How to use superphosphate for tomatoes

Vegetable growing » Tomatoes

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Kira Stoletova

Nightshade crops, which include tomatoes, require balanced fertilizing with mineral fertilizers for full growth. Among the effective complex fertilizers, superphosphate is distinguished. It is used for seedlings and adult plants. Feeding tomatoes with superphosphate will improve their overall growth and fruiting.

Feeding tomatoes with superphosphate

Growth stimulator

Tomatoes need to be fed constantly as they grow.
Various additives are used for this. For example, superphosphate granules (about 12 g). They are introduced into the holes intended for seedlings. Mixed ash and lime are added to the granules. These are excellent helpers for plant growth. Important:

Feeding tomatoes should be taken seriously and responsibly, since they are selective and do not like everything that is offered to them.

For example:

they do not benefit from excessively fatty soils overfed with organic matter;
an excess of mullein (this happens if you feed it more than three times) is also harmful to plants;
Urea can only be sprayed. It is strictly forbidden to bring it into the holes;
You can’t water tomatoes often. When watering, you need to follow a schedule;
between tomato bushes a distance of 40 to 50 cm should be left;
do not flood the tomato beds;
tomatoes cannot tolerate shade - this is death for them;
the dosage of fertilizers must be accurate - their lack or excess is equally harmful and affects the yield.

The fertility of loamy soil is increased by adding peat mixed with manure.

Remember that fertilizers for tomatoes must be applied according to the schedule, which provides the plants with adequate nutrition. It is very good to add fertilizers to the holes one tablespoon at a time: superphosphate, saltpeter. When choosing fertilizers for tomatoes, it is advisable to choose those with a low nitrogen content.

Tomatoes respond sensitively to fertilizing, especially phosphorus-potassium fertilizing, since thanks to them the quality of the fruit is improved (the amount of nitrates is reduced) and their simultaneous ripening is regulated, and saltpeter affects the size of the fruit, but also lengthens the ripening period.

Remember that on poor soils and in rainy seasons, the amount of fertilizing should be doubled and the dosage reduced by 30%.

Based on these recommendations and observing the suggested dosage periods, you can achieve a very decent harvest. We hope that our advice will be useful to you and will help you in your difficult work. Good luck to you!

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What do you put in the hole when you plant tomatoes?

When planting tomatoes in a greenhouse or garden, nutrient mixtures (organic matter, mineral fertilizers), liming agents (dolomite flour, lime, chalk), and drugs for diseases and pests are added to the hole.

The choice of each specific additive depends on what goal you are pursuing and what you want to get from the fertilizer.

ON A NOTE. If you need to simultaneously deoxidize the soil and feed the seedlings, then use wood ash.

How to make and use superphosphate solution

In spring, mineral supplements are applied through watering in dissolved form. Nutrients get into the soil better this way, and the process of their absorption by plants is accelerated. There are two ways to prepare the solution:

The granules are poured with boiling water and allowed to brew in a warm place. Hot water will allow the granules to dissolve faster; high temperature does not reduce the beneficial properties of superphosphate.
To prepare a concentrated solution, you need to take 300 g of superphosphate and add 3 liters of water. Stir the superphosphate composition until the granules are crushed. Before watering, you need to mix the solution thoroughly, then dilute it with 100 ml/10 liters of water. In the spring, such a solution can be mixed with 20 mg of nitrogen fertilizer and 500 mg of ash.

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Superphosphate for fruit trees

When planting fruit trees and shrubs, fertilizing with superphosphate is carried out by adding 500 g of fertilizer to each planting hole. The plant will need the next fertilizing only after three years.

As a top dressing after flowering, superphosphate is applied when digging into the trunk circle or when loosening at the rate of 70 grams per tree.

Superphosphate for tomatoes and potatoes

Tomatoes require feeding with superphosphate twice during the growing season: during the flowering period and during planting. If the fertilizer was applied in the spring during digging, it is not necessary to apply it when planting.

When planting, 20 g of fertilizer is placed under each plant, mixing it with the top layer of soil. When the plant blooms, you need to apply the same amount of fertilizer by loosening. You can water each seedling with 0.5 liter of solution.

Phosphorus has a positive effect on fruiting; if you also feed tomatoes with potassium, the taste of the fruit will improve. Potatoes and beets love phosphorus no less than tomatoes. Fertilizer is applied during digging using a continuous application method - 20 g/sq.m. m. Sometimes fertilizer is placed under each tuber, 3 g per hole when planting.

Fertilizer for cucumbers

Cucumbers are very fond of fertilizers, so they require 4 feedings per growing season. Superphosphate is involved in the first and second feeding. These are root dressings. First, fertilize with superphosphate (60 g) and urea (15 g), diluted in 10 liters of water. This mixture is applied to each plant, 300-500 ml.

The second feeding of cucumbers is more complex. For it you need to mix potassium nitrate (20 g), superphosphate (40 g), ammonium nitrate (30 g), diluted in 10 liters of water. The procedure is carried out immediately after watering or after rain so that the root system does not suffer.

Fertilizer for garlic

Phosphorus fertilizers for winter garlic should be applied a month before planting in neutral-alkaline soils.

To feed garlic, a mixture of 10 liters of humus is used, potassium sulfate (30 g), wood ash (500 g), and 20 g of double superphosphate are added. In autumn or spring, a substrate of potassium salt (15 g) and double superphosphate (20 g) is added under spring garlic. Garlic is fed several times during the growing season.

The most optimal fertilizer for garlic is superphosphate with potassium fertilizer. Nitrogen is needed only in the spring for the growth of green mass, then it can cause harm. If the growth of green mass continues, a small bulb will be formed.

Grape feeding

The sandy soil on which grapes grow needs to be fed with potassium and phosphorus every 2-3 years. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers need to be applied to chernozem every 3-4 years. Grapes need phosphorus for the accumulation of sugar and better formation of buds, which will improve the quality of the berries.

Grapes are fertilized in the fall with superphosphate along with potassium fertilizer. They are responsible for immunity and help plants tolerate low temperatures painlessly and easily. Fertilizers are applied to a depth of 50 cm, 60 grams per square meter by digging.

Superphosphate for strawberries

For strawberries, superphosphate is used when planting along with organic fertilizers. In spring or fall, the continuous fertilization method is used to apply fertilizer to the soil. Approximately 5 kg of manure is added with the addition of 15 g of calcium salt and 60 g of superphosphate.

Fertilizer can be applied in the fall to ensure next year's harvest. The composition is prepared using 10 liters of water with the addition of 40 g of superphosphate, a kilogram of organic fertilizer, 250 grams of wood ash.

Fertilizer with calcium nitrate

Calcium is an important element that plants need during the growing season.

Foliar feeding of calcium nitrate will provide:

Rapid formation of green mass. This promotes efficient photosynthesis in plants.
Promotes the absorption of nitrogen, which is necessary for a good tomato harvest.
Improves taste and other characteristics of fruits.
Increases yield by 10-15%.

A lack of calcium is indicated by the appearance of blossom end rot on fruits and rapid curling of leaves. In this case, it is necessary to immediately ensure the supply of this microelement to the plant. It is best to use foliar feeding - calcium nitrate. As planned, fertilization with this substance is carried out at the stage of flowering and fruit formation.

To prepare a solution of calcium nitrate, you need to dilute 1 tbsp. l. substances per 10 liters of water. Plants should be sprayed at the rate of 1 liter of liquid per bush.

What are the types of superphosphate?

Before you properly feed tomatoes, you need to understand what types of superphosphate there are. Since different types of fertilizing are used by gardeners and gardeners for different purposes. They differ not only in appearance, but also in composition.

Simple superphosphate contains no more than 20% phosphorus. The supplement also includes a certain amount of magnesium, sulfur and calcium. These fertilizers are sold in the form of granules or powder. This fertilizer is suitable for any soil and can be used both in spring and autumn. Simple superphosphate is also used to lightly feed the hole during seedlings (these fertilizers are suitable for both root and foliar feeding of tomatoes).

Double superphosphate is considered a concentrated fertilizer and already contains 45% phosphorus. Additional elements can be iron, magnesium, calcium, etc. This type of fertilizer is used to feed tomatoes by watering them at the root. But this should be done no more than 2 times during the entire growing season. It easily replaces simple superphosphate, reducing the concentration of the solution by 2 times. But, it is mainly used to feed plants that absolutely lack phosphorus. Gardeners recommend applying superphosphate as a fertilizer in the fall. After some time, it spreads evenly throughout the soil, and thereby the concentration of the active substance decreases.

As you can see, at different stages of seedling development, different types of fertilizers are used. Moreover, in addition to the main component, superphosphates can contain a wide variety of secondary components: sulfur, potassium, magnesium, molybdenum, boron. And for this you need to look at the description of the fertilizer itself.

For young tomatoes it is better to use double granular superphosphate. Since they absorb phosphorus very poorly.

Ways to use fertilizer in the garden

To enrich the soil with phosphorus, continuous fertilizing is carried out throughout the entire area of the garden. Fertilizer is used in the fall after harvesting and clearing the beds of dry vegetation . The average dosage for most crops is:

50 g of superphosphate per 1 square meter for basic soil preparation.
70 – 100 g/m2 with crop rotation, that is, on depleted soil.

Application method:

To save fertilizer, they can be applied not to the entire area, but only to future beds.

The required amount of granules is evenly scattered over the garden plot and dug up to a depth of 20 cm and left until spring. In the cold season, the granules dissolve poorly, but when the snow melts and there is enough moisture, the fertilizer will become available to the plants. If superphosphate is added in the fall, then in the spring before planting, fertilizing is not carried out.

It is not always possible to prepare a garden in the fall. Then the work is carried out in the spring, but no later than 2 weeks before planting. The application rate is the same as in the fall.

In addition to pre-planting nutrition, plants need phosphorus during different phases of growth and fruiting. In addition to general recommendations, experienced gardeners have come up with a way to improve the availability of the element for plants.

Instructions for use

For digging double superphosphate per 1 sq. m contribute:

on cultivated soils – 40-50 g;
the norm for depleted soils and virgin lands is 60-70 g.

It will take 2 times less simple. But if fertilizing is carried out during the growing season, phosphorus must first be converted into a form that is easily accessible to tomatoes. It should take effect now, not next year:

Foliar feeding begins to work immediately after spraying, but the nutrients are quickly removed;
Root fertilizers take a long time to act, but you will have to wait 5-7 days for results.

Superphosphate extract for tomatoes is the only way to make it easily available this season. The proportions of the drug and water depend on the stage of plant development.

A tablespoon contains 18 g of powder or 15-17 g of superphosphate granules.

For seedlings

The first planned feeding of tomato seedlings with superphosphate is carried out 10-14 days after picking together with potassium fertilizer. The second is given with nitrogen, but not urea or ammonium nitrate.

It is much more convenient to use potassium monophosphate, which is easily accessible to plants, but many gardeners are in no hurry to part with superphosphate.

At the seedling stage, tomatoes are fed only in emergency cases - the purchased substrate has everything for the first time. But sometimes, when preparing the soil yourself, the lack of nutrients manifests itself earlier.

A lack of phosphorus is especially dangerous for tomato seedlings. The root stops developing, which will certainly affect the formation of the bush and fruiting. The first signal is anthocyanin (purple-crimson) coloring on the underside of the leaves.

Before spraying seedlings, physiological reasons for the cessation of phosphorus absorption by tomatoes should be excluded:

low temperature (15° C or less);
continuous lighting;
acidic soil, making the element unavailable to plants.

Preparing an extract for tomato seedlings:

Pour a tablespoon of superphosphate into a glass of boiling water.
Leave for at least 8 hours.
Strain.
Dilute to 2 liters with water.
Spray the tomatoes with the solution.

During flowering and fruiting

The concentration of the superphosphate solution depends on how often the tomatoes are supposed to be fed:

Some gardeners prefer to give fertilizers with each watering if there is an automated irrigation system on the plot or in the greenhouse. Then the concentration should be minimal, 4-5 times lower than prescribed by the instructions.
Others fertilize less frequently, but with a solution containing a higher content of active substance. In any case, after transplanting into the ground, you need to feed the tomatoes with phosphorus at least 3 times with an interval of 10-14 days.

A glass of superphosphate is poured with a liter of boiling water and left overnight. Bring up to 10 liters. Used for foliar treatments and watering, 0.5-1 liters of solution per root (depending on the size of the bush).

