Miracle grow vs organic fertilizer

[Natertom92]

Hello everyone I have a good question for you guys. Which fertilizer you guys use for your tomatoes miracle grow tomato fertilizer or organic type fertilizer. I use miracle grow tomato fertilizer for mine.

[edweather]

Depends on whether in-ground, or in containers. For my container tomatoes, I use water soluble fertilizers, Texas Tomato Food, MG, and sometimes Foliage Pro. For in-ground, I usually use a granular fertilizer, either organic or non-organic, I use both.

[mikemansker]

I use Tomato Tone.

[Koala Doug]

I use Texas Tomato Food (TTF) in my container-grown tomatoes.



In the past, I have trialed Miracle-Gro's tomato formula (the red stuff, not the most common blue stuff), but the TTF was much better.



I would tend to think that the Miracle-Gro tomato product would be fine as an occasional supplement for in-ground tomatoes though.

[Worth1]

Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil.
MG so so but not the best.
By far ((my)) best results have been 13-13-13 or something like it in containers or in ground.

[bower]

I use bone meal and kelp, chicken manure when available has been great, and my best yields. Also use liquid fish ferts when the tomatoes start to ripen.

[Shrinkrap]

[QUOTE=Worth1;733298]Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil.


Because it is "organic"? There is reason to believe organics will work in containers later? Mine are Earthboxes with aging ProMix HP, and at this point Tere are words, and what must be some composted roots.

[Worth1]

[QUOTE=Shrinkrap;733334]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil.


Because it is "organic"? There is reason to believe organics will work in containers later? Mine are Earthboxes with aging ProMix HP, and at this point Tere are words, and what must be some composted roots.

Yes in this situation according to a well respected expert here, it needs soil microbes to break it down into usable nutrients for the plant.

[Shrinkrap]

[QUOTE=Worth1;733335]

Originally Posted by Shrinkrap

Yes in this situation according to a well respected expert here, it needs soil microbes to break it down into usable nutrients for the plant.

Okay, thanks! Funny thing is I've used Garden-Tone and Tomato-Tone in my boxes for years, but read it doesn't work a few years ago, and started freaking out. Most places around here have no granular fertilizer that is not labled "organic" . I'll try to add so liquid fees early on.

[Worth1]

[QUOTE=Shrinkrap;733337]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Okay, thanks! Funny thing is I've used Garden-Tone and Tomato-Tione in my boxes for years, but read it doesn't work a few years ago, and started freaking out. Most places around here have no granular fertilizer that is not labled "organic" . I'll try to add so liquid fees early on.

Fact check everything I say here I am not an expert and get lucky most of the time.

[MadCow333]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil.
MG so so but not the best.
By far ((my)) best results have been 13-13-13 or something like it in containers or in ground.

I took Worth's advice last year, along with his comment that it takes a lot of nitrogen to burn up plants. I fertilized all containers with 10-10-10 bought on clearance sale at Walmart the year before. I added a good bit of 10-10-10 along with calcium nitrate to the pots about 7-12 days before I set plants in them. I had zero blossom end rot problems with the San Marzanos and Romas last year. And yields from everything were superb. My Brandywine Reds looked like Jack's beanstalk and the Brandywines were plentiful and *huge.* Everything grown in containers, and everything grew far better than when I used organic stuff and Osmocote and Alaska fish and all the other find products that people swear by. Just cheap 10-10-10 and some calcium nitrate worked for me. :-)

[Cole_Robbie]

Originally Posted by MadCow333

I took Worth's advice last year, along with his comment that it takes a lot of nitrogen to burn up plants. I fertilized all containers with 10-10-10 bought on clearance sale at Walmart the year before. I added a good bit of 10-10-10 along with calcium nitrate to the pots about 7-12 days before I set plants in them. I had zero blossom end rot problems with the San Marzanos and Romas last year. And yields from everything were superb. My Brandywine Reds looked like Jack's beanstalk and the Brandywines were plentiful and *huge.* Everything grown in containers, and everything grew far better than when I used organic stuff and Osmocote and Alaska fish and all the other find products that people swear by. Just cheap 10-10-10 and some calcium nitrate worked for me. :-)

The waiting period must be key. Did the containers and media get rained on during that time?

Tomatoes and peppers get TTF. Other veggies get fish emulsion and kelp. These are all in containers, btw.
Fruit trees and other in-ground plants get home-made compost and TTF Apples and Oranges formula.

[Greatgardens]

When hybrid tomatoes were developed, a common saying was (supposedly) "the only difference is price." I would suggest that is true of exotic blend fertilizers (some upwards of $15/lb), at least for home gardeners. Organic fertilizers do have slow release, but extended release chemical fertilizers have that same ability. I use whatever is most economical, and that typically means buying end of season products at dramatic discount. I am partial to Jobes Organic Tomato and Plant food. But MG is also good stuff for a quick boost later in the season or for indoor use while growing transplants.

[zipcode]

I use about 80% organic and the rest chemical in my containers. I feel it's no point not using organic if it works, the rest is just to adjust some things according to how the plants are doing.