What's happend to Tomato-tone fertilizer??

[Al@NC]

Wormgirl, I found tomatotone at the Kmart on Portland ave beside biglots...

Al

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by wormgirl

Because I kept reading good reviews, I decided to seek out some in my town. I went to the Epsoma website (and I know I have had their products in the past!) and it said Tomato Tone was sold at a produce stand (where they carry a lot of starts) and at a certain nursery. Well I went both places and they stared at me like I had 2 heads. The produce stand carried another brand of fertilizer and the guy I talked to about it didn't recall ever having Epsoma. The woman at the nursery confidently stated, "I have never carried Tomato Tone or Epsoma... we used to be Dr. Earth ,and now we're Gardener & Bloome." How they got listed as a dealer of Tomato Tone is beyond me!

Takeaway: if you are looking for Tomato Tone, use the dealer locator with a grain of salt. Call before you drive there :-)

I ended up just buying some Gardener & Bloome since I love their planting mix. But it just doesn't have the mystique of TT!

The same thing happened to me with Texas tomato food.
They had never hear of it.
Thankfully I only had to drive about 5 miles on my motorcycle to find out.
I was a little put out though.
Worth

[wormgirl]

Worth - weird!! I was right by these places, but still disappointing. Al, I will check out Kmart!

[sccdominant]

i ordered some on amazon...works for me and ive been using it on my peppers as well

[Gardeneer]

Miracle Gro , All Purpose ( 24-8-16) , in 5 lbs container, for !~ 11 bucks, is my choice.
Pound fpr pond , it is the best deal money can buy: 48% pure fertilizer , as opposed to Espoma, which is 90% filler and just 10% fertilizer. 500% more power to MG

DISCLAIMER: I don't own MG or Scott company and I am not a share holder, nor I know anybody in that organization. hehe

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Miracle Gro , All Purpose ( 24-8-16) , in 5 lbs container, for !~ 11 bucks, is my choice.
Pound fpr pond , it is the best deal money can buy: 48% pure fertilizer , as opposed to Espoma, which is 90% filler and just 10% fertilizer. 500% more power to MG

DISCLAIMER: I don't own MG or Scott company and I am not a share holder, nor I know anybody in that organization. hehe

I see your point for sure, the plant doesn't know the difference, nitrogen and phosphorous and potassium to a plant are all the same, but some of us want it to come from natural sources. I can't argue with it being a better value NPK wise.
Might be my imagination, but since using Tomato Tone, my fruits just taste soooo much more delicious, and the production this past season was through the roof!
JMHO.

[drew51]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I see your point for sure, the plant doesn't know the difference, nitrogen and phosphorous and potassium to a plant are all the same, but some of us want it to come from natural sources. I can't argue with it being a better value NPK wise.
Might be my imagination, but since using Tomato Tone, my fruits just taste soooo much more delicious, and the production this past season was through the roof!
JMHO.

The miracle grow seems like a better buy, but most of the fertilizer ends up in the sewer. With organic about 98% is utilized. It's efficient. I like using both soluble and organic myself. I use soluble for adjustments to observed plant growth and habit. Also I'm cheap and using leaves and coffee grounds, look for sales. Obtain meal type organics cheap like alfalfa, cottonseed, or neem meal.
I have found it is hard to time when plants need food, even with every watering, you under or over do it. Feeding the soil organics and letting the soil feed the plant works better for me. Results in consistent growth and production.

[luigiwu]

Drew, if one was to garden via SIP then it would all be contained and not wasted/in the sewer, correct?
I am a newbie but my understanding is that there are a lot of SALTS in the chemical MG stuff? And that the build up in the soil is bad after many uses of it?
Apparently its less of an issue with natural (is Tomato-tone natural?) products?
I would LOVE to be cheap and a successful garden Its great to have hobbies that don't cost a ton...

[Worth1]

I have not noticed a difference in flavor from MG or 16-16-16 or organic fertilizer.
Some of the best melons I have ever had in my life come from a sandy loam field that was fertilized with 13-13-13.
And I have had quite a few melons.
For me it is keeping my soil healthy.

Worth

[drew51]

Originally Posted by luigiwu

Drew, if one was to garden via SIP then it would all be contained and not wasted/in the sewer, correct?
I am a newbie but my understanding is that there are a lot of SALTS in the chemical MG stuff? And that the build up in the soil is bad after many uses of it?
Apparently its less of an issue with natural (is Tomato-tone natural?) products?
I would LOVE to be cheap and a successful garden Its great to have hobbies that don't cost a ton...

True on all accounts. You can wash salts out. Not in a closed system though. I suppose methods exist to take care of it in those systems.
I know when I use solubles most runs out unto the pavement and grass too. Not a big deal, it is small scale, and the grass likes it!
None actually makes it to the sewer. Well i have a few plants on the driveway, so some might.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I see your point for sure, the plant doesn't know the difference, nitrogen and phosphorous and potassium to a plant are all the same, but some of us want it to come from natural sources. I can't argue with it being a better value NPK wise.
Might be my imagination, but since using Tomato Tone, my fruits just taste soooo much more delicious, and the production this past season was through the roof!
JMHO.

You are right, Marsha.
I respect others practice and choices.
I just mentioned what my choice is and why.
After all this is a forum to exchange ideas and opinions.
And yeas : As far as plants are concerned it does not matter where those NPK and other atoms come from.

Gardeneer.