Fertilizers for tomatoes in the greenhouse: during planting and after planting

Planting tomatoes in the greenhouse, we want to get a big harvest and at the same time to justify the costs of cultivation.

Many novice gardeners, buying early highly productive varieties, forget that hybrids and varieties with high yields need to create ideal conditions in which timely feeding plays an important role.

Today, we will deal with the dressing of tomatoes in the greenhouse, and also talk about what fertilizers and when to use.

Fertilizers for tomatoes in the greenhouse: the basics of proper feeding

Let's start with the basics and talk about what fertilizer is needed for tomatoes grown in the greenhouse. Let us discuss the elements on which growth and development depends, as well as the size and taste of the fruit.

Macronutrients

Many gardeners and gardeners do not know that macronutrients are the usual NPK group, which includes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These elements are necessary for all plants in the garden, in the garden and, of course, in the greenhouse.

Therefore, we will now understand what each element is responsible for, and how it affects the growth and development of the plant.

• Nitrogen

This macro is needed by plants in order to form the green aboveground part. In this excess of nitrogen leads to the fact that the plant begins to form too many leaves, processes and lateral stems to the detriment of fruiting. The absence of nitrogen leads to the fact that the green part is formed dwarf, the leaves are small and have a nondescript appearance, as if the light does not fall on them.

• Phosphorus

The element is responsible for the formation of the root system and fruiting. A sufficient amount of phosphorus reduces the time of transition to the formation of fruits, thereby reducing the time from planting to harvest.

Also, importantly, phosphorus improves the immunity of plants, so cultures that receive a sufficient amount of this element are less likely to get sick and are affected by pests.

Overabundance of phosphorus leads to a lack of zinc, as it prevents the absorption of this trace element.

• Potassium

The most important food element, which is responsible for the resistance of the plant to adverse conditions, contributes to a better and faster maturation of products. It also increases the resistance to fungal diseases, which is very important in a greenhouse.

These macronutrients are the basis of mineral fertilizers for tomatoes in the greenhouse, so they are not only interrelated, but also play a major role in the formation of a full aerial part and good tasty fruits.

The absence or shortage of one of the elements entails a chain reaction, which ultimately leads to a decrease in yield.

Trace elements

Speaking about mineral fertilizers, we always imagine 3 main components on which growth and development depend, as well as yield.However, these processes are influenced by trace elements, as well as their number.

Of course, their role is not as important as macroelements, but their absence will affect the general condition of the plant.

• Boron

Necessary for the synthesis of enzymes, stimulates the development and formation of ovaries. It is also used to treat many diseases, so its introduction in the form of top dressing will help strengthen the immune system.

• Manganese

It plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis, so its absence causes the death of leaf plates, which are covered with dry spots.

• Zinc

Responsible for the biosynthesis of vitamins, is involved in metabolism.

• Magnesium

The element increases the intensity of the formation of chlorophyll, therefore it is necessary in small quantities throughout the entire growth and development of the plant.

• Molybdenum

Controls the exchange of macronutrients. Stimulates the fixation of nitrogen in the air.

• Sulfur

It is a material for the synthesis of amino acids and in the future - proteins. Plays an important role in the transport of substances inside the plant.

• Calcium

Although calcium is considered by many gardeners to be a trace element, diminishing its importance, its amount in the soil should be the same as the number of macronutrients.Calcium is responsible for plant nutrition, ensuring a normal metabolism.

Features of greenhouse soil

For a gardener who has planted crops in open ground for years, it will be difficult to adapt to the conditions of the greenhouse, since indoor soil requires not only more attention, but also great efforts and financial costs. Next, let's look at what should be the soil in the greenhouse. To begin with, the greenhouse soil requires regular replacement of the upper layer. This is necessary in order to remove pathogens, as well as pests that often overwinter in the substrate.

However, they can not leave the greenhouse, as it is a closed room. Replacing the soil is needed for the reason that it is depleted.

If you want to get a good harvest every year, then you need to replace the soil every time with a new, quite fertile one.

Now for the parameters of the substrate. The depth of the humus layer should be at least 25 cm.The acidity of the soil, depending on the crop, should be in strict limits.

In our case, the optimum pH value is 6.3-6.5. The percentage of organic matter in the greenhouse soil should be equal to 25-30. A lower content of organic matter significantly affect the yield of tomatoes.

Also important is the volume of air. From this indicator depends on how well the roots will be aerated, that is, to breathe. This show should be equal to 20-30%. It is not always possible to start a large amount of chernozem, and for some crops such soil will be unacceptable, so consider an ideal soil mixture for greenhouses, which includes leaf, sod, loamy (in small quantities), peat land, as well as soil from an open garden plot and humus .

Sand, sawdust or straw can be added to the composition - the main thing is that the soil should be loose, light and fertile.

What fertilizers do tomatoes need?

Regardless of how fertile the substrate fertilizers for tomatoes in the greenhouse play an important role, therefore, fertilizing must be carried out.

Speaking about what kind of fertilizer tomatoes need, it is worth remembering that we wrote at the beginning of the article. Any plant needs both organic and mineral water, so, in fact, it will be necessary to feed everyone, but in different doses and quantities.

It is worth noting that the tomato "pulls out" more potassium and nitrogen from the soil, but a sufficient amount of phosphorus is needed to form large and tasty fruits.

This element is best made in the form of granular superphosphate, so that the maximum part of the element is available to the plant in the desired simple form.

Much also depends on nitrogen and potassium, but these are the elements that, as mentioned above, are absorbed most quickly and best by the plant, so it’s certainly not worth over-saturating the soil with them, otherwise you will get “two-meter-long” bushes where tomatoes will ripen with cherry and will be a concentrate of nitrates.

In order for the plant to receive nitrogen in the most "comfortable" form, it is better to use ammonium nitrate or another ammonia variant. It turns out that before picking the plants in the greenhouse, we need to purchase the main macronutrients in the form described above, to purchase a small amount of organic matter, as well as several packages with trace elements that are used specifically for tomatoes.

Mineral or organic fertilizer?

Tomatoes should receive a variety of top dressing when grown in a greenhouse, therefore, it is difficult to say what is more important - organic matter or "mineral water", however, we will try to figure it out.

So, we found out that without mineral fertilizers, our tomatoes, even being high-yielding, will not make us happy because they simply will not get those elements that are necessary for growth.

To make it easier to understand, it is worth comparing plant nutrition with human nutrition. Although this is a fairly rough comparison, however, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium can be compared with proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

In the process of feeding, we need these elements as well as the plants need an NPK complex.

If a person goes in for sports, then he calculates the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in order to gain an ideal mass, or vice versa - lose those extra pounds. To do this, in addition to the usual food, it consumes special additives, which, like mineral fertilizers, contain only certain elements.

At the same time, a person cannot live only on artificial additives, and he still needs good nutrition, just like plants.Tomatoes will not grow only on mineral fertilizers, if they are planted in the sand.

Therefore, culture needs both a “mineral water” and a sufficient amount of organic matter, the only question is when organic fertilizer should be applied.

If mineral water is brought in the right form during the growth process, then it immediately “supplies” all the necessary elements to the tomatoes that support growth and development, as well as affect the size of the berries. In this case, organic matter, embedded in the ground, will not give the tomatoes anything until it declines.

As a result, we can conclude that organic matter needs to be laid in the soil at least a quarter before the pickling of the seedlings is performed, so that the fertilizers can decompose into simpler elements available to the crop. It is important to remember that tomatoes do not like a large amount of organic matter. If the soil is heavily “oily” from an excess of humus or compost, then such a substrate will be less granular, heavier and, as a result, uncomfortable for tomato.

When and what conduct fertilizing

We now turn to the discussion of the period during which fertilizers need to be applied and how to properly conduct them.

Top dressing scheme for closed ground

During the season you need to fertilize 3 times:

1. The first fertilizer is applied 2 weeks after picking the seedlings for shelter. We need to dilute the following composition in 100 liters of water: 200 g of ammonium nitrate, 500 g of double superphosphate, 100 g of potassium chloride.
2. The second dressing needs to be poured at the root at the time of formation of the ovaries. For the same 100 liters, we take 800 g of superphosphate and 300 g of potash nitrate.
3. The third dressing is carried out during fruiting. At the same displacement we take 400 g of double superphosphate and 400 g of potash nitrate.

You can also use special complex fertilizers that are designed specifically for feeding tomatoes. Such complexes have a full-fledged balanced composition, which makes it possible to immediately apply all the fertilizers, and not to make mixing, during which you can make a mistake.

Three top dressing is the minimum from which it is necessary to make a start when growing tomatoes in the greenhouse.

If you produce two or even one dressing, then the effectiveness of fertilizers will decrease by several times, because if you support the tomatoes at one stage and increase their needs, leave them without “food” at other stages.

As a result, the plant will not be able to produce food of green mass and fruit ovaries, because of which it can get sick or give a poor harvest.

Fertilizers in the germination of seeds and growing seedlings

If you buy really high-quality seed, which belongs to productive varieties or hybrids, then you should not carry out any preparatory actions, as this will not do anything.

Firstly, the manufacturer has already carried out decontamination, therefore, it does not make sense to “bathe” the seeds in potassium permanganate, and secondly, the germinating seeds will germinate like this if there is a good substrate, regardless of whether you have first germinated them or not.

The first fertilizer we will make only after the pick. Prior to this, tomatoes will draw all the nutrients from the soil, so prepare for plants a good peat-based substrate.

It is better to use the shop ground, since the option from the street in any case will have to be steamed to kill all the bacteria and fungi.

15 days after the dive we make the first fertilizer.In order for the plants at the first stage not to experience a shortage of any substances, it is necessary to introduce complex fertilizer, which will include the main NPK complex, as well as all trace elements (the full list is set out below). In this case, be sure to pay attention to the form of microelements, since we need exactly the chelate, not the sulphate form.

The second option splits into such substances that are not available for young plants. As a result, the tomatoes will experience starvation, although there will be plenty of top dressing in the soil.

Next, follow the development of plants. If you notice that tomatoes are stunted, or there are noticeable slowdowns in development, then, not earlier than 10 days after the first one, carry out a second dressing.

You can make as a special complex mixture, and your version: 1 g of ammonium nitrate, 8 g of superphosphate and 3 g of potassium sulfate. This composition should be diluted in 1 liter of water. For each bush spend about 500 ml.

Fertilizers when planting tomato seedlings in the greenhouse

A day before landing in the greenhouse in the wells you need to make a weak solution of manganese, as well as put a small amount of ash (about 100 g), finely crushed eggshell. Potassium permanganate will help to disinfect the soil, rid it of harmful bacteria and fungi. It is worth noting that we need ash from burnt straw or sunflower, as it is rich in potassium. Another option would be less useful for seedlings.

Please note that it is not possible to apply any mineral fertilizers directly into the hole, since you can seriously harm the root system of tomatoes if it comes into contact with concentrated fertilizer.

For this reason, do not add anything other than the mixtures listed above to the well. Also, do not put humus, and even more so - manure.

How to feed tomatoes after planting in the greenhouse

When planting in a greenhouse, plants in a stressful state should be watered with green infusion, which can be prepared without extra costs.

For the preparation of food, we need fresh chopped green nettle, plantain and other herbs that do not emit dangerous substances (ambrosia, hemlock and similar weeds can not be used). Next, the grass is mixed with wood ash and mullein, mixed well and left for 48 hours.After this, the infusion should be diluted with a large amount of water (at least 1 to 8) and shed each plant. Application rate - 2 l.

Next steps: tomatoes in bloom

We turn to feeding tomatoes in the greenhouse during flowering.

During flowering, our bushes have a serious lack of phosphorus and potassium, but nitrogen is not necessary for tomatoes at this time, so there can be no talk of any nitrogenous fertilizers.

It should be warned that during flowering to use urea solutions is prohibited, since it contains just a huge amount of nitrogen. Nitrogen during flowering will lead to inhibition of the process and further increase in green mass.

Below we will look at nutritional yeast, which is a cheap growth promoter. So, it is the yeast top dressing that is best suited at the flowering stage.

Also excellent result gives treatment with boric acid, which not only activates flowering, but also prevents the fall of peduncles. To prepare the solution you need to take 10 g of boric acid and dissolve in 10 liters of hot water.

The liquid should not have a boiling point, which is very important. After cooling, the solution is sprayed with flowering tomatoes. On 1 square consumes about 100 ml.

Also, tomatoes after feeding in the greenhouse with boric acid are not affected by phytophthora, as boric acid is used to treat this disease.

You can use standard potash and phosphate fertilizers, which will give a good result.

Do not forget that the greenhouse is a closed room in which there are no drafts and wind, therefore pollination passes very badly and slowly.

In order to speed up the process and increase the number of ovaries, it is necessary to ventilate the greenhouse during flowering, and also gently shake the peduncles so that the pollen is picked up by the wind and transferred to other plants.

Extra root fertilizers - top dressing of tomatoes in the greenhouse

In conclusion, we will discuss whether foliar feeding is needed, what substances should be sprayed, and how they will affect the yield of the tomato.

How to recognize the need for foliar feeding

Immediately it should be said that foliar feeding is good trace elements that are needed in small quantities.

The microelements that we described at the beginning of the article are used, but constantly sprinkling all of the above is expensive and meaningless, since an overabundance will also cause problems for the culture.

• Boron

Above, we wrote about the fact that boric acid needs to process plants during flowering to stimulate this process and prevent the falling off of the peduncle, but the lack of boron affects not only flowering.

The twisted tip of the shoots with a yellowed base and brown spots on the fruit are the result of a lack of boron.

• Zinc

Lack of zinc is characterized by the appearance of small leaves, on which brown spots appear over time and fill the entire plate. The spots resemble a severe sunburn, after which the leaves are covered with dry spots.

• Magnesium

The lack of the right amount is characterized by yellow chlorosis of old leaves. The leaves between the veins are covered with discolored or yellowish small spots.

• Molybdenum

When the element is lacking, the leaves begin to curl, and mottled chlorosis appears.

• Calcium

The lack of this rather important element is strongly noticeable on the bushes of tomatoes. It all starts with the deformation of the tips of young leaves, after which the surface of the leaf plates begins to dry.

Old leaves grow in size and become darker. Top rot appears on the fruit, which is why they can not last long. With a serious lack of calcium, the growth of the plant is strongly inhibited, and the tip begins to die off.

• Sulfur

Shortage affects the thickness of the stems. Tomato forms very thin stems that can not bear the weight of the fruit. Also, the leaf plates become a salad color, after which they begin to turn yellow.

It should be noted that the lack is noticeable on young leaves, and only after that - on old ones.

• Iron

Iron deficiency is manifested in the yellowing of the leaves, which begins at the base. Further growth is inhibited, and the leaves whiten completely. Only the veins of the leaf plates remain green.

• Chlorine

Manifested in the form of chlorosis and wilting leaves. With a strong shortage of leaves become a bronze color.

• Manganese

It also manifests itself as an iron deficiency, however, in the event of a shortage of manganese, yellowing does not begin strictly at the base, but is distributed randomly. Only a part of the sheet may turn yellow, while the veinlets will strongly contrast with the rest of the sheet. As you can see, the lack of each element is very pronounced both on the appearance of the bush, and on its growth and development.

Foliar fertilizers to compensate for the deficiency of nutrients

Consider feeding tomatoes in the greenhouse folk remedies.

In addition to factory fertilizers, you can also use home-made fertilizers, which will help your tomatoes quickly gain the right weight and go to the fruit formation stage.

• Top dressing with iodine

In this case, iodine will have two functions: to accelerate the ripening of fruits and protect the tomatoes from late blight. It is best to feed at the time of ripening of the berries to speed up the process.For the preparation of top dressing, we need a pharmacy alcohol version of iodine. On 100 l of water we drip 40 drops, mix well and spray each bush using 2 l of solution.

It should be understood that fertilizing tomatoes in a greenhouse with iodine is made only at a certain stage and only once or twice, since the plant does not need a plant in large quantities.

• Ash

Wood ash contains a whole range of beneficial microelements, which are so necessary for tomatoes. In this case, the ash can be applied in dry form or foliar treatment can be done by spraying.

To prepare an aqueous solution of 100 liters of water, you need to take 10 glasses of ash, mix thoroughly and spray the plants. Norm - 1.5-2 liters.

Feeding tomatoes in the greenhouse with ashes can be carried out at various stages of growth and development, but immediately after the pick-up, use the ash solution is not recommended.

• Top dressing baking yeast

Not all gardeners know why to use ordinary yeast for top dressing. The fact is that this product combines the action of the NPK group, as well as saturates the soil with beneficial microorganisms that strengthen the immune system of plants.In fact, yeast works as a cheap growth stimulant.

To spend for tomato feeding in the greenhouse yeast, you need to prepare the correct composition.

• First option. A small bag mixed with 2 tbsp. l sugar, then add warm water in such quantity that the mixture becomes liquid. Next, the solution is added to 10 l of water. It consumes 0.5 liters per plant.
• The second option. We take a jar of 3 liters, two-thirds filled with black bread and fill to the top with water with dissolved yeast (100 g). We put the bank in a warm place for 3-4 days. After which the infusion is filtered and diluted in 10 liters of water. 500 ml is consumed for a young plant, 2 liters for an adult.

Now you know all about feeding tomatoes in a greenhouse made of polycarbonate or film. Use this information to grow a large number of tasty and healthy tomatoes.

Also remember that a glut of soil with mineral fertilizers leads not only to an increase in yield, but also to a deterioration in taste, as well as an increase in the content of harmful compounds.

Therefore, if you want to continue to sell products, then be careful with the introduction of large doses of certain elements.