What do you put into your tomato hole? - Page 2

habitat_gardener · February 3, 2015

I dig a deep hole, so that only the top 3-4 pairs of leaves wlll be above ground. Then I put a big handful (small hands) of alfalfa pellets into the hole and sprinkle soil over them. Tomato plant goes in next, backfilled with garden soil and sometimes some homemade compost. Near the top I sprinkle a spoonful of a humic acid product
https://www.johnandbobs.com/buy/opti...oil-optimizer/
and cover with soil and then aged wood-chip mulch.

If I have enough, and I have time to do it, I top-dress with a few handfuls of homemade compost per plant later in the season.

heirloomtomaguy · February 3, 2015

I put a heaping teaspoon of Mycorrhizae sprinkled around the sides and bottom of the hole. Plop the tomato plant in and water with non chlorinated water. Its a recipe for mega plants and deep spread out roots.

shatbox · February 3, 2015

two weeks before planing I take a bucket & trashbag to a fish market and they fill it up with scraps. I dig a deep hole, dump it, mix a little, cover it back up, and put the tomato cage over it to keep the pests away. Its worked well so far. Anyone else do this?

JRinPA · February 17, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by shatbox

two weeks before planing I take a bucket & trashbag to a fish market and they fill it up with scraps. I dig a deep hole, dump it, mix a little, cover it back up, and put the tomato cage over it to keep the pests away. Its worked well so far. Anyone else do this?

I do something similar with the fish...a few months before planting I dig trench-rows about 12-18" deep and bury some fish, add some lime, and re-fill. I mark the row with stakes until planting time. The plants are store bought and often leggy. When planting I strip some leaves and trench the tomatoes on their side, usually adding some compost. This year I will be using vermicompost. I started doing worms last Feb and have some great VC waiting to be used.

pdxwindjammer · February 3, 2015

Pepper plants.

Nah, they have their own hole.

I save up eggshells all year and crush them up very finely and toss some in along with a dollop of worm castings from my bin.

Cole_Robbie · February 3, 2015

I'm always experimenting, but greensand has won a permanent spot in all my recipes. It is a mined mineral from areas where sea water was trapped and dried up over time.

In addition, this year my beds, which are mostly made from old cow manure, will get rock phosphate and tomatotone. I have an ez-flo hooked up to the drip, so I can experiment with it, mostly to see what will clog my drip tape and what won't. Molasses should be ok. I am looking at Superthrive as a seaweed product and another product called Mushroom Stuff that is a mushroom extract. They are expensive, but I am hoping to make a tiny amount go a long way by using them in the fertilizer injector.

I'm also going to try an aerated compost tea in the injector. The hard part will be filtering it enough so that it doesn't clog everything.

I also found RV water filters at Menards for $20. They attach to a garden hose and can be plumbed in a series. So this year my drip system will get filtered water. It may not be the greatest filter in the world, but it will be an upgrade from none at all.

kayrobbins · February 3, 2015

I put crushed eggshells in even though it is not scientifically proven to be beneficial. My grandmother and mother did it and it is paying homage to those that taught me to love gardening. I also put in worm casting because I am a great believer in their benefits. And I also put in two plain asprin to help prevent diseases. It may or may not work but it can't hurt.

shelleybean · February 3, 2015

Just the plant.

KarenO · February 3, 2015

I first fill the hole s with water and let it drain. Then sprinkle About a tablespoon each of Epsom's salts and a granular organic fertilizer into each hole and then plant deep, backfill and firm in. My transplants are generally quite large so they are tied in to a stake and caged at planting time.
KO

ScottinAtlanta · February 3, 2015

Compost and a handful of Tomato Tone.

4season · February 7, 2015

I plan to add some mumsey mix this year, never have tried it before but some like it.
Not sure if by volume or weight.
1 bone meal
1 corn meal
1/2 powdered milk
1/4 or 1/2 Epsom salt depending on whose recipe you read. I may read Charles Wilber's book, How to Grow World Record Tomatoes again for ideas.

crazyoldgooseman · February 8, 2015

A hand full of composted cow manure. 1 crushed egg shell, and 2 Jobes tomato spikes.

charley · February 11, 2015

One fish in the bottom with a handful of fire place ash 2 handfuls of home made compost then goes the worm castings and tomatoe tone then mycorrhizal fungi then the plant and fill in around the plant with more compost

marthahill · February 12, 2015

Well, since I am new here and I see many of you are in similar zones to mine I will add my nickel`s worth here. I add a bit of commercial fertilizer worked in well, then the tomato, topped with a couple of TBSP of epsom salts worked around on top of the soil. The entire garden is amended each year with horse manure so little is needed. I do not water if the soil is moist. Too much water at planting time makes the roots happy to be where they are,,by not watering they will begin to spread faster in search of water and I think that makes a stronger root system. But that's just my opinion.

Worth1 · February 12, 2015

Soil plant and water.
Worth

February 3, 2015	#2
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	I put a heaping teaspoon of Mycorrhizae sprinkled around the sides and bottom of the hole. Plop the tomato plant in and water with non chlorinated water. Its a recipe for mega plants and deep spread out roots. __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

February 3, 2015	#6
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I'm always experimenting, but greensand has won a permanent spot in all my recipes. It is a mined mineral from areas where sea water was trapped and dried up over time. In addition, this year my beds, which are mostly made from old cow manure, will get rock phosphate and tomatotone. I have an ez-flo hooked up to the drip, so I can experiment with it, mostly to see what will clog my drip tape and what won't. Molasses should be ok. I am looking at Superthrive as a seaweed product and another product called Mushroom Stuff that is a mushroom extract. They are expensive, but I am hoping to make a tiny amount go a long way by using them in the fertilizer injector. I'm also going to try an aerated compost tea in the injector. The hard part will be filtering it enough so that it doesn't clog everything. I also found RV water filters at Menards for $20. They attach to a garden hose and can be plumbed in a series. So this year my drip system will get filtered water. It may not be the greatest filter in the world, but it will be an upgrade from none at all. Last edited by Cole_Robbie; February 3, 2015 at 04:51 PM.

February 3, 2015	#8
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Just the plant. __________________ Michele

February 8, 2015	#12
crazyoldgooseman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Southern Maryland 7a Posts: 200	A hand full of composted cow manure. 1 crushed egg shell, and 2 Jobes tomato spikes. __________________ Anybody see where I sat my beer? -crazyoldgooseman

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February 3, 2015	#1
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I dig a deep hole, so that only the top 3-4 pairs of leaves wlll be above ground. Then I put a big handful (small hands) of alfalfa pellets into the hole and sprinkle soil over them. Tomato plant goes in next, backfilled with garden soil and sometimes some homemade compost. Near the top I sprinkle a spoonful of a humic acid product https://www.johnandbobs.com/buy/opti...oil-optimizer/ and cover with soil and then aged wood-chip mulch. If I have enough, and I have time to do it, I top-dress with a few handfuls of homemade compost per plant later in the season.

February 3, 2015	#3
shatbox Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Los Angeles County, CA Posts: 258	two weeks before planing I take a bucket & trashbag to a fish market and they fill it up with scraps. I dig a deep hole, dump it, mix a little, cover it back up, and put the tomato cage over it to keep the pests away. Its worked well so far. Anyone else do this?

February 3, 2015	#5
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	Pepper plants. Nah, they have their own hole. I save up eggshells all year and crush them up very finely and toss some in along with a dollop of worm castings from my bin.

February 3, 2015	#7
kayrobbins Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Jacksonville, Fl Posts: 820	I put crushed eggshells in even though it is not scientifically proven to be beneficial. My grandmother and mother did it and it is paying homage to those that taught me to love gardening. I also put in worm casting because I am a great believer in their benefits. And I also put in two plain asprin to help prevent diseases. It may or may not work but it can't hurt.

February 3, 2015	#9
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,932	I first fill the hole s with water and let it drain. Then sprinkle About a tablespoon each of Epsom's salts and a granular organic fertilizer into each hole and then plant deep, backfill and firm in. My transplants are generally quite large so they are tied in to a stake and caged at planting time. KO

February 3, 2015	#10
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Compost and a handful of Tomato Tone.

February 7, 2015	#11
4season Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: albuquerque Posts: 308	I plan to add some mumsey mix this year, never have tried it before but some like it. Not sure if by volume or weight. 1 bone meal 1 corn meal 1/2 powdered milk 1/4 or 1/2 Epsom salt depending on whose recipe you read. I may read Charles Wilber's book, How to Grow World Record Tomatoes again for ideas.

February 11, 2015	#13
charley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: copperas cove TEXAS Posts: 637	One fish in the bottom with a handful of fire place ash 2 handfuls of home made compost then goes the worm castings and tomatoe tone then mycorrhizal fungi then the plant and fill in around the plant with more compost

February 12, 2015	#14
marthahill Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NE Texas Posts: 13	Well, since I am new here and I see many of you are in similar zones to mine I will add my nickel`s worth here. I add a bit of commercial fertilizer worked in well, then the tomato, topped with a couple of TBSP of epsom salts worked around on top of the soil. The entire garden is amended each year with horse manure so little is needed. I do not water if the soil is moist. Too much water at planting time makes the roots happy to be where they are,,by not watering they will begin to spread faster in search of water and I think that makes a stronger root system. But that's just my opinion.

February 12, 2015	#15
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Soil plant and water. Worth