Is it possible to feed tomatoes during fruiting?
By the time of fruiting, tomato bushes should already be formed and saturated with minerals. However, situations can be different and a vegetable grower, if the harvest is dear to him, is obliged to take a closer look at the condition:
- shoots;
- foliage;
- ripening fruits;
- ovary;
- colors.
All these parts of the plant organism can tell you which elements are not enough.
Timely application of root and leaf fertilizers can significantly increase yield. However, fertilizing during fruiting can change the situation and “extend” the genetic potential of the variety.
Before you start watering with fertilizers, especially nitrogen ones, you should clearly calculate the dose and frequency so as not to provoke the accumulation of nitrates in the fruits.
Often nature gives abnormal temperature parameters. At this moment, the vegetable grower notices that the ovaries fall off and new ones are not formed. At this moment, it is urgent to fertilize with boron fertilizers.
Features of watering tomatoes
Even timely and correct fertilizing will not give the desired result if the plants do not receive the required amount of moisture (and not only its lack, but also its excess can cause harm).
It is useful to know how to properly water tomatoes in open ground and in a greenhouse.
Here are some recommendations for watering greenhouse tomatoes:
- How often and how much. The older the tomato bush, the more often it needs to be watered, but with less water. Before flowering begins, you can pour 5 liters per bush once a week, and it is better to water fruit-bearing plants twice a week, but 1 liter each.
- What time of day? In hot weather, greenhouse tomatoes can be watered during the day, in the morning and evening. When it's cool outside, it's best to water during the day.
- What to water: warm water heated in the sun.
- How to water correctly. It is necessary to pour water at the root, trying not to get on the leaves. The ideal watering option is drip irrigation.
Important! Curled leaves on the bushes indicate that they urgently need to be watered. And cracked fruits indicate excess moisture, the amount of which needs to be reduced.
What elements do tomatoes need during fruiting?
During the growth and development stages, tomato needs nitrogen fertilizers. From the moment 2-3 tomato trusses appear, potassium and phosphorus are needed.
These elements:
- active participants in photosynthesis processes;
- are activators of the enzymatic system;
- strengthen cell membranes, which gives the bushes resistance and the fruits strength;
- improve the flow of carbohydrates from the green parts of the bush to the filling fruits, which significantly improves the taste;
- actively participate in the synthesis of amino acids, the deficiency of which affects metabolic processes and, in general, productivity;
- promote water use of cellular components (responsible for turgor). Thanks to this function, the product yield is improved.
Unlike mobile elements that pass from the leaf to the fruit, the tomato needs immobile elements, such as boron. Even if root feeding has been carried out, the boron cannot reach the flowers and ovaries through the conductive system - it is immobile. The vegetable grower, using foliar fertilizing, must “bring” the element to the growing points and buds.
With the fruiting, the plant also needs magnesium, manganese, iron, molybdenum, cobalt, zinc and other micro and macroelements. They are all in the ground. However, it is not always in a form accessible for absorption by the root system. You can only “take” them in soluble form. Timely watering will help the plant absorb the necessary substances and deliver them to the fruits.
Since everything in nature is interconnected, often the deficiency of one element affects the digestibility of another. A vegetable grower should understand that the soil has been saturated with minerals for hundreds of years. Another thing is that the root is not able to absorb it, since the elements are bound into insoluble compounds. Organic can help. It is the microflora that helps overcome the barrier of inaccessibility.
Organic fertilizing can be done with farm animal manure. Cow, horse, pig, and bird droppings contain many elements that can help balance the nutrient medium for tomatoes during the fruiting period. In turn, organic matter is a nutrient medium for microflora, which will help the elements acquire an assimilable form.
Useful tips
The recommendations below will come in handy for any gardener who wants to get a quantitative and high-quality tomato harvest in greenhouse conditions:
- Always adhere to the dosages indicated on the packaging of store-bought drugs and follow the advice of specialists. To overdo it with fertilizer means harm;
- Plants grow faster in a greenhouse than in open ground. If the bush has grown large, is covered with dense foliage, and there are few (or no) ovaries, you need to urgently stop fertilizing with nitrogen;
- Observe the condition of the tomatoes to determine whether they need additional feeding or not.
Did you know? When you need to cheer up, but there is no chocolate at hand, you can eat a tomato, since it also contains a lot of seratonin, or the hormone of happiness.
Tomatoes at the fruiting stage have a special need for fertilizers. If you feed them correctly and on time, the quality and quantity of the harvest will certainly increase.
When is the best time to fertilize?
Feeding tomatoes during the fruiting period cannot be carried out without prior inspection. Indicators for fertilizing with potassium and phosphorus will be:
- excessively large leaves;
- very powerful stem;
- strong growth of stepchildren;
- a very short and small flower brush;
- large and pale flowers;
- a small amount of ovary on the bushes;
- small fruits, despite the large-fruited variety.
All these signs will indicate excessive development of the vegetative system and an imbalance between nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
If buds form, turn yellow and fall off without even opening, or flowers fall off after flowering without forming ovaries, this is a signal to fertilize with boric acid.
Attention! Since vegetable growers do not conduct laboratory soil tests in their gardens, high concentrations of fertilizers cannot be used for fertilizing. It is better to fertilize more often, but with weak solutions.
When to feed?
To fertilize tomatoes, you need to choose a certain time of day and weather conditions.
- For open ground tomatoes, all spraying can be carried out in the morning or evening, and in cloudy weather - at any time. The main thing is that the treated bushes should not be exposed to sunlight, otherwise burns cannot be avoided.
- Spraying carried out in the evening hours is considered more effective, since all components of the solution are better absorbed into the plant and do not evaporate during the day.
- Root feeding of greenhouse tomatoes is carried out in the morning, followed by ventilation.
The effect of fertilizers on crop quality
Minerals play a major role in plant nutrition. Vegetable growers often underestimate their content in soils. For example, potassium deficiency can only be noticed when the level of the element is 4-5 times lower than normal. However, it will be too late to catch up.
If there are not enough minerals, the plant will immediately react:
- height;
- flowering;
- fruit set;
- shape and commercial yield of tomatoes;
- productivity;
- taste;
- keeping quality;
- disease resistance;
- transportability.
If growth, flowering and setting can be adjusted during the growing season, then such parameters as taste and transportability will no longer be possible to correct.
Feeding tomatoes is a necessary element of their care.
They begin to fertilize tomatoes even during the period of growing seedlings. After planting in the greenhouse, they are fed during growth, flowering and fruit set. Fruiting is the most important stage of the growing season. The correct application of fertilizers during this period depends on:
- appearance of the fruit;
- weight and taste;
- quantity;
- speed of maturation;
- resistance to late blight and other diseases.
Thanks to timely fertilizing, tomatoes ripen faster, become sweeter and tastier.
It is necessary to accurately dose fertilizers, since both a lack and an excess of nutrients can harm the plants. The sequence of fertilizing is also important: for example, you cannot spray the leaves and water at the root at the same time, they need to be alternated. It is better to carry out the procedure on a cloudy day, since the sun's rays shining through the glass can burn the leaves and stems.
In a greenhouse, you usually need less fertilizer than in an open garden bed, since the protected soil provides tomatoes with almost ideal conditions for growth: warm, humid, and no strong temperature changes. Therefore, if the weather outside is unsuitable for growing sweet tomatoes, you can increase the dose of any fertilizer for ground tomatoes by 1.5 times. However, you should not overfeed the bushes - they do not like excess fertilizer, they can get sick and even lose varietal characteristics.
The dose for fertilizer must be chosen strictly according to the instructions for the preparations, so as not to overfeed the tomatoes.
One and a half to two weeks before the expected harvest of tomatoes, feeding is stopped.
Fertilizers for rapid growth of tomato fruits
Gardeners are rushing to try the first, most desired tomatoes. At the same time, you need to clearly understand that the first thing is not always the tastiest. By forcing events and “accelerating” ripening, we are trying to outsmart nature to the detriment of taste.
By making timely fertilizing during the growth period, and improving the structure and fertility of the soil, you can easily achieve high quality and marketable yield of tomatoes.
Folk remedies
Gardeners are trying in every possible way to improve the situation with fruiting and ripening of tomatoes. The means that people use are not always related to fertility. Science constantly “spys” on people’s experience and tries to introduce it into production, having carefully checked it first. Those means that really have an effect on fruiting are used in the fields of farmers and large agricultural enterprises.
Yeast
Gardeners fell in love with yeast. Agrarian scientists have comprehensively studied the effect of yeast solution on:
- seed germination;
- height;
- seedling development;
- ovary;
- fruiting;
- productivity;
- taste.
Unfortunately, after laboratory and field studies, the yeast did not have the desired effect on tomatoes. There is no point in using yeast talkers in the garden.
Iodine and milk
The microelement iodine does not have any effect on the course of biochemical processes in plant cells. As a fungicide it has its place, but the concentration must be very high and this is not acceptable for a green leaf.
Milk and dairy products are also often used on tomato beds, but are equally ineffective.
Superphosphate and ash
Superphosphate is the best fertilizer for feeding tomatoes. Considering that tomatoes need neutral and slightly alkaline soils, and superphosphate is perfectly absorbed under such conditions, its use is advisable.
On alkaline soils, phosphoric acid is quickly absorbed by the plant and contributes to:
- abundant flowering;
- growth of ovaries and fruits;
- improving the taste and keeping quality of tomatoes.
To feed, pour 20 g of superphosphate into a liter of hot water and leave for 10-12 hours until completely dissolved. Next, combine the mother liquor with 9 liters of cold water. This fertilizer can be used to fertilize tomato bushes at the rate of 0.5 liters per bush. The frequency of fertilizing is 1 time every 1-10 days.
Attention! Fertilizing with superphosphate solutions increases tomato yields by 10-15%
Furnace ash is a storehouse of minerals, but it cannot work quickly. During the period when tomatoes are ripening, it is better to give preference to other substances and fertilizers.
Green manure
By putting the green remains of vegetation in a barrel and filling it with water, we allow it to “ferment.” As a result, a nutrient medium for microflora is formed. When applying such fertilizers, microorganisms process minerals, making them available for absorption by plants. To speed up fermentation, add a glass of sugar or old jam to the container. Such sweets allow microflora to multiply faster.
Attention! When preparing green fertilizer, fermentation should be carried out at a temperature of at least 20 ᵒC. If the temperature is lower, the development of putrefactive microflora is inevitable, the gardener will feel this through an unpleasant odor.
Green fertilizers have a very beneficial effect on root nutrition, but they are not fast. The best time for application is the seedling period. If the irrigation water contains part of the green fertilizer, the vegetable grower will be able to see with his own eyes the effectiveness of the event.
Mullein
The most accessible organic matter is farm animal manure. Cows, horses, pigs and poultry provide all the substances that tomatoes need in an easily accessible form.
To prepare fertilizing proceed as follows:
- 1 kg of mullein, pig manure or horse manure or 0.5 kg of bird droppings are added to the bucket;
- fill with water;
- stand for 2-3 days;
- 1 liter of the resulting concentrated infusion is dissolved in 10 liters of water.
You can pamper your tomatoes with this balanced feeding every 10 days until mid-August. Add 0.5 liters to each bush.
Complex and mineral fertilizers
Manufacturers came to the aid of gardeners and launched the production of complex fertilizers. It is enough to prepare a solution and feed it to provide the tomato bushes with adequate nutrition.
During the fruiting period, preference should be given to complex preparations with boron. The most proven ones:
- partner boron;
- Chelatin tomato. Complex fertilizer with minerals in chelated, quickly digestible form;
- monopotassium phosphate (phosphorus-potassium fertilizer);
- fertilizer Master NPK 3:11:38;
- Chelatin monobor.
There is no point in memorizing the names of drugs. It may be called differently in different regions. In any case, retail garden centers will be happy to help you choose a complex potassium-phosphorus fertilizer with the addition of boron. Following the instructions, you can easily prepare a solution and feed the tomatoes.
