The purpose of this article is to help you decide on the question of what to feed the tomatoes after planting them in the greenhouse for the first time, and the next time too.
The fact is that it is difficult to give an unambiguous recommendation on this issue for the reason that much depends on the condition of the soil in your greenhouse at the moment and on the condition of your plants. That is, how healthy they are and how much they need fertilizing.
But, nevertheless, we will try to deal with this problem, because it is very important.
The yield and quality of the fruit will ultimately depend on how complete and balanced nutrition your tomatoes receive at the first stage.
What minerals are needed for tomatoes?
Soil fertility is very important for growing tomatoes. The soil must contain all the required macro- and microelements for the normal development and growth of the crop. Each of these substances is responsible for normalizing a specific plant function. The following substances are required for the growth and fruiting of tomatoes:
- phosphorus;
- potassium;
- nitrogen;
- calcium;
- iron;
- magnesium.
Potassium is responsible for normal water balance. It allows the roots to absorb the required amount of moisture and deliver it to the upper leaves of the tomatoes. In addition, potassium is actively involved in the production of carbohydrates and makes tomatoes more resistant to low temperatures, fungi and drought. This macroelement plays an important role in the process of plant rooting.
Phosphorus helps roots absorb the required amount of various beneficial nutrients directly from the soil. Without phosphorus, all other fertilizing is simply pointless.
Calcium is directly involved in the process of active cell division. Nitrogen allows plant cells to divide more actively, as a result of which tomatoes grow well.
Magnesium is an essential macronutrient for the production of chlorophyll and is additionally involved in photosynthesis.
Iron allows plants to breathe normally.
For full growth and fruiting, all these substances must be combined in the required quantities. If there is a deficiency of one or another substance in the soil, this gradually leads to a deterioration in the growth of seedlings, a decrease in fruiting, significant wilting and subsequent death of tomatoes.
Signs of a lack or excess of nutrients in the soil
With a lack of potassium, the leaves of tomatoes become lighter and drier. It looks like a burn. Over time, the edges of the leaves begin to turn brown and curl slightly upward.
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A lack of phosphorus manifests itself in the form of severe darkening of the leaves. Initially they acquire a rich green color, and then the veins and upper part acquire a slight purple tint. The leaves of the plants are rolled up and pressed as close as possible to the stem.
Two signs indicate calcium deficiency. Tomato leaves may become dark in color or the tips may dry out.
Nitrogen is the only mineral that, if deficient or overabundant, can cause harm to the plant. The lack of this substance manifests itself in the form of slow growth of tomato plants, the formation of too small leaves and fruits. The leaves become weak, lethargic and acquire a yellowish tint. With an excess of nitrogen, there may be a significant thickening of the stem, cessation of the fruiting process, and active growth of stepsons. After planting in soil with undecomposed nitrogen, plants can burn completely.
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With a lack of magnesium, the leaves may turn yellow, but the veins remain green. Lack of iron leads to chlorosis. This disease is manifested by the formation of gray cloudy spots on healthy tomato leaves.
Soil preparation
Soil preparation consists of cleaning and fertilizing. Pest larvae and fungi can be removed by warming the soil or pouring boiling water or a manganese solution into it.
You need to dig up the soil in the greenhouse starting in the fall, after removing the remaining vegetation. You can also add rotted or fresh manure. In the spring, after processing the greenhouse, you need to loosen the soil again and add special fertilizers, which contain potassium and phosphorus. This will create favorable conditions for the rooting and growth of tomato seedlings.
How often to feed tomatoes after planting in a greenhouse
Over the entire season, tomatoes are fed six times. Of course, this is not so strict and it is necessary to plan the amount of fertilizing not in advance (simply because it is necessary), but based on the condition of your plants.
For example, in good soil, your tomatoes can grow and develop well. It is not at all necessary to stuff the soil and plants with fertilizers exactly six times a season. And if the plants lag behind in development, bloom poorly, form an ovary poorly, and this ovary grows very slowly, then you definitely need to sound the alarm and carry out all the necessary fertilizing during the season.
