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If there is a greenhouse on the site, it means that tomatoes are probably growing 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, seedlings are repeatedly fertilized with various activators. growth, but how to feed tomatoes after planting in a greenhouse? What substances do plants need in order to better take root and gain enough strength for the formation of 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.
Microelements 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 the normal growth and development of the culture: 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 the water balance. It allows the roots to absorb the required amount of moisture and transfer it to the topmost 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 process of plant rooting.
- 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 transport of these substances. Without phosphorus, other plant nutrition is meaningless.
- Calcium directly involved in the process of cell division, it is necessary in the early stages of growing tomatoes.
- Nitrogen allows plant cells to rapidly divide, as a result of which tomatoes grow intensively.
- Magnesium is a constituent part of chlorophyll and participates in the process of photosynthesis.
- Iron helps plants breathe.
For normal growth and development, all of these substances must be combined in the required amount. An imbalance of substances in the soil leads to a violation of plant growth, a decrease in 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 of the symptoms:
- With a lack of potassium tomato leaves acquire a light, dry border, like a burn. Over time, such edges begin to turn brown and roll up, the disease spreads over the entire surface of the leaf plate.
- Lack of phosphorus manifested by a strong darkening of the leaves. They first turn deep green, then their veins and the lower part turn purple. Tomato leaves curl slightly and press against the stem.
- About lack of calcium two symptoms testify at once. These are dry tips of young leaves and dark color of old leaves.
- Nitrogenis, perhaps, the only trace element that can harm in case of insufficient and excessive amounts. Lack of nitrogen is manifested by slow growth of the plant, the formation of small leaves and fruits. In this case, the leaves become yellowish, lethargic.Excess nitrogen can lead to a significant thickening of the stem, active growth of stepchildren and cessation of fruit formation. This process is called "fattening". 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 the apparently healthy green leaf plate of tomatoes. In this case, the veins on the leaf acquire a bright green color.
Thus, the lack of certain microelements 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, first of all, potassium and phosphorus. In order for the plants to be able 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. Clear the soil from weeds can be done by digging and sifting. You can remove the larvae of possible pests and fungus by heating the soil or spilling the soil with boiling water, manganese solution.
Digging up the soil in the greenhouse should be in the fall, after removing the remnants of the old vegetation. Also, in the fall, you can lay rotted or even fresh manure in the soil, with the expectation that it will partially rot before the onset of spring, and will not contain aggressive nitrogen harmful to plants.
In the spring, after processing the greenhouse, it is necessary to re-loosen the soil and add fertilizers 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 when planting seedlings. Organics contain a large amount of nitrogen, which stimulates the growth of tomatoes at a time when the root system is not adapted. In this case, fresh manure can be completely detrimental to plants. As already noted, it should be applied to the soil in the fall for maturing. 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 preparation will help the tomatoes to take root, making them more resistant to stress and low temperatures.
A solution of potassium sulfate is used to feed tomatoes planted in a greenhouse several times. For the entire growing season, plants are watered 3-4 times in small portions. This mode of feeding shows greater efficiency than a one-time application of the substance in a large volume. You can prepare a solution of potassium sulfate by dissolving 40 g of a substance in 10 liters of water. This volume should be enough for watering 20 plants, 0.5 liters per 1 bush.
In the period from the moment the seedlings are planted in the soil until the end of the growing season, the 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 fertilization from the day of planting seedlings in the soil should be carried out after 3 weeks. It is at this time that the active phase of tomato flowering begins. So, feed tomatoes in the greenhouse during this period, you need substances with a high content of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen.You can use complex mineral fertilizing or organic matter. Also, the simultaneous introduction of organic and mineral substances shows high efficiency.
As organic matter, you can use an infusion of rotten manure or bird droppings, humus. If it is decided to use manure, then the mullein should be preferred. You can prepare a manure infusion by adding 1 liter of manure to a bucket of water. Water the tomatoes in a small amount directly under the root of the plant.
Mineral trace elements (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus) are included in various dressings that can be used in accordance with the instructions. Also, these trace elements are contained 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 cans per 100 liters. After thorough mixing, the tomatoes are poured under the root with the resulting ash solution.
Combine mineral and organic substances for first feeding can be done in various ways, for example, by adding nitrophoska to mullein infusion. You can also prepare a natural top dressing for tomatoes from improvised means: finely chop green grass, including nettles and weeds with an ax, and 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 mixed well, 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 for watering tomatoes. The average consumption of such feeding is 2 liters for each bush.
Ovary formation
The second feeding tomatoes carried out during the active formation of ovaries, that is, approximately 15-20 days after the first feeding 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 feeding, 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. Watering tomatoes with this mixture can improve the formation of ovaries and make the plant stronger, ready for the fruiting phase.
During the formation of ovaries, organic matter can also be added by dissolving the mullein in water in a ratio of 1:10.
It is especially important during the period of ovary formation 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 at the rate of 0.5 g per liter. Such solutions are used for spraying tomatoes. Spraying can be done using a sprayer or a regular 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, adding 10 grams 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 watering based on 1 liter per bush.
Active fruiting phase
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 dressing can be prepared by adding ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate and superphosphate in the amount of 40 grams of each substance to a bucket of water.
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 a 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, in order to obtain a good harvest of tomatoes, you need to do more than fertilize the plants at every stage of growing. 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. The planted plants must be monitored during development, paying attention to signs of deficiencies in any nutrients. In the absence of symptoms of "starvation", tomatoes after planting are fertilized three times, depending on the stage of vegetation, otherwise it is possible to carry out extra feeding with the introduction of the necessary substance.
Extraordinary feeding
You can feed tomatoes no matter what stage of growing they are. So, yeast can be used for extraordinary dressings. It is worth noting that many farmers call this very well-known product the best fertilizing for tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Yeast can be used to feed tomatoes at various stages of growing from germination to harvest. As a rule, they are introduced in the form of an extraordinary feeding 4-5 times per season. Preparing a yeast solution is not difficult at all. To do this, dissolve 1 kg of product in 5 liters of warm water. Add it to pre-heated water and infuse until fermentation. The resulting concentrate is diluted with warm water (0.5 liters per bucket). Top dressing consumption should be approximately 0.5 liters per bush.
It is worth noting that sometimes yeast 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 assistants to the gardener, which must work together. It is necessary to use these substances depending on various factors: the general condition of the plants, signs of microelement "starvation", the composition of the soil. Fertilized tomatoes will always look healthy and fresh. They will give a good harvest of vegetables with high taste. This will be a gratitude for a decent care.
