Early use of Fertiliser

[cotswold]

As always, some Tomato plants are ahead of others. Book says wait until first truss sets. But I use a Dilutor & it is obviously easier to water all plants with the same setting, rather than feed one lot & plain water others.

What damage is done by feeding plants from the earliest stage?

= Tim

[Two_Sheds]

You get lots of lush green growth which is more susceptible to aphid damage (than slower stronger foliage)

For one

[Geordie]

Just a bit of advice about feeding Toms;

Most fertilisers are a combination of the three nutrients commonly fed to plants: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (referred to as the “N-P-K ratio”). A commercial fertiliser’s analysis is listed on the label in a three-number series, such as 15-10-5. The three numbers represent those three nutrients. A 15-10-5 fertilizer contains 15% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 5% potassium. The remainder of the fertiliser is filler material.

Nitrogen. Nitrogen encourages leaf growth, which is why fertilisers with higher ratio of nitrogen (the first of the three numbers) are an optimum choice for lawns and grasses. But in tomatos, excess leaf growth discourages blossoms and fruit.

A complete fertiliser with a balanced supply of the three major nutrients, such as 10-10-10 or 5-10-10, is a better choice for tomato plants at initial planting time. Stay away from high-nitrogen fertilisers such as urea, ammonium sulfate or fresh manure, which will help produce dark green, tall tomato plants but fewer tomatoes.

Phosphorus. Phosphorus (the second number in the N-P-K ratio) encourages flowering, and therefore fruiting.

Potassium. Once a tomato plant starts flowering, it needs a higher ratio of potassium (the third number in the N-P-K ratio). Good organic sources of potassium are granite dust and wood ash.

Just as a side note I would imagine most people buy a tomato fertiliser but....Epsom Salts should also be on your list because in plants, magnesium helps with seed germination, chlorophyll production, fruit development, strengthening cell walls, and improving uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

Most tomatos don’t lack sulfur, but many suffer from magnesium deficiency (usually due to soil depletion.) Applying the salts alleviates the deficiency. Spraying on the compound is reputed to work within 48 hours, but the soil does also need to be amended as a long-term fix. So....
Use epsom slats if:

•Leaves turn yellow
•Leaves turn yellow in between the veins
•Leaves curl
•Plants become spindly
•Fruit production decreases
•A soil test reveals a magnesium deficiency

When planting tomatoes: add 1 tablespoon to planting hole and work into the soil before planting tomato seedlings.

Early to mid-season: using a tank sprayer, combine salts in a gallon of water. Use 2 tablespoons salts per gallon when applying once a month; 1 tablespoon per gallon if you apply more than once a month. Early and mid-season applications encourage plant growth and prevent blossom end rot.

Late in the season: apply as a spray to increase fruit yield and keep plants green and healthy.

Talking of blossom end rot...if this affects you try adding a small of gypsum to the topsoil to get rid of the problem.

[cotswold]

AMAZING response!!

Yes - too much N = lush. My stuff is 2.1.4. Is that going to be terminal?

I'm too old to hand water 60 plants according to their desires!

= Tim

[rustylady]

I'm sure it won't do them much harm Cotswold.

[veggiechicken]

I've no advice about tomatoes, just wanted to say that its good to see you here again, Tim, at the start of another tomato season! Hope you filled your greenhouses last year

[Potstubsdustbins]

I hate to tell you this but the NPK values as seen on fertiliser containers do not represent the actual percentage ratio's.

Only the Nitrogen content is stated as actual, the others would need converting to arrive at a percentage by volume.

Potty

[cotswold]

Thanks, VC! A shadow of my former self - the last 2 years have taken their toll!!

Ah, well - keep plodding on & hoping.

Tomatoes? Well, we'll try it & see. Can't be worse than last year. The big greenhouse is falling apart but may just see me out. Should have treated it in its youth but too big a job. And thought that Cedar lasted for ever. Big mistake.

What else besides the plot? Well, there was this - *******

- why can't I "Manage Attachments"??

Potty - oh, I thought that the 4 meant that there was a higher proportion of Potash than t'others?

= Tim

[cielbleu]

wow thanks Geordie for the very useful information and OP for the question! very useful for my toms!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Correction.

Dry fertilizer the NPK is a pencentage of weight.

Liquid fertilisers require conversion for the P & K measures

Potty

[veggiechicken]

Thanks, VC! A shadow of my former self - the last 2 years have taken their toll!!

Ah, well - keep plodding on & hoping.

Tomatoes? Well, we'll try it & see. Can't be worse than last year. The big greenhouse is falling apart but may just see me out. Should have treated it in its youth but too big a job. And thought that Cedar lasted for ever. Big mistake.

What else besides the plot? Well, there was this - *******

- why can't I "Manage Attachments"??

Potty - oh, I thought that the 4 meant that there was a higher proportion of Potash than t'others?

= Tim

Hope you and your greenhouse carry on plodding along for a lot longer
I'm intrigued by the ******* You're either swearing or its J*yes Fluid that for some reason is always "bleeped out on here

[Potstubsdustbins]

Cotswold.

The PK value of liquid fertilisers has to be converted to arrive at a dry weight of the actual element available in the mix to arrive at a given percentage of the over all. The conversion is calculated using the following,

N is the actual percentage of available nitrogen in the mix.

P is the value shown x 0.426 to arrive at the percentage available.

K is the value shown x 0.83 to arrive the percentage available.

Therefore your mix 2.1.4 would convert to 2% nitrogen 0.436% Potassium 3.32% Potash.

Levingtons Tomorite as a guide would be 4 = 4%, 3 =1.3%, 8 = 6.6%

Hope this helps

Potty

[cotswold]

Thanks, Potty - no wonder I failed Maths!

VC - the former - can't make "Attachments" work.

And what is a "Quick Reply" as opposed to a reasoned one??

= Tim

[rustylady]

Quick reply = you can type text, but not add attachments

Go advanced = you can type text, format the text (bold, italics, text colour and size) and add attachments.

[cotswold]

Aha! thanks, m'Lady- but when I clicked on "Manage Attachments", nothing happened.

Just tried again & it has awoken! Must be due to your vibes.

It was just that I wanted to add this to my reply to veggiechicken -