User avatar
Diane
Green Thumb
Posts: 511
Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2009 4:38 am
Location: Mass

Thank you Jona and ChefRob.
A dumb question but I have to ask. :oops:
So each plant should get the whole gallon whenever it says, one tablespoon per gallon of water? Whether it's fertilizer, epsom salts or some other additive?

JONA878
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1014
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:14 am
Location: SUSSEX

The concentrate mix is used at one egg cup per can full of water anytime that you give the plants a water.
You water as normal whenever the plants need it.
It's just that as the mixture is so diluted at this rate you can use it daily without worry of over doing it.

Jona.

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

This has been an interesting thread on the subject of the proper fertilizer and when to apply it on tomatoes. I think it is difficult to compare how a home gardener should fertilize to how a commercial farmer fertilizes.

A farmer typically grows determinate tomatoes. It is his intention to get his plants to grow fast early, bloom early, set fruit, slow plant growth, grow fruit, semi ripen fruit, and harvest in a very narrow time frame. The farmer also wants tomatoes with comparable size, marketable appearance, and usually has little concern with flavor.

Home gardeners typically plant mostly indeterminate tomatoes in order to spread the harvest over a longer time frame. We first want early fast plant growth, early and continuous blooming, good fruit set, and excellent taste or flavor.

I don't think you can achieve both goals with the same feeding schedule or fertilizer.

I have always used 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 applied early for fast growth when the soil is warming in the spring. I then watch bloom production and fruit set as well as foliage color to determine when next to fertilize. I don't want to encourage plant growth without bloom set by over fertilizing. I am going to attempt to accomplish the same thing next year with the use of only compost and aerated compost tea. I would like to not use commercial fertilizer if possible. I will be able to compare next years growth and production rate to this years.

Ted

Gerrie
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:10 pm
Location: Southern Oregon

I don't ferrtilize much at all and get a good, if late crop of various types of tomatoes. I use rabbit poop made into a tea, when I do fertilize and have on occasion used seabird poop made into a tea. Too much fertilizer of any type and I get huge plants and few tomatoes. One thing I do find neccessary is to plant flowers nearby for the bees. Pollination is an important part for me. Where we live the summers are hot and dry usually. This summer was hotter than usual and watering was more in demand but normally we use a drip system twice a day on a timer and when I add rabbit poop tea, I usually shut the system off for that particular run. I did try burying a bananna skin near a plant thet wasn't doing much of anything and it is doing well now, lots of tomatoes-thanks to whoever suggested it a while ago! :D

ChefRob
Full Member
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:33 am
Location: Zone 6

tedln wrote:A farmer typically grows determinate tomatoes. Home gardeners typically plant mostly indeterminate tomatoes
I don't think this is accurate. Farmers rely on both types to hedge their bets, but they mostly plant indeterminates. Indeterminates grow to tall and wild to be realistically accommodated in containers, especially with little space in the home. Determinates have set growth and can more easily be controlled.

User avatar
stella1751
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1494
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 8:40 am
Location: Wyoming

Just thought I'd jump in here and agree with Tedlin's statement that
A farmer typically grows determinate tomatoes. Home gardeners typically plant mostly indeterminate tomatoes.
I'm basing my opinion on the following statement from Wikipedia:
Determinate types are preferred by commercial growers who wish to harvest a whole field at one time, or home growers interested in canning.
I suppose expensive "hot-house" tomatoes would be an exception to the rule. However, when you think about the least-expensive varieties available at your local supermarket, such as Romas, and the individual care required by each indeterminate plant, it makes sense that commercial growers would find it more economical to grow determinates 8)

ChefRob
Full Member
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:33 am
Location: Zone 6

Commerical growers who supply supermarkets with their bland produce...maybe. But this doesn't apply to the many farmers that sell their tasty heirloom produce at local farmer's markets. Surely they wouldn't harvest their entire field at the same time.

tedln
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2179
Joined: Thu Jun 25, 2009 6:06 pm
Location: North Texas

Chef,

Your right. When I referenced commercial tomato growers, I should have specified large scale growers. They typically plant, fertilize, weed, and harvest mechanically. They need all the tomatoes at the same stage of ripeness and the same size at the same time. Thus the need to plant determinate tomatoes. Most large scale growers can't afford the hand labor required to plant, maintain, and harvest indeterminate tomatoes. They market their product to some grocery chains, juicers, and pulpers like Campbell soup company by the ton.

The smaller commercial boutique growers serve a different market like restaurants, roadside stands, farmers markets, and basically local clientele. They grow determinate, indeterminate, and many varieties of heirloom tomatoes.

When I referenced home gardeners, I was mostly referencing raised bed and row gardeners. I wasn't referencing container gardeners. The container gardeners typically have a fertilizing and watering program totally different than the raised bed and row gardens.

Ted

ChefRob
Full Member
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:33 am
Location: Zone 6

No worries :) I was just confused with was you originally stated so thank you for clearing that up.



Return to “TOMATO FORUM”