The best scheme for feeding tomatoes in a greenhouse and open field
Content:
When planting tomatoes, you always want to get the largest possible harvest. For it to be of high quality, watering alone is not enough, tomatoes need to be fed regularly in a balanced way, and all fertilizers must be applied on time. With sufficient fertilization, the harvest will always be large, large, tasty and of better quality both in terms of benefits and appearance. Next, consider: the scheme for feeding tomatoes.
Tomato feeding scheme: what is feeding for?
At different stages of growth, a tomato needs certain substances, of different amounts. When a tomato is just starting to grow, in order for it to develop more luxuriant and healthier, but at a time when the buds of the bush begin to actively develop, and then the fruits, tomatoes need to be given more potassium. Before planting seedlings, during preparation, it is imperative to introduce microelements into the ground, because they are very quickly washed out of the soil even with simple watering, not to mention the rains. When feeding tomatoes, different fertilizers are needed, and each has its own procedure for introducing them into the soil. If you introduce them at random, then it can harm, and there will be a lack of some elements, and an overabundance of others that will affect the harvest. From this, tomatoes will easily be exposed to diseases and pests. Of course, if some element is not enough for a tomato, it will not die, but it will definitely make itself felt, and this will be clear in appearance. For example, with a lack of boron, growth points die off along with the buds, but with a lack of copper, the leaves become blue-green. When there is little calcium, the leaves change shape, but with a lack of iron, the leaves simply turn yellow. If there is little manganese, then the buds, instead of blooming, will disappear. In general, the plant reacts to each element in different ways, so you will immediately understand what exactly your seedling is missing. If there is at least one sign, then you need to immediately carry out an extraordinary feeding with this particular element. It is also necessary to remember that all fertilizing should be applied after watering. But it is much more dangerous if the tomato is overfed, in which case they look as if they were poisoned. They turn yellow, wither, and can quickly die, so the dosage is very important for any feeding. Moreover, in order to choose the right fertilizer or make high-quality top dressing using folk methods, you need to rely on your plant, that is, its variety, the climate in which it grows, the composition and nutritional value of the land on your site. You need to apply fertilizer correctly, because fertilizing is made in order to get a good harvest, but if you make mistakes when feeding, this can have an extremely negative effect on your plant.
Tomato feeding scheme: how often you need to fertilize
There is a strict procedure for fertilizing, if you apply fertilizers at random, then there will be an excess of one substance in the soil, and the other, respectively, a deficiency, and it should not be so, there should always be a balance. So if the dressing is not applied correctly, then in the future the plant weakens, easily undergoes various diseases, becomes infected with diseases and the crop easily loses all its properties, which should be based on the variety.
If you have waterlogged soil, it is better to use foliar fertilizers. Because if such soil is fertilized with root, then the soil will become even more moist, and as you know, tomatoes really do not like excessive moisture, and it can easily affect them badly.
During the season from the moment of planting to harvesting, tomatoes are fed up to 8 times.
For the first time, organic or mineral fertilizers are applied to the ground before planting, during the preparation of the site, if this is not done, then they will take root in a new place worse, and this already affects the amount of the future harvest. For the first time, potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus must be introduced into the ground together. And after 2 weeks, when the seedlings have already taken root and get used to the new conditions, then nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are again introduced into the ground, already adding microelements to them. If these fertilizers are in sufficient quantities, then during the growth period the plants will develop better, but if they are not enough, this is immediately noticeable in appearance, the seedling grows very slowly, it may fade and do not form new, young leaves. During the flowering period, fertilizing is reintroduced only without nitrogen, then the tomatoes will receive enough nutrition for the setting and growth of fruits. But if you do not apply fertilizer, then the plants will bloom little, and the flowers may begin to fall off. During this period, plants need organic fertilizers more than ever. Moreover, during the period of active development, tomatoes most of all require those fertilizers that contain a lot of nitrogen and phosphorus. If there is a sufficient amount of phosphorus in the soil, then the roots of the bush will develop very quickly and correctly, and the bush itself will be lush, thicker and more saturated in color. During the flowering period, tomatoes need fertilizers more than ever, the number of flowers per bush depends on this, and accordingly, in the future, the number of ovaries. But it is advisable not to introduce nitrogen at this time at all. At a time when the fruits have just begun to set, tomatoes need more potassium and phosphorus.
How often to feed tomatoes in the greenhouse
The most basic top dressing for tomatoes should be applied during the period when they are actively bearing fruit. They do this so that the fruits are tastier, have more vitamins and ripen faster. At this time, a mixture of potassium, manganese, boron and iodine is introduced into the soil. If there are enough of these substances, the harvest will be soft, sweet and meaty. But if something is missing, then the fruit will not be so sweet, and the quality may leave much to be desired, and this greatly affects the safety. From the moment of fruit setting, to harvesting, feeding can be repeated several times to improve the above qualities, but two weeks before the fruit is removed, all feeding must be stopped.
Scheme for feeding tomatoes: in which the first two feeding are carried out with an interval of two weeks, then the interval increases, and the feeding is already introduced by looking exactly at their plant. you need to look closely at the table, but it is still not worth observing it completely, because this is a general table, but the varieties and composition of the soil are different for each gardener. Because of this, in time, all dressings are carried out individually, and the amount of substances is also individual, so all substances are introduced when it is your tomatoes that need top dressing, you will understand by their appearance. If the bushes are healthy, lush, rich green leaves, then everything is fine with your soil, and you can skip the next top dressing, but if they turn yellow, wither, or just don't look very good, then top dressing should be extraordinary.
If you grow tomatoes in separate containers or in a greenhouse, then there should be more fertilizing than those that grow in open areas. After all, when a plant grows in a limited amount of land, it is much poorer in the presence of nutrients, and additional fertilizing is needed even more, and useful substances are washed out of the ground in the greenhouse much faster than from open ground. For greenhouse plants, you can also use not only root fertilizers that are applied to the ground, but also those with which the whole plant is sprayed, foliar. If you count the fertilizers that are applied to the ground, and those with which the bushes are sprayed, then in total there should be about 10 dressings. They need to be alternated, because in no case can these dressings be used together, this can also have a detrimental effect on plants.But nevertheless, spraying too often should not be carried away, because tomatoes do not really like it when moisture gets on the leaves and trunk. And again, the frequency of feeding is necessary according to the condition and appearance of the bushes, because it is better not to feed a little than to overfeed the tomatoes. Often, ammonia is used to feed tomatoes and it is used in completely different ways. But all the same, in the greenhouse, you should not get carried away with foliar dressing in the greenhouse, because it greatly increases the humidity of the air, and for a tomato it is very harmful, dampness is an excellent environment for the development of phytophthora. You can check whether or not there is enough fertilization for your tomatoes by looking at them a couple of days after adding them to the tomatoes. And if you see that the tomatoes are missing something, then feeding with this element can be repeated. In general, what kind of crop you get directly depends on the quality of fertilizing. All feedings are very important, they can be either increased or decreased (but this is not desirable) based on the condition and appearance of your plant. If you have correctly applied all the fertilizing and take good care of your tomatoes, then the harvest will not keep you waiting long and will only delight.