Tomato Tone source

[ContainerTed]

The reaction here in the Atlanta area has been the same glass-eyed blank stare from store people who have no power to add products to a store's inventory. Lowes, Home Depot, K-Mart, Walmart, Ace, and others. I've even Emailed the Home Depot HQ. It's like spitting into a river. One local HD zone manager said he would check into it, but that was 3 months ago and the new setup is on the shelves - without Tomato-Tone. Maybe we should flood Espoma with Emails and such and they could work it from their end.

The Espoma site listed Pike's Nursery as a source, but they went Chapter 7 or 11 and have closed most stores. Some still open under a new name which escapes me right now. If I can find it, I'll clear their shelf. I, like others, have taken advantage of Totally Tomatoes great offer. Their shipping is way cheaper than I can fire up the truck and run around searching for a retail supplier.

Ted

[feldon30]

That is really depressing to hear that they are reformulating RoseTone, going up on price, and reducing the quantity all at the same time.

I just bought a 40 lb bag of MicroLife which is a 6-2-4 organic fertilizer with Fish meal, Kelp meal, Corn gluten, etc. etc. Lots of good ingredients.

[rnewste]

Morgan,

It is difficult to understand why Epsoma has put through an effective 25% price increase on Tomato-tone, when commodity prices for oil, minerals, etc. are falling like a rock!!

It's too bad that it really is such a good tomato fertilizer, or I would go with another (cheaper) brand. All I can say is to stock up on the TotallyTomatoes flat rate shipping deal this year, before the bag weight goes down to 3 pounds next season.

Ray

[ContainerTed]

For those in the area of Northeast Atlanta, I found a really good Espoma source. Just south of Buford Highway (GA SR 20) on Peachtree Industrial is Northside Garden. They are family owned and been around for 25 years. I just picked up some Bio-Tone.

I asked if he did mail order and he said "no", and then I asked if he had ever thought of it and he said it seemed like too much trouble.

Ami, you would like this place because he is stocking up on all kinks of Organic stuff and is into the Micorr.... big time.

Ted

[duajones]

Found some Garden Tone today and bought it as I am really tempted to put my plants in the ground this afternoon.

[01GTB]

Do it! I usually use Garden Tone when I transplant then move to the Tomato Tone for the next feeding.

[01GTB]

I just went up to the local garden center and they had their fresh supply of 4lb, 8lb and 20lb Tones More importantly, near as I can tell, all the Tones have changed. The Tomato Tone was something like 3-4-6, but I think it did have more calcium and magnesium. Don't hold me to any of those numbers, but it sure wasn't 4-7-10 anymore. And the other minors have been replaced with "microbes."

Holly Tone is something like 4-3-4. Same deal, minors gone. I don't even see iron in it.

Plant tone looked to be the only one with the same N-P-K formula. But once again, most of the minors were left out.

[rnewste]

Gee, I just realized I have been spelling their Company name wrong for the past 3 years! It is "Espoma" - - not "Epsoma" (stupid me!).

Anyway, on their Company website today, here is the info for Tomato-tone (obviously not updated to the 4 pound bag size.)



Sizes: Available in 5 lb. bags



If they did indeed change the NPK ratios, you would at least think they had a legal obligation from a truth in advertising perspective to have factual information posted officially.

Love the Product - - Hate the Company

Ray

[01GTB]

I was unable to find any new labels online. But you look through your favorite tones to see their new and improved NPK here http://doitbest.com/Main.aspx?Ne=2&N...496&PageId=365

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by 01GTB

The Tomato Tone was something like 3-4-6, but I think it did have more calcium and magnesium.

Holy cow. Well it's off my recommended list. It's such a hard-to-find product anyway, why should I suggest people jump through hoops to get something which has been watered down?

EDIT: Please see the letter from Espoma on page 2 of this thread.

[duajones]

Totally Tomatoes is advertising the product as 4-7-10. But now I bet that isnt what I will be getting but it would be too much trouble sending it back.

[rnewste]

Originally Posted by feldon30

Holy cow. Well it's off my recommended list. It's such a hard-to-find product anyway, why should I suggest people jump through hoops to get something which has been watered down?

Morgan,

Not only has it been "watered down" as you say, but it has gone up in price from effectively $1.20 per pound to now $1.50 per pound. If my math is correct, that is a 30 cent increase over the old $1.20 per pound cost which equals a whopping 25% price rise.

While I am glad I bought 10 bags of it last year, when this runs out, I am off on another "Myth-Buster Challenge" to find an equivalent fertilizer..... at half the cost.

I just don't understand what the Espoma people are trying to accomplish in these unprecedented economic times.

In the next Rev 1.6 EarthTainer construction and planting guide, I am going to remove the Tomato-tone photograph as well as the text where I had recommended it. Enough is enough!

Ray

[feldon30]

I sent them an e-mail. Maybe they'll post their side of the story.

EDIT: Please see page 2 of this thread for the response from Espoma.

[duajones]

Originally Posted by feldon30

I sent them an e-mail. Maybe they'll post their side of the story.

I did as well and am looking forward to their side

[oc tony]

I just checked the price of Tomato Tone at Totally Tomatoes, it is now $5.95 for 4 pounds.