Someone told me that..... (re: fertilizer)

[GneissPlace]

...the ideal NPK ratios for tomatoes is 1: 1.5 :3

My question is HOW does one utilize fertilizer (that you can buy at a store or online) to meet this ideal? Because I haven't seen any fertilizers with this ratio on the bottle/bag. Its confusing. Im thinking about what would be the best fertilizer I can use for my tomatoes... and maybe even if I could use that same fertilizer on the rest of my veggies and flowers? Or do I need to get different fertilizers for different plants? Its all so confusing..

 

[Chuck]

...the ideal NPK ratios for tomatoes is 1: 1.5 :3

My question is HOW does one utilize fertilizer (that you can buy at a store or online) to meet this ideal? Because I haven't seen any fertilizers with this ratio on the bottle/bag. Its confusing. Im thinking about what would be the best fertilizer I can use for my tomatoes... and maybe even if I could use