Bottom Water Liquid Fert Suggestion

[Worth1]

I'm glad to hear someone bought the Epsoma stuff and did a rundown on it.
Sorry for the waste of money.
The other day I picked up a bottle and looked all over the thing and couldn't find how many gallons it made.

Then I looked down and saw they had gallon jugs of Alaska Fish Fertilizer for around $12.00 at Home Depot.
At the rate I am using it in my modified sprayer 1.5 tablespoons per gallon that would be 170 gallons for $12 dollars.
Worth

[Barb_FL]

Thanks to everyone who posted the other links. I will have to check them out.


Worth - What do you mean RE: bloom fertilizers? I have 2 Bloom Fertilizers from Fox Farm (part of a huge kit) and Dynagrow. It never seems right to use them; ie. fruitset already occurs, then the plant seems spent; seems like using a bloom was cause more stress.

Hopefully, the $ spent on Espoma Liquid wasn't a waste of $; just too expensive to use on a bigger scale. No where did they say how many gallons the bottle would make; Only found out by measuring the capful in a measuring cup. On their recommendations, 2-3 capfuls, the bottle would make 8-12 gallons - they do say to feed monthly (somehow that doesn't work for tomatoes).

Luigiwu - I haven't tried the Jobe's soluable yet. I only have 3 tomato plants left from August and some old pepper plants that I am supplementing; the others are new and all set with Tomato Tone.

I will try to use it later today when doing transplants.

BTW - I did measure and the box (for $5.86) would make 26/27 gallons; comes out to $.23 per gallon.


----
Here's a per gallon cost comparison I did last spring; Regular Fertilizer pricing (not sale). I might have posted this on TV before but here it is again.

TTF / Veggie = $.16

Dyna Grow products (Foliage Pro, Grow, Bloom) = .09

FoxFarm (Big Bloom, Grow Big, Tiger Bloom) = $.23

Flora Nova (grow/bloom) = $.09 (this was a surprise; I always thought this was the Cadillac of fertilizers)

Neptunes Harvest (Fish and Seaweed Blend) = $.37 (last year's price of $47 per gallon) - 2016 can find easily online at $40 price shipped: $.31 gallon


adding these on 3/6/16

Espoma Liquid - 24 oz bottle - $12.86 - recommended 2 Capfuls per gallon = $1.08

Jobe's Organic Soluable = $.23

[Worth1]

[QUOTE=Barb_FL;538806]Thanks to everyone who posted the other links. I will have to check them out.


Worth - What do you mean RE: bloom fertilizers? I have 2 Bloom Fertilizers from Fox Farm (part of a huge kit) and Dynagrow. It never seems right to use them; ie. fruitset already occurs, then the plant seems spent; seems like using a bloom was cause more stress.

Hopefully, the $ spent on Espoma Liquid wasn't a waste of $; just too expensive to use on a bigger scale. No where did they say how many gallons the bottle would make; Only found out by measuring the capful in a measuring cup. On their recommendations, 2-3 capfuls, the bottle would make 8-12 gallons - they do say to feed monthly (somehow that doesn't work for tomatoes).

I was just stating they had a bloom fertilizer I dont use it nor do I care for any fertilizer formulated for tomatoes that is low on nitrogen and says it makes more blooms.
To me what happens is after a time you end up with nitrogen depletion an too much of everything else.

In a fast growing environment once a week for me is a better approach depending on what I use.
Not really wasted money just too expensive for a large garden.
Fine for one or two plants on the patio or balcony.


Worth

[bower]

I haven't seen any properly balanced for tomatoes soluble organic fertilizer here.

We get a "Muskie" brand of fish emulsion, that is 5-1-1. I think most fish emulsions are similar, they just don't have the potassium level for tomatoes.
So I found out that blackstrap molasses is an excellent source of potassium, as well as of trace micronutrients/minerals. Iirc, they say one tablespoon of blackstrap to the gallon for a soluble fert. I use about a teaspoon in a one liter bottle. It is dark!
I have to use hot water to dissolve it, then thin it down with cold.
And I put a teaspoon of the fish emulsion into it, to get a more balanced fert. NPK = ??? in this case. okay probably 5 - 1.5?- 5? I wish. Wingin it in, not dialed in here.
The fish emulsion alone is stinky, but when you mix it with the molasses it neutralizes that smell. So kind of a bonus besides the potassium.

From what I've read, molasses is widely used as the potassium source in organic liquid ferts, and they really mark up the price!!. Way way cheaper to mix up your own!

[kurt]

Originally Posted by bower

I haven't seen any properly balanced for tomatoes soluble organic fertilizer here.:n

We get a "Muskie" brand of fish emulsion, that is 5-1-1. I think most fish emulsions are similar, they just don't have the potassium level for tomatoes.
So I found out that blackstrap molasses is an excellent source of potassium, as well as of trace micronutrients/minerals. Iirc, they say one tablespoon of blackstrap to the gallon for a soluble fert. I use about a teaspoon in a one liter bottle. It is dark!
I have to use hot water to dissolve it, then thin it down with cold.
And I put a teaspoon of the fish emulsion into it, to get a more balanced fert. NPK = ??? in this case. okay probably 5 - 1.5?- 5? I wish. Wingin it in, not dialed in here.
The fish emulsion alone is stinky, but when you mix it with the molasses it neutralizes that smell. So kind of a bonus besides the potassium.

From what I've read, molasses is widely used as the potassium source in organic liquid ferts, and they really mark up the price!!. Way way cheaper to mix up your own!

BELOW IS THE INFO FROM THE AGGRAND SITE,PLENTY MORE PRODUCTS THAT WILL ACCOMADATE YOUR CONCERNS IF INTERESTED.
While menhaden fish emulsions and kelp provide the basis for AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer, additional ingredients are added to achieve a balanced analysis.
Sulfate of Potash - Extremely fine-grade natural mineral derived from the Great Salt Lake increases potassium levels
Bloodmeal - Boosts availability of nitrogen in slow-release form to provide this vital nutrient as the plant requires it
Natural Wintergreen Oil - Improves scent of AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer

[kath]

Taking in all these suggestions...thanks to all who are reporting their finds here and "doing the math"!