How much osmocote do you add
To a ten gallon container for growing tomatoes
Mobile zone 8b, you still get snow but you have hot summers. Here's the thing about osmocote the release rate is dependent on temperature. At temperatures above 80 degrees, osmocote releases much faster. I use the 180 day or 6 month release osmocote, but I know that my average daily temperatures are above 80, actually closer to 88 degrees most of the time in summer, so I expect the osmocote to only last 3 months.
Osmocote is expensive. I just bought some, 50 lbs for $74.90 and that is with a discount.
I use the osmocote in my seed starting mix. I only add about a 1/4 cup to a five gallon bucket and I use it for orchids. Nutracote is better but more expensive.
I did use osmocote once or twice as starter for tomatoes. I used about a half a cup, but it was expensive and because of the higher release rate at my normal temperatures, I still had to supplement the plant after the second month.
Since tomatoes are heavy feeders, I use granular fertilizer instead in a pot. I use Vigoro citrus and avocado food for everything it's analysis is 6-4-6 plus micros. I believe in micros and I also have come to the realization that more is not better so I prefer a fast release fertilizer that has numbers less than 10. I could also use organic 8-8-8 but it releases slower and I use a sterile potting mix which does not contain a lot of soil micro organisms to break down the organic fertilizer to a form the plant can use immediately. Since tomatoes do a lot of growing in the first weeks, I want nitrogen readily available. If you want to use the organic, you need to use AACT to supply the microbes, and fish emulsion as a weekly supplement to support early growth.
I use about 1/2 cup of the vigoro for an 18 gallon tub. You could probably use 1/3-1/2 cup as a starter fertilizer in a 10 gallon container. You can either mix it in the media or band it about 4-6 inches away and let the plant reach for it. I will fertilize again at flowering, at first fruit set and once a month thereafter about 1-2 tablespoons per pot. In the end it will use about 2 cups for the life of the tomato.
I did once put 2 cups of granular fertilizer (3 cups if you use organic) as a band in a self watering container as instructed. I found that there was a lot of unused fertilizer left in the pot in the end. The tomato grew fine and produced well, it just did not use the fertilizer efficiently. By giving the plant a smaller amount of starter fertilizer and intermittent feedings, I used about the same amount of fertilizer, but there wasn't a lot of fertilizer left in the pot in the end.
Osmocote is expensive. I just bought some, 50 lbs for $74.90 and that is with a discount.
I use the osmocote in my seed starting mix. I only add about a 1/4 cup to a five gallon bucket and I use it for orchids. Nutracote is better but more expensive.
I did use osmocote once or twice as starter for tomatoes. I used about a half a cup, but it was expensive and because of the higher release rate at my normal temperatures, I still had to supplement the plant after the second month.
Since tomatoes are heavy feeders, I use granular fertilizer instead in a pot. I use Vigoro citrus and avocado food for everything it's analysis is 6-4-6 plus micros. I believe in micros and I also have come to the realization that more is not better so I prefer a fast release fertilizer that has numbers less than 10. I could also use organic 8-8-8 but it releases slower and I use a sterile potting mix which does not contain a lot of soil micro organisms to break down the organic fertilizer to a form the plant can use immediately. Since tomatoes do a lot of growing in the first weeks, I want nitrogen readily available. If you want to use the organic, you need to use AACT to supply the microbes, and fish emulsion as a weekly supplement to support early growth.
I use about 1/2 cup of the vigoro for an 18 gallon tub. You could probably use 1/3-1/2 cup as a starter fertilizer in a 10 gallon container. You can either mix it in the media or band it about 4-6 inches away and let the plant reach for it. I will fertilize again at flowering, at first fruit set and once a month thereafter about 1-2 tablespoons per pot. In the end it will use about 2 cups for the life of the tomato.
I did once put 2 cups of granular fertilizer (3 cups if you use organic) as a band in a self watering container as instructed. I found that there was a lot of unused fertilizer left in the pot in the end. The tomato grew fine and produced well, it just did not use the fertilizer efficiently. By giving the plant a smaller amount of starter fertilizer and intermittent feedings, I used about the same amount of fertilizer, but there wasn't a lot of fertilizer left in the pot in the end.
I have been using the Espoma (tone line) products for slow release fertilizer for about 6-7 years now in sterile mix. I mix half the amount and start it in the pots outdoors about 2-3 weeks before planting and add the rest a couple days prior.
The Espoma tone products have beneficial microbes included and I have actually gotten some great results with it. I use granular as well in different pots just to have a couple different strategies going in the event I botch something. I currently have one tomato plant in Espoma Tomato Tone and it is out performing the granular this time.
One good thing about growing in peat is that it's acidic. It has room in it's ph for dolomite lime for most plants. Dolomite has most (or generally enough, anyway) of the essential micros.
I have been tempted to try osmocote but either forget to, or have too many leftovers I need to use up of other things.
The Espoma tone products have beneficial microbes included and I have actually gotten some great results with it. I use granular as well in different pots just to have a couple different strategies going in the event I botch something. I currently have one tomato plant in Espoma Tomato Tone and it is out performing the granular this time.
One good thing about growing in peat is that it's acidic. It has room in it's ph for dolomite lime for most plants. Dolomite has most (or generally enough, anyway) of the essential micros.
I have been tempted to try osmocote but either forget to, or have too many leftovers I need to use up of other things.