Phosphorus fertilizers are recommended to be used together with potassium and nitrogen fertilizers a few days after feeding with calcium.

When fattening

Fattening of tomatoes is an increase in green mass to the detriment of flowering and fruiting. To stop it, you need to transfer plants from the vegetative stage of development to the generative stage. Excessive doses of potassium or phosphorus can block nitrogen absorption.

Make an extract from 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate in a liter of boiling water, diluted to 10 liters. Water the tomatoes and spray on the leaves.

Useful properties for tomatoes

Phosphorus is one of the main nutritional elements of plant organisms and is vital at all stages of development. Tomatoes are a crop that is especially sensitive to its deficiency. Application of superphosphate:

gives the plant energy;
allows metabolic processes and photosynthesis to proceed normally;
promotes the formation and strengthening of the root system of tomatoes;
slows down the aging of plants;
accelerates the formation of flower brushes;
with additional doses of superphosphate, tomatoes are transferred from the vegetative to the generative stage of development during fattening;
improves the taste, aroma, color of fruits, promotes the accumulation of sugars and vitamins;
makes plants stronger.

Tomatoes are especially sensitive to phosphorus deficiency in the early stages of development, during root formation.

Feeding tomato seedlings with superphosphate

In order to grow strong, healthy tomato seedlings, you need to follow the rules for growing them and timely fertilize them with fertilizers. Before sowing seedlings, superphosphate is added to the soil. Instructions for its use for tomatoes and dosage are contained on the packaging.

Especially often, signs of phosphorus deficiency appear in seedlings after hardening procedures, since at low temperatures it is very poorly absorbed even with sufficient amounts in the soil. If, after equalizing the ambient temperature, the signs of phosphorus starvation do not disappear, then the tomato seedlings need to be fed.

When is foliar feeding carried out?

The application of foliar fertilizers is used as an additional method of providing plants with necessary minerals and trace elements. Indeed, in some cases, nutrients from the soil do not always reach the leaves and fruits due to poor absorption and other characteristics of the soil or environmental conditions.

Read also: Fertilizing onions for turnips and feathers: when and with what to fertilize onions

Foliar feeding should be done in the following situations:

Increased soil acidity or alkaline soil reaction. Because of this, many nutrients cannot be absorbed by the plant.
The appearance of visible signs of a deficiency of one or another microelement, provided that they are regularly added to the soil.
Features of the acid-base environment of the soil, as a result of which important macroelements, such as phosphorus and potassium, are unavailable to tomatoes, since they are interconnected.
Planned on the eve of flowering.
The impossibility of root fertilization or its ineffectiveness. This can happen at high or low soil temperatures, high humidity and poor aeration. And also in case of damage to the integrity of the root system of plants by various pests or during transplantation.

It is best to fertilize in the evening to prevent the leaves from burning.

Superphosphate analogs

Superphosphate is considered a universal fertilizer for tomatoes. Many gardeners speak highly of the quality of this product. But any plant is such an individual thing that each case is considered separately. And for this there are other fertilizers with a high phosphorus content.

Ammophos contains 12% nitrogen and 51% phosphorus. Unlike superphosphate, this complex is highly soluble in water and is well accepted by tomatoes.

Nitroammophos contains 23% phosphorus and nitrogen each. It is recommended to be used when seedlings grow poorly.

As you can see, superphosphate is a universal means for tomato growth. Its use on the site significantly improves the appearance of the bushes and produces juicy and appetizing fruits. Its only drawback is that it is poorly soluble in water and extracts have to be made from it.

Description and principle of operation

Foliar feeding of garden tomatoes with superphosphate is a mandatory process for quality care. Do not neglect adding these fertilizers to the soil, and over time you will notice that the tomatoes begin to bear fruit more intensively. Superphosphate is an effective fertilizer, and knowing how to use it to feed tomatoes is simply necessary.

The thing is that in their natural form, phosphorus compounds are characterized by fairly strong chemical stability. That is why you need to learn how to apply it in such a way and in such a form that the plants consume the necessary component without unnecessary effort.

It is very important not to get carried away with using this composition: an overdose of any fertilizer can significantly harm tomato seedlings. However, in the case of superphosphate, in order to oversaturate the soil with it, you still need to try

The thing is that this fertilizer is characterized by a long period of action, it accumulates in the soil, but plants consume phosphorus compounds as needed.

