Content
Phosphorus is very important for tomatoes. This most valuable element plays a major role in plant nutrition. It stimulates metabolic processes, so that tomato seedlings can continue to fully develop. Tomatoes that get enough phosphorus have healthy root systems, grow quickly, produce large fruits, and also produce good seeds. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how to properly use phosphorus fertilizers for tomatoes.
How to determine phosphorus deficiency
The peculiarity of phosphorus is that an excess of this substance in the soil is simply impossible. In any case, even if there is more of it than needed, the plant will not suffer from this. And an insufficient amount of phosphorus can have a very bad effect on tomatoes. Without phosphorus, no metabolic processes will simply occur.
Signs of phosphorus deficiency include the following:
- leaves change color to purple;
- the outlines of the leaves change, and then they completely fall off;
- dark spots appear on the lower leaves;
- Tomato growth is delayed;
- The root system develops poorly.
How to properly apply phosphorus fertilizers
In order not to make mistakes when applying phosphorus fertilizers, you must follow these rules:
- granular fertilizers must be applied exactly at the root of the plant. The fact is that there is simply no point in spreading fertilizer over the surface of the soil. Phosphorus does not have the ability to dissolve in the upper layers of soil. You can also apply fertilizer in the form of liquid solutions or when digging the soil;
- It is best to dig up the beds and add phosphorus in the fall. In this way, you can achieve the best results, because during the winter the fertilizer can be fully absorbed;
- don't expect results right away. Phosphorus fertilizers can accumulate for 3 years, and only then produce good results;
- if the soil is in the garden sour, it is necessary to carry out liming a month before applying phosphorus fertilizers. To do this, sprinkle the soil with dry lime or wood ash.
Phosphorus fertilizers for tomatoes
Gardeners have been using phosphorus fertilizers for many years. Practice shows that the following substances performed best:
- Superphosphate. This fertilizer must be applied to the hole when planting finished seedlings. For 1 tomato bush you will need about 15–20 grams of superphosphate. It is also effective to make a solution of this substance. To do this, combine five liters of water and 50 grams of the drug in a large container. Tomatoes are watered with a solution at the rate of half a liter of mixture per 1 bush.
- Ammophos. This drug contains a large amount of phosphorus (52%) and nitrogen (12%). You can apply the substance once during planting of seedlings or use the drug to prepare a solution for irrigation. The best time to apply diammophos is when the tomatoes begin to bloom.
- Potassium monophosphate. The amount of phosphorus in this fertilizer is about 23%. It also contains 28% potassium. During the entire growing season, fertilizing with this fertilizer is carried out only 2 times. Suitable for root and foliar feeding.
- Nitrophoska. This preparation contains potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus in equal quantities. Such a balanced diet has a very positive effect on tomato seedlings. A solution of nitrophoska is prepared from 10 liters of water and 10 teaspoons of the drug. Water the tomatoes with this mixture a week after planting the seedlings.
- Bone meal or bone meal. It contains about 19% phosphorus. When planting seedlings, add two tablespoons of the drug to the hole.
Superphosphate for feeding tomatoes
One of the most popular phosphate fertilizers is, of course, superphosphate. Many gardeners love it and often use it on their plots. It is suitable for fertilizing not only tomatoes, but also other crops. The drug can be stored for a long time without losing its beneficial properties. Plants are not afraid of an overdose of phosphorus, since they absorb it only in the amount that they need. With experience, every gardener can determine how much fertilizer should be added to the soil to get a good harvest.
Among the advantages of this fertilizer is that tomatoes begin to develop faster, bear fruit longer, and the taste of the fruit becomes even better. A lack of phosphorus, on the contrary, significantly slows down the growth of seedlings, which is why the fruits are not as large and of high quality.
The need of plants for phosphorus can be seen by the following signs:
- the leaves become darker and take on a light blue tint;
- rusty spots can be seen throughout the plant;
- the lower part of the leaves turns purple.
Such manifestations may appear after hardening of seedlings or a sharp rise in temperature. It happens that during cold weather the leaves may change their color for a while, but as soon as it gets warmer, everything will fall into place again. If the plant does not change, it is necessary to fertilize the bushes with superphosphate.
This complex can be applied directly to the soil during soil preparation in spring and autumn. But, it won’t be superfluous to add the drug to the hole when planting seedlings. For 1 tomato bush you will need 1 teaspoon of the substance.
What soils need phosphorus?
Phosphorus is a harmless substance. Therefore, it can be used on any type of soil. It can accumulate in the soil and later be used by plants as needed. It has been noted that it is most effective to use superphosphate in soils with an alkaline or neutral reaction. It is much more difficult to use the drug in acidic soil. Such soil prevents the absorption of phosphorus by plants. In such cases, as mentioned above, it will be necessary to treat the soil with lime or wood ash. Without this procedure, plants will practically not receive the required amount of phosphorus.
Low-quality raw materials may not harm plants in fertile soil at all. But, at high acidity levels, phosphorus can be converted into iron phosphate.In this case, the plants will not receive the necessary microelement and, accordingly, will not be able to grow fully.
Application of superphosphate
Using superphosphate to fertilize the soil is very simple. Usually it is applied to the soil immediately after harvesting or in the spring before planting vegetable crops. For a square meter of soil you will need from 40 to 70 grams of superphosphate, depending on the fertility of the soil. For depleted soil, this amount should be increased by about a third. It must be taken into account that the soil in the greenhouse is in greater need of mineral fertilizers. In this case, use about 90 grams of fertilizer per square meter.
In addition, superphosphate is used to fertilize the soil where fruit trees are grown. It is applied directly into the hole during planting, and regular watering is carried out with a solution of the drug. Planting tomatoes and other crops is done in the same way. Being in the hole, the drug can directly affect the plant.
Types of superphosphates
In addition to the usual superphosphate, there are others that may contain different amounts of minerals or differ in appearance and method of use. Among them are the following superphosphates:
- monophosphate. This is a gray friable powder that contains about 20% phosphorus. If storage conditions are met, the substance does not cake. Granular superphosphate is made from it. This is a very cheap product, which is why it is in great demand.However, monophosphate is less effective than more modern drugs.
- granular superphosphate. As the name suggests, this is ordinary superphosphate in granular form. Has good flowability. It is much more convenient to use and store.
- ammoniated. This preparation consists not only of phosphorus, but also of sulfur in the amount of 12% and potassium (about 45%). The substance dissolves well in liquid. Suitable for spraying bushes.
- double superphosphate. Phosphorus in this preparation is about 50%, potassium is also present. The substance does not dissolve very well. Inexpensive but very effective fertilizer. Affects the growth and formation of fruits.
Superphosphate itself is poorly soluble in liquids. But experienced gardeners found a way out of this situation. You can prepare an excellent nutritious extract from this fertilizer. To do this, superphosphate is poured with boiling water and left for a day in a warm place. This cooking option allows you to preserve all the beneficial properties. The mixture must be stirred regularly to speed up the dissolution process of the substance. The finished fertilizer should look like full-fat milk.
Next, begin preparing the working solution. To do this, mix 10 tablespoons of the mixture with 1.5 liters of water. Fertilizer for tomatoes will be prepared from this solution. To prepare the nutritional mixture in one container, mix:
- 20 liters of water;
- 0.3 l of solution prepared from superphosphate;
- 40 grams of nitrogen;
- 1 liter of wood ash.
The most important component in this solution is nitrogen. It is he who is responsible for the absorption of phosphorus by plants. Now the resulting fertilizer can be used for watering tomatoes.
Using superphosphate for tomatoes
Superphosphate is used not only for feeding vegetable crops, but also for various fruit trees and grain plants. But still, the most effective fertilizer is for crops such as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplants. Application superphosphate for seedlings growing tomatoes allows you to get strong bushes with more fleshy fruits.
Dry or granulated superphosphate is used to feed tomatoes. The substance must be distributed over the top layer of soil. You should not bury superphosphate too deeply, because this substance is poorly soluble in water, which is why it may not be completely absorbed by plants. Superphosphate should be in the hole at the level of the tomato root system. Fertilizing is used throughout the growing season, and not just when planting seedlings. The fact is that about 85% of the phosphorus from the fertilizer goes to the formation and ripening of tomatoes. Therefore, superphosphate is necessary for tomatoes throughout the growth of the bushes.
Also consider the quantity potassium in fertilizer when choosing superphosphate. There should be as much of it as possible. This element, like phosphorus, allows you to increase productivity and fruit quality. Such tomatoes have the best taste. An important point is that young seedlings absorb phosphorus much worse, while adult tomato bushes absorb it almost completely. And tomato seedlings may not benefit from phosphorus fertilizers at all. In this case, fertilizing is carried out not with dry superphosphate, but with its extract, the preparation of which is discussed above.
The importance of superphosphate for tomato seedlings cannot be overestimated.This is undoubtedly the best fertilizer for tomatoes. It is not only phosphorus itself that makes this substance so popular, but also the presence of other minerals in it. The most important among them are magnesium, nitrogen and potassium. Some types of superphosphate contain sulfur, which also plays an important role in the development of tomato seedlings. Superphosphate makes it possible to increase the resistance of bushes to temperature changes, and also has a positive effect on the formation of fruits and strengthening of the root system.
Conclusion
As you can see, phosphorus fertilizing is very important for growing tomatoes. It is almost impossible to satisfy the need of seedlings for phosphorus using folk remedies. Therefore, most gardeners use complex fertilizers for tomatoes based on phosphorus. This feeding gives tomatoes strength to fight diseases and changes in weather conditions. Phosphorus is also responsible for fruit formation and root growth. All this together makes the plant stronger and healthier. The article listed some preparations for fertilizing tomatoes based on phosphorus. The most popular substance today is superphosphate. It completely satisfies the phosphorus needs of tomatoes.
