Miracle grow vs organic fertilizer

Natertom92 · April 21, 2019

Hello everyone I have a good question for you guys. Which fertilizer you guys use for your tomatoes miracle grow tomato fertilizer or organic type fertilizer. I use miracle grow tomato fertilizer for mine.

edweather · April 21, 2019

Depends on whether in-ground, or in containers. For my container tomatoes, I use water soluble fertilizers, Texas Tomato Food, MG, and sometimes Foliage Pro. For in-ground, I usually use a granular fertilizer, either organic or non-organic, I use both.

mikemansker · April 21, 2019

I use Tomato Tone.

Koala Doug · April 21, 2019

I use Texas Tomato Food (TTF) in my container-grown tomatoes.

In the past, I have trialed Miracle-Gro's tomato formula (the red stuff, not the most common blue stuff), but the TTF was much better.

I would tend to think that the Miracle-Gro tomato product would be fine as an occasional supplement for in-ground tomatoes though.

Worth1 · April 21, 2019

Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil.
MG so so but not the best.
By far ((my)) best results have been 13-13-13 or something like it in containers or in ground.

bower · April 21, 2019

I use bone meal and kelp, chicken manure when available has been great, and my best yields. Also use liquid fish ferts when the tomatoes start to ripen.

April 21, 2019

Tomatoes and peppers get TTF. Other veggies get fish emulsion and kelp. These are all in containers, btw.
Fruit trees and other in-ground plants get home-made compost and TTF Apples and Oranges formula.

Greatgardens · April 21, 2019

When hybrid tomatoes were developed, a common saying was (supposedly) "the only difference is price." I would suggest that is true of exotic blend fertilizers (some upwards of $15/lb), at least for home gardeners. Organic fertilizers do have slow release, but extended release chemical fertilizers have that same ability. I use whatever is most economical, and that typically means buying end of season products at dramatic discount. I am partial to Jobes Organic Tomato and Plant food. But MG is also good stuff for a quick boost later in the season or for indoor use while growing transplants.

Shrinkrap · April 21, 2019

[QUOTE=Worth1;733298]Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil.

Because it is "organic"? There is reason to believe organics will work in containers later? Mine are Earthboxes with aging ProMix HP, and at this point Tere are words, and what must be some composted roots.

Worth1 · April 21, 2019

[QUOTE=Shrinkrap;733334]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil.

Because it is "organic"? There is reason to believe organics will work in containers later? Mine are Earthboxes with aging ProMix HP, and at this point Tere are words, and what must be some composted roots.

Yes in this situation according to a well respected expert here, it needs soil microbes to break it down into usable nutrients for the plant.

Shrinkrap · April 21, 2019

[QUOTE=Worth1;733335]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrinkrap

Yes in this situation according to a well respected expert here, it needs soil microbes to break it down into usable nutrients for the plant.

Okay, thanks! Funny thing is I've used Garden-Tone and Tomato-Tone in my boxes for years, but read it doesn't work a few years ago, and started freaking out. Most places around here have no granular fertilizer that is not labled "organic" . I'll try to add so liquid fees early on.

Worth1 · April 21, 2019

[QUOTE=Shrinkrap;733337]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Okay, thanks! Funny thing is I've used Garden-Tone and Tomato-Tione in my boxes for years, but read it doesn't work a few years ago, and started freaking out. Most places around here have no granular fertilizer that is not labled "organic" . I'll try to add so liquid fees early on.

Fact check everything I say here I am not an expert and get lucky most of the time.

Shrinkrap · April 21, 2019

[QUOTE=Worth1;733339]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrinkrap

Fact check everything I say here I am not an expert and get lucky most of the time.

Nope! I like that answer and I'm sticking with it!

zipcode · April 22, 2019

I use about 80% organic and the rest chemical in my containers. I feel it's no point not using organic if it works, the rest is just to adjust some things according to how the plants are doing.

Cole_Robbie · April 22, 2019

Continual feeding of MG to a container plant can lead to salt build up, ph problems, and the resulting nutrient lock out. I much prefer Osmocote time release. Both brands are owned by Scott's, by the way.

