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donkaa

Tomato Nutrient Issue and Container?

donkaa
13 years ago

I am growing a few varieties of heirlooms and the plants are currently ~6th week and about to be transplanted outdoors put currently still in flood tables.

The issue I'm having is the older lower mature leaves are turning under and take on a very dark green and almost plastic feel. This occurred last season as well. Is this a sign of a certain nutrient deficiency or toxicity?

I am currently using RO water, PureBlend Pro Grow, Hydroplex, CalMag, Earth Juice Micro, and Epsom salts. I was drawn to the PBP because of it's "Organic" moniker, only to find out it's quasi-organic. Looking back PBP seems to not be a wise choice for Tomatoes as it is lacking sufficient Sulfur and other nutes forcing me to use many supplements to create an optimum nutrient profile for tomatoes. Also it renders my EC/TDS meter's useless because of the organic compounds. Anyhow I have a modest amount that I still need to use along with the other nute's I listed, but am open to suggestions on a better nutrient system. Seems GH Floramato has optimum Potassium along with the necessary Ca and S tomatoes need all-in-one, anybody have exerience with it?

I have been doing half rez changes every 10 days, with a 140% nutrient add-back and been topping up with water and keeping the pH balanced in between. I am using primarily Coco Noir along with maybe 1/6th perlite as my media.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Secondary Question:

Last year I transplanted to soil and switched to PBP soil nutes watering once a day. However these indeterminate tomatoes quickly rooted their 5 gallon pots, and I had some seriously stressed plants and production was low.

This year I have time to setup a hydro system for maturity and was wondering what size containers people were successfully using and what media and hydro method.

Ideally for my purposes a 2-3 watering/day drain to waste system would be easiest because of my multi-level patio pumping back to the res is not ideal and will require elaborate plumbing and a powerful pump to achieve. Would I need 10gal+ containers with Coco to achieve this?

However if constant drip or flood and drain will produce better plants and/or allow smaller pots without root impaction than I would be willing to put forth the effort.

Thanks for any and all help.

Comments (3)

  • joe.jr317
    13 years ago

    I like the Floramato so far. My plants are looking great and have beautiful tomatoes on them. I am now using 5 gallon buckets in large net cups with coco coir chunk on a drip system. Not constant drip. It cycles for 15 minutes every hour and it's more of a small stream than a drip. My tomatoes are Yellow Pear and Brandywine. I also have eggplant and peppers on a similar system. PBP is great for peppers, but not worth it. I'm finding the dry nutrients to be great and they are literally 1/4 the price. Of course, I am fully intending to mix my own soon thanks to some direction from one of the members here. I'm away from home for the week, but will try to post pictures on here when I return so you have a better idea of what I am saying. I warn you, my systems are not built for aesthetics. . .

  • donkaa
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks Joe for sharing your experiences with Floramato.

    If I understand you right you are using the 10 or 12" net cup bucket lids? Do your plants root outside the net cup or stay primarily within the media? Also are you recirculating or drain to waste.

    Thanks

  • joe.jr317
    13 years ago

    Sorry. On vacation, so I've not been online much. Yes, I use the big net cups. Can't recall the measurement. I just grab the really big ones. Any of them that span a 5 gallon bucket will work. I got the biggest ones because I was originally using them with GH Water Farm hardware. The drip ring requires the larger surface area of medium. The ones with smaller cups would probably be the better option just to avoid the necessity of more medium. An alternative is to use the lid of the 5 gallon buckets and place a small net cup in the middle, but lids are often quite flimsy. Yes, the roots grow out of the medium and cup and down into the bucket. I recirculate.

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