Fertilizing Tomatoes

Discussion in 'Fruit and Vegetable Gardening' started by tgplp, Feb 1, 2010.

  1. tgplp

    tgplp Active Member

    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, U.S.A.
    I know NOTHING about fertilizing tomatoes. And I mean nothing. I read online somewhere that if your tomato seedlings are growing slowly, you should consider fertilizing them. My seedlings are growing slow as a snail. Should I fertilize? What should I use? I bought some tomato fertilizer (4-5-3). It's from Whitney Farms. It is dry fertilizer- do I add water to it? Or do I put it in the ground? The box says to put 1 and a half cups of fertilizer per 25 square feet. What? Do I spread the fertilizer around evenly? And what if I want to fertilize a tomato in a container? And can I use this to fertilize seedlings? I don't understand this at all! Should I use liquid seaweed, too? I would be quite thankful for any kind of help.
    Thank you!
    ~Tgplp :)
     
  2. Dunc

    Dunc Active Member

    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Port Alberni B.C. Canada
    There really should be enough nutrients in your growing medium to support the seedlings fo about a month. You did use a good nutrient rich soil, right?
    Even if you used garden soil, there should be enough for normal life support. You have to remember that they are just babies yet and don't require a big meal.
    Light, light watering and patience are their needs now.
     
  3. tgplp

    tgplp Active Member

    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, U.S.A.
    Okay. I used organic vegetable potting soil... I don't know if that is good or not. But I'll check back in when my seedlings are bigger, to find out how to fertilize them, then! Thank you!
    ~Tgplp :)
     
  4. sfoodie

    sfoodie Member

    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Kamloops
    My mother, a life long tomato grower has been fertilizing her tomato plants with fish fertilizer. She uses a weak dilution of fish fert. about every 2 weeks and back off completely when the tomatoes are developing. Don't want your tomatoes to taste like fish!! I have fertilized my young plants once and will do so again in a week's time. I'm also trying lama manure tea:)
     
  5. northerngrapes

    northerngrapes Active Member

    Messages:
    299
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    ?
    A long time grower here has treid over 500 varieties in his 80 plus years of growing. His tips are a bit of epsom salts, some bone meal during the initial planting and even watering. That works well for him. Every year he has a plant sale and sells some 160 varieties and doles out some good advice. Fish fertizer is great for tomato plants.

    Cheers

    Km
     

Share This Page