The situation when early autumn frosts destroy the entire tomato crop is far from uncommon, especially for residents of the middle zone. How to speed up the ripening of tomatoes in a greenhouse or in open ground, what methods and techniques will help stimulate this process, will be discussed in this article.
The influence of fertilizing on the filling and ripening of tomatoes
Experienced gardeners know: the easier it is for tomatoes to take from the soil the substances necessary for growth and development, the faster they grow, the more they fill and the faster they ripen. Based on these observations, a special method for ripening tomatoes using fertilizing was developed. It was developed for greenhouses, but it also gives good results in open ground - judging from my own experience.
Following this method, 20 days after planting the seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground, the plants are first fertilized with a mixture of mullein and nitrophoska. To prepare the working solution, add 0.5 liquid mullein to a bucket of water and dissolve 1 tbsp in this mixture. a spoonful of nitrophoska. The resulting mixture is used for root feeding of plants.
After 10 days, a second feeding is carried out. A teaspoon of potassium sulfate and a tablespoon of nitroammophosphate or, preferably, a specialized complex mineral fertilizer are dissolved in 10 liters of water. As in the first case, root feeding is carried out. The consumption rate of the working solution in both cases is about 1 liter per tomato bush.
15 days after the second feeding, the third is performed. 1 tablespoon of superphosphate and 2-2.5 cups of wood ash are dissolved in 10 liters of water. To stimulate growth and fruit filling, a tablespoon of sodium humate is added to the solution. When root feeding with this solution, the consumption is 0.5-0.7 liters for each bush.
Some gardeners prefer not to mix fertilizer and growth stimulator, but use a liquid solution of sodium humate for root feeding. In this case, the consumption rate of the working solution, which includes superphosphate and wood ash, increases to 1 liter per bush.
When using top dressing to stimulate tomato ripening, you need to take into account that the use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers - both organic and mineral - in this system is minimized.
And this is no coincidence: the application of nitrogen fertilizers during the period of formation and ripening of fruits will lead to an increase in green mass, therefore, the ripening period will not be shortened, but extended. And such fertilizing will not have the best effect on the taste of ripe fruits.
When using this method of stimulation, the first tomatoes in the greenhouse ripen in 45-50 days. In open ground, this process is slightly “slowed down” by the influence of other natural factors that are not always favorable for tomatoes, but the result will also be very, very noticeable.
In addition, almost everyone who has used this method notes not only an acceleration in the time of filling and ripening of fruits, but also a more favorable return of production from plants.
The influence of watering on the ripening time of tomatoes
Without sufficient moisture in the soil, it is impossible to grow a good tomato crop. Moisture is needed both for the formation of the ovary and for the filling of fruits. Therefore, properly organized watering also helps to stimulate fruit ripening to a certain extent.
When deciding on watering, you need to take into account that tomatoes really do not like sudden changes in soil moisture. Therefore, you need to water regularly, but not to be overzealous - high humidity provokes the appearance of late blight and various rots on plants.
If a certain number of fruits have already formed on the tomato bushes, and for some reason you allowed the soil under them to dry out, then it is better to completely stop watering and fertilizing. In this case, the formed fruits will quickly fill and ripen. If you water the tomatoes after the soil dries out, the skin of the fruit will almost certainly crack and most of them will rot while still green.
Agrotechnical techniques for accelerating the ripening of tomatoes
In addition to a special fertilizing system, there are other agrotechnical techniques that promote the rapid ripening of tomatoes.
Such agricultural practices include:
- pinching and pinching the tops;
- removing excess leaves from plants;
- partial damage to the root system;
- stem injury;
- deliberate injury to fruits;
- "starvation ration"
These methods of stimulating maturation can be used either individually or in combination, sequentially using 2-3 of the listed methods.
Pinching and pinching the tops of tomatoes
This agrotechnical technique is almost always used by vegetable growers to form bushes of tall tomatoes both in the greenhouse and in the open ground, and helps speed up the ripening of tomatoes.
When stepsons and excess ovaries are removed, redistribution occurs: the nutrients that the bush would spend to maintain the vital activity of the removed parts are used by the plant to fill and ripen the fruits.
Pinching the tops has a similar effect on the plant. The nutrients that the tomato plant would spend on further growth are used by it to ripen the fruit.
Removing excess leaves
This is also a well-known technique that many gardeners use to combat late blight. By removing some of the leaves on the bush, especially the lower ones that hang to the ground, you can ensure not only that more nutrients are supplied to the fruits, but also that they are better illuminated by the sun, which also has a positive effect on the ripening time of tomatoes.
Partial damage to the root system
The essence of this method is to deliberately damage some part of the root system of the tomato bush. Again, the acceleration of tomato ripening occurs due to the redistribution of nutrient flows, which, no longer able to feed the roots, rise up the stem, feeding the fruits so that they ripen faster.
To perform this technique, grasp the base of the tomato bush with both hands near the ground and gently pull it up until you hear a characteristic clicking sound. These sounds are made by small roots being torn off. As soon as you hear them, stop pulling immediately, otherwise you may cut off the root completely.
Stem injury
The technique is quite controversial, but some gardeners consider it quite effective for “spurring” the ripening of tomatoes. Its essence is the same as in the previous method: partially blocking the flow of nutrients to the root system and redirecting them for faster filling and ripening of fruits.
There are two ways to perform this agricultural technique. In the first case, the stem is intercepted at a level of 8-14 cm from the ground with a thin flexible wire, squeezing it, but not cutting it completely. The second method is to longitudinally cut part of the stem into two halves.
This cut is made at a height of 5-6 cm from the ground, and the length of the cut itself should be about 7 cm. To separate the cut halves of the stem to the sides, insert a match, a toothpick or a small wooden sliver between them.
I would still not recommend that beginning gardeners abuse this technique. It is very traumatic; when performing it, it is very easy to “overdo it” and destroy the plant. If you really want to test its effectiveness with your own hands, then practice first on 2-3 bushes, and only after “getting” your hand a little, move on to the rest.
Deliberate injury to fetuses
Tomatoes with damaged skins ripen faster than their whole counterparts. Therefore, in order for the fruits to ripen faster, you can specifically make 2-3 punctures of the skin at the base of the tomato stalks.
To perform this operation, take a thin, pointed wooden stick and a glass of vodka or alcohol diluted to the strength of vodka.
Having disinfected a wooden stick, carefully pierce the peel of a green tomato to a depth of 2-3 mm, disinfect it again, pierce the next fruit, etc. - how much patience is enough? I myself am not a supporter of this method - it is very labor-intensive, and the shelf life of ripened tomatoes worsens. Although this operation does not affect the taste of the fruit in any way.
"Starvation ration"
One of the most cost-effective techniques both in terms of time and resources. Personally, I like it because you don’t have to do anything with the tomatoes. It’s just that in mid-July they completely stop caring for the tomato bed: no more watering or fertilizing is carried out on it.
After being on such a “diet” for a week, the plants begin to intensively nourish the formed ovaries. As a result, depending on weather conditions, fruit ripening is accelerated by 5-10 days.
But this method also has a negative side - as a result of premature cessation of plant care, a shortage of crops results. In open ground, especially when growing varieties that yield a good harvest, this is justified. But in a greenhouse, where you always want to get the maximum harvest, I would not recommend using this method.
Special ways to speed up the ripening of tomatoes
In addition to agricultural techniques, there are many other ways to speed up the ripening of tomatoes:
- spraying with special preparations;
- ethylene stimulation;
- introduction of ethyl alcohol into the fruits;
- ripening.
Spraying with special solutions
This method is widely used to speed up the ripening of tomatoes when growing them on an industrial scale - both in greenhouses and on tomato plantations.
To prepare solutions, you can use special defoliant preparations: Ethephon, Camposan, Etrel, etc., or you can prepare such a mixture at home from scrap materials.
There are many options for such solutions, the most popular of which are:
- alcohol tincture of iodine (40 drops diluted in a bucket of water);
- urea (80-100 g per 10 liters of water);
- table salt (0.5 kg per 10 liters of water);
- treat with superphosphate (2 tablespoons per bucket of water);
- potassium parchment (medium pink solution).
The principle of operation of all the listed solutions is similar: the tomato beds must be treated with the prepared solutions, and very generously - the solution should literally drain from the leaves, as if after a good rain. 3 days after this treatment, the plants shed their leaves, and after 7-8 days the formed fruits begin to turn brown.
Ethylene stimulation
This method is often used to speed up the ripening of picked green tomatoes by adding 2-3 pcs. ripe. Ethylene released by ripe fruits significantly accelerates the ripening of the bulk of green tomatoes.
You can also use this method to stimulate the ripening of tomatoes on the bush. A thick plastic bag is placed on the tomato brush, into which a ripe tomato, half an apple or a banana peel, which are also rich sources of ethylene, are placed.
Usually after three days the stimulation of the hand ends and the bag is put on the other hand. 5-6 days after removing the package, the fruits on the cluster will turn brown.
Introduction of ethyl alcohol into fruits
The method is effective, but for me personally it is not very attractive, because... very time-consuming. It consists of injecting 0.5 ml into each green tomato using a syringe. ethyl alcohol.
4-5 days after this operation, the tomatoes will begin to turn brown, and after two weeks fruiting will be completely completed. This method is often used by gardeners in small greenhouses when they need to quickly harvest crops and free up space for growing other products.
Ripening
Ripening is used to save already formed but still green fruits from early frosts. To do this, they are torn off and brought into the room, where they are laid out in one layer on shelves or in small containers. Plucked pods indoors will not only be protected from frost, but will also ripen much faster than those left on the bush.
Some gardeners completely dig up a tomato bush and hang it in a shed or storage room from the ceiling with its roots up. Tomatoes on such a bush will also ripen faster than on the garden bed, although slower than torn ones.
Using the methods listed above, you can greatly speed up the ripening of tomatoes. But still, such artificial stimulation should be used carefully, since almost all of the listed methods lead to a shortage of yield. Therefore, it is important to maintain a happy medium between the productivity of a tomato bush and its fruit yield.
What measures do gardeners go to in order to get a good harvest of tomatoes? For example, alcohol is used to accelerate ripening. It really works! Be sure to try it!
Drunken Tomato Method
It consists of using a solution of ethyl alcohol or regular vodka. Many people think that the people invented the method, but in fact, scientists were involved in the development, and for many years.
The latest experiments were carried out in St. Petersburg. Scientists from the Institute of Food Technologies M. Kubli and S. Soldatenkov, based on the experience of their predecessors, who proposed using alcohol in vegetable beds back in 1934, proved that such fertilizing contributes to faster ripening of fruits. And what is important is that this happens evenly.
The method of “drunk” tomatoes has not become widespread on an industrial scale. Such processing takes too much effort and time. But for small garden plots and especially for those who grow tomatoes on window sills or balconies, this method is indispensable. You can try without doubt. The result will definitely please you.
How it works
The drunken tomato method involves injecting alcohol into the tomato. During scientific research, a solution of ethyl with water at a strength of 86-50% was used. The dose of “injection” also depended on the alcohol content. People mainly use vodka to speed things up. 0.5 ml is injected into one fruit, directly into the middle.
When alcohol gets inside a tomato, all vital processes are activated and ripening is accelerated several times. Even if you give an “injection” to a large-fruited tomato when it is only the size of a nut, it will still reach technical ripeness in 7-10 days. The taste of alcohol is not noticeable at all. The tomatoes taste the same as without it.
For which varieties and when to use the “drunk” method
There is no point in using alcohol to speed up the ripening of tomatoes in normal summers and under stable weather conditions, unless you really want to quickly taste your own harvest. But at the end of August-September, when it is already clear that the ovaries will not reach the required ripeness on their own, as well as when grown in greenhouses and at home, this method is indispensable.
Interesting!
Any variety can be stimulated with alcohol. Vodka works on both the smallest ones, like Cherry, and the largest ones, like Bull's Heart, etc.
Only the use of such “drunk” fertilizer is allowed only for healthy plants. If the bush is weakened or the fruits show signs of disease or spoilage, such an injection will only worsen the situation.
Terms of use
Alcohol really speeds up the ripening of tomatoes. But, having chosen this method for your plantings, be sure to follow the following rules so as not to harm the plants:
- To feed tomatoes, you can take vodka or alcohol diluted to a strength of 40-45 degrees. Moonshine is not recommended.
- You can only use a sterile syringe; the surface of the tomato where the injection will be given must also be disinfected.
- Be sure to wear sterile gloves while working. If you introduce an infection, not only the fetus will die, but also all nearby plantings.
- Fertilizing with alcohol is carried out once!
While growing tomatoes, many people have probably noticed that their neighbor’s tomatoes are always big and large and grow well, but they can’t get a big harvest from their own plot. And everyone is wondering, how to feed tomatoes so that they grow and bear fruit for a long time, and even give a record harvest? You will find out the answers to these questions by reading this article.
What types of fertilizers are there?
Tomatoes, like other vegetable crops, are very responsive to fertilizers, but this does not mean that the plants need to be constantly fed and sprayed. An excess of nutrients does not always have a good effect on their growth and fruiting.It is customary to distinguish two types of fertilizing: root and foliar. Root - applied under the root, and foliar - this is when beneficial substances are applied directly to the stem and leaves of the plant, so it is considered more effective. This method is often used when plants need quick help. In this case, the concentration of solutions should be low, and the fertilizers should be liquid or completely soluble, so that when watering, the seedlings do not get burned. It is better to take settled water for foliar spraying, without chlorine.
Both fertilizers are useful to the same extent for tomatoes both in open and closed ground.
Mineral fertilizers play a huge role in the growth and fruiting of tomatoes: potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Nitrogen stimulates the development of stems and leaves, and phosphorus is responsible for the root system and fruit set, while potassium is important when the vegetable ripens.
If you take a closer look at your plants, you can easily determine what nutrients they are lacking. For example, with a lack of nitrogen, the lower leaves of tomatoes become pale green in color, and the stems become thin and fragile. An insufficient amount of phosphorus is manifested in the death of leaves, delayed flowering and ripening. But if the edges of tomato leaves curl down and turn yellow, then this is a clear sign of potassium deficiency.
When and what to fertilize tomatoes
You can fertilize tomatoes several times per season (3 or 4), or every two weeks after planting the seedlings. Here everyone chooses what they need and what is most suitable.The first fertilizing can be done already when planting tomato seedlings. As a rule, compost or humus (a small amount), wood ash are placed in the hole, and you can put 1 teaspoon of superphosphate.
If you want to get the harvest earlier and the fruits larger, fertilizing tomatoes with yeast will be useful. To prepare it, take 2.5 liters of settled warm water (preferably not chlorinated), a packet of dry yeast and half a glass of sugar. Mix all ingredients well and leave to infuse. The resulting mixture will be ready when the fermentation process is completed. Next, dilute one glass of this solution in 10 liters of water and water it under the bush, one liter for each plant. This feeding should be done 3-4 times per season. As a result, the plants grow powerful and bear fruit well throughout the season.
When growing tomatoes, it is advisable to choose one complex mineral fertilizer and use it together with organic fertilizers. It makes no sense to look for the best one, since the composition of such fertilizers is almost the same, the only difference is in the percentage of elements they contain. Therefore, the use of any mineral additives must be carried out taking into account the characteristics of the soil in your area.Fertilizing with urea has a good effect on the growth and development of seedlings, however, you should not put it directly into the hole when planting. If there is a strong need to fertilize with urea, dilute 1 tablespoon in a bucket of water and spray your tomatoes.
To quickly ripen fruits, you can use the following tincture: dilute 1 tablespoon of superphosphate in a glass of water and let it brew for 48 hours, then pour it into a bucket of water and spray the plants. As a result, the leaves of the tomatoes will darken, photosynthesis will increase, and the berries will ripen earlier than usual.
Feeding tomatoes with iodine is another way to increase your yield. To do this, dissolve 5 drops of iodine in 15 liters of water (one bucket) and mix; water two liters under each bush.
Feed your tomatoes and you will have a rich harvest!
Summer is coming to an end, but tomatoes are in no hurry to ripen. Fortunately, there are ways to speed up this process.
Accelerating the ripening of tomatoes in the garden
Depending on the region, in the first and second ten days of August, root feeding stops, with the exception of potassium humate or ash. These substances, on the contrary, will help the fruits become sweeter and ripen earlier, so 1-2 feedings will not harm. To prepare a popular folk remedy, stir a glass of ash in a bucket of water and water the bushes at the root. But it is more effective to treat tomatoes with a daily infusion of ash per leaf. In early August, lovers of mineral complexes practice spraying with Plantafol fertilizer - 5:15:45 from the company Valagro: 1 tbsp. l. for 5 l.
Feeding with potassium on the leaf is a good way to speed up fruit ripening
At the end of summer, water supply is reduced to a minimum. A signal about a critical lack of moisture is the grafted tops. Then the plants are watered, but not abundantly, so that the fruits do not crack.
If there are a lot of tomatoes on the bushes, they are picked at ripeness so that the remaining ones turn brown sooner. The fewer tomatoes on the bush, the faster they reach technical maturity.
It is better to quickly remove tomatoes that have barely colored at the end of summer.
Experienced gardeners also use other methods of fighting for the harvest.
Shelter
Ripe tomatoes should be healthy. However, cold dew leads to the development of late blight. To avoid misfortune, the beds are covered with film at night. If it is already cold outside, it is recommended to “hide” the tomatoes under cover and from the afternoon rain.
Artificial stress
Tomatoes start thinking about seeds when they feel uncomfortable. As long as everything suits them, the fruits will remain green. There are several ways to “scare” relaxed pets:
- pierce the base of the stem 10 cm from the ground with the tip of a sharp knife and insert a toothpick into the slot;
- tighten the stem with copper wire at the same height;
- grab the stem and slowly pull up so that part of the roots are torn.
The listed measures will limit the supply of nutrition and disrupt the flow of sap, which will lead to partial starvation of the plant, and therefore to stress. The tomato will think about its offspring and ripen sooner. The same result is achieved by piercing the fruit's shoulders (the area near the stalk) twice with a disinfected needle. The damage usually heals quickly.
Instead of a toothpick, you can insert copper wire into the tomato stem.
Trimming
If a tomato is blooming, setting fruit, and frost is on its way, you will have to ration it. Remove all flower racemes and small ovaries that probably will not have time to grow to their full size.
A lot of tops at the final stage only gets in the way, so:
- trim all leaves to the fruit cluster;
- remove the stepsons along the entire length of the trunk;
- pinch the tops.
The leaves above the fruits should not be touched; they are necessary for photosynthesis. Ideally, 4–5 bunches of tomatoes are left on the bush. The purpose of the above actions is to redirect the nutrients circulating in the plant from the tops to the fruits.
Trimming the lower leaves speeds up the ripening of tomatoes
Sun
Tomatoes become sweet solely due to the sun. Good lighting also promotes rapid ripening: direct and tie the fruit clusters so that sunlight falls on them.
Treatment with iodine solution
A popular method for accelerating the coloring of fruits is spraying tomatoes with pharmaceutical iodine: 30–40 drops per ten-liter bucket. At the same time, this procedure suppresses the growth of pathogenic fungi on the foliage.
Iodine for tomatoes - both a cure for diseases and a ripening stimulator
Chemical stimulation
Scientists have done many experiments to study the processes in ripening vegetables. It turned out that some chemical compounds accelerate the reddening of fruits.
Ethylene
Ripe fruits and vegetables evaporate ethylene gas. The modern gardener uses this scientific fact to ripen tomatoes directly on the bush.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Place a ripe tomato, banana peel or apple in a plastic bag.
- Place it on the green fruit cluster.
- Secure at the base of the brush with twine.
- After three days, remove the bag.
A ripened vegetable or fruit, releasing harmless biogenic ethylene, will bring the moment of ripening closer. In 80% of cases, the fruits will turn brown in another 3–6 days. At this stage of ripeness, tomatoes can already be picked and ripened indoors. Without procedures with ethylene, they will ripen only after 3 weeks.
Tomatoes and apples ripen faster
Large trading companies purchase special sealed chambers where tomatoes are ripened using ethylene. However, such vegetables taste sour.
Alcohol
Another advanced method is ethanol injections, which accelerate ripening by 1–2 weeks. Take 0.5 ml of ethyl alcohol or regular vodka into a syringe and inject the tomato near the stalk. After 10 days the fruit will turn brown. The taste and chemical composition of tomatoes treated with vodka are practically no different from those ripened using traditional methods.
The injection site only on the fruit of a growing tomato heals quickly
Ripener
Garden stores sell a stimulator based on ethylene producers - Dozrevatel from the company "Orton" or "Agromix". The drug is used for the friendly ripening of already browned tomatoes.
With the help of the Dozrevatel stimulator, farmers get a healthy harvest
Emergency measures
If frost is predicted tomorrow, you will have to evacuate your pets from the garden. The bushes are pulled out of the soil and hung upside down in a room with a temperature of at least 13–15 o C. The tomatoes do not break off. Gradually, the nutrients remaining in the plant tissues will enter the fruits and they will ripen. Experienced gardeners claim that “suspended” tomatoes are served 2 weeks earlier than ground tomatoes.
Most of the fruits on tomato bushes hanging indoors will definitely ripen
Improving ripening in the greenhouse
The manipulations listed above are also suitable for greenhouse tomatoes, with one caveat that measures need to be taken 2 weeks later than in open ground. In addition, in unheated greenhouses, a maximum of 5-6 fruit clusters are left on the plant, and in heated greenhouses - 10-12.
Tomatoes in a greenhouse have a better chance of ripening before cold weather
An increased content of carbon dioxide in the air brings ripening closer, so experienced farmers advise placing containers with fermenting manure or grass in the greenhouse.
I live in warm regions, but since mid-August I have not allowed tomatoes to ripen on the bushes in order to increase the total harvest. Every morning I go out into the garden, collect browned tomatoes and put them in boxes, which I put in the pantry. I water little by little, otherwise the tomatoes will simply dry out in the August heat.
I pinch the tops and normalize the brushes, but I noticed that tearing off the leaves to stimulate ripening is not suitable for all varieties. All creams with thick skin react as expected - they ripen faster. And thin-skinned salad varieties burst from the additional influx of juices. Therefore, I leave all the leaves on the latter, except the lower ones, since damaged tomatoes will not ripen, but will rot. It happens that the cracks on the fruits heal and become scarred, then after removing them from the bush I rub them with ash. An alkaline environment does not allow tomatoes to “catch” an infection and spoil.
We accelerate the ripening of tomatoes in a greenhouse - video
The goal of growing horticultural crops is to obtain a healthy, abundant harvest. All the efforts of summer residents and gardeners are aimed at starting to enjoy the fruits of their labor as quickly as possible.
It is all the more offensive when large, developed fruits do not want to be filled with ripe juices and, for no apparent reason, lag behind in ripening. Tomato is just such a crop. Very often, large fruits remain green for a long time; they have to be picked unripe, and then left to ripen in dark cellars. Of course, tomatoes in this form are inferior in taste to those ripened on bushes under the sun.
What factors influence the ripening of tomatoes, and what can you feed tomatoes to make them turn red faster?
Reasons for slow ripening of tomatoes
If you want your tomato crop to ripen well on the bushes, first of all you need select varieties that are adequate to the climatic conditions of your region. Seedlings should be planted in open ground when the soil is well warmed up. Sudden temperature changes can delay plant development and fruit ripening for a long time.
And, of course, immediately after planting in open ground (or in a greenhouse, under a film cover) it is necessary to stimulate the plant to rapid growth and full development. The faster the ovaries appear on the bushes, the faster the ripening process of tomatoes will begin.
Video: A simple way to speed up the ripening of tomatoes
First, tomatoes require nitrogen-containing fertilizers to build up green mass and strengthen stems and roots. When planting seedlings, it is good to add mullein infusion or a fermented solution of green weeds into the holes (or under the roots). You can add wood ash to them as a source of beneficial microelements.
Another important reason for the delay in the ripening of tomatoes is the thickening of plantings. Seedlings planted at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other, row spacing - 70 cm. The bushes must be tied to supports, the leaves must be torn off so as not to create obstacles to the sun's rays.
How to fertilize tomatoes to make them ripen faster?
During the entire growing season, tomatoes must be fed: in order for the plant to have the strength to grow and bear abundant fruit, it must receive adequate nutrition. How to feed tomatoes so that the fruits ripen faster? Here is one of the popular recipes for accelerating aging:
- Dilute 2 liter jars of wood ash with 3 liters of boiling water, stir well, cool, add up to 10 liters of water;
- add to solution 1 bottle of iodine (30 ml) and 1 sachet of boric acid (10 g), let stand for a day;
- for root feeding have to take 1 liter of mother solution, dilute it in 10 liters of water and pour 1 liter under each bush.
Boron and iodine promote rapid ripening, increase the sugar content of fruits, improve taste, increase yield and shelf life of fruits, and also protect plants from late blight. Useful microelements saturate the soil, nourish plants, and increase their immunity.
IMPORTANT! Fertilizing with ash should be applied to moist soil to avoid burns to the root system of tomatoes.
Feeding with iodine
Iodine has a positive effect on ripening, and in order for tomatoes to turn red faster, foliar feeding is carried out (leaves, stems, especially the root part, and fruits are sprayed). For this prepare a solution of 40 drops of iodine and 10 liters of warm water.
IMPORTANT! All fertilizing - root and foliar - is applied only in a warm form. The water temperature for the solution should be equal to the soil temperature
The effectiveness of potassium fertilizers for tomato ripening
What else can you feed tomatoes to make the fruits ripen faster? During this period, tomato fruits need potassium - its deficiency slows down the ripening process. Potassium humate is an organic fertilizer that improves the taste of fruits, increases the size of berries and accelerates ripening.
10 g of potassium humate are diluted in 2 liters of hot water, left for 2 hours, then the solution is poured into a 200 liter barrel of water, stirred and watered at the roots of the tomatoes. Moisture should not fall on the leaves to prevent late blight from developing.
How to feed tomatoes in a greenhouse
For greenhouse tomatoes, the same fertilizing and spraying is used. In order for the tomatoes in the greenhouse to fill and turn red faster, the doors of the room are kept closed most of the day. In the morning and evening hours, ventilation is carried out to remove condensation from the greenhouse.
These simple rules for the care and nutrition of tomatoes will help you harvest stable, rich harvests of ripe fruits.
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