Organic supplements
During the period of bud formation, flowering and fruiting, especially in abnormal weather conditions, tomato bushes can be helped with organic fertilizers.
Humates
Using humate fertilizers you can:
- improve the supply of nutrients and increase their absorption rate by bushes;
- activate the development of the aerial part, buds and ovary;
- increase the resistance of tomatoes to high temperatures and changes.
When treated with humates, more uniform growth of ovaries and ripening is observed. Tomato bushes come to life. Activated biochemical processes contribute to the accumulation of sugars, and thereby the taste changes. By influencing photosynthesis and respiration processes, humates improve the migration of those nutrients that are “frozen” in the leaf blades. They gradually turn into filling fruits. The appearance, product yield, and transportability are improved.
Types of fertilizers
Based on their composition, fertilizers are divided into:
- mineral (from chemical elements);
- organic (from natural ingredients).
Depending on the method of fertilizing, there are:
- root (applied under the root);
- foliar (stems and leaves are sprayed).
Mineral
Mineral fertilizers that are applied during the fruiting period of tomatoes include:
- superphosphate is a phosphorus fertilizer that has a multifaceted effect: it promotes the development of the root system of tomatoes, has a positive effect on metabolism, and increases the quantity and quality of the harvest;
- nitrophoska is a complex mineral fertilizer, the main elements of which are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in different proportions. Used instead of superphosphate;
- potassium sulfate is an inorganic fertilizer that, in combination with phosphorus and nitrogen preparations, effectively improves the quality of the crop;
- boric acid is a mineral fertilizer containing boron. Necessary for a good harvest, protects against diseases. Used together with other natural and chemical products.
Find out what to spray tomatoes for ovary.
Feeding methods are as follows:
- Dissolve nitrophoska (1 tbsp) and dry sodium humate (1 tsp) in water (10 l). Water at the root;
- Mix superphosphate (2 tbsp) and liquid humate (1 tbsp) in water (10 l). Water to the very roots.
Organic
Supporters of a healthy harvest prefer to use non-chemical natural fertilizers. It can be:
- sodium and potassium humates - growth stimulants, which are made from manure, sludge, peat, and plant waste; improve the quality and presentation of the crop;
- auxins – phytohormones, which form the basis of the drug “Kornevin”, accelerate the setting and ripening of tomatoes; non-toxic, do not accumulate in fruits;
- yeast - living microorganisms that, entering the soil, saturate it with oxygen, interact with soil microorganisms and activate their work, which has a remarkable effect on the growth of bushes and fruit set;
- ash obtained from trees contains potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and many other valuable nutrients that make tomatoes plump. Used in the form of an aqueous solution.
Read more about how to feed tomatoes not only during fruiting, but also during flowering.
Plants are fed as follows:
- Dissolve yeast (50 g) in warm water (10 l). You can add a herbal solution (from nettle) and wood ash. Leave for 2 hours, pour at the root (1 liter per bush);
- Pour wood ash (2 l) with hot water (5 l) and mix. When cool, add water to fill a 10-liter bucket. Add iodine (1 bottle) and boric acid (10 g). Insist for a day. The resulting mixture is again diluted with water (1:10) and poured 1 liter per bush.
Use of folk remedies
You can prepare the nutritional composition for tomatoes yourself from available ingredients. Recipes that combine organic and mineral components are often used. Here are some of them:
- To a solution of manure (1:6) or chicken droppings (1:20), add the drug “Solution” or “Kemira” (1 tbsp per 10 l), potassium permanganate and copper sulfate (1 g each). Apply 1.5 liters of fertilizer to low-growing bushes, and up to 2.5 liters to tall bushes.
- At the very beginning, iodine (20 drops) is dripped into 1 liter of serum. Then the resulting mixture is dissolved in water (20 l). The solution is used for foliar feeding by spraying the bushes with a spray bottle.
- Mix milk (1 l), iodine (5 drops) and water (5 l). Spray in the evening. Fruiting is stimulated and protection against late blight is created.
Important! Any fertilizer should be applied only after all tomato bushes have been well watered.
Features of fertilizing tomatoes during flowering and fruiting
During flowering, you need to pay special attention to agrotechnical methods for growing tomatoes.
Water the tomatoes
The growth and development of fruits depends on how much water the bushes are provided with. The soil under the bushes should not dry out. Watering should be done rarely, but deeply, so that the entire root ball is moistened.
Fluff up the beds
During the fruiting period, there is no longer a need to deeply loosen the beds, since the root system has gone 50-60 cm into the bowels of the earth. However, there should be no weeds between the bushes; they compete for:
- water;
- light;
- nutrients.
- They also provide shelter for pests and pathogens.
Use the solution correctly
Please read the instructions before cooking. An incorrectly prepared solution can:
- become cloudy (minerals will form an insoluble precipitate);
- be insufficient or excessively strong concentration;
- strengthen the already excessive growth of the vegetative system, which is unacceptable during the fruiting period.
When preparing a solution of industrial fertilizers and preparations for fertilizing, it is especially important to take into account the amount of solvent, the preparation temperature, and maintain the correct proportion. Only the author of the complex product knows the exact composition. Giving instructions, he calculated with mathematical precision the amount of mineral elements that would be optimal for feeding the crop.
Fertilizing tomatoes in open ground
Tomatoes grown in open ground are subject to more severe conditions (subject to temperature changes, the soil dries out faster) than greenhouse tomatoes. They need more careful care, and the fertilizer application system is also different. The frequency of fertilizing and the necessary compositions at the corresponding growth phase will be described in detail below.
The first feeding will not be needed if the seedlings have successfully taken root after transplanting into open ground. But when the sprouts look weak and droop, it is necessary to feed them with nitrogen 7 days after transplanting.
The second feeding is carried out during the flowering of the first cluster. At this moment, we replenish the need for potassium. Spread wood ash around the bushes, you can lightly loosen the soil. Natural nutrition in the form of nettle infusion has proven itself worthily. For a 150 liter barrel you will need a good armful of grass; the fermentation process takes about 10 days. For 10 liters of water, give 1 liter of concentrate, pour 1 liter of fertilizer for each plant.
