, the fertilization rate can be increased by one or one and a half grams.
The best fertilizer for seedlings containing phosphorus
As we all know, this element takes an active part in the production of sugars and without its presence the roots of plants simply cannot grow and develop normally. With a deficiency of phosphorus in the soil, the leaf and stem of the seedlings become darker, sometimes turning purple. After some time, the leaves of the seedlings curl or otherwise deform and may even fall off.
The following phosphorus fertilizers are best suited for seedlings: simple (from 14% to 20% phosphorus), double superphosphate (from 46% to 48% phosphorus), ammophos (up to 52% phosphorus), diammophos (up to 46% phosphorus), potassium metaphosphate (from 55% to 60% phosphorus), phosphate rock (from 19% to 30% phosphorus), bone meal (from 29% to 34% phosphorus).
With a lack of phosphorus, which is reflected on the leaves and stems of the seedlings, you can feed it with simple superphosphate at the rate of 3.5-4 g of the drug per liter of water, this is enough for a square meter of the nursery.
Remember that it is better to feed the seedlings with phosphorus only after a pick and when it takes root and its growth is noticeable - that is, new elements of the vegetative part are formed - for example, new leaves. Until the phosphorus deficiency is completely eliminated, several dressings can be carried out, but between them it is imperative to make an interval equal to one week.
Growing seedlings without fertilizers (right) and with fertilizers (left). © Gardeners Supply What can be done so that the seedlings develop harmoniously?
In order for the seedlings of any culture to develop as harmoniously as possible, and the leaves and stems look as they should be, have the optimal length and thickness, it is necessary to feed not only with mineral, but also organic fertilizers. But do not forget - when applying manure, it must be diluted ten times with water, and if you use chicken manure, then 15-20 times with water, otherwise the seedlings can not be helped, but ruined, that is, simply burn the root system.
Also, do not forget about such wonderful stimulators of growth activity as Kornevin, Epin, Heteroauxin or Zircon, in practice their reliability and efficiency have been proven in terms of increasing immunity, and stimulating growth, and the development of "lagging" seedlings or one that has, when picking or the transplant damaged the root system. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions on the package.
How to fertilize seedlings of various plants?
Now let's talk about what are the best fertilizers and in what sequence to feed certain crops grown through seedlings. We decided to highlight the crops most often grown through seedlings, and give an approximate fertilization scheme, which has been tested and which works, that is, you can safely use it.
Top dressing of tomato seedlings
The first feeding should be done as soon as the plant forms the third true leaf. Here you can add liquid fertilizer, for example, nitroammophoska in the amount of 5 g per bucket of water - the norm per square meter of the nursery.
The second feeding can be carried out two weeks after the picking, you can also add nitroammophoska, but already a tablespoon of nitroammophoska must be diluted in a bucket of water and consumed 100 ml for each plant.
The third feeding can be carried out 14 days after the second, also adding nitroammofosk in the same concentration.
The fourth feeding, when the seedlings are already 60 days old, must be carried out using phosphorus-potassium fertilizing, for which a tablespoon of simple superphosphate and two tablespoons of wood soot must be dissolved in a bucket of water, the norm is about a glass for each plant.
Top dressing of bell pepper seedlings
The first feeding of bell pepper can be carried out when the plant forms the first true leaf, then you need to add a urea solution, after dissolving a tablespoon of this fertilizer in a bucket of water. This amount is enough for a square meter of a nursery.
The second feeding can be done after 20 days by adding the same fertilizer in the same amount.
The third feeding is usually carried out a week before planting the seedlings in a permanent place, but here it is better to use double superphosphate in the amount of a tablespoon per bucket of water and a rate of 100 ml for each plant.
Fertilizing cucumber seedlings
Usually, when receiving seedlings, cucumbers are fed twice. The first time feeding is applied during the period when the plant forms one true leaf, and then 14 days after the first feeding. For cucumbers, it is better to use a complex fertilizer consisting of a teaspoon of urea, a teaspoon of potassium sulfate, a teaspoon of simple superphosphate, and all this should be diluted in a bucket of soft water - the consumption rate per square meter of the nursery.
Two weeks after the second feeding, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place and, when planting, feed it with ammophos, adding a teaspoon of fertilizer to each well, mixing well with the ground.
Fertilizing cabbage seedlings
The first feeding of cabbage seedlings is usually carried out a week after the pick, using bird droppings diluted 20 times with water.
The second feeding of cabbage seedlings is carried out seven days before planting seedlings in a permanent place, for this they usually use a mixture of superphosphate and wood soot, for which they take a teaspoon of superphosphate and two teaspoons of wood soot and dissolve in a liter of water, this is enough for ten cabbage plants.
Directly when planting cabbage seedlings, not in the holes, but for digging the soil before preparing it, you need to add a couple of tablespoons of superphosphate, a teaspoon of urea and 5-7 kg of humus or compost per square meter.
Top dressing of seedlings of flower crops
The first feeding of seedlings of flower crops is carried out seven days after the picking, for this you can use a nitroammophoska (5 g per bucket of water, the rate per square meter of the nursery), then the seedlings can be fed with the same composition every 10 days.
It is possible to grow really strong tomato seedlings only in slightly acidic, fairly light and loose soil with a good supply of nutrients. To increase air and moisture permeability, river sand, peat, sawdust or leafy earth are added to it. Humus from manure or compost will help to saturate it with the necessary elements.
The supply of nutrients in the seeds and contained in the soil will not be enough for the seedlings for a short time. Further, starvation may occur, which will have a very bad effect on the condition of young plants. To fix the situation will help feeding tomato seedlings at home with suitable means. Which ones? This is what this page of the unique beginner site is about.
Determine the frequency of fertilizing by the composition of the soil
The vegetable grower must determine the amount of seedlings dressing independently. It depends on the initial supply of nutrients in the soil. If a special soil is used for seedlings, then just one or two dressings will be enough. In the case of using land from the garden, more of them will be required.
The first time you can fertilize low-nutrient soil after the appearance of the first two true leaves on the seedlings. If it is nutritious enough, then this should be done no earlier than two weeks after the pick. Experienced vegetable growers will learn that the seedlings are deficient in one element or another by the changes that are observed in its appearance.
If the soil is nutritious, one or two dressings are enough Recognizing what is missing from tomato seedlings
It is not possible to measure the amount of nitrogen or phosphorus in the soil for an ordinary gardener growing tomato seedlings at home. You have to determine intuitively. The sprouts can tell about the lack of certain substances by changes in their appearance. The main thing is to recognize them in time and take measures - to make the necessary feeding.
So, the needs of tomato seedlings are recognized as follows:
Yellowing and wilting of foliage, stunted growth - lack of nitrogen;
purple leaves, thin stem and developmental delay - phosphorus deficiency;
the edges of the leaves dry out - lack of potassium;
leaves become covered with yellow-green spots, and then dry up - magnesium deficiency;
lightening of leaves - the need for iron;
leaves are deformed and turn yellow - lack of calcium;
the leaves are small and whitened - there is little copper.
External signs will help you understand what is missing from tomato seedlings Cooking tomato feed at home
Feeding tomato seedlings at home should not cause you any special problems, because on the free sale you can find many special products designed for this. For example, you can purchase substances containing a whole complex of minerals: "Nitrofoska", "Agricola", "Effecton O" and others.
Many vegetable growers practice the use of self-prepared mixtures for full-fledged feeding of tomatoes at home. Check out the most popular option (the number of components is indicated for 3 liters of water):
2 g urea / 2 g ammonium nitrate,
5 g of potassium sulfate,
12 g superphosphate.
Home-grown tomato seedlings won't be strong if overfed We use proven folk recipes for fertilizing home tomato seedlings
Nitrophoska, superphosphate and urea were not known to our ancestors, but they found other, no less effective, ways to supply young tomato sprouts with the necessary substances. Many of these recipes have not lost their relevance to this day. We will introduce you to the most popular ones.
Yeast infusion
Add 1 g of dry or 50 g of live yeast and a pinch of sugar to 1 liter of water. We leave for a few hours to infuse. We use an infusion diluted with water 5 times for feeding. Yeast dressing is known to stimulate plant growth.
Ash infusion
2 tbsp. l. we dilute wood or straw ash in 1 liter of water and stand for a couple of days. Water the tomato seedlings with strained infusion. Ash is a completely harmless source of phosphorus and potassium, as well as a number of other important elements. In addition, it alkalizes the soil and prevents the development of harmful microorganisms in it.
Banana infusion
Pour the skin of one banana with a liter of water and leave it alone for two days. After that, we dilute the resulting infusion with the same amount of settled water and water the seedlings. Through banana infusion, tomato seedlings receive potassium, phosphorus and calcium.
Egg shell infusion
Place the shells of three or four eggs in a three-liter container with warm water and leave for two to three days. The nutritional infusion is ready! Egg shells are a unique source of calcium for tomatoes. Hydrogen sulfide, which is formed as a result of its rottenness, accelerates the growth of plants.
Infusion of bird droppings
We dilute 2 parts of droppings with 1 part of water and leave for a few days to ferment. Pour the composition diluted 10 times. Poultry droppings are a source of nitrogen, therefore, its use is recommended at first, so that the seedlings start to grow. Please note that an excess of nitrogen in the soil can lead to "fattening" of seedlings, that is, too active development of the aboveground part.
Coffee grounds
After adding used and dried coffee grounds, the substrate becomes looser and more nutritious. Such a top dressing, which any coffee-loving vegetable grower can produce at home, is very effective, despite its simplicity.
Everyone who has been growing tomato seedlings knows how important timely feeding is. It would be a mistake to think that regular soil is enough for tomatoes to get all the nutrients they need. After all, tomatoes during their growth consume quite a lot of nutrients. This is especially true for growing at home.
Of course, at the initial stage, all the necessary sprout will receive from the seed. But the volume of soil per plant in this case is very limited, so timely fertilization is indispensable. In our article, read the answers to the question of how to feed tomato seedlings at home.
Why do you need top dressing?
Initial stages of growth - very important in plant formation. At this time, the root system is laid, and resistance to pests and diseases is formed. A properly grown seedling that has received all the necessary nutrients will make a healthy and robust plant. Its yield will be high, and the fruits will be strong and of high quality.
In the early stages of growth, tomatoes have enough nutrients contained in the soil. But very soon the plants begin to show signs of vitamin and mineral deficiency... Here are the main ones:
Therefore, timely feeding of tomato seedlings is so necessary. When grown at home, the plant cannot get its nutrients from elsewhere. If you notice one or more signs in the seedlings, urgent feeding of tomato seedlings is required.
When to feed
Feeding tomato seedlings at home should be carried out at least twice, before and after a pick. It is useful to apply fertilizer after planting in open ground.
Copper feeding of seedlings
Making the nutrient solution is easy... Dissolve a tablespoon of the product in a bucket of clean water. After that, the solution is ready for use. In a diluted form, it can be stored for an unlimited amount of time. You can even leave it for next year. Simply pour it into a sealable bottle and store in a dark place.
Top dressing after picking
During the pick, the tomato sprout experiences considerable stress. The roots of the plant are damaged, so it needs a little rest. Therefore, feed tomato seedlings no earlier than two weeks after the pick. Add a urea solution to the soil. Next time, you can feed with the already familiar complex fertilizer.
It is known that plants receive nutrition not only through the root system, but also through the leaves. Therefore, it is not always necessary to water the tomato in order to feed it. Sometimes enough just spray the foliage... Feeding tomatoes in this way is very beneficial. You can alternate fertilizing the soil with the foliar method. Nutrients are absorbed most quickly from the leaves in the early morning, when dew occurs. The most popular fertilizers for spraying:
- Fitosporin (the solution is prepared according to the instructions);
- Urea solution. Urea is an excellent source of nitrogen for seedlings. An aqueous solution is used for feeding. Spraying is used to prevent overdose;
- Superphosphate (dilute a tablespoon of fertilizer in 10 liters of boiling water. You can spray it a day after dilution);
- Potassium nitrate solution;
- Potassium monophosphate (a teaspoon of the drug per 10 liters of water);
- Boric acid solution. It helps to speed up fruit set. In addition, after boron treatment, tomatoes become sweeter, and the risk of pest infestation is reduced.
You don't always need to use industrial fertilizers to feed your plant. There are many popular recipes, which can be used to prepare a natural and useful substance. These include:
The following recipes for feeding seedlings for tomatoes are more complex. Let's consider each of them in more detail.
Fertilizer with iodine content
In order for the seedlings to grow strong and hardy, as well as to establish good ovaries, it makes sense to feed it fertilizers containing iodine... You can use ready-made complex preparations, or you can prepare top dressing of tomato seedlings yourself. To prepare the solution, dissolve a couple of drops of an alcohol solution of iodine in four liters of water. Fertilize tomatoes by spraying their leaves with a spray bottle. One such irrigation will be enough for tomato seedlings.
Yeast feeding
How to feed the seedlings to accelerate their growth and increase resistance to disease? The easiest way would be fertilization with ordinary yeast... A couple of decades ago, this tool was very popular. To fertilize the plants, they used any yeast, and even bread. Then, with the advent of a large number of complex fertilizers, this tool was undeservedly forgotten. But yeast is rich in microelements, and also activates the development of microorganisms living in the soil. They accelerate root development, help seedlings grow, and improve disease resistance.
Preparing a yeast solution is not difficult. Take one hundred grams of any yeast and dilute it in warm water. To improve fermentation, you can add a couple of tablespoons of sugar. Insist the solution until fermentation takes place. After that, dilute it again: one liter of concentrate for five liters of clean water. It is better to use fertilizer two weeks after planting seedlings in open ground.
Mullein
A long-known and very effective organic fertilizer - cow dung... It can be brought into the soil fresh only in autumn. In spring and summer, its solution is used to feed seedlings. To do this, half a bucket of mullein is poured with water and left to ferment in the sun. After a few days, the solution is diluted with water at a ratio of 1:10. It is now ready to fertilize the seedlings. Before planting in a permanent place, it is enough to water the tomatoes with fertilizer once.
Ash as a mineral supplement
You can feed seedlings ordinary ash... From this, it begins to grow and develop better. After all, ash contains potassium and phosphorus, which are necessary for tomatoes and are well absorbed by them. The only limitation is that ash cannot be applied simultaneously with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. These two dressings must be separated in time by at least a month.
To prepare the infusion, mix a tablespoon of ash with five liters of water. Fertilizer should be infused for a day, after which you can apply it under the roots.
Today, quite a few people in our country are engaged in the cultivation of vegetables on their personal plot. It's no secret that vegetables and fruits from your own garden are much healthier for the body than purchased ones. To get a high-quality harvest, you need to monitor the formation of plants from the moment they are sown. The health and strength of crops is almost always ensured by regular feeding, you can rarely do without it. Before feeding tomato seedlings, so that there are plump stems, namely, they are the key to the future harvest, it is necessary to consider the main options for organic and mineral fertilizers, and then choose the best one for a particular case.
The need for additional nutrition
Most often, for sowing tomato seeds, a special soil is used with the addition of all the components necessary for proper growth at once, which means that additional nutrition for the seedlings is required only after transplanting to a permanent place of growth. Folk remedies for feeding tomato seedlings suggest that for a high-quality harvest, you need to prepare the beds in advance. To do this, even before the winter cold, the area where the tomatoes are planned to be planted should be saturated with humus or manure.
If necessary, add here:
- dolomite flour;
- lime;
- sawdust;
- peat.
Before feeding tomato and pepper seedlings, it is necessary to correctly determine what exactly the plants need. The lack of a particular element can be recognized by the appearance of the seedlings. When the leaves after transplanting bushes suddenly stop growing and turn pale, and sometimes become covered with dull spots, this indicates a lack of nitrogen in the soil. Its overabundance leads to a riot of green mass of crops to the detriment of the harvest.
A large amount of phosphorus in the ground is indicated by yellowing and falling foliage from the bushes, and a sign of a lack of this element is the appearance of a purple tint on the leaves. An excess of phosphorus can also provoke foliage curling if, at the same time, the seedlings lack potassium and nitrogen.
How to feed tomato seedlings so that they have plump and attractive fruits? The quality of the crop is largely influenced by the amount of potassium and phosphorus in the soil. It is important not to overdo it in additional plant nutrition, as an overabundance of nutrients often makes the situation worse.
First feeding
The first fertilization should be carried out no earlier than the first true leaves of the plant appear above the ground. At this time, tomatoes need to strengthen the root system, which will be perfectly handled by complex mixtures for feeding tomato seedlings such as "Krepysh", "Agricole-Forward" or "Nitrafoska".
After that, the gravy is repeated with a similar, but less concentrated, composition with the addition of potassium permanganate after 10 days. At this moment, many are wondering how to feed tomato seedlings so that they are plump, since their exhaustion becomes noticeable already at this stage. Pouring the seedlings with the "Athlete" preparation or a superphosphate solution (1 tablespoon for a quarter of water) can help.
Additional food after a pick
It must be carried out only after two weeks from the moment of picking the plants. At this moment, feeding tomato seedlings with serum from superphosphate and potassium sulfate will be ideal. For cooking on a bucket of water, it is enough to add 1 tbsp. l. each component. You can replace the composition with a solution of nitroammofoska.
After another 2 weeks, the procedure is repeated. The last pouring should be done no later than 15 days before transplanting into open ground.
A permanent place of growth
After transplanting tomato seedlings into open ground or a greenhouse, the plants need time to acclimatize, and in order for everything to go as comfortable as possible, it is forbidden to load the seedlings with additional fertilizing for a week and a half. In general, all subsequent fertilization should be carried out strictly when necessary, as evidenced by the condition of the plants. It is also important to know that when planting tomatoes on poor soil and abundant precipitation, the entire period of growth, the amount of substances for additional nutrition must be doubled, but at the same time a lower concentration of them must be added once.
In order not to burn the bushes, all standard dosages should be reduced by 1/3, but they should be performed more often.
Frequently used organics
Fertilizing tomato seedlings with a mullein is most often used in private farms. It is best to add the substance in the fall, during the preparation of the beds. To nourish already growing bushes with a solution, the mullein must ferment well, otherwise the roots of the plants can simply be burned. To normalize the substance, the mullein must be filled with water and left in the sun to ferment for several days. After that, the solution is diluted in a large amount of water and applied strictly under the root of each bush.
Feeding tomato seedlings with chicken droppings should also be done with an already rotted mixture. It should be cooked in the same way as mullein infusion.
Ash feeding
It perfectly provides tomatoes and seedlings with a large number of nutrients Regardless of where it comes from: from the stove, after burning fallen leaves or after a fire right on the site of future beds, it contains potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Since an overabundance of these components can also lead to negative consequences, it is better to add ash in the fall when digging or directly into each hole when planting. In the first case, it is necessary to distribute ash in the amount of 0.5 kg per square meter, and in the second, pour 2 tbsp into the recesses. l., but no more.
Yeast addition
Fertilizing with yeast for tomatoes gives excellent results, accelerating the growth of green mass and obtaining a good harvest. A solution is used for periodic watering of the bushes of plants already at the place of constant growth. To prepare it, it is necessary to dilute live yeast in warm water in an amount of 10 grams per 10 liters. To speed up the fermentation process, you can add a little sugar to the mixture.
Feeding with yeast is carried out only under the root, while other mixtures can be used for spraying.
Acceleration of ripening
How to feed tomato seedlings so that there are plump and well-fed fruits a little ahead of schedule? Iodine is perfect for this. For irrigation, only 4-5 drops need to be added to a bucket of water, and even less for spraying, but the effect is immediately noticeable. The substance should not be used often, as iodine can burn plants. One preventive spraying per season or treatment in the event of diseases is enough.
Nitrogen source
Despite the fact that nitrogen is very important for plants, its excess is no less dangerous and feeding with urea of tomato seedlings should be carried out only in cases of urgent need, since this element accumulates nitrates in large quantities in fruits. Urea should only be used to feed already mature bushes. Watering or foliar spraying can be done, which gardeners recommend more often. To normalize the growth of tomatoes, it is enough to add a substance in an amount of no more than 20 grams for each square meter of the plot.
Liquid ammonia is also rich in nitrogen. Ammonia fertilization of tomato seedlings can also be carried out at the picking stages. For this, the bushes need a concentration of 20 grams per 8 liters of water when pouring. You can also use ammonia to prevent the appearance of a bear on the site. In this case, the concentration of the substance should be increased to 10 ml per 10 liters of water and dosed, 0.5 liters each, into the previously prepared hollows.
Potassium permanganate and other folk remedies
To strengthen the green mass and prevent the falling of female flowers, tomatoes should be sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate no more than 1 time per month.
In summer, supermarkets offer exotic fruits and bananas at very attractive prices. Few are aware that their peel can be used as a powerful source of potassium for tomatoes. The skin of one fruit must be insisted in a liter of water for 2 days, after which use the composition for watering the bushes.
You can prepare the nutritional composition by insisting eggshells in water. You can use the mixture after the appearance of a characteristic unpleasant odor from it.
Chemicals
Among the wealth of modern preparations for feeding cultivated plants, gardeners still prefer proven means, including:
- superphosphate;
- nitroammofosk;
- "Strong Man";
- "Ideal";
- "Epinom".
It is important to prepare solutions based on these substances strictly according to the instructions, since exceeding the dosage can contribute to the accumulation of nitrates in fruits. All preparations are used both for irrigation under the root of plants and for spraying in case of an emergency need for nutrition.
Foliar application
Such dressing differs from conventional gravy only in the speed of delivery of nutrients to the plant. The fact is that it takes a lot of time for bushes to get food from the soil, and the green mass immediately absorbs everything that comes, and providing tomatoes not only with emergency assistance, but also with a high concentration of fertilizer. That is why, when preparing solutions for spraying, the amount of drugs in relation to water must be reduced.
In order not to harm the tomatoes, you need to follow the following instructions to prepare the mixture:
- heat 1 liter of water, but do not boil;
- add 1 gram of substance to uncooled water;
- let the mixture cool;
- spray the leaves, fruits and ovaries with a solution.
For each plant, you need to allocate at least 10 ml of the resulting solution.
Top dressing during flowering
If during active growth tomatoes need all the nutrients, then already adult flowering plants should focus on certain components. It is best to apply fertilizer at this time by spraying in order to accelerate the receipt of nutrients by the bushes.
It is best to use complexes at this time:
- kemiru;
- nitroammophos;
- diammophos.
You can also use individual substances, spraying tomatoes only with boron, phosphorus or potassium. It is advisable to apply organic fertilizers under the root, but strictly dosed so as not to burn the root system.
Finally
Fertilization alone is not enough to get a good harvest. Tomatoes need a lot of space for active growth, therefore, immediately when planting in a permanent place, small seedlings should be placed at a distance of at least 45-50 cm from each other. Also, do not overdo it with watering, otherwise the fruits may crack, losing their presentation. With heavy and regular precipitation, additional moisture can be completely abandoned.
It is important to know that when planting tomatoes in a greenhouse, top dressing is best done with mineral complexes, since organics can behave unpredictably under microclimate conditions. To get a rich and high-quality tomato crop, you need to follow all the recommendations at once and not get hung up on only one direction.
After planting seedlings, try to take care of it as correctly as possible, then you are guaranteed a good harvest!