Nitrogen fertilizer for tomato seedlings. Proper feeding of tomato seedlings at home. Why do you need fertilizer for seedlings

It is not always possible, and you have to use peat tablets or purchased mixtures. Sometimes mixtures are sold enriched, and sometimes they contain only peat, which makes the substrate loose. Then it is advisable to apply top dressing for seedlings. And in order to grow a healthy crop without chemistry, let's figure out which organic fertilizers for seedlings you can make yourself, and which you can just buy.

Feeding seedlings: the timing of application and the rate of dilution of fertilizers without chemicals

As a rule, the first dressing is done when the plants have real leaves. And if you have a lot of seedlings, and you have to dive, then after planting the seedlings, they must be watered with Kornevin or heteroauxin. Stimulation of root formation enables plants to more easily endure stress after transplantation.

Fertilizing the pickled or grown seedlings at home is carried out after 2 weeks, during the period when the plants have 3-4 true leaves. Further top dressing is carried out weekly, alternating fertilizers. Biological preparations with beneficial bacteria (EM ki) can also be added to top dressing.

The feeding calendar should also take into account the type of crop being grown - vegetables can be fed weekly, and flowers need to be fed once every 10-14 days. But in both cases, the norms of dilution of fertilizers must be reduced, since most often they are given for farms, where growing conditions are much worse than indoor ones.

Organic fertilizer for seedlings

Naturally, it is preferable to use natural additives, they do not accumulate in the soil and plants. These days, there is a wide variety of organic supplements on the market, and unlike diluted fresh bird droppings or horse manure, they don't smell. And the prices don't scare me at all. It's also helpful to make your own top dressings, using potato peels, banana skins, compost infusion, and more. Let's take a closer look at fertilizers without chemicals.

Ready-made purchased top dressing for seedlings

There are clubs and shops where you can buy both liquid and dry organic fertilizers. It makes no sense to praise one drug before another, and it is impossible to list them all, as there are more and more manufacturers and the range is growing. Here are some of the well-known chemical-free fertilizers:

• Humic fertilizers: GUMI, Lignohumate, GumatEM and others;
• Biocomplex "Healthy Garden";
• Bioton;
• Radiance 1;
• Urgas;
• Biohumus;
• Fermented garden compost (based on horse manure or any other).

Feeding for seedlings with their own hands

At home, you can quickly and easily prepare:

• banana top dressing is easy

  banana peel fertilizer: for seedlings, the peel is usually infused for 2-3 days and the plants are watered at the root. Also, banana skins are dried on a battery and crushed. Such a dry fertilizer is excellent as a component for the mulch of garden beds, and it is poured into the holes when planting. Top dressing with banana skins is recommended for all flowering vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, cauliflower) and flowering houseplants, as it contains a lot of potassium.
• dressing from potato peels: they simply boil the cleanings and cool the decoction rich in starch. Potato peel fertilizer is useful for all vegetable and houseplants in spring and summer. And in the summer, it is good to spread the skins used in this way under the currant bushes - she will thank you for this. And, by the way, heat treatment of cleanings will save your garden from the spread of phytophthora.

• 

  ash fertilizer can be asked from smoking neighbors

  
  top dressing with ash: two liters of hot water pour 1 tablespoon of ash and stand for a day. Ash fertilizer is rich in potassium and phosphorus, so it is recommended to use it for all vegetable crops (except root crops) and indoor plants. By the way, if you didn’t grab some ash from the dacha, you can raid the ashtrays in the entrance, or ask your smoking neighbors - a tablespoon will be typed in just a week.

• 

  aquarium water is suitable for feeding seedlings

  
  aquarium water for feeding: As a rule, drained water from freshwater aquariums contains easily digestible organic residues and is quite soft (except for water for African cichlids and some other specialized niches). Passing through the filter and with the help of microorganisms living on aquarium plants, nitrification of waste products of fish occurs. At the same time, the risk of overfeeding seedlings with nitrogen is incomparably less compared to the risk of overdosing with manure top dressing. Using aquarium water is also effective for watering indoor plants.
• infusion of biohumus or garden compost: pour half a glass of substrate with water at room temperature (you can use aquarium water) and let it stand for 8-12 hours. Such an infusion contains a full range of nutrients in an easily digestible form, and an overdose of such top dressing is simply excluded. This is the most popular and fairly cheap type of fertilizer without chemicals.
• infusion of onion skins: a handful of onion-garlic skins are poured with boiling water and defended for a day. You can combine the brewing of the husk with ash top dressing. Onion peel tincture is rich not only in nutrients, but also protects plants from harmful insects and fungi, so it is used not only as a fertilizer, but also as a fungicide and repellent.

