Premixing tomato feed.

[SimpleSimon]

I suspect this is a bit of a stupid question but here goes. Is there any reason not to mix tomato feed in advance in a batch lot (about 200 litres at half strength). I have 2x 200 litre water butts in my tunnel attached to a pump so was thinking of filling one with half strength feed and feeding all the chillis, toms and aubergines from the hose. I'd do the tomatoes twice in a week to make up for a the half strength feed which is better for chillis. I have about 100 plants in total and assuming I'm gonna give them about a litre of feed, it would be in the water butt for 2 weeks. Obviously this is gonna save me a lot of time as over using a watering can.

Should work.roght?

[Jungle Jane]

It sounds like a really good idea,maybe stir it if it’s been sat for two weeks before using,incase it settles at the bottom?

[SimpleSimon]

I plan to recirculate with the pump as I cannot actually get in the water butts. They are wheelie bins with lids on under my staging and they only just fit. I do hope it saves time as I think last year I was spending 4 hours a week at least feeding them all with a watering can - was a bloomin pain. Bought tomato halos to help this year too so fingers crossed.

[Jungle Jane]

It would save a lot of time,I would try it,it’s the same fertiliser just in a larger container. Would you use plain water between the fertiliser,not to over feed them. I think tomato feed is once a fortnight,at half strength once a week? I don’t know,if they’re over fed the leaves get discoloured & show problems.

[SimpleSimon]

Actually you are correct, it is once a fortnight - same for chillis really as they don't like being overfed. So if my calculations are correct a 200 litre water butt will last a month and need 1/4 of a 3litre bottle of wilkos tomato feed - which is

[ameno]

In a month such fertile water will definitely develop an impressive colony of algae. Buy some pond-safe anti-algae treatment and at that to the butt, too.

[Urban]

if its under his staging in the shade he should be ok algae wise, I dunno it might end up smelling a bit though, I dont think I'd want to add any chemicals to it though to stop any algae/smell, its going to end up in the plants and you'll end up eating it

I have got this Gardena Fertilizer Dispenser thing installed into my watering loop, I just fill it once a week, and all the stuff in my greenhouse gets fed automatically, It seems to work ok

[ameno]

if its under his staging in the shade he should be ok algae wise, I dunno it might end up smelling a bit though, I dont think I'd want to add any chemicals to it though to stop any algae/smell, its going to end up in the plants and you'll end up eating it

There are plenty of algae treatments you can get which are plant-safe. You can get ones which are barley straw extract, and they are apparently very effective, at least according to Gardening Which.

[SimpleSimon]

The water is inside a black wheelie bin with the lid on. So gets no light at all. I had not considered a fertiliser depenser but does sound like a good idea actually. Will check it out.

[rary]

I don't see a problem with what you are doing personally I would reduce the strength of the feed so that it can be used for every watering but take the chillies out the loop so that they don't get over fed, I do much the same with my fuchsia, I make up a weak feed solution and use that for every watering