Growing in the weeds (grass)

[OldHondaNut]

Often I plant the starters and have other tomatoes I still want to plant. There are always extras "just in case". When placed in a yard area with little prep they grow nice and green but never develop many tomatoes. Maybe 1/5 normal? Any suggestions short of developing another bed appreciated.


From a few years ago, a Bush Big Boy and an Improved Porter:

[VirginiaClay]

Do you typically fertilize your lawn? Lawn fertilizer usually has a high N amount and less of P & K, so maybe the soil there has an overabundance of nitrogen, leading to leafy green plants without much fruit.

I'd just dig a bigger, broader hole for each plant (not super deep, but bigger around) to keep the grass away, amend the soil in the hole, and fertilize with something lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium.

Do the plants get the same amount of sun, and at the same time of day, as the plants in your garden beds?

[OldHondaNut]

I do fertilize the grass on the other side of the fence but not where those two were planted. A larger weed free area is likely going to help, a lot! The sun is about the same. The area in the pics get sun from before noon until 8pm during the season.


Just wondering if anyone else does the weed gardens and have more success?

[VirginiaClay]

I don't think weed competition is your issue if the plants grew well (as seen in your picture) but just didn't produce much fruit. Usually the culprit for that is too much nitrogen compared to the other nutrients. The other typical problems would be too little sun (doesn't sound like your problem) or temperatures too hot. Hopefully someone else will chime in for you.

[MissS]

You probably have too much nitrogen in the soil or them. You can counter act that by giving them a good dose of phosphorus.

[Crone]

Originally Posted by MissS

You probably have too much nitrogen in the soil or them. You can counter act that by giving them a good dose of phosphorus.

Didn't know that. Thanks for info.

[MrsJustice]

Originally Posted by OldHondaNut

Often I plant the starters and have other tomatoes I still want to plant. There are always extras "just in case". When placed in a yard area with little prep they grow nice and green but never develop many tomatoes. Maybe 1/5 normal? Any suggestions short of developing another bed appreciated.


From a few years ago, a Bush Big Boy and an Improved Porter:

I am so proud of you.

[MrsJustice]

You keep the grass from the roofs of each plant.