Mineral fertilizers for tomatoes

Every farmer who has grown tomatoes at least once on his plot knows that it will not be possible to get a high-quality crop of vegetables without fertilization. Tomatoes are very demanding on the composition of the soil. At all stages of cultivation, they need various minerals that will affect the growth of the bush, the filling and taste of fruits, and the speed of their ripening. In this case, it will not be possible to manage only organic top dressing, since only nitrogen is included in their composition in sufficient quantities. That is why experienced farmers use mineral fertilizers for tomatoes, which are able to provide plants with all the necessary trace elements. Mineral top dressings can be prepared independently by mixing several preparations with different compositions, or you can purchase ready-made mixtures. Organo-mineral fertilizers, which are a mixture of organic and mineral substances, also have high efficiency. We will talk in detail about the use of all these dressings in the proposed article.

Mineral top dressing for tomatoes

For the normal development and growth of tomatoes, the soil must contain a whole range of various minerals, including calcium, boron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, sulfur and others. However, the most important constituents are only three minerals: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It is them that tomatoes consume in large quantities at one or another stage of the growing season, which can lead to a deficiency of these substances and disruption of plant development.

Complex mineral fertilizers contain not only basic, but also additional substances in a balanced amount. Simple mineral supplements contain only one essential micronutrient, so they are used either mixed with each other or to prevent deficiency of a particular mineral.

Simple mineral fertilizers

Simple mineral fertilizers are relatively low cost. Another advantage is the ability of the farmer to independently regulate the amount of certain substances in top dressing.

All simple mineral fertilizers, depending on the main trace element, can be divided into three types:

1. Nitrogen. They are used to accelerate the growth of leaves and shoots of the plant. Such an impact is essential at an early stage of tomato vegetation. Nitrogen fertilizers are actively used to feed seedlings and plants in the ground before flowering, then the amount of nitrogen in the soil must be reduced, which will allow its forces to be directed not to building green mass, but to the formation of fruits. Among nitrogen single-component minerals, urea (urea) and ammonium nitrate are in demand. To prepare a one-component fertilizer from urea, add 1 tbsp. l. substances in 10 liters of water.

   

2. Phosphoric. Phosphorus is necessary for tomatoes to grow and develop the root system. This trace element is especially in demand during the period of growing seedlings, picking plants and planting them in the ground. Simple phosphate fertilizers are represented by superphosphate. A feature of a simple phosphate fertilizer is that it is poorly soluble in water, and in dry form it is not absorbed by plants. In the preparation of top dressing, it is necessary to take into account this feature and prepare a solution of superphosphate a day before use. Such a “seasoned” solution is called an extract. To prepare it, add 1 tbsp to 1 liter of boiling water. l. superphosphate. After infusing the mixture for a day, the working solution is diluted in 10 liters of water.

   

3. Potash. Fertilizers containing potassium have a beneficial effect on the development of the root system, increase the immunity of tomatoes and improve the taste of vegetables. Potassium is applied to the soil at various stages of crop cultivation. At the same time, it is recommended to use potassium salts that do not contain chlorine, since it negatively affects the growth of tomatoes. For example, potassium chloride can be applied to the soil only in autumn, so that chlorine is washed out of the soil. The optimal potash fertilizer for tomatoes is potassium. You can prepare top dressing from this substance by adding 40 g of potassium sulfate to 10 liters of water. This solution should be enough to feed tomatoes per 1 m² soil.

   

The above fertilizers are used to feed seedlings or already adult plants, and for young tomatoes, it is recommended to slightly reduce the concentration of substances, in relation to the proportions proposed above. For complex feeding of tomatoes, you can prepare a mixture of two or three simple substances.

Ready-made complex top dressing

Most ready-made mineral complexes contain mixtures of the simple substances listed above. A balanced amount of ingredients allows the farmer not to think about what proportions to withstand when preparing top dressing.

Among the most effective and affordable complex fertilizers with minerals for tomatoes are used:

1. Dymmofoska. This fertilizer is unique in its extended, multicomponent composition. It contains a large amount of phosphorus and potassium (about 26%), as well as nitrogen (10%). In addition, the composition of the top dressing includes additional various micro and macro elements. An essential advantage of the fertilizer is its easily soluble form, which greatly facilitates the use of the substance. Diammofoska can be applied to the soil during digging as the main micronutrient. The application rate in this case is 30-40 g per 1 m² soil. For watering tomatoes under the root, the complex preparation is dissolved at the rate of 1-2 teaspoons per bucket of water. Plants are watered with a working solution for 1 m² soil.

   

2. Ammophos. This two-component fertilizer contains about 50% phosphorus and just over 10% nitrogen. Granulated top dressing does not contain chlorine, promotes the development of the root system of tomatoes and the early ripening of vegetables. To feed tomatoes, the substance can be applied dry to the grooves on the ridges with plantings or as a solution for irrigation under the root. It is important to note that dry Ammophos is applied to the soil at a distance of no closer than 10 cm from the plant stem.

   

3. Nitroammophoska is a three-component substance in the form of gray granules. As part of the fertilizer, the main trace elements are in equal proportions, approximately 16% each. Nitroammophoska is highly soluble in water and has a highly effective effect on various vegetable crops. So, when feeding with this fertilizer, you can increase the yield of a tomato by 30, and sometimes by 70%. Nitroammophoska can be used when digging the soil in a dry form or for root dressing of tomatoes during the growing process. The rate of top dressing is 30-40 g/m².

   

When using the listed types of complex mineral dressings, it is necessary to take into account the nature of the origin of the substances. So, Ammophos and Diammofoska belong to the category of nitrate-free drugs, which is their important advantage. Nitroammophoska in its composition contains nitrates, which can accumulate in tomatoes. If the application rate of this fertilizer is exceeded, the environmental friendliness of vegetables can be significantly worsened.

