Who makes their own tomato feed?

[arpoet]

I usually buy Tomato feed about now when the like of B & M bargains are clearing out the garden section and its cheaper.
But I got to wondering if any members make their own?
If so, how does it compare with the bought stuff?

[Bren In Pots]

I use comfrey for my toms, chillis and anything else that's fruiting, it seems to work out fine for me.

[Farmer_Gyles]

i'm using nettles - fill a bucket with nettles, weigh them down with a brick, cover with water, leave for a few weeks - this should produce a high nitrogen liquid feed for tomatoes - then add a cup full of the liquid to a watering can to dilute it and feed the toms

i don't think it's done very much - still no ripe tomatoes and the lower leaves are all dying back ....

[Kristen]

i'm using nettles ... this should produce a high nitrogen liquid feed for tomatoes ... i don't think it's done very much - still no ripe tomatoes

Nettle-Tea produces a Nitrogen-rich liquid feed, whereas your Tomatoes would benefit from a feed high in Potash (such as a liquid feed made from Comfrey). That may not be the sole reason your Toms are not ripening, but I think a high Potash feed would help

[Florence Fennel]

I've used just my own comfrey tea this year Roger and I have the same harvest as when I used Tomor**te. The only difference has been in my purse!

[Farmer_Gyles]

Nettle-Tea produces a Nitrogen-rich liquid feed, whereas your Tomatoes would benefit from a feed high in Potash (such as a liquid feed made from Comfrey). That may not be the sole reason your Toms are not ripening, but I think a high Potash feed would help

it's been quite a bad growing year for me - not grown much and whatever i've grown has been late starting - not had time to get all the things i'd normally get like feeds / fertilizer - the nettles is the only thing i've managed to do so i use it on everything in the hope it helps, even just a bit

[dim]

MgSO4 (EPSOM SALTS) .... 107 grams
KH2PO4 (Monopotassium phosphate) .... 109 grams
KNO3 (Potassium nitrate) .... 17 grams
CaNO3 (Calcium nitrate,) ..... 62 grams

mix with 1 litre or R/0 water, store in a clean bottle.

when using it, dilute at 5ml per litre of water when watering your plants

equates to approx 1% Nitrogen, 5% phosphate, 4% soluble potash, 1% magnesium ....

if you buy the above ready made, you will pay approx £20 per litre .... this costs pennies and is the same.... all itemns are cheap on ebay or amazon

[arpoet]

Thanks for the replies. I made a load of nettle tea when I had the lottie and mixed it with liquid hos muck for my onions. Had about 50 lbs off a kilo of sets.

Comfrey? Never grown that, Flo... How do you grow it?

I have 6 standard (harbinger) and 10 bush toms (garden pearl) and taking about half a pound a day off them. I also have onion leaves left over from stringing em up and leave em laying about under the plants to help ripening.

[arpoet]

MgSO4 (EPSOM SALTS) .... 107 grams
KH2PO4 (Monopotassium phosphate) .... 109 grams
KNO3 (Potassium nitrate) .... 17 grams
CaNO3 (Calcium nitrate,) ..... 62 grams

mix with 1 litre or R/0 water, store in a clean bottle.

when using it, dilute at 5ml per litre of water when watering your plants

equates to approx 1% Nitrogen, 5% phosphate, 4% soluble potash, 1% magnesium ....

if you buy the above ready made, you will pay approx £20 per litre .... this costs pennies and is the same.... all itemns are cheap on ebay or amazon

Thanks Dim. Might have a go at that for next year.

[dim]

Thanks Dim. Might have a go at that for next year.

can be used for all plants/veg during the flowering/fruiting stage ....

[Bigmallly]

I put any spare vegetation into a laundry bag .................& dunk it in a large trug of water...........with lid on.........a jug full is added to a watering can. The Toms love it.

[Florence Fennel]

I bought a comfrey plant years ago Rog (Bocking 14, I think, as the normal plants are very invasive). It grows like the clappers from spring. When it's leaves are big and it's about to flower, I chop it down to a couple of inches. I then put the leaves into 2 litre milk cartons and fill with with water almost to the top (recommended by TS on here) and don't screw too tightly. After about 6 weeks the water is turned into brown stinky tea which I dilute as any other plant food. I get 3 cuts per season and make about 8 bottles at each cut. Works a treat and costs nothing

[arpoet]

Thanks Flo... do you grow it in a container or open ground. Like you I grow in my back garden in a mixture of tubs and ground.

[vegboi]

I use my own urine topped with water they love it


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[Feral007]

I haven't had much luck with tomatoes last couple of years. But I usually use comfrey tea and horsemuck tea for all my plants.
I have just discovered a small nettle patch so will make some of that this year too. Will need another barrel now. Usually do one barrel each in the front and back gardens. Combine the horsemuck and comfrey in them.