Every hobby gardener probably now knows the usual miracle cures such as nettle manure for fertilization or dishwashing liquid against pests. And yet there are a few other useful home remedies that are either underestimated or even unknown. Having already introduced you to the benefits of salt water for fertilizing tomato plants, we would like to draw your attention to another promising remedy, namely milk. We'll summarize what it's good for, how exactly you use it and how often you should water tomatoes with milk.
Milk and water bring these benefits to tomatoes
One might expect that using this product, which perishes quite quickly, would lead to unpleasant odors after a short period of time. But when used appropriately, this is not the case. What are the benefits of watering tomatoes with milk?
- The drink contains many useful nutrients, including proteins, which the tomato plants can absorb through their roots. The result is improved growth in terms of both the root system and the above-ground parts of the plant.
- Soil quality in general is improved.
- If you spray the irrigation water with the milk onto the plants, this will prevent rot caused by mold (e.g.against brown rotor root rot) and prevents pest infestation with aphids, for example.
The milk mixture gives the plants:
- calcium
- Nitrogen
- Phosphor
- beneficial microbes that improve nutrient absorption
- a more balanced pH value of the soil (if it is rather acidic)
Important: Milk does not contain everything that tomato plants need to thrive. It should therefore neither replace normal irrigation water nor special tomato fertilizer, but should only serve as an additive.
Pour tomatoes with milk – this is how it works
You must not use the milk directly, but must make a solution with water. There are also a few things to consider regarding the frequency of use and the manner in which it is used. Use skim milk as plants cannot process the fat. Here's what you should know:
Prepare the irrigation water
As you know, milk contains acid (lactic acid). If you were to use it directly, it could cause more harm than good. That's why the liquid is diluted with water. To do this, mix 4 parts water with one part milk. So if you use 100ml of milk, mix it with 400ml of water. To start with, you could also try a ratio of 1:6 to test whether your plants can tolerate the product (especially with more sensitive plants; there shouldn't be any problems with tomato plants).
- Mix water and skimmed milk in a 1:4 or 1:6 ratio.
- Pour the resulting irrigation water around the plant and directly onto the soil so that the milk can be used as fertilizer for tomatoes.
- Try not to wet the plant itself while doing this to avoid sun burns.
- During the following week, take a look at the watered plants every now and then to see whether they can tolerate the product.
Never use spoiled milk, always use fresh milk if you use tomatoesPour milk!Plant-based milk is unsuitable.
For seedlings, dilute the mixture even more!
How often should you water tomatoes with milk
How often do you have to water tomatoes so that the milk fertilizer can have its effect without causing any harm?
You can fertilize your tomatoes with milk every three to 5 weeks. One reason for this is that there is a risk of over-fertilizing the plants. In addition, if used too often, the roots can suffocate due to the formation of a milky film, as we explain below.
More tips on how to water tomatoes properly,can be found here.
What disadvantages can the milk mixture bring?
Watering and fertilizing your tomatoes with milk can also have some disadvantages. Which are these?
- Often the whole thing smells a little, even if only temporarily.
- The wrong concentration can damage the roots and, in an emergency, lead to the death of the plant.
- Spraying the upper parts of the plant is effective against fungi, but there is also a risk of promoting the same due to this increased moisture, which is why it is not recommended. And tomatoes don't like being watered from above anyway.
- Using it too often suffocates the roots as a film forms around them. There should be enough normal watering so that residue can always be washed away easily.
How you can use salt water and what is so beneficial about itfind out here.
