The future of the whole crop depends on the quality of the seedlings. Knowing this, many gardeners use growth stimulants to care for young plants. It is especially important to use them when growing tomatoes. Tender bushes are sensitive to such care and respond to it with intensive development. The growth stimulator Epin for tomatoes is used especially often. It has gained popularity among vegetable growers due to its effectiveness. To learn how to use the drug correctly and understand its principle of action, you need to read the instructions for use and other useful information about it.

Tomatoes were brought to Russia from Western Europe, where they came from their distant homeland, South America. Botanists attribute them to the Solanaceae family. Despite the fact that the tomato is a perennial plant, it is grown at home mainly as an annual.

Tomatoes stand out among other vegetables not only for their taste, but also for their health benefits.

The composition of the fruit contains many substances necessary for the body:

  • Folic and nicotinic acids;
  • Sahara;
  • Cellulose;
  • Starch;
  • Vitamins K, C, B.

Tomatoes are advised to include in the diet for people with heart and stomach diseases.

Epin for tomato seedlings

Features of growing tomatoes

Tomato is a convenient crop for reproduction and cultivation. You can get new plants from seeds, stepchildren, cuttings. There are also several options for a landing site: open ground, greenhouses, balconies, window sills. Subject to competent agricultural technology, the plant will certainly delight the owners with the harvest.

Tomatoes are thermophilic, demanding for watering, they do not tolerate excess air humidity and lack of light. They benefit from loosening the soil, timely feeding. The plant grows and develops quite quickly, but this process can be further accelerated by spraying tomato seedlings with Epin or another similar preparation.

What is Epin

The main active ingredient of the drug is epibrassinolide. It is made on the basis of the natural hormone brassinolide, produced in small doses by plants.

How to stop the growth of tomato seedlings

Penetrating into plant cells, the hormone inhibits the production of ethylene and absicisinic acid, which slow down the growth of seedlings. At the same time, Epin does not force tomatoes to actively build up green mass, but helps them adapt to weather conditions, strengthen immunity and endure stress during transplantation.

Due to the appearance on the market of many fakes, it was decided to discontinue the production of the Epin biostimulator. Now Epin Extra is being produced instead - an improved version of the same drug. For convenience, it is often referred to in the old way - Epin.

The drug is available in ampoules of 0.25 mg.

Note! Despite its beneficial properties, Epin is not a fertilizer for tomatoes. To feed the seedlings with nutrients, you need to use other drugs.

The Epin effect

Iodine for tomato seedlings

The biostimulant has a lot of positive effects on tomatoes and other crops.

  • The process of seed germination is accelerated, seedlings appear strong and friendly;
  • The harvest becomes more abundant;
  • The shelf life of harvested vegetables is increased;
  • The negative effect of heavy metals and radionuclides in the soil is neutralized;
  • Shoot growth is activated;
  • Plants become resistant to stress;
  • The process of seedling rooting is accelerated.

How to process tomatoes with Epin

Instructions for use of the drug Epin for tomato seedlings are similar to the instructions for similar drugs. If you follow the norms outlined in it, the result will not be long in coming. It is worth starting processing only after carefully figuring out how to spray the tomatoes with Epin.

How to accelerate the growth of tomato seedlings

This stimulant can be used at any stage of plant development:

  • Seed soaking. It is made before planting in the ground to activate the germination process and further strengthen the immune system. To process 15 g of seeds, you will need a solution of 2 g of Epin and 100 ml of water;
  • The appearance of 2-3 true leaves. Processing tomato plantings at this time avoids the appearance of a black leg, does not allow the seedlings to stretch too much. The solution is prepared at the rate of 1 ampoule of the product per 1 liter of water;
  • Picking. Before dividing the seedlings, a treatment can be carried out to allow the plant to better tolerate the stress of damaged roots. The solution is made weak: 3 drops of the drug per 1 liter of water;
  • Landing in the ground. In order for the plants to take root and acclimatize as soon as possible, as well as to increase the resistance to phytophthora, it is advisable to treat the tomatoes with a solution of 1 ml of Epin per 5 liters of water;
  • Period of bud formation and flowering. The plants treated at this stage have significantly less ovary shedding. Consumption rate of the product: 1 ampoule of 1 hectare of water;
  • Unfavourable conditions... If return frosts are expected, plants are tormented by heat or attacked by pests, additional spraying can be carried out no more than 2 times a week. This will help to strengthen the immunity of tomatoes and stimulate the early recovery of the affected parts of the plant. The solution is prepared at the rate of 1 ampoule per 1 liter of water.