You are the owner of your land and the greenhouse on it. Therefore, you should be well aware of the condition of the soil in the greenhouse, what crops grew on it last season and what elements they brought out in maximum quantities. Knowing this, you can replenish the soil with certain elements or simply a complex of fertilizers.
- First feeding. It is carried out directly when planting seedlings in the ground.
- Second feeding. It is carried out when approximately two weeks have passed from the moment the seedlings are planted in the ground.
- Third contribution. Usually carried out when tomatoes begin to actively grow.
- Fourth contribution. It is carried out when tomatoes are actively blooming.
- Fifth entry. It is carried out when the fruits begin to set.
- Sixth feeding. It is carried out when the tomatoes are actively bearing fruit.
Photo pixabay/AKuptsova: Typically, fertilizers are applied six times.
First feeding
At least in the first 2-3 weeks after planting tomatoes in the greenhouse, there is no need to fertilize. All you have to do is water the tomatoes in a timely manner without creating swamps around the bushes.
At this stage, it is very important for plants to increase green mass to ensure more active photosynthesis. Tomatoes must take root well so that they can obtain the required amount of nutrients and moisture from the surface layers.
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After planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, you can add a solution consisting of the following components:
- 10 liters of settled water;
- 15 g nitrophoska;
- 5 g boric acid;
- 500 ml liquid mullein;
- 15 g superphosphate.
Watering should be done directly at the root, without moving away from the stem. You need to try not to get it on the leaves. It is recommended to fertilize in the morning or evening, when sun activity is minimal.
Spraying
Spraying tomatoes
To provide the plants with additional beneficial substances, you need to treat the tomato bushes using special products. In this way, plants receive the missing minerals. The spraying procedure is mainly carried out during flowering plants.
To prepare the solution, you should use wood ash. Mix 500 milliliters of ash and clean water, stir well and leave the mixture for two days. Then strain the mixture and mix with ten liters of water. The composition is ready, the seedlings can be processed.
To prevent certain diseases, tomato bushes need to be treated during flowering with a special solution of calcium nitrate. It is enough to dilute one tablespoon of the drug in ten liters of water and the nutritional mixture is ready for use.
Tomatoes in a greenhouse should be fertilized regularly with various nutrient solutions throughout the growing season. Feeding tomato bushes three times a day with special compounds is mandatory; all other watering and spraying of plants with special compounds is highly desirable.
You can use any method of feeding: root feeding or spraying. It should be remembered that timely feeding of seedlings is the key to a future rich harvest.
During the flowering period
The first fertilizing from the day the seedlings are planted in the soil should be introduced after about 3 weeks. It is during this period that the active flowering period of tomatoes begins. It is necessary to add fertilizing in the form of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen.
You can use organic or mineral fertilizers. The simultaneous application of mineral and organic substances also shows quite high effectiveness.
An infusion of rotted manure or bird droppings is considered good organic matter. If you decide to use manure, then you should give preference to mullein. To prepare the fertilizer, you need to mix 1 liter of manure into a bucket of water. You need to water directly at the root. To prepare the fertilizer, bird droppings should be diluted with clean water in a ratio of 1:20.
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Minerals are contained in the ash. It can be used as a fertilizer. However, only the combustion product of natural wood is suitable. Ash should be diluted in a proportion of 4 liter jars per 100 liters of water. Mix thoroughly and add the resulting ash solution to the root.
Refertilization
Second feeding of tomatoes
It is recommended to feed the seedlings again three days after transplanting to a permanent place. However, if immediately after transplanting the seedlings into the greenhouse, the nutrient solution was not added, the tomato bushes should be initially fed fourteen days later.
The nutrient solution should include the following components:
- 125 g nitrogen
- 200 g phosphorus
- 75 g potassium.
The components are thoroughly mixed and filled with clean water in an amount of 50 liters. After this, you can start watering the plants. The optimal amount of liquid for one seedling is 1000 milliliters of the resulting mixture .