An overview of other mineral fertilizers and advice from a professional farmer can be seen on the video:

The video also notes the symptoms of a deficiency of specific minerals and ways to solve the problem using various mineral root and foliar top dressings.

General rules for the use of mineral fertilizers

Mineral top dressing of a tomato should be carried out in compliance with certain rules:

• During the formation of flowers, ovaries, fruits, you can not use mineral preparations as top dressing on the sheet. This can lead to fruit intoxication and human poisoning when consuming such tomatoes.
• All mineral fertilizers must be stored in sealed bags.
• Excess concentrations of mineral fertilizers adversely affect the growth and fruiting of tomatoes and can lead to fattening of tomatoes or their “burning”.
• The amount of minerals can be adjusted depending on the composition and existing fertility of the soil. So, on clay soils, the amount of fertilizer can be increased, and on sandy soils, reduced.
• It is possible to use mineral dressings in a dry form only under the condition of regular abundant watering. It is necessary to close up substances to the depth of the location of the roots of the tomato.

Guided by such simple rules for the use of mineral dressings, you can improve the process of growing a crop and increase yields without harming the quality of tomatoes.

Organo-mineral fertilizers

This type of fertilizer is a relative novelty on the market, however, over time, organomineral substances are becoming increasingly popular. They are a mixture of organic matter, such as slurry or chicken manure infusion, with simple minerals.

The advantages of organomineral fertilizers are:

• environmental Safety;
• the ability to be quickly absorbed by plants and provide the desired effect in a short time;
• the ability to significantly improve the composition of the soil before and after planting tomatoes.

On sale you can find organomineral fertilizers in various forms: in the form of solutions, granules, dry mixes. The most popular organomineral top dressings for tomatoes are:

1. Humates are a natural substance in the form of an extract from peat, manure, and silt. Potassium and sodium humates can be found on sale. These top dressings for tomatoes contain not only the main substance indicated in the name, but also a full range of minerals, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. The composition also contains humic acid and a number of beneficial bacteria that improve the quality and fertility of the soil, warm the roots of plants, and accelerate their growth. Using Humates, you can significantly increase the yield of tomatoes without compromising the environmental friendliness of the fruit. The organomineral preparation can be safely used at various stages of the growing season of tomatoes. The seeds are soaked in the Humate solution, they are watered with seedlings and already mature plants on the ridges. For the implementation of root top dressing and top dressing on the sheet, a solution of Humate 1 tbsp is prepared. l. to a bucket of water.

   

2. BIO VITA. Among the organomineral fertilizers of this brand, Senor Tomato can be used to feed tomatoes. This fertilizer, in addition to organic extracts, contains a complex of minerals: nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in a clearly balanced amount. The use of this fertilizer has a positive effect on the formation of ovaries and improves the taste of tomatoes. At the same time, receiving a large amount of potassium and a limited amount of nitrogen, plants do not allow themselves to fatten and direct their efforts to increase productivity. That is why the organomineral preparation of this brand is effective when used in the second half of the cultivation period. For root dressing, the organomineral complex is added in the amount of 5 tbsp. l. to a bucket of water.

   

3. Baby. Organo-mineral fertilizer “Malyshok” is used to feed seedlings and already grown tomatoes in the ground after planting. This drug allows you to increase the stress resistance of plants, prepare them for transplantation and improve the development of the root system. In the solution of the drug, you can soak the seeds of tomatoes, accelerating the process of their germination and increasing germination. You can prepare a fertilizer based on this drug by adding 100 ml of substances to a bucket of water.

   

The use of these drugs is absolutely safe for plants. With the help of organomineral complexes, it is possible to carry out not only root, but also foliar top dressing. A well-chosen composition of fertilizers allows you to increase the yield of tomatoes, accelerate the development of their root system, and improve the taste of vegetables.

Scheme of the use of mineral fertilizers

It is impossible to repeatedly apply mineral fertilizers to the soil when growing tomatoes. It is necessary to use mineral fertilizers only if necessary, when there is a deficiency of a certain microelement or as planned, in compliance with a certain schedule. So, the recommended scheme for feeding tomatoes includes the following steps:

• Tomato seedlings are fed after the appearance of 2-3 leaves. During this period, it is necessary to feed the tomatoes with a complex preparation, for example, Nitroammofoska or organomineral fertilizer “Baby”.
• Phosphorus and potash fertilizers feed seedlings a week before the planned planting of plants in the soil.
• The first top dressing of tomatoes in the ground can be carried out 10 days after planting the plants in the soil. At this stage, nitrogen-containing fertilizers can be used to actively grow tomato leaves. The frequency of such top dressing should be 1 time in 10 days.
• When flowering brushes and ovaries appear, it is recommended to focus on the use of potash supplements with a small amount of nitrogen and phosphorus. Such complex top dressing must be repeated until the end of the vegetative period of plants.

If the soil on which tomatoes grow is depleted, then you may encounter symptoms of a lack of one or another mineral. In this case, it is recommended to use simple mineral fertilizers as foliar top dressing. The procedure for spraying the leaves with nutrient solutions will correct the starvation situation and soon saturate the plants with the necessary trace element.

Conclusion

It is impossible to get a high-quality crop of tomatoes without the use of mineral dressings even on the most fertile soil. Plants in the process of growth regularly consume substances, depleting existing soil resources. That is why top dressing should be regular and complex. At the same time, it is important to monitor the concentration of substances and the methods of applying mineral supplements, depending on the growing season of tomatoes. Only properly fed tomatoes are able to thank the farmer with tasty and healthy vegetables in large quantities.