Give your tomato seedlings the right nutrition

There are many types of tomatoes. Take for example the small cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, syn. Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), which is one of the most popular tomatoes. As with any tomato plants, also this variety should be pre-grown before you move it outside.
You need to grow strong and healthy seedlings and to do so, you need to provide proper nutrition and care, but that does not mean that you should fertilize early. You need to provide different nutrition at each step of the growing process as each phase requires special nutrients in the right amount.

Fertilizing tomato seedlings

The first fertilizer should be applied about two weeks after the development of cotyledons. If you do not fertilize, you will slow down the growing process significantly and you can repeat it ten days after the first fertilization, but it is not necessary. Use a regular fertilizer designed for vegetables.

You should apply the next fertilizer 3 or 4 days before you want to transplant tomatoes to a greenhouse or in your garden. Superphosphate and ash fertilizers are most suitable at this stage. Here are the appropriate amounts:

• 60 g wood ash,
• 30 g superphosphate
• and 10 litres of water.

Pour about 150 ml of the mix under each seedling. No more. You do not want to over fertilize.

Photo: Pixabay

When should you fertilize again?

Seedlings will give you the first sign. Twisted lower leaves and purple hue on the back of leaves may indicate a lack of nitrogen. If the growth seems to be slow, you may try superphosphate (20 g per bucket of water). This promotes development of strong roots and increases resistance to diseases.

If leaves are wrinkled and start turning dark, you need to provide potassium. Use a solution of potassium sulphate (30 g per 10 litres of water) or ash (one tablespoon per one litre of water).

Preview photo: Pixabay

Source: https://www.pasti.cz/blog/jak-na-hnojeni-rajcat/