To clearly understand when it is worth preparing double superphosphate for feeding, and when its use for tomatoes is in question, pay attention to the following signs of its deficiency in the soil:

the leaf blades on the stems noticeably and sharply darken - the shade becomes dark green and even bluish;
the stems and leaves of tomatoes become covered with rusty spots;
the underside of the leaf turns purple.

Use superphosphate for tomatoes if you want to harvest a generous harvest in your garden plot or in a greenhouse.

How to determine phosphorus deficiency

To feed tomatoes, organic fertilizers with the addition of superphosphate or complex mineral fertilizers containing phosphorus are often used. The frequency of their use depends on the fertility of the soil and the condition of the plants. As a rule, on soils of average nutritional value, 2-3 fertilizing is used; on poor soils, 3-5 fertilizing may be needed. However, sometimes tomatoes receiving a complex of microelements show symptoms of phosphorus deficiency. In this case, it is recommended to use superphosphate fertilizer once again.

In tomatoes, signs of phosphorus deficiency are:

change in leaf color. They become dark green, sometimes acquiring a purple tint. Also a characteristic sign of phosphorus deficiency is the leaves curling inward;
the tomato stem becomes brittle and brittle. Its color becomes violet as phosphorus starvation occurs;
Tomato roots wither and stop consuming nutrients from the soil, causing the plants to die.

Autumn feeding

As you know, tomatoes are planted in the spring, but the ground for them needs to be prepared in the fall.

This is very important and no one should forget about it. The very first fertilizers for tomatoes need to be applied to the ground in advance, in the fall, so that the soil is saturated with the necessary components and becomes fertile.

Under digging

To do this, when digging per 1 m2, you can add up to 800 g of lime, a bucket of some organic matter (manure, peat, bird droppings, compost) and 50 g of superphosphate. Tomatoes are fed with different compositions, which include various components.

Superphosphate

For example, superphosphate is the most famous and effective tomato fertilizer. It contains calcium, nitrogen, sulfur, magnesium, phosphorus. Using this fertilizer you can reduce the acidity of the soil. The magnesium it contains has a beneficial effect on plants from the nightshade family. Superphosphate can be purchased at gardening stores. It comes in the form of powder or dry granules. They are dissolved in water and the plants are sprayed with the resulting solution.

Complex fertilizers

Next come complex fertilizers. They are a mixture of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. It is also called nitroammophoska. It is wonderfully suitable for feeding tomatoes.

Mineral fertilizers

Mineral fertilizers for tomatoes should be applied twice a month. This is done by root feeding, adding to the holes and foliar feeding (by spraying).

As you can see, a variety of fertilizers are used for tomatoes, but the dosage of the drug must be strictly observed.

It is very important to make them on schedule

Types of phosphate fertilizers

Phosphorus fertilizers are divided into quickly soluble and sparingly soluble. Complex ones are also used - with the combination of 2-3 elements and the addition of microelements.

Water soluble

The most easily digestible type of vegetable crops. Available for plants with soil acidity pH 6.2-7.5. Since tomatoes are grown mainly in acid-neutral soils, it is recommended to use this form.

Available in the form of granules and powder. The amount of the element in all fertilizers is measured in terms of phosphorus oxides (P2O5).

Kinds:

superphosphate (phosphorus content in powder form is 19%, in granular form more than 20%, additionally contains sulfur 50%; main application: per 1 m² of cultivated soil 30-50 g, uncultivated - 60-70 g, for fertilizing: 1.5-3 g per 1 liter of water);
double superphosphate (contains 43-49% phosphorus, does not contain sulfur, the characteristics are similar to superphosphate, when applying the dose is reduced by 2 times);
superphos (phosphorus content 38-40%, superior to superphosphates in effectiveness and duration of action).

These fertilizers practically do not acidify the soil. They are applied to the soil before sowing seeds and used for additional fertilizing during the growing season.

Granules have a number of advantages over powder: they contain more phosphorus, do not cake during storage, and do not form insoluble compounds in the soil.

Lemon- and sparingly soluble fertilizers

The greatest effectiveness of these fertilizers is achieved in acidic soils. Use only for pre-sowing application. On acid-neutral soil, apply together with acidic fertilizers: all types of manure, ammonium sulfate, urea.

Thomas slag, phosphate slag, defluorinated phosphate.

Contains phosphorus 20-30% in lemon-soluble form. They are applied only to the soil at a rate of 50-80 g per 1 m²; they are not suitable for fertilizing or local use.

Precipitate.

This is calcium phosphate, contains 27-35% phosphorus. Available in powder form, does not cake and disperses well. Its effectiveness is not inferior to double superphosphate, and in acidic soils it has a longer action.

Phosphorite flour.

There are 4 grades of phosphate rock with different phosphorus content: 30%, 25%, 22%, 19%. Phosphorus is available to plants only in acidic soils. The optimal rate is 300-500 g per 1 m² (depending on the level of soil acidification).

Bone flour.

Phosphorus content 30-35%. Apply in a dose of 100-200 g per 1 m².

The phosphorus of all these fertilizers is absorbed by tomatoes after exposure to the acid of the earth, root secretions of plants and bacteria. Application in increased doses saturates the soil with the element for several years.

Complex fertilizing

These are complex fertilizers containing 2-3 or more elements. They are more concentrated, are distinguished by their uniform distribution on the soil surface and the availability of all elements for plants. Used for pre-sowing and local fertilizing.

Kinds:

diammophos (contains 50% phosphorus, 18% nitrogen);
ammophosphate (contains 44-46% phosphorus, 6% nitrogen);
nitrophoska (contains phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen (NPK), elements can be in different proportions);
potassium monophosphate (contains phosphorus 23% and potassium 28%);
ammophos (contains 11% nitrogen, 50% phosphorus).

This is only a small part of complex fertilizers containing phosphorus. There are many types of fertilizers with different NPK ratios and with the addition of microelements. With time and experience, each gardener decides on his “own” type of fertilizer for tomatoes, selecting them based on the requirements of the crop in different phases of development.

On what soils to use

Phosphorus in the fertilizer is in a form in which superphosphate can be used for any soil. It always remains available to plants, and they can absorb it in the required quantity. The fertilizer is most effective on fertile soils with a neutral or alkaline reaction. But on acidic soils, its absorption by plants is a little difficult.

With an acid reaction, the absorption of phosphorus by the roots slows down, so before applying the drug, the acidity of the soil must first be leveled with ash (200 g/1 m² of area) or lime (0.5 kg/m²). After leveling the acidity, superphosphate is added no earlier than after 1 month. Otherwise, the effectiveness of the fertilizer will be significantly reduced.

In acidic soil, the effect of superphosphate can have unpredictable consequences. This is especially true for inexpensive mixtures, for the production of which manufacturers use non-pure raw materials.

In any other soil, nothing bad will happen, but in an acidic environment, such fertilizer can turn into iron phosphate, which is why it becomes unavailable to plants. Therefore, if there is a noticeable deficiency of phosphorus in the soil, it is better to use more expensive preparations. But if you are sure that the acidity of your soil is not increased, then you can use any type of superphosphate.

What, when and how to fertilize greenhouse tomatoes

Overgrown tomato seedlings

Quite often, tomato seedlings grown at home become very elongated, and by the time they are transplanted into the greenhouse they look, to put it mildly, “not very good.” (See How to fertilize tomatoes)

If, despite all your efforts, and a couple of weeks after transplanting the tomato seedlings to a permanent place, they look pale, thin and weak, then the first and second feeding is carried out with an aqueous solution of mullein. You need to dissolve 1 liter of mullein in 10 liters of water and add:

50 g ash;
30g superphosphate;
and 0.3 g each (at the tip of the knife) of manganese sulfate and boric acid.

Each plant should receive about half a liter of working solution. The interval between the first and second application of fertilizers should be at least a week, optimally 10 days.

If you have added too much nitrogen fertilizer with your own hands and your tomatoes have become fattened, here are instructions on how to fix it:

You should not water your tomatoes for a week. At the same time, we increase the daytime temperature in the greenhouse to +24+26C, and the night temperature to +22C.
To stop the development of green mass of tomatoes, root feeding is carried out with an aqueous solution of superphosphate, diluting 3 tbsp. spoons of the drug in 10 liters of water. The resulting solution is used at the rate of 1 liter per plant.

When to fertilize

Experts, answering the question of when and what to feed tomatoes in a greenhouse, recommend adhering to a certain scheme for applying various fertilizers during the growing season.

The first application of mineral fertilizers is carried out 14-20 days after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse. To do this, dilute 1 tbsp. a spoonful of nitrophoska in 10 liters of water.
The tomatoes are fed the second time 7-10 days after the first application of fertilizers. For this feeding, use a solution of 1 tsp. l potassium sulfate in 10 l water.
Two weeks after the second feeding, add a solution consisting of:

2 tbsp. spoons of wood ash;
1 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate;
10 liters of water.

During fruiting, greenhouse tomatoes, to accelerate the ripening of fruits, can be fed with the following composition: 1 tbsp. l nitrophoska, 1 tsp. l of dry sodium humate powder, diluted in 10 liters of water. For every 1 m2, 5 liters of working solution are consumed.

When to deposit (basic points):

In the off-season (in autumn or spring when digging) to increase the proportion of phosphorus in the soil - 50 g per 1 m2 in dry form.
When preparing a substrate for seedlings. For 1 kg of nutrient mixture add 7 g of superphosphate.
2 weeks after picking, the seedlings are sprayed with the following composition: 10 liters of hot water + 30 g of Foscamide + 15 g of superphosphate. Mix the composition thoroughly and wait until it cools down on its own.
In the holes when planting tomato seedlings in a permanent place (5 g of granulated superphosphate in each planting hole).
2 weeks after planting in the ground (use a hood *).
At the beginning of flowering (*).
In the phase of mass fruit set (*).

* – extract recipe: 400 g of granulated superphosphate is poured into 3 liters of hot water and left to infuse for 1 day (stir occasionally). The resulting solution is diluted based on the proportion - 150 ml of extract per 10 liters of water. Watering tomato bushes is done strictly at the root. For safe leaf treatments, the concentration must be reduced several times.

Sometimes superphosphate is added unscheduled - if the plant is deficient in phosphorus. Signs of this condition can be recognized by the following:

The color of the leaves becomes dark green with a characteristic bluish (gray) tint. The inside of the leaf blades takes on a purple tint.
“Rusty” spots appear on the stems.

Phosphorus deficiency can manifest itself during the hardening phase of seedlings or during an unexpected cold spell after planting tomatoes in a permanent place. As a rule, after restoration of a comfortable temperature or adaptation, plants return to normal on their own. If this does not happen, then you should support them with phosphorus fertilizing.

If you follow the described scheme, your tomatoes will be powerful, healthy and productive.

Combining phosphorus with other fertilizers

Almost always, several fertilizers are applied to the soil at once. To save time and effort, they are often mixed, calculating the required amount. But not every combination leads to the desired results.

What phosphate fertilizers should not be mixed with:

superphosphates: with ammonium nitrate, synthetic urea, calcium nitrate, lime fertilizers, ash, ammonium sulfate, phosphate rock, phosphate slag;
phosphate rock and bone meal: with superphosphates, superphosphate, lime fertilizers, calcium nitrate;
precipitate: with lime fertilizers, ash, chalk, manure, chicken droppings;
phosphate slags: with ammonium sulfate, ammophos, diammophos, nitrophos, ammonium nitrate, superphosphates, manure, droppings;
complex fertilizers: with lime, ash, manure, chicken droppings.

Combining phosphorus with these fertilizers reduces its availability, and some mixtures form a dense and non-dispersible mass. In any case, before using the fertilizer, you should carefully study its characteristics in the instructions.

Before growing tomatoes, you need to find out all its requirements for mineral nutrition, apply exactly as much fertilizer as needed for the season. It’s even better to take a comprehensive approach, combining mineral and organic nutrition. But it is impossible to replenish all the minerals necessary for a culture with organic matter alone.

Superphosphate analogs

Ammophos contains 12% nitrogen and 51% phosphorus. Unlike superphosphate, this complex is highly soluble in water and is well accepted by tomatoes.

Nitroammophos contains 23% phosphorus and nitrogen each. It is recommended to be used when seedlings grow poorly.

For more information about feeding tomatoes and increasing yield, see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbFfDnCKOFk.