fertilizing

Cyn · February 26, 2006

How soon do you begin fertilizing plants? Before they are in their final container? When you put them in the container? Once they are settled in the container?

Inquiring minds want to know!
Cyn

**mdvpc** · February 26, 2006

Cyn-When I pot up to the first pot, I put a little bit of espoma tomato tone in the pot and will give them a foliar feed of very weak mg or something like that. When I put them in the ground, I put tomato tone, greensand and some bone meal.

creister · February 28, 2006

Michael,

I assume you put the tomato tone, greensand, and bone meal in the hole with the plant?

**mdvpc** · March 3, 2006

Creister-What I do is put some in the hole, but before that i mix it in the soiless medium pretty well.

Cyn · April 19, 2006

Hi all -
I decided on this formula for fertilizing:

a little osmocote every two weeks,
a little manure & compost once a month
watering a LOT right now because of the heat

Before we had 2 days of 100 degree temps, in April, Monday & Tuesday of this week, my plants were mostly doing great. My early varieties, early wonder, jetsetter, silvery fir tree, elfin are growing VERY slowly. My mid-season tomatoes are big and have lots of flowers. My late season toms are big with no flowers. Of course, now that we have had the heat wave, I am fully expecting no fruit from any of these and will be waiting with fingers crossed to see what happens with the temperatures in May.

I am resolved to sow my seeds on Christmas Eve this year

I won't be outdone by this heat.
Cyn

SelfSufficient1 · April 19, 2006

It is a constant struggle here as well to beat the heat. I didn't realize it last year and put them in too late.

creister · April 21, 2006

Cyn, did your plants survive all the severe weather? I was fortunate and had wrapped all of mine in grow fabric. One Aunt Ginny's Purple had an older leaf that was clipped by hail the made it through the cover.

Cyn · April 21, 2006

What a week - it began with 100 degree weather and ended with heavy rain and hail - it was very exciting.

My plants did very well. We had really high winds and some hail on two days, torrential rains, but the plants look great. I don't know how the flowers will have fared from the 3 days of heat, but since I fed the plants just before the first big rains, they actually look quite happy right now.

I know there is something to spray on the leaves after it has been very wet - can't remember what that is.. but I am going to do something tomorrow so I don't get fungus, etc.

Glad you only lost one plant. I really thought it was all over when these storms hit. The great news is that we have been very dry and the rain will be a great help to the other plants. We are having almost no widflower season because of the dry conditions - it has been a very strange year.

Cyn

creister · April 21, 2006

Strange indeed. Almost no winter, rose bushes leafing out in late January. We are above average for rain, but the bulk of it has come in two large rain events. I got 2.5 the other day. Hope it didn't overwater my plants.

**mdvpc** · April 21, 2006

Cyn-Using osmocoate every two weeks is really overkill, in my opinion. Osmocoate breaks down slowly. I have used it in the past, and only use it once a season. Some people might use it 2-3 times, but every two weeks, in my opinion, is way too much.

Cyn · April 21, 2006

So far, it has been just fine. Since I am in containers and we have to water a lot here - the fertilizer washes away pretty quickly. I am watching for signs of burn, etc. I am also just adding a tiny bit when I do add it, so I feel OK about it.

I appreciate your feedback. I have way under-watered and under-fed my tomatoes the last couple of years and it has taken several years to figure out what balance will work with my conditions. I love Hasta Grow and use that on my plants as a rule, but I can't seem to get it dilute enough not to burn the tomatoes - i have decided that Hasta grow is not for my container tomato plants - though it works for all my other plants - container or not...

Sometimes I think I have bizarre growing conditions here in the Hill Country - then I think, well, I am just learning and it takes e a bit longer than some

Cyn

Cyn · April 21, 2006

that "e' should be a "me"
C

**mdvpc** · April 21, 2006

Cyn-whatever works works. You might want to try Monty's Joy Juice for foliar feeding-Its a very dilute mixture and very cost effective. There are 2 forumulations-8-16-8 for the beginning of the season and 2-15-15 once you start to fruit.

Cyn · April 22, 2006

Michael,
I was talking over the osmocote question with our office manager - this is a quote from her husband, "Debbie mulches with osmocote!"

She says she uses tons and has great luck - I am sure the osmocote folks would love to meet her and thank her personally.

Thanks for the suggestion of the foliar feed - I will look for that. We had two really sunny days so I think I am safe after the mini-monsoon. In fact, the smaller containers already need to be watered again.

You ever grow green beans in a container? I am trying it this year and they are looking kid of sickly and yellow-green - or maybe that is the color of bean leaves? I just figured they would be lush dark green like the beans...
Cyn

February 26, 2006	#1
Cyn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z8 - Texas Hill Country Posts: 171	fertilizing How soon do you begin fertilizing plants? Before they are in their final container? When you put them in the container? Once they are settled in the container? Inquiring minds want to know! Cyn

February 26, 2006	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Cyn-When I pot up to the first pot, I put a little bit of espoma tomato tone in the pot and will give them a foliar feed of very weak mg or something like that. When I put them in the ground, I put tomato tone, greensand and some bone meal. __________________ Michael

March 3, 2006	#4
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Creister-What I do is put some in the hole, but before that i mix it in the soiless medium pretty well. __________________ Michael

April 19, 2006	#5
Cyn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z8 - Texas Hill Country Posts: 171	Tomato update Hi all - I decided on this formula for fertilizing: a little osmocote every two weeks, a little manure & compost once a month watering a LOT right now because of the heat Before we had 2 days of 100 degree temps, in April, Monday & Tuesday of this week, my plants were mostly doing great. My early varieties, early wonder, jetsetter, silvery fir tree, elfin are growing VERY slowly. My mid-season tomatoes are big and have lots of flowers. My late season toms are big with no flowers. Of course, now that we have had the heat wave, I am fully expecting no fruit from any of these and will be waiting with fingers crossed to see what happens with the temperatures in May. I am resolved to sow my seeds on Christmas Eve this year I won't be outdone by this heat. Cyn

April 19, 2006	#6
SelfSufficient1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 188	It is a constant struggle here as well to beat the heat. I didn't realize it last year and put them in too late. __________________ I could spend all day here!

February 28, 2006	#3
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Michael, I assume you put the tomato tone, greensand, and bone meal in the hole with the plant?

April 21, 2006	#7
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Cyn, did your plants survive all the severe weather? I was fortunate and had wrapped all of mine in grow fabric. One Aunt Ginny's Purple had an older leaf that was clipped by hail the made it through the cover.

April 21, 2006	#8
Cyn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z8 - Texas Hill Country Posts: 171	Big storms What a week - it began with 100 degree weather and ended with heavy rain and hail - it was very exciting. My plants did very well. We had really high winds and some hail on two days, torrential rains, but the plants look great. I don't know how the flowers will have fared from the 3 days of heat, but since I fed the plants just before the first big rains, they actually look quite happy right now. I know there is something to spray on the leaves after it has been very wet - can't remember what that is.. but I am going to do something tomorrow so I don't get fungus, etc. Glad you only lost one plant. I really thought it was all over when these storms hit. The great news is that we have been very dry and the rain will be a great help to the other plants. We are having almost no widflower season because of the dry conditions - it has been a very strange year. Cyn

April 21, 2006	#11
Cyn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z8 - Texas Hill Country Posts: 171	Osmocote So far, it has been just fine. Since I am in containers and we have to water a lot here - the fertilizer washes away pretty quickly. I am watching for signs of burn, etc. I am also just adding a tiny bit when I do add it, so I feel OK about it. I appreciate your feedback. I have way under-watered and under-fed my tomatoes the last couple of years and it has taken several years to figure out what balance will work with my conditions. I love Hasta Grow and use that on my plants as a rule, but I can't seem to get it dilute enough not to burn the tomatoes - i have decided that Hasta grow is not for my container tomato plants - though it works for all my other plants - container or not... Sometimes I think I have bizarre growing conditions here in the Hill Country - then I think, well, I am just learning and it takes e a bit longer than some Cyn

April 21, 2006	#12
Cyn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z8 - Texas Hill Country Posts: 171	correction that "e' should be a "me" C

April 22, 2006	#14
Cyn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z8 - Texas Hill Country Posts: 171	more osmocote Michael, I was talking over the osmocote question with our office manager - this is a quote from her husband, "Debbie mulches with osmocote!" She says she uses tons and has great luck - I am sure the osmocote folks would love to meet her and thank her personally. Thanks for the suggestion of the foliar feed - I will look for that. We had two really sunny days so I think I am safe after the mini-monsoon. In fact, the smaller containers already need to be watered again. You ever grow green beans in a container? I am trying it this year and they are looking kid of sickly and yellow-green - or maybe that is the color of bean leaves? I just figured they would be lush dark green like the beans... Cyn