General discussion regarding the techniques and methods used to successfully grow tomato plants in containers.
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June 15, 2013 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 167
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Regular or slow release in your SWC?
I saw on the earthbox forum instructions that they say to NOT use slow release fertilizer in the strip if using non-organic products.
Do you SWC growers go by that rule or not? I want to make sure I am getting the best I can out of my SWC garden as this is my first year with them. |
June 15, 2013 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal Inland
Posts: 2,705
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You could use slow release or coated fert if you wanted too. It works but is very expensive compared to regular granular. I have been growing in Earthboxes for four years I use regular granular fertilizer. I supplement with a teaspoon of Calcium Nitrate down the water tube once a week. Occasionally I will supplement with additional ferts (liquid) but I have a very long growing season.
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June 15, 2013 | #3 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
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Quote:
Thanks for the help, Marsha |
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June 15, 2013 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 167
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I believe I saw where a fellow member was having good results with Lilly Miller 10 10 10 and I am trying it.
I have not used the snack but I do have some on hand. |
June 16, 2013 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal Inland
Posts: 2,705
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Ginger - I keep some of the Bonnie Soy based liquid around (All the big box stores carry it here) and use it sometimes if I need a boost to get things going. Later in the season when I have a lot of fruit set, sometimes I use a water soluble "ripening blend" (no N, high P and K) I ordered last year from Kelp4Less. Last year I used some seaweed product also. I think I will not need to use as many additional supplements this year as I have switched to a 10-10-10 fert.
Jason I am using Lilly Miller 10-10-10 this year also. So far so good. I start using the snack (Calcium Nitrate) right after plant out as an aid to help prevent BER. |
June 16, 2013 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Cordova, TN
Posts: 148
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Sun City Linda - What was your experience ordering from Kelp4Less? I just heard about this place but they don't have a BBB report. I was thinking of ordering some Azomite and Calcium Nitrate.
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June 16, 2013 | #7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
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Quote:
Linda, thank you for suggesting the no nitrogen blend, I have to get some! I am very familiar with Kelp4Less since I bought their calcium nitrate. Marsha |
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June 16, 2013 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Texas Coastal Bend
Posts: 3,205
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I use Lilly Miller in mine and I had some organic I tried this year, the Lilly Miller is far better. The tomatoes with the organic are not doing well and I will be pulling them shortly.
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In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ |
June 16, 2013 | #9 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,386
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I have done two things this year-the first was using tomato tone in the container as per the recommendations, supplemented with about every 2 weeks a soil drench with either GH FloraNova Grow, 1 tablespoon per gallon, or Texas Tomato Food, about 1/6 gallon per swc (this is in San Antonio). The second is in El Paso, and I am using only the liquid soil drench regimen. Both are working very good.
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Michael |
June 16, 2013 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal Inland
Posts: 2,705
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I have had good experiences with Kelp4Less. One of the posters on the Earthbox forum recommends them often. Unfortunately the owner (I guess) joined here and was a first post SPAM! And, we all know what happens to spammers here!
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June 21, 2013 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 135
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I have 18 earth boxes and have been using them for 4 - 5 years. I use Alaska organic tomato and vegetable pellets on top of the soil and add MiracleGrow liquid through the feeding tubes every 2 weeks. I've get great results for Wisconsin's growing season. My neighbor has a regular in-ground garden, which is bigger than the area my containers cover. I easily out-produce her, by 4 or 5 times the plant size and yield. Here's a picture from last July and so far this June (it's been cold).
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June 22, 2013 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 167
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That's quite an earthbox garden you have there!
The Lilly Miller 10 10 10 is doing well for me also. I started late with CN in the tube but the BER is still staying away. One note, I have 4 sweet success cukes in one 18 gallon swc and they sure can drink some water when it is sunny. Probably close to 2 gallons a day. All my plants look healthier in SWC's also. |
June 23, 2013 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Montreal
Posts: 1,140
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Does anyone here use a foliar fertilizer? I put in slow release fert when I planted, and then have been fertilizing weekly with MG. just wondered about any type of foliar feeding. My container plants do incredibly well too, as we don't have a long season in Montreal.
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June 23, 2013 | #14 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,386
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Sharon
I have used our members Texas Tomato Food as a foliar. Works great.
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Michael |
June 28, 2013 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: ny
Posts: 1,219
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Linda, with the Lilly Miller 10-10-10, and the Calcium Nitrate snack when the plant starts fruiting, do you do anything else? These are notes for me for next year.
I am new to gardening and used Garden-Tone as the fertilizer ring for my tomats this year. I'm reading though, that the Garden-Tone is a really weak fertilizer. Now that there is some fruit setting, I need to supplement with something, right? What would you recommend? |
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