Urea (or carbamide) is a mineral fertilizer with a nitrogen content of 46%. Outwardly, these are odorless white crystals. Nitrogen fertilizer has worked well in agriculture and is used on an industrial scale.
Impact of lack of nitrogen in soil on tomatoes
Nitrogen is an important trace element for tomatoes, as it supports the correct metabolism in the plant and affects the yield. Nitrogen deficiency is indicated by the following symptoms:
- Slow growth of bushes.
- Leaves are thinned, yellowing and falling.
- The ovaries are crumbling.
- The fruits are tasteless - the pulp is rough.
Advantages and disadvantages of urea
Using urea as a plant feed has several advantages:
- Urea dissolves well in water; there are no problems when preparing solutions.
- Improves soil fertility.
- Ensures the absence of nitrates in fruits.
- Effectively fights against pathogens.
Correct use of urea practically eliminates its disadvantages, including:
- An increased concentration of fertilizer impairs the germination of seeds and causes burns to plants.
- The preparation of the solution is associated with an endothermic reaction, as a result of which there is a strong cooling of the water, which is a great stress for the plants. Therefore, it is recommended initially to use very warm water.
Rules for the use of urea for the growth of tomatoes in the open field
The basic rules for the use of urea for tomatoes include:
- For root feeding of seeds when growing tomato seedlings, urea granules must be mixed with the soil and then poured into seedling boxes. For 1 box, 1 g of fertilizer is enough. This will increase seed germination and accelerate seedling growth.
- For the rapid growth of green mass, after picking, dissolve 1 tbsp. l. urea in 10 liters of water and water the plants at the root.
- 7 days after planting seedlings in open ground, top dressing is carried out by irrigation at the root - 20-30 g of carbamide are diluted in 10 liters of water. 0.5 l of solution is added under each tomato bush. To neutralize the soil, a combination of urea with a solution of wood ash and superphosphate gives a good effect.
- 3 weeks after planting the seedlings, a mullein solution is used with the addition of 10 g of urea. Watering the bushes in the evening.
- At the flowering stage, with a small number of ovaries, foliar spraying can be carried out. The absorption of trace elements through the leaf plates is faster. To avoid burns, a weak solution is prepared on the leaves of tomatoes - 1 tbsp for 10 liters of water. l. urea.
- During the fruiting period, watering at the root gives a good effect. To do this, dilute 2 g of urea and potassium sulfate in 10 liters of water, then sprinkle the beds with wood ash.
- It should be borne in mind that urea acidifies the soil, and vegetable crops do not like this. Therefore, superphosphate, bird droppings, wood ash and limestone can be added to urea.
- During the life of the plant, nitrogen fertilizers are recommended to be applied no more than 5 times.
The nuances of using urea for greenhouse tomatoes
For feeding tomatoes, urea can be used both in the open field and in greenhouses. When using urea in the greenhouse, it is important to keep in mind that the soil is not washed out by rain. Therefore, fertilizer is applied in small doses to exclude a possible excess of nitrogen. Otherwise, the growth of green mass - leaves and stepchildren - will be enhanced.
Correct application of urea will allow you to grow a bountiful harvest of tasty tomatoes and improve the soil structure for new plantings.
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