The second cluster of tomatoes has begun to bloom - it’s time to apply the third fertilizing. To do this, dilute 1 tablespoon of potassium humate in a 10-liter bucket of water. The consumption is the same - 1 liter for each bush.
The fourth feeding will be needed 15 days after applying the third. You will need to saturate the soil with phosphorus: dilute 45 g of superphosphate in 10 liters of water. Again, add 1 liter of solution under each bush.
Mineral fertilizer for tomatoes in open ground
When growing tomatoes in a garden in open ground, do not forget about mineral fertilizers. During the period of flowering and fruit formation, they can be embedded in the soil, slightly loosening it, but liquid feeding at the root is more effective. They can be used in parallel with organic matter: during the first feeding, 20 g of superphosphate is added to the mullein solution, which helps strengthen the root system. For the second feeding, take 50 g of nitroammophoska and 5 g of potassium sulfate, consumption per 1 m². The third and subsequent fertilizing (with a frequency of 10 days) is carried out with a complex mineral fertilizer of the “Stimul-1” type, which will stimulate an increase in the size of the fruit and speed up the ripening process.
Foliar feeding of tomatoes during fruiting period
In summer, it is permissible to use foliar fertilizing (by spraying on the leaves); in this way, plantings are treated every ten days (at a certain stage of growth). They will provide the tomatoes with the necessary substances that are required at a certain moment.
- To stimulate fruit growth and accelerate their ripening, use the ready-made preparation “Gumisol” or dilute 1 teaspoon of superphosphate in 9 liters of water.
- Boric acid will improve fruit set (we prepare it in the same way as superphosphate fertilizer). Abundant flowering and accelerated fruit maturity are promoted by an ash solution (400 g of ash per 2 liters of warm water) or a ready-to-use preparation “Zircon”.
- To prevent late blight, treat with an iodine solution (a few drops per 8 liters of water); it is useful to spray with milk-containing compounds (1 liter of whey per 10 liters of water).
As tomatoes enter the fruiting phase, nitrogen fertilizing must be completely eliminated.
How to feed tomatoes for harvest
Every gardener, especially inexperienced beginners, is interested in the question of how to feed tomatoes in order to stimulate productivity. Experienced vegetable growers share their experience in using folk remedies:
Iodine or a solution of one percent boric acid (take 4 drops of one of the preparations and dilute it in 9 liters of water);
We prepare an infusion of nettles and dandelions as follows: fill 1/3 of a 200-liter barrel with leaves of these herbs, add 2 buckets of manure, add water and leave for 15 days. In the future, we add 1-2 liters for each tomato bush.
Retail chains surprise you with a variety of ready-made complex formulations, the use of which helps to achieve high yields; for application, follow the instructions indicated on the packaging. Among them is the aforementioned “Kemira Lux”; "Orton Growth" - is a growth stimulant; “Universal” – used in dry form, saturates the soil with all the necessary elements; “Solution” - the name speaks for itself, it is used as foliar feeding; “Strong” - promotes the rooting of sprouts after transplantation into open ground, accelerates its further growth.
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Fertilizer application methods
There are two ways to add minerals and organic substances during fruiting.
Root method
Watering with nutrient solutions is carried out by those fertilizers that are easily absorbed by the root system and are supplied through the conductive system of the tomato to the ovary and fruits. As a rule, these are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.
Foliar method
Foliar feeding is needed if there are problems with the ovary. In abnormal weather, when buds and flowers fall off and the already formed ovary grows poorly, foliar feeding is needed.
For such fertilizing, it is better to choose boron preparations and a fine spray.
Feeding tomatoes after planting in the ground
The initial stage of plant development is very important, since during this period the root system is formed
It is important to know when and what to feed tomatoes after planting in the ground in order to help them adapt to new conditions and stimulate their development
In the first days after planting the seedlings, the plants get used to the new conditions, so the first fertilizing is carried out after 10-14 days. During this period, immature tomatoes need nitrogen-containing fertilizers, which provide a powerful impetus for growth.
Feeding on mullein
Prepare a nutrient solution by mixing the following ingredients for the first feeding:
- 1 liter mullein;
- half a glass of ash;
- 1.5 tbsp. spoons (or 1.5 matchboxes) of superphosphate;
- 10 liters of water.
The consumption rate of this solution is half a liter for each bush.
Before applying fertilizers, water the soil in the greenhouse generously. Otherwise, direct contact of the fertilizer with the roots can cause burns and, as a result, the death of the plant.
Tomato fertilizer Green tea
Feeding tomatoes with folk remedies, among which the most popular is “Green tea,” gives good results. To prepare it you need:
- 50 liters of water;
- 5 kg of any grass (weeds, nettles, mowed lawn grass), which is finely chopped beforehand;
- 1 bucket of mullein;
- 1 glass of ash.
All ingredients are mixed in a large barrel, covered tightly (for example, covered with film) and placed in a sunny place. The liquid begins to ferment under the influence of heat. Every day it is advisable to stir this infusion so that air bubbles come out. After two weeks, the solution is ready and must be diluted with water to 100 liters. Apply root fertilizer at the rate of 2 l/bush after preliminary watering.
Chicken manure fertilizer
Tomatoes respond well to root feeding with chicken manure. To prepare the solution, fill a third of a bucket of dry droppings with water and leave for at least a week, stirring every day. The fermented droppings are diluted with water (1 liter of droppings per bucket of water) and 1 liter of solution is applied under each bush, trying not to get on the leaves.
The second feeding of tomatoes in the greenhouse will be needed 10 days after the first. It is carried out with the same solutions.
Watering young tomato bushes
Immediately after transplanting the seedlings into the greenhouse, before applying fertilizer, each bush is watered with 4-5 liters of water. The next watering is carried out together with repeated feeding, after 7-10 days.
Each bush will need 2-3 liters of water. This watering is repeated twice a week until the flowering period begins.
