The technology of growing seedlings at home has already been mastered by many gardeners. Everyone can attest that Tomato bushes from strong and healthy seedlings develop better. Therefore, at the stage of growing young shoots, special attention is paid to fertilization. In this review, we will consider the most popular methods for fertilizing seedlings with urea, ash and nettles.
How to understand that tomato seedlings need feeding?
For feeding tomato seedlings, ready-made purchased fertilizers are used and prepared with their own hands according to folk recipes at home. The composition is selected depending on the goals: to stimulate the growth of shoots, to prevent diseases, to enrich with nutrients that contribute to normal vegetation. To determine the lack of any micro or macronutrients, you just need to take a closer look at the plant, it itself gives a hint:
- If it feels lack of iron, then the leaves become pale, and the green veins are clearly pronounced.
- With slow growthmost likely there is not enough nitrogen fertilizers. They will also help to recover withered and dried shoots.
- When the appearance of a purple hue, use top dressing based on phosphorus.
- Leaves turn white and deformed more often when there is a calcium deficiency.
- If on fruits dark spots appeared, then most likely the problem is a lack of calcium. In this case, there is no spotting on other parts of the plant.
- When the shoot stops growing there is a lack of magnesium and potassium.
The first feeding is introduced after the formation of the first leaf on the seedling. Further according to the drawn up schedule.
Useful feeding for tomato seedlings in a greenhouse and open field
For full growth and abundant fruiting, tomatoes need various complementary foods, containing a certain set of trace elements:
- nitrogen;
- potassium;
- phosphorus.
In addition to the main components, complex tools include: calcium, copper, iron, zinc and other substances.
Urea: fertilizing plants after planting
Urea (urea) is a white granule. Fertilizer supplies the plant with nitrogen, soil bacteria react with the substance, converting the main component into ammonium carbonate. The formed product partially evaporates, which eliminates the effect of accumulation of the compound in the fruit.
How to use urea correctly when planting a tomato? A feature of the use of urea is considered to be soil moistening before sprinkling. If this is not possible, then the introduced complementary food must be covered with a small layer of soil. 10-15 grams are consumed per square meter. facilities. When diluting solutions, 20-30 grams are added to a bucket of water.
Urea slightly acidifies the soil, and vegetable crops do not like this. The effect is neutralized by ground limestone (0.8 kg of limestone is taken per 1 kg of carbamide).
Benefits of urea:
- substance completely dissolves in water;
- when used correctly the accumulation of nitrates is excluded in soil and fruits;
- accelerated build-up vegetative mass;
- acts as a means of struggle and prevention from insects and diseases.
When working with urea, some nuances should be taken into account:
- for preparation of working solution warm water is used (the dissolution reaction lowers the temperature of the liquid, the tomatoes will be stressed when watering);
- in great numbers fertilizer can burn plants (in order not to damage the shoots, you need to add sodium sulfate to the solution).
The use of urea for fertilizing after planting tomatoes is useful in that the seedlings are more hardy due to the strengthening of immunity. At an early stage, seedlings actively increase the green mass, and the root system develops well.
Urea is used for all types of soil.
Wood ash application
Wood ash is considered one of the most affordable fertilizers, rich in minerals. However, you shouldn't use it uncontrollably. To determine the dosage, the type of cultivated crop and the type of soil are taken into account.
The chemical composition of ash includes the following substances useful for tomatoes: phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, etc. Nutrient components play an important role in photosynthesis, increase plant resistance to diseases and pests, promote better development of the root system, and prolong the period of fruiting.
Wood ash is a popular product in horticulture and horticulture. However, such a valuable and useful product cannot be used as the main one. Plant nutrition must be balanced, therefore minerals are used in combination with organic matter.
How to fertilize the plant with ash, how to properly dilute the infusion and water it?
Consumption rates:
- for making infusion dissolve 200 gr. ash in a bucket of water and leave for 1-2 days;
- when spraying 200-300 gr are applied to the soil. for 1 m2;
- for breeding solution on a bucket of water take 100 gr.
Benefits of wood ash:
- affordable and inexpensive way fertilize the beds;
- used by as food and prevention of certain diseases and pests;
- can be applied in several ways - dusting, spraying, watering at the root;
- safety facilities.
The disadvantage is the short-term effect of the wood ash-based product, so the procedures and treatments are repeated several times.
Nettle: how to insist and water
Gardeners use nettles along with wood ash and urea to replenish nutrient reserves. Its main advantage is naturalness and safety, which is important for obtaining an environmentally friendly harvest. The burning plant is saturated with nitrogen compounds. The composition is also rich in valuable minerals and trace elements such as: potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, E, B, K, carbon compounds, etc.
The benefits when used as a fertilizer tomato are as follows:
- stimulates growth young shoots;
- renders restorative action, increases resistance to diseases and pests;
- destroys aphids in steady hot weather;
- promotes building up green mass seedlings.
To obtain a good harvest of tomatoes and other crops of the Solanaceae family, it is recommended to combine nettle infusions with the use of mineral fertilizers. The alternation of these feedings will provide the tomatoes with all the necessary nutrients.
Fresh branches of nettles are more valuable than the pharmacy counterpart. Therefore, you can grow a plant right on the site. When collecting grass in nature, you should avoid places close to the highway and industrial facilities.
Benefits of nettle-based products:
- soil restoration, its enrichment with micronutrients;
- available raw materials;
- safety of use;
- complex effect on tomatoes.
There are practically no disadvantages of nettle, unless you have to tinker with collecting herbs and preparing infusions.
Fertilizers based on nettle are very popular among gardeners. Of the simplest, but effective recipes, the following infusion options stand out.
Recipe number 1
Fill a large container with freshly picked grass and fill it with cold water until the liquid completely covers it. The container is covered with a lid and the contents are left for several weeks (until the fermentation process begins). Mix the potion at least 2 times a week.
High temperature contributes to rapid fermentation, so the container should be installed in direct sunlight. Also, gardeners add fermentation catalysts to the mixture (yeast or Baikal fertilizer). After the appearance of a stable ammonia aroma and thick foam, you can supplement the infusion with a sprig of valerian and wood ash. This will neutralize the stench.
The end of fermentation is expressed in reduced gas formation and the disappearance of foam. The resulting liquid is filtered through cheesecloth folded in 2-3 layers. Green fertilizer is diluted with water: for foliar dressing 1:20, for irrigation 1:10. This solution can be used to feed not only tomato bushes, but also cucumbers, peppers and strawberries.
Recipe number 2
Put crushed nettle, wormwood, dandelion and yarrow plants into a plastic container, fill it with water and cover with a lid. Leave in the sun for 10 days. After the start of fermentation, add ½ tsp. yeast and let the infusion ferment until bubbles stop forming. Pass the resulting liquid through a strainer or gauze layer, dilute with water in a ratio of 1:10.
Recipe number 3
Pour chopped nettle greens into a non-metallic container, add crumbled bread and a bag of dry baker's yeast. Fill with water at room temperature and cover the container with a lid. After 5 days, the potion will be ready. After straining, it remains only to dilute the concentrated fertilizer with water in a ratio of 1:10 and water the plants.
There are actually more fertilizer options for seedlings, the article contains examples of only the most popular and affordable nutrient compositions. For many years of practice in growing tomatoes every gardener acquires his own experience and recipes, adapted for certain conditions (for a greenhouse or open ground) and varieties.