Too much info.??

rick9748 · January 5, 2017

My intent this year is to keep my plants healthier and prevent disease when possible.I normally spray fungicide 8 - 10 days and fertilize, Jobes organic, fish eml., from bottom.My beds are simply built up compost from adding compost year after year.Soil test show everything sufficient to excessive in each bed.Heve seen many suggestions for care; 1-Milk and molasses as foliar spray, seawead and fish emulsion spray and or fertilize, compost tea spray & fert. and of course the aspirin spray.
Please would some of you suggest a schedule to follow of these items or others and how often to use them.
Thanks
Rick
central South Carolina

AlittleSalt · January 5, 2017

A thought for the soil, maybe with soil tests showing everything sufficient to excessive in each bed could mean that some of the things you are doing might need some time to finish composting and settle. Not adding to them for a year might be helpful.

I look at nature as taking time to make areas fertile. We sometimes want to hurry things too much causing a shock effect. It's just another way of thinking about it.

MissS · January 5, 2017

I agree with Salt. If your plants are doing well and not showing any signs of deficiency, then there is no reason for you to be feeding them. Your soil tests well, your plants look good, so why bother fixing what ain't broke??? Although I certainly would keep up your spraying program to prevent disease.

jmsieglaff · January 5, 2017

I agree with others, if we understand your post you're happy with your plants and your soil is good--you just want to keep disease (foliage disease?) held down further?

Your spraying program sounds reasonable. One other thing is to be very aggressive with pruning any leaves that are showing any signs of disease, check and tend to them daily.

Is there something specific that you are unhappy with that you're seeking to improve?

rick9748 · January 6, 2017

My question is what is your advice on all the various types of foliar sprays and feeding I hear about; milk & molasses, seaweed & fish emulsion, aspirin to spray to build disease resistance, compost tea.Do you use these or others and if so how often?Of course main objective is to keep plants healthy and productive.
PS; Is there something SPECIAL that you do that helps keep your plants growing and healthy?

MissS · January 6, 2017

I think that most people here spray a fungicide every two weeks. Most will rotate between Daconil and Copper spray.

The majority of use do not spray molasses on the leaves but some do use it to feed the soil microbes. Milk has not been effective. Some do spray seaweed and fish and hardly any of us will even use the aspirin. Feeding your soil keeps your plants healthy.

Here is a current thread on the use of fungicide spray.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=43441

b54red · January 6, 2017

I think it would be a huge mistake to foliar feed in your climate unless absolutely necessary. My soil test shows that I am also high in almost everything but I still feed almost weekly with dilute Urban Farms Texas Tomato Food and it improved my setting of fruit by 3 to 4 fold and increased the health and vigor of my plants. I start off using their Vegetable formula when the plants are young and begin giving them Texas Tomato Food when they start blooming well. When the plants are first set out I don't give them anything for a week or two to force root growth. When the plants start looking like they are wilting I will give them their first feeding but only about 1/3rd stength and gradually increase it until the plants are around 3 to 4 feet tall and then I start feedings every 7 to 10 days of the recommended dose of Texas Tomato Food. If the plants start looking a bit too green then I will skip a feeding.

I think alternating the Daconil and copper is a good idea and apply one of the fungicides every 7 to 10 days. I keep my plants well pruned to allow air flow and prune off all the foliage below the first truss. I also put down a heavy mulch which helps stop splash back and keep the soil moisture more even. I hate having to water too often but I make sure that the plants are well watered during hot times especially if they are blooming heavily. I cut back on the watering when the fruits are ripening but I don't cut back on the fertilizer because plants with a heavy fruit set tend to drop a lot of blossoms and I want some tomatoes the next month also.

Bill

rick9748 · January 6, 2017

Thank you very much.I am glad to hear that I am basically doing what you suggested.Just was wondering about the "snake oil" treatments.You know, there is so much miracle growth treatments on You Tube.It should have some type of oversight but I know it is a completely open forum with some wild ideas.
Thanks again:
Rick

rick9748 · January 6, 2017

Thank you very much.I am glad to hear the tried and true methods are still good.I go over to You Tube and see programs suggestion doubling production and creating bullet proof plants with magic, "snake oil" solutions.Wish you could tell my wife that I am not slaughtering my plants when I prune.I keep all plants very open for air circulation because I am all ways fight high humidity.
What is it that you especially like about the Texas fertilizer?
I really do appreciate you taking the time to converse with me.
Thanks
Rick

Gardeneer · January 6, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by rick9748

My question is what is your advice on all the various types of foliar sprays and feeding I hear about; milk & molasses, seaweed & fish emulsion, aspirin to spray to build disease resistance, compost tea.Do you use these or others and if so how often?Of course main objective is to keep plants healthy and productive.
PS; Is there something SPECIAL that you do that helps keep your plants growing and healthy?

I do similar fungicide spraying , Add as much organic matter as amendment ( compost, manure, ..). when available.
On fertilizing I have never used milk/molasses and do not feed my plants foliarly. I do use fish fertilizer, synthetic fertilizers (water soluble, granular ) . No SPECIAL THINGS.
The bottom line is the results that you get. The plants mirror their growing conditions. You have to learn to read your plants, to some extent. But I would like also to get some soil analysis/test to be able to know what is going on in the soil.

brownrexx · January 7, 2017

I am in the minority here because I do not spray fungicides but I realize that things are different in the South and you guys have more problems with fungal disease than we do in the northeast.

I garden organically and participate regularly in an Organic Gardening Forum. Most of us do not use any of that "snake oil" stuff like Tums in the planting hole, magnets, matches, jello or the like. I have never heard anyone there talk about spraying tomato plants with milk or molasses. I would think that if something like milk really worked then the organic gardeners would be using it don't you? They do use it on powdery mildew in the late summer but that is on squash plants and it actually works, not to kill the fungus, but to stop it from growing and spreading. For tomatoes, mostly people concentrate on building the soil with organic matter and compost.

Most of us also do the same as b54red and prune plants to keep foliage up off of the soil, mulch heavily and provide a good distance between plants for good airflow. I use tomato cages to keep all branches upright. I do not do any foliar feeding because I do not think that it is nearly as effective as feeding the roots.

In the last 3 years I have been spraying with Actinovate which is a biologic and I am happy with that and honestly I get excellent production with very little foliage problems other than Septoria at the very end of the season when frost is near I don't care anymore.

Ricky Shaw · January 7, 2017

I don't spray, I have not run into anyone here that does. You see recommendations by the state extensions and articles in the gardening pages, but nobody seems to do it. Hornworms and psyllids are my big two, aphids a distant third. The hornworms are a winnable battle hand to hand, and kind of fun. Psyllids are nearly impossible to beat, you hope they arrive late and advance slowly, so maybe you can get in most of the fruit before the plant is smothered in frass.

brownrexx · January 7, 2017

I had to Google Psyllids to see what they were and there do not seem to be references to having them in PA thankfully.

I do get a few hornworms (like 3 or 4) and usually they are covered with parasitic wasp larvae so I just let them go so that the wasp population can increase. I also get a few tomato fruitworms ( again it's probably less than a dozen) which are the same as corn earworms but they do not cause significant damage and I feed any infested fruits to my chickens so that they can not complete their life cycle and reproduce.

Gardening organically means to keep the bad pests in balance with the good pests and not necessarily trying to eliminate every one as long as you get decent amounts of produce. I do the hand picking thing with my Colorado Potato Beetles on potatoes. I know that I don't get every one of them but I still get a nice crop.

I don't know if it's true but I saw that insecticidal soap will kill the psyllids so I would probably spray the undersides of the leaves with that if I had them.

Gerardo · January 7, 2017

Sounds like things are chugging along well Rick. You've received some good suggestions, mine will include using one of the "snake oil" treatments, the veg compost tea. No need to go foliar, a drench works just as well and in my experience seems to help the plants handle disease burden a little better.

Anecdotal, non-scientific, but I still recommend it.

More snake oils:

The main component of my foliar feed program, I got a sample of it and have purchased it twice. Dumped the fish emulsion for this. Pleasant aroma.
https://primordialsolutions.com/prod...n-2-oz-bottle/

Floralicious Plus is a great option too, got a sample and have purchased it once.

A sample of this stuff has been getting a lot of use too, VERY concentrated:
http://www.atami.com/en/product/bcuzz-blossom-builder/

I garden year-round, and these products help me when the temps are cold.

Ricky Shaw · January 7, 2017

They come in on southern winds and don't overwinter here. This cold weather is a good thing, might push them all the way back to the gulf and give us a break next season. We have not had real cold weather for an extended period for a couple years, so it's probably not a coincidence the psyllids have been bad two years in a row.

Here's an article in the local paper. I met this gal from Colorado State at the tomato festival. While she offers encouragement in the article, she told me it's just a matter of time before you lose the war.

http://www.dailycamera.com/lifestyle...ouble-tomatoes

January 5, 2017	#1
rick9748 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: south carolina Posts: 175	Too much info.?? My intent this year is to keep my plants healthier and prevent disease when possible.I normally spray fungicide 8 - 10 days and fertilize, Jobes organic, fish eml., from bottom.My beds are simply built up compost from adding compost year after year.Soil test show everything sufficient to excessive in each bed.Heve seen many suggestions for care; 1-Milk and molasses as foliar spray, seawead and fish emulsion spray and or fertilize, compost tea spray & fert. and of course the aspirin spray. Please would some of you suggest a schedule to follow of these items or others and how often to use them. Thanks Rick central South Carolina

January 5, 2017	#3
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,146	I agree with Salt. If your plants are doing well and not showing any signs of deficiency, then there is no reason for you to be feeding them. Your soil tests well, your plants look good, so why bother fixing what ain't broke??? Although I certainly would keep up your spraying program to prevent disease. __________________ ~ Patti ~