In moderate doses, resorting to top dressing of seedlings with nutritional supplements of organic origin, you have little risk that harmful amounts of minerals will accumulate in plants. Carefully monitor the condition of the plants, and if signs of stunting or other "unhealthy" symptoms appear over time, then the causes of this condition may lie in irregular watering, poor lighting or temperature changes. After all, no matter how you feed, at low temperatures or in dry soil, plants do not absorb nutrients well. For feeding, feel free to use some kitchen waste and try to water the seedlings with soft water. Here, for example, where do you usually drain aquarium water, and what fertilizers without chemicals do you have in your arsenal?

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.

Kirill Sysoev

Calloused hands do not know boredom!

Content

People who have their own household plots annually grow vegetables (especially tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers) on their own. Planting seedlings in the ground and watering regularly is not enough to get a good harvest. Plants need to be fed with various means in order to kill pests, overcome diseases, and get tasty, fleshy, large fruits. There are several popular ways to provide seedlings with the necessary nutrients, with which it will not be difficult to grow healthy, vitamin-rich vegetables.

What is seedling nutrition

This is the process of introducing a nutrient solution under the root system of seedlings of tomatoes, pepper, fertilizer, which strengthens the immune system of the plant, helping to withstand stressful conditions under the influence of the external environment. To do everything right, you need to be able to recognize what exactly a pepper or tomato needs, how and when to add the solution, how to knead it, etc.

The answers to these many other questions will help novice gardeners get a full crop of vegetable crops. The benefits of using nutritious folk remedies are obvious - they help seedlings grow healthy, strong, resistant to various diseases and pests. Top dressing is carried out in two main ways: root, foliar.

How to feed seedlings

Before you start feeding, you need to familiarize yourself with the types into which any fertilizer for seedlings of tomatoes and peppers is divided:

1. Organic. This includes all folk remedies: a solution of mullein, wood ash, chicken manure, yeast mixture. Such fertilizers are made independently, do not require a lot of time, effort and finances, have a large percentage of assimilation.
2. Organo-mineral. Includes saline solutions and organic components.
3. Mineral. Contains the whole complex of nutrients necessary for the normal full growth of seedlings.

The number of dressings, their composition depends on the quality of the soil mixture. Primary top dressing is carried out no earlier than 15 days after sowing and the appearance of full shoots. Before diving into open ground, peppers and tomatoes do not need early feeding, and after the procedure, you need to wait at least a week. A very good result is obtained by alternating mineral mixtures with organomineral ones. Such top dressing is applied every 7-10 days. It is worth noting that an overabundance or lack of mineral nutrition has a bad effect on seedlings:

Folk remedies

There are fertilizers for seedlings of pepper and tomatoes, which are prepared from natural ingredients at home. Experienced gardeners prefer such folk remedies to purchased preparations, since they are not only an excellent alternative to chemicals, but also absolutely safe for future fruits. Most of the means of folk production for feeding seedlings are made on the basis of:

• bird droppings;
• ash;
• eggshell;
• honey;
• banana peel;
• coffee grounds;
• Sahara;
• iodine;
• ammonia;
• potassium permanganate;
• potato broth;
• boric acid;
• yeast;
• aloe juice, etc.

The main trace elements that tomatoes and peppers need are:

1. Potassium. The element is necessary for the development of the root system, with its deficiency, the plants will die.
2. Phosphorus. Supports seedlings during flowering, fruiting. If there is not enough phosphorus, the ovary will wither and fall off, and you should not expect a full-fledged harvest.
3. Nitrogen. It is an active participant in the process of photosynthesis, helps young seedlings to actively build up a strong green mass.

The main disadvantage of processing, feeding seedlings of tomatoes and peppers with folk remedies is the inability to calculate the exact amount of trace elements in the mixture. Given this fact, it is better to reduce the dosage of fertilizer applied than to exceed it. In addition, it is better to fertilize in the morning, in moist soil and maintain the temperature of the mixture from 220 to 250. To disinfect the soil and fertilize any varieties of tomatoes, use an infusion of a handful of onion peels (peelings) and 3-5 liters of water.

