Urban Farms Texas Tomato Food - Page 9

Urbanfarmer · July 23, 2013

It depends on the varieties. Even in the heat this summer we've still got healthy, producing Champion, JD's, and Gary O'Sena. You can certainly get your vegetative growth back (lacking disease of course), and you should see plenty of blooms, but setting is another question.

If your plants are on the malnourished side, give them 3 shots in a row as you would normally water. Then go back to pure water when time to water again. Water a couple times, and then go to alternating feeds.

If your soil isn't awful, you'll see a bounce. Just don't let them completely dry out.

jimshuejohn · July 23, 2013

I'm having my best year both in quantity and size. Next week I should have a picture of a bunch of big red ones. Right now I getting a lot of my cherry tomatoes. The big tomato is a Japanese Barlow.

TNTiger · July 23, 2013

My plants are healthy . . . green leaves, nice strong stems, they just are not producing many blooms. We are in the SE Corner of TN in one of the regions that has been cooler and wetter than normal - this could be part of the problem. Fungus is a problem in other parts of the garden but the tomatoes have done pretty well. We've barely gotten into the 90s and only a few days of that. The last couple of weeks haven't been so rainy and the next 10 days looks nice - still under 90 which is good if I ever get any blooms! I had plants setting tomatoes well into September last year so I think it's quite possible to still get plenty. I'll let you know how it goes - thanks for the tip on using it as a boost!

Rockporter · July 24, 2013

I'm getting ready to order some and I have a question. I am growing in Earthboxes and SIP's we made and during setup before planting I need to add a fert strip to the box. If I am using texas tomato food and veggie food do I need to add this fert strip to my boxes?

JamesL · July 24, 2013

Rockporter,
I would say no, unless you want to add the strip and use the liquid as a supplement. I went without a fert strip in all of mine this season and have been just liquid feeding.

TNTiger · July 24, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesL

Rockporter,
I would say no, unless you want to add the strip and use the liquid as a supplement. I went without a fert strip in all of mine this season and have been just liquid feeding.

I have some earthboxes too and am curious . . . I'm guessing you are just putting it into the fill tube. How much are you feeding and how often?

Thanks!

Dewayne mater · July 24, 2013

Rock - I added fert strips at the very beginning of the Spring season which I am certain are long since depleted. Starting a couple of month later about June 1, I've added TTF to the reservoir every 3rd or 4th refill of my earthtainers. This year for whatever reason Big beef, black and brown boar and Cowlicks Brandywine have produced FAR greater than ever before and everything else has produced well too. Now, environment is a major player as we've had a summer that has been tolerably hot with some cool breaks every now and again that the plants seem to recharge during. But, the other factor is use of TTF for the first time. I will certainly be trying it again next year to see if similarly good results can be duplicated.

D M

JamesL · July 24, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNTiger

I have some earthboxes too and am curious . . . I'm guessing you are just putting it into the fill tube. How much are you feeding and how often?

Thanks!

I have been feeding weekly and alternating between down the fill tube and as a top drench. No noticible difference. 2tbs per feeding, but I think I need to up it to 3 tbs for a few of the larger plants.

Rockporter · July 24, 2013

Thanks everyone, I think I am going to use up whatever 10-10-10 I have and go the route of just using the TTF this fall. Maybe I will do a side by side comparison using a strip and a periodic treatment with TTF. Maybe I will find a perfect combination or using just TTF will be perfect. Hmm, looks like I need to get my order in.

Rockporter · July 26, 2013

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.

ArthurDent004 · July 26, 2013

I hope you get your package quicker than I did. I ordered some of their all purpose Veg food and the Texas Tomato Food but the post office in Texas routed the package incorrectly (No fault of the Urban Farm Folks) so it took an extra three or four days to arrive.

I have an Early Wonder plant that I potted in a new 5 gallon SWC on 7-25-2012. I'm going to use only their all-purpose veg food and then switch to the other when flowers appear.

jimshuejohn · July 28, 2013

This is my first decent pickings. I should be getting this every week now. The big ones are starting to turn. It has been my best year yet. One concern I have, does all the rain affect tomato taste. I have a couple of varieties that seem to be less sweet this year.

KathyDC · July 28, 2013

Jimshuejohn, that's a beautiful picture! I am no expert, but I have read that overwatering can cause some tomatoes to taste more bland. However as I said I'm not an expert myself.

JamesL · July 28, 2013

GLad to hear you are having a good year!
Yes, too much water can certainly affect taste. Cause splitting too, some varieties more than others.

Dewayne mater · July 29, 2013

Absolutely a bunch of water, especially rain can make tomato flavors be much less concentrated. We had a 3 day rain after a hot dry summer and anything bigger than a golf ball split on the top and all the cherries split too. Fortunately, most larger fruit seemed to seal itself off, ripen and then I was able to but around the cracking and eat the rest.

D.M.

July 23, 2013	#121
Urbanfarmer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Freeport, Texas Posts: 134	It depends on the varieties. Even in the heat this summer we've still got healthy, producing Champion, JD's, and Gary O'Sena. You can certainly get your vegetative growth back (lacking disease of course), and you should see plenty of blooms, but setting is another question. If your plants are on the malnourished side, give them 3 shots in a row as you would normally water. Then go back to pure water when time to water again. Water a couple times, and then go to alternating feeds. If your soil isn't awful, you'll see a bounce. Just don't let them completely dry out. __________________ theurbanfarm.com

July 24, 2013	#124
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	I'm getting ready to order some and I have a question. I am growing in Earthboxes and SIP's we made and during setup before planting I need to add a fert strip to the box. If I am using texas tomato food and veggie food do I need to add this fert strip to my boxes? __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

July 24, 2013	#129
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Thanks everyone, I think I am going to use up whatever 10-10-10 I have and go the route of just using the TTF this fall. Maybe I will do a side by side comparison using a strip and a periodic treatment with TTF. Maybe I will find a perfect combination or using just TTF will be perfect. Hmm, looks like I need to get my order in. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

July 26, 2013	#130
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	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. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

July 23, 2013	#123
TNTiger Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: TN Posts: 120	My plants are healthy . . . green leaves, nice strong stems, they just are not producing many blooms. We are in the SE Corner of TN in one of the regions that has been cooler and wetter than normal - this could be part of the problem. Fungus is a problem in other parts of the garden but the tomatoes have done pretty well. We've barely gotten into the 90s and only a few days of that. The last couple of weeks haven't been so rainy and the next 10 days looks nice - still under 90 which is good if I ever get any blooms! I had plants setting tomatoes well into September last year so I think it's quite possible to still get plenty. I'll let you know how it goes - thanks for the tip on using it as a boost!

July 24, 2013	#125
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Rockporter, I would say no, unless you want to add the strip and use the liquid as a supplement. I went without a fert strip in all of mine this season and have been just liquid feeding.

July 24, 2013	#127
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Rock - I added fert strips at the very beginning of the Spring season which I am certain are long since depleted. Starting a couple of month later about June 1, I've added TTF to the reservoir every 3rd or 4th refill of my earthtainers. This year for whatever reason Big beef, black and brown boar and Cowlicks Brandywine have produced FAR greater than ever before and everything else has produced well too. Now, environment is a major player as we've had a summer that has been tolerably hot with some cool breaks every now and again that the plants seem to recharge during. But, the other factor is use of TTF for the first time. I will certainly be trying it again next year to see if similarly good results can be duplicated. D M

July 28, 2013	#133
KathyDC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Suburban Washington, DC (Zone 7A) Posts: 347	Jimshuejohn, that's a beautiful picture! I am no expert, but I have read that overwatering can cause some tomatoes to taste more bland. However as I said I'm not an expert myself.

July 28, 2013	#134
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	GLad to hear you are having a good year! Yes, too much water can certainly affect taste. Cause splitting too, some varieties more than others.

July 29, 2013	#135
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Absolutely a bunch of water, especially rain can make tomato flavors be much less concentrated. We had a 3 day rain after a hot dry summer and anything bigger than a golf ball split on the top and all the cherries split too. Fortunately, most larger fruit seemed to seal itself off, ripen and then I was able to but around the cracking and eat the rest. D.M.