Top dressing for tomato seedlings at home. Feeding seedlings of tomatoes and peppers: folk remedies and mineral fertilizers When to water seedlings with fertilizer for growth

To grow tomato seedlings at home, you need to follow some rules. And one of these rules is the correct and timely feeding.

Let's take a closer look at how to feed tomato seedlings.

"Nitrophoska"

Traditional mineral fertilizer for tomatoes. It is based on three components: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. This type of fertilizer is the most commonly used for tomatoes. It supplies tomatoes with all the necessary nutrients.

It is introduced not only when growing seedlings, but also when planting it in open ground. A tablespoon of nitrophoska is poured into each hole and diligently mixed with the soil. In addition, this drug is used in the form of a solution (50 g of the drug per 10 liters of water). The resulting liquid must be watered plants 7 days after planting in the garden.

It should be noted that when using this drug, you get an environmentally friendly product. The main thing is to adhere to the dosage when feeding.

Agricola

One of the popular dry fertilizers for growing tomato seedlings. The product contains: 13% nitrogen; 20% each of potassium and phosphorus, as well as magnesium and essential trace elements.

For the first time, this fertilizer is applied 2 weeks after planting the seeds for seedlings, re-feeding - after the appearance of the ovaries, the third time root feeding is carried out after 10 days. After another 7 days, the plant is sprayed with this agent, and then again after 10 days.

Used in both dry and liquid form. The method of preparing the solution can be read on the package.

The nutrients in this preparation are balanced, which makes it possible to supply the tomatoes with all the required nutrients. Tomatoes should be fertilized with "Agricola" only after abundant watering.

Otherwise, you can harm the plant. Be sure to adhere to the required dosages when feeding, otherwise you can destroy the seedlings. Do not use the drug in concentrated form.

"Effecton"

Organic fertilizer that stimulates the growth of seedlings, obtained by composting peat with added to it: dolomite flour or shale ash, phosphorite flour and potassium chloride. This drug is widely used both on open soil and in greenhouse conditions.

This tool is more effective than manure. In addition, it does not contribute to the development of pests and weeds in the soil.

"Athlete"

This is a fertilizer that is used to slow down the growth of the part of the plant that is above the soil surface. It is widely used when growing seedlings at home, so that it grows better, and does not stretch in length, which can cause a decrease in yield.

When using the "Athlete", the shoot acquires the necessary thickness, the roots are strengthened, and the number of fruits increases by 30%.

When fertilizing with this fertilizer, you must adhere to the following rules:

  1. While the plant is being processed, it should not be watered.
  2. When spraying seedlings, the soil is moistened only after a day.
  3. If root feeding is carried out, the plant can be watered only after two days.
  4. The use of "Athlete" is terminated 5 days before planting seedlings in the garden.

Tomato seedlings are shed with this drug after the appearance of four true leaves. This dressing, if desired, is replaced by spraying. Only in this situation, seedlings are processed three times with an interval of 8 days.

Folk methods

Although today there are many all kinds of organic and mineral fertilizers, some gardeners believe that it is better to use folk methods. Let's consider some of them.

Use of yeast

Since yeast is rich in fungi (and, as a result, in protein), as well as iron, amino acids, macro and microelements, their use improves the quality of tomato seedlings.

This requires top dressing from yeast, which is prepared as follows:

  1. The dough is put, as for the test. We dilute a bag of dry yeast in slightly warmed water with the addition of sugar. After raising the dough, dilute it with 10 liters of water. Watering is carried out at the rate of 0.5 l of the resulting liquid for each plant.
  2. A large jar is filled 2/3 with dried black bread. All this is poured with heated water and 100 g of raw yeast is added. The mixture should be infused for 5 days. Then it is diluted in a ratio of 1:10.

You can use infusions of yeast with herbs (the main thing is that the added plants were without seeds).

You can also use the following recipe: 0.5 l of manure + 0.5 l of ash + 10 l of water + 10 g of dry yeast. All this should be mixed and insisted for 5-6 days. It is used only in a diluted form, in a ratio of 1: 2.

We fertilize seedlings with ashes

Such top dressing is characterized by the fact that its beneficial properties do not lose their strength. Ash is applied in combination with various organic fertilizers, as it is well adjacent to them.

The use of hydrogen peroxide

To disinfect tomato seeds, the usual potassium permanganate can be replaced with hydrogen peroxide. In addition, this drug helps tomato seedlings fight late blight.

To do this, one tablespoon of peroxide is diluted in 10 liters of water and 40 drops of iodine are added. The resulting mixture is sprayed with seedlings. For root dressing, 30 drops of peroxide are diluted in a glass of water.

The use of hydrogen peroxide contributes to:

  1. Disinfection of all wounds on the plant.
  2. Prevention of decay and hygiene of the root system.
  3. Saturation with oxygen.
  4. Elimination of diseases.
  5. Increase immunity.
  6. spread of pathogenic plants.

What to feed during flowering?

At the time of flowering, you need to feed manganese. Potassium and superphosphate are added to it, 20 g each. You need to use iodine top dressing.

As it turned out, “iodine deficiency” can be not only in humans, but also in tomatoes. If the plant does not have enough iodine, then the seedlings get sick. Top dressing with iodine solution (2 drops per 1 liter of water) is carried out when the first leaves appear, again - after 14 days.

In order for the seedlings to grow better, they are sprayed with the same solution. To disinfect seedlings, you can use the following recipe: 1 liter of water + 5 drops of iodine + 1 glass of skim milk.

When is feeding not needed?

If you used a purchased soil mixture before planting, then feeding tomato seedlings is not needed. In this case, there will be an excess of fertilizer for the plant. This can lead to bad consequences.

Tomato seedlings also do not need to be fed before planting. The first top dressing will be after transplanting into a greenhouse or into open ground.

When is feeding needed?

Top dressing for a tomato is necessary in such cases:

  1. The plant needs nitrogen. In this case, yellow leaves appear on the tomatoes, the seedlings become weak. Usually the bottom leaves wither first. This is the first sign of the necessary feeding.
  2. Phosphorus is not enough for tomatoes. Violet lines appear on the veins of the vegetable. You can see a characteristic mark on the stem and on the leaves.
  3. Lack of iron for the plant. The top of the tomatoes begins to wither and dry out. The leaves gradually turn yellow, and the roots die off.

