Fertilizers for tomatoes in open ground must be applied regularly, even if the soil is considered fertile. Only in this case will it be possible to harvest a large number of tasty tomatoes. But fertilizing with nutritional components must be carried out according to certain rules, otherwise you can harm the vegetable bed.
Rules for adding nutrients
Fertilizing tomatoes in open ground should be carried out at least three times during the entire growing season, but if the soil is not fertile, then much more often.In open beds, tomatoes are more likely to encounter unfavorable factors, so you need to help them withstand diseases, cold snaps, and winds. In addition to the fact that fertilizers increase the resistance of plants to various bad conditions, they also help improve the quality and quantity of the crop.
If tomato bushes are deficient in some element, you can determine this by appearance. The color of the leaves of the tomato bushes will tell you how to fertilize tomatoes.
- From an excess of nitrogen, the plant begins to “fatten”. The greenery is dense, the stems and branches are thick. With a lack of this element, the leaves, on the contrary, become pale with a grayish tint. Flowering and fruit formation are delayed.
- Phosphorus deficiency can be recognized by the purple color of the leaves. If there is a lot of phosphorus in the soil, then the leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out and fall off.
- The plant can also dry out if there is a lack of potassium. If a white coating has formed on the stem and leaves, then you need to reduce its application.
- Phosphates need to be eliminated when the leaves curl and dry. An excess of potassium and nitrogen lead to similar problems.
Thus, before applying fertilizer, you need to make the right choice. Mineral and organic compounds can be used. Natural products are widely used that can compensate for the lack of nutrients in the soil. Various ingredients can be used: eggshells, banana peels, yeast, wood ash.
How to feed tomatoes after planting in the ground, there are many recipes for preparing the mixture yourself; you can also buy a ready-made preparation.
After the seedlings are planted, they should be left alone for 7-10 days. During this time, the bushes adapt to the new place and take root.There is no need to worry if it was noticed that in the first days the bushes are sluggish and do not develop. The fertilizers applied during the preparatory work will soon give strength, and within a few days the sprouts will begin to expand.
If the leaves on the planted bushes have not recovered, the stem looks limp even after 15 days, then carry out the first feeding. Then fertilizing is carried out once every 2.5 weeks. Vegetable crops are especially in dire need of additional elements during flowering and fruiting. Foliar feeding in the form of spraying can be carried out more often.
Preparatory work on the site
In order for the growing process to be enjoyable and to avoid problems, you must first select a suitable location for the beds. The site should receive enough light for at least 6 hours per day, and there should be no constant through winds.
Tomatoes feel good in beds where cucumbers, cabbage, and legumes were previously planted. You cannot plant for about three years on land where nightshade crops, such as eggplants and potatoes, were harvested. These vegetable crops are susceptible to the same infections and pests.
Before planting seedlings, prepare the soil. Preparatory work begins in the fall, when the entire harvest is harvested and the tops of old plants are removed. It is recommended to dig up the soil and mix it with organic fertilizers. Manure, compost, peat are ideal.
In case of increased acidity of the soil, it is necessary to add lime chalk. Measuring the indicators is not difficult; just buy a litmus strip in a specialized store and lower it into the ground.
If it was not possible to carry out all the preparatory activities in the fall, then it is not too late to do this in the spring.An infusion based on organic components, manure or humus is added to the dug up soil.
The last step is preparing holes for planting bushes. The distance between the indentations depends on the tomato variety. If tall varieties are selected, then the distance should be at least 50 cm. For low-growing plants, the interval can be reduced to 35 cm.
Planting sprouts should be preceded by applying fertilizer directly into the holes themselves. The day before transplantation, the wells are filled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then you can pour wood ash, eggshells into them, or pour in a pre-prepared yeast infusion.
Characteristics of organic components
What to feed tomatoes in open ground depends on the composition of the soil, weather conditions, the condition of the tomato bushes and the stage of their development.
Mullein is considered the most popular organic fertilizer not only for open beds, but also for greenhouse tomatoes.
This type of feeding can be used at any stage before flowering. A liquid infusion is made based on it. Fresh cow manure should not be applied to the soil, as this can cause burns to the root system and the plant will die. Fresh manure is poured with water and left to infuse in a warm place for a couple of days. During this time, the nitrogen will have time to decompose and will not harm the vegetables. The finished solution is diluted with water again and poured under the root.
During flowering, the need for nitrogen decreases, but the need for phosphorus and potassium fertilizers increases. At this time, you can use complex compositions based on mullein. You can combine mullein with nitrophoska, boric acid and potassium sulfate or with wood ash. The selected components are poured with water, mixed thoroughly and applied directly under the root.
Caring for tomato beds in the open ground is not complete without bird droppings. It contains a large amount of nitrogen. It is also prohibited to bring it into the garden beds fresh. An infusion is made from it. Chicken droppings are filled with water. Leave to infuse for 2-3 days. Before watering, the solution must be diluted with water.
During the period of ovary formation and fruiting, it is useful to feed tomatoes with a composition based on mixing chicken manure with superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
Many experienced vegetable growers make a mixture of manure, bird droppings and mineral components at the same time. Organic components are poured with water and infused. After this, potassium sulfate and boric acid are added to the infusion. Before use, the prepared solution is diluted with water.
Compost is an infusion based on chopped grass. But you can use a more nutritious composition. Add lime, wood ash and a little urea to a bucket of chopped grass. All components are poured with water and left to infuse.
Herbal infusion is very popular. You can chop any meadow herbs, but nettle, dandelion, quinoa, and chamomile are the most nutritious. You can take several herbs for infusion. The selected greens are filled with water and left to infuse for 7 days. During this time, the contents should ferment. Then the solution must be filtered and diluted with water.
Regular dry or live yeast can be used to make nutritional formulations. Thanks to this feeding, the plant will develop better, form more ovaries, and reduce the risk of developing diseases and pest attacks. You can water the plants only when the ground is well warmed up. The yeast is poured with water and left to infuse.
Root watering should be done in the evening, when there is no rain or sun. After applying fertilizers, you need to water the beds with ordinary settled water.
Mineral fertilizers
Fertilizers can also be purchased at the store. There are proven and effective drugs that protect the plant from unfavorable factors and contribute to its accelerated development.
Tomato feeding in open ground and greenhouses by experienced vegetable growers is most often carried out using the following complex formulations.
Nitroammophoska contains a large number of microelements in its granules. The granules can simply be scattered between the tomato rows or you can make a liquid solution. You need to dissolve 50 g of granules in a bucket of water. As soon as they dissolve, you can start watering. One bush should take about a liter of solution.
Kemira Lux is rich in microelements, which begin to act immediately after entering the soil. Available in liquid form or granules. The composition promotes the colonization of beneficial bacteria, improves resistance to infections, and increases productivity.
After planting in the ground, tomatoes can be fertilized with Mortar. The drug is allowed to be used for foliar or root feeding. Only 15-20 g of the substance needs to be dissolved in 10 liters of water. For a certain growing season, you can select a separate series. If the seedlings do not develop well after planting, then it is better to choose Mortar brand A; during the fruiting period, brand B will benefit. During the period of fruit formation, fertilizing is carried out every week.
Agricola-3 is rich in three main components necessary for growth, development and fruiting - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. An additional component is magnesium.In one liter of water you need to dilute 2.5 g of the substance. Fertilizer should be applied only at the root.
You can independently prepare mineral fertilizers for tomatoes based on folk recipes.
- A fertilizer with a high nitrogen content can be prepared from ammonium nitrate.
- Nitrophoska and sodium humate will be useful during the formation of ovaries and fruiting.
- You cannot do without phosphorus and potassium during the ripening of tomatoes. For preparation you will need potassium chloride and superphosphate.
Each store-bought drug contains detailed instructions for use and dilution, which must be strictly followed. Not only a deficiency, but also an excess of microelements can negatively affect the development of vegetable crops.
Foliar feeding
In addition to root feeding of tomatoes after planting in the ground, it is also useful to carry out foliar spraying with nutrients. If root dressings need to be applied 3-4 times during the entire growing season, then foliar spraying with nutritional components can be carried out at intervals of 10 days.
- Before the flowering period begins, you can treat the leaves with a urea-based solution.
- During flowering and ovary formation, it is useful to treat with a superphosphate solution.
- A composition of boric acid, copper sulfate and urea is useful. All components are taken in equal quantities and filled with water.
- You can spray the plant with a solution based on boric acid alone.
- Many gardeners use a recipe based on milk and iodine for processing. Add milk and a few drops of iodine to a bucket of water. This composition is able to saturate the plant with microelements and protect against the penetration of pathogenic bacteria.
- You can prepare a solution from wood ash, which will replace any other complex fertilizers. The ash is poured with water and boiled for 30 minutes. After the solution has cooled, it is diluted with water, crushed soap is added and the green part of the plant is sprayed.
- To treat greens, you can mix Fitosporin and Zdraven.
Fitosporin is a biological product that enhances the plant’s immunity, promotes its recovery in case of damage, accelerates growth and improves development. Fitosporin can be used as preventive measures every 10 days. 5 g of powder is dissolved in a bucket of water.
Fertilizer Zdraven helps strengthen the root system of vegetable crops, reduces the formation of barren flowers, improves the taste of fruits, and increases resistance to disease. On the 14th day after transplanting the seedlings, you can prepare a solution. You need to take 15 g of the substance per bucket of water.
Foliar feeding will help not only to compensate for the lack of any substances, but also protect against diseases and pests.
Foliar treatment should be carried out before 10 a.m. in dry, windless weather. It is recommended to combine foliar fertilizer with treatment against pests and diseases.
