Use of potassium sulfate monophosphate as a fertilizer for tomatoes

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Even fertile black soil becomes poorer with time. And sooner or later cultivated plants begin to experience a shortage of beneficial trace elements. Tomatoes are no exception. Potassium sulfate is a fertilizer that allows you to enrich the soil with potassium to optimize the development and growth of vegetables, to obtain a good harvest and tasty fruits. About its application and talk further

Potassium value for tomatoes

Tomatoes are vital to regular intake of potassium as a useful trace element.Especially it concerns the period of formation of the first leaflets on a sapling. Then this fertilizer is necessary to optimize the development of the root system, so that the bush will take root well in the new conditions. Soil enrichment should be done a week before transplanting. In the future, the component is necessary for the plant from the appearance of the first ovary to the completion of fruiting.

The desired concentration in the soil:

• contributes to the better development of leaves and shoots of the bush;
• reduces the term rooting of tomatoes after their transplantation in open ground;
• leads to an increase in dry ingredients in fruits;
• affects the taste of the vegetable. It is potassium that adds sweetness to a tomato. Its lack will lead to the fact that the vegetable will be sour;
• allow the plant to produce fruits on time;
• protects tomatoes from various diseases of bacterial and fungal origin;
• allows you to increase the security of the plant before lower temperature readings and other adverse conditions.

All this suggests that it is impossible to get a good crop of tomatoes without potassium. It is recommended to enrich the soil every 15 days. Excessive concentration on land is observed very rarely.At the same time, gardeners often encounter a shortage of this nutrient component.

To diagnose a lack of potassium in tomatoes can be on the following external features:

• if there are dry rims on the leaves. And over time, this color changes from light to dark. The leaf dries out from the tip, gradually spreading over its entire surface;
• poorly formed ovaries on the bushes;
• uneven ripening of fruits occurs;
• at the peduncle often appear immature spots.

The shortage contributes to the cessation of normal growth of the plant, low fruiting of tomatoes, including poor preservation of the crop, not to mention the deterioration of the taste of vegetables.

A good gardener by the appearance of their plants should notice in advance the problem. Need to quickly fill potassium deficiency, using special fertilizers by spraying the whole bush or watering the tomatoes at the root.

Composition and characteristics of potassium sulfate

It is presented in the form of a yellow powder, which consists of small crystals. This is 44 percent potassium with oxygen. Granules are easy to dissolve in water. They also contain sulfur oxide, sodium, calcium and iron oxide. These components increase the harmony of tomato growth and their yield. But the concentration of these substances is so insignificant that it is not worth taking them into account for the nutrition of vegetables.

This nutrient causes seedlings to accelerate the metabolism at the cellular level. It takes part in photosynthesis, causing the formation of acids of organic origin, and also ensures the normalization of nitrogen metabolism.

For top dressing to work with greater efficiency, you need to additionally use nitrogen and phosphorus agents.

Advantages and disadvantages of fertilizer

It is recommended to use it preferably for acidic soils. Thanks to this component, the acid-base balance of the soil is optimized. It should also be remembered about the benefits of supplements for peat soil and sod-podzolic plots, which often suffer from a shortage of beneficial trace elements.Although it is allowed to use fertilizer for all types of soil without exception, the main thing is to take into account soil features.

But, like any other fertilizer, the mixture has its drawbacks. In this case, it concerns the compatibility of individual fertilizer complexes. For example, it is forbidden to use it with urea and chalk. Mixing feedings with nitrogen content is done before the mixture is used. The composition should not stand for a long time, waiting for its application. For acidic soils, fertilizer combines better with lime.

Another negative aspect of the use of potassium fertilizers is that they contribute to the absorption of magnesium, calcium, manganese and other trace elements useful for plants.

The last use of top dressing should be made no later than two weeks before harvest.

Instructions for use

Soil enrichment with nutrients can be performed using a variety of techniques, both dry and diluted. Moreover, the use of fertilizers can be used as a feed for attraction of the entire period of growth and development of a cultivated plant. Potassium sulfate, diluted in water to the desired concentration, can be sprayed directly onto the leaves and stems of the plant.

The use of top dressing for tomatoes with an integrated approach is good, but it is better to apply fertilizer directly to the soil. This will not only saturate the plant with mineral, but also contribute to optimizing the acid-base balance of the land.

Instructions on how to apply are quite simple. First of all, it is recommended to scatter the fertilizer evenly throughout the site in the spring during the digging period. In this case, the crystals can be embedded directly in the ground, so that they dissolve and saturate it with potassium. The depth of this embedding should correspond to the approximate depth of the further planting of seedlings or seeds.

In the summer period, potassium sulfate is used for top dressing in the form of a solution directly under the root.

Other potash fertilizers

Since tomatoes negatively relate to chlorine, potassium fertilizers are commonly used for their normal growth. There are enough of them, and there are plenty to choose from. That is what we will continue to talk about. So:

1. Potassium monophosphate is a combination of potassium and phosphorus. The complex will be the best option for feeding seedlings after their transplantation.
2. Potassium nitrate is composed of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, which will enhance the growth of vegetables. The best way to apply the feed until the ovary appears.
3. Potassium magnesium is a combination of potassium sulphate and magnesium. This fertilizer will make up for the lack of more magnesium. But it is not recommended to use the complex constantly for feeding of cultivated plants. It is better to pay attention to other options.

You can also use whole complexes that are purchased in specialized stores or are created personally. In this case, we are talking about potassium sulfate, humate, ammofosk and nitrophoska.

If you constantly use complex nutrition to improve the growth and development of vegetables, then you will be able to significantly increase the yield and improve the taste of both tomatoes and cucumbers. This is especially true of depleted land, which lacks micronutrients. Signs of potassium starvation, about which we spoke earlier, should be a sure signal that special fertilizer cannot be avoided. Otherwise, the tomatoes will ripen for a long time and get sour and tasteless.