Ash

The most popular fertilizer among gardeners is wood ash, which contains phosphorus and potassium, which is necessary for nourishing seedlings. The substance protects plants from pests, diseases and nourishes them. Before diving seedlings into the ground, 2 tbsp. l. ash mixture, and on top - a layer of earth to avoid damage to the roots. At the end of the second week after planting, the first feeding with liquid ash is carried out; to obtain a mixture, 100 g of ash powder must be diluted in 1 liter of water. Such a solution should be poured under the base of the stem by 1 liter.

You can also carry out foliar feeding by diluting 10 liters of water with 300 g of ash and half a piece of laundry soap. Then the mass is boiled for about half an hour, filtered, cooled. The last component is not necessary to add, but it contributes to better adhesion of the mixture to the seedling leaf. The resulting ash solution of the plant must be sprayed from above.

banana skins

The peel of bananas is rich in potassium, which is necessary for seedlings during the flowering period. The skin of the fruit must be dried in any way, and then crushed to a powder. The resulting mixture is poured when planting seedlings. It is best to dry the crusts in the fresh air, where the sun's rays and breeze will contribute to this. The product must be strung on a thread, covered with gauze. So, the maximum preservation of useful substances and getting rid of harmful impurities, which processed fruits, is ensured.

You can also use liquid banana fertilizer, obtained by infusing the peel of 2-3 fruits in a three-liter jar of water for at least 3 days. Next, the liquid must be filtered and poured 50 ml under each bush. There is another easy way to get a nutritious banana mixture - grind 1 fruit skin with a glass of water in a blender and add 1 tbsp soft gruel. l. under each seedling once a month. The organic elements contained in bananas not only nourish the plants, promoting abundant flowering, but also effectively fight aphids.

There is another way to feed - spraying seedlings with a banana peel spray (4 pcs.), Eggshell powder (2 tsp), magnesium sulfate (20 g), 1 liter of water. The first component must be dried, chopped, mixed with the rest of the ingredients. Spraying is carried out no more than once in 7 days, the mixture is stored in the refrigerator, and warmed up to 20 ° before use. From several finely chopped skins, filled with the Baikal EM1 preparation, you will get excellent compost. You need to insist the mixture for a month.

Infusion of bird droppings

Such top dressing is very popular among gardeners and is one of the first. The mixture is necessary to stimulate the growth of seedlings and if there are no signs of nitrogen starvation, then there is no need to fertilize. The mass is prepared simply - bird droppings are poured with water 1: 2, covered with a lid, left to ferment for 3 days. Then the solution is diluted 1:10 and used for root dressing. This method is the most effective, since it eliminates "nitrogen starvation" of seedlings by 100%.

Sugar

Plants, like people, extract clean energy from sugar, so “sweet” fertilizer will be useful for pepper and tomato seedlings. It is necessary to sprinkle sugar on the surface of the earth around the stem, or dilute 2 tsp. sweet substance with a glass of water, water with a solution of the plant. You can even use ordinary glucose tablets (sold in a pharmacy), dissolve 1 pc. in a glass of water and apply liquid to water the seedlings. This type of feeding should be carried out no more than once a month.

Iodine

Fertilizing seedlings of tomatoes and peppers with folk remedies can also be carried out with the help of iodine. The microelement protects plants from pests and diseases. To obtain a solution, dilute 10 g of iodine with a bucket of water (10 l), you can add another 10 g of phosphorus and 20 g of potassium. The fertilizer is suitable for root feeding 1-2 times a week, it can be added to settled water used for watering seedlings. The main advantage of this method is the availability and low cost of iodine.

One of the effective means by which vegetable seedlings are fed is eggshell. Experienced summer residents, gardeners collect it all winter, in order to scatter it in the beds in the spring. Crushed shells help loosen the soil, evenly distribute moisture, and reduce the amount of water needed for irrigation. The product is 90% rich in calcium carbonate and nutrients necessary for seedling growth.

Root top dressing is carried out with a liquid solution prepared in this way: the shell of 3-4 eggs is placed in a three-liter jar, filled with water, infused for 3 days in a dark place at room temperature. The lid should not be tightly closed. The main signs of the readiness of a folk remedy are its turbidity, the appearance of an unpleasant odor, which will subsequently repel various pests. Eggshells still perfectly improve the mineral composition of the soil. An infused liquid is applied every 12-14 days under the root.

