Urban Farms Texas Tomato Food

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by gorbelly

IIRC, it's only available in some stores in TX. I ordered mine online, and it wasn't a big deal. Shipping is included in their prices when you order from their website.

Has anyone compared to a similar hydroponic product?

I think TFF is a good deal for people with small gardens like me because it can be hard to get a decent all-in-one tomato product like this when buying hydroponic nutes for the same price in small quantities. But I wonder whether it's really that miraculous or whether the difference is that hydroponic nutrients are more beneficial than people realize even for in-ground plants.

That is a good take.
Companies like Hydro Gardens advise tissue samples so we can stop guessing and do what is actually needed for a plant. Their formulas and recommended usage should keep a grower on track, or a leaf sample will show otherwise.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by gorbelly

IIRC, it's only available in some stores in TX. I ordered mine online, and it wasn't a big deal. Shipping is included in their prices when you order from their website.

Has anyone compared to a similar hydroponic product?

I think TFF is a good deal for people with small gardens like me because it can be hard to get a decent all-in-one tomato product like this when buying hydroponic nutes for the same price in small quantities. But I wonder whether it's really that miraculous or whether the difference is that hydroponic nutrients are more beneficial than people realize even for in-ground plants.

I don't know what makes it work so well but it does so I'm going to use it and use it.
I usually end up buying a whole case of the gallon size getting them to mix it up with one gallon of Vegetable for my other crops and one gallon of Apples and Oranges for my little lemons, satsumas and limes. That is the most economical way to get it that I know of and for me I have gotten more bang for the buck with this fertilizer than any other I have tried.

Bill

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by b54red

I don't know what makes it work so well but it does so I'm going to use it and use it.

It's a good product for sure.

I just wonder how much of its reputation has to do with:

1) People who have never used a tomato-specific product before
2) People who have never used water-soluble/hydroponic liquid nutrients for in-ground tomatoes

Would be interested to see someone use it side by side with something like master blend tomato + cal/mag.

[WLeClair]

You can also buy it on Amazon (along with the other fertilizers) I noticed this morning. The prices are cheaper....BUT, no Amazon Prime...so shipping costs negate that.

[Rockporter]

Originally Posted by Rockporter

Just ordered some Vegetable food and will order the Tomato food in a few weeks when the plant out is doing well and I start having flowers. I just seeded yesterday so it will be a few weeks. I am excited to see how different using this food will be.

As you can see with this post above, I ordered TTF way back in 2013. It has been stored inside, air conditioned and in a dark area. Can it be used with a benefit, or is it just dead inside that gallon jug? I have blooming tomatoes, with fruit set, right now.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Rockporter

As you can see with this post above, I ordered TTF way back in 2013. It has been stored inside, air conditioned and in a dark area. Can it be used with a benefit, or is it just dead inside that gallon jug? I have blooming tomatoes, with fruit set, right now.

What the plants essentially need are the elements from the periodic table like.
N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, S , Fe, ... so on in a water soluble ionic form. Those element won't go bad or change.The only thing might happen is that the composition that they were in may be changed.

[Rockporter]

Thanks Gardeneer, I was thinking something along those lines, maybe Urban Farms will chime in, and let me know if they have gone past a two year experiment with their formula, so we can all have an idea on it's lifespan.

[MissS]

The components of the mix will be fine to use as any fertilizer. It is the mycos that will have not survived through all of this time. Go right ahead and use the product. If the mycos are important to you, you will have to find another source to replenish them.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Rockporter

Thanks Gardeneer, I was thinking something along those lines, maybe Urban Farms will chime in, and let me know if they have gone past a two year experiment with their formula, so we can all have an idea on it's lifespan.

You wont see him chime in he is so busy but if you send him an email he will respond to it.

Tell him Tomatoville is asking.
sales@theurbanfarm.com

[creister]

I was just going to add if you call them, they ususally answer and are very helpful. I would set it in a warm water bath and shake it real good for a while. I think that is what they told me one time, but don't remember 100%.

[Gardeneer]

We , the people, think of "going bad" in human terms. Foods that go bad can make us sick and might be fatal. Plants are not like us. They have different mechanism of uptake and digestion. So to me, no fertilizer can "go bad" to the extent that it can harm plants.

[Rockporter]

Yep, I called them earlier. They were surprised to find that I had this for 3.5 years already. Now, I have realized that I don't have texas tomato food, but the vegetable one. I didn't realize this until I was off the phone and looking at the container. It looks like I might just go ahead and try it on the tomatoes too.

Anyway, my gallon jug sat on the dark shelf, in air conditioning all this time. I keep my house at about 75 degrees. I haven't used much of it at all, so, I probably have a gallon minus about 10 tablespoons or so.

When I called, I spoke to Ed, I think that was his name, nice man by the way. He told me the NPK's won't change, and spoke many other big words I have no understanding of, lol. But he was surprised when I told him it seemed to be alive, that it looks and smells like yeast. He then asked me if it was the color of a light brown hot cocoa, and yes it does. He said that's the color it is supposed to be.

He proceeded to tell me I needed to warm it up in the truck to about 90 degrees and let me know the sediment would be easier to release and remix if the mixture was warm. He told me there could be sand like or crystals that are in the bottom. He said it would take a lot of shaking to get it all combined back together. I told him I would take his advice and see how things go.

Now, this is the kicker of this whole scenario. I decided before I warmed it in the truck to pour it into 1/2 gallon mason jars. I didn't shake it this time, I had already shaken the container a couple hours earlier. So, I proceeded to pour the mixture into the first 1/2 gallon jar and it was the water on top from settling, then the thick, yeast like substance came next, I filled the half gallon jar and started on another.

Now, the next jar was just creamy, thick, yeasty with bubbles in it and there was zero sand or crystals on the bottom of the jug. I took a picture of the inside bottom of the jug and the the two jars I had filled with the mix. I'm telling you, this stuff is alive, it has bubbles in it, it smells like yeast and looks like a light colored chocolate milk.

It probably isn't perfect, but I am going to use it. I already used it to spray the tomato plants down this morning to give them a shot. He said to just drench them using the push/pull method.

Feed three days in a row, drenching the root systems, then stop for three days using just plain water, and repeat this way. He said this works very well for the tomatoes and I should be very happy with the results. He can't guarantee the product after all this time, but he seemed amazed about it's condition after all this time. He said it was the oldest he had heard so far, lol. Leave it to me to break a record, lol!

So, here goes to using it and seeing how things go, I have decided not to be afraid of experimentation regarding nutrients for my plants. The confusion has always held me back. Not anymore!

[MissS]

Wow. Who would have guessed... Thanks for letting us know.

[BigVanVader]

I'd like to use this on my seedlings in the GH, anyone used it on seedlings? I need to be sure they don't burn from overfeeding.

[Rockporter]

This is for green house growing, and container, raised bed, or just right into your garden bed. Check out their website.

http://www.theurbanfarm.com/tomatomagic.html