Fertilizers for tomatoes in the open field: how to feed after planting
Fertilizer for outdoor tomatoes should be applied regularly, even if the soil is considered fertile. Only in this case it will be possible to remove a large number of delicious tomatoes. But feeding with nutrients must be carried out according to certain rules, otherwise you can harm the vegetable garden.
Rules for applying nutrients
Top dressing of tomatoes in the open field 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 face adverse factors, so you need to help them resist diseases, cold snaps, and winds.In addition to increasing the resistance of plants to various bad conditions, fertilizers also improve the quality and quantity of the crop.
If tomato bushes lack some element, then you can determine this by appearance. How to fertilize tomatoes will tell the color of the leaves of tomato bushes.
- 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 fruiting 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 and fall off.
- The plant can dry out even with a lack of potassium. If a white coating has formed on the stem and leaves, then you need to reduce its application.
- Exclude phosphates when the leaves curl and dry. An excess of potassium and nitrogen leads to similar problems.
Thus, before fertilizing, you need to make the right choice. Mineral and organic compounds can be used. Widely used natural products that can compensate for the lack of nutrients in the soil. Various ingredients can be used: eggshell, banana peel, yeast, wood ash.
How to feed tomatoes after planting in the ground, there are many recipes for self-preparation of the composition, you can also buy a ready-made preparation.
After the seedlings are planted, they must be left alone for 7-10 days. During this time, the bushes adapt to a new place and take root. Do not worry if it was noticed that in the early days the bushes are sluggish and do not develop. The fertilizers laid down during the preparatory work will soon give strength, and in a few days the sprouts will begin to straighten out.
If the leaves on the planted bushes have not recovered, the stem looks sluggish even after 15 days, then the first feeding is carried out. Then top dressing is carried out every 2.5 weeks. Vegetable crops are especially in dire need of additional elements during flowering and fruiting. Foliar spraying can be done more frequently.
Preparatory work on site
In order for the growing process to bring pleasure, and there were no problems, you must first choose a suitable place for the beds. The site should receive enough light for at least 6 hours per knock, there should not be constant through winds.
Tomatoes feel good in the beds where cucumbers, cabbage, legumes were planted before. You can not plant for about three years on the land where the nightshade crop was harvested, for example, eggplant, potatoes. These vegetable crops are subject to the same infections and pests.
Before planting seedlings prepare the soil. Preparatory work begins in the fall, when the entire crop is harvested and the tops of old plants are removed. The soil is recommended to be dug up and mixed with organic fertilizers. Ideal for manure, compost, peat.
In case of increased acidity of the soil, it is necessary to add lime chalk. Measuring 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 autumn, then it is not too late to do it in the spring. An infusion based on organic components, manure or humus is added to the dug up earth.
The last step is preparing holes for planting bushes. The distance between the recesses depends on the variety of tomato. 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 fertilization directly into the wells themselves. The day before transplantation, the wells are filled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then you can fill them with wood ash, eggshells, or pour pre-prepared yeast infusion.
Characterization of organic components
How to feed tomatoes in the open field 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 top dressing can be used at any stage before flowering. Based on it, a liquid infusion is made. Fresh cow dung should not be applied to the soil, as this can lead to a burn of 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 once again diluted with water and poured under the root.
During flowering, the need for nitrogen decreases, but the need for phosphate and potash fertilizers increases. At this time, you can use complex formulations based on mullein. You can combine mullein with nitrophoska, boric acid and potassium sulfate or with wood ash. The selected components are filled with water, thoroughly mixed and applied directly under the root.
Open field care for tomato beds is not complete without bird droppings. It contains a large amount of nitrogen. In fresh form, it is also forbidden to bring to the beds. An infusion is made from it. Chicken manure is filled with water. Leave to infuse for 2-3 days. Before watering, the solution must be diluted with water.
During the formation of ovaries 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 composition of manure, bird droppings and mineral components at the same time. Organic components are poured with water and infused. After that, potassium sulfate and boric acid are added to the infusion. Before use, the finished solution is diluted with water.
Compost is an infusion based on chopped grass. But you can use a more nutritious composition. Lime, wood ash and a little urea are added to a bucket of chopped grass. All components are poured with water and left to infuse.
Herbal infusion is very popular. You can grind any meadow herbs, but nettle, dandelion, quinoa, chamomile have the greatest nutritional value. You can take a few herbs for the 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 nutrient formulations. Thanks to such top dressing, the plant will develop better, form more ovaries, reduce the risk of developing diseases and pest attacks. You can water the plants only when the earth warms up well. Yeast is poured into water and left to infuse.
Root watering should be done in the evening when there is no rain and sun. After fertilizing, 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 adverse factors and contribute to its accelerated development.
Feeding tomatoes in the open field and greenhouse by experienced vegetable growers is most often carried out by the following complex compositions.
Nitroammofoska in its granules contains a large number of trace elements. The granules can simply be scattered between the tomato rows, or you can make a liquid solution. 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 trace elements that begin to act immediately after entering the soil. Available in liquid form or in granules. The composition promotes the settlement of beneficial bacteria, improves resistance to infections, increases yield.
Tomatoes after planting in the ground can be fertilized with Mortar. The drug is allowed to be used for foliar or root top dressing. Only 15-20 g of the substance needs to be dissolved in 10 liters of water. For a certain growing season, you can choose 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, top dressing is carried out every week.
Agricola-3 is rich in three main components necessary for growth, development and fruiting - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Magnesium is an additional component. In one liter of water, 2.5 g of the substance must be diluted. Fertilizer should only be applied under the root.
You can make your own mineral fertilizers for tomatoes based on folk recipes.
- Feed 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.
- Phosphorus and potassium are indispensable during the ripening of tomatoes. For cooking, you will need potassium chloride and superphosphate.
Each store-bought drug has detailed instructions for use and dilution, which must be strictly adhered to. Not only a deficiency, but also an overabundance of trace elements can adversely affect the development of vegetable crops.
Foliar feeding
In addition to root feeding of tomatoes after planting in the ground, it is useful to carry out foliar spraying with nutrients. If root top dressing for the entire growing season needs to be applied 3-4 times, then foliar spraying with nutrients can be carried out at intervals of 10 days.
- Before the flowering period, you can treat the leaves with a solution based on urea.
- During flowering and ovary formation, it is useful to treat with superphosphate solution.
- Useful composition of boric acid, copper sulfate and urea. 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. Milk and a few drops of iodine are added 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 of 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.
- For processing greens, you can mix Fitosporin and Zdraven.
Fitosporin is a biological product that enhances plant immunity, promotes its recovery in case of damage, accelerates growth and improves development. Fitosporin can be used as a preventive measure every 10 days. Dissolve 5 g of powder in a bucket of water.
Zdraven fertilizer helps to strengthen the root system of vegetable crops, reduces the formation of empty flowers, improves the taste of fruits, and increases disease resistance. On the 14th day after transplanting the seedlings, a solution can be prepared.You need to take 15 g of the substance per bucket of water.
Foliar nutrition will help not only to fill the lack of any substances, but also protect against diseases and pests.
Foliar treatment should be carried out before 10 am in dry, calm weather. It is recommended to combine foliar fertilizer with pest and disease control.
Recommended
How to feed tobacco after planting in the ground: the best fertilizers at home

How can you feed smoking tobacco after planting in the ground, a budget option, top dressing after picking and in the open field, possible problems when growing.
How to feed peppers after planting in a greenhouse: what fertilizers and when to use

Describes how to feed peppers in a greenhouse and how to prepare top dressings to fertilize the soil when growing peppers.
How to feed cucumbers after planting in the ground: what fertilizers can be

Producers offer a wide choice of how to feed cucumbers after planting in the ground. You can make a nutrient composition yourself from organic or mineral components.