During the period of ovary formation
The second feeding is carried out during the active formation of ovaries, that is, approximately 15-20 days after the first feeding. At this time, you need to apply fertilizers with a high nitrogen content.
You can prepare a solution from 80 g of superphosphate, 30 g of ammonium nitrate and 25 g of potassium sulfate. This mixture will help improve the process of ovary emergence and make the plants stronger and ready for the fruiting phase. It is worth adding organic fertilizers additionally. To do this, you need to dissolve mullein in water in a ratio of 1:10.
It is also important to carry out comprehensive foliar feeding. To do this, you need to dissolve 1 g of manganese sulfate in 1 liter of water. Boric acid promotes the formation of ovaries. It must be diluted in a proportion of 0.5 g per 1 liter of water. These solutions are used to spray tomatoes. Fertilizers can be applied using a watering can or sprayer. After spraying, you should not water the tomatoes for a while.
Active fruiting period
Fertilizing at this stage will help increase productivity, extend the period of fruit formation and improve the taste of tomatoes. Organic and mineral substances can be used as fertilizer.
To prepare a complex fertilizer, you need to add 40 g of potassium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and superphosphate to a bucket of water. During fruiting of tomatoes, nettle infusion can be used as fertilizer. It contains potassium, iron and magnesium.
To do this, you need to chop 5 kg of nettles and fill it with 10 liters of clean water. Place in a container under a press and leave for 2 weeks. This fertilizer can be used together with humus or infusion of manure.
Additional fertilizing
You can feed tomatoes no matter what stage of cultivation they are at. Yeast can be used. It is worth noting that this is the best fertilizer for tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Yeast can be used as a top dressing at various stages of cultivation. They are applied 4-5 times per season.
To prepare a yeast solution, you need to dissolve 1 kg of yeast in 5 liters of warm water. Let it sit until the fermentation process begins. Dilute the resulting product with warm water at the rate of 0.5 liters of concentrate per bucket of water. Approximately 0.5 liters should be applied per bush. fertilizing
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What to feed to make them plump
To grow a good crop of tomatoes in a greenhouse, the plants must receive a large amount of nutrients throughout their development. Large and tasty fruits are obtained only on strong and strong bushes. Tomatoes are quite demanding in terms of nutrition and both mineral fertilizers, organic matter, and folk remedies are used to feed them.
Complex fertilizer
Today, there are a lot of complex fertilizers created taking into account the needs of tomatoes. Fast-acting fertilizers have also been created, such as saltpeter, superphosphate, and urea. They saturate the tomatoes with all the necessary substances that tomatoes require as they grow and develop.
Fertilizing (options):
Half a month after planting the seedlings
- 25 grams of urea, 1 gram of potassium permanganate per bucket of water. Everything gets mixed up. Plants are watered at the root, at a rate of 1.5-2 liters per bush.
- 25 milliliters of Ideal fertilizer and 25 grams of nitrophoska per bucket of water. 5 liters of solution are consumed for 10 plants.
- 50 grams of azophosphate and 25 grams of double superphosphate per bucket of settled water. Fertilizer is applied to the bush at the rate of 0.5 liters per plant.
- 20 grams of nitroammophoska per bucket of settled water. One bush requires 1 liter of solution.
- If the soil was generously fertilized before planting the seedlings, add: 25 grams of potassium sulfate or 25 grams of potassium magnesia per bucket of water.
When fattening plants, add: 100 grams of double superphosphate dissolved in a liter of hot water. 6 tablespoons of the solution are added to a bucket of water. The bushes are sprayed with a well-mixed mixture.
During budding and the appearance of the first flowers
- Take 25 grams of nitrophoska, 500 milliliters of chicken manure infusion (mullein) per bucket of water. The solution is poured under the bushes. For 10 plants there are 5 liters of mixture.
- If the plants grow poorly before flowering, their stems are weak, thin, and the leaves are not bright. Foliar fertilizing with urea (10 grams of substance per bucket of water) helps.
- After applying root fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers, the foliage is sprayed with a solution: 15 grams of calcium nitrate, 10 grams of urea per bucket of water.
- 0.5 liters of mullein infusion, 25 grams of potassium sulfate per bucket of water. When watering, one bush consumes 1.5 liters of solution.
During the formation of flowers on the second brush and ovaries
- 80 grams of superphosphate, 30 grams of potassium nitrate per bucket of water. Plants are sprayed with the solution.
- 10 grams of potassium sulfate, 25 grams of superphosphate, 500 milliliters of chicken manure infusion per bucket of water. 10 bushes require 10 liters of mixture.
- 25 grams of potassium humate per bucket of settled water. Fertilizer is introduced at the root. 0.5 buckets of solution are consumed per plant.
- When flowers fall off, the bushes are sprayed with boric acid (10 grams of the substance per bucket of settled water).
During the flowering of the third cluster
- In 10 liters of mullein (chicken droppings) solution, dilute 25 grams of complete mineral fertilizer, 3 grams of potassium permanganate and 3 grams of copper sulfate. 1 liter of mixture is enough for 1 low-growing bush, 1.5 liters for a medium-growing bush, 2 liters for a tall bush.
- Take 40 grams of potassium nitrate and double superphosphate per bucket of water.
- 50 grams of superphosphate dissolves in 2 liters of water. The mixture is infused for a day and diluted in 9 liters of water.
- When 3 flower clusters are blooming, 25 milliliters of potassium humate and 25 grams of nitrophoska are diluted in a bucket of water. Fertilizer consumption per square meter is 5 liters.
If there is insufficient lighting in the greenhouse, tomatoes are treated with calcium nitrate (10 grams of the substance per bucket of water). Fertilizing also helps with curling of the top leaves and promotes better filling of tomatoes.
It is better not to use potassium chloride when fertilizing; chlorine inhibits tomatoes.
Depending on the means used, it must be remembered that an overdose is unacceptable, since tomatoes absorb chemicals and, in high concentrations, can be harmful to health.
Folk remedies without chemicals
Many gardeners prefer not to use chemicals and use time-tested folk remedies as top dressing. These include:
Yeast
Yeast is used to accelerate growth and increase the size of fruits.
- 10 liters of filtered warm water, 10 grams of dry yeast and 75 grams of granulated sugar. The mixed components remain warm for 2-3 hours. Fertilizer is applied at the root. 1 liter of solution is consumed per bush.
- 100 grams of fresh pressed yeast per bucket of warm water. The diluted solution is added to the bushes.
- A three-liter jar is filled 2/3 with black bread, a solution of 100 grams of fresh pressed yeast and warm water is poured to the top. The mixture is placed in a warm place for 5 days. Then the infusion is filtered and diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. For 1 young bush, 0.5 liters of solution is used, for an adult – 2 liters. This fertilizer is applied half a month after transplanting the tomatoes into the greenhouse.
- 25 grams of dry yeast, 50 grams of sugar, a liter of chicken manure infusion, a glass of ash per bucket of water. The mixture is stirred. 1 liter of concentrate is diluted to a volume of 10 liters with water. Apply 0.5 liters of fertilizer per bush.
Fertilizing is applied 4 times per season. The plants then grow quickly.
Nettle or grass
Feeding tomatoes with nettle or herb infusion is a source of useful microelements and phosphorus-potassium substances.
- Take nettle or grass, chop it with a knife, add water (1:5) and leave for 2 weeks. The finished solution is diluted with water 1:10. It is used to water the soil around the plants.
- For spraying plants, the infusion is diluted in a ratio of 1:20. This fertilizer can be applied once a week.
- The grass is crushed and mixed in equal proportions with rye breadcrumbs. The same amount of water is added to 1/3 of the mixture bucket. The plants are sprayed with the strained solution.
Mullein
Take a bucket of water for 3 kilograms of cow dung. The mixture is stirred and left for 7 days. The finished infusion is diluted with water 1:10. To enhance the effect, 30 grams of superphosphate is added to the solution. For 1 bush, 1.5 liters of fertilizer are applied. Fertilizers are applied no more than once every half month.
Chicken droppings
Chicken manure saturates tomatoes with nitrogen and phosphorus.
- 0.5 buckets of litter are filled with water, covered with a lid and left to infuse for 10 days. The mixture is stirred daily! Add 0.5 liters of the prepared infusion to a bucket of water. Before feeding, the tomatoes are watered thoroughly. Fertilizer is applied at the roots of plants.
- When the ovary is formed, a mixture is prepared from: 0.5 liters of chicken manure infusion, 25 grams of potassium sulfate and a bucket of water. One bush requires 1 liter of mixture.
Wood ash
Wood ash contains potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium. It can be administered without fear, there will be no overdose.
- Dry ash is added to the holes when planting seedlings. Later, the beds and row spacing are sprinkled with it.
- 300 grams of ash is mixed in 3 liters of water and boiled for 0.5 hours. Leave for 5-6 hours. Water is added to the infusion to a total volume of 10 liters. A little grated laundry or liquid tar soap is also introduced there. The solution is filtered and used for spraying.
- A glass of ash dissolves in a bucket of water. The beds with tomatoes are watered with this solution. Undissolved ash is poured under the plants.
Wood ash can be used alternating with chicken droppings.
succinic acid
1 gram of succinic acid is diluted in a bucket of water. The bushes are sprayed with the solution. The treatment is repeated after a week. A total of 3 sprayings are carried out before the plants begin to budding.
Onion peel
During growth, tomatoes are fertilized with an infusion of onion peels.
300 grams of husks are poured with boiling water and infused for 10 hours. 2 liters of infusion are consumed per bucket of water. The bushes are sprayed 2 times with an interval of 2 weeks.
This treatment prevents fungal diseases and saturates the plants with vitamins. This feeding promotes the growth and development of plants, the appearance of ovaries and the ripening of fruits.
Boric acid
For the appearance of ovaries in young plants, spraying with a solution of boric acid is used.
- 15 grams of boric acid are dissolved in a bucket of boiling water. When processing 10 bushes, 1 liter of fertilizer is consumed. For adult plants, the concentration of fertilizing increases by 1.5 times.
- To saturate tomatoes with potassium, boron, iodine and manganese, prepare the following solution: Take 10 grams of boric acid, 10 milliliters of iodine, 1.5 liters of sifted ash per bucket of water. Boric acid is diluted with a small amount of boiling water. All components are mixed in water. 1 liter of product is poured under each plant. This solution also protects plants from fungal diseases and late blight.
- 15 grams of boric acid, 4 liters of wood ash are diluted in a bucket of boiling water. The mixture is stirred and infused for a day. A liter of the composition is applied to each bush.
Milk serum
1 liter of whey is mixed with 9 liters of water, 25 drops of iodine are added. The mixture is stirred. Tomatoes are sprayed in the evening in calm weather. The solution accelerates plant growth and protects against late blight. Fertilizer is applied during the fruiting period of plants.
Hydrogen peroxide
Peroxide saturates plants with oxygen and protects them from diseases.
25 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide, 40 drops of iodine per bucket of water. The solution is used for spraying.
Iodine
Iodine promotes plant growth, an increase in the number of ovaries and their faster maturation, and also protects against late blight and powdery mildew.
- 3 milliliters of iodine is poured into a bucket of warm water. Tomatoes are watered under the bush with 0.5 liters per plant. Fertilizing is used during fruiting.
- Add 3 milliliters of iodine and 3 liters of wood ash to 3 liters of hot water. The mixture is brought to 10 liters. One packet of boric acid is dissolved in boiling water and added to the solution. The composition is mixed. 1 liter of mixture is applied under the bush.
What to feed tomatoes is an independent choice for everyone. The main thing is to apply the fertilizers needed at the given moment of growth on time. When using ready-made fertilizers, you need to carefully study the instructions and dosages. If folk remedies are used, during the work performed you need to listen to the advice of experienced gardeners. This helps avoid overfeeding the plants.
