Fertilizer for tomatoes and peppers

[z28derick]

Hey folks,

Planning ahead for this year. I had a pretty decent yield last year using these burpee fertilizers but wanted to see if I'm using them right as they don't actually have good directions when using together. When I first transplant I put the bone meal in the soil and mixed around. Then once the plants had good growth I added the granular plant food. Just curious if you all would add them both at the same time or stagger them like I did last year? Thanks!

 

[Henry 420]

Thanks, I have always used Tomatorite , its good for peppers and tomatoes and other things !! thanks for the tip !!

 

[roadrunner]

I produce my own fertilizer, no costs

 

[cpp gardener]

Yes you can use both of them at the same time. The bone meal is a slow release source of nutrients and won’t burn roots.
They worked for you last year and will do the same now. You could get more complicated in your fertilizing, but why bother if you were successful last year?

 

[z28derick]

True enough. Just asking around if there were any other opinions. Last year was my best year but I think it could still be better. Have been improving year over year though. Thanks!

 

[YumYum]

Yes. You can add at the same time.

What are the ingredients on the back of the bag? It probably contains bone meal.

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

Like Yum Yum suggested I would do the same. However,it takes about a month for organic ferts to break down and become usuable for the plants. I like to add fertilizer roughly a month before the last frost date. I never add fertilizer to the hole before planting always on top so it works it's way down. Adding something that needs to decompose in the root zone from what I understand is not good. Maybe this only applies to fruit trees but works great for me. Micro nutrients I do add to the hole.

I use the Espoma brand for tomatoes and would never consider changing it at this point. A 27lbs bags cost about $27 US. $1 per pound for organic is really cost effective. I go through over 600 lbs of macros and micros so cost is important.

I stock up when it goes on sale, year end clearance or get coupons to store that sell this. In addition I need to keep track of my stock to make sure I have enough at time of feeding.

This is what I have bought so far. Never keep track of open bags but make sure to use them first.

Moorganite 25lbs x2
Jobs Tree 16lbs x4
Morbloom 16lbs x2
10-10-10 40lbs
Bonemeal 20lbs x2
Holly-Tone 27lbs
Garden-Tone 27lbs
Morcrop 16lbs x2
Soil acidifier 20lbs
Garden food. 6.75lbs
Iron 25lbs x2
Gypsum 40lbs x2

MOD

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

Forgot to mention for tomatoes use a tomato fertilizer or add calcium if it is not for tomatoes. Espoma tomato-tone has 10% calcium so you pay a premium. You can buy Garden-tone or non tomato fert and add 10% calcium.

MOD

 

[z28derick]

Here are the ingredients. Burpee responded to me in a Facebook message and said there's no need to use the bone meal for tomatoes and peppers. Everything I've looked up said bone meal is good for the calcium but it does look like the tomato food one does contain calcium too. I guess I was thinking maybe it wasn't enough. I'm doing some pots and raised bed this year and read more calcium is needed when not planting directly in the ground? I suppose to be fair, the bone meal says for tomatoes and peppers too.

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

Most bonemeal has nitrogen. With that said to much N on tomatoes makes the leaves curl and stunts growth. Bonemeal is great for bulbs such as beets, potatoes, jicama, onions and such.

I dont add bonemeal to my tomatoes but if you do use bonemeal on tomatoes just make sure it has no N. An example would be the Hi-Yield brand I use it is 0-10-0.

MOD

 

[z28derick]

Most bonemeal has nitrogen. With that said to much N on tomatoes makes the leaves curl and stunts growth. Bonemeal is great for bulbs such as beets, potatoes, jicama, onions and such.

I dont add bonemeal to my tomatoes but if you do use bonemeal on tomatoes just make sure it has no N. An example would be the Hi-Yield brand I use it is 0-10-0.

MOD

Thanks! I'll take yours and their suggestion and just use the red one this year. I did have some leaf curl last year early on that mimicked curly top. I was so mad at first but the plants all recovered when I switched later to the tomato food.

 

[forgetmenot_]

Hello!
Can I use this fertilizer for my garden?
I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, maybe I’ll also plant corn

 

[cpp gardener]

It should be fine. Just follow the directions and don't use more than the label says.