And Yet Another Fertilizer Comparison - Tomato-tone vs. Tomaten Dung-er
 

OK, Not something you and I can run down to Ace Hardware and buy tonight, but our friend Ami was kind enough to send me a 1 Kg. box of his local tomato fertilizer:

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_7514.jpg[/IMG]

(I guess the name "Dung-er" looses something in Translation.)

So - - another Myth-Busters "Challenge" for Tomato-tone.

Without digressing too much (wait for the August Report), I am finding a blend of one bag "Old" Tomato-tone with one bag "New" Tomato-tone is giving me the combined benefits of both (yield, DTM, etc.):

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/img180.jpg[/IMG]

This contrasts significantly from the 7-3-10 NPK of what Ami sent me.

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_7518.jpg[/IMG]

I have a mechanical divider wall splitting the 'Tainer in half:

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_7497.jpg[/IMG]

While not a waterproof seal, it provides perhaps 85% isolation between the two plants and their fertilizers. The fertilizer strips should remain "localized" to a great deal for the trial:

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_7499.jpg[/IMG]

I have also treated both sides with Actinovate (wouldn't be without it), so let the games begin:

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_7508.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks again, Ami - - should be an interesting experiment on this pair of Celebrity tomatoes.

Ray :D:D

The Germans are just getting into the over the counter sale of specialized organic fertilizers with Myco's. I came across this product last year and had very good results with at my surrogate garden at work. So I sent a box to Ray to see how it would stack up against it's USA counterpart. You will notice that it also contains "Schwefel" which is sulfur. Studies have shown Sulfur plays a role in the outcome of flavor quality of our vege's. Here's a link to the product I sent Ray. Ami


[URL]http://www.neudorff.de/produkte/produkt-katalog/katalog/azet-tomatenduenger.html[/URL]

Hey Ami,

You are going to have to include a German-to-English dictionary for me to understand all of this on the labels and Website!!:))

Ray

I'll be interested to see the results from the Neudorff fertilizer. It is sold here too and I may need to buy it, since I'm trying to grow organic this year.

:no: I liked old Tomato Tone!! What's up with new Tomato Tone?? :?

shellybean,

I really liked the "Old" Tomato-tone as well, but alas, with raw ingredients tripling in price (thank your Government's Cartel of 1918 Act), the folks at Espoma probably figured they had to come up with a new formula to keep it affordable.

I am running a number of "A" / "B" comparison grow-outs this year on Goose Creek, Coldset, NARX, Ed's Millennium to evaluate for myself, if the "New" Tomato-tone is acceptable to me (personally) as a suitable replacement. So far, a mixed bag. Plants in "Old" Tomato-tone bigger and bearing more fruit than those in "New" Tomato-tone. But the flip-side - - those in "New" Tomato-tone are averaging an earlier DTM of approximately 6 days - - go figure!!

The plants that I have in a 50/50 blend of Old and New are doing quite well too, so stock up on all you can of the "Old" Tomato-tone for the future to make your own custom blend.

Ray

Thanks, Ray. I have to go to the garden center this week so I will indeed stock up on the old formula! I'll be looking for your results at the end of the season. Thank you.

Hi Ray,

Do you use the Actinovate in addition to the Dolomite Lime?

Do you only apply during planting or throughout the growing season?

Thanks!
Jason

[quote=basserman;136511]Hi Ray,

Do you use the Actinovate in addition to the Dolomite Lime?

Do you only apply during planting or throughout the growing season?

Thanks!
Jason[/quote]


I think I found the answer to my question in your postings in this thread:
[URL]http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=10395&highlight=Actinovate[/URL]

Now I need to find if it is available in Southern California.

Jason,

I apply Actinovate after the plants are about 2 weeks into their 'Tainers. Only once during the season is required. Excellent product, in my opinion.:D

Ray

[quote=rnewste;136517]Jason,

I apply Actinovate after the plants are about 2 weeks into their 'Tainers. Only once during the season is required. Excellent product, in my opinion.:D

Ray[/quote]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but how do you apply it? Do you add it to the earthtainer water resevoir? Or apply at the base of the plant?

Thanks for your help

I mix it with water according to the package, then use a watering tube to douse the roots around the plant's perimeter. Once per season is sufficient.

Ray

basserman, you can apply as a soil drench as Ray does or you can sprinkle it on the rootball or in the hole your going to plant it in. This year I mixed up a gallon batch in a bucket and and submerged the plant balls in the solution for 15 seconds then planted it. I used CowPots and DotPots this year which are biodegradeable to grow my tomato seedlings in so I plant the seedling w/pot which is one reason I went to the dunk and plant this year with actinovate and mycorrhizae. Ami

[quote=amideutch;136542] I used CowPots and DotPots this year [/quote]

Thanks guys. my actinovate order has been placed.

Ami, I love the CowPots idea! I think those would work pretty well.

Ray, if there are any problems of translation, please ask. I would be happy to help out if I can.
clara