Feeding Tomatoes

[gemlady]

I have some tomatoes in grow bags and some in pots on large plastic saucers. If I put tomato feed in the watering can and water into the saucers, does the feed still get sucked up or does it settle into the bottom of the saucer?

[rustylady]

If it's liquid feed such as Tomorite then it gets sucked up. However, it's not good to keep the saucers full of water/feed at all times, could lead to the roots rotting. I water into saucers/trays, but if I'm feeding then I usually pour the mix into the top of the pot or growbag. Any surplus that runs out will hopefully have had the nutrients absorbed by the compost, and if not then the plant can suck up the rest from the tray/saucer.

[gemlady]

Thanks for that. I've put gravel in the bottom of the trays and don't leave them sat in water. However, now I'm confused (doesn't take much). Should I water from the top if I'm feeding but water from bottom the rest of time?

[greg77]

yes you,ve got it. i asked a lot about this last year and found its better to water from bottom but top will do and always feed from the top so it is absorbed into the medium.

[citygirl]

i STILL don't get this


my little toms are only just growing up. they're nowhere near big enough to get anything flower-wise yet. but i wanna try the ring cuture and growbag thing. what is a truss, and how do i know it's set?. and when do you feed them tom food? and when normal stuff?

confused, of keighley

eta: oh and sorry for gatecrashing your thread gemlady...

[sewer rat]

Hi Citygirl. Hope the following helps a bit.
Watering from the bottom is preferred unless you are putting a feed in the water, in which case you are better watering from the top. - once a week is more than sufficient.
Start to feed when the plants start to produce flowers.
A Truss is the name given to the "branch" of the plant that holds the tomatoes - think about the vine tomatoes you see in supermarkets - that's a truss.
The truss is "set " when the flowers are dropping off and the baby tomatoes are appearing.

[citygirl]

ok. so if i am trying the ring culture thing, then the bottles going down into the bag would be the bottom?....as opposed to watering down onto the top....you see why i'm confused?