January 6, 2017	#6
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,146	I think that most people here spray a fungicide every two weeks. Most will rotate between Daconil and Copper spray. The majority of use do not spray molasses on the leaves but some do use it to feed the soil microbes. Milk has not been effective. Some do spray seaweed and fish and hardly any of us will even use the aspirin. Feeding your soil keeps your plants healthy. Here is a current thread on the use of fungicide spray. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=43441 __________________ ~ Patti ~

January 7, 2017	#11
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	I am in the minority here because I do not spray fungicides but I realize that things are different in the South and you guys have more problems with fungal disease than we do in the northeast. I garden organically and participate regularly in an Organic Gardening Forum. Most of us do not use any of that "snake oil" stuff like Tums in the planting hole, magnets, matches, jello or the like. I have never heard anyone there talk about spraying tomato plants with milk or molasses. I would think that if something like milk really worked then the organic gardeners would be using it don't you? They do use it on powdery mildew in the late summer but that is on squash plants and it actually works, not to kill the fungus, but to stop it from growing and spreading. For tomatoes, mostly people concentrate on building the soil with organic matter and compost. Most of us also do the same as b54red and prune plants to keep foliage up off of the soil, mulch heavily and provide a good distance between plants for good airflow. I use tomato cages to keep all branches upright. I do not do any foliar feeding because I do not think that it is nearly as effective as feeding the roots. In the last 3 years I have been spraying with Actinovate which is a biologic and I am happy with that and honestly I get excellent production with very little foliage problems other than Septoria at the very end of the season when frost is near I don't care anymore. Last edited by brownrexx; January 7, 2017 at 09:12 AM.

January 7, 2017	#14
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,594	Sounds like things are chugging along well Rick. You've received some good suggestions, mine will include using one of the "snake oil" treatments, the veg compost tea. No need to go foliar, a drench works just as well and in my experience seems to help the plants handle disease burden a little better. Anecdotal, non-scientific, but I still recommend it. More snake oils: The main component of my foliar feed program, I got a sample of it and have purchased it twice. Dumped the fish emulsion for this. Pleasant aroma. https://primordialsolutions.com/prod...n-2-oz-bottle/ Floralicious Plus is a great option too, got a sample and have purchased it once. A sample of this stuff has been getting a lot of use too, VERY concentrated: http://www.atami.com/en/product/bcuzz-blossom-builder/ I garden year-round, and these products help me when the temps are cold. Last edited by Gerardo; January 7, 2017 at 12:01 PM.

January 5, 2017	#2
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	A thought for the soil, maybe with soil tests showing everything sufficient to excessive in each bed could mean that some of the things you are doing might need some time to finish composting and settle. Not adding to them for a year might be helpful. I look at nature as taking time to make areas fertile. We sometimes want to hurry things too much causing a shock effect. It's just another way of thinking about it.

January 5, 2017	#4
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	I agree with others, if we understand your post you're happy with your plants and your soil is good--you just want to keep disease (foliage disease?) held down further? Your spraying program sounds reasonable. One other thing is to be very aggressive with pruning any leaves that are showing any signs of disease, check and tend to them daily. Is there something specific that you are unhappy with that you're seeking to improve?

January 6, 2017	#7
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I think it would be a huge mistake to foliar feed in your climate unless absolutely necessary. My soil test shows that I am also high in almost everything but I still feed almost weekly with dilute Urban Farms Texas Tomato Food and it improved my setting of fruit by 3 to 4 fold and increased the health and vigor of my plants. I start off using their Vegetable formula when the plants are young and begin giving them Texas Tomato Food when they start blooming well. When the plants are first set out I don't give them anything for a week or two to force root growth. When the plants start looking like they are wilting I will give them their first feeding but only about 1/3rd stength and gradually increase it until the plants are around 3 to 4 feet tall and then I start feedings every 7 to 10 days of the recommended dose of Texas Tomato Food. If the plants start looking a bit too green then I will skip a feeding. I think alternating the Daconil and copper is a good idea and apply one of the fungicides every 7 to 10 days. I keep my plants well pruned to allow air flow and prune off all the foliage below the first truss. I also put down a heavy mulch which helps stop splash back and keep the soil moisture more even. I hate having to water too often but I make sure that the plants are well watered during hot times especially if they are blooming heavily. I cut back on the watering when the fruits are ripening but I don't cut back on the fertilizer because plants with a heavy fruit set tend to drop a lot of blossoms and I want some tomatoes the next month also. Bill

January 7, 2017	#12
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	I don't spray, I have not run into anyone here that does. You see recommendations by the state extensions and articles in the gardening pages, but nobody seems to do it. Hornworms and psyllids are my big two, aphids a distant third. The hornworms are a winnable battle hand to hand, and kind of fun. Psyllids are nearly impossible to beat, you hope they arrive late and advance slowly, so maybe you can get in most of the fruit before the plant is smothered in frass.