Tomato secrets

[stella]

I have just been reading an article about the secrets of good tomato growing. Apparently it is all down to what and when you feed them.
1 first feed half strength tomato feed at every watering then
2 nettle water
3 sheep dropping water
4 household soot water
sounds like a lot of work but apparently it works

[FionaH]

I moved this from growing techniques so people could respond

[Brengirl]

Maybe some folks like a bowl of soup for supper or a glass of wine or brandy. fgs sounds a bit like Dr. Dolittle.

[Jeanied]

Now, Stella - where are you and I going to get sheep droppings and soot water?

[stella]

Runway at heathrow maybe.....

[Jeanied]

Actually they have sheep grazing on the sides of the Queen Elizabeth reservoir at the end of the runway. Now where to source the soot? Hmmmm

[greasyfire]

i just stick to tomato feed, i dont go all complicated.

[Pumpy]

they have sheep grazing on the sides of the Queen Elizabeth reservoir

They do indeed! But have you ever noticed how dirty those particular sheep are? I used to live very close to those sheep and they always seemed to have dirty rear ends.
On the other hand, maybe sheep are like that. Haven't spent much time looking at or thinking about the subject.

I did always wonder who actually owned them.

P

[Jeanied]

Stella we seem to have stirred up a London- based plant feed business idea! Brengirl will be along to give us support with soup and brandy (might I suggest French Onion soup in true Covent Garden tradition!)

[enrich100]

Now, Stella - where are you and I going to get sheep droppings and soot water?

I can help on both

being a farmers son I just have to chase around a field with a pooper scooper to get the sheep droppings

Living in a cottage with 2 fire places I can get soot however I my 3 children are no longer able to work as chimney sweeps thanks to those Victorians, meaning I will have to pay a proffesional instead
and to be honest my toms seem ok with all the work

[stella]

Now come on guys just think what amazing toms we will have. Jeanied is going to creep on to heathrow property to get droppings, Enrich will turn up covered in soot and with a bag of it, Pumpy will be there with a dirty.....and Brengirl will provide the soup. What a party we will have and all in the name of good toms. Greasyfire can be the judge to see who has the best.

[Brengirl]

I have been trying to fathom out why or even when I made that post. Probably too much brandy in my soup.

[sarraceniac]

Think I'll just stick to my Comfrey juice. Brandy soup sounds pretty good though, if the toms would like it.

Just editing to ask if men have noticed how heavy sheep are when they're wet?

[Tomatoking]

I tend to think as with most growing, it is applying the right care and treatment at the right time, oh and a bit of luck!
All growing plants need their right percentages of NPK, Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.
Tomatoes tend to need more potassium than nitrogen most of the time for fruit production, which a brand like Tomorite has for feeding tomatoes.
However, growing in a well manured soil should give you most of the requirements you need, with the odd high potash feed every few weeks.
Growing in soil-less compost you have to be more careful.
Using adhoc fertilizers could give you too much nitrogen, which will give you great growing plants, but not a lot of fruit. Saying that, at times you need more nitrogen if you are over-ladened with fruit, to produce more foliage.
For those that want to try a more organic approach, then I would use comfrey as a feed. Good old Google will tell you all you need to know. In fact, comfrey has a slightly higher rate of potash than Tomorite so could be even better.

Using sheep droppings, soot and nettles could work, you just have to get the balance right, but it does sound a bit of fun for a trial, and why not add some Guinness for extra flavour.
I am sure Guinness flavoured tomatoes would go down a treat in Covent Garden.