Good Morning All,
After experimenting with my first vegetable garden last year. I took lots of pics, but got so backlogged with them that I couldn't get them posted. I will try to post pics on a better schedule this time around. I am ready to go for round 2. I am planning my garden now, and going to start my seeds germinating tonight for my spring veggies. I however have a question on fertilizing my vegetables. I know it's safe to use my fertilizer (alaska fish fertilizer) as the veggies are growing. Do I have to stop using fertilizer before harvesting any of the veggies? If so how long do I need to stop fertilizing before eating my veggies? Also, my plants last year kept giving after a harvest so if I stop fertilizing to harvest, is it ok to fertilize again until before the next harvest off them (salad greens, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers etc)? Also I have noticed that Alaska fish fertilizer has a companion product Alaska Morbloom, how do I incorporate that into my gardening correctly?
Thanks for any and all help/advice!
Regards,
Will R. Seattle WA.
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- Gary350
- Super Green Thumb
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You should be done with fertilizer a month or longer before harvest time. Fertilizer is plant food, not poison so it will not hurt YOU to eat your harvest no matter when you fertilize. No fertilizer once the temperature reaches 80 degrees it can kill the plants.
I use garden fertilizer, 15/15/15, Ammonium Nitrate, pellet lime. For tomatoes dig a hole 10"diameter by 10" deep put Lime and 15/15/15 fertilizer and small amount of Ammonium Nitrate in the hole, fill the hole with water when water goes down put 3" of soil in the bottom of the hole then plant your tomato plants. Tomato plants have the ability to grow roots any place soil touches the stem so plant the whole bottom 1/2 of the plant in the soil. In about 1 week the plant will have 10 times more roots than normal so they take off growing more than 1" taller every day. Be careful not to give tomatoes too much nitrogen you don't want 7 foot tall plant, you want tomatoes.
Same thing for bell peppers till lots of organic material into the soil then fertilize each hole. Your soil may be different than my soil, my soil is clay so I have to add 6" of peat moss to my soil to keep it from being hard as cement in the dry summer weather.
For seeds fertilize the row only, till it in the soil then plant, corn, beans, squash, etc.
I use garden fertilizer, 15/15/15, Ammonium Nitrate, pellet lime. For tomatoes dig a hole 10"diameter by 10" deep put Lime and 15/15/15 fertilizer and small amount of Ammonium Nitrate in the hole, fill the hole with water when water goes down put 3" of soil in the bottom of the hole then plant your tomato plants. Tomato plants have the ability to grow roots any place soil touches the stem so plant the whole bottom 1/2 of the plant in the soil. In about 1 week the plant will have 10 times more roots than normal so they take off growing more than 1" taller every day. Be careful not to give tomatoes too much nitrogen you don't want 7 foot tall plant, you want tomatoes.
Same thing for bell peppers till lots of organic material into the soil then fertilize each hole. Your soil may be different than my soil, my soil is clay so I have to add 6" of peat moss to my soil to keep it from being hard as cement in the dry summer weather.
For seeds fertilize the row only, till it in the soil then plant, corn, beans, squash, etc.
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Thanks for the replies, good to know my fertilizer wont be a problem for eating the wonderful veggies that we will have!! I forgot to mention I am about 25mins north of Seattle Washington. I tried container gardening last year, and will re-use the containers this year, but this year I am adding a couple raised bed planters (1.5'x7'x7"), the planters will have no bottoms on them, but will be lined with plastic to keep the grass from growing up into them. I will be re-using all the old potting mix, but adding fresh potting mix and compost to it as well. Tonight I am getting my seed dome out and starting my first round of seeds germinating. I figure by the time these are ready Most of everything else for my spring planting can go directly out in the soil. I will also be doing a potato box with several layers that can be added as they grow.
Regards,
Will
Regards,
Will
- rainbowgardener
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Plastic is a "bottom" to your raised beds. It will prevent roots from growing down into the soil below. Your beds are shallow and the roots will need to grow down. If you want to stop the grass, put down cardboard for a bottom. It will smother the grass, but then it will break down and get out of the way.
Usually unless it is something that gives multiple harvests, I usually stop fertilizing once they have started to fruit. The plant is not doing much active growing then and phosphorus and potassium are already very high in my soil. I continue to give monthly nitrogen side dressing to plants that remain productive over a long time like peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, citrus trees (twice a year), and asparagus (twice a year).
If you worked compost and manure into the garden before planting it, there should be enough of the other nutrients in it unless you grow a heavy feeder like corn or tomatoes. Nitrogen is the only thing that is highly volatile and should be given in divided feedings. Usually 2-3 feedings over the life cycle of a plant. Organic nitrogen sources are very low in nitrogen so they can be given weekly but you would still not have to feed a plant much during its' dormant or senile stages. Herbs in general do not like a lot of fertilizer so need only small amounts. The heavy feeders like corn, tomatoes, and some ornamentals like gardenia, azaleas, roses require regular feedings and need specific nutrients more than other plants.
If you worked compost and manure into the garden before planting it, there should be enough of the other nutrients in it unless you grow a heavy feeder like corn or tomatoes. Nitrogen is the only thing that is highly volatile and should be given in divided feedings. Usually 2-3 feedings over the life cycle of a plant. Organic nitrogen sources are very low in nitrogen so they can be given weekly but you would still not have to feed a plant much during its' dormant or senile stages. Herbs in general do not like a lot of fertilizer so need only small amounts. The heavy feeders like corn, tomatoes, and some ornamentals like gardenia, azaleas, roses require regular feedings and need specific nutrients more than other plants.