Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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May 18, 2012 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Ironite Vinegar and MG.
All of my plants looked yellow and blue veined with purple stems.
I new I had put 16 16 16 in the raised beds and went to work hoping for the best. Nope I got home and some of the plants were growing but some right next to them did little if anything. So this time home I decided to cure or kill everything. Because I had already put on what I thought plenty of fertilizer I knew it had to be one or two of 2 things. Low in iron or soil too alkaline. I tested the soil and it was around 7.5 or 8 So I bought a big bag of Ironite 1-0-1 and spread it everywhere. I sprayed the beds down with a solution of vinegar. Then to top it off I sprayed the garden down with MG fertilizer for blooming plants. 3 days later the garden is exploding with growth and blooms, even the stunted plants are coming out of it. Call it what you will but I needed results and fast I dont have time to wait, summer is on the way. I'm glad something worked. Worth |
May 18, 2012 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,521
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WTG....glad it worked out so fast. Wish all results could be that good and that fast.
Zana |
May 18, 2012 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 40
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Good save Worth!
__________________
I may be schizophrenic, but I at least have each other. |
May 19, 2012 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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Worth I may try that vinegar idea. I have been adding lots of stuff like manure and cottonseed meal yet my soil remains stubbornly alkaline. I frequently have problems with iron deficiency and have to use iron supplements but sometimes they don't work fast enough.
How much vinegar did you use and on what size bed? I have one area that seems to always give me problems with iron deficiency even though I add some iron supplements to the area every spring before planting. |
May 19, 2012 | #5 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Quote:
I set the Ortho dial and spray dial on 8 oz and put filled it up with 5% acidity vinegar then sprayed 2 5X12 beds with it. The ground foamed when it hit. You should try 1-0-1 Ironite. Worth |
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May 19, 2012 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 83
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I also have alkaline soil...but dont have the spray and dial. I have a pump spray bottle that is 40 oz. can you tell me approximately what percentage of vinegar to water i would need? Also would boric acid work or no?
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May 19, 2012 | #7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Quote:
So at my best guess I put 32 ounces of vinegar in the container and sprayed at a ration of 8 ounces to on gallon. That would be 1 cup per gallon of 5% acidity vinegar. I saw some agricultural vinegar at the store for a lot higher price and I said what the heck I'll use what I have. I would have no idea about the boric acid but I think I saw some stuff with phosphoric acid in it for the same purpose. They have a product that is for turning hydrangea blooms from pink to blue ad blue to pink. One is acidic and the other is alkali. You can also use sulfur to make soil acid. Here is a link and a chart at the bottom of the page. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...mi6Z5g&cad=rja The whole thing was an experiment for me. I had no idea what I was doing and it worked. Worth |
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May 19, 2012 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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Stay away from the boric acid! Borax toxicity is horrible and it doesn't take much to make soil toxic to plants.
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May 19, 2012 | #9 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
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Quote:
I may have to give some foliar feeding a try, myself. It's getting really hot early here and my plants aren't far enough along. |
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May 19, 2012 | #10 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Quote:
I just slung it on by hand. I have been Doctoring my neighbors yard that adjoins mine. He is stumped as to why that part of the yard looks so much better than the rest of his yard. He knows I'm up to something he just doesn't know what it is. Worth |
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May 19, 2012 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA
Posts: 1,803
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Is there a Doctor in the house?
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May 20, 2012 | #12 |
Guest
Posts: n/a
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I've seen symptoms of iron deficiency this year in some of our perennial beds. I put down some Texas greensand and it cleared it right up. I figured that the other trace minerals in the sand would also be helpful for the plants. I liked it so much, I think I will start to add some to each raised bed in the spring. It took about a week to see results on our perennials, so the ironite might be a faster option as well.
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May 21, 2012 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 83
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I could not find 1-0-1 ironite in a small enough bag at home depot so I bought the 12-10-10 Ironite plus with 2% Iron. I have held off on my fertilizer for several days so that I could apply it without fear of burning. I put approximately 1 Tbsp. per 5 gallon container that I have. Is this enough or could I stand to put more?
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May 21, 2012 | #14 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Quote:
Worth |
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May 21, 2012 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 83
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Well I bought the 12-10-10 lol...do u know how much of IT i should use?
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