Fertilizers

[tqn626]

Just curious what fertilizer does everyone use here for their tomatoes.

Here's my list.

Alfalfa meal - 2.5-1-1

Azomite - Trace Minerals

Worm Castings

N Bat Guano 10-1-1

P Bat Guano 1-10-1

Fish Hydrolysate - 2-4-1

Liquid Kelp - Trace Minerals

Epsom Salt - Mag

Dolomite Lime - CAL/Mag

I will start using Fulvic and Humic acid this year.

[RayR]

I can't say there is anything on that list that I don't use in one form or another. They are either part of a granular or liquid organic fertilizer I use or I use some of them alone.

[epsilon]

I actually use Peruvian sea bird poo. It takes the place of both of those bat guanos the analysis psg is 12-11-2. If I can get my friend to push me photos from my sunflower breeding program. Will put amazing vegetative growth on all of your plants. I would how ever switch after getting them growing to a phosphate- potassium dense option or the high N will affect your flower production and fruit set later on. Also be careful as any of your poop options carry a potential to give the plants leaf burn.

[tqn626]

Originally Posted by epsilon

I actually use Peruvian sea bird poo. It takes the place of both of those bat guanos the analysis psg is 12-11-2. If I can get my friend to push me photos from my sunflower breeding program. Will put amazing vegetative growth on all of your plants. I would how ever switch after getting them growing to a phosphate- potassium dense option or the high N will affect your flower production and fruit set later on. Also be careful as any of your poop options carry a potential to give the plants leaf burn.

I use the bat poop just for that. N bat poop for leaf growth then P bat poop for fruiting. I had problems using the peruvian guano, it tends to burn a lot easier.

[roper2008]

I just use an organic pellet type fertilizer that I can sprinkle all over the soil. I use GardenTone a lot.
In my containers I use a more expensive fertilizer like the Fox Farms Marine Cuisine.

[ScottinAtlanta]

I have fertilizer envy. I use a lot of my own kudzu compost, a fine black mix, but almost no fertilizers after planting out. Yet I get big plants. Will I increase yield with a fertilizer?

[BigVanVader]

I have never used any fertilizer other than manure/compost but I am curious what would be best to fertilize with once my seedlings get their true leaves? DIY on the cheap homemade ferts would be great if any of you have one you could share.

I know alota old timers around here use Epsom salts for tomatoes and swear by it, but I haven't ever tried it myself.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

I have never used any fertilizer other than manure/compost but I am curious what would be best to fertilize with once my seedlings get their true leaves? DIY on the cheap homemade ferts would be great if any of you have one you could share.

I know alota old timers around here use Epsom salts for tomatoes and swear by it, but I haven't ever tried it myself.

Manure and compost is all you need. Assuming you have enough for all your seedlings. When young a dilute compost tea works good once they have their first true leaves. That's the best DIY.

Now once they hit the beds. I use a couple tricks. I don't plow or till. So I sprinkle coffee grounds I save from my own use and get free at Starbucks on the mowed grass before I cover it with paper and mulch. (and ground egg shells if I have them) That feeds the worms in the soil. The worms do my cultivation for me.

In each transplant hole I use "special dirt" and "special water" just at transplant time. Those potentially could contain fertilizers. I generally use whatever I have or can find on sale. For the "Special dirt" I use any combination of slow release organic ferts, aged compost, good top soil, well aged manure, green sand, Bio char, and/or commercial mycorrhizal fungi/ beneficial bacteria inoculates. For the "Special water" I use a base of compost tea with added soluble ferts, fish emulsion, and/or soluble commercial mycorrhizal fungi/ beneficial bacteria inoculates. Obviously I don't need inoculates and ferts in both the "special dirt" and the "special water". I simply adjust one or the other depending on what I want to experiment with that season or whatever might be cheaper or better. The main two are compost for your special dirt and compost tea for your "special water". and inoculates somewhere in the mix. The rest you adjust to your local conditions. You might need lime. You might need extra ferts. You might need green sand or rock dust. You might not need any of those things. Everyone and every soil is different.

Then I simply pull away the mulch where I want my seedling to go and pop out a plug of sod and/or dirt. (bulb planters work great for this, the plugs go in the wheel barrow for eventual composting for next year) I fill the hole with "special water", drop a handful of "special dirt" right on the water, then press the seedling into place. If it needs a bit more dirt I top it off with a bit more "special dirt" and finally pull the mulch back around the plant. Place a cage over that or set up a Florida weave and you are done with weeding, cultivation, watering, fertilizing, everything basically for the rest of the year till harvest. Sit back and make posts on how good everything is doing on Tomatoville!

Now, that's the theory. We love Mother Nature but she is a cruel mistress. You might need to do a minimal amount of watering in a drought. You might need to spray Bt for hornworms. I do actually check the plants by walking down each row every day. I do have to mow the grass between the rows or it gets too tall. But basically it is enjoyable strolls through the tomato patch. Not work. The worms do all the work. That's until the harvest comes. That's work!

[tqn626]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

I have never used any fertilizer other than manure/compost but I am curious what would be best to fertilize with once my seedlings get their true leaves? DIY on the cheap homemade ferts would be great if any of you have one you could share.

I know alota old timers around here use Epsom salts for tomatoes and swear by it, but I haven't ever tried it myself.

Everyone always swears by Epsom Salt. It does work to an extent. If you over do it with epsom salt it can lock out vital trace minerals. My dad for instance has wonderful results with epsom salt on his grapefruit tree last year. I told him to tone it down. He didn't, now this year he has goft ball size grape fruit.

A diluted mixture of epsom salt, alfalfa meal, and liquid kelp will supercharge your seedlings.

[Cole_Robbie]

I agree that the best soils don't really need fertilizer.

My high tunnel soil is largely unamended clay. I did ok with a fertilizer injector, alternating 4-18-38 and Cal Nitrate. Plants in the same soil outside the high tunnel produced very little. Ferilizers are a way to fill the gap between the perfect soil and your soil. The bigger the gap, the more you need.

[peppero]

I would like to thank all who share their approaches on subjects likr this. Would it not be great if one method worked for all? Since that is not the case ypur posts can provide valuable insight for the rest Keep them coming.

jon

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by tqn626

I use the bat poop just for that. N bat poop for leaf growth then P bat poop for fruiting. I had problems using the peruvian guano, it tends to burn a lot easier.

It does tend to burn easier. Normally what I'll do is take a cup of the stuff and put it in a five gallon container water it down then take a half gallon of the mix and add another half gallon. And then water by can.

[joseph]

I have chosen not to use fertilizers... I find that it's easier and less expensive to select for plant genetics that thrive in my existing soil.

I grow in clay/silt so there is plenty of nutrition in the soil. I might feel differently if I were growing in sand. The weeds and plants that don't get eaten get returned to the soil. They don't get gathered up and sent away.

[clkeiper]

We use commercial fert for the injector once we have established the garden. While the plants are still in containers or flats in the greenhouses (kind of to my husbands "I am not sure I like this") I use rabbit poop, aged horse manure, osmocote, and occasionally a spray on commercial 20-20-20. We use millers 11-48-8 as a transplant solution, 20-20-20 in the greenhouse on occasion, and he mixes up one other, but I don't use most of them...he has to since I am allergic to the urea in the ferts. I tend to stick with the manure based additives due to my allergy and I think the plants do better at resisting insects pressure and I haven't sprayed any fungicides yet this year.

[JamesL]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

We use commercial fert for the injector once we have established the garden.

Carolyn,
Which injector do you use?