Urea for tomatoes: advantages and disadvantages of fertilizer

So, the very first and difficult stage of growing seedlings is over: the seedlings have grown, and it is time to transplant them to a permanent place. However, that's not all.

At each stage of seedling development, they require nutrients and vitamins. And not all of them are found in soil or water. This means that additional fertilizers are needed. Moreover, for each growth period there is its own fertilizer.

For example, when you have just planted bushes in a permanent place, they require nitrogen for active growth and development of green mass. But where can you get it in optimal quantities? What fertilizer contains it? Urea for tomatoes is an ideal fertilizer option in the first stages.

What is urea

This fertilizer should not be confused with body waste. Yes, the name is very similar, but it is not. Urea (also known as carbamide) is a common mineral fertilizer that helps tomatoes actively grow and develop.

This fertilizer is used as an additional fertilizer for tomatoes: to accelerate growth and development, or in case of microelement deficiency.

The release form is small colorless or transparent granules that contain the highest concentration of nitrogen. Due to the correct dosage, urea practically does not accumulate in the soil and does not cause damage to either the plant or people.

The role of urea in the development of tomatoes

Feeding tomatoes with urea is an important step to make your seedlings not only beautiful and lush, but also more resistant to disease. Even if your variety is declared to be stress-resistant to diseases and other factors, you should not neglect additional measures.

Thanks to the use of urea, tomatoes actively grow green mass and root system, and the roots are the most important part of the plant. But if the plant does not have a lush crown, the process of photosynthesis may slow down or stop altogether.

Thanks to the use of urea, nitrogen accumulates in the soil, which is necessary not only for good growth, but also for immunity.

A strong plant cannot be affected by diseases and pests. With a lack of this element, the plant withers: the leaves turn yellow, wither, fall off and the tomato begins to die.

How does urea work?

The process itself looks very simple: when the fertilizer gets into the soil, the granules completely dissolve in it. As a result of the interaction of urea in the soil with microorganisms, carbon dioxide is released from the granules, which in turn is converted into ammonium and ammonia (when ammonium enters the open air). Since urea decomposes very quickly and is washed away by rainwater, it is necessary to embed it in the soil as deeply as possible.

Advantages

This fertilizer, of course, is not a panacea for the problems and diseases of tomatoes, just like phosphorus or potassium. Urea has its pros and cons. The advantages of fertilizer include:

• Absolute dissolution in water.
• Rapid decomposition of active substances in the soil.
• No cumulative effect.
• Does not accumulate in soil and fruits.
• Rapid evaporation of toxic substances.
• Helps strengthen the immunity of tomatoes.
• Urea accelerates the growth of foliage, making the crown lush and beautiful.

Flaws

Any fertilizer can be harmful if used incorrectly. Harm begins only from improper use. What are the disadvantages:

• When using a cold urea solution, the plant's roots become stressed and may rot.
• When using formulations with an increased dosage, it will cause burns to the roots and green mass.

When to use urea for tomatoes

There are several factors for which this fertilizer is used. This:

• Soil temperature.
• Season.
• Lack of nitrogen.

Many summer residents carry out autumn preparation for winter after harvesting: they wash the greenhouses, disinfect them, remove plant debris and apply fertilizers.

But if you are an inexperienced summer resident and added urea during autumn work, know: there will be no effect. As already written above, urea decomposes very quickly in the soil and when it is planted in the fall, all components will simply evaporate.

The best time to apply this fertilizer is late spring, when the soil has already thawed thoroughly.

When the soil temperature is less than 5-6 degrees Celsius, nitrogen decomposes much more slowly. If you want the urea to start working faster, choose a time when the temperature is around 16 degrees Celsius. The higher the temperature, the faster the nitrogen is released.

Foliar feeding is usually carried out in early June. During flowering and fruit formation, urea should not be used. Do not apply urea immediately before planting and do not water the beds immediately after application. Wait a few hours for it to take effect and then water.

Video: Why urea is useful for the soil. Use of urea in the garden

Sometimes it is difficult to perceive information after reading an article. Many people prefer to watch videos or listen. Below is a video from which you will learn all the nuances of using urea:

What it is

Urea or carbamide is a mineral nitrogen-containing fertilizer produced in the form of white or light gray granules. The compounds that make up the urea partially evaporate, preventing the accumulation of harmful nitrates in ripening tomatoes.

