New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 177
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Opinions on starting fertilizer and when to use it.
I know it needs to be diluted, and I have used Jiffy starter mix which supposedly has some starter in it. After transferring my starts to larger cups, I intermittently add some diluted Miracle -Gro. Any advice or opinions? |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: PNW
Posts: 4,743
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Worm castings work well for me:
5 parts coir, 2 parts worm castings, 1 part perlite Or: 6 parts seed-starting mix, 2 parts worm castings I have also used a pinch of some granular organic fertilizer per 3" pot when potting up sprouted seedlings. (Bio-Tone is popular for this.) Finally, I have also used kelp solution, a pinch of kelp meal in each 3" pot, a tea made from comfrey, alfalfa, kelp, nettles, and chickweed, clover from the yard liquified in a blender, a pinch of guano, some tablespoon per gallon mollases when the seed-starting mix already has a little nitrogen and phosphorus, and various experimental things. Miracle-Gro seems kind of harsh for seedlings, but at 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water it might be ok. It is easy to burn them with too much fertilizer, so I prefer the slow-release organic fertilizers to the inorganic chemicals for seedlings. Since I have a worm bin, and the worm castings work well, that is my preference.
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E
Posts: 5,041
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When you pot up use Fox Farms "Light Warrior". It has the ferts and myco's already in it. Ami
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Pacific North West, zone 8a
Posts: 510
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I use a diluted mixture of fish fertilizer and liquid kelp. Works like a charm!
Taryn ![]() |
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Back in da U.P.
Posts: 1,846
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i go with the fish, and kelp here too diluted 1/4 strength, but i don't over do it. they may get a shot or two toward the end before transplanting outside. if you over do the fertilizer, the plants may grow too fast, and get gangly if you don't keep the temps in the 60s. give them as much light as possible. if your planting mix has a slow release fertilizer in it already, they shouldn't need additional fertilizer.
keith |
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