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Tomatoes can be safely called gourmets, who prefer to grow in fertile soil and regularly receive nutrients in the form of fertilizing. Only with a varied and regular diet can a crop produce high yields and good taste of vegetables, even when grown in open ground. The substances needed by tomatoes in varying quantities are contained in organic, mineral, complex fertilizers. Feeding tomatoes in open ground should be carried out in compliance with certain rules that will not harm the plants, but make them stronger.
Soil fertility
Soil fertility is key to growing tomatoes. The soil must contain all the necessary microelements that will contribute to the development of the root system, successful plant growth, and abundant formation ovaries and timely ripening of fruits.
The soil for growing tomatoes should be prepared in advance in the fall.If this is not possible, preparatory measures should be carried out in early spring.
Selecting a location
To grow tomatoes, it is very important to choose the right place in the garden. The area should be well illuminated by the sun for at least 6 hours a day. Constant drafts and wind should not be present in it, as this can destroy the plants. It is advisable to plant tomatoes in the place where cucumbers, onions, legumes or cabbage previously grew. After nightshade crops, tomatoes can only be grown after a few years. This is due to the fact that all nightshade vegetable plants are susceptible to the same pests, the larvae of which persist in the soil for a long time.
Tomatoes prefer to grow in well-drained soils with deep groundwater. Swampy or flooded areas of land are not suitable for tomatoes.
Beds for tomatoes in unprotected soil should be formed from west to east. This will allow the soil to warm up evenly. The width of the ridges depends on the planting pattern of tomatoes; however, if the width is more than 1.5 meters, it is difficult to care for the plants.
The height of the beds may vary. In the northern regions, it is preferable to grow tomatoes in warm, high beds, in the thickness of which there is a layer of organic matter. When decomposed, this organic matter will release heat and fertilize the plants.
Autumn land preparation
It is necessary to prepare the soil for growing tomatoes in unprotected areas of land in the fall. To do this, dig up the soil to the depth of a spade bayonet. During digging, organic matter is added in an amount of 4-5 kg/m2. This can be either fresh or rotted manure, peat, compost.
Tomatoes are very sensitive to soil acidity. The optimal value for their cultivation is 6.2-6.8 pH. The indicator can be measured with litmus paper purchased at a farm store. If the acidity in the soil exceeds in the fall, lime fertilizers, for example, lime chalk, should be added. The rate of its application to the soil is 300-400 g/m2.
Soil preparation in spring
If it was not possible to carry out preparatory activities in the fall, then spring cares must begin with the addition of organic matter. It must be decomposed manure or humus that does not contain aggressive nitrogen. Fertilizer is applied while digging the soil. In this case, liming of the soil is also carried out in early spring.
If you follow the rules for autumn soil preparation, in the spring you only need to loosen the top layer of soil. Heavy loamy soils should be dug again to a depth of 10-15 cm.
Before digging or loosening, in the spring you need to add superphosphate and potassium salt to the soil. The amount of substances should be 70 and 20 g/m2 respectively. These tomato fertilizers are used before planting, which allows them to take root better.
The soil must be leveled with a rake and planting holes made on it. The density of plantings depends on the tallness of the plants. So, between tall tomatoes the distance should be at least 50-60 cm, for low-growing varieties this parameter can be 20-30 cm.
Fertilizers after planting
The first application of fertilizers under the roots of tomatoes in open areas of land is carried out no earlier than 10 days from the day of planting.Until this time, the tomatoes take root and feed on substances embedded in the soil at the stage of its preparation. At this time, plants slow down and sometimes stop their growth, becoming stressed. If after 10 days the growth of tomatoes does not activate, then the first feeding is required. Subsequently, tomatoes need to be fed once every 2-3 weeks. The fertilizer application schedule must be drawn up in such a way that the plants receive 3-4 root fertilizers during the entire growing season. On poor, depleted soils, the amount of fertilizing can be increased.
Foliar feeding in the form of spraying with nutrients can be carried out regularly at intervals of 2-3 weeks so that they do not coincide in time with the application of fertilizers at the root. If symptoms of a deficiency of a particular micronutrient appear, it is also recommended to carry out extraordinary foliar feeding. This will allow you to quickly compensate for the lack of microelements.
Root feeding
Minerals, organic matter and complex fertilizers for tomatoes can be used as root dressings:
Organic for tomatoes
Most gardeners try to use organic matter to fertilize tomatoes, for example, manure, humus, peat, compost. They contain a lot of nitrogen, which stimulates plant growth. That is why it is recommended to use organic matter for the first feeding of tomatoes, when the plants need to increase their green mass. At later stages of cultivation, organic matter is mixed with minerals or other products with a high content phosphorus and potassium.
Mullein
The most common organic fertilizer for tomatoes in open ground is cow dung. It is used to prepare a liquid infusion - mullein: add a bucket of manure to 4 buckets of water. After mixing, the solution is infused for several days in a warm place. The prepared fertilizer is diluted with clean water 1:4 and used for watering tomatoes at the root. To prepare the infusion you can use fresh mullein, since during infusion aggressive nitrogen decomposes. This fertilizer contains a lot of nitrogen and is excellent for feeding tomatoes at the development stage and before the onset of abundant flowering. An example of preparing and using mullein is shown in the video:
During flowering and fruit ripening, tomatoes require a lot of phosphorus and potassium. The plant's need for nitrogen is reduced. However, based on organic matter, you can prepare a complex fertilizer by adding various minerals or ash:
- add a liter of cow manure and 10 g of nitrophoska to a bucket of water, after diluting the solution with water 1:1, the fertilizer is ready for use;
- Add 500 ml of mullein, prepared according to the recipe above, to 10 liters of water. Also add boric acid (6 g) and potassium sulfate (10 g) to the resulting solution;
- Dilute the prepared mullein with clean water 1:10. Add 1 liter of wood ash to 10 liters of the resulting solution and, after infusion, use the resulting fertilizer for watering tomatoes.
Mullein in any form should be used with caution so as not to “burn” the plants.Before feeding, tomatoes should be watered generously with clean water.
Bird droppings
Chicken droppings or other poultry contains a significant amount of nitrogen, which is why using the substance in fresh form to feed tomatoes is strictly prohibited. You can make an infusion from bird droppings. To do this, add a liter of litter to 10 liters of water. After mixing and infusion, the litter is further diluted with water to obtain a tea-colored solution.
An example of preparing chicken manure infusion can be seen in the video:
For all the claims that chicken droppings is a complete replacement for complex fertilizer; it should not be used in its pure form during the formation of ovaries and fruiting of tomatoes. During this period, it is recommended to use litter together with minerals: dilute 500 g of litter in a bucket of water, add superphosphate (20 g) and potassium sulfate (5 g) to the solution.
Organic complex
Experienced gardeners practice using organic fertilizer made by mixing cow manure, bird droppings and minerals. This feeding of tomatoes in open ground will saturate the plants with all the necessary microelements. You can prepare it by adding a glass of chicken manure and the same amount of cow manure to a bucket of water. After infusion, add a spoonful of potassium sulfate and boric acid (7 g) to the solution. Before use, the fertilizer must be diluted with water 1:2.
Compost
Compost is an excellent, affordable and widely known organic fertilizer that can be used, among other things, for feeding tomatoes.However, not many people know that compost can be produced not only in the standard way, but also in an accelerated way, by mixing available products. So, to a bucket of grass you need to add half a glass of lime, the same amount of wood ash and a spoon urea. After adding water and letting the solution steep for several days, the fertilizer is used to water the tomatoes.
Herbal infusion
Herbal infusion is another organic fertilizer useful for tomatoes. To prepare it, you need to grind a certain amount of herbs and fill it with water. You can use various herbs, but the most beneficial for plants is nettle. An infusion of quinoa, woodlice, chamomile, and dandelion also works well. To create one serving of infusion, you can use one or more types of herbs.
The crushed grass, filled with water, must ferment. To do this, you need to leave the container with the solution open for 10-12 days. After preparation, the solution should be filtered and diluted with water until a light brown liquid is obtained.
Organic fertilizers are environmentally friendly fertilizers, however, their use in high concentrations can harm tomatoes. The possible negative impact of organics can be prevented by reducing the concentration of solutions.
Feeding with coffee grounds
Many experienced gardeners use folk remedies to fertilize tomatoes. For example, you can use, in fact, table “waste”. For example, potato peelings can be placed in the soil during autumn digging for subsequent decomposition.Coffee grounds are a ready-made fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and some other substances. The acidity of coffee grounds is neutral, so it can be used to feed tomatoes on any soil.
Fertilizing tomatoes with coffee grounds is easy. To do this, simply sprinkle the dried remains of drunk coffee near the trunk of the plant and carefully embed them in the top layer of soil, then water the tomato.
There is another long-term way to prepare fertilizer based on coffee grounds - composting. Prepare compost from 2 parts grounds, 1 part straw and 1 part leaves. After mixing, the compost is laid to reheat, covered with a film or a layer of soil. After 3 weeks, the fertilizer is ready for use.
You can learn more about using coffee grounds-based fertilizer in the video:
After using this fertilizer, the tomatoes receive all the substances they need. Coffee grounds attract earthworms, which loosen the soil, saturating it with oxygen and allowing the roots of the plant to breathe freely.
Yeast feeding
Baker's yeast can be used for root feeding of tomatoes in unprotected soil. The product contains a lot of useful vitamins and minerals, which are natural plant growth activators. Yeast produces gases and heat during fermentation, which also has a beneficial effect on tomatoes.
To prepare yeast fertilizer, add 200 g of baker's yeast to a liter of warm water. You can speed up fermentation by adding a few tablespoons of sugar or jam to the solution.At the stage of active fermentation, you need to add 5-6 liters of warm water to the resulting concentrate and use fertilizer to water the tomatoes.
After yeast feeding tomatoes begin to grow actively and form abundant ovaries. You can water tomatoes with this solution no more than 3 times during the entire growing season.
Mineral fertilizers
For normal growth and abundant fruiting, tomatoes require nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and some other trace elements. All of them are contained in special complex preparations for feeding tomatoes. However, you can “collect” such fertilizer yourself by mixing various chemicals.
Ready-made mineral complexes
When you go to a specialized store, you can see a lot of ready-made mineral mixtures for fertilizing tomatoes. All of them contain the necessary complex of not only basic, but also additional minerals: calcium, magnesium, boron and others. Use them in accordance with the instructions.
Among the various mineral complexes for feeding tomatoes, it is necessary to highlight:
- Nitroammophoska. Gray granules containing all the microelements necessary for tomatoes in a balanced amount. Mineral fertilizer is excellent for feeding tomatoes in unprotected soil. Its cost compared to other complex fertilizers for tomatoes is affordable and allows you to save money.
- Kemira station wagon-2. Complex fertilizer is used for root feeding of tomatoes at all stages of cultivation. The application rate for feeding tomatoes is 150 mg/m2.The fertilizer is incorporated into the soil in dry form along the perimeter of the tomato trunk. The granules dissolve during watering, supplying nutrients to the plants.
- Station wagon.This fertilizer also contains potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen and other minerals necessary for growing tomatoes. To prepare the fertilizer, add 5 g of the substance to 1 liter of water.
- Mortar. The mineral complex contains a lot of nutrients that are beneficial for tomatoes. The substances are completely soluble in water and are easily absorbed by tomatoes.
It is worth noting that mineral fertilizers such as calcium nitrate, ammophos, nitroammophos and some others do not contain microelements in full, which means their use requires additional addition of the missing mineral.
Preparation of mineral compositions
By purchasing various minerals and combining them yourself, you can effectively feed tomatoes and at the same time save money.
There are a lot of recipes for preparing mineral fertilizers, some of them are given below:
- Nitrogen-containing fertilizer for tomatoes at an early stage of cultivation can be prepared from ammonium nitrate. To do this, you need to dilute 1 spoon of the substance in a bucket of water;
- A complex fertilizer for tomatoes at the stage of ovary formation and fruiting can be prepared by mixing nitrophoska and potassium humate. You need to add 15 g of each substance to a bucket of water.
- During active fruit ripening, tomatoes require phosphorus and potassium. These substances can be added to the soil using fertilizer prepared from superphosphate and potassium chloride. You need to add 10 and 20 g of substances to a bucket of water, respectively.
Thus, to feed tomatoes at the root, you can use various organic and mineral substances and their mixtures. The composition of the fertilizer depends largely on the stage of plant growth. The amount of fertilizing per season depends on the fertility of the soil and the condition of the plants. If you observe symptoms of nutrient deficiency, you can carry out extraordinary root or foliar feeding.
Foliar feeding of tomatoes
Caring for tomatoes in open ground includes the use of foliar fertilizers. You can spray tomato leaves with nutrients several times a season with an interval of 10-15 days. For foliar feeding, you can use various minerals and folk remedies. Foliar feeding will make up for the lack of nutrients and protect the plant from diseases and pests:
- Before flowering, tomatoes in open ground can be sprayed with a urea solution. It can be prepared by dissolving 1 teaspoon of the substance in 10 liters of water;
- During the period of active flowering and formation of ovaries, it is recommended to use a superphosphate solution for foliar feeding. The consumption of the substance is similar to the consumption of urea in the above recipe;
- Complex feeding of tomatoes can be done by spraying with a solution of boric acid, copper sulfate and urea. All of the listed substances should be added to a bucket of water in the amount of 1 teaspoon.
- A solution of boric acid can be used at various stages of the growing season. It will saturate the plants with boron and protect against some pests.
An interesting folk recipe for preparing foliar fertilizer for tomatoes is based on the use of milk or whey and iodine. So, half a liter of milk and 5-6 drops of iodine should be added to 5 liters of water. This product will protect tomatoes from diseases, pests and feed the plants with nutrients.
To feed tomatoes “by leaf” you can also use organic substances - a weak herbal solution, an infusion of wood ash. In open ground, using spraying, you can also protect plants from late blight using “Fitosporin”, “Phyto Doctor”.
Conclusion
Tomatoes grow well in open areas only if the soil has sufficient fertility. Making the soil nutritious is the main task of the gardener in the autumn and spring before planting tomato seedlings. However, even if a sufficient amount of organic matter and minerals is added, during the growing season the tomatoes will require additional nutrients, since over time the soil becomes depleted and is unable to sufficiently nourish the tomatoes. In this case, various organic and mineral fertilizers, as well as some widely available substances and products, can be used for feeding. You can effectively feed tomatoes not only by watering at the root, but also by spraying the leaves. Only by using a full range of measures with the use of various fertilizers can you get a good harvest of tasty vegetables.