Yeast

Fertilizing seedlings of pepper and tomato seedlings with yeast is very effective, as it ensures rapid growth of seedlings, strengthening the root system, and improving the yield of these vegetable crops. You can prepare the solution as follows: combine 10 g of yeast, 4 tbsp. l. sugar, 10 liters of warm water, stir, let stand for a while. The finished mixture is very concentrated, so it must be diluted in a ratio of 1:10.

To get a rich harvest, tomatoes need proper care, including fertilizer. Before feeding tomato seedlings, it is important to familiarize yourself with the terms and rules for performing the procedure, as well as with the instructions for the preparations.

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Why do I need top dressing for tomato seedlings

When the plant begins to hatch from the seeds and give the first roots, it has enough useful minerals that were in the seed itself and the soil. Seedlings grow quickly, which means they run out of nutrients. The seedling begins to experience a deficiency in them. The plant has changes that cannot be ignored.

When to feed tomato seedlings

Top dressing of seedlings in time is carried out in accordance with the schemes described below.

In addition, there are signs by which you can understand that nutrition should be immediately strengthened:

• the leaves have become pale green or yellow-green in color and veins have appeared, which means they lack iron;
• if the plant is fragile, breaks when touched, there is not enough magnesium;
• the leaves have acquired a purple hue - a sign of a lack of phosphorus;
• light leaves, their fall, stunted plant - indicate a lack of nitrogen.

Types of top dressing

Top dressing can be root or foliar, depending on how fertilizers will be applied.

Root

This feeding option is the simplest and most often used. Fertilizers are applied directly under the root of the plant. For root dressings, it is possible to use organic and mineral fertilizers. From organic, slurry is more often used. Plants need to be fed carefully, because excess fertilizer can increase nitrates.

Foliar

Foliar feeding - when fertilizer enters the plant through the leaves. In this case, the seedlings receive nutrients faster. This is the advantage of the technique. But to introduce many useful components using this method will not work. In addition, salt solutions can adversely affect the leaves and stem of the plant. Therefore, this type of fertilizer application is additional.

In order for all the nutrients to be absorbed by the plant, the leaves are sprayed, but not the stem. This should be done early in the morning or in the evening. You can perform the procedure during the day, but only in cloudy weather.

Why do you need top dressing of tomatoes and how to carry it out, is described in the video from the GARDEN, GARDEN, OWN HANDS channel.

Seedling feeding scheme

When feeding tomatoes, it is necessary to properly prepare fertilizer solutions, following the instructions with particular accuracy so as not to harm the plants.

General methods of feeding culture:

• dilute fertilizer;
• first, pour the seedlings with warm water;
• then water again, but with fertilizer.

There are several schemes for applying fertilizers.

Scheme "A":

1. The first dressing is done 10 days after picking the seedlings. The fertilizer is prepared from ammonium nitrate and potassium sulfate (10 g each), to which 50 g of superphosphate is added. All this is dissolved in a bucket of water heated to room temperature.
2. The second feeding is carried out two weeks after the first. The components of the fertilizer are the same, but the amount of ingredients must be doubled.
3. The third fertilization is carried out immediately before planting seedlings in a permanent place in a greenhouse or open ground. The recipe for the mixture is the same as for the first top dressing, but the amount of potassium sulfate must be doubled.

Scheme "B":

1. The first feeding is carried out 10-12 days after picking. A liter of manure infusion, a glass of wood ash and 50 g of superphosphate are added to a bucket of water.
2. The second feeding is performed 14 days after the first. The composition of the fertilizer solution is similar.

Types of fertilizers for tomatoes

Good growth and development of tomatoes can be ensured using various fertilizers, which can be:

• organic;
• mineral;
• complex.

From mineral fertilizers are often used for tomatoes:

• nitrogen-containing;
• potassium;
• sulfate;
• microfertilizers.

From organic use:

• manure;
• mullein;
• bird droppings.

All these fertilizers are natural and it is possible to use them both in liquid form and dry.

This video tells you what fertilizers are used to feed tomatoes. Photographed by the channel Tatyana's house and garden.

Mineral fertilizers

In order for tomatoes to grow and bear fruit, mineral elements are necessary. Such dressings contain a balanced amount of nutrients that have a complex effect on the plant. The most important are nitrogen, as well as potassium and phosphorus. The plant actively consumes these elements during the growing season, so their deficiency is possible.

Simple mineral fertilizers with low cost include one substance and only prevent its shortage. A convenient feature of them is that an experienced gardener can independently regulate the content of components in top dressing.

Such fertilizers are divided into three types:

1. Nitrogen. Nitrogen is necessary for building green mass and fruit set. They need to fertilize the plant from the moment of growth to flowering. They are used for rapid growth, they act at an early stage of vegetation. It is used before flowering, entering into the ground. After this period, the amount of nitrogen must be reduced. Among the nitrogen minerals, urea and ammonium nitrate are the best. Dilute 1 tablespoon in 10 liters of water.
2. Phosphoric. Phosphorus is required for the formation of the root system. The element is necessary during the picking of seedlings. It is assimilated at a temperature of + 15 degrees, when diving it is better to use neutral soil. Simple fertilizers that contain it are called superphosphate. It should be noted that the substance is poorly soluble in water, and in dry form it is not absorbed at all. Therefore, the solution must be prepared in a day. This will require a liter of hot water and 1 tablespoon of superphosphate. After the solution has stood for a day, it must be diluted in 10 liters of water.
3. Potash. Potassium is needed for the growth and maturation of the crop. If the leaves of the plant began to curl, then this element is needed. It has a good effect on the root system, immunity and improves the taste of fruits. It can be used at various stages of cultivation. It is not recommended to use potassium salts that do not contain chlorine, which negatively affects the plant. The most high-quality and popular fertilizer is called potassium sulfate. The solution is prepared as follows: 40 g of the substance is dissolved in 10 liters of water.

Zdraven Orton-RASSADA Tomato

All these fertilizers can be used both for feeding tomato seedlings and for adult plants. But when used in the first case, it is better to reduce the concentration.

organic fertilizers

Organic fertilizers are of plant and animal origin, they contain:

• nitrogen;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• iron;
• calcium;
• other nutrients that are needed for the healthy development of seedlings.

You can feed tomato seedlings:

• manure;
• bird droppings;
• peat;
• sawdust, tree bark;
• leaves;
• ash;
• green manure;
• silt;
• compost.

Liquid organic top dressing from mullein and bird droppings for tomatoes can be applied during the period when the seedlings are actively growing, namely from the end of May to the beginning of June. If you notice that the seedlings are weakened and do not grow well, you can also use this fertilizer.

Stimulant drugs

Along with classical fertilizers, stimulating preparations are also used to ensure that the seedlings grow strong and do not get sick. Seeds should be treated with growth stimulants, as well as drugs for diseases that can be bought at gardening stores.

These include:

1. Fitosporin, Baktofit. Used to disinfect seeds. It is important to follow the instructions exactly.
2. Appin. Helps tomatoes grow and also promotes rapid seed germination. It must be used with care, because it is a concentrate. Diluted with warm purified water. If it will be used for soaking seeds, dilute 3 drops per 100 ml. For spraying seedlings - 6 drops per 500 ml. When conditions are unfavorable for the plant, you need to spray every 2 weeks until it gets stronger.
3. Heteroauxin. Used to strengthen the root system. The tablet must be dissolved in 3 liters of water. The first time you can water after diving seedlings. The analogue of this drug is Vympel. It is also used to form the root system. Available in the form of a powder, which is diluted. The norm is 1 sachet per 5 liters of water.
4. sodium humate. It is used to accelerate the growth of seedlings and increase yields. Most often it is used in the ground. It can also be used for soaking seeds in it.
5. Energen. Increases adaptation when transplanting into the ground, increases yield and reduces nitrate content. The drug improves the metabolism in the plant at all stages. It is of natural origin: it is made from coal. Eco-friendly and economical, no contraindications to use.

It is necessary to use stimulant preparations for feeding tomatoes exactly following the application schedule.

Every gardener knows that it is high-quality seedlings that are the key to a rich harvest, and if the seedlings turned out to be stunted and lethargic, then you can simply forget about a good harvest this year. Any deviations from changes in the normal growth and development of seedlings must be prevented in one way or another - watering, highlighting, adjusting the temperature and humidity in the room, or applying certain fertilizers. That's it about feeding seedlings we'll talk today. Let's talk about the most important nutrients for crops and how to feed those plants that are usually grown through seedlings.

Fertilizer seedlings of pepper. © growingchillies

What is the best way to feed seedlings and at what time?

It is generally accepted by gardeners that the most suitable fertilizers for seedlings are complex, that is, containing all three of the most important and familiar components to all of us, but this is not always justified, because in the soil, especially acquired, however, in the garden, too, one or a pair of these elements is already perhaps, and as you know, an excess of fertilizer is hardly less dangerous than its deficiency. Therefore, we advise you to feed the plants with top dressings containing only one important substance in their composition.

Direct application of fertilizers for seedlings containing potassium, phosphorus or nitrogen should be carried out early in the morning, when it is rather cool outside the window and in the room. When adding nutrition to the soil during additional feeding of plants, it is extremely important that fertilizers do not leave drops on the leaves of seedlings or on its stems, because under the influence of the sun's rays in the future, burns can form on these places, that is, stems and leaves, which is negative will then affect the overall development of a particular seedling plant.

The best nitrogen fertilizers for feeding seedlings

As you know, thanks to nitrogen, protein synthesis occurs in the plant, seedlings produce chlorophyll. With a lack of nitrogen, the lower leaves of a seedling plant usually acquire a yellowish color, and the plant itself is inhibited in growth and development.

If, when examining the seedlings, you notice such a situation with the leaves, then immediately fertilize with one of the nitrogen components. As a top dressing to provide plants with the “N” compound, you can use ammonium nitrate (from 26% to 34.4% nitrogen), ammonium sulfate or ammonium sulfate (up to 21% nitrogen), urea (up to 46% nitrogen) or ammonia water (from 16% to 20% nitrogen).

Naturally, fertilizing with fertilizers dissolved in water is more effective for seedlings, nitrogen fertilizers are no exception. When watering (namely, watering, and not when fertilizing in a dry form), the substances necessary for seedlings enter the plants faster, and the leaves and the trunk will quickly become normal both in color and in their development.

As for the fertilizer concentration, it should be reduced by about half compared to that when applied under adult plants. For example, for seedlings, you need about one and a half tablespoons of nitrogen fertilizer per bucket of water.

The technique of fertilizing seedlings with nitrogen fertilizers: two hours before fertilizing, it is necessary to water the plants, moistening the soil well, then apply fertilizers in dissolved form and after an hour loosen the soil slightly.

The best fertilizers with potassium for seedling nutrition

Maybe not everyone knows that potassium helps seedlings absorb carbon dioxide from the air, it stimulates the production of sugars, and helps plants acquire immunity. With a lack of potassium, chlorotic spots appear on the lowest leaves of the seedlings, if new leaves are formed, they are much smaller than the size required for the culture, and their edges, even in young leaves, may already be rusty.

To eliminate potassium starvation, seedlings use the following fertilizers: potassium sulfate or potassium sulfate (up to 50% potassium), potassium magnesia or potassium and magnesium sulfate (up to 30% potassium), potassium monophosphate (up to 33% potassium) and potassium nitrate (up to 44% potassium ).

It is most appropriate to first fertilize plants with substances containing potassium after the seedlings have formed two or three leaves. During this period, you can dilute about 8-9 g of monophosphate in a bucket of water and use this amount per square meter of nursery. Potash fertilizers can be re-applied a week after picking, or even after planting plants in a permanent place in the soil or greenhouse, it is permissible to increase the fermentation rates by one or one and a half grams.

The best fertilizers for seedlings containing phosphorus

As we all know, this element takes an active part in the production of sugars, and without its presence, plant roots simply cannot grow and develop normally. With a deficiency of phosphorus in the soil, the leaf and stem of the seedlings become darker, sometimes turning purple. After some time, the leaves of the seedlings curl or otherwise deform and may even fall off.

Phosphorus fertilizers are best suited for seedlings: simple (from 14% to 20% phosphorus), double superphosphate (from 46% to 48% phosphorus), ammophos (up to 52% phosphorus), diammophos (up to 46% phosphorus), potassium metaphosphate (from 55% to 60% phosphorus), phosphate rock (from 19% to 30% phosphorus), bone meal (from 29% to 34% phosphorus).

With a lack of phosphorus, which is reflected on the leaves and stems of seedlings, you can feed it with simple superphosphate at the rate of 3.5-4 g of the drug per liter of water, this is enough for a square meter of nursery.

Remember that it is better to feed seedlings with phosphorus only after picking and when it takes root and its growth is noticeable - that is, new elements of the vegetative part are formed - for example, new leaves. Until the complete elimination of phosphorus deficiency, several top dressings can be carried out, but between them it is imperative to make an interval equal to one week.

What can be done so that the seedlings develop harmoniously?

In order for the seedlings of any crop to develop as harmoniously as possible, and the leaves and stems looked as they should, were of optimal length and thickness, it is necessary to feed not only with mineral, but also with organic fertilizers. But do not forget - when applying manure, it must be diluted ten times with water, and if you use chicken manure, then 15-20 times with water, otherwise the seedlings can not be helped, but destroyed, that is, simply burn the root system.

Also, do not forget about such wonderful growth stimulants as Kornevin, Epin, Heteroauxin or Zircon, in practice their reliability and effectiveness have been proven both in terms of increasing immunity, and stimulating growth, and developing “lagging” seedlings or one that, when picking or The transplant damaged the root system. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions on the package.

How to apply fertilizer for seedlings of various plants?

Now let's talk about what fertilizers are best and in what sequence to feed certain crops grown through seedlings. We decided to highlight the crops that are most often grown precisely through seedlings, and give an approximate fertilizer application scheme that has been tried and that works, that is, you can safely use it.

Feeding tomato seedlings

The first top dressing should be carried out as soon as the plant forms the third true leaf. Here you can apply liquid fertilizer, for example, nitroammofoska in the amount of 5 g per bucket of water - the norm per square meter of nursery.

The second top dressing can be carried out two weeks after the picking, you can also add nitroammophoska, but already a tablespoon of nitroammophoska must be diluted in a bucket of water and spent 100 ml for each plant.

The third top dressing can be carried out 14 days after the second, also adding nitroammophoska in the same concentration.

The fourth top dressing, when the seedlings are already 60 days old, must be carried out using phosphorus-potassium top dressing, for which a tablespoon of simple superphosphate and two tablespoons of wood soot must be dissolved in a bucket of water, the norm is about a glass for each plant.

Feeding bell pepper seedlings

The first top dressing of bell pepper can be carried out when the plant forms the first true leaf, then you need to add a solution of urea, after dissolving a tablespoon of this fertilizer in a bucket of water. This amount is enough for a square meter of nursery.

The second top dressing can be carried out after 20 days, making the same fertilizer in the same amount.

The third top dressing is usually carried out a week before planting the seedlings in a permanent place, but here it is better to use double superphosphate in the amount of a tablespoon per bucket of water and a norm of 100 ml for each plant.

Feeding cucumber seedlings

Usually, cucumbers are fed twice when receiving seedlings. The first time top dressing is applied during the period when the plant forms one true leaf, and then 14 days after the first top dressing. For cucumbers, it is better to use a complex fertilizer consisting of a teaspoon of urea, a teaspoon of potassium sulfate, a teaspoon of simple superphosphate, and all this should be diluted in a bucket of soft water - the consumption rate per square meter of nursery.

Two weeks after the second feeding, the seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place and, when planting, feed it with ammophos, adding a teaspoon of fertilizer to each hole, mixing it well with the ground.

Fertilizing cabbage seedlings

The first dressing of cabbage seedlings is usually carried out a week after picking, using bird droppings diluted 20 times with water.

The second feeding of cabbage seedlings is carried out seven days before planting the seedlings in a permanent place, for this they usually use a mixture of superphosphate and wood soot, for which they take a teaspoon of superphosphate and two teaspoons of wood soot and dissolve in a liter of water, this is enough for ten cabbage plants.

Directly when planting cabbage seedlings, not in the holes, but under digging the soil before preparing it, you need to add a couple of tablespoons of superphosphate, a teaspoon of urea and 5-7 kg of humus or compost per square meter.

Feeding seedlings of flower crops

The first dressing of seedlings of flower crops is carried out seven days after the pick, for this you can use nitroammophoska (5 g per bucket of water, the norm per square meter of nursery), then seedlings can be fed with the same composition every 10 days.