Best Fertilizer and when?

tryno12 · April 20, 2017

What is the best Fertilizer/Nutrients and when to apply? Like different fertilizers/nutrients before blossoms and different fertilizers/nutrients after fruit set?
Kind of weird, Miracle Grow you mix and spray on leaves yet it is known that moisture on leaves or splashing ground under plant while watering is a recipe for decease ?
While putting out transplant's I usually place a tBS of Lime in the base of hole to prevent BER and last yr had only 1 of 40 plants had BER.
Thank You

Cole_Robbie · April 20, 2017

BER is mostly about moisture consistency. Organic matter helps.

If your soil is good enough, you don't need any fertilizer. I like Osmocote for container plants. Tomatotone is popular as well. I would shoot for good soil first, with compost or composted manure, and then finish that off with a little Tomatotone.

rockman · April 20, 2017

We are practically neighbors so what works for us may for you. I mix well rotted leaves, least 3 yrs. old (consistency of black dirt) in hole. Add tbs. bone meal and epson salt. If not well rotted manure use low nit. fertilizer such as 6-24-24. Iv'e used ash tree ashes, can't say if really made a diff. Didn't hurt. We add straw around plants for soil splatter. Our garden is located on Lick Creek in a deep valley so we combat the cool damp night diseases and don't plant till last of may. rockman

Gardeneer · April 20, 2017

BEST fertilizer is what the plants need and the soil/med is deficient in it.
So if my garden soil is rich in P, K, Mg, Ca ... but deficient in N, then the best fertilizer is something like 21-0-0. Although I can use like 10-10-10 but the last two "10"s are not really needed.
But in container growing it is a whole new ballgame.
Organic fertilizing is also a bit more complex than synthetic.

tryno12 · April 21, 2017

at times with plants, spring around the house,and seedlings started . Thanks Rockman, i see we are close , looks as if i best wait till May 8th or so to plant - last yr i needed to cover stuff up - too old for that. I never have my soil tested and usually go with a 12-12-12 slow release. Got Top soil Plus from Mcarty Green Cycle in Danville plus a couple extra yds compost so i'll see what happens 1rst yr for raised bed for me. I see Geezer here inBrownsburg by me has commented a couple times - busy: travel, wedding for daughter etc

Worth1 · April 21, 2017

I'm not going to buy into any so called tomato fertilizer.
It is my choice but to me it is a scam.
Soil test will prove again and again that the constant use of this stuff will show to much P and K.
You simply can't force feed plants to get them to take up more.
Many a time I have seen folks go on about someone's plants only to find out they are using a well balanced fertilizer.
Worth

ginger2778 · April 21, 2017

I love Tomato Tone, but I only grow in containers. I already know my soilless mix has no natural nutes. And I do supplemental feeding too, with Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium Sulfate. I had 105 tomato plants this year, and I got about 1500 tomatoes not counting the cherries.

Worth1 · April 21, 2017

I won't admit to knowing anything about container growing in soiless mixes.
Worth

brownrexx · April 21, 2017

My soil test this year showed too much P and K and I have only ever fertilized with compost so this year I am only using blood meal which is all Nitrogen, 12-0-0.

It's best to know what your garden needs and just start adding things.

Chapinz8 · April 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by brownrexx

My soil test this year showed too much P and K and I have only ever fertilized with compost so this year I am only using blood meal which is all Nitrogen, 12-0-0.

It's best to know what your garden needs and just start adding things.

I grow in raised beds with some compost, alfalfa pellets, etc. added each year. My last soil test said exactly the same. Advised me to add only blood meal for nitrogen.

My Foot Smells · April 21, 2017

has anybody ever used urea? my farmer's coop has a 50# bag for like 10$. my soil test recommended to add urea, but I've never used it. research specified that it needs to be tilled in and not used on top of soil (something about the chemical exchange is different). test also had the p & k elevated d/t all the fertilizer mixes a dump every year.

Worth1 · April 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by My Foot Smells

has anybody ever used urea? my farmer's coop has a 50# bag for like 10$. my soil test recommended to add urea, but I've never used it. research specified that it needs to be tilled in and not used on top of soil (something about the chemical exchange is different). test also had the p & k elevated d/t all the fertilizer mixes a dump every year.

Urea requires microbes to break it down into usable nitrogen.
You can just rake it in.
Worth

Southfl · April 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by My Foot Smells

has anybody ever used urea? my farmer's coop has a 50# bag for like 10$. my soil test recommended to add urea, but I've never used it. research specified that it needs to be tilled in and not used on top of soil (something about the chemical exchange is different). test also had the p & k elevated d/t all the fertilizer mixes a dump every year.

urea is the the cheapest fertilizer for nitrogen it does require micros to break down to make it a usable source for the plants. I would use calcium nitrate instead of urea. Its available immediately to the plant and has calcium in it.

