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Peppers and tomatoes belong to the nightshade family. Therefore, some of the stages of seedling care are the same for them. They grow it in advance so that in a timely manner
get the harvest. Seedlings grow in containers with a limited amount of land. Nutrients at a certain point run out, seedlings of peppers and tomatoes require feeding. What is seedling feeding? This is an additional introduction of nutrients into the soil. Use dry or liquid top dressing. Each type of plant requires a specific set of nutrient components, but there are also universal ones.
Most often, these are ready-made mineral mixtures or natural organic matter, which summer residents have on their plots.
There are proven recipes for each type of fertilizer, so it is recommended not to overstep the dosage. Otherwise, you can do more harm than good to the plants.
What kind feeding tomato seedlings and the most productive peppers? Those that allow plants to develop normally and do not negatively affect the process. Therefore, the choice remains with summer residents, and the offer comes from professionals.
The cultivation of these two crops is not fundamentally different. They are thermophilic, respond well to the nutritional value of the soil and top dressing, and do not differ in drought resistance. But there are nuances in the growth of seedlings.
A little about peppers.
- To get an early harvest, peppers are grown only in a greenhouse or under cover. At the same time, they very closely monitor the nutritional value of the soil. It is fertilized with a full set of mineral components, organic matter. Seeds sprout pepper also much longer than tomatoes. Preparation for sowing is carried out carefully, the seeds require special measures.
- Another difference from tomatoes is that they try to grow pepper seedlings without picking. The roots of the plant are located close to the soil surface, they are weak and easily injured. Peppers need frequent and abundant watering, especially during the flowering period. Otherwise, the flowers will simply fall off.
- Pepper seedlings are quite fragile and require care when leaving.
- Sweet and bitter varieties should not be grown nearby. The culture is cross-pollinated and a mixture of varieties and taste is obtained.
- Saplings of peppers, like tomatoes, do not like high temperatures, especially in a greenhouse. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly ventilate (no drafts).
Now we go directly to feeding. First, let's consider what nuances need to be taken into account.
Basic rules for feeding seedlings of peppers and tomatoes
When sowing seeds, summer residents prepare a nutrient mixture that provides plants with the necessary substances. However, when young seedlings are actively growing, they require many useful components. During this period, feeding is carried out.
What should be considered when feeding peppers and tomatoes?
Basic Rules:
- Knowing of limits. A deficiency or excess of nutrients is equally undesirable. The condition of young seedlings changes immediately. Frequent feeding or the introduction of large doses will do no less harm than a poor diet.
- Type of nutritional composition. Choose liquid fertilizer for tomato and pepper seedlings. But if you only have dry mixes, do not forget to dissolve them in water. The root system of young seedlings is not independently capable of absorbing dry components introduced into the soil.They will have access to them at the time of watering, and this is not enough and will take a long time. Therefore, tomatoes and peppers will be undernourished.
- Procedure time. It is better to feed tomato and pepper seedlings after good watering. The optimal time is morning, when there is no danger of a drop in temperature. During the day, the air will still warm up, and this will prevent the development of fungus in the soil.
- Solution concentration. Follow the instructions exactly when applying ready-made mineral fertilizers or organic matter. If you purchased a composition for adult tomatoes and peppers, then reduce the concentration by half.
- Remember to regularly (and carefully!) Loosen the topsoil. In this case, feeding the seedlings will be more productive.
For gardeners, training videos with detailed explanations of each step are very useful. Let's move on to a more detailed overview of nutritional procedures.
We feed young tomato seedlings
Tomatoes are demanding crops in terms of nutrition. This lasts for the entire period of plant development. Strong, powerful seedlings are obtained with the timely and competent introduction of nutrient mixtures.
After planting for permanent residence, she is guaranteed to give a good harvest. How many times to feed tomato seedlings? Optimally three times.
First time after 10 days after the pick... The roots have time to take root in the new soil and absorb nutrients from it. At this stage, it is good to feed the tomatoes with nitrogen and phosphorus. The ready-made preparation "Nitrofos" is used. For feeding, one tablespoon of fertilizer is diluted in one liter of plain water. The second option is organic infusion. Bird droppings or mullein will do. This top dressing takes time to prepare. The component is diluted in water (2: 1) and infused. As soon as fermentation is over and the mixture settles, the fertilizer is ready for use. It is bred in a ratio of 1:12 for litter, and 1: 7 for mullein and watering tomato seedlings. From the piggy bank of folk wisdom, feeding with infusion works well ash woody. It will be enough for her to dilute one spoonful of dry ash in two liters of hot water, cool and feed the tomato seedlings.