Epin is not absorbed by the root system of tomatoes, it is intended only for spraying the aerial part of the plant.

Processing should be carried out in the morning or evening, in calm weather. If the seedlings have been diseased or mechanically damaged, all dead, dried and yellowed parts should be removed.

You can use Epin both for plants in the open field and in greenhouses.

Epin for tomato seedlings

Features of solution preparation

To make the composition effective, you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances and figure out how to breed Epin for spraying tomatoes.

To prepare the working solution, you need water with a low alkali content. You can take filtered or acidify the usual one by adding 0.2 g of citric acid per 1 liter. It is advisable to keep the ready mixture for spraying in a shaded place.

Since the finished solution is stored for no more than a day, it must be prepared in such an amount, which is sufficient for a single processing of seedlings.

Compatibility with other drugs

Epin is compatible with most growth stimulants, pesticides and fungicides. Can be used together with chelated fertilizers for processing on leaves.

It is undesirable to use the product together with Bordeaux liquid. It has an alkaline reaction that reduces the effectiveness of Epin.

Precautions when working with the solution

Like other chemicals, Epin should only be used in a safe manner:

  • Do not smoke, eat or drink during the spraying procedure;
  • In windy weather, work with Epin is not carried out;
  • Be sure to use personal protective equipment (mask, glasses, gloves) when processing plants;
  • Do not use food containers for the solution;
  • After finishing work, you must thoroughly wash your face and hands with soap.

If Epin comes into contact with the skin, wipe it with alcohol, then rinse the contact area with plenty of water.

If the product is swallowed, it is necessary to drink 0.5 liters of pure water, induce vomiting, take several tablets of activated carbon.

Be sure to call an ambulance, dictate the name of the product, the hazard class and the active ingredient. Then follow the instructions received from specialists.

Storage conditions

Epin's shelf life is 3 years from the date of manufacture. Store the drug in a dark, cool place, away from food. Keep away from children and animals. Do not expose the drug to negative temperatures.

Benefits of Epin

The main advantage of this biostimulant is its ability to mobilize the natural strength of the plant without forcing it to grow. Epin fills plants with energy, accelerates regenerative processes, and strengthens the ability to resist diseases.

Other advantages of Epin include:

  • Harmlessness subject to the rules of use. The stimulant is not harmful to humans, animals and pollinating insects;
  • Environmental friendliness. Epin does not remain in soil and groundwater, does not harm the environment;
  • Efficiency. The drug rejuvenates old plants, stimulates young ones to grow, while protecting against pest attacks, the occurrence of diseases and the negative effects of temperature changes.

When used correctly, Epin for tomatoes has no drawbacks and difficulties in use.

Analogs

The Epin biostimulator has no complete analogues, but there are many drugs with a similar effect. One of the most common is Zircon, which activates the immune system of plants, accelerating the processes of rooting, germination and growth. Zircon has a more powerful effect, so its dosage is much lower than that of Epin.

Vitalizer HB-101 is also popular with gardeners. This drug not only activates plant growth, but also saturates them with useful substances.

Other growth regulators with similar effects include:

  • Baikal-MG;
  • Narcissus;
  • Agate-25 K;
  • Biosil;
  • Ribav-Extra;
  • Immunocytophyte;
  • The sprout.

The use of Epin for tomato seedlings will not only accelerate the development of a young plant, but also give it strength for flowering and fruiting. We can safely say that the use of an effective growth stimulant is the key to a good harvest, which every gardener strives for.