General instructions on how to feed

For proper feeding of tomatoes, gardeners have developed a single scheme. Fertilizers are additionally applied when the soil in your garden is poor in minerals, the seedlings look weak, and flowering is poor.

However, with good formation of tomato seedlings and excellent appearance, excessive fertilizers can only harm.

When applying top dressing, you should adhere to some requirements:

  1. Additional fertilizers are applied early in the morning, later in the evening or on cloudy days.
  2. Before fertilizing and at the end of the seedlings, it is watered with clean water.
  3. Do not exceed the dosage of fertilizers. Everything is done strictly according to the instructions.

It should be noted that top dressing at the root with the use of any nutrients is carried out only after good watering.

Without fail, seedlings are fed only twice:

  1. 14 days after the dive.
  2. 10 days after the first introduction of nutrients.

In the future, monitor the formation of seedlings. Tomato seedlings can be fertilized at intervals of every 14 days. And with proper development, the plants may not be fed at all.

If this is your first time growing tomato seedlings on your own, then keep a diary. It should record: what fertilizers were applied to the soil, and how many.

First time

The first time the seedlings are fed, when the first leaf appeared. This time we need top dressing from the following fertilizers: "Nitrofoska", "Agricola - Forward" or "Agricola No. 3". One teaspoon of any remedy is diluted in one liter of water. This amount is enough to feed 40 bushes. This procedure helps small shoots to get stronger.

Second top dressing

The second time the seedlings are fed when the stems have lengthened. For this top dressing, superphosphate is used (1 tablespoon diluted in 3 liters of water) or the Effekton agent (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water). If the seedlings are too long, then use the Athlete preparation, it will slow down the growth of the top. At this stage of growth, you can already use folk remedies, for example, bird droppings.

Third time

This top dressing is carried out 7 days after the second stage. One spoonful of "Nitrophoska" is diluted in 10 liters of water. Pour 0.5 cups of the resulting liquid into each pot with seedlings.

Fourth time

This top dressing is carried out after 10 days. It is needed to strengthen the root system. One tablespoon of potassium sulfate or superphosphate is diluted in 10 liters of water. With this solution, the earth is abundantly watered.

Fifth time

After 10 days, another top dressing is introduced. 1 st. l nitrophoska is diluted with 10 liters of water and watered at the rate of 1 glass of solution per 1 plant. In this way, we fed the root system. And now we need to carry out foliar top dressing. To do this, spray the same solution as for the roots of the leaves.

After 3-4 days, it is necessary to spray the plants with clean water. And if there are weak leaves on the seedlings, we spray it for 3 days with the Bud for Tomatoes preparation.

Results

We examined the most effective methods for feeding tomato seedlings. If you want to get a high yield of delicious tomatoes, you can use one of them. Follow all step-by-step recommendations for maximum results.

Proper watering and fertilizing seedlings contribute to its normal formation and development. It is during the seedling period that the program of further growth is laid in plants, which, in turn, affects the yield.

Tomato seedling requirements for top dressing

Any seedling when grown on a windowsill needs top dressing. Their frequency depends on the soil in which it grows. When purchased slightly acidic soils (pH 5-6) are used, the culture is fed every 10-15 days. If the soil is more acidic, then top dressing is carried out every 10 days with the addition of deoxidizers.

Seedling fertilizers

The most unsuitable soil for tomatoes is garden soil. In the northern and central regions, it is, as a rule, too acidic, in the central black earth regions and in the south - alkaline. In this case, fertilizers are given at each watering with the simultaneous introduction of substances that deoxidize or alkalize the soil.

After the opening of the cotyledon leaves, the tomatoes switch to their own root nutrition. If they grow on purchased soil, then they have enough fertilizers contained in it, and they start feeding after picking. If the culture grows on garden land, then it must be fed immediately after the opening of the cotyledon leaves.

During the cultivation of tomato seedlings at home, it must be fed 4-5 times. When grown on a window, fertilizers are applied under the root. If the seedlings grow in a greenhouse, then one foliar top dressing can be done.

Fertilizers are also applied in case of signs of a lack of nutrients.

Nutrient deficiency symptoms

In the absence of proper care or growing seedlings on poor soil without fertilizer, symptoms of a deficiency of one or another element appear.

Lack of nitrogen. The leaves are crushed, become yellowish-green, the tomatoes are weak and do not grow well. However, pure nitrogen cannot be fed, as the plants will gain a lot of green mass and overgrow. In addition, tomatoes overfed with nitrogen fertilizers are easily affected by diseases.

The underside of the leaves, veins and stems turn purple. The more intense it is, the stronger the deficit. If only the lower part of the stem turns purple, then this is not a sign of a lack of phosphorus, but of cold air at the roots. In this case, the seedlings are placed on a stand or on a heater.

iron deficiency. The leaves turn yellowish green and the veins turn dark green. It is more common in tomatoes grown on neutral and slightly alkaline soils.

Micronutrient deficiency.

General micronutrient deficiencies. Plants are oppressed, grow poorly, yellowish-green in color. If they are pulled out of the ground, then the root system is weak, underdeveloped. The situation is easy to fix

Usually, seedlings in apartment conditions have either a complex lack of nutrients or a nitrogen deficiency. The rest is gross errors either in the selection of soil or in care.

Fertilization scheme

At home, it is better to feed tomatoes with liquid fertilizers, since they are easier to apply and they are absorbed much faster. From organic substances, humates are usually used. It is unlikely that someone will dare to use chicken manure or mullein on their windowsill.

The amount of dressing depends on the variety of tomatoes. Late varieties are planted early - in mid-late February, so they need to get 4-5 top dressings in the house. Early tomatoes are sown in early March, and their seedlings appear by the middle of the month. They are fed 3-4 times before landing in the ground.

First feeding of tomato seedlings

It is carried out after the appearance of the first true leaf. But if they do not appear for a long time, then they apply fertilizers without waiting for the appearance of true leaves. This often happens when growing seedlings on poor soil, not filled with nutrients.

The main danger of this top dressing is that the hypocotyl knee is strongly extended. Plants become thinner and stretched. Therefore, the fertilizer should contain a minimum amount of nitrogen and enough phosphorus and trace elements. However, nitrogen must still be present - it is the main factor in the growth of green mass. It is best to use liquid fertilizers: they are absorbed faster by tomatoes and are much easier to apply to seedlings. The most suitable for the first feeding are:


If the first real leaves appeared on the window, but they clearly lack nutrition (slow growth, yellowish tint of plants), then they are fed with complex fertilizer for tomatoes and peppers (Malyshok, Kemira, Aquarin, Krepysh).

Top dressing is done immediately after watering, so that the solution does not burn the roots.

If the seedlings grow normally, then the first top dressing is not done, but fertilizers are applied 3-5 days after picking. At this point, the seedlings have 2-3 true leaves.

If the first top dressing was nevertheless, then the next one is carried out after 12-14 days. Apply special complex fertilizers for tomatoes and peppers: Agricola, Intermag garden, Malyshok. When signs of nitrogen starvation appear, they are fed with humates.

Nitrogen fertilizers, which are usually used in summer cottages, are not used at home, since an incorrectly calculated dose can kill tomatoes.

The third dressing of tomatoes

It is carried out 14 days after the second. If the seedlings grow in a greenhouse, then foliar top dressing can be done, if on the window, then fertilizers are applied under the root. If the tomatoes are too long, then use fertilizers with a minimum nitrogen content and with a sufficient amount of phosphorus. The best in this situation is an infusion of ash.

To prepare it, 1 tbsp. ash is added to 1 liter of boiling water and mixed thoroughly. The infusion is left for 2-3 days, stirring regularly. Before making 1 glass of infusion, dilute in 1 liter of water and water the tomatoes. In addition, you need to adjust the backlight and temperature. The culture is placed in a cool but sunny place and the illumination time is increased.

With the normal development of plants, they are fed with Intermag garden or Malyshok fertilizer.

In the case of foliar fertilization, spraying is carried out with the same substances in the early morning (an hour after sunrise) or in the evening (1-2 hours before sunset) so that the tomatoes do not get burned.

Fourth dressing tomato

Usually this is the last introduction of nutrients for seedlings. It is carried out in 10-12 days. At this time, in early tomatoes, if the sowing dates were observed, the first flower brush is formed. In later varieties, the next leaves are still laid. Therefore, different varieties of tomatoes require different nutrients.

In early varieties, when laying the first flower brush and then the need for nitrogen decreases and the need for potassium, calcium and trace elements increases. As a top dressing, Effecton O, Kalimag, and ash are used.

Late varieties lay the first flower cluster 70-80 days after germination, so by the time of the fourth feeding they still continue to grow leaves and have a high need for nitrogen and phosphorus. Potassium is still required in minimal quantities. Therefore, the same fertilizers are applied under them as before: Intermag garden, Agricola for tomatoes and peppers, Malyshok.

Last fifth dressing

It is made only for late varieties of tomatoes, if they have not been planted in the ground. By this time, late varieties are also gaining the first brush and, accordingly, the need for batteries is changing. They bring in ash or Kalimag. But if the seedlings need to be planted in the ground earlier than 10 days after feeding, then it is not carried out.

Feeding tomato seedlings with folk remedies

Some amateur gardeners prefer to feed tomato seedlings with various folk remedies instead of fertilizers. Tomatoes are not fed with anything, and Not every top dressing is a boon for plants.

Asleep tea brew

It is very often brought under any seedlings. The most resourceful in used tea bags pour earth and sow seeds of tomatoes or peppers there. In the phase of the first true leaf, the culture is dived.

Tea brew contains a lot of tannins and vitamins, but it does not contain the elements necessary for plants. It is good to use it as a soil baking powder, especially if the tomatoes are grown on dense garden soil. The best for this is large-leaf black and green tea. Tea with additives, dyes and flavors should not be used, since the components contained in it can harm the seedlings.

As a baking powder, dried tea leaves are introduced into containers before picking, in which the tomatoes will be pickled. Welding perfectly retains moisture. Therefore, when growing tomato seedlings in peat pots, in order to avoid the rapid absorption of moisture by peat, it is brought to the surface of the soil and lightly sprinkled with earth.

But you should not add a lot of tea leaves, because it retains moisture well. And moisture is a favorable environment for the development of pathogens,. In addition, in large quantities, tea leaves acidify the soil.

In itself, tea leaves are not top dressing, and its introduction does not affect the development of tomatoes in any way. Therefore, regardless of whether it is applied under tomatoes or not, they must be fed with ordinary fertilizers.

Egg shells as fertilizer

Some bring powdered eggshells under tomatoes and other seedlings, especially from Easter eggs. The shell contains a lot of calcium, but there are practically no other elements in it. However, tomatoes in the seedling period do not need calcium. Its excess in the soil contributes to the rapid growth of small oppressed shoots, which, without having time to develop well, dry out. Therefore, it is not necessary to introduce eggshells for seedlings (an exception is when its deficiency appears, and then in very limited quantities). It is better to keep it until the fruit ripens. when the need for calcium in tomatoes increases.

Weed infusion

Usually carried out by those who grow seedlings in a greenhouse. An infusion is prepared from the first weeds that appear, and then tomatoes are poured over them. At room conditions, an infusion of banana peel is used for the same purpose. This fertilizer contains a lot of nitrogen, and it can be applied only with slow growth of tomatoes and their depressed state. Top dressing is done once during the growing seedlings. Then fertilizers are used, where nitrogen contains a minimum amount and sufficient other elements.

If you overfeed the tomatoes with infusion, then they will grow rapidly, they will be lush, but they will not lay flower brushes. And that's crop loss.

Is it worth feeding seedlings with yeast

Yeast is very often used for top dressing. They contain many vitamins, but they do not contain any nutrients needed by plants. Therefore, the introduction of yeast under seedlings is a waste of time and effort. It doesn't give any effect.

Top dressing with iodine

During the seedling period, iodine is not required for tomatoes, and its introduction at this time only hinders the normal development of tomatoes. It is necessary for fruit setting. The need for it arises after the start of flowering of the first flower brush. Until that time, culture does not need it.

Do not rush to fertilize seedlings with hydrogen peroxide

It contains only oxygen and hydrogen. Watering tomatoes with it well enriches the soil with oxygen and for some time the seedlings grow well. But still, this is not top dressing, tomatoes still need nutrients. Therefore, watering tomatoes with peroxide, of course, is possible, but only in addition to full-fledged dressings.

Fertilizing tomatoes with onion peel

Infusion of onion peel well disinfects the soil, suppressing pathogenic microflora. There are many trace elements in the husk, and it can be used as a microfertilizer. However, it should not be abused, since the phytoncides contained in it in large quantities can damage the roots of tomatoes. But once during the period of seedling growth, it is still possible to water the tomatoes.

It must be remembered that onion infusion is a complete fertilizer and after its application, the next top dressing is done only after 10 days.

Watering tomato seedlings

Tomatoes need to be watered very sparingly. Seedlings do not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. If the soil is not allowed to dry out, then the roots of the plants will develop poorly, and when planted in a permanent place, the culture will hurt for a long time. In general, tomatoes tolerate drying out of the soil much better than waterlogging it.

The usual recommendation is to water the tomatoes every 10 days. But growing conditions can vary so much that someone's seedlings can dry out in 10 days. To determine whether the plants need watering or not, you need to run your finger over the surface of the soil. If a layer of dust remains on the finger, which is easily shaken off the hands, watering is required.

In other cases, watering is not necessary. When seedlings are grown in deep containers, the dryness of the soil is determined using a wooden stick 15-20 cm long. It is immersed in the soil to a depth of 10 cm. If the earth is stuck to it, watering is not needed.

Basic watering rules.

  1. Irrigation water must be settled. Tomatoes do not like chlorine in tap water.
  2. Water should be at room temperature or warmed up in a day in a greenhouse. Although tomatoes tolerate cold water well, it should be borne in mind that they grow in limited containers and the roots are greatly cooled with such watering. As a result, culture growth slows down.

Self-growing seedlings is a laborious process that requires attention and knowledge. But it pays off in full. Buying young seedlings is a lottery. You can purchase a variety that is not suitable for climatic conditions, or not at all the variety that is declared by the seller. In addition, these are extra costs and uncertainty - what and how will grow from this seedling.

In order for the seedlings to germinate together, you need to take care of the following points:

  • soil preparation;
  • correct fit;
  • picking technique;
  • top dressing at the stage of germination, shoots.

Young plants of tomatoes and peppers are vulnerable to diseases, weather conditions, and pests. Therefore, it is better to grow seedlings at home in a box or in a greenhouse. The window sill is a favorite place used by summer residents living in urban areas.

Tomatoes and peppers have similar needs. They can be grown according to the same principle, using the same soil and fertilizers - homemade or purchased. If you do not use mineral fertilizers, then seedlings of tomatoes and peppers are fed with folk remedies. What - read below in the appropriate section.

Soil preparation

Using purchased soil, you can expect that the seeds will take root and germinate at the appointed time. If it is not possible to buy a suitable composition, then it is not difficult to prepare the mixture with your own hands.

Tomatoes and peppers love loose soil with lots of organic matter. It is impossible to overmoisten the soil so that the fungus does not appear and the roots do not rot. Humidity should be moderate - it is better not to keep seedlings near heating appliances.

  • garden soil - 10 l;
  • clean sand, previously disinfected in the oven - 5 l;
  • peat(can be bought at a garden store) – 5 l ;
  • ready compost - 5 l.

Additional substances:

  • furnace ash - 150 g;
  • three-component complex fertilizer - 30 - 40 g.

Mix all the ingredients well, break up the lumps with your hands or sift through a sieve to the granules were no larger than 2 mm in diameter. Put in a seating box or cups. Cups in this case are better, because when transplanted into open ground, the root system will be less damaged.

Selection and germination of seeds of tomatoes and peppers

The next step is seed selection. This is important as not all can potentially germinate. Need to prepare:

  • water tank - about a glass;
  • salt - a tablespoon;
  • seeds that are about to be planted.

Selection process:

  • Dissolve salt in warm water.
  • Pour in the seeds and wait 5 to 10 minutes.

Seeds that have sunk to the bottom are good planting material. Those left floating on top can be picked up and discarded, even if they are all left on top. This is a marriage and they will not give seedlings. Then you can lay the next portion and check.

After selection, the seeds are washed and dried. Next, you need to disinfect them. You can use ordinary potassium permanganate:

  • make a 1% solution - 1 g of potassium permanganate per 1 liter of water;
  • collect the seeds in gauze and lower into the solution;
  • wait 20 minutes;
  • take out, wash and dry.

You can use purchased preparations for disinfection, for example - Fitosporin. In any case, it is necessary to carry out manipulations before landing in the ground. You can't keep more than a day.

Next stage - germination stimulation. For this you need:

  • 1 tablespoon of wood ash stir in a glass of water;
  • put the seeds in cheesecloth and leave in solution for 5 - 6 hours;
  • take out and dry.

There are also ready-made solutions that contain nutrients.

When to plant peppers and tomatoes for seedlings

Preparation for germination is carried out in the last days of February - early March. Then it should be planted in prepared cups. Depending on the climate of the region, varieties, planting dates can be changed. If the timing is indicated on the package with seeds, then it is better to follow the recommendations. Tomato seeds are planted two weeks later than peppers. Peppers take longer to rise.

Seeds are planted in a row with a gap of 1 cm. Sprayed and sprinkled with earth layer 5 - 7 mm, covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm room. Temperature should be supported at 20 degrees.

Under such conditions, seedlings appear after 3-5 days. In peppers, seedlings should be expected in 2 to 3 weeks. When leaves appear on the seedlings, you need to remove the film and put the plants in the light to stimulate the production of chlorophyll.

From this point on, you need to watch the seedlings. If tomatoes usually do well on fertilized soil, then peppers need to be given more attention.

How many times and when to feed seedlings of tomatoes and peppers

Nutritional deficiencies can show up quickly. Yesterday, the seedlings looked healthy, and a day later the leaves began to wither and fall. This is due to the fact that when preparing the soil, ordinary land was used without fertilizers and fertilizing.

The plants took out all the substances and began to starve. They need to be saved by top dressing from complex mineral fertilizers, where there is nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Dilute mixtures for seedlings according to the instructions, but usually 3 - 5 g per bucket of water.

Video: The best top dressing for seedlings

  • For the first feeding, use nitrogen-potassium compounds. The period of appearance of the second leaf in peppers and the third in tomatoes.
  • The second is carried out after 2 weeks for tomatoes and after 3 weeks for peppers. Use the same fertilizer as the first time.
  • The third is carried out shortly before landing in the ground or greenhouse. Here you need phosphorus in the form of superphosphate or double superphosphate to support the root system before planting. Phosphorus additives allow you to better survive the move and take root faster. Can be used as nitrogen urea for spraying or watering. You need 1 tablespoon per bucket of water.
  • Tomatoes can be given a fourth feeding in two months old. Should be diluted superphosphate granules and furnace ash - take a teaspoon of superphosphate and 2 tablespoons of ash for 5 liters of water. Infuse until the phosphorus mineral fertilizer dissolves - a day. Water the tomatoes in a glass under each plant.

Picking is carried out in tomatoes at the age of 2 weeks, in peppers - 10 days after the first feeding. When picking, the root is shortened by a third so that lateral shoots of the root system develop.

Types of top dressing

Most commercially available fertilizers are suitable for seedlings. When growing young seedlings on their own, dosages should be halved, because plants cannot absorb the “adult” amount of nutrients. It is better to follow the recommendations described in the instructions, which indicate the proportions for young plants and adults.

Carefully! When buying fertilizers in a store, you should pay attention: if it is proposed to use the same doses of a substance for seedlings and adult plants, then the fertilizer is most likely not of high quality and it will not work. Such products can be determined by the price - it is usually not high

Manufacturers produce dry mixes and liquid fertilizers. In liquid form, nutrients are absorbed better and faster. To assimilate dry plants, you need to expend more effort to get them out of the soil.

There are conventional fertilizers and there is a chelated form. Conventional mixtures are absorbed by plants by 50% at best. Chelated - 90%. This also applies to the human body. Chelated ones are more expensive, since the production technology and the substances used are expensive. These are profitable investments, as they form healthy seedlings, which then develop well and bear fruit abundantly.

Important! Do not give young plants fertilizing based on sulfuric acid salts - sulfates. It is for seedlings that they are ineffective

organic fertilizers

Organic matter is good fertilizer, but you need to know how to feed pepper and tomato seedlings so as not to harm them. For example - fresh manure should not be used for young peppers.

This substance contains a lot of ammonia, especially chicken manure, which leaves burns on the roots. The plant then dies. It is necessary to pre-infuse and breed manure, but it is better to use rotted or composted.

If there are a lot of seedlings, then a third of a bucket of manure or chicken manure is taken, filled with water and worth a week. It is necessary to stir periodically so that excess ammonia goes into the atmosphere. Next, the resulting infusion is diluted: 10 liters of water are added to 1 liter. The rest of the substance is stored under a lid in a cool place. chicken manure insist the same but dilute 1 liter with 20 liters of water.

When growing tomatoes, you need to monitor the acidity of the soil. If the leaves begin to wither, it is not always a lack of nutrition. Perhaps tomato seedlings simply cannot absorb it due to the low pH of the soil. They increase it with the help of wood ash containing phosphorus, potassium and almost the entire periodic table for trace elements.

Mineral fertilizers

From mineral mixtures, you can buy specialized ones, intended only for peppers or tomatoes, taking into account the needs of these crops. But ordinary universal ones will do. The main thing is not to overdo it in dosages. The first rule of a successful gardener is that it is better to underfeed the plants than to harm them.

Fertilizers for feeding seedlings at home

At home, you can use any fertilizer. Price is the guideline. Imported counterparts are usually more expensive, but they work just like domestic ones. Feeding seedlings of tomatoes and peppers, as well as eggplants, zucchini, pumpkins will be cheaper if you buy good quality domestic fertilizers. This will increase the yield and save money.

If you are engaged in the cultivation of poultry or cattle, then fertilizers will come by themselves. Of these, you can make compost, which is very fond of young seedlings.

Another "home" available substance that strengthens plants during the period of active growth is wood ash obtained from burning leaves, branches, weeds.

Carefully! Do not use the ashes obtained from the incineration of garbage and plastic. It contains harmful substances that can harm both plants and human health.

Folk remedies for feeding seedlings

The method of feeding seedlings with yeast has long been known - dry or pressed. The idea of ​​this method is to feed not the plants themselves, but soil microorganisms that absorb the yeast and release nitrogen for the plants.

In this form, it is easily digestible and always available. For yeast dressings, you need to prepare a solution.

From dry yeast:

  • Dissolve 100 g of the substance in 10 liters of water;
  • add 2 - 3 tablespoons Sahara;
  • let stand 2-3 hours.

Water under the root half a glass for 1 plant.

From pressed yeast:

  • Dissolve 200 g of yeast in 1 liter of water;
  • add a spoonful of sugar;
  • insist a couple of hours.

Dilute with 10 liters of water before watering peppers and tomatoes.

Features of yeast dressings are such that they cannot be used constantly, but only 2 times during the entire period of growth and fruiting of plants. Yeast fungi, multiplying, absorb potassium from the soil, which plants need for flowering and fruit formation. As compensation, experienced gardeners immediately after yeast fertilizing use a solution of chicken manure or mullein to replenish nitrogen losses.

Tomatoes are often deficient in nutrients, light and moisture. Under adverse environmental conditions, their growth slows down. Is it possible to stimulate the growth of tomatoes so that they continue to grow and bear fruit?

Growing tomatoes is always fraught with certain difficulties, since this culture is rather whimsical and requires constant attention. The first problems are usually associated with the fact that the tomatoes begin to lag behind in growth. If you notice signs of a slowdown in growth, then it's time to move on to measures that will help restore strength to weakened plants and give you the desired harvest.

Tomatoes need top dressings that contain iron, manganese, copper, boron, zinc, molybdenum, iodine, selenium and cobalt

Why do tomatoes grow poorly

Tomato growth retardation is usually associated with nitrogen deficiency. In the event of a shortage of this main nutrient, the growth of apical and lateral shoots stops, and young leaves begin to turn yellow. If there are not enough sulfur compounds, then the stem becomes thinner and hardens, remaining dwarfed.

For tomatoes grown in a greenhouse, it is important to maintain the required temperature and humidity, as well as the feeding regimen. The slowdown in the growth of tomatoes in the greenhouse occurs due to the following reasons:

  • too high or, on the contrary, too low air temperature in the greenhouse;
  • increased or insufficient air humidity;
  • high or low soil moisture;
  • unbalanced composition of fertilizers.

Eliminating the first three causes is fairly easy. In particular, during the pollination period, the air temperature in the greenhouse should be in the range of 24-28°C. In cloudy weather, it should not exceed 20-22°C. At night, the air temperature should not fall below 18°C. Accordingly, at an air temperature of about 32°C, pollen loses its qualities, and at an air temperature below 15°C, pollination stops altogether.

Intensive nutrition should be provided to the plant in the middle of summer, during the period of fruit formation.

The optimal level of air humidity, which allows the formation of an ovary, is 65%. However, the greenhouse should be ventilated regularly. Soil moisture should be in the range of 70-75%, so it is necessary to provide plants with regular watering with settled water at a temperature of 24-26 ° C.

The situation is more complicated with top dressing, although they are often the main reasons for slowing down the growth of tomatoes.

How to feed tomato seedlings for good growth

It is necessary to start top dressing of tomatoes at the earliest stages, even before sowing seeds for seedlings. Among the "home" remedies you can use aloe juice. It is a natural growth stimulant that is easy to obtain at home. Cut off the large bottom leaves of aloe, put them in the refrigerator for 12 hours, and then squeeze the juice. Put the seeds for a day in aloe juice and then leave to germinate in a humid environment without washing off the juice.

First feeding of seedlings should be carried out after the appearance of the first true leaf. As the sprout develops, it switches to nutrition with the help of its own root system, since the supply of nutrients from the seed has already been exhausted. At this time, nitrogen and phosphorus are required for the successful growth of tomatoes. Therefore, the following preparations are used: Uniflor-growth, Mortar, Kemira-Lux. These drugs are used in the form of solutions, adding 1 tsp to 5 liters of water. composition.

At home, you can prepare a light pink solution of potassium permanganate and spill the ground for seedlings on it. This procedure will disinfect the soil and protect plants from many diseases.

By the time of picking, tomato sprouts are already quite tall, their root system is actively developing, and second, "real" leaves appear on the sprouts. After the pick plants should be fed with Uniflor-buton solution. To do this, dilute 1 tsp in 2 liters of water. drug.

Among vegetable growers, one of the most popular remedies is Zircon. Thanks to its action, the germination of seeds increases, and the flowering of future bushes is also accelerated. On average, the growth and development of tomatoes accelerates by 5-10 days. 1 ml of Zircon contains 40 drops, 0.1 ml, respectively, 4 drops. Spraying of plants during the growing season is carried out using a working solution - 1 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water or 0.1 ml of the drug per 1 liter of water. The finished solution should be stored in a dark place for no more than a day.

The main thing to remember when preparing nutrient solutions is that tomatoes should not be overfed and fertilized thoughtlessly.

How to feed tomato seedlings to be plump

Two weeks after a successful pick, you should take care of the future bountiful harvest. To do this, at home, no more than three top dressings should be organized with an interval of 14 days according to one of the following recipes:

  • in 10 liters of water dissolve 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of urea and 15 g of potassium chloride;
  • in 2 liters of warm water, add 1 tbsp. ash without a slide and let it brew for 24 hours. Strain the solution before use so that the pieces of ash do not fall on the plants;
  • 2/3 fill a 3-liter container with eggshells and fill with water. Let the mixture brew for 3 days, and then dilute the infusion with water in a ratio of 1:3.

How to feed tomato seedlings in the ground

Recipes for further feeding will depend on where you plant seedlings - in open ground or in a greenhouse. Consider the most effective top dressing for tomatoes planted in the ground:

  • when planting seedlings, put in a hole a handful of compost or humus, a little wood ash and 1 tsp. superphosphate;
  • do not throw away bread crumbs throughout the year and dry them in the oven. Soak dried leftovers in warm water and leave overnight. While loosening the earth, add the resulting slurry under the roots. This enhances root formation, increases the endurance and productivity of tomatoes;
  • for quick fruit ripening, use a tincture of the following ingredients: dilute 1 tbsp. superphosphate in a glass of water and let it brew for 48 hours. After that, dilute the infusion with 10 liters of water and mix. After spraying, the tomato leaves will darken slightly, photosynthesis processes will go more actively, and the fruits will ripen earlier than usual;
  • dissolve 10 drops of iodine in 1 liter of milk or whey, dilute the composition in 9 liters of water and mix. Water the tomatoes at the rate of 2 liters of the composition for each bush;
  • take 1 tsp. boric acid, copper sulfate, potassium magnesia and add a little potassium permanganate to them (on the tip of a knife). Then grate a piece of laundry soap and dissolve everything in 10 liters of water. Spray bushes evenly 1-2 times per season;
  • prepare 0.5 l of infusion of chicken manure, 1 tbsp. potassium sulfate and 2 tbsp. superphosphate. Then dilute the contents in 10 liters of water. First, it is better to dissolve the superphosphate and let it brew for 24 hours, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Under each bush, add at least 1 liter of such a solution;
  • every two weeks, feed the tomatoes with ash infusion. Pour 1 cup of ash into 10 liters of water and let it brew for 2-3 hours. Apply 1.5-2 liters of funds under each bush.