The second time the seedlings are fed after 14 days. Now, when choosing a fertilizer, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the seedlings. If the seedlings are stretched out, they are not fed with nitrogen. Of the ready-made mixtures, it is preferable to use "Signor Tomato", "Effecton", "Uniflor Growth". Tomato seedlings will take as much of the nutrients they need. For healthy and strong seedlings, repeated feeding with Nitrofos will be enough.
For the third time, you will need to have time to feed the tomatoes a week before planting them permanently. Again, you can take ready-made mineral compositions, organic infusion.
How to feed pepper seedlings
For small peppers, liquid dressings remain ideal. They start feeding from the early stages of development.
What to feed is best
Mineral mixtures. Organics are not suitable for pepper seedlings. This should be remembered so as not to harm sensitive pepper seedlings. Fertilizers such as "Krepysh", "Effect", "Ideal" work perfectly.
The first time the pepper is spilled is in the two-leaf phase. To do this, take a mixture of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium sulfate (0.5 g + 3 g + 1 g). Dissolve in one liter of water and pour over the pepper seedlings.
The second top dressing of pepper is carried out with the same composition, but in a double dose of components. Do it 14 days after the first feeding.
The third can be carried out a week before transplanting pepper seedlings to a permanent place. Now it is good to prepare the infusion of wood ash. Enough 15 grams of ash per 1 liter of water. Or use the previous composition, but with an increase in the dose of potassium to 8 g.
We use the piggy bank of people's councils
Folk wisdom offers a whole list of means for feeding tomato and pepper seedlings. The main components required for crops are phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Particularly popular is the feeding of seedlings. iodine.
It is carried out in two ways:
- root application (suitable for tomatoes and peppers);
- foliar (only for tomatoes).
Root feeding with iodine is carried out by watering the seedlings. The feeding solution is prepared from 1 drop of iodine and 3 liters of water. In some cases, a single feeding is sufficient. seedlings with iodine.
Foliar top dressing with iodine is done by spraying the seedlings on the leaf. This method not only nourishes tomato seedlings, but also helps to fight the formidable late blight and downy mildew. Therefore, this type of feeding is continued after the tomatoes are planted in a greenhouse or under the open sky. In this case, 3 drops of the substance are diluted in a bucket of water and 1 liter of the composition is consumed for each plant.
Feeding tomatoes and pepper iodine increases the ability of plants to resist diseases and set larger fruits.
Unusual formulations for seedling nutrition:
Coffee lovers grow good peppers by adding to the soil coffee grounds.
It nourishes the roots and loosens the soil, improving their oxygen supply.
Banana peel - a worthy supplier of potassium for seedlings of peppers and, especially, tomatoes. Enough peel of 3 bananas for infusion in a three-liter can of water. The infusion is prepared for three days and the seedlings are watered. Potassium contributes to good nitrogen assimilation by plants
Eggshell... It is especially good for feeding pepper and tomato seedlings after picking. It is placed as a drain in a container for a dive or pre-collected to prepare an infusion. It will take half a bucket of eggshells filled with water to feed the seedlings in three days. At the time of infusion, an unpleasant smell of hydrogen sulfide appears, but it stimulates plants well.
Many gardeners use onion peels, yeast, and potato peels.
Useful tips for gardeners on seedling nutrition
What else needs to be considered when feeding pepper and tomato seedlings? Condition of plants. They themselves will tell you the time and composition for the next feeding. Sometimes the recommended deadlines have to be violated in order to help the plants. The deficiency of each element is manifested by certain signals:
- Nitrogen - lightening of the leaves. Apply nitrogen fertilizers.
- Gland - the appearance of light streaks. May appear from excessive additional illumination of seedlings. Copper sulfate will help.
- Magnesium - wilting of leaves. The source of the element is ash.
- Phosphorus - a change in the color of the leaves to purple. Superphosphate required.
If the plants grow strong, healthy, with a dark color of leaves and stems, then some gardeners are in no hurry to carry out the next top dressing. This is especially true when growing seedlings of peppers and tomatoes in good nutritious soil.
Try to keep a close eye on the seedlings so that you can take action in time. And it is better to get information in advance on the correct cultivation of healthy seedlings of tomatoes and peppers.
Useful video for summer residents:
