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Post by daylilydude on Apr 24, 2018 3:53:21 GMT -5
What is the main nutrient that tomatoes need... now I'm not talking about bacon and lettuce, I'm talking fertilizer whether it's organic or inorganic...
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Post by farmerjack41 on Apr 24, 2018 4:22:01 GMT -5
Am sure there will many different ideas out there, but for me good old fashion composted cow poop. I keep regulars homemade compost around under the plant. Have often read it helps to keep water from splashing up on the plant.
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Post by paulf on Apr 24, 2018 8:23:55 GMT -5
I am a minimalist. When tomatoes get planted nothing goes in the hole but the plant, the dirt that came from the hole and some water. In the fall about every second or third year a soil test tells me the condition of the entire gardening space. The garden gets treated (or not) to make the whole place as ready to grow as can possibly be. That way, no extra fuss. The garden is mulched with layers of newspaper and straw so soil temps are moderated and rain soaks through to the soil and does not dry out so quickly and keeps soil splash to a minimum.
If, during the growing season, plants begin showing stress, then a side dressing of fertilizer or application of liquid plant food can assist. The problem can be addressed with what is needed. Almost never are extra nutrients necessary.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 24, 2018 8:31:41 GMT -5
In the ground, I put a few tb of some tomato/vegetable fertilizer, a handfull of dolomite, and a tsp or so of epsom salts, and scratch it in before planting. Otherwise, just compost dug into the soil yearly. In the SIPs, besides the basic fertilizer, I add the large amount of dolomite, plus, in the beginning, a few tsp. of liquid Karma - something from my hydroponics, which is high in humic and fulvic acids and micronutrients. As they grow, I add a small amount of calcium nitrate, which helps growth, as well as preventing BER.
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Post by brownrexx on Apr 24, 2018 8:39:51 GMT -5
I think that most crops, like most humans, need balanced nutrition. I regularly have my soil tested by a reliable lab and even though I only add my own compost, the nutrients in my garden are actually in excess so I don't need or want to add anything. When I read postings on another site, the posters there seem obsessed with adding this or that fertilizer. I am constantly amazed at this. Since nutrients are already in excess in my soil, if I added anything other than Nitrogen it could be detrimental. Too much fertilizer is not a good thing and can have negative results. Nitrogen does not remain in the soil so it can be added every year if desired but too much nitrogen can lead to excess leaf growth and not enough fruiting and who wants that? I like doing the soil test to check my pH and the %organic matter in my soil. This year pH in one garden was 7.1 and the other 7.2 and the %OM was 13.5 and 8.2 so both gardens are fluffy and have plenty of water holding ability. I will probably add some sulfur to lower the pH. I do like paulf , I add nothing to the planting hole except for the tomato plant and then I water it to settle the soil.
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whistech
Pro Member
Posts: 300
Joined: April 2013
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Post by whistech on Apr 24, 2018 14:15:18 GMT -5
I use an 8-12-16 fertilizer for my tomatoes and most everything in my garden. It is sold here as a fall fertilizer for the lawn and contains all the micro nutrients. I fertilizer each raised bed when I till and then side dress the tomatoes about every 25 to 30 days with about a hand full of fertilizer. Seems to work pretty well for me.
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Post by paquebot on Apr 24, 2018 17:19:05 GMT -5
Nobody has really answerred the question but whistech us close. Of the 3 bascic nutrient, potassium is the most important, nitrogen being the least. It's about as easy to remember as 1-2-3 since that would be a close ratio. (Organic Tomato Tone is 3-4-6.) Hard to make that ratio with compost as the first two NPK units would be too high if the third is correct. Non-organic growers could add some muriate of potash while organic could add sulfate of potash. My compost is always too high in nitrogen and the foliage growth reflects that.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by coppice on Apr 24, 2018 17:22:29 GMT -5
I never test. Lots of organic material, holds water better. Allows breaks in watering.
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Post by carolyn on Apr 25, 2018 12:57:38 GMT -5
not only is NPK important so is calcium. calcium is the "back bone" of cell growth. we spray a liquid calcium on the leaves. it also reflect the lack thereof when you have blossom end rot.
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Post by octave1 on Apr 25, 2018 21:17:47 GMT -5
I add kelp, bone meal and epsom salt, a tablespoon of each. Of these three I think kelp may be the most needed.
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Post by guruofgardens on Apr 26, 2018 19:15:00 GMT -5
When the tomatoes are planted, I usually add Tomato Tone, dried kelp, bone meal, Epsom salts to each hole. A month after planting, I fertilize every Friday with half strength liquid kelp, molasses, and when they start to flower I'll give them a bit more Tomato Tone on the side.
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