Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,827
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Rim shot!! I crack myself up!!
Ok, I have raised beds, 12 x 4. They need to get some filler in it to raise the level. The 'garden soil' the local nursery has is crap, full of clay ect. I was thinking of putting two wheel barrels full on top, which would give it about 3 inches layer, and till it in. Was hoping to plant soon as temps are warming up. Good idea?? Yay or Nay?? The manure looks pretty broken down as well. It's fairly dry and crumbly. No, or hardly any odor. Not worried about the weeds popping up as I'm diligent in that. NOW, should I hold off on the fertilizer as well? Usually I put down a low nitrogen fert with the occasional fish emulsion. Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance. Greg Last edited by gssgarden; April 3, 2015 at 12:20 PM. |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,827
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My beds are 12" high. I can get pretty deep with the tiller or shovel so it wouldn't be a surface till.
Greg |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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I pretty much think you can't go wrong with aged horse manure...unless the horses were fed herbicide laced hay....
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,827
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It's definitely not fresh. They have a loooong row of it at a local stable. They take the older stuff for the people who want it. Like I said, it's pretty much odor free.
![]() Any idea about the fertilizer? Greg |
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#5 |
BANNED FOR LIFE
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
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I would use the fish emulsion too.
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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You need a soil test to know what to do there. Without a soil test .... compost and aged manures and mulches, almost always you are safe, and usually enough. But you won't know without a soil test if any specific thing needs addressed with added fertilizers.
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
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Sounds excellent. Horsepower makes tomatoes taste even better - provided it's well composted and from healthy animals!
My favorite fertilizer.. Hope to get my hands into some this season too ![]() |
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#8 |
Tomatopalooza™ Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NC-Zone 7
Posts: 2,188
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I say go for the horse manure amendment. As for the fertilizer, without a soil test, you could always wait and let the plants tell you what is needed. Then add later... easier to add if needed than remove if not!
Oh, and that line was Baaaaaad.
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Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread. |
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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If it were me, I would plant a bean in a cup of it and see how it grows before spreading it on a garden. If the bean plants grows with normal leaves; it's fine. If the leaves are gnarled and odd-looking, then that is herbicide contamination.
http://www.manurematters.com/ |
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
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The results last year were that the plants in containers that had a bit too generous amounts of manure, were later in blooming and fruit-producing.
They all eventually came around and produced huge amounts - too bad the season could not go on forever, but we picked as many unripe ones as possible and let them mature inside. So, go light at first, but even if you overdo it by accident, is not going to kill them off - the excess nitrogen will eventually be used up and the plants will get into the reproduction stage. |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7
Posts: 4,916
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Even if the manure is fully composted I would till it in and mix with the top inches of the existing soil.
Horse manure is not going to make a big difference in pH. In part it depend what they have mixed with it in the stable. |
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
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I would check to make sure none of the horses have been on meds but other than that I say, "Yay- you've found a goldmine!" I've added lots of manure to my gardens every year since the 70's and thinks it's fantastic for soil conditioning, making a great home for worms and adding organic matter. Not so high in fertilizer that I worry about adding lots of it at a time if I need to and have enough. I made an 8" layer in the bottom of a double-high cinder block bed and then added the limited amount of soil and compost I had on top of that. No problems with growing tomatoes and peppers in it that year - got plenty of fruits. I'd still use fish emulsion or fish/kelp, if I were you, now and then if the plants look like they could use it.
kath |
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,827
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Thank you guys!....you guys...are good!!
![]() Greg |
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 907
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Another "Yay". I add aged horse manure to my garden every year also. I never use fertilizer, and everything grows just fine. I also mulch my garden with wood chips.
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Abingdon, Va
Posts: 184
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Yay, with a caution. I used it to fill a bed once but the material was not as broken down as I had thought even though it was black. Sawdust had been used as bedding and more poop is required to break that down than hay or straw I think. So, my plants were nitrogen deficient and somewhat stunted.
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