Feeding Young Tomato Plants

AlittleSalt · April 10, 2018

I have been using a weak solution of MG to feed young tomato plants over the years, but I forgot to buy some the other day. I don't drive due to disability, and everyone living here is off doing their own things today - so I can't just get in the car to go get some MG plant food.

I do have some Alaska Fish Fertilizer 5-1-1. Being that it has 5 Nitrogen sounds like a good thing to me. That feeds the growth of the plant and all I want is for these plants to hurry up and be ready to transplant out in containers sometime around my birthday April 19...depending on the weather.

The directions on the bottle calls for 2 Tablespoons of AFF to one gallon of water. I am thinking of only using 1 Tbs. of AFF to a gallon of water. There are three sizes of the plants, 8 of them are ready to be transplanted (Picture 1). 7 have been potted up for two weeks, and 6 have been potted up for 1 week (Picture 2). They are in the baskets to bottom water them. The 8 larger ones need to be watered today. The others could wait a day, but I have a surgeons appointment tomorrow, so I'm going to water them today.

What do you all think? Use the AFF full strength, half strength, or not at all? I have never used AFF at this stage of growth.

wxcrawler · April 10, 2018

I was using it at about half-strength on my seedlings. I went to full strength when they got over 10" tall. So far, so good.

Lee

Koala Doug · April 10, 2018

If that 5-1-1 is all you have, then it'll have to do. But it would be much better if it was a 1-5-1 as you want to develop root growth, not top growth.

agee12 · April 10, 2018

The dosage for container plants is 1 Tablespoon per gallon. I would use that as my baseline and "weaken" from there.

roper2008 · April 10, 2018

I think the bigger one's would be fine with the 1 T per gallon. I would do half that for the smaller
ones's. Fish fertilizer is a more forgiving fertilizer.
I read somewhere on this forum a few years ago, that's it's okay to give a fertilizer with a higher
nitrogen, but to stop when they start flowering, and use one with a higher potassium. Something
like that.

b54red · April 10, 2018

I use whatever is on hand and usually only about half strength unless I see some yellowing then I will go to full strength. I have been using Miracle Grow and sometimes Urban Farms Apples and Oranges this year. Last year I used mostly Urban Farms Vegetable fertilizer and in past years I have used fish fertilizer. As long as the plants seem happy I'm happy.

I just went out and gave my tomato plants which have been in the garden for about a month a full strength dose of Texas Tomato Food because almost all of them have open blooms and I want to assure a good fruit set. Before this week I was giving them half strength dose of the Vegetable formula to get them growing good but not so much or so often so I would get good root growth. When I initially plant out tomatoes I wait a day or two or longer until I see some significant wilting before watering for the first time and then the next watering I start giving them a weak dose of fertilizer. Once they really start blooming good I start them on Texas Tomato Food every 7 to 10 days. I use a Chameleon hose end sprayer and water under the plants with it and try to judge how long by how the plant is looking. If it is very dark green and setting fruit good I don't give that plant as much but if it is pale or not setting well I will feed it longer.

Bill

AlittleSalt · April 10, 2018

I did dilute it half strength. They are looking good and smell like they went on a successful fishing trip.

"As long as the plants seem happy I'm happy." I can't agree more.

Koala Doug · April 10, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

...smell like they went on a successful fishing trip.

jillian · April 10, 2018

I like Neptune's Harvest which is fish/seaweed emulsion, npk 2-3-1. That's what I usually start out with, but it's a bit pricey so I use the Alaska throughout the season.
I use 1/2 tbsp. Per gallon on young seedlings, then more as they grow. I don't measure, I just eyeball it.

I'll be so glad to get mine planted, I'm still bringing mine in at night. My sunroom smells like dead fish.

Happy growing Salt, I hope you have the best season ever!

Gardeneer · April 11, 2018

Like Bill, I use whatever I have. I have some MG and AFF. I use both of them while seedling are in pot and right after planting out , at about half strength. From there on I sprinkle all purpose granular. I have some 8-8-8 and 6 - 6 - 16.
.
Of course, if you have an established garden with good soil, you can even skip fertilizing for a while. But as gardeners we like to fertilize our plants no matter what.

