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Recommended fertilizer or supplement?
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Posted by deebs43 z5b Chicago (My Page) on Fri, Jun 9, 06 at 11:46
| I've been reading and reading, trying to figure out why my four tomato plants are all having trouble. I have Early Girl, Sweet 100, Best Boy, and a beefsteak. All four have lower leaf curl--the leaves curled upward, then rolled over. They are firm and leathery. There is healthier growth at the top.
They are in clay soil. We had a week of steady rain with cool weather, then it hit the mid-80s and hasn't rained in a week.
The whole area is mulched with hardwood bark.
So....I've determined that I have nutritional deficiencies and should probably fertilize with nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulpher. But which kind? What kind of fertilizer has a good blend for tomatoes?
I have a mostly-composted pile of grass clippings, coffee grounds, soil, and kitchen waste. Should that get mixed in?
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Recommended fertilizer or supplement?
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- Posted by cbars z5b6a MO (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 9, 06 at 16:06
| You can mix in some of the compost. Just make sure it doesn't touch the plant or else it will burn it. Use a balanced, granular fertilizer - 5-10-10 or 10-20-20 or whatever combination you can find. Just make sure the first number which is Nitrogen is low. Otherwise, you will have great big bushes and no fruit. I have never been a big fan of using wood chips for mulch for lots of reasons. You would be better off using hay, straw, or dried grass clippings from you lawn. Good luck, Gary |
RE: Recommended fertilizer or supplement?
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| Thanks for the advice, Gary. I finally found a Miracle Gro fertilizer made especially for tomatoes. 18-21-21. Water-soluable, meant to go on leaves and soil. I tried a weak first batch this past weekend, and two of the four plants have perked up a bit. Still not sure about the other two, but I'll keep an eye on them... |
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