I would much prefer organics for in ground fertilizers. It takes time to build good soil. But when your soil is rich enough, I have found that even a tiny bit of MG will burn the plants. Dark soil is dark from humate content, which is a nutrient uptake accelerator. Organics work on a low NPK level, because the nutrients should be more available to the plant. One caveat I always mention, though, is that I inevitably get stem rot in early spring container seedlings if I use organic fertilizers. I think there is a minimum temp required to avoid this, maybe 60F or so. Seedlings treated with just osmocote or MG do not have this problem and are ok down to about 40F or so.

April 21, 2019	#1
Natertom92 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Kansas Posts: 12	Miracle grow vs organic fertilizer Hello everyone I have a good question for you guys. Which fertilizer you guys use for your tomatoes miracle grow tomato fertilizer or organic type fertilizer. I use miracle grow tomato fertilizer for mine.

April 21, 2019	#2
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 396	Depends on whether in-ground, or in containers. For my container tomatoes, I use water soluble fertilizers, Texas Tomato Food, MG, and sometimes Foliage Pro. For in-ground, I usually use a granular fertilizer, either organic or non-organic, I use both. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

April 21, 2019	#3
mikemansker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Branson MO Posts: 441	I use Tomato Tone.

April 21, 2019	#4
Koala Doug Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Detroit Posts: 688	I use Texas Tomato Food (TTF) in my container-grown tomatoes. In the past, I have trialed Miracle-Gro's tomato formula (the red stuff, not the most common blue stuff), but the TTF was much better. I would tend to think that the Miracle-Gro tomato product would be fine as an occasional supplement for in-ground tomatoes though.

April 21, 2019	#5
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil. MG so so but not the best. By far ((my)) best results have been 13-13-13 or something like it in containers or in ground.

April 21, 2019	#6
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	I use bone meal and kelp, chicken manure when available has been great, and my best yields. Also use liquid fish ferts when the tomatoes start to ripen.

April 21, 2019	#7
PlainJane Guest Posts: n/a	Tomatoes and peppers get TTF. Other veggies get fish emulsion and kelp. These are all in containers, btw. Fruit trees and other in-ground plants get home-made compost and TTF Apples and Oranges formula.

April 21, 2019	#8
Greatgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,124	When hybrid tomatoes were developed, a common saying was (supposedly) "the only difference is price." I would suggest that is true of exotic blend fertilizers (some upwards of $15/lb), at least for home gardeners. Organic fertilizers do have slow release, but extended release chemical fertilizers have that same ability. I use whatever is most economical, and that typically means buying end of season products at dramatic discount. I am partial to Jobes Organic Tomato and Plant food. But MG is also good stuff for a quick boost later in the season or for indoor use while growing transplants.

April 21, 2019	#9
Shrinkrap Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: N. California Posts: 701	[QUOTE=Worth1;733298]Plant tone good for later not now, needs a little time to do it's thing under the soil. Because it is "organic"? There is reason to believe organics will work in containers later? Mine are Earthboxes with aging ProMix HP, and at this point Tere are words, and what must be some composted roots.

April 22, 2019	#14
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	I use about 80% organic and the rest chemical in my containers. I feel it's no point not using organic if it works, the rest is just to adjust some things according to how the plants are doing.

April 22, 2019	#15
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Continual feeding of MG to a container plant can lead to salt build up, ph problems, and the resulting nutrient lock out. I much prefer Osmocote time release. Both brands are owned by Scott's, by the way. I would much prefer organics for in ground fertilizers. It takes time to build good soil. But when your soil is rich enough, I have found that even a tiny bit of MG will burn the plants. Dark soil is dark from humate content, which is a nutrient uptake accelerator. Organics work on a low NPK level, because the nutrients should be more available to the plant. One caveat I always mention, though, is that I inevitably get stem rot in early spring container seedlings if I use organic fertilizers. I think there is a minimum temp required to avoid this, maybe 60F or so. Seedlings treated with just osmocote or MG do not have this problem and are ok down to about 40F or so.