TexasTomat0 · April 11, 2018

When I initially plant out tomatoes I wait a day or two or longer until I see some significant wilting before watering for the first time

Bill[/QUOTE]

I think this is one of the most important facets that is often overlooked - watering techniques. I too plant out and then do not water until I see wilt. Then I give the plants a good drink and wait until I nearly see wilt again, by this time I’m not having to water but once a week or not at all if we get some rain. I want the plants to really reach down and search through the soil for moisture as best they can. Once they start setting fruit I turn on the drip systems to keep the soil evenly moist.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

April 11, 2018	#10
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,909	Like Bill, I use whatever I have. I have some MG and AFF. I use both of them while seedling are in pot and right after planting out , at about half strength. From there on I sprinkle all purpose granular. I have some 8-8-8 and 6 - 6 - 16. . Of course, if you have an established garden with good soil, you can even skip fertilizing for a while. But as gardeners we like to fertilize our plants no matter what. __________________ Gardeneer Happy Gardening !

April 10, 2018	#2
wxcrawler Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 115	I was using it at about half-strength on my seedlings. I went to full strength when they got over 10" tall. So far, so good. Lee

April 10, 2018	#3
Koala Doug Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Detroit Posts: 688	If that 5-1-1 is all you have, then it'll have to do. But it would be much better if it was a 1-5-1 as you want to develop root growth, not top growth.

April 10, 2018	#4
agee12 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Georgia Posts: 196	The dosage for container plants is 1 Tablespoon per gallon. I would use that as my baseline and "weaken" from there.

April 10, 2018	#5
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	I think the bigger one's would be fine with the 1 T per gallon. I would do half that for the smaller ones's. Fish fertilizer is a more forgiving fertilizer. I read somewhere on this forum a few years ago, that's it's okay to give a fertilizer with a higher nitrogen, but to stop when they start flowering, and use one with a higher potassium. Something like that.

April 10, 2018	#6
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I use whatever is on hand and usually only about half strength unless I see some yellowing then I will go to full strength. I have been using Miracle Grow and sometimes Urban Farms Apples and Oranges this year. Last year I used mostly Urban Farms Vegetable fertilizer and in past years I have used fish fertilizer. As long as the plants seem happy I'm happy. I just went out and gave my tomato plants which have been in the garden for about a month a full strength dose of Texas Tomato Food because almost all of them have open blooms and I want to assure a good fruit set. Before this week I was giving them half strength dose of the Vegetable formula to get them growing good but not so much or so often so I would get good root growth. When I initially plant out tomatoes I wait a day or two or longer until I see some significant wilting before watering for the first time and then the next watering I start giving them a weak dose of fertilizer. Once they really start blooming good I start them on Texas Tomato Food every 7 to 10 days. I use a Chameleon hose end sprayer and water under the plants with it and try to judge how long by how the plant is looking. If it is very dark green and setting fruit good I don't give that plant as much but if it is pale or not setting well I will feed it longer. Bill

April 10, 2018	#7
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I did dilute it half strength. They are looking good and smell like they went on a successful fishing trip. "As long as the plants seem happy I'm happy." I can't agree more.

April 10, 2018	#9
jillian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 880	I like Neptune's Harvest which is fish/seaweed emulsion, npk 2-3-1. That's what I usually start out with, but it's a bit pricey so I use the Alaska throughout the season. I use 1/2 tbsp. Per gallon on young seedlings, then more as they grow. I don't measure, I just eyeball it. I'll be so glad to get mine planted, I'm still bringing mine in at night. My sunroom smells like dead fish. Happy growing Salt, I hope you have the best season ever!

April 11, 2018	#11
TexasTomat0 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Central Texas - Zone 8A Posts: 196	When I initially plant out tomatoes I wait a day or two or longer until I see some significant wilting before watering for the first time Bill[/QUOTE] I think this is one of the most important facets that is often overlooked - watering techniques. I too plant out and then do not water until I see wilt. Then I give the plants a good drink and wait until I nearly see wilt again, by this time I’m not having to water but once a week or not at all if we get some rain. I want the plants to really reach down and search through the soil for moisture as best they can. Once they start setting fruit I turn on the drip systems to keep the soil evenly moist. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk