Tomato-Tone Discrepancy on application amount?

[berryman]

In another thread someone said or quoted "compost isn't fertilizer" but if you look at the new formulation of TT, it isn't any better than my home made fortified compost of which I have about 30 cubic yards of right now and I spent about 20 bucks on it.
I do use the Tone but for a big garden that needs a lot of soil structure help and mainly nitrogen, it's not going to cut it.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by berryman

In another thread someone said or quoted "compost isn't fertilizer" but if you look at the new formulation of TT, it isn't any better than my home made fortified compost of which I have about 30 cubic yards of right now and I spent about 20 bucks on it.
I do use the Tone but for a big garden that needs a lot of soil structure help and mainly nitrogen, it's not going to cut it.

I have said that but to my defense I always say or ask what kind of compost.
Compost isn't a single product it is the result of an action of decomposition of just about anything.
Growing up I knew a guy that had chicken houses.
He composted chicken manure and spread it on his fields.
Greenest hay fields in the country.
We composted cow flop from the barn and corrals in a big pile and spread it on our garden.
Worth

[berryman]

Worth! I certainly didn't mean for you to defend yourself.
As you have eloquently explained already, the soil is a complicated affair.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by berryman

Worth! I certainly didn't mean for you to defend yourself.
As you have eloquently explained already, the soil is a complicated affair.

No worries I didn't take it that way, just reiterating the fact as you said yours is fortified.

Some place some where on the internet there is a study of many different kinds of compost and their nutrient values.

In a book on it I read many years ago before the internet I read where the Hack berry tree was about the worst as far as taking up nutrients and giving little back in the leaves.

Worth

[Tracydr]

Kudzu is supposed to make some awesome compost. Wasn't there somebody here making kudzu compost?

[berryman]

Back to TomatoTone, the stuff is smelly like chicken parts and my cat loves it.
I wonder though about the plant where it's made; that must be one stinky place.
Does anyone know why Espoma changed the formula like that? Is it really just to make more money?

[Worth1]

I personally think it is a better formula but I dont use it I use plant tone or tree tone.
They are making more money by having a product for tomatoes like it makes a difference.
Every ones soil is different.
To me the stuff smells like catfish charlie catfish bait.
I bet a cup of it in the water would draw in fish like no tomorrow.
Worth

[fonseca]

Here is an article that discusses the reformulation.

As the organic movement developed, purists complained that Espoma products were insufficiently organic, a sore subject for the pioneers of natural fertilizer.

"We saw that companies were claiming they were more organic than us, when we were organic before they even knew how to spell the word," said Serge Brunner, whose mother was Sanders' daughter. He said Jeremy suggested they reformulate the major lines of the last decade and purge the agricultural chemicals.

To compensate for the loss of the quick-response synthetics, Espoma added more microbes, which accelerate the breakdown of the natural materials, speeding the rate at which nutrients become available to plants.

It was a move they should have made years ago IMO.

Edit: here is an informative video on the soil food web and fertilization, absolutely worth the watch. Slides are linked in the description.

[Tracydr]

Farm across the street is manures with turkey manure each year,lovely black stuff in enormous mounds. Man does it stink to high heaven for a few days.TT X 100!

[Gardeneer]

Everybody has a different situation.
My soil test before the start of season indicated nigh level of P, Med-high K, Low N, S, Fe..
Accordingly I use some MG 24-8-16 and ammonium sulfate. I am reading my plants' lips. When the foliage appear light green, there goes a light dose of MG, Ammonium sulfate, a dash of Epsom Salt. The plants are are budding and flowering at 5-7 weeks from plant out. Yeah, this is cool PNW country not Texas.
Thing move very slowly.

Gardeneer