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| I have been growing my tomatoes in the Miracle Gro Potting Mix which claims that it contains enough food for 6 months, but I was told by my neighbor that I should be using a liquid fertilizer as well. Is he right? I don't want to over fertilize. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| The fertilizer in the mix is sufficient for the first 6 weeks or so. Then you need to supplement. The 6 month claim assumes far less frequent watering than outdoor container tomatoes require. Say you had a standard indoor potted plant that you water once every week or two weeks... sure, 6 months isn't unreasonable. But when you are watering daily or ever other day, those nutrients get washed out much faster and the slow-release granules/capsule beads are depleted sooner. Personally, I've been doing a 1/4 strength to 1/2 strength liquid fertilizer twice a week, and my plats are doing well, even those stuck in much smaller pots than they ought to be. |
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| Agree with the above. The claim in big letters on the MG bag is very mis-leading because no one ever bothers to read the small print about what it really means. So yes, feed your container plants regularly with something of your choice. Something that can be suspended in water and diluted to 1/2 strength works best IMO. Dave |
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- Posted by dominickg23 none (My Page) on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 19:35
| Okay thanks guys, guess I'll buy some then... I'll probably buy the MG Liquafeed but I don't really understand the instructions, - Fill to top line to mix with 2 gallons of water, fill to lower line to mix with 1 gallon of water - Apply diluted solution to the base of the plants. One gallon feeds approx. 10 sq. ft. If I made a gallon of this stuff, exactly how much would I pour into each 5 gallon bucket? The whole gallon or...? Sorry for being stupid... |
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| There are many other and better choices available at most any garden center - most much less expensive and with very clear cut instructions. Even plain old MG water soluble powder in the green and yellow box is cheaper, easier, and better. Dave |
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- Posted by dominickg23 none (My Page) on Mon, Jul 28, 14 at 20:58
| I don't really understand how to use any liquid fertilizer...do I just water as usual with the diluted solution, i.e. the same amount that I always give when using plain water, Or do I just sprinkle a lit bit around the stem...? Also I will go with the powder thanks. |
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| I use the powder MG that digdirt mention, 1 tbl. per gallon of water, 1 gallon of water per tomatoe plant an pour around the base of the plant, Do this every 12 days. |
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- Posted by dominickg23 none (My Page) on Tue, Jul 29, 14 at 0:32
| Great, thanks. I'll either do that or 1/2 strength every 7 days. |
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| I don't really understand how to use any liquid fertilizer. ...... - Fill to top line to mix with 2 gallons of water, fill to lower line to mix with 1 gallon of water . %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% You need the measuring spoon that screws on the bottle. |
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| Those particular bottles are primarily intended to use in the MG applicator - sold separately at an extra cost - that automatically dilutes the fert as it applies it. It is a whole system. And the directions read accordingly. As seysonn said they can be used in different ways but the system is their primary use and not what is needed the majority of the time. The much less expensive plain dry MG or MG for Tomatoes is a powder in a box and is mixed 1 T per gallon so 1/2 strength is obviously 1 T to 2 gallons ot 1/2 T to 1 gallon. But MG products are only one of hundreds of brands of liquid or powdered fertilizers available for gardening. Dave |
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- Posted by dominickg23 none (My Page) on Tue, Jul 29, 14 at 12:51
| I understood how to mix the solution...rofl. What I didn't understand was how to apply it. It said "one gallon feeds 10 square feet", Each bucket has a surface area of less than 1 square foot...so I wasn't sure if I should use just 1/10th of the gallon or the whole thing as Jimmy56 recommended. |
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| It said "one gallon feeds 10 square feet", %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% I am not sure about that. Not tomatoes. |
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| There are many more other fertilizers that are far kinder to the planet and living things. Your $$ is your support to the cause... |
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