What preparations can be used to feed tomatoes during fruiting?
Feeding tomatoes during fruiting should contain the basic elements necessary for the fruit, since the growth of the vegetative system is complete. The main fertilizers are as follows:
- potassium (potassium sulfate, superphosphate, potassium magnesium);
- complex (potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate);
- phosphorus (azophoska).
Important! The soil retains nutrients in different ways. Rain quickly removes potassium from sandy soil. The element lingers longer on loams and clay.
Potassium sulfate
Potassium sulfate (potassium sulfate) contains:
- potassium oxide - up to 46%;
- sulfur;
- magnesium;
- calcium.
Potassium sulfate is highly soluble,
- does not cake;
- does not attract moisture;
- applicable on any soil;
- Suitable for feeding tomatoes.
The working solution is prepared at the rate of 30-40 g per bucket of hot water. After complete cooling, the solution is poured under the bush at the rate of 0.5 liters per plant. Application interval is 20-25 days.
Attention! It is better to start fertilizing when the first tomato cluster forms.
Ripener
The main active ingredient is 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid. Available in the form of a suspension.
The drug does not promote the growth of ovaries, but rather ages the bush. Growth ends. What has begun begins to ripen intensively. Used for quick, final cleaning of vegetable gardens and greenhouses.
A volume of 5 ml is dissolved in 5 liters of water. Treatment is carried out 10-14 days before the last harvest.
Ethrel etrel
The drug is intended for rapid ripening of fruits. It works in a similar way to ethylene, a gas emitted by ripe fruits.
To treat 20 m2 of area, you need to dissolve 5 ml of the product in 2 liters of water and spray it onto the sheet. The prepared preparation can be stored for 3 days.
Processing of plantings begins at the moment when 25% of the total crop has reached milky ripeness
Sweet suite
The basis of the drug is mono-di-tri-polysaccharides and uronic acids. Includes:
- calcium oxide;
- magnesium oxide;
- boron;
- zinc;
- cobalt.
Does not contain synthetic hormones and ethylene. Apply before ripening with an interval of 10-12 days.
Benefit pz
The drug was created to increase the size of tomatoes without losing taste and technical parameters. It is based on nitrogenous compounds that stimulate the cell to rapidly divide after the formation of the ovary and during the period of rapid growth of the tomato.
It is necessary to treat tomato plantings no more than 2 times with a frequency of 12-15 days.
The manufacturer recommends:
- carry out treatments at a temperature not exceeding 20ᵒC;
- thoroughly moisten all leaves on the bushes;
- do not use the drug containing copper;
- do not reduce the dose indicated in the instructions.
After application, the turgor of the leaf blades may decrease (the plant wilts). After some time, complete recovery will occur.
Potassium humate
The drug is based on humic acids. Humate solutions can be used during the period from flowering to the time of fruit harvest.
To prepare, 1 ml of the drug is dissolved in 100 g of water. Mix thoroughly and then adjust the volume to a liter. IN
If the solution is not prepared correctly, it can clog the nozzles. The prepared preparation is poured under the root or sprayed on the leaves.
Preparations for quick filling of tomatoes
Back in the middle of the last century, auxin-based products were developed to help tomatoes at the fruiting stage. Nowadays, the drug “2,4-D” can be considered outdated, but it has been replaced by many others that accelerate the development and ripening of tomatoes, making tomatoes stronger and more resistant to adverse environmental factors.
Ripener
This miracle product can accelerate the ripening of green tomato fruits so much that the full color of ripe tomatoes can be observed within 10 days after a one-time treatment.
True, the drug has serious limitations in use:
- Only healthy bushes with a well-developed root system and without signs of disease can be treated;
- The fruits should already be fully formed and have a shiny surface. It is not advisable to spray completely green tomatoes to avoid their premature aging.
Etrel
The product promotes fruit ripening. The action of the drug is based on the fact that when it gets into the juice, it decomposes with the release of phosphoric acid and ethylene. Tomatoes can ripen 1.5 weeks earlier than traditional dates.
Dissolve 5 ml of the drug in 2 liters of water and spray 20 square meters. m. tomato beds. A single processing of tomatoes is sufficient.
Sweet
Treatment with this product is carried out approximately 1.5-2 weeks before harvest. With its help, you can achieve an increase in the quality characteristics of tomatoes: intense and uniform color, keeping quality, sugar content. 25 g of the drug is diluted in a bucket of water and sprayed on tomatoes.
Benefit
Fertilizer not only helps to speed up the filling of tomato fruits, but also helps to ensure that the tomatoes are even in size. Among the advantages, one can note the absence of synthetic hormones. The rate of use is the same - 25 ml per 10 liters of water. Treatments are carried out once every 10 days from the moment the first ovaries appear.
Attention! There is a simple, but very effective popular way to quickly get tomatoes to ripen their fruits. The bush is simply carefully taken by the lower part and pulled upward until the sound of small roots being torn off is heard. Then the plant is left alone, watered and covered with earth and mulch. As a result, the tomato begins to direct all its energy to the growth and ripening of fruits.
What not to feed tomatoes during fruiting
At the moment when the tomatoes begin to gain color, nitrogenous fertilizing should be eliminated. The harm lies not in the nitrates that accumulate in ripened fruits, but in the fact that nitrates in the human body turn into nitrites and cause poisoning of the body.
If at the beginning of the growing season nitrogen is included in the fertilizing to give a start, then from the moment the fruits color, nitrogen is excluded.
Whatever product the gardener chooses, you should carefully study the waiting period from the moment of processing until the moment the tomato is consumed.
Extraordinary feeding
Sometimes tomatoes signal a deficiency of some element by characteristic changes in appearance.
By looking closely at the plants, you can understand what fertilizers they need:
- With a lack of nitrogen, growth slows or stops. The lower leaves begin to turn yellow, and the upper young leaves become faded in color. To correct the situation, tomatoes are fed with urea, using 25-30 g of the substance per 10 liters of water or a solution of ammonium nitrate prepared in the same proportion. However, it must be remembered that excess nitrogen fertilizers lead to the accumulation of nitrates in fruits.
