Urban Farms Texas Tomato Food

[Barb_FL]

If I were you, I wouldn't change a winning formula. I don't want the beast plants b/c staking is always a problem for me.
ETA - Not to mention, less TTF, less $ being spent.


Most of my EB are on casters on the pool deck; we also get a lot of wind; which will knock them over once full grown and huge. In the fall, the plants were in the pool; thankfully the container stayed on the deck.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I may have done more reading on the EarthBox site than some people that have EarthBox's.
And I dont have one.
First they have two ways to do it.
Organic and conventional.
Organic it come with 16 oz of 8-3-5 fertilizer and the other stuff.
Conventional it comes with 16 oz of 7-7-7 fertilizer and the other stuff.

Here is a copy and paste from the instructions on the fertilizer.


The EarthBox is designed to be used with a strip of common dry, granular fertilizer or plant food for
vegetables. Almost any brand of fertilizer will work, as long as it is NOT designed to be mixed with water
(water-soluble), and that is NOT a time-released or slow-released product. Each of the three numbers on
the label should be between 5 and 15. You can choose a synthetic fertilizer or an organic fertilizer. If you
prefer a synthetic fertilizer, use 2 cups. If you prefer an organic fertilizer, use 3 cups. Do not add any
additional fertilizer during the growing season. Both regular and organic versions of the EarthBox
Ready-to-Grow Kit, and the EarthBox Garden Kit (available at retailers) include a pre-measured,
balanced fertilizer great for growing vegetables, herbs, or flowers.

16 oz is a lot of fertilizer for a container, I have no idea if it would last all season or not.
It isn't like it is going to get washed away.

I followed EB directions including their crappy, overpriced 7-7-7 fertilizer and dolomite until I found Tomatoville. The only thing I really learned from doing it was I was underfeeding all my other container plants.

Because I use cages, I put the tomato plant in the middle. At the end of the season, I have TONS of the fertilizer left in the strip. It's not granular anymore. At first I tossed it, now I use it as top dressing on whatever else I'm growing.

I use 3 cups of Tomato-tone.


Gasp! - This season I'm growing cucumbers and peppers in EB and I went ahead and mixed it throughout the potting mix. Time will tell how well it works.

[ermentrude]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

I followed EB directions including their crappy, overpriced 7-7-7 fertilizer and dolomite until I found Tomatoville. The only thing I really learned from doing it was I was underfeeding all my other container plants.

Because I use cages, I put the tomato plant in the middle. At the end of the season, I have TONS of the fertilizer left in the strip. It's not granular anymore. At first I tossed it, now I use it as top dressing on whatever else I'm growing.

I use 3 cups of Tomato-tone.


Gasp! - This season I'm growing cucumbers and peppers in EB and I went ahead and mixed it throughout the potting mix. Time will tell how well it works.

I used Urban Farm's granular last year and this year. I think it does a good job to get the plants started. And since I know I'm going to follow up with TTF, I'm not worried about starting with specific tomato food. I've never found the organic stuff left over at the end of the season regardless of where I've put my plants - but I know there can be residue from non-organic. Tomato-tone is organic so that is strange. (And your other plants should be fine, I give everything TTF because I'm lazy - herbs, zucchini, everything is fine).

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

I followed EB directions including their crappy, overpriced 7-7-7 fertilizer and dolomite until I found Tomatoville. The only thing I really learned from doing it was I was underfeeding all my other container plants.

Because I use cages, I put the tomato plant in the middle. At the end of the season, I have TONS of the fertilizer left in the strip. It's not granular anymore. At first I tossed it, now I use it as top dressing on whatever else I'm growing.

I use 3 cups of Tomato-tone.


Gasp! - This season I'm growing cucumbers and peppers in EB and I went ahead and mixed it throughout the potting mix. Time will tell how well it works.

If I had one I wouldn't follow instructions, honest.

People would have a heart attack if they saw the lazy way I have been feeding some container plants.


Worth

[Barb_FL]

I LOVED the Urban Farms Granular. It was probably the best fertilizer I ever used. I used it for seedlings; they did amazing.

So you are using it in the EB? Are you using 3 cups? I can't believe you wouldn't get GREAT results using just that in the EB.

I wished they packaged it differently b/c it is really expensive the way it is sold now.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Worth1

If I had one I wouldn't follow instructions, honest.

People would have a heart attack if they saw the lazy way I have been feeding some container plants.


Worth

Do tell!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Do tell!

Just tipping the Fish fertilizer bottle and pouring some on the soil and chasing it with water.
Slinging mixed fertilizer on the raised beds without a sprayer because I am too lazy to get it out.

Worth

[ermentrude]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

I LOVED the Urban Farms Granular. It was probably the best fertilizer I ever used. I used it for seedlings; they did amazing.

So you are using it in the EB? Are you using 3 cups? I can't believe you wouldn't get GREAT results using just that in the EB.

I wished they packaged it differently b/c it is really expensive the way it is sold now.

I'm using 2 cups, or 1 pound, which is what EB's "rules" say. Since I'm also feeding with TTF, I'm not worried about putting in extra to compensate for using organic.

I buy 4 bags of the UF granular at a time, lowers the price per pound.

[flyfiishn]

Just a quick not for others considering TTF, I used it last year with awesome results. In past years I used a combo of earth juice kelp n fish fert along with some tomato tone granular for feeding. Last year I skipped the tomato tone and only used the earth juice early before fruiting. After bloom, I switched exclusively to TTF for around 4 months of production. Fed every other week. Plants were more vigorous, healthier, better production and seemed like I had less problem with late blight. A couple of plants in containers went bonkers with over 8 foot of plant and tons of fruit. Had to jerry-rig my 6 foot cages to contain them.

Im definitely using it again.

[Hunt-Grow-Cook]

Originally Posted by flyfiishn

Just a quick not for others considering TTF, I used it last year with awesome results. In past years I used a combo of earth juice kelp n fish fert along with some tomato tone granular for feeding. Last year I skipped the tomato tone and only used the earth juice early before fruiting. After bloom, I switched exclusively to TTF for around 4 months of production. Fed every other week. Plants were more vigorous, healthier, better production and seemed like I had less problem with late blight. A couple of plants in containers went bonkers with over 8 foot of plant and tons of fruit. Had to jerry-rig my 6 foot cages to contain them.

Im definitely using it again.

Awesome Fly. As mentioned I will be growing primarily in containers and was wanting to use TTF exclusively this year. glad to hear it made a difference for you.

[BigVanVader]

Does anyone have experience using it for in ground plants? I considered ordering but it is expensive and wasnt sure if it is any better than locally available stuff. So many choices for ferts it gets tiresome.

[flyfiishn]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Does anyone have experience using it for in ground plants? I considered ordering but it is expensive and wasnt sure if it is any better than locally available stuff. So many choices for ferts it gets tiresome.

Sorry I should have clarified, I used it in both. I have both containers and in ground beds. Identical results for me.

I grow in Northern California so we're very dry and can get really hot day time temps (100+) sometimes but we have forgiving night temps which cool down nicely. Plants seemed to produce pretty well even through the hot periods.

[Gardeneer]

Anybody has TTF analysis handy ?
If I remember it correctly it has something like 1-2-3 N-P-K ratio. That represents a high K dose and Low N dose. IMO , plants in general, use More N than P and K. The later two also stick around but N either is taken up or leached.

Gardeneer

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Anybody has TTF analysis handy ?
If I remember it correctly it has something like 1-2-3 N-P-K ratio. That represents a high K dose and Low N dose. IMO , plants in general, use More N than P and K. The later two also stick around but N either is taken up or leached.

Gardeneer

Just filling up my smaller jar today; It's 4.0-2.9-6.7

[Worth1]

If I were to use it I would get the Apple and oranges food my second choice would be the Rose garden.
http://theurbanfarm.com/applesoranges.html
http://theurbanfarm.com/rogash.html

If a soil test came back and said I was nitrogen deficient and over loaded with P and K I would use the lawn fertilizer.
This would also be good for onions.
http://theurbanfarm.com/liquidlawn.html
Just because a company has labeled something for its intended use doesn't mean you have to use it for that.
We are talking fertilizer here not other things.
Worth