Discussion forum for environmentally-friendly alternatives to replace synthetic chemicals and fertilizers.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Moore, South Carolina
Posts: 35
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Can anyone recommend a good alternative green fertilizer for tomato and pepper seedlings? I've been using diluted fish emulsion, but half of my inventory is now sharing garage space with our two cats...and I fear what might happen if I use fish emulsion in there! Any recommendations, please????
Thanks so much! Julie |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 113
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If you are looking for an organic source of nitrogen, bloodmeal is the most organic form of nitrogen.
Soluble Kelp also contains small amounts of Nitrogen, normally in the 1-1-14 ish area, and seedlings and mature plants absolutely love kelp, they respond well to the nutrients and the fact that it contains natural growth hormones. if you need more help feel free to email or message me. |
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: WV
Posts: 603
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Bloodmeal will have the same problems as fish emulsion...it is a critter attractant.
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: NY
Posts: 113
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We've actually used bloodmeal as a critter deterrant, animals smell blood from another animal and tend to keep away, it could be just a coincedence, but as long as I keep a perimeter with bloodmeal, I find that the groundhogs and deer stay away.
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#5 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,543
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One of the local gardeners who's vegetarian and won't use products that come from killed animals recommends bat guano -- but that might attract cats as well. I know the dogs used to dig up alfalfa meal when the neighbor's gardener put it under her roses, so they made a "tea" with alfalfa and a bunch of other ingredients instead. |
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: WV
Posts: 603
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Cats, dogs, raccoons and a few others WILL be attracted by bloodmeal...rabbits and other leaf munchers will not be.
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#7 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,386
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I have used bio-bizz and bio-grow and they are organic and good. Virtually no odor.
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Michael |
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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Liquid worm castings would be a possibility. Pre-diluted,
it is kind of pricy for large numbers of seedlings, but you could probably make your own with worm castings and a blender. I would not worry much about exact proportions, just mix it down until it is thin enough to be soaked up from the bottom of seed cells or pots without clogging them.
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Moore, South Carolina
Posts: 35
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Thanks, everyone...I'll look and see what I can find based on your recommendations! I appreciate the help!
Julie |
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#10 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,386
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None of us mentioned a very diluted compost tea, but I have used that on seedlings also.
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Michael |
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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I have used my "herb tea for plants", too: a tablespoon of kelp
meal, a tablespoon of alfalfa meal, a tablespoon of dried comfrey leaf, a tablespoon of dried nettles, a tablespoon of dried chickweed, all in a quart jar of hot water soaked overnight, then strained and used to water seedlings. The only issue is that it takes quite a few quart jars to water a lot of seedlings. I would usually save the strained part and soak it again, up to twice, and add that to the tea from the first soak, then use that. Sometimes I add a teaspoon of molasses to the final result (potassium, etc) just before using it. Feel free to vary the ingredients. Those were just what I had on hand (some people use only comfrey, only alfalfa, or only kelp meal the same way). The effect is not instantaneous, because the water soluble forms of nutrients in these plants may need to be processed by soil microbes before they are in forms that the plant can absorb. I have also watered them with pureed clover from out in the yard. (Put a handful of fresh clover in a blender, fill with water, run the blender until the stuff is "liquified clover".) Same caveats apply (microbes need to break it down before the plants can use the nutrients).
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#12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Rock Hill, SC
Posts: 5,346
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Cats love to eat tomato plants, so you are going to have to protect your seedlings.
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[SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I] |
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Moore, South Carolina
Posts: 35
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feldon, I've been lucky so far...they've been all sharing space for more than a week, and the cats haven't touched anything--yet! (Crossing fingers...)
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Abilene, TX zone 7
Posts: 1,478
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Put some catnip and tuna fish on the opposite side of the garage from the plants, and maybe they won't go near them.
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 94
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Isn't it true that tomato plant leaves are poisonous? Wouldn't dogs/cats get sick from eating the leaves?
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Slow learner through trial and error. Indoor organic (soon to be hydroponic) grower. Small SFG outside. Two acre CSA. Any recommendation for OP dwarf varieties and trades are welcome! |
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