How and when is feeding of tomatoes with ash

Tomatoes are a very moody culture. To grow a good crop of tomatoes, they must be carefully looked after. One of the components of proper care is feeding tomatoes with ash.

Rules for feeding tomatoes with ash

Ash as a fertilizer

Currently there are so many chemicals to which vegetables are fed. But top-dressing with ash of tomatoes is the best choice. Firstly, when fertilized in this way, the crop will not be oversaturated with harmful chemicals. Secondly, ash contains a lot of useful substances.

1. Ash is used as a top dressing for tomatoes. It has in its composition a number of useful components like potassium, calcium and phosphorus. It does not include nitrogen, it is undesirable for this vegetable. As you know, this fertilizer is obtained by burning wood, plants. During combustion, nitrogen disappears.
2. Wood ash, in addition to potassium and calcium, contains sulfur, zinc and iron. Also, many trace elements are included. Chlorine is undesirable for growing tomatoes, it is absent in the composition of ash.

Thanks to such an element as calcium, plant growth accelerates, its endurance increases. Its lack in the process of growing threatens with falling peduncles and curling leaves. The availability of magnesium helps to increase the yield, because it increases the amount of starch in tomatoes. Also, due to this component, productivity increases. Potassium provides culture resistance to cold. Thanks to him, the color of the fruit becomes more saturated, and the flesh retains its aroma for a long time. The culture will tolerate drought well if sodium is included in the feed. With its help, the water balance of the plant is regulated.

Feeding at different stages of cultivation

Consider how to feed tomatoes with ash at different stages of tomato development:

Seed top dressing

You can fertilize tomatoes already at the initial stage of cultivation: during the preparation of the sowing seed. 1 tsp give 1 tsp. fertilizers, insist a day. In the filtered solution, the seeds are soaked for 5-6 hours. After that, they are dried and immediately sown. Thanks to this method, they germinate faster and are disinfected.

Fertilizing the soil

Fertilizing the soil begins with digging it in the spring 2-3 weeks before planting seedlings. It is sprinkled with dry ash. For heavy soil, this action can also be carried out in the fall. For easy one time is enough. For 1 square. m is enough fertilizing in an amount of 150-200 g.Alkalization of the earth creates beneficial conditions for the development of microorganisms. Its action will last 2-3 years. This will allow seedlings to take root and give good growth to the plant.

Seedling fertilizing

When using ash, the measure

must be observed. If for some reason it was not possible to fertilize open ground or soil in the greenhouse, seedlings should be fertilized. Wood ash is added to each well, after which it is mixed with soil. This is done so as not to burn the roots that have not yet matured. In order to know exactly how much to apply, the gardener should pay attention to the pH level of the soil (if the pH is 7 or more, fertilizer should not be applied). If such an indicator is unknown, first give the minimum dose.

Also seedlings can be sprinkled with some water, which was obtained after filtering the infusion based on wood ash and water.

Top dressing during flowering and fruiting

Tomato loves top dressing throughout its growth, even during flowering and fruiting. There are 2 ways to fertilize tomatoes:

• foliar (spraying leaves and stems);
• root.

When root-feeding, the tomato absorbs from the soil all substances that are there, and with foliar – only those that he needs.

For foliar fertilizer, you can prepare different solutions.For example, boil 300 g of ash per 1 liter of water for 20 minutes. The filtered water is adjusted to 10 liters. The resulting solution is sprayed with sheets.

Liquid fertilizers are prepared for root feeding of tomatoes, and they are also used in dry form. To prepare the solution, give 2-3 glasses of ash on a bucket of water and insist for about a week, stirring occasionally. The dosage for each bush is 1 liter. Liquid dressings are applied once every 1-2 weeks.

Some subtleties

You can’t feed tomatoes with ash and cow dung or bird droppings at the same time, so as not to harm the tomatoes. Manure releases nitrogen, which absorbs calcium contained in the fertilizer. If the gardener wants to use both of them, it is necessary to alternate. Manure must be applied in the fall, and wood ash in the spring.

It is important not to overdo it by alkalizing the soil in the greenhouse or on the open ground. It’s better to make less, and then see by the behavior of the plant whether more is needed. If necessary, you can repeat it.

Keep the ash away from moisture, then its shelf life will be unlimited.

Pest protection

Often tomatoes affect various fungal diseases. For example, a black leg or late blight.

Wood ash is used for medicinal purposes in the fight against these diseases.In the first case, soil is sprinkled with it and rid of moisture, and in the second, ash dusting is used: the ashes are thrown over the tomatoes, as a result, it settles on the leaves and stems. In this way, the bushes are disinfected. The best effect is wood ash from birch, oak and maple. To combat late blight, until the end of the harvest, the bushes are treated 2 times a week.

The combustion product is also used for the prevention of diseases. To do this, soil under tomatoes 2 times sprinkled with ashes. The first time after landing in an open area, the second – when the fruits are tied.

Conclusion

Ash is an effective fertilizer for tomato crops. Easy to use and affordable substance provides the fruit with good taste and healthy appearance. In addition, as a result of ash treatment, crop yields are significantly increased.