RayR · April 21, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by My Foot Smells

has anybody ever used urea? my farmer's coop has a 50# bag for like 10$. my soil test recommended to add urea, but I've never used it. research specified that it needs to be tilled in and not used on top of soil (something about the chemical exchange is different). test also had the p & k elevated d/t all the fertilizer mixes a dump every year.

Urea is first converted to ammonia, which is a volatile gas, then ammonia is converted to ammonium which is a plant available form of N. The higher urea is placed in the soil profile, the greater chance of N loss as ammonia to the atmosphere. How much loss, which can be very high sometimes is dependent on temperature, PH and moisture.

decherdt · April 21, 2017

Most of the guidance I have seen recommends incorporating all required phosphorus preplant, with some of any N and K requirements preplant. Then side band or fertigate the remaining N and K requirements.
The hydroponics crowd posted these links over the seasons, and months & years later I may be getting the gist of some of it.
Couple of summaries
http://www.yara.us/agriculture/crops...ional-summary/

http://www.haifagroup.com/knowledge_..._requirements/

Boat load of detail
http://www.haifa-group.com/files/Gui...ato/Tomato.pdf

Just right now I'm trialing two kinds of N only drenches on separate rows, and two N-P-K drenches on a couple other rows.

April 20, 2017	#1
tryno12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Indianapolis Area 46112 Posts: 857	Best Fertilizer and when? What is the best Fertilizer/Nutrients and when to apply? Like different fertilizers/nutrients before blossoms and different fertilizers/nutrients after fruit set? Kind of weird, Miracle Grow you mix and spray on leaves yet it is known that moisture on leaves or splashing ground under plant while watering is a recipe for decease ? While putting out transplant's I usually place a tBS of Lime in the base of hole to prevent BER and last yr had only 1 of 40 plants had BER. Thank You

April 20, 2017	#4
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	BEST fertilizer is what the plants need and the soil/med is deficient in it. So if my garden soil is rich in P, K, Mg, Ca ... but deficient in N, then the best fertilizer is something like 21-0-0. Although I can use like 10-10-10 but the last two "10"s are not really needed. But in container growing it is a whole new ballgame. Organic fertilizing is also a bit more complex than synthetic. __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

April 21, 2017	#15
decherdt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 329	Most of the guidance I have seen recommends incorporating all required phosphorus preplant, with some of any N and K requirements preplant. Then side band or fertigate the remaining N and K requirements. The hydroponics crowd posted these links over the seasons, and months & years later I may be getting the gist of some of it. Couple of summaries http://www.yara.us/agriculture/crops...ional-summary/ http://www.haifagroup.com/knowledge_..._requirements/ Boat load of detail http://www.haifa-group.com/files/Gui...ato/Tomato.pdf Just right now I'm trialing two kinds of N only drenches on separate rows, and two N-P-K drenches on a couple other rows. __________________ 500 sq ft of raised rows zone 8a

April 20, 2017	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	BER is mostly about moisture consistency. Organic matter helps. If your soil is good enough, you don't need any fertilizer. I like Osmocote for container plants. Tomatotone is popular as well. I would shoot for good soil first, with compost or composted manure, and then finish that off with a little Tomatotone.

April 20, 2017	#3
rockman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: fortville,IN 46040 Posts: 140	We are practically neighbors so what works for us may for you. I mix well rotted leaves, least 3 yrs. old (consistency of black dirt) in hole. Add tbs. bone meal and epson salt. If not well rotted manure use low nit. fertilizer such as 6-24-24. Iv'e used ash tree ashes, can't say if really made a diff. Didn't hurt. We add straw around plants for soil splatter. Our garden is located on Lick Creek in a deep valley so we combat the cool damp night diseases and don't plant till last of may. rockman

April 21, 2017	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I'm not going to buy into any so called tomato fertilizer. It is my choice but to me it is a scam. Soil test will prove again and again that the constant use of this stuff will show to much P and K. You simply can't force feed plants to get them to take up more. Many a time I have seen folks go on about someone's plants only to find out they are using a well balanced fertilizer. Worth

April 21, 2017	#7
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	I love Tomato Tone, but I only grow in containers. I already know my soilless mix has no natural nutes. And I do supplemental feeding too, with Calcium Nitrate and Magnesium Sulfate. I had 105 tomato plants this year, and I got about 1500 tomatoes not counting the cherries.

April 21, 2017	#9
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	My soil test this year showed too much P and K and I have only ever fertilized with compost so this year I am only using blood meal which is all Nitrogen, 12-0-0. It's best to know what your garden needs and just start adding things.

April 21, 2017	#11
My Foot Smells Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Pulaski County, Arkansas Posts: 1,239	has anybody ever used urea? my farmer's coop has a 50# bag for like 10$. my soil test recommended to add urea, but I've never used it. research specified that it needs to be tilled in and not used on top of soil (something about the chemical exchange is different). test also had the p & k elevated d/t all the fertilizer mixes a dump every year.