If flowers began to crumble in hot weather, it is recommended to spray with a solution of boric acid at the rate of 5 g per 10 liters of water

How to feed tomato seedlings in a greenhouse

Top dressing of tomatoes in a greenhouse is somewhat different from fertilizing in open ground. Usually 2-3 feedings are enough per season, but if you notice that the tomatoes are not growing well, additional stimulation can be done every 10-12 days.

For example, one of the following compositions:

  • carry out the first top dressing 2 weeks after plant transplantation. 1 tbsp dilute urea in 10 liters of water. Bring 1-2 liters of composition under each young bush - it will help them grow green mass. Also spread a few peas under each bush. In this case, during each watering, nitrogen will gradually be absorbed by the soil and flow to the roots;
  • as organic means, slurry or dry manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 is best suited. You can also use chicken manure at the rate of 200-250 g per 10 liters of water. The resulting solution is infused for a day, and then the tomatoes are watered under the root at the rate of 2-3 liters per plant;
  • the growth and development of plants in the greenhouse is beneficially affected by foliar top dressing with microelements. You can also cook them on your own. You will need 4 g of manganese sulfate, 2 g of copper sulfate, the same amount of boric acid and zinc sulfate. All substances are diluted in 10 liters of water and the plants are sprayed in the evening or in cloudy weather to avoid burning the leaves. It is necessary to carry out top dressing no more than 1 time per month;
  • take 1 tbsp. mineral fertilizer Humat and mix with 10 liters of water. Add 1 tbsp. complex fertilizer containing nitrogen, potassium, copper, manganese and molybdenum. Under each bush, add about 0.5 liters of solution;
  • during the blooming of the third and fourth flower brush, feed the tomatoes with potassium humate (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water). For 1 sq.m. greenhouses should be made up to 5 liters of the composition;
  • the last top dressing can be done when green tomatoes have already appeared on the bushes. It allows you to speed up the process of ripening fruits. To prepare it, dilute 1 tbsp. superphosphate in 1 liter of water. Infuse the resulting mixture for a day, then mix with 9 liters of water.

From mid-July, all top dressing, as well as abundant watering of tomatoes, must be stopped.

"Miracle" fertilizer for tomatoes from yeast

Yeast fertilizer is considered the leader among fertilizers and various top dressings applied to tomato beds. The basis of the biomaterial are fungi rich in proteins, organic iron, amino acids and microelements. Yeast actively contributes to:

  • plant growth and green mass growth;
  • increasing plant immunity, since they contain a small number of their own bacteria, against which tomatoes develop immunity;
  • increase the endurance of seedlings, especially in shady places;
  • formation of the root system.

Yeast rebuilds the structure of the soil and activates the activity of microorganisms living in it. Which, in turn, release nitrogen and potassium into the soil.

It is necessary to apply yeast top dressing no earlier than a week after planting tomato seedlings in the ground. Repeat top dressing before flowering.

How to prepare yeast dressing for tomatoes? Very simple. Purchase baker's yeast (100 g) in the store and fill it with 10 liters of water. To speed up the fermentation process, you can add 2 tbsp. Sahara. Leave the composition to ferment for a day. Then mix it with 50 liters of water. After that, you can water the tomatoes.

There is also a more "advanced" version of this recipe:

  • water - 10 l;
  • extract from chicken manure - 0.5 l;
  • wood ash - 0.5 l;
  • sugar - 5 tablespoons;
  • dry yeast - 10 g.

Mix all ingredients. Let the composition brew for a day and dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:10.

For watering, use a watering can with a strainer and apply about 0.5 liters of top dressing under young plants. Closer to the beginning of flowering, 1.5-2 liters of liquid can be added. In this case, the soil should be slightly moist.

Choose baker's yeast over brewer's yeast for sourdough

Tomatoes that are not growing well need your extra help. Give them a little more of your attention and care, and a bountiful harvest will not keep you waiting.

Kira Stoletova

To grow tomato seedlings at home on your own, you will have to pay a lot of attention to vegetable crops. Feeding tomato seedlings helps plants grow strong and healthy. Together with proper watering, good lighting and warm air, fertilizer with nutrients for tomato seedlings is the key to a good harvest.

When to feed

Choosing how to feed home seedlings of tomatoes is required when the soil for growing vegetables does not have all the necessary fertile qualities and is not nutritious enough. According to the external signs of tomato seedlings, one can judge the need for top dressing:

  • watering with unsettled water, in which there is too much chlorine, leads to lightening of the leaves of seedlings, when veins are clearly visible on them, in cases with a lack of an iron-containing component, tomato tops also begin to turn pale, showing signs of chlorosis,
  • nutritional deficiencies are expressed in twisted leaves,
  • lack of magnesium is expressed in the form of fragility of the stems, which break even with a light touch,
  • with a lack of phosphorus-containing elements, tomato tops become dark and repainted in purple hues, more often from the underside of the leaf blade,
  • with a small amount of nitrogen, seedlings stop growing or develop too slowly, the foliage begins to turn yellow and wither.

Top dressing of tomato seedlings is not needed when gardeners carefully approach the choice of substrate. In many cases, the nutritious soil mixture becomes sufficient for the full-fledged cultivation of tomatoes without top dressing before planting in open ground.

Most summer residents prefer a two-time feeding schedule for tomato seedlings. The initial feeding of plants begins 2 weeks after the dive procedure. Summer residents repeat the secondary feeding of tomatoes after a similar period of time - 14 days.

You should not count on the fact that the more you feed the tomato seedlings and increase the amount of top dressing applied, the faster it will immediately become healthy and strong. The uncontrolled use of mineral compounds leads to diseases of the vegetable crop and causes the development of too powerful tops.

If the soil is poor, top dressing of tomato seedlings at home is carried out immediately when the first leaf appears on the seedling. Such early feeding of tomato seedlings allows young shoots to resist fungal infections, among which late blight is the most common. subsequent top dressing is repeated after 10-14 days.

Fundamental rules

When carrying out the baiting procedure, a number of rules must be observed:

  • before feeding, the sprouts must be watered,
  • exceeding the recommended norms of nutrient compositions has a detrimental effect on the plant, therefore they do not exceed the dosage of the drugs used and the amount of organic matter used,
  • with sufficient indicators of the nutritional value of the soil, they refuse to feed at all,
  • in the process of applying nutrition, the reaction of tomato seedlings to the applied mineral compositions is monitored in order to stop them in time in case of excess or increase the dosage in case of deficiency.

The main compositions for home feeding

To feed tomato seedlings when grown at home, popular formulations are most often used.

Copper

When grown at home, tomato seedlings are fed with a copper solution. It is made from copper powder in the proportion of 1 small spoon per 10 liter volume of water. Top dressing with copper allows young seedlings to fully develop and protects them from damage by late blight.

Ready complexes

Along with the use of copper in the process of initial feeding of tomato seedlings, it is possible to fertilize the soil with the ready-made Phytosoporin complex composition, which has bioenergy properties.

Saturate the soil for growing tomatoes with a nitrogen-containing component, potassium and phosphorus allows the complex fertilizer composition of nitrophoska: 1 tbsp. l. the drug is diluted in a 10-liter bucket of water. Watering tomato sprouts with nitrofoska is not too plentiful. Instead of this drug, you can use nitroammofoska and azofoska, which go well with sodium humate.

Seed germination will accelerate the treatment with Epin and the application of Baikal microfertilizer.

In the second fertilizing procedure, the ready-made Agricola complex is most often used. It is also used regularly with an interval of every 10 days after picking seedlings, when the plants are under stress after getting used to a new place.

Urea

The full development of tomato seedlings is impossible without the presence of nitrogen in the soil, the source of which is fertilizing with urea. 1 st. l. the drug is dissolved in 10 liters of water. Watering young seedlings with urea can be quite plentiful. The first procedure is carried out before planting tomato bushes, the second - at the stage of adaptation 2 weeks after picking.

Superphosphate

Foliar top dressing of young tomato sprouts is important no less than root. For foliar feeding, many prefer spraying with superphosphate. 1 st. l. the drug is diluted in a liter volume of water and heated to an average temperature of 80ºС. Subsequently, the resulting composition is defended throughout the day, the light part merges, its volume is brought to 10 liters. Spray tomato seedlings with a working fluid using a spray gun.

Top dressing with organic matter

Summer residents, when choosing how to feed tomato seedlings, prefer to use organic matter when growing tomatoes at home.

Ash

Tomatoes that absorb potassium and phosphorus well respond favorably to fertilizing the soil with wood ash, which can destroy all fungal infections.

When using wood ash, fertilizer complexes containing nitrogen cannot be used simultaneously. Nitrogen-containing compounds are introduced only a month after the ash feed.

You can prepare fertilizer with ash from 1 tbsp. l. wood organics mixed with 5 liters of heated water, insisting it for 1 day. Ash fertilizer is applied under seedlings.

Compost

To feed tomato seedlings grown at home, some people use compost, pouring it into boxes with seedlings. Compost can be used diluted.

Biohumus

Biohumus microbiological organics can improve the fertility of the soil, most often it is recommended to feed them to the ground before planting a vegetable crop. You can bring it in all year round. Some summer residents use biohumus already at the stage of seed germination, soaking them in a solution with organic matter for half a day.

Mullein

Mullein fertilizer helps plants adapt after planting in open ground, when they begin to take root and actively grow. An infusion with mullein is made in the proportion of 1 share of mullein per 10-liter volume of water, adding a large spoonful of nitrophoska. The irrigation rate for each tomato bush is 0.5 liters of working fluid.

medical supplies

It is possible to fertilize seedlings so that the stems grow thick and strong by various medical means.

Iodine

Fertilizing tomato seedlings with iodine allows you to grow strong sprouts, laying the foundation for future healthy ovaries and high yields. In some cases, summer residents use ready-made water-soluble iodine-containing fertilizers, but sometimes they prepare such working liquids for bait on their own. For foliar feeding of tomato seedlings, it is enough to dilute 2-3 drops of simple medical iodine in 4 liters of water and spray tomato sprouts with this composition. At the stage of growing seedlings, just one bait with iodine will be enough.

Manganese

Potassium permanganate nourishes tomatoes with manganese, taking an active part in photosynthesis and increasing yields. For this purpose, spraying is carried out 1-2 times in 14 days with a solution made in the proportion of 2 g of potassium permanganate per 10-liter volume of liquid.

Hydrogen peroxide

Tomato seedlings are often sprayed with hydrogen peroxide for preventive purposes, for which 15 ml are mixed in water (10 l), sometimes adding 30 drops of medical iodine. For watering with hydrogen peroxide, the concentration is increased by diluting 4 large spoons of the medication in 3 liters of water.

Ammonia

Feeding seedlings with ammonia helps to cope with nitrogen deficiency and activates growth so that the sprouts are stretched and strong, with a thick stem. A weakly concentrated solution is obtained from the proportions of 1 tbsp. l. for a 10-liter volume of water, how much is enough for a single first watering of the sprouts after picking.

food products

Some foods can act as a source of elements useful for tomatoes, because gardeners like to use folk remedies.

Yeast

Yeast fertilizer is popular among summer residents who grow tomato seedlings at home. The fungus contained in the yeast allows you to activate the vital activity of microorganisms present in the soil. Dry and raw yeast are rich in mineral elements necessary for the immunity of tomato seedlings at the germination stage, especially for the root system.

Fertilizing pepper seedlings at home - Fertilizers for feeding pepper seedlings Video

Shell

Making shell fertilizer is quite simple: you need to insist 4-6 days crushed shells from 3-4 eggs, diluted in 1 liter of water. The solution is used for irrigation.

onion peel

Onion peel includes many antibacterial components, therefore it helps to feed the seedlings and at the same time fights pests. For a 10-liter volume of water, 50 g of onion peel, aged for 5 days, is enough. Seedlings can be fertilized by both spraying and watering.

What else to read