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If there is a greenhouse on the site, then tomatoes probably grow there. It is this heat-loving culture that is most often “settled” in artificially created protected conditions. Tomatoes are grown in early spring in seedlings, planting seedlings in a greenhouse at the end of May. During cultivation, the seedlings are repeatedly fertilized with various growth activators, but how to feed the tomatoes after planting in the greenhouse? What substances do plants need in order to take root better and gain enough strength to form ovaries and further abundant fruiting?
We will try to understand this issue and find out what exactly should be used to feed young plants in this difficult, stressful period for them.
Trace elements for tomatoes
Soil fertility plays a very important role in growing any crop, including tomatoes. The composition of the soil should include all the necessary trace elements for normal growth and development of the crop: potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, magnesium, calcium and others. Each substance is responsible for the normalization of a certain vital function of the plant, for example, respiration, lipid metabolism, photosynthesis.
- potassium responsible for water balance. It allows the roots to absorb the required amount of moisture and transfer it to the uppermost leaves of the plant. Potassium is also involved in the formation of carbohydrates and makes plants more resistant to low temperatures, drought, and fungus. Potassium plays an important role in the rooting process of plants.
- Phosphorus is a unique trace element that allows the roots to consume the required amount of nutrients from the soil, then participates in the synthesis and transportation of these substances. Without phosphorus, other plant nutrition is meaningless.
- Calcium is directly involved in the process of cell division, is necessary in the early stages of growing tomatoes.
- Nitrogen allows the cells of the plant to divide rapidly, as a result of which the tomatoes grow intensively.
- Magnesium is an integral part of chlorophyll and is involved in the process of photosynthesis.
- Hardware helps plants breathe.
For normal growth and development, all of the listed substances must be combined in the required amount. An imbalance of substances in the soil leads to disruption of plant growth, reduced fruiting, wilting, and death. Often, tomatoes themselves suggest a shortage, an excess of one or another trace element in the soil. To diagnose the situation, you need to know some symptoms:
- With a lack of potassium tomato leaves acquire a light, dry border, similar to a burn. Over time, such edges begin to turn brown and curl up, the disease spreads over the entire surface of the leaf plate.
- Phosphorus deficiency manifested by a strong darkening of the leaves. They first become rich green, then their veins and lower part turn purple. Tomato leaves are slightly curled and pressed against the stem.
- About calcium deficiency show two symptoms. These are the dry tips of young leaves and the dark color of older leaves.
- Nitrogen, perhaps the only trace element that can harm in case of insufficient and excessive amounts. Nitrogen deficiency is manifested by slow plant growth, the formation of small leaves and fruits. The leaves in this case become yellowish, lethargic. An excess of nitrogen can lead to a significant thickening of the stem, the active growth of stepchildren and the cessation of fruit formation. This process is called “fatting”. Young plants after planting in soil with undecomposed nitrogen can completely burn out.
- magnesium deficiency manifests itself in the form of yellowing of the leaves with the preservation of the green color of the veins.
- Lack of iron leads to chlorosis, which is manifested by the appearance of cloudy, gray spots on an apparently healthy green leaf plate of tomatoes. In this case, the veins on the leaf become bright green in color.
Thus, the lack of certain trace elements can be determined visually. As a rule, it is observed when growing seedlings that have access to a limited amount of soil. After planting in the soil, plants are stressed and need more substances that contribute to better rooting. These are primarily potassium and phosphorus. In order for the plants to receive all the necessary trace elements after planting, it is necessary to first prepare the soil in the greenhouse and feed the tomatoes.
Soil preparation
Soil preparation consists of cleaning and fertilizing. You can clear the soil of weeds by digging and sifting. You can remove the larvae of possible pests and the fungus by heating the soil or spilling the soil with boiling water, a manganese solution.
Digging up the soil in the greenhouse should be in the fall, after removing the remnants of the former vegetation. Also, in autumn, rotted or even fresh manure can be put into the soil, with the expectation that it will partially rot before the onset of spring, and will not contain aggressive, harmful nitrogen for plants.
In the spring, after processing the greenhouse, it is necessary to loosen the soil again and add fertilizing containing phosphorus and potassium to it. Such an event will create the most favorable conditions for the growth and rooting of tomato seedlings.
Minerals after disembarkation
Top dressing of tomatoes after planting in a greenhouse largely depends on the composition and nutritional value of the soil. Some gardeners make the mistake of placing manure under each tomato seedling during planting. Organics contain a large amount of nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of tomatoes at a time when the root system is not adapted. Fresh manure in this case can be completely detrimental to plants. As already noted, it should be applied to the ground in the fall for overheating. At the same time, rotted manure, humus, compost can be used at the stage of active growth of tomatoes and the formation of ovaries.
During landing in the ground
Immediately after planting in the ground, tomatoes should be fed with potassium sulfate. This drug will help the tomatoes take root, make them more resistant to stress and low temperatures.
A solution of potassium sulfate is used to feed tomatoes planted in a greenhouse repeatedly. For the entire growing season, the plants are watered 3-4 times in small portions. This mode of application of dressings shows greater efficiency than a single application of a substance in a large volume. You can prepare a solution of potassium sulfate by dissolving 40 grams of the substance in 10 liters of water. This volume should be enough to water 20 plants, 0,5 liters per bush.
In the period from the moment the seedlings are planted in the soil until the end of the vegetative period, tomatoes should be fed three times. So, between the main dressings, additional spraying and watering with nutrients should be carried out.
During flowering
The first top dressing from the day the seedlings were planted in the soil must be carried out after 3 weeks. It is at this time that the active phase of flowering of tomatoes begins. So, you need to feed the tomatoes in the greenhouse during this period with substances with a high content of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. You can use complex mineral supplements or organic matter. Also high efficiency shows the simultaneous introduction of organic and mineral substances.
As organic matter, you can use an infusion of rotten manure or bird droppings, humus. If it is decided to use manure, then mullein should be preferred. You can prepare manure infusion by adding 1 liter of manure to a bucket of water. Tomatoes need to be watered in a small amount directly under the root of the plant.
Mineral trace elements (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) are part of various top dressings that can be used in accordance with the instructions. Also, these trace elements are found in ash, which can be used to feed tomatoes. In this case, only the combustion product of natural wood should be used, avoiding the presence of combustion residues of various debris.
Ashes for feeding tomatoes are bred in rain or well water at the rate of 4 liter jars per 100 liters. After thorough mixing, tomatoes under the root are watered with the resulting ash solution.
You can combine mineral and organic substances for the first feeding in various ways, for example, by adding nitrophoska to mullein infusion. You can also prepare natural top dressing for tomatoes from improvised means: green grass, including nettles and weeds, finely chop with an ax, then pour water in a ratio of 10 liters per 1 kg of grass. Add 2 liters of mullein and a third of a glass of wood ash to the herbaceous infusion. The resulting mixture must be thoroughly mixed, covered with a lid and infused for 6-7 days. After the allotted time, the infusion is diluted with water to a volume of 30 liters and used to water the tomatoes. The average consumption of such top dressing is 2 liters for each bush.
Ovary formation
The second top dressing of tomatoes is carried out during the active formation of the ovaries, i.e. approximately 15-20 days after the first top dressing or the day the tomatoes were planted in the greenhouse. At this time, it is necessary to use top dressing with a high nitrogen content. So, for top dressing, you can use a solution prepared by adding 30 grams of ammonium nitrate, 80 grams of superphosphate and 25 grams of potassium sulfate to a bucket of water. Pouring tomatoes with such a mixture can improve the formation of ovaries and make the plant stronger, ready for the fruiting phase.
During the formation of ovaries, organic substances can also be added by dissolving the mullein in water in a ratio of 1:10.
It is especially important during the formation of ovaries to carry out foliar feeding, in the form of spraying. To do this, you can use manganese sulfate, dissolved in water in a ratio of 1 g per liter. Boric acid also promotes the formation of ovaries. It is diluted in water based on the calculation of 0,5 g per liter. Such solutions are used for spraying tomatoes. Spraying can be done with a sprayer or a conventional watering can.
It is worth noting that boric acid during the formation of ovaries is used not only for spraying, but also for watering. So, by adding 10 g of this substance and a glass of wood ash to a bucket of water, you can get a top dressing rich in essential trace elements. It is used for irrigation based on the calculation of 1 liter per bush.
Active phase of fruiting
By supporting tomatoes at the stage of active fruiting, you can increase crop yields, improve the taste of tomatoes and prolong the process of fruit formation. You can use the usual mineral and organic substances. Complex mineral top dressing can be prepared by adding ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate and superphosphate to a bucket of water in an amount of 40 g of each substance.
You can also fertilize tomatoes during fruiting with nettle infusion. It contains the necessary amount of potassium, magnesium, iron. So, 5 kg of chopped nettle should be poured with 10 liters of water and placed in a container under the press for 2 weeks. This natural top dressing does not contain nitrogen and can be used in conjunction with the introduction of humus or manure infusion.
Thus, to get a good crop of tomatoes, you need to know how to fertilize the plants at each stage of cultivation. When planting seedlings, preference should be given to minerals that will allow the seedlings to take root as quickly as possible and adapt to the conditions of the greenhouse. Planted plants during development should be monitored for signs of any nutrient deficiencies. In the absence of symptoms of “starvation”, tomatoes are fertilized three times after planting, depending on the stage of vegetation, otherwise, extraordinary feeding can be carried out with the introduction of the necessary substance.
Extra feeding
You can feed tomatoes regardless of what stage of cultivation they are at. So, for extraordinary top dressing, you can use yeast. It is worth noting that many farmers call this well-known product the best top dressing for tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Yeast can be used to feed tomatoes at various stages of growing from sprout to harvest. As a rule, they are introduced in the form of extraordinary top dressing 4-5 times per season. Preparing a yeast solution is not at all difficult. To do this, in 5 liters of warm water you need to dissolve 1 kg of the product. Add it to preheated water and insist until fermentation. The resulting concentrate is diluted with warm water (0,5 liters per bucket). Feeding consumption should be approximately 0,5 liters per bush.
It is worth noting that sometimes yeast top dressing is prepared with the addition of sugar, herbal infusion or mullein. You can learn more about feeding tomatoes with yeast by watching the video:
Conclusion
Minerals and organics are important gardener’s helpers that should work in combination. It is necessary to use these substances depending on various factors: the general condition of plants, signs of microelement “starvation”, soil composition. Fertilized tomatoes will always look healthy and fresh. They will give a good harvest of vegetables with high palatability. This will be gratitude for worthy care.