Organic fertilizer for 5 gallon buckets

lmacdonald · June 4, 2012

Hello,

This is my first year growing tomatoes. I started them from seed in the sunniest window in the house but was late in transplanting them the two times I did, so they aren't that big yet. They've been in 5 gallon buckets for about two weeks now, and I have only fertilized them so far with some rabbit poop tea a couple days ago. They are growing in bagged potting soil... and I was wondering what organic fertilizer would be best (and cheapest) now.

How does this look?: http://www.gardeners.com/All-Purpose...efault,pd.html

I have 12 buckets, 8 or 9 of which are doing pretty well, 3 or 4 I'm not sure if they're going to make it or not...if the above fertilizer is good, should I get 1 or 5 lbs. of it? I don't know if it matters, but they are heirloom tomatoes.

Thanks so much for any help.

Luke

janezee · June 4, 2012

Anyone else find the description of the ingredients a little ........vague?

I've never seen the ingredients "animal or vegetable meal" before.

j

sprtsguy76 · June 4, 2012

Sounds like the ultimate organic fert! But only in a perfect world. Most organic ferts need to go through a process before the become available to the plant. But there are some organic ferts that are available for imediate uptake like bat guano, some soulable N. I just have a hard time believing that it is a slow release that will feed all summer long. Also a 5 gallon bucket is a tall order for a one time add, constant feed organic fert system. But you never know until you try. Also check this thread out about making your own organic fert, I can say I have been happy with it thus far.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=22488
good luck and welcome to TV

Damon

amideutch · June 5, 2012

Since you said inexpensive the Happy Frog or Tomato Tone should work for you. There are some other products that might interest you. Ami

http://www.extremepumpkinstore.com/e...rogtomveg.html

panhandler · June 5, 2012

I cut my teeth growing in containers (albeit in larger 15-30 gallon size) trying out the organic method. I used a variation of Tapla's 5-1-1 mix with organic slow release ferts like Dynamite's Organic Tomato Fertilzier and little Black Hen chicken manure compost. I amended the pine bark fines, perlite, and peat mix with calcitic lime, alfalfa meal, soft rock phosphate, greensand and AZOMITE. Granted, the plants grew well and I got some delicious fruits, but growing organically in containers for me personally was not the most rewarding experience. Perhaps it's just the demands of container growing in general and cultural requirements of tomatoes that need more TLC in containers, but I couldn't get the production I desired for the amount of effort required.

This year I gave up on the organic container method altogether. Now I wish that I had some completely organic mixes to compare and run trials, but I didn't get around to it. And I wanted to simply grow for maximum output. My non-organic formula that has worked very well so this season far still integrates the same organic methods but I modified the mix to with the intention of boosting the potential production and health of the plant.

I am solely using 25-30 gallon tree planters I got on the cheap used from a nursery.

My basic mix is a modified 5-1-1 of (PBF-Perlite-Peat) that is really a 5-1-0.5/0.5. 5 parts PBF, 1 part perlite, 1/2 part Pro-Mix BX and/or Foxfarm Ocean Forest, 1/2 part Turface. I removed the peat and substituted a 50-50 mix of the turface and a peat-based potting soil(Pro-Mix or Ocean Forest). I added pelletized calcitic lime and some AZOMITE to the 5-1-0.5-0.5 mix for calcium/pH adjustment and trace elements.

I used a concentric band of 13-13-13 Dynamite Flower and Vegetable fertilizer which has trace elements as the main control release fert. I also used Happy Frog Tomato Fertilizer in the planting hole at transplant for a boost plus mycos to compliment the Pro-Mix and Ocean Forest's mycos. I have used calcium nitrate(arguably the best single hydroponic tomato fertilizer) as a "snack" on occasion since then.

Now that the plants are out of the vegetative phase, I recently scratched in a band of Happy Frog Bat Guano and mulched with a thick layer of coco-coir. From now on will only fertilize with soluble fish and seaweed low in nitrogen or Diamond KMS (0-0-22).

My container tomatoes look amazing and disease-free and they are flowering and fruiting with vigor. They are way better than my previous organic containers I grew the last two years.

I'm not trying to dissuade you from 100% organic, but I think that container culture is much less of a headache when you combine mostly organics and cheat a little with things like slow release fertilizers with trace elements, calcium nitrate, and Pro-Mix. If organic principle is not absolute in your case, I suggest combining the best of both worlds.

lmacdonald · June 6, 2012

I ordered some Tomato Tone. I appreciate all that info panhandler, and the link sprtsguy, I'll keep that in mind for next year. Thanks all!

lmacdonald · June 24, 2012

Is Tomato Tone enough nutrition for tomatoes grown in regular potting soil? I have been putting some rabbit poop tea/composted rabbit poop tea in the soil every week or so for a few weeks, but besides that I just added the recommended 4 teaspoons or so of Tomato Tone into the soil last weekend. I have blooms but no tomatoes yet. Temps have been pretty high though. I actually just touched a flower a few minutes ago and it fell off. This is my first time growing tomatoes (or anything) though, so I don't know what's expected. Any advice would be appreciated!

Luke

June 4, 2012	#1
lmacdonald Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: IA Posts: 3	Organic fertilizer for 5 gallon buckets Hello, This is my first year growing tomatoes. I started them from seed in the sunniest window in the house but was late in transplanting them the two times I did, so they aren't that big yet. They've been in 5 gallon buckets for about two weeks now, and I have only fertilized them so far with some rabbit poop tea a couple days ago. They are growing in bagged potting soil... and I was wondering what organic fertilizer would be best (and cheapest) now. How does this look?: http://www.gardeners.com/All-Purpose...efault,pd.html I have 12 buckets, 8 or 9 of which are doing pretty well, 3 or 4 I'm not sure if they're going to make it or not...if the above fertilizer is good, should I get 1 or 5 lbs. of it? I don't know if it matters, but they are heirloom tomatoes. Thanks so much for any help. Luke

June 5, 2012	#4
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Since you said inexpensive the Happy Frog or Tomato Tone should work for you. There are some other products that might interest you. Ami http://www.extremepumpkinstore.com/e...rogtomveg.html __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

June 4, 2012	#2
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	Anyone else find the description of the ingredients a little ........vague? I've never seen the ingredients "animal or vegetable meal" before. j

June 4, 2012	#3
sprtsguy76 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Santa Clara CA Posts: 1,125	Sounds like the ultimate organic fert! But only in a perfect world. Most organic ferts need to go through a process before the become available to the plant. But there are some organic ferts that are available for imediate uptake like bat guano, some soulable N. I just have a hard time believing that it is a slow release that will feed all summer long. Also a 5 gallon bucket is a tall order for a one time add, constant feed organic fert system. But you never know until you try. Also check this thread out about making your own organic fert, I can say I have been happy with it thus far. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=22488 good luck and welcome to TV Damon

June 5, 2012	#5
panhandler Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Northwest Florida Posts: 49	I cut my teeth growing in containers (albeit in larger 15-30 gallon size) trying out the organic method. I used a variation of Tapla's 5-1-1 mix with organic slow release ferts like Dynamite's Organic Tomato Fertilzier and little Black Hen chicken manure compost. I amended the pine bark fines, perlite, and peat mix with calcitic lime, alfalfa meal, soft rock phosphate, greensand and AZOMITE. Granted, the plants grew well and I got some delicious fruits, but growing organically in containers for me personally was not the most rewarding experience. Perhaps it's just the demands of container growing in general and cultural requirements of tomatoes that need more TLC in containers, but I couldn't get the production I desired for the amount of effort required. This year I gave up on the organic container method altogether. Now I wish that I had some completely organic mixes to compare and run trials, but I didn't get around to it. And I wanted to simply grow for maximum output. My non-organic formula that has worked very well so this season far still integrates the same organic methods but I modified the mix to with the intention of boosting the potential production and health of the plant. I am solely using 25-30 gallon tree planters I got on the cheap used from a nursery. My basic mix is a modified 5-1-1 of (PBF-Perlite-Peat) that is really a 5-1-0.5/0.5. 5 parts PBF, 1 part perlite, 1/2 part Pro-Mix BX and/or Foxfarm Ocean Forest, 1/2 part Turface. I removed the peat and substituted a 50-50 mix of the turface and a peat-based potting soil(Pro-Mix or Ocean Forest). I added pelletized calcitic lime and some AZOMITE to the 5-1-0.5-0.5 mix for calcium/pH adjustment and trace elements. I used a concentric band of 13-13-13 Dynamite Flower and Vegetable fertilizer which has trace elements as the main control release fert. I also used Happy Frog Tomato Fertilizer in the planting hole at transplant for a boost plus mycos to compliment the Pro-Mix and Ocean Forest's mycos. I have used calcium nitrate(arguably the best single hydroponic tomato fertilizer) as a "snack" on occasion since then. Now that the plants are out of the vegetative phase, I recently scratched in a band of Happy Frog Bat Guano and mulched with a thick layer of coco-coir. From now on will only fertilize with soluble fish and seaweed low in nitrogen or Diamond KMS (0-0-22). My container tomatoes look amazing and disease-free and they are flowering and fruiting with vigor. They are way better than my previous organic containers I grew the last two years. I'm not trying to dissuade you from 100% organic, but I think that container culture is much less of a headache when you combine mostly organics and cheat a little with things like slow release fertilizers with trace elements, calcium nitrate, and Pro-Mix. If organic principle is not absolute in your case, I suggest combining the best of both worlds.

June 6, 2012	#6
lmacdonald Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: IA Posts: 3	I ordered some Tomato Tone. I appreciate all that info panhandler, and the link sprtsguy, I'll keep that in mind for next year. Thanks all!

June 24, 2012	#7
lmacdonald Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: IA Posts: 3	Is Tomato Tone enough nutrition for tomatoes grown in regular potting soil? I have been putting some rabbit poop tea/composted rabbit poop tea in the soil every week or so for a few weeks, but besides that I just added the recommended 4 teaspoons or so of Tomato Tone into the soil last weekend. I have blooms but no tomatoes yet. Temps have been pretty high though. I actually just touched a flower a few minutes ago and it fell off. This is my first time growing tomatoes (or anything) though, so I don't know what's expected. Any advice would be appreciated! Luke