- Phosphorus deficiency is manifested by the fact that the underside of the leaves acquires a bluish tint. A solution of superphosphate (30 g per 10 liters of water) will help fill the deficiency of the element. Yes, the preparation of the composition uses boiling water, the fertilizer should infuse for 10-12 hours. For young bushes, apply 0.5 liters of solution; for adult specimens, the dose of fertilizer is doubled. Tomatoes that receive enough phosphorus are less susceptible to diseases.
- Potassium deficiency manifests itself by curling of the upper leaves and the appearance of a brown border on them. In this case, the tomatoes are sprayed with potassium sulphide at the rate of 15 g of the substance per 10 liters of water. If there is a deficiency of potassium, the root system of tomatoes will be weak, and the fruits will not be large enough.
- Lack of iron is expressed by the appearance of chlorosis. The main tissue of the leaf blades turns pale, bright green veins stand out against its background. Iron chelate will help eliminate the deficiency of the element. A solution is prepared from 5 g of the drug per 5 liters of water.
- A lack of calcium is indicated by the fact that the shoots grow thin and overly elongated. Plants can be saturated with this element using calcium nitrate. Consumption - 30 g of the drug per 10 liters of water.
If you apply foliar fertilizing, the results will be noticeable faster. The concentration of fertilizers when sprayed on the leaf is halved.
Feeding schemes during fruiting of tomatoes in a greenhouse
When deciding on fertilizing, you can use approximately the following scheme:
- 10-12 days after planting the seedlings, apply nitrogen to the root.
- 2 weeks after the first - nitrogen-calcium at the root.
- Interval 14-15 days - phosphorus-potassium at the root.
- From the moment the first buds appear, boron is applied to the leaves, growth points, and buds. Then, at intervals of 15 days, spray the buds with a solution of boric acid.
- Potash fertilizing with an interval of 14-15 days.
The frequency and interval can be adjusted depending on how the pre-sowing treatment and filling of the beds with fertilizers was carried out.
Feeding tricks to achieve specific goals
To keep the tomatoes plump, it is recommended to feed them with nitrogen or nitrogen-calcium fertilizers two weeks after planting the seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse, or when 2-3 true leaves appear after sowing in a permanent place.
For example, you can fertilize with the following preparations: urea (urea), ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, herbal infusion, infusion of chicken manure, mullein. To make the plants stronger, stronger, for better growth and development, it is recommended to feed the tomatoes with yeast. It is better to do this one or two weeks after planting in the soil. Regular baker's yeast will do. To prepare the infusion, you need to follow a simple recipe: dilute 100 grams of dry product in 10 liters of warm water, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, mix well, leave for 2 weeks in a warm place, stirring regularly. Then, before use, you should dilute the yeast fertilizer 1 to 5.
To have more ovaries, it is recommended to fertilize tomatoes with boron during flowering (for example, boric acid in powder form (5 g per bucket of water), Boroplus, Borofoska). It is best to do foliar feeding (i.e. spraying), but you can also water at the root.
To prevent blossom end rot, it is recommended to fertilize the plants with calcium preparations (both root and foliar feeding can be done). For example, you can use calcium nitrate, but it is better to feed tomatoes before flowering or after fruit set.
In order for the tomato crop to ripen faster, it is recommended to apply potassium fertilizers. For example, infusion of wood ash, potassium nitrate, potassium magnesium, potassium monophosphate.
To properly care for any vegetable crop in a country house or area of a private house, you need to put in a lot of effort.
But it is also important to know the nuances, features, and necessary procedures. If you do everything correctly throughout the season (including adding nutrients), you can get a rich, tasty and good harvest!
Precautionary measures
When carrying out work, you must follow the safety and hygiene rules:
- When preparing solutions, you must use non-food containers.
- When working with a spray gun, you need to use a special one. clothing and protective equipment.
- While working, you must not eat, smoke or drink water.
- All solutions should be prepared only as written in the instructions for the drug, using measuring instruments (scales, measuring utensils).
- Do not use drugs after the expiration date.
Stages of fertilizing
First stage
When you plant your tomatoes in a greenhouse, the seedlings will need nitrogenous fertilizers for active growth. You can choose chemical products, or you can prepare organic ones yourself. Green fertilizer or nettle infusion is perfect.
You can make your own fertilizer for tomatoes
Nettle infusion recipe. You need to take nettles that have not yet formed a seed, fill a container with it and add yeast or bread. Let it brew for 3-5 days, it’s better not to put it in the sun. The resulting infusion is diluted in a ratio of 1:10 (1 liter of infusion is diluted with 10 liters of water).
Second phase
When the first flowers appear on the tomatoes, it is necessary to fertilize them with Boric acid. Spray directly onto the flowers, since Boron cannot independently and quickly travel from the root system.
Recipe for solution for tomatoes: add a tablespoon of acid to a bucket of water or 10-12 liters, stir. Spray and pour the remaining mixture under the root.
Feeding using this method will help the vegetable form full-fledged ovaries and prevent late blight.
Control application of fertilizer
Undoubtedly, it is necessary to feed tomatoes during fruiting - this will give a high and high-quality harvest. At this stage it is necessary to add additional Potassium, 20 grams will be quite enough. Summer residents advise using potassium sulfate, but chloride is undesirable, because tomatoes do not tolerate chlorine well. Potassium sulfate can be replaced with wood ash.
If there is a clear lack of potassium, spray with a one percent solution of potassium sulfate. It is necessary to allow the leaves to dry, after foliar feeding, before closing the greenhouse.
What to do if tomatoes are overfed
Often, a vegetable grower relies on the natural supply of minerals in the soil. Closer to fruit formation, he realizes that the harvest will be small and tries to correct the situation. Thorough nitrogen fertilizing leads to strong growth of vegetative mass to the detriment of flowering. Tomatoes are driven away by the stem and large leaves and bloom sparingly.
What to do? Stop and increase watering with clean water.
Important! If you feed tomatoes unbalanced, you may not get enough harvest. If you feed too hard, you can lose the harvest.
How often should you feed tomatoes?
The feeding schedule for tomatoes depends on the needs of the plant at each stage of cultivation. Young bushes need fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. During the formation of buds and fruits, potassium must constantly be supplied to tomatoes.
Chaotic application of fertilizing will cause an imbalance of microelements in the soil, so it is imperative to adhere to the fertilizing schedule.
Experts recommend applying fertilizers according to the following schedule:
- at the landing stage;
- In 2 weeks;
- during a period of active growth;
- during the formation of buds;
- in the flowering phase;
- during the period of ovary formation;
- at the fruiting stage.
The diagram is approximate; in practice, it is adjusted based on the condition of the plants, determined by their appearance. Sometimes it is necessary to carry out extraordinary fertilizing.
Due to the limited volume of soil in the greenhouse, tomatoes are additionally fertilized leaf by leaf. With the greenhouse method of growing tomatoes, the total number of fertilizing is increased to 10, alternating root and foliar fertilizing with each other.
How many times per season should you feed?
Since orderliness when applying fertilizers is very important, there is a special scheme for fertilizing tomatoes. In general, it represents six main stages that are inextricably linked with the stages of tomato development.
Stage one - planting in the ground
By the time the tomatoes are planted, the planting site must be prepared and filled with organic and mineral fertilizers. It is impossible to achieve high yields of this crop on poor and depleted lands.
For good survival and further development of tomatoes, the NKP complex - nitrogen-, potassium- and phosphorus-containing fertilizers - must be added to the soil . If you neglect to enrich the soil composition, seedlings will develop slowly, may begin to get sick, and produce low yields.
Stage two - two weeks after planting
During this period, young tomato bushes that have already adapted to new conditions need increased nutrition for growth and development. They need a balanced feed containing three main elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as microelements . Some gardeners fertilize earlier - already 1 - 1.5 weeks after planting.
Stage three - during the growth period
During the period of active growth, tomato bushes need fertilizing with nitrogen and phosphorus .
The interaction of these two elements ensures the proper development of tomatoes.
The supply of phosphorus in the required volume stimulates the accelerated development of the root system, and a sufficient amount of nitrogen in the soil helps the bushes gain green mass in a short time.
Stage four - during flowering
Tomato bushes begin to bloom approximately 1.5 - 2 months after planting seedlings in open ground, and in greenhouse conditions these periods begin a little earlier.
Almost all feeding of tomatoes during flowering is aimed at fruit set . In case of deficiency of potassium and phosphorus nutrition, flowers may fall from the bushes without having time to pollinate. As a result, tomato yields will drop sharply.
During this period, it is recommended to avoid the application of fertilizers with a high nitrogen content.
Stage five - fruit set period
At this time, plants especially need potassium and phosphorus, but fertilizers with a high nitrogen content should be abandoned. There are many complex preparations that can be used during this period, but organic supplements remain the safest.
Stage six - fertilizing during the fruiting period
The last main feeding of tomatoes is carried out to improve the taste of the fruit and their accelerated ripening. The main necessary elements for fertilizing already fruiting bushes are potassium, boron, manganese, iodine .
When receiving such nutrition, the pulp of ripened fruits will be fleshy and sweet due to the accumulation of sugars. If you neglect this stage of the scheme, then the taste of the collected fruits may not be clearly expressed. A couple of weeks before harvesting, all fertilizing should be stopped.
Why fertilize tomatoes?
Maintaining the temperature regime, ensuring the necessary humidity and light in the greenhouse are important conditions for growing tomatoes, but without proper plant nutrition, it is unlikely that you will be able to get an excellent harvest. Feeding tomatoes is necessary for the full development of bushes. At each stage of development, a tomato bush needs a complex of micro and macro elements. With insufficient nutrition, plants develop poorly or stop growing altogether, fruit set is poor, and their ripening is protracted. Therefore, it is important to know how to feed tomatoes in a greenhouse to provide them with the necessary minerals. Excessive watering and fertilizing when growing tomatoes has a negative impact on the plants, so it is important to strictly follow the standards. Oversaturation with organic matter leads to “fatification” of the bushes. In this case, the green mass develops wildly, but the fruits are practically not set. Excessive feeding of tomatoes in a greenhouse with mineral fertilizers leads to dehydration of the bushes, as a result of which the plants may die.
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Feeding cucumbers and tomatoes
To increase the yield of cucumbers and tomatoes, foliar feeding based on fermented milk products is used. This can be whey or kefir with 1-2% fat content. They can be used every week, throughout the period of fruit set and ripening.
The fertilizer contains, in addition to the dairy product, 40 ml of ammonia (10% ammonia solution). Whey (1 liter) is mixed with 10 liters of water, and then ammonia is added. If you do otherwise, the whey will curdle and a chemical reaction will occur, which will reduce the effectiveness of the fertilizer to zero.
This composition must be filtered so that the nozzle of the spray device does not clog. In addition to the fact that this product has a positive effect on the generative capabilities of plants, it helps them protect themselves from fungal diseases.
The mixture is applied to both sides of the leaves. In order for the effect of the fertilizer to be long-lasting, an adhesive is added to the solution. This can be a ready-made preparation from a garden store or 5 ml of liquid laundry soap. Spraying is carried out in dim sun in calm weather.
How to increase the yield of tomatoes in open ground: 10 tips
What fertilizers and when to use
The same fertilizers are used for tomatoes in open ground, greenhouses, and greenhouses. It’s just that in a confined space, not only must care be more thorough, but the feeding schedule must also be strictly adhered to.
It is not for nothing that the concept of “greenhouse conditions” has become a household word. Tomatoes are protected from weather disasters, but do not receive enough nutrients supplied by precipitation, air and water circulation in the open ground.
How many times to feed
Healthy, normally developing tomato bushes will have to be fed at least 4-5 times:
- Starting fertilizers are applied to the hole during planting.
- 10-14 days after planting, a mineral complex with a predominance of nitrogen is given in the ground to increase green mass.
