New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
March 21, 2019 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,896
|
Kelp
Does anyone use (dehydrated) kelp when they pot up?
Linda |
March 21, 2019 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
|
|
March 21, 2019 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Upstate Ny Zone 5b
Posts: 29
|
Absolutely!
Kelp is excellent for a soil amendment. Having a little nitrogen and a good amount of K, but the best part is the micro nutrients, 70+ types of minerals. Adding a little fish fertilizer along with the kelp helps to speed up the kelps availability to the plant by rounding out the NPK ratios. This is excellent for transplants to resume growth and result in an explosion of vegetative growth! To go one better also add a tsp per gallon of quality molasses. Last edited by Ironwood; March 21, 2019 at 01:44 PM. Reason: Auto correct is out thinking itself. |
March 21, 2019 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,896
|
Yeah! Thanks! I have some liquid fish fert. to add too.
Funny story about molasses. We bought a huge tote (to use as a rain barrel). It had held molasses in its previous life. Knowing that it was a fert, I didn't worry about flushing it, and the first watering cans contained a lot of molasses. I watered all my brand new perennials with it - and killed the lot!!!!! When we realized what had happened, we used it as a weed killer - sigh! Linda |
March 21, 2019 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Upstate Ny Zone 5b
Posts: 29
|
Oh my! I honestly would have done the same! Free molasses water!
Good to know too much can be harmful to plants. |
March 21, 2019 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,794
|
Ironwood makes a good point about the dab of fish to speed up the breakdown/access to kelpy goodness. I use as much kelp as I can get to amend my tomato soil in the containers before planting. I also use a kelp drink for the plants when they're about to be (or have been!) exposed to a cold stress.
The great thing about a drop of molasses in your liquid fish stuff is that it neutralizes the foul smell of the stuff. I mostly use the fish liquid indoors so molasses is ... heavenly! Hey I read somewhere that pouring molasses-water on an anthill would get rid of them.. I never dreamed it would kill plants! Now I'm thinking it may be worth trying on the ants after all. |
March 21, 2019 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,896
|
Good stuff Bower! I'll certain use a little dab of mollasses to negate that fishy smell Now what have those poor ants done to you?
Linda |
April 14, 2019 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 217
|
Kelp seemed to help blossoms set fruit in chilly Pittsburgh, Pa., when we gardened there. Used about half a cup of granulated kelp and rock phosphate in each hole. Molasses, indeed, gets rid of ants.
|
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|