The main feature of urea is the high concentration of nitrogen in the composition, reaching 46%. This is the highest indicator among all mineral fertilizers, which has ensured that urea is in wide demand in gardening and horticulture. It is presented in an easily digestible form, available for garden and vegetable crops.

Immediately after urea hits the soil surface, its active components interact with soil microorganisms. As a result, ammonium is produced from carbon dioxide. When exposed to oxygen, it transforms into ammonia. Given the ability of urea to transform, the fertilizer is applied deep into the soil in large quantities.

Compatibility of urea with other fertilizers

Not every fertilizer can be mixed. Of course, you can use urea for tomatoes as a single fertilizer, but this is rare. Most often it is used in combination with others.

But be careful: when mixed, some fertilizers not only lose their original properties, but also enter into a dangerous chemical reaction. Or they become difficult to incorporate into the soil.

We present to your attention 2 tables. The first - in which urea can be mixed without loss of properties and stored for a long time, the second - can be mixed only before application to the soil:

The fertilizers presented in the second table are mixed immediately before application to the soil:

How to breed correctly

To achieve the positive effect of urea and help the plant develop well, you need to know how to properly dilute the drug. An excess dose can harm tomatoes.

According to the recommendations, 25 g of granulated urea should be diluted in 10 liters of slightly warm water. This solution is usually enough to water 10 tomato bushes.

You can apply urea in dry form, but it must be incorporated into the soil - loosen it with a hoe or rake. Part of the nitrogen in urea is in ammonia form, which quickly evaporates when exposed to open air. After adding dry urea, the beds can be watered or wait for natural precipitation.

To feed cucumbers, a different proportion is required: 15 g of the drug per 10 liters of water.

Nutrition will be most effective if the bed is well moistened 1-2 hours before feeding.

How to prepare urea

Before fertilizing tomatoes with urea, it is important to remember that you need to maintain the proportions. It only seems at first glance: I scattered it all over the hole and that’s it. This is far from true. Follow the dosages:

• Consumption rate per sq. m - 20 grams.
• The dosage for watering tomatoes is 20 grams per 10 liters of water.

Tips for use

Urea can be used both in open ground in the garden and in a greenhouse or greenhouse. In order not to harm the plant, you should avoid the most common mistakes that many gardeners make.

To achieve success in growing tomatoes, you need to constantly monitor their appearance and promptly fertilize the plants with properly selected fertilizers. In this case, even such a capricious crop will delight gardeners with a rich harvest.

You will learn how to properly prepare urea fertilizer for tomatoes in the next video.

Source

How to use fertilizer

Urea for tomatoes is used as an additional fertilizer. How it is most often used:

• Fertilizing the soil before planting seedlings.
• Apply before sowing seeds.
• Root feeding.
• Foliar (spraying).

Planting seeds in a substrate with urea

Some people apply fertilizer immediately before planting seeds, placing it in the planting holes. This is fundamentally wrong. Fertilizer in its pure form can burn seedlings.

Urea for tomato seedlings should be mixed with the soil itself. After mixing, the soil must be moistened so that the urea dissolves better. Sowing is carried out after 7-10 days.

Watering tomatoes with urea

Tomatoes are watered with this fertilizer in case of root feeding. Watering tomatoes with urea must comply with the following rules:

• Water should only be warm, at room temperature, so as not to cause stress to the roots and their subsequent rotting.
• Watering is carried out only at the root, using a bucket or watering can without a nozzle.
• Do not allow the solution to come into contact with the greens.
• The optimal time is evening, when there is no active sun.

Foliar sprays

If you decide to feed your tomatoes with urea using the spraying method, remember that the concentration of the substance in it should be even less. Spraying is a type of foliar feeding.

Dosage for solution - 1 tbsp. l. for 10 liters of water.

Important rules for feeding tomatoes with urea

When feeding tomatoes with this fertilizer, there are several rules that must be followed. Otherwise, you will not only not benefit the plant, but also destroy it:

• Dilute the fertilizer according to the instructions, no amateur activities.
• Water only in the evening after the sun has set to avoid causing sunburn.
• Watch the reaction of the bushes, you never know what might happen.
• At the first sign of burns or soil saturation with nitrogen, immediately stop using urea.

Recommendations

In order for fertilizing tomatoes with urea to bring maximum benefit and not harm the plants, you need to take into account some rules and features of its use.

1. Urea can be combined with superphosphate, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.
2. It is advisable to spray tomatoes with urea only in the early morning or evening. Sun rays significantly increase the risk of burns on tomato foliage.
3. To prepare the urea solution, only warm water is used. Treating tomatoes with cold liquid promotes the development of powdery mildew, late blight and other fungal diseases.
4. The urea solution must be used immediately after preparation. It cannot be stored, as the active components evaporate quickly.
5. Regardless of the method of adding urea, tomatoes can be watered only after 3-5 hours. This time is needed for the active elements in the urea to be absorbed by the plant cells.
6. Work with urea must be carried out in compliance with safety rules. To do this, be sure to use safety glasses, thick rubber gloves and long sleeves. Additionally, you can use a respirator to prevent inhalation of urea. Safety equipment must be used both when working in the garden and in the greenhouse.
7. Under no circumstances should you exceed the dosage of urea indicated in the recipe. This will not speed up the growth of tomatoes, but it may slow down the formation of fruits, making them smaller.
8. When watering tomato bushes at the roots, do not allow the working solution to get on the stems and leaves of the plant. It has a high concentration, so it will cause serious harm to tomatoes, causing them to burn.
9. The use of urea during periods of prolonged rain will not bring any results. Especially watering at the roots. The fertilizer is quickly washed away by precipitation and does not have time to be absorbed by the plant cells.
10. It is recommended to use urea more often 4-5 times during the season. The last two feedings are optional and are carried out only if the tomatoes are grown on poor soil or suffer from a lack of nitrogen.

To grow lush, healthy and productive tomato bushes, it is very important to monitor their development and appearance, and also provide them with timely and balanced nutrition. An important element needed by tomatoes in the initial stages of development is nitrogen, which they can obtain from urea. This mineral fertilizer can be used in several ways. When used correctly, it helps replenish nitrogen deficiency, accelerates the growth of tomatoes and increases their resistance to diseases and pests.

Nuances of feeding tomatoes

A significant advantage of urea is that it can be used at any stage of development, and in any type of soil: open or closed. More details about fertilizing in the greenhouse and in the beds are written below.

In the greenhouse

Before feeding the plant, consider how long the tomato has been growing there. It is better to apply fertilizer little by little, in small quantities, so that the soil does not experience an imbalance. After all, if the soil is saturated with nitrogen, the plant will grow only greens and shoots, and there will be few ovaries.

In the open ground

For greater convenience, many summer residents create a fertilizer schedule. And urea can be mixed with other fertilizers for better effect.

When growing tomatoes in open ground, everything is important: the condition of the soil, the variety of tomato (some do not require frequent feeding, for example the Pinocchio tomato), and the condition of the ovaries.

If the plant has a strong, lush crown and a normal number of ovaries, and the leaves are in good condition, it does not require urea.

Description of technology

To get a good tomato harvest, you should take care of the quality of the soil. Before planting the seedlings, they are treated (using fertilizer in the form of granules).

The following activities must be carried out:

• dig up a garden bed;
• to increase fertility, add 12-14 g of a mixture consisting of equal proportions of urea and superphosphate into each hole, sprinkle a little earth on top.

Before planting seedlings, the soil must be fertilized

In addition, there are 2 ways to feed bushes with a liquid urea solution: root and foliar, both are suitable for tomatoes growing both in a greenhouse and in open beds.

Root feeding

The standard amount of root fertilizing with nitrogen is 2 times. However, if the soil on the site is poor, then 1 or 2 additional procedures are allowed, but no more than 5 repetitions in one season.

The manipulation must be carried out before the buds appear. The last watering with urea is allowed in the first week of fruit ripening.

Foliar feeding

Foliar treatment is the delivery of nutrients to the plant through the stem and leaves using spraying.

During root fertilization, even the weakest urea solution often burns the tender leaves of tomatoes.

As you know, many microelements are absorbed through the leaf mass even better than through the roots.

The supply of nutrients through the roots to all vegetative parts of the plant (leaves, stems, inflorescences) occurs, depending on the temperature, over a period of several hours to a day or more. When applying fertilizers on the leaves, nutrients enter the plant within 20 minutes. Therefore, foliar feeding is used more often in case of acute deficiency of any element in the form of an “ambulance”.

This method of nutrition is recommended in case of negative impact of weather on the soil: rains and strong winds partially wash away or erode nitrogen from the place where the root system of the bush grows.

The nutrient solution should be of low concentration: for 10 liters of settled water you need to take 1 tablespoon of urea.

The resulting mixture should be sprayed in the evening or during the day if the weather is cloudy and cool. It is advisable to do this so that it evenly falls on the tomato bush and moisturizes both sides of the leaves. Moreover, absorption occurs faster and more efficiently from below (the tissue there is thinner and more delicate).

The longer it stays on the plants, the more nitrogen they can take up.

It is worth noting that foliar feeding of tomatoes with urea also helps fight various pests and infections.

Tomato feeding scheme

In general, you need to feed tomatoes with urea no more than 4-5 times per season. Sometimes it is added at the seedling stage, but this is not always necessary. Feeding frequency diagram:

• At the stage of growing seedlings (sowing): 1 gram of urea is mixed with the soil, moistened, then the seeds are sown.
• Adding to the garden bed a week after planting in a permanent place.
• Three weeks after the initial feeding. Do not use only urea immediately after planting, otherwise the greens will appear at the wrong time. It is better to mix it with mullein solution.
• Feed the plant if you notice a nitrogen deficiency: wilting leaves, falling inflorescences. Carry out foliar spraying.
• During the fruiting period. Use a complex mixture: urea, potassium, magnesium.

Feeding methods

Urea has gained popularity as a nitrogen-containing fertilizer. It is used at all stages of tomato growth, but is especially important at the stage of growing seedlings. Urea stimulates the growth of seedlings, ensures active development and high productivity.

The active components that make up urea are necessary to strengthen the root system and increase the green mass of tomatoes. This fertilizing also increases the stability of seedlings, helping them quickly adapt to new conditions after picking or transplanting to a permanent place.

Urea for feeding tomatoes is used in several ways - for root watering, spraying foliage. Granules are also applied to the soil in dry form. Each of these methods has its own characteristics.

Watering

When preparing fertilizer, it is very important not to exceed the proportions, otherwise the urea may cause burns to the tomatoes. Urea is highly soluble in water, so this fertilizer is most often used by summer residents for watering tomato beds.

The standard method of preparing a solution for root irrigation consists of 50 g of urea per 10 liters of warm water. The solution must be used immediately after mixing; it cannot be stored.

One bucket of solution is enough to water 10 bushes, since for each tomato plant you need to use at least 1 liter of fertilizer.

The solution prepared for watering cannot be used to spray tomatoes. It turns out to be more saturated and concentrated, so it will definitely cause burns to the stems and leaves of tomatoes.

Tomatoes need to be watered at the root. To obtain a pronounced effect, nitrogen-containing fertilizer should be applied only after rain or pre-irrigation.

Spraying

Spraying tomatoes is used for feeding tomatoes, as well as preventive treatment against diseases and insect pests. Foliar treatment is recommended if plants begin to suffer from a lack of nitrogen - they lag behind in growth, the stems sink to the ground.

The main advantage of spraying tomatoes with urea is its quick action. The growth of the bushes is restored, they become lush and green. To spray tomatoes, use a solution of 1 tablespoon of urea and 10 liters of heated water.

If the tomato tops become pale and yellow, you can additionally add magnesium sulfate to the urea solution - 30 g per 10 liters of water. Mix the liquid thoroughly until the fertilizer is completely dissolved and spray the plants with a spray bottle.

Adding granules

Urea can be used to fertilize the beds where tomatoes will be planted. To do this, urea granules are added in dry form at the rate of 20 g per 1 m².

A few hours after application, the soil needs to be watered. This time is needed for the active components of urea to penetrate into the deep layers of the soil.

Under no circumstances should urea be applied to dry soil. Granules are applied only after rain or preliminary watering of the soil. If the summer resident does not have the opportunity to water the beds, the product should be scattered over the surface of the ground and sprinkled with a thin layer of soil.

Rules for preparing urea solution

Urea can be applied either in dry form (directly into moistened soil) or in the form of an aqueous solution. Dosages are described below:

• The dosage for spraying tomatoes is 30 grams per 10 liters. The consumption rate per bush is 1 liter.
• Liquid solution. How to add urea to get the right dosage: 50 grams per 9 liters of water. This solution can fertilize about 20 square meters. m. The solution is suitable for spraying or feeding adult bushes in the amount of 50 bushes.
• Root feeding - 200 grams per 10 liters of water. The mixture is enough to treat 100 square meters. m.

How to feed tomatoes with urea?

Experienced gardeners know that in order to get a large harvest of tomatoes, they need to be grown in fertile soil. Therefore, before planting them, the soil should always be well fed. Many people use urea for this purpose.

Gardening tips

Mistakes, as a rule, are made by inexperienced gardeners who have only recently started gardening. This happens to everyone. Anyone who does not know the condition of their soil can ruin the soil with urea. Read recommendations from gardeners that will help you avoid common mistakes:

• To neutralize the effect of the fertilizer, mix urea with lime. Dosage of urea and lime - 2:1 (kg). Application frequency: 3 times per season.
• The second option to neutralize the soil is to use bird droppings, superphosphate or wood ash.
• To prevent foliage and shoots from getting burned during foliar feeding, add a little copper sulfate to the aqueous solution.
• Store fertilizer in a sealed container to prevent it from clumping.

Fertilizer preparation

Before using fertilizer for feeding, it must first be diluted. Most often, 1 tablespoon of granules is dissolved in one bucket of water. It contains about 10 grams of urea. To prepare the solution, use warm water. Using cold water can lead to late blight or powdery mildew. The resulting solution should be enough to water 9-10 bushes.

In order not to harm the plants, you should pay attention to the information on the packaging. The rate and rules for applying fertilizer are usually indicated there.

In some cases, the correct dosage may be slightly different from the one described above. Since urea dissolves very quickly, the resulting solution must be used immediately after its preparation.

Mistakes when using urea

If fertilizer is used incorrectly, you will destroy the plant or slow down its growth. The most common mistakes of inexperienced summer residents:

• Exceeding the permissible dosage. The consequence is that the plant gets burned.
• Using an aqueous solution prepared for root feeding - for foliar feeding. The consequence is chemical burns, since the solution for root feeding is more concentrated.
• Forget to ventilate the greenhouse when growing tomatoes. The consequence is that urea decomposes and releases ammonia, which is toxic if inhaled.
• Use of urea during rainy season. The consequence is that the fertilizer is quickly washed out of the soil, and its effect disappears.
• Use during flowering. The plant needs other elements during this period.
• Overfeeding plants. The consequence is poor condition of the ovaries or their slow development.

Urea for tomato seedlings: how to propagate

If you want to get a good harvest, you will need to adhere to the basic rules of care and use the advice of experienced gardeners. The use of mineral fertilizers is commonplace for some, while others avoid them due to fear of consequences. To apply them correctly and get the best harvest, you must adhere to certain rules and know how to apply them.

Feeding tomatoes with urea from seedlings to an adult bush

Fertilizer application is one of the most important stages of tomato care. Tomatoes need the optimal amount of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen in the soil. The latter plays an important role in the development of the bush; its deficiency affects the appearance of the plant and the quality of the harvest. If the lower leaves of a tomato first begin to turn yellow and then fall off, it means it lacks nitrogen compounds. To restore the nitrogen balance of the soil, various nitrates and ammonium fertilizers are used. However, the main one in this regard was and remains urea - an effective fertilizer for tomatoes.

Proper preparation of compost

If you grow peppers in your beds, then you need good compost. It is no secret that crops grow better on loose soil that allows both water and air to pass through well. You can improve the soil structure with rotted sawdust or compost.

You can prepare it yourself. Fresh sawdust cannot be added to the soil; it makes the soil unsuitable for growing any plants. Make the right sawdust, use the following recipe for this:

• lay sawdust in layers;
• Water each layer of sawdust with a urea solution (dissolve 200 g of fertilizer in a bucket of water);
• wet the layers well;
• cover the pile with cellophane;
• shovel sawdust once every 2 weeks.

We saw that the color of the sawdust became almost black, which means they are ready for use. Adding such sawdust enriched with nitrogen fertilizer will not only improve the structure of the soil, but will also replenish the nitrogen concentration in it.

A constant level of soil moisture is an important condition for a good pepper harvest. Sawdust mulch will help retain moisture in the soil. It is good to soak the sawdust with a fertilizer solution containing nitrogen; urea is suitable for this. You need to pour 60 g into a bucket of water.

Microorganisms that process sawdust will use the nitrogen contained in the soil, depleting it. And if you water the sawdust with nitrogen fertilizer (urea), the balance will not be upset. The sawdust will rot, the moisture will not evaporate, and the peppers will not get sick.

Fertilizing peppers in open ground

Having transplanted the seedlings into the beds, they wait 10 days until they take root in the new place, and at this time they plan a scheme for future fertilizing.

If you want your peppers to develop well, alternate fertilizers. You can use the following diagram as a basis:

1. Feed with urea for the first time when the plants begin to grow after transplanting.
2. Use urea a second time when most of the fruit is formed.
3. Fertilize with superphosphate when the fruits begin to form.
4. Use calcium nitrate to prevent blossom end rot in fruits.

Many gardeners prefer to use organic matter to replenish nitrogen in the soil. If there is fresh manure at the dacha, then the first fertilizing with urea can be replaced with cow manure infused for 5 days. Concentrated manure is diluted with 10 parts of water, the resulting slurry, and each plant is watered. Spend 1 liter of fertilizer per hole.

How to apply urea

Urea is applied to the soil in dry form, liquid, or the plant is fertilized by spraying. Each type of feeding has its own characteristics that must be taken into account so as not to harm the plant:

Use of granules

They are applied to the ground before planting sprouts in an amount of 5-12 g per square meter. If you mix it into the holes, then take in an amount of no more than 3 g per hole.

Watering tomatoes with urea

Produced at the time of growth and development of green mass of plants. For watering, 20-30 g (tablespoon) of fertilizer is dissolved in a bucket of water. The resulting composition is divided into 10 bushes (1 liter for each) and poured directly under the root of the plant. It is important to remember that the solution can cause burns to delicate foliage. In this regard, water so that the liquid does not fall on the top of the plants.

Foliar feeding of tomatoes with urea

The procedure is carried out in the form of spraying a working solution (15-18 g per 3 liters of water) over the entire area of ​​100 m².

Spraying when foliar feeding tomatoes with urea is carried out early in the morning or in the evening.

This method allows you to obtain the necessary element much faster than by watering. But they only use it before the formation of ovaries. In this way, you can feed tomatoes with urea in a greenhouse when the sprouts become brittle, pale, and the leaves grow poorly.

Fertilizers are applied in different quantities and compositions at different stages of tomato development:

Advantages and disadvantages of urea

Using urea as a plant feed has a number of advantages:

• Urea dissolves well in water; there are no problems when preparing solutions.
• Helps improve soil fertility.
• Guarantees the absence of nitrates in fruits.
• Effectively fights pathogens.

Proper use of urea virtually eliminates its disadvantages, including:

• An increased concentration of fertilizer impairs seed germination and causes plant burns.
• The production of the solution is associated with an endothermic reaction, resulting in a strong cooling of the water, which is a great stress for the plants. Therefore, it is recommended to use very warm water initially.

Feeding tomatoes. The illustration for the article is used under the standard license ©ofazende.com

How to understand that tomato seedlings need feeding?

To feed tomato seedlings, ready-made purchased fertilizers and those prepared with your own hands according to folk recipes at home are used. The composition is selected depending on the purpose: to stimulate the growth of shoots, for the purpose of preventing diseases, to enrich it with nutrients that contribute to normal vegetation. To determine the lack of any micro or macroelements, you just need to take a closer look at the plant, it itself gives a hint:

• If there is a lack of iron , then the leaves become pale and the green veins are clearly defined.
• With slow growth , there is most likely a lack of nitrogen fertilizers. They will also help to restore withered and dried shoots.
• If a purple tint appears , use phosphorus-based fertilizers.
• Leaves turn white and become deformed more often when calcium deficiency occurs.
• If dark spots appear , then most likely the problem is a lack of calcium. However, there is no spotting on other parts of the plant.
• When shoot growth stops, there is a lack of magnesium and potassium.

The first fertilizing is introduced after the formation of the first leaf on the seedling. Further according to the drawn up schedule.

The role of urea in the development of tomatoes

Any fertilizer, including urea, participates in the growing season of tomatoes, strengthens the immune system, due to which the plants become strong and hardy. This fertilizer is especially important at the seedling stage, when plants need to build up green mass and a good root system.

With a lack of nitrogen, plants grow slower, their leaves may become deformed, yellowing and premature leaf fall may occur. And this negatively affects the formation of ovaries and fruits. Tomatoes are fed with urea at the seedling stage, but the fertilizer must be used carefully: it is better to underfeed than to overfeed the plants.

Important! When seedlings are planted in a permanent place, urea can be used in minute quantities, otherwise, instead of forming ovaries, the tomatoes will begin to intensively become overgrown with leaves and shoots.

Feeding tomato and pepper seedlings with folk remedies

Today, in gardening stores you can purchase many different preparations for feeding seedlings. But, for lovers of everything natural, the best option for such fertilizers will be those that are made with your own hands.

The main substances needed by peppers and tomatoes are potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. The best source of nitrogen for these vegetable crops is bird droppings. It must be diluted with water in a ratio of one to two and left for 2-3 days. The resulting concentrate must be mixed and added to water for irrigation (1:10). Bird droppings can accelerate the growth of tops. But, it can only be used once before moving the nightshades into open ground.

Coffee lovers often end up with large amounts of used grounds. It can be used not only as a substrate for growing mushrooms, but also as a source of nutrition for seedlings. In addition to its main effect, coffee grounds loosen the soil well and improve oxygen access to plant roots. To improve the structure of the soil, simply add a little coffee grounds to it.

Coffee waste to improve the substrate

Another type of “folk” nutrition is onion peel. It (20 g) is filled with water (5 liters) and left for 3-4 days. After which the water can be used to water the seedlings. It will not only fill the soil with useful substances, but will also be able to disinfect it.

You can also use water in which potatoes were boiled, beet sugar and dry yeast.

Urea when growing pepper seedlings

There are many practice-tested recipes for feeding pepper seedlings. All of them are effective, but gardeners prefer feeding peppers with urea if the leaves of the seedlings turn pale and the stems weaken. Prepare a solution with a low nitrogen concentration for treating seedlings leaf by leaf. Add a teaspoon of urea to a bucket of water.

Other spraying recipes can help weakened seedlings:

• take 10 ml of a concentrated solution of potassium humate, dilute it in a bucket of water;

• use the “Ideal” fertilizer;

• prepare compote (fertilizer) from banana skins, you need hot water and skins, ratio 1:1, the compote takes 3 days to prepare;

• tea leaves, 3 liters of boiling water requires a glass of tea leaves, ready in 5 days.

If you want strong seedlings, start feeding the pepper with fertilizers after 2 leaves appear. This is if you grow seedlings without picking. In the second case, fertilizers are used for the first time 10 days after picking.

Here is the fertilizer recipe for the first feeding of seedlings:

• pour a liter of water into the container;
• add 0.5 teaspoon of urea granules;
• pour in 2.5 ml of sodium humate.

When 2 weeks have passed, use another recipe; the fertilizer is prepared in the following sequence:

• Pour a liter of water into the container;
• add 0.5 teaspoon of urea;
• Instead of sodium humate, add a teaspoon of potassium monophosphate.

By the time the seedlings are transplanted into the soil, you will have strong seedlings with seven or even 12 bright green, shiny leaves. This is if you were not lazy and looked after the pepper seedlings with due attention.

Breeding rules

We have already talked about the role of urea for feeding tomatoes. It remains to be seen how to properly breed it in order to achieve a positive effect of nitrogen on the development of plantings.

To dilute urea, you must first carefully study the recommendations.

Warning! Excessive amounts of urea can harm your plants.

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine the amount of fertilizer if you don't have a measuring spoon. We offer you a table that will help you accurately measure the most common fertilizers.

Advice! Before planting tomatoes, you can add dry urea (no more than 3 grams) to each hole and mix with the soil.

According to the recommendations, 25 grams of granulated urea per square of planting is sufficient for one square. They are bred in a 10-liter bucket. This solution is enough for 10 tomatoes. Water at the root.

Important! Urea can cause the soil to become acidic. To avoid this problem, it is necessary to deoxidize it with limestone.

Recipes for foliar feeding with urea

Foliar feeding of peppers based on urea helps to increase productivity. Each vegetable crop has the most favorable phases for their implementation. But not all gardeners do foliar feeding as planned; a significant part use it only as an emergency aid to compensate for nitrogen deficiency.

Reference! Planned foliar feeding increases the yield of peppers by 20%.

We can list a number of factors that force gardeners to resort to foliar feeding of pepper with urea:

• soil waterlogged due to prolonged rains;
• acidic soil, pepper has impaired nitrogen nutrition;
• extreme soil temperature (high, low), impairing the functioning of the root system.

Advantages of foliar feeding: rapid absorption of nitrogen, normalization of nitrogen balance, growth of leaves, increase in fruit size, and urea will be a good assistant in this.

Large-volume garden sprayers make the labor-intensive process easier. With their help you can quickly and easily process large pepper plantations. When using simple sprayers, the work of spraying leaves takes a lot of effort and time.

The first complete nitrogen fertilization on the leaf is carried out 2 weeks after transplanting pepper seedlings into the soil. It is at this time, when the phase of active growth of the vegetative mass begins, that peppers require nitrogen.

Preference should be given to urea, or more precisely, to its 2% aqueous solution. What is needed is a solution with a low nitrogen concentration. To obtain it, dissolve 20 g of fertilizer in a bucket of water. The solution is poured into the sprayer tank and the pepper plantings are treated in the evening.

The effect will only be achieved if the leaves are processed correctly. To do this, adhere to the following rules while working:

• Spray the pepper leaves evenly and alternately on both sides. Start from the bottom tier of leaves and gradually move the sprayer to the top of the pepper.
• Plan work for the morning - before 11:00, or for the evening - later than 17:00.
• Do not process peppers if the air temperature is above +22 °C.
• Do not treat leaves before or during rain.

Description of urea

Urea, popularly called urea, is small white granules. They contain nitrogen in digestible form (46%), which is responsible for the growth and development of the crop. Urea is the most concentrated of the entire group of nitrogen fertilizers. If you use it as the instructions indicate, nitrates will not concentrate either in the soil or in the fruits.

Urea is used in the garden to fertilize tomatoes and other vegetable crops. Soil bacteria secrete enzymes that convert granules into ammonium carbonate. The more of these bacteria, the faster the reaction occurs: in soil with high biological activity, the granules are completely converted in 2-3 days. The resulting substance has one drawback: it decomposes in the open air, partially evaporating in the form of ammonia. If it is captured by particles of the earth, it is held in it.

Do not spread fertilizer on snow or in rainy weather.

The granules dissolve quickly and disappear along with melting snow or rain streams. As a result, the result is completely opposite from what was expected. In order not to lose the desired element (and this is especially noticeable on neutral or alkaline soil), the fertilizer is applied in liquid form (solution) or embedded into the soil. It is advisable to water the soil first. In this case, nitrogen compounds will be held even more firmly by the earth particles.

Feeding tomato and pepper seedlings after picking

To grow high-quality planting material, feeding seedlings after picking is of great importance. After this process, you need to add the necessary nutrients to the soil.

Baker's yeast performed very well at this stage of development of seedlings of these vegetable crops. They are rich in both nitrogen and phosphorus. But yeast as a fertilizer has one significant disadvantage. During their vital activity, these fungal microorganisms decompose potassium. To prevent this from happening, this mineral must be added to the yeast solution.

Pepper seedlings

Fertilizers should be applied to seedlings before watering. It is best to do this in the morning. After fertilizing, the seedlings must be watered with water at room temperature.

Banana peel nutrition for tomato and pepper seedlings

If you have a large amount of banana skins left, they can be used to eliminate potassium deficiency in plants. The lack of this element negatively affects the absorption of nitrogen. Which leads to sluggish and weak seedlings.

Preparing banana food is very simple. It is necessary to place the skins of 3-4 bananas in a three-liter jar, fill them with water and leave for 3 days. After this time, potassium will be released from the skins and fill the water. Which then needs to be watered the plants.

How to feed tomato and pepper seedlings with ash at home?

Ash is not only an excellent source of potassium, calcium, magnesium and other minerals useful for plants, but also a unique substance that can turn acidic soil into one that will be suitable for vegetable crops. Ash in the soil reduces the risk of developing fungal diseases in tomatoes and peppers.

To prepare fertilizer from ash, you need to mix one tablespoon of this substance with two liters of water and leave for 24 hours. At the same time, you need to make sure that the ash you use as fertilizer was not obtained by burning construction waste and painted wood.

When to use urea for tomatoes

All types of fertilizers are necessary for the development and growth of tomatoes and other crops, including cucumbers. Nitrogen is the main element of amino acids and is found in almost all parts of the sprout. It acts as a “glue” that strengthens the bush and holds it upright. This component is very mobile - it can be transported to where it is needed. The lack of an element negatively affects the entire plant:

In this case, all the nitrogen that is in the plant passes into the younger leaves, while the lower old ones dry out and fall off. After this, the foliage in the middle part of the plant begins to turn yellow. If the situation is not corrected, then everything will end sadly - the bush will die.

With a lack of nitrogen, processes aimed at the formation of fruits also stop:

In general, without nitrogen you cannot expect a good harvest. This determines the need to introduce nitrogen compounds, primarily urea, a fertilizer used to feed tomatoes and more.