- When the second flower cluster is laid, the tomatoes are transferred to the generative stage of development. This requires phosphorus and potassium.
- At the stage of active formation of ovaries, tomatoes are fertilized with a complete mineral complex with a minimum nitrogen content. It is unacceptable to completely exclude an element from the feeding scheme.
- In July and August, during harvest, the crop should not be deprived of food. Tomatoes need to be fertilized with potassium, the need for which increases sharply, and calcium so that the fruits do not crack.
You will have to do double root feeding. Calcium, which is vital for tomatoes, without which other nutrients simply will not be absorbed, cannot be added simultaneously with phosphorus and potassium.
What fertilizers do tomatoes need after planting in the ground?
In general, tomatoes are considered a moderately demanding crop with an agronorm of 58, especially loving P. The ratio of phosphorus to other elements (N:P:K-complex) is 36:19:45.
Nitrogen
In the first half of the growing season, the main nutrient for tomatoes is nitrogen. It is also needed later, but in small doses. During flowering and fruit set, nitrogen allows the leaves to grow, through which all the plastic and nutrients pass before reaching the tomatoes.
If the green mass is poorly developed, the fruits simply will not receive useful elements. But tomatoes should not be fattened, otherwise all fertilizers will “work” exclusively to grow leaves and shoots.
After planting in a greenhouse or soil, before the formation of the second flower cluster, nitrogen should make up a significant part of the fertilizing. During the mass opening of buds, during the ripening period - with normal development of greenery, supply tomatoes in ammonium form, when spraying the aerial parts. This way it will quickly be absorbed and eliminated, without leading to the accumulation of nitrates or fattening.
Ammonium nitrogen promotes the formation of glutamic acid in tomatoes, which makes the fruit tasty. It is present as a food additive in many products, and was first isolated from tomatoes.
In addition to the above, if tomatoes are completely deprived of nitrogen in July in a polycarbonate greenhouse or open ground, early harvesting is possible. This especially affects medium-sized determinate varieties or hybrids. In greenhouses, instead of 10 full clusters, you can get 4-5, which will significantly reduce the yield.
Potassium
The element is needed at all stages of tomato development, but is especially actively absorbed during the period of formation and filling of the ovaries. Potassium feeding of tomatoes during flowering and fruiting in a greenhouse or in the ground allows you to get a good harvest and increases the sugar content of tomatoes.
Phosphorus
Inexperienced gardeners may be surprised that tomatoes are classified as phosphorus lovers. In quantitative terms, they consume the element significantly less than nitrogen or calcium. But, compared to other crops, tomatoes really require a lot of phosphorus.
The element is especially needed in the initial stages, during the formation and development of the root; later it:
- transfers the tomato to the generative phase;
- gives energy;
- participates in photosynthesis;
- accelerates flowering;
- improves the taste of fruits.
If the soil has been filled with superphosphate since the fall, additional fertilizing may not be required if the tomatoes develop normally. But when it was introduced only in the spring, P will not have time to transform into a state that is easily digestible for plants. You will have to feed it in the form of an extract or along with potassium. The element is found in easily accessible form in fertilizers:
- monopotassium phosphate;
- Pekacid.
Calcium
It is impossible to obtain commercial products if there is a shortage of this element. Tomato blossom end rot is nothing more than calcium deficiency. It is he who promotes the absorption of other fertilizers, but Ca must be given separately from phosphorus, magnesium and potassium.
To prevent an imbalance of nutrients and, as a result, a cessation of their absorption even with sufficient content in the soil, the Ca:K ratio should be 0.7:1. Fertilizers should be given at different times: first calcium, and after 1-3 days - potassium.
Microelements
Feeding tomatoes in open ground or a greenhouse must include microelements. Usually, those contained in any specialized fertilizer for tomatoes are enough. But some may need to be given additionally. Tomatoes especially often suffer from shortages of:
- Bora. This element is the key to a rich harvest. It prevents the ovaries from crumbling. The first signs of boron deficiency: leaves become light, brittle, and curl at the top. When the joints of the flowers with the brush turn yellow, nothing can be done - the buds will fall off.
- Copper. Lack of the element leads to late blight. It is better to give it in the early stages of development, before the first signs of the disease appear and the fruit begins to fill. Copper preparations are not fertilizers, but fungicides.
Other microelements are also needed, but tomatoes usually receive them as part of a chelate complex during foliar feeding or other fertilizers. For example, sulfur is present in sufficient quantities in superphosphate.
When and how to use foliar fertilizers for tomatoes
Plants absorb nutrients not only through their roots, but also through their leaves. This is what justifies the use of foliar fertilizing. When fertilizers are applied at the roots, they are absorbed only by 30-40%, the rest is washed out of the soil by water and does not reach the plants. Poor absorption by roots can also be affected by too acidic soil or excess nitrogen in the soil.
When the solution gets directly onto the leaves, it is absorbed completely and in the shortest possible time. The use of foliar fertilizing is alternated with root fertilizing. Outside the plan, they are carried out when tomatoes show signs of deficiency of certain minerals. Spraying also helps to quickly feed plants before flowering, during periods when watering is impossible due to high soil moisture, or at excessively low or too high temperatures.
On a note! It is important to remember that the concentration of the solution used for foliar feeding should be half as weak as when watering at the root. To prepare the solution, be sure to use distilled water without chlorine.
When spraying, the nutrient solution is applied to the leaves on both sides. On sunny days, treatment is carried out in the morning or in the evening. In cloudy weather, you can spray tomatoes at any time.
Root and foliar method
The difference between root feeding and leaf spraying is that in the second case, nutrients penetrate through the pores in the leaves into the plant intercellular fluid and, together with it, move directly into the fruit. No time is wasted on the absorption of minerals by the roots and movement along the trunk, stems, and leaves.
For foliar feeding, the drug “Brexil Mix” is used. It contains all the microelements and chelating (promoting) agents necessary during the filling period of tomatoes. Therefore, it has a high degree of penetration into plant tissue during foliar treatments. Fertilizer molecules are soluble in water and fat.