Throughout the growing season, vegetable crops may experience nutrient deficiencies, even if planted in a substrate enriched with fertilizers. “Starvation” of immature sprouts and young seedlings is especially dangerous. We’ll figure out how to properly fertilize peppers and seedlings, what commercial preparations are suitable for nightshades, and describe effective folk methods.

Excess and shortage of certain elements have an equally bad effect on the development of vegetable crops.

Basic rules for feeding immature seedlings of peppers and tomatoes:

  • Compliance with the dose. Frequent feeding and excess concentration can harm the sprouts.
  • The priority is liquid consistencies. Nutrient components will reach the roots only after they are dissolved in water.
  • Combined with watering. Peppers and tomatoes must be well moistened before applying the preparations.
  • Loosening the soil. Fluffy soil is more quickly saturated with fertilizers, which means that useful elements are more likely to penetrate to the root system.

Important! Before using the finished drug, be sure to check its purpose. If the product is designed to fertilize adult plants, then for seedlings its concentration should be halved

Microelements

Fertilizer for tomato and pepper seedlings should be balanced. Proper growth of nightshade crops requires a proper balance of the following elements:

  1. Nitrogen. Its task is to increase green mass. Main sign microelement deficiency – slow growth of stems.
  2. Phosphorus. Provides an abundance of flower stalks and many fruits. The deficiency is manifested by the fall of the ovary, the appearance of reddish veins on the leaves of tomatoes and peppers.
  3. Potassium. Strengthens young roots, helps seedlings take root in a new place.

Seedlings need balanced feeding only when the first signs of mineral deficiency appear. For fertilizer, you can prepare the following composition: 0.5 g ammonium nitrate, 3 g superphosphate, 1 g potassium. Calculation of components per 1 liter of water.

Agricultural preparations

When choosing what to feed homemade tomato and pepper seedlings, you should pay attention to the assortment of gardening stores. For enrichment vegetable plantings and growth stimulation, the following drugs are perfect:

  1. "Strong";
  2. "Ideal";
  3. "Epin."

Sturdy

Soluble fertilizer for seedlings, produced in different forms. Top dressing includes humates, natural stimulating additives and necessary elements.

The recommended dosage is 2 spoons (5 ml each) of the drug per bucket of water. The first “feeding” of tomatoes and peppers is carried out with the appearance of two leaves, the second - before picking, and after that - twice a month until the ovaries appear.

Ideal

The active component of the drug is biohymus. A universal remedy for activating the rooting of cuttings, rapid germination of seeds, rooting of sprouts, strengthening the plant, intensive fruiting, ensuring a bountiful harvest.

The “Ideal” supplement is enriched with macro- and microelements; the drug can be applied using the root and non-root methods. Dosage when applied under the root – 8-10 ml/1 liter of water.

Important! “Ideal” should not be used more than once a week. Spraying is carried out until the buds appear

Epin

Biostimulator for seedling growth, supplied in ampoules, the contents must be diluted with water. The anti-stress drug increases the protection of young shoots from temperature changes, diseases and pest attacks.

"Epin" is more often used as a foliar feeding for seedlings and peppers when three leaves appear. The estimated dose is 5 drops per 0.5 liters of water.

Folk recipes

When asked how to feed pepper seedlings for growth and proper development, many summer residents advise using natural stimulants prepared independently.

Let's list the effective folk remedies:

Onion peel

Onion tincture enriches the soil and is a natural disinfectant. Pour 30 g of husk into 5.5 liters of water and leave for 3 days. Can be used for regular irrigation of seedlings.

Bird droppings

A storehouse of nitrogen that promotes the growth of green mass. The solution must be prepared in advance, as it must sit for at least 10 days. Ingredients: 1 liter of water + 100 g of litter. Before use, you need to add potassium permanganate to the liquid; you can replace it with copper sulfate.

Banana peel

The fruit is rich in potassium - the element improves the absorption of nitrogen. Recipe for banana composition: cover the skins of 4 fruits with water. After three days, the solution is ready for use - applied at the root of the plant.

Eggshell

The raw materials produce a natural complex fertilizer with many irreplaceable ingredients - this is how to feed pepper seedlings after picking. Place waste from 5 eggs in a jar (3 liters) and fill with water. After 3 days, the nutritious infusion is ready for watering.

Ash

The unique properties of ash reduce acidity, ash nourishes plants and strengthens young seedlings. Dry ash is added when planting seedlings, and diluted fertilizing with ash is used after planting in the ground. Preparation of the composition: 1 liter of water + 100 g of ash.

Urea

Concentrated nitrogen-containing fertilizer (urea), used to prepare the soil before planting seedlings in the soil, is applied in powder form at 12 g/sq.m. m. Liquid concentrate is used before flowering - 60 g/10 l.

Iodine

Nightshade crops respond well to supplementation irrigation water a couple of iodized drops. Fertilizing stimulates growth and protects against pests.

Potassium permangantsovka

Helps prevent manganese deficiency. A deficiency of the element is fraught with brown spotting of grown fruits. Carry out foliar feeding - 2 g of potassium permanganate per bucket of water is enough.

Ammonia is a source of nitrogenous compounds, dosage nutritional composition– 10 liters of water + 1 tbsp. l. alcohol Ammonia repels pests, but its use is only advisable when there is a lack of nitrogen.

It is better to first dilute granular fertilizer in water and use it for watering. The product helps to create thick stems and increases the number of ovaries.

Nitroammofoska can be combined with manure and sodium humate.

Hydrogen peroxide

The treatment strengthens the roots, the immunity of the above-ground part, and disinfects the root zone. Hydrogen peroxide can be sprayed or watered on plants. Preparation: 20 g of peroxide per bucket of water.

Seryvotka

Solution to improve growth: 1 liter of milk composition, 10 liters of water, 20 drops of iodine. Suitable for feeding seedlings and adult crops.

Important! You should use yeast and strong tea leaves with caution. The former actively absorb potassium, and the latter contain tannins that block the growth of nightshade roots

Scheme for adding nutrients

Feeding tomato and pepper seedlings at home is carried out at certain intervals. The dosage and choice of fertilizer are selected depending on the phase of the growing season.

First feeding

The first application of fertilizer is necessary after the appearance of two leaves. At this stage of growth, it is important not to overdo it with fertilizing. The main purpose of fertilizer is to strengthen the roots of sprouts.

Feeding options:

  • nitrophoska – 15 g of the drug per liter of water;
  • watering with a weak copper concentrate;
  • Irrigation with infusion of onion peels, egg shells or bananas.

Fertilizing is carried out every 10 days, alternating fertilizer compositions. To strengthen young shoots, succinic acid can be added to water for irrigation.

After the pick

Tomato and pepper seedlings need strengthening after picking. At this stage, a one-time application of yeast emulsion under the root is permissible. It will feed fragile plants with phosphorus and nitrogen. To minimize potassium losses, this microelement is added simultaneously with yeast feeding.

Any type of baker's yeast is suitable for creating a nutritional mixture. Recipe option: mash a piece of soft yeast (100 g) in a bucket of liquid, stir and leave for 24 hours. To increase efficiency, the concentrate is enriched with hops and bird droppings.

What else can you feed pepper and tomato seedlings at home? Possible options:

  • 12 days after the picking - nitroammophoska;
  • after another 2 weeks - superphosphate or potassium sulfate (1 tablespoon of the drug + 10 liters of water);
  • The last feeding before planting is nitrophoska of weak consistency.

After landing in the ground

The soil for transplanting tomato and pepper seedlings should first be enriched with wood ash and disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After planting, seedlings must be given time to adapt. You can start feeding after 2 weeks.

The choice of drugs depends on the weather conditions of the season. During dry summers, potassium should be avoided - an excess of the element can cause illness. Abundance of rain is a reason to use potassium fertilizing.

After adaptation, it is advisable to enrich the soil with phosphorus-potassium compounds to accelerate growth, active budding, and fruit formation. It is better to refrain from using nitrogen supplements.

Plants themselves tell you what substances they lack. It is necessary to carefully examine the seedlings and adjust agrotechnical methods when the first alarming symptoms appear.

What may cause concern:

  • lightening of leaves – nitrogen deficiency;
  • the appearance of whitish stripes along the veins is a lack of iron;
  • wilting of foliage – magnesium deficiency;
  • purple veins on the leaf blade - lack of phosphorus.

If the listed signs are identified, therapeutic feeding is carried out, regardless of the growing season of the plant.

Feeding seedlings and peppers folk remedies and can completely replace purchased complex drugs. It is important to adhere to a sense of proportion and not try to try all methods at once on vegetable plantings.

By far the most popular vegetables of all are peppers and tomatoes. They have excellent taste, and besides, they contain a huge amount of useful vitamins and microelements. In addition, you can grow peppers or tomatoes in almost any climate zone. Today there are a large variety of all kinds of hybrids and varieties. It is simply impossible to count them. In addition to those varieties that are included in the State Register, there are many more different types tomatoes and peppers, which are called folk selection. They are practically in no way inferior to those varieties of vegetables that were bred by experienced breeders. All those people who have at least a small plot of land are engaged in growing peppers and tomatoes. But feeding tomato and pepper seedlings with folk remedies interests many gardeners. This article is dedicated to this very topic.

Conditions necessary for growing tomatoes and peppers

Before talking about how to feed tomato and pepper seedlings using folk remedies, it is worth talking about the conditions for growing these crops.

Peppers and tomatoes belong to the nightshade family. They began their origin in the arid and hot countries of the South and Central America. Basically, their requirements for growth conditions are very similar. But there are also some differences. Now let's try to understand this in more detail. Because in order to grow a truly healthy plant, you need to know all its needs.

Temperature.

In this case, these two cultures have similar preferences. Tomatoes and peppers prefer stable and warm weather, without sudden temperature changes. They cannot stand heat, more than 36-37 degrees, and also do not like sudden cold snaps (below 13-16 degrees). Although it is worth noting that short-term drops in temperature are tolerated well. Seedlings of these vegetable crops must be kept warm, since at very low temperatures their development may stop altogether.

Lighting.

Tomatoes need long daylight hours (at least 12 hours). They do not tolerate cloudy days well. During this period, seedlings must be provided with additional lighting, since they develop at a time when daylight hours are very short. And the weather is rarely sunny. Pepper is a daylight vegetable crop. He needs light no more than 7-8 hours a day. But he still needs to provide additional lighting. Next, we will plant the pepper in the ground in such a way that the rays of the sun can reach it only during part of the daylight hours. Otherwise, we will not be able to wait for a good and full harvest.

Watering and air humidity.

Tomatoes and peppers do not tolerate well cold water and overflows. It is worth noting that pepper treats this much worse; irrigation with water at temperatures below 19 degrees can cause serious problems. As for tomatoes, in this case, if you water them unevenly, you will end up with cracked fruits. In addition, tomatoes do not like high air humidity. This will lead to the development of late blight.

Fertilizers and fertilizing.

Peppers and tomatoes planted in the ground do not tolerate much fertilizer. As for peppers, they love potassium, while tomatoes prefer phosphorus. These two crops do not tolerate high nitrogen content in the soil and fresh manure.

Priming.

Tomatoes and peppers love well-loose and permeable soil. In addition, they prefer fertile soil with a neutral reaction. Tomatoes can grow well in slightly acidic soils. Both of these plants do not tolerate too acidic soils and dense loams.

Picking, density and planting depth.

In this case, the characteristics of tomatoes and peppers are most evident. Tomatoes prefer:

  • Very frequent transfers. If the root system is damaged, it can recover very quickly and grow even more.
  • Tomatoes love deep planting. That part of the plant stem that will be buried in the soil can quickly acquire new adventitious roots, which in turn helps to increase the feeding area.
  • They prefer a loose fit. Tomatoes must be blown by the wind. This will help prevent the development of late blight.

Now let’s try to figure out what peppers don’t like:

  • Very frequent transfers. Damaged roots of this plant recover very slowly; the plant may completely stop in its development.
  • They do not like deep planting. The part of the stem that will be under the ground can quickly rot. As a result, the plant will die.
  • Does not tolerate loose planting. In order for the plant to develop successfully, it must be in a slight shade. It is the thickened planting that will contribute to this.

Feeding tomato and pepper seedlings with folk remedies

It is worth saying that feeding tomato seedlings with folk remedies is an excellent opportunity to achieve a good harvest. In many stores we can see a large number of various preparations that are necessary for feeding tomatoes and peppers. But still, many people, especially if they grow vegetables only for themselves, try to feed these crops with folk remedies. You can debate for a long time about the benefits and harms of various mineral fertilizers. But there is no doubt that providing adequate nutrition for seedlings can be achieved without the use of chemicals. But the biggest drawback of unconventional feeding is the lack of clear instructions. Now let's try to figure this out.

The importance of fertilizers.

Whatever you feed your seedlings - mineral fertilizers, or folk remedies, their nutrition must be balanced. Plants need to be provided with a complete amount of nutrients in certain proportions. It will not be enough to feed grown vegetable crops with natural fertilizers. You need to know what specific nutrients this fertilizer will contain and whether it will suit your seedlings.

Nitrogen is an essential substance for plants. It takes part in photosynthesis. Thanks to it, tomatoes and peppers begin to quickly increase their green mass.

Vegetable crops need phosphorus for good flowering and fruiting. If the plants do not have enough of this substance, the ovaries will begin to fall off.

A substance such as potassium is more necessary for the excellent development of the root system of plants. If there is not enough of it, the tomatoes and peppers will die.

The main advantages of natural fertilizers, as a rule, include the fact that they all contain microelements. They can be perfectly absorbed by seedlings. The main disadvantage is that we cannot be completely sure of the dosage of the main elements.

The main principles of feeding plants using folk remedies are the same as in the case of feeding with mineral fertilizers:

  • It is best to provide seedlings with a minimum dose of fertilizer than to exceed it.
  • Fertilizing must be carried out on moist soil.
  • Seedlings should be fed in the morning.
  • When using liquid feed, its temperature should be 23-25 ​​degrees.
  • The main signs of a lack of batteries:
  • The lower leaves of the plant begin to lighten, turgor remains - a lack of nitrogen.
  • The seedlings begin to acquire a purple tint - a lack of phosphorus.
  • The leaves of the seedlings quickly begin to dry out with Karev - lack of potassium.
  • The leaves turn yellow between the veins - there is not enough iron.
  • The leaves of the plant wilt even with regular watering - most likely this is caused by a copper deficiency.


Natural fertilizer - wood ash

Feeding pepper seedlings after picking with folk remedies should also be done correctly. The most common folk fertilizer is ash. It is customary to use it at all life stages of the plant. This fertilizer contains almost all the nutrients plants need. But in different concentrations. Ash is good because, by nourishing the plant, it provides them with protection from many diseases. For example, applying to the soil surface wood ash used when watering or when the first signs of blackleg appear.

Attention! Very often the plant suffers from earthen fleas.

This can turn into a big disaster for the plant and simply destroy the seedlings. It is necessary 4-5 times in the morning after irrigation to thoroughly dust the surface of the soil where peppers and tomatoes grow with wood ash, and compose them until the next irrigation. It is necessary to constantly ensure that some of the ash remains on the seedlings for no more than four days. Otherwise, you will overfeed the plant. For the northern regions of our country, just dusting with ash may be enough.

It should be said right away that wood ash is best suited for feeding plants. Many people wonder whether the ash left over from barbecuing or barbecuing can be suitable for feeding plants. And the answer will be: yes, it will do, if you did not use gasoline or other chemicals when you lit the fire.

It’s great that the ashes of different plants contain different doses of chemicals. If possible, when fertilizing vegetable crops such as tomatoes and peppers, try to consider the following:

  • The ash of deciduous trees contains a large amount of calcium.
  • There is a lot of phosphorus in the ash of coniferous trees.
  • In the ash herbaceous plants or grapevines contain a lot of potassium.
  • Peat ash contains a large amount of lime. But as for potassium, there is very little of it.
  • The best is the ash obtained from the burning of sunflower, birch chips or Jerusalem artichoke stems.

It is important to know! Wood ash is a very long-lasting fertilizer. It can be added to the soil at minimum quantity for growing plants.

Ash is best made in the form of an extract. To do this, you need to pour one glass of ash with 8 liters of boiling water and leave for a day. Next you need to strain it.

Natural stimulants

Feeding tomato seedlings after picking with folk remedies should be done correctly. Only in this case will the seedlings be able to produce a rich harvest. Before planting in the ground, tomato and pepper seeds must be soaked in the following natural substances:

Aloe juice– an excellent natural stimulant. To do this, you need to cut one aloe leaf and wrap it in gauze. It should be stored for two weeks on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, or 2 days in the freezer. Next, you need to squeeze out all the juice from this leaf and dilute it one to one with water. Soak the seeds for a day.

Infusion of ash. Seeds of tomatoes and peppers for 6-7 often need to be soaked in an ash extract, which should be prepared as described above.

Honey. You need to take 1 teaspoon of honey and dissolve it in 1 cup of warm water. Next, take the seeds and pour them for 6 hours so that they are slightly moistened.

Potato juice. You need to peel several potato tubers and put them in freezer for 3-4 days. Then you should squeeze out the juice and soak the tomato and pepper seeds for 7-8 hours.

Fertilizers that can be applied to the soil.

From this article you could learn about how to fertilize tomato and pepper seedlings. Now it is important to tell you that some substances can be added to the soil before sowing tomatoes and peppers for seedlings. This can improve the soil structure and feed the seedlings.

Sleepy coffee grounds. If you prefer to drink good coffee, then you should not throw away the coffee you drink. In addition to being an excellent treasure, it can make an excellent soil amendment.

Ash. It is necessary to add a small amount of ash to the soil when sowing seedlings. This will also serve as feeding for the plants and can protect them from many diseases.

Fertilizers applied at the time of watering

You can fertilize tomatoes and peppers with folk remedies after the first leaves appear. And this process should be completed no later than 2 days before transplanting them into the soil. It is necessary to feed plants with enriched substances every 10-15 days.

If you cannot be completely confident in yourself, then it is better to use mineral fertilizers. In addition to wood ash, you can also fertilize peppers and tomatoes with the following prepared substances:

Banana peel contains a huge amount of potassium. You just need to place the peels of 4 bananas in a 3-elitrium jar and fill with warm water. Within 3-4 days the solution will be ready.

Eggshell. The shells of 4-5 eggs need to be lightly crushed and placed in a 3-liter jar. Also add warm water. After a few days, you can water the plants with the resulting solution.


What folk remedies are prohibited from feeding seedlings?

There are a wide variety of fertilizers that need to be used in open ground. But, unfortunately, they are not suitable for tomatoes and peppers.

Growing seedlings – the most important stage growing season, which establishes the potential for plant growth and productivity. During this period, special attention is paid to introducing the necessary nutrients into the soil.

General feeding rules

Most varietal and hybrid tomatoes and peppers spend 40 to 65 days in a confined environment inside a seedling box. At this stage, young plants are completely on artificial nutrition. A deficiency of nutrients in the soil can quickly lead to stunting or wilting. Therefore, timely application of fertilizing is the key to high growth rates and good yields.

The video shows seedlings of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants:

To make fertilizing as effective as possible, you should follow simple rules.:

  • An excess of nutrients is just as dangerous as a deficiency, therefore, when applying fertilizing, you should adhere to the recommended dosages and frequency.
  • Roots do not have the ability to dissolve dry compounds, so when choosing fertilizers, preference is given to liquid products.
  • Otherwise, powders introduced into the soil will be absorbed by the plant only as they dissolve during watering.
  • Fertilizing should be done after abundant watering - this will create an optimal environment for the rapid distribution of elements in the soil.
  • You need to feed in the morning (evening watering can lead to the formation of fungus).

IMPORTANT: Fertilizing gives the greatest effect in combination with basic care measures: regular loosening of the top layer of soil, compliance temperature regime, sufficient lighting.

Tomato seedlings: how to fertilize?

For full development, tomato seedlings must receive elements in a timely manner:

  • Nitrogen- the most important building element of plants.
  • Phosphorus– participates in the process of nutrition and photosynthesis.
  • Potassium– promotes intracellular fluid accumulation.
  • Manganese– improves gas exchange of the plant.
  • Iron- the main element for the functioning of photosynthesis.
  • Bor– helps form the root system.
  • Copper- the main participant in water exchange.
  • Zinc– strengthens the immunity of seedlings.
  • Molybdenum– accelerates protein synthesis.

Due to the variety of nutrients needed, creating a balanced fertilizer on your own can be quite a challenging task. Therefore, gardeners more often feed tomatoes with ready-made nutrient mixtures:

  • "Emerald"— liquid mixture for fertilizing based on nitrogen and magnesium. Best suited for eliminating primary signs of wilting. It is applied both by the root method and by spraying through a spray bottle.
  • "Gumat +7"- growth stimulator containing 7 basic nutrients: iron, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, boron, nickel. Thanks to its rich composition, it is enough to apply the product 3-4 times per season.
  • "Hello turbo"- a nutrient concentrate containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and a number of other substances. Promotes the growth of green mass and strengthens the stems of plants.
  • "Fertika Lux"- a dry mixture based on nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium with the addition of iron, copper, boron, manganese and zinc.
  • "Strong". A complex product containing nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and most of the elements from the list above. The drug is available in the form of a powder for dissolution in water, as well as in the form of a ready-made solution, which greatly facilitates the use of the product.

What is the best way to feed peppers and how?

The most popular mixtures for feeding peppers are:

  • "GUMI Kuznetsova". Includes potassium, sodium, phosphorus and nitrogen. In addition to stimulating growth, it also has a general strengthening effect. Sold as a dry mixture.
  • “Ideal” is a domestic product based on vermicompost with the addition of microelements. The product accelerates adaptation, promotes the growth of the root system and increases plant productivity. Sold in the form of a liquid concentrate.
  • "Orton Micro Fe". The product contains iron and a number of vital metals (zinc, molybdenum and others). Activates photosynthesis and helps prevent specialized diseases in peppers. Designed for foliar application.
  • "Aquadon Micro" is a drug based on a high-molecular surfactant. This base allows you to contain nutrients in a polymer-chelate form, which increases their effectiveness and bioavailability. The product is used as foliar feeding.

When to feed?

Tomato seedlings are fed three times:

  • 10 days after the pick. Starting from this time, the seedlings take root in a new place.
  • 14 days after the first feeding. The composition of fertilizers is selected individually based on the condition of the plants.
  • A week before landing at a permanent place. Most often they are fed with a solution of “Nitrophoska”.

The feeding scheme for peppers is similar to feeding tomatoes, but has some differences.:

  • The first time is fed during the unfolding phase of the second leaf.
  • The second feeding is carried out 12-13 days after picking.

The last feeding is carried out 4 days before planting.

How to feed tomato seedlings to make them plump?

Most nutrient mixtures (including Izumrud, Gumat, Krepysh) are aimed at increasing the green mass of the plant and strengthening its stem. However, there is more simple options fertilizing to help the seedlings become stronger and “plump”.

The simplest of them is feeding seedlings with iodine. Add 3 drops of iodine to 5 liters of water, and water the seedlings at the root with the resulting solution. This feeding is carried out no more than once every 1-2 weeks.

IMPORTANT: For foliar feeding, the composition of the solution changes: add 1 drop of iodine and half a glass of whey to 2 liters of water.

Tomatoes and peppers: folk remedies for feeding

For fans of natural fertilizers, these proven fertilizing recipes are suitable::

  • Banana peel infusion. Is a source of potassium. To prepare the infusion, add 1 kg of dried peel to 3 liters of water and leave for several days.
  • Infusion of eggshells. A 3-liter container is filled one third with shells, then filled with warm water. After 2-3 days, the infusion can be used for root feeding, after diluting it with water in a ratio of 1:3.
  • Wood ash solution. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of ash in 2 liters of warm water, leave for 24 hours, then filter and use for irrigation.
  • Bird droppings. Prepared at the rate of 100 grams of raw materials per 1 liter of water. Infuses for a week. To increase the effect, you can add a little to the solution copper sulfate or potassium permanganate.

Feeding tomatoes:

The appearance of plants is an indicator of a lack of nutrients

The plant itself can report a lack of certain substances. All you have to do is appreciate it appearance :

  • The paleness of the leaves indicates a lack of nitrogen, and extreme saturation with green, on the contrary, indicates its excess.
  • Withering of the plant and falling leaves indicates an excess of phosphorus in the soil, a purple tint of the leaves along with their curling inward, on the contrary, indicates its deficiency. However, it is important to consider that yellowing of the plant may also indicate iron deficiency.
  • Curling leaves indicate a lack of nitrogen and potassium.
  • A bluish tint to the petals indicates a lack of copper.
  • The reason for the formation of a significant number of stepsons may be an insufficient amount of boron.
  • Brown spots on the lower leaves of the plant may be a signal that magnesium needs to be added to the soil.

Juicy, fleshy tomatoes and strong, tasty peppers are present in the beds of almost every summer resident and gardener. However, in the process of growing seedlings, such a moment as feeding often slips out of your mind. But on initial stage development, vegetable crops are very vulnerable and lack nutrients.

General feeding rules

Even if the seeds are sown in special soil enriched with fertilizers, the plants may still lack nutrients. The seedlings are grown in boxes for several months, and the minerals initially present in the soil are not sufficient for this period.

Lack of nutrients has a detrimental effect on the development of young plants. Nevertheless, when feeding seedlings, it is important not to overdo it with fertilizers. Large dosages and too frequent fertilizing cause great harm to plants.

Using ready-made mixtures, you should definitely read the instructions for use in order to understand for what purpose this or that particular fertilizer is used. If the label states that the mixture is intended for feeding adult plants, you can simply halve the concentration of the solution.

The best efficiency of fertilizing is manifested when loosening the soil around the plants. But this must be done with extreme caution and affecting only the top layer, it is advisable to carry out loosening several hours after watering.

Liquid or dry mixtures?

It is preferable to feed tomato and pepper seedlings with liquid fertilizers. If the gardener has reserves of dry mixtures in his arsenal, it is better to dilute them with water. This is explained by the fact that the roots of peppers and tomatoes cannot independently absorb dry minerals from the soil.

The supply of minerals to the root system will occur as the substances dissolve after watering. Since this process is lengthy, the seedlings will receive nutrients in small quantities, and this will lead to slower growth.

Minerals are better distributed in the soil if fertilizing is done after watering the plants. Best time for such events – early morning. Evening feeding can cause the development of fungus in the soil due to a decrease in air temperature.

Interesting things! It is believed that consuming tomatoes slows down the aging process of the skin due to the lycopene they contain. Moreover, the richest in this pigment is not fresh fruits, but tomato paste and natural tomato juice.

Why feed plants?

Peppers and tomatoes were originally grown on another continent. In nature, these crops are considered perennial plants and, in the absence of strong winds and mechanical damage, can reach several meters in height. What we are used to seeing in the beds are the fruits of selection, which may not survive without appropriate fertilizing.

You should not be of the opinion that all fertilizers harm vegetable crops. Thanks to nitrogen, for example, plants grow green mass, phosphorus helps them bloom and bear fruit, and potassium promotes the development of rhizomes. This is only a small part of the effects microelements have on vegetable crops.

Lack of nutrients often causes many diseases. For example, late blight affects plants with a lack of copper; it can be cured by feeding the plants with preparations containing copper.

Important! With the right balanced diet Nitrates do not accumulate in peppers and tomatoes; on the contrary, their content decreases, and sugar content and taste improve. Properly selected fertilizer is the key to the full development, ripening and accumulation of vitamins and beneficial microelements in vegetables.

How to improve productivity?

We are constantly receiving letters in which amateur gardeners are worried that due to the cold summer this year there will be a poor harvest of potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. Last year we published TIPS on this matter. But unfortunately, many did not listen, but some still applied. Here is a report from our reader, we would like to recommend plant growth biostimulants that will help increase the yield by up to 50-70%.

Read...

Types of fertilizing

You can fertilize plants in two ways: apply at the root or spray. Even inexperienced gardeners have heard about foliar feeding, but they rarely use it. Root feeding is more common. However, according to experts, the foliar method of feeding or spraying is more effective for young plants. With this type of feeding, nutrients are absorbed by the leaves. Having decided what exactly the plants lack, you need to prepare a weak solution based on the missing component and spray the leaves with it.

With foliar feeding, plants instantly absorb all the minerals that fall on the leaves. As for the solution that feeds the soil, it is partially washed away by rainwater or during irrigation, so only part of the nutrients is absorbed by the rhizome.

After diving, it is recommended to use both types of fertilizing, applying them alternately. Starting from the second half of the growing season, it is better to focus only on applying fertilizers at the root. It is not recommended to use tap water as it contains chlorine, which is harmful to tomatoes. Best used for watering plants rainwater, you can replace it with settled tap water.

When to feed seedlings?

It is not recommended to overuse fertilizers for tomatoes and peppers. An excess of nutrients causes no less harm than their lack. It is advisable to use fertilizer for home seedlings of tomatoes and peppers when the plants look weak and stunted. With normal development, strong stems and lush green leaves, you can refrain from feeding with minerals.

Added nitrogen can seriously harm crops. When there is an excess of the substance, the seedlings begin to stretch out, new shoots and greenery appear on it. Lush bushes, of course, are pleasing to the eye, but they do not produce a rich harvest.

What is the best way to feed tomato and pepper seedlings?

You can understand exactly what substance plants lack for normal development by the appearance of the seedlings and their growth rate:

  • With a lack of iron, the leaves of the seedlings turn pale. Veins of bright green color clearly appear on them.
  • Withering, yellowing and falling leaves symbolize a lack of nitrogen. In addition, the growth of seedlings slows down. These symptoms can also be caused by failure to comply with certain conditions in which nightshade crops are grown. For example, problems with leaves may be associated with a lack of light, too low or, conversely, too high a temperature.
  • Appearance violet shade on the leaves indicates that the seedlings do not have enough phosphorus.

Thanks to such simple observations, you can understand how to feed pepper and tomato seedlings in a certain period of time.

Did you know! Pepper and tomato seedlings do not tolerate elevated temperatures, especially when grown in a greenhouse. For this reason, it is recommended to regularly ventilate the premises, but avoid drafts.

Fertilizers for home seedlings of peppers and tomatoes

The number of feedings for peppers from the moment of sowing the seeds until planting the seedlings in the holes is 3, and for tomatoes - 2. The range of fertilizers today is huge, of course, many believe that it is best to fertilize nightshade plants with kemira, but this mixture is not cheap. There are also budget options fertilizing good quality, and you can feed them both young and adult plants.

Good, but not universal, fertilizers, according to gardeners, include nitroammophoska and amophoska. Their main difference from specialized mixtures is that the needs of a certain type of plant must be taken into account independently. Before fertilizing the plants, you should carefully study the instructions and prepare the solution in strict accordance with the written information.

You can feed tomatoes for the first time on the 12th day after diving. To do this, it is better to use a special mixture, only the concentration needs to be halved and urea added (at the rate of a teaspoon per bucket of solution). During this period, vegetable crops experience a lack of nitrogen.

A week after the first feeding, you can feed the plants again. This time you can fertilize the seedlings with a special preparation, or you can use a self-prepared solution based on ammophosphate. It is prepared in the ratio of one teaspoon of the mixture per 10 liters of water. If the seedlings are developing well, it is better to refrain from fertilizing with mineral fertilizers until planting them in the holes. If necessary and signs indicating a lack of a specific substance appear, tomatoes should be fed every 2 weeks.

For the first feeding of peppers, which is carried out when the first leaves appear, it is better to use a special fertilizer. After 2 weeks, you can apply a second fertilizing, and 3 days before you plant the seedlings in open ground, third. If ammophoska is chosen as a top dressing for peppers, the solution is prepared in the same ratio as for tomatoes. The only difference is that an additional tablespoon of wood ash is added to the fertilizer for peppers based on ammophoska, previously poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for two hours.

Complex fertilizers

For plants that are experiencing an acute lack of nutrients, special fertilizers are available for sale, which are also called complex fertilizers. They may contain about 15 microelements necessary for normal growth and development of plants. The use of complex fertilizers is advisable at any stage of the growing season and different types soil

What fertilizer is effective for tomatoes and peppers when growing seedlings?

  • Fertilizer "Baby". Used in growing peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. It contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and other organic substances. When feeding nightshade crops with the “Malyshok” fertilizer, the process of seed germination is accelerated, normal growth and development of seedlings is ensured, and resistance to unfavorable environmental conditions is increased.
  • "Signor Tomato." Main chemicals The constituents of this fertilizer are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Their ratio is 1:4:2. This complex fertilizer with such proportions of basic nutrients is ideal for tomatoes and peppers, as well as eggplants, since all are equally demanding of their content in the soil. In addition, the composition includes humic acids and bacteria of the genus Azotobacter. When planted in open ground, plants fed with this fertilizer do not grow taller than necessary.
  • "Kemira Lux". The composition contains macro- and microelements that promote normal growth and development of plants. It can be used for seedlings, both when planting seeds and when planting in open ground. There is no need to worry about the harmful effects of chlorine, since it is not present in the composition.
  • "Energen". When planting seeds, it is recommended to soak them in the Energen preparation, which contains macro and microelements, as well as humic, fulvic and silicic acids. It is a natural stimulator of growth and development. The main advantage of Energen is that it can be used to feed all plants and crops. In addition to stimulating growth and development, this fertilizer provides plants with protection from adverse natural factors such as drought or frost and increases their survival rate.
  • "Tsitovit." If you feed the soil with Cytovit when planting seeds, this will make up for the lack of nutrients at all stages of development. This fertilizer takes part in the formation of phytohormones and stimulation of photosynthesis processes.

Traditional feeding methods

Despite big choice of various preparations provided for feeding seedlings, lovers of everything natural prefer to prepare fertilizers for tomatoes and other vegetable crops on their own.

What is the best way to feed tomato and pepper seedlings without using chemicals? It is known that the main substances that these crops need are potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. Based on this, the appropriate fertilizer is selected.

  • The best sources of nitrogen are manure and poultry droppings. Every second gardener uses this option when any problems arise with seedlings. The main thing is not to forget that fertilizer based on bird droppings or manure is rich in nitrogen, and, therefore, contributes to the growth of green mass.
  • Coffee lovers have found use for waste coffee grounds in their gardens. When planting seeds, it is recommended to add a small amount to the soil. coffee grounds. For seedlings, it is a unique source of nutrition, while coffee also helps loosen the soil, thereby improving oxygen access to the root system.
  • You can feed seedlings of peppers and other nightshade crops with onion peels. Water infused with it fills the soil with useful substances and disinfects it.

By following simple rules for caring for plants and choosing the right fertilizer, you will be able to grow strong and healthy seedlings, which will thank you with a rich harvest in the fall.

And a little about the author’s secrets

Have you ever experienced unbearable joint pain? And you know firsthand what it is:

  • inability to move easily and comfortably;
  • discomfort when going up and down stairs;
  • unpleasant crunching, clicking not of your own accord;
  • pain during or after exercise;
  • inflammation in the joints and swelling;
  • unreasonable and sometimes unbearable aching pain in the joints...

Now answer the question: are you satisfied with this? Can such pain be tolerated? How much money have you already wasted on ineffective treatment? That's right - it's time to end this! Do you agree? That is why we decided to publish an exclusive interview with Oleg Gazmanov, in which he revealed the secrets of getting rid of joint pain, arthritis and arthrosis.

Attention, TODAY only!

To feed tomatoes and peppers, gardeners most often resort to folk remedies. This allows them to grow strong seedlings while saving their budget. In addition, substances used as fertilizers do not contain toxic substances that can accumulate in fruits. This article will tell you how to properly feed tomato and pepper seedlings using folk remedies.

Substances for growth

The most important substance for the growth and development of seedlings is nitrogen. It is he who takes part in the saturation color range leaves. The thickness of the stem depends on its presence. The absence of this component is manifested in the paleness and fragility of the stem.

Thanks to phosphorus, plants bloom and bear fruit. It is especially important for tomatoes. Pepper needs a component such as potassium. The main rule experienced gardener– do not overdo it with fertilizers. An excess of minerals can lead to diseases.

Important! If plants need minerals, their appearance will tell you about it. The leaves will dry out, change color, the stem will become completely thin, and the crop will begin to hurt. Such signs can also occur in case of an overdose of minerals.

Popular folk remedies

Despite the fact that folk remedies are completely harmless, when using them the following rules must be observed:

Ash is the most effective fertilizer that every home has for pepper and tomato seedlings. It contains all the beneficial minerals that were in the wood before it burned. Ash can only be used from natural fuel; in no case should ash from objects containing aggressive chemicals be used.

To feed plants, you only need to sprinkle the surface of the soil where the seedlings grow; this will be enough for them to receive the required amount of minerals. In addition, ash serves as protection against diseases and pests. If we consider the composition of the ash, then:

  • In the ash coniferous trees contains phosphorus;
  • In leafy ones - calcium;
  • Grapes and herbs contain potassium.

Bird droppings contain nitrogen. Gardeners prefer to fertilize seedlings with bird droppings. But you should remember that fresh, concentrated droppings can harm the root system, which has not yet had time to form. It is best to dilute it with water and leave for three days. Before using it, add more water to the solution. The ratio should be one liter of solution per ten liters of water.

Important! Watering seedlings does not need to be done regularly, since the nitrogen it contains promotes the development of green mass of plants. For the normal development of all parts of crops, they are fertilized with bird droppings only once.

Coffee grounds - this substance is used two in one. It is both a fertilizer and a soil loosening agent. Residues from drinking coffee can be mixed with the soil before planting seedlings. Thus, the thicket will not only be good fertilizer, but will also fluff up the soil. They don’t even throw away the grounds to which milk was added. But when using this substance, you need to remember that it can raise the acidity level of the soil. Therefore, during plant growth, ash must also be used.

Banana skins should not be thrown away after eating the fruit. This is a real storehouse of potassium. Peppers will like this fertilizer best. To prepare it, you should finely chop the peel, fill it with water and leave for several days. The ratio should be three or four banana skins to three liters of water.

Onion peels or eggshells are perfect as fertilizer. You can choose the proportions for preparing the solution yourself. The main thing is that they are infused for several days, just like banana peel. This product is perfect for strengthening the plant.

No less valuable are potato decoctions, as well as water in which cereals or beans have settled. These infusions will be an excellent tool not only for fertilizing seedlings, but will also serve as protection against diseases.

Banana peel fertilizer

Yeast is an excellent substance that stimulates plant growth, its strengthening and protection from diseases. To prepare the solution, you need to take one liter of warm water and half a pack of fresh yeast or one gram of dry. Infuse for several hours and dilute another five liters.

Iodine serves as an excellent plant food and also protects against diseases. Experienced gardeners have come up with another way to fertilize plants. Iodine is an excellent remedy for this. Ten liters of water give ten grams of the drug.

In addition to these fertilizers, which can be used to fertilize a plant at home, the following products are used:

  • Aspirin;
  • Hydrogen peroxide;
  • Ammonia;
  • Serum.

Chemical fertilizers

From chemicals, aimed at fertilizing tomato seedlings, attention should be paid to the following:


Fertika

Fertika fertilizer is produced by Kemira. This is a complex fertilizer that is used in dissolved form and is aimed at improving plant growth. The drug should be diluted in a ratio of one tablespoon of the substance per twenty liters of water. Seedlings need to be watered once a week.

For those plants that were picked in a greenhouse, you need to apply a solution in the ratio of a tablespoon of the drug per ten liters of water and apply once a week. If tomatoes and peppers are planted in open ground, then they need to be fed with a solution diluted in the same way as for a greenhouse, but at intervals of two weeks.

Important! There is one drawback when working with Fertik. This substance is toxic, so you need to wear protective clothing and gloves when working with it. After the work is completed, you need to thoroughly wash the dishes that were used for feeding and your hands.

Bogatyr

The drug Bogatyr is produced in a liquid state, it contains a rich set of mineral trace elements:

  • nitrogen,
  • phosphorus,
  • potassium,
  • Fe 60,

For foliar feeding of seedlings, the drug is used diluted in a ratio of five milliliters of the drug per liter of water. The leaves need to be sprayed generously so that they are completely wet.

Root feeding is done with a solution diluted in a ratio of ten milliliters per liter of water. The consumption of the drug should be the same as for regular watering. Fertilizers need to be applied once every two weeks.

Fertilizer Bogatyr

FlorGumat

FlorHumate is a universal fertilizer based on biologically active substances. Thanks to the use of this fertilizer, the root system develops quickly and thereby improves the metabolic process in the plant. In addition, thanks to the drug, functions such as:

  • chlorophyll synthesis,
  • sugars,
  • vitamins,
  • amino acids,
  • oils

Using FlorGumat when planting seeds, you can absolutely expect plant germination. In addition, it has other advantages, among which it should be noted:

  • Acceleration of fruit ripening;
  • Increases the efficiency of applied fertilizers, thereby reducing their quantity;
  • Productivity increases;
  • Improves fruit quality;
  • Helps plants resist drought, frost and disease;
  • Thanks to the drug, products last much longer;
  • Binds heavy metals and pesticides in the soil, thereby improving its quality.

Interesting. At the same time, the drug is compatible with other fertilizers and contributes to their effectiveness.

Athlete

Athlete suppresses the processes of gibberellins, due to which the above-ground part of the plant stops growing, and the root system begins to develop more actively. Thanks to this, the plant strengthens and becomes strong. Thus, the seedlings become more developed, which will subsequently have a positive effect on the yield.

Athlete effectively affects the plant, due to which it:

  • Develops mechanical tissues, that is, the cells become thick-walled, which helps strengthen the stem, petioles, and leaf veins;
  • Increases in stem diameter;
  • Develops a large number of leaves;
  • Productivity increases by thirty percent.

The drug is produced in ampoules with a capacity of one and a half milligrams, which, when preparing the solution, are diluted with one liter of water. It can be used for root feeding. This is done during the period of first shoots and the formation of cotyledon leaves. Thus, the stem does not stretch upward; on the contrary, it becomes short but strong. In this case, the plant should be watered after treatment with Atlet no earlier than two or three days later. Thus, the roots will absorb the substance.

For foliar feeding, the leaves are generously sprayed, with at least thirty or even fifty milliliters of solution used for each plant.

Something to remember! With each treatment, plant growth slows down. Therefore, treatment should be carried out no less than three times, with a break of a week. If this is not done, the stem will begin to actively grow upward, and the root system will remain weak.

The drug is completely harmless. It is not dangerous to humans or insects.

Agricola

Agricola - fertilizer for seedlings of tomatoes and peppers is used by summer residents as a universal fertilizer. Release form of the drug:


For peppers and tomatoes you should buy Agricola 3. It contains:

  • Nitrogen;
  • Phosphorus;
  • Potassium;
  • Magnesium.

All these microelements are necessary for plants to grow and develop. They not only have a positive effect on the plant itself, but also make the fruits tasty, large and strong.

Before feeding tomato and pepper seedlings, you need to know the composition of the fertilizer. In addition to the above, you can use urea or the drug Ideal. They are also effective for seedling growth.

The use of folk remedies for feeding tomato and pepper seedlings is an excellent tool that helps you save your budget on purchasing fertilizers and get good harvest. At the same time, plants that are planted using nutrients will gratefully respond to the gardener with excellent growth and development. But it is important to remember that under no circumstances should you transfer a dose of fertilizer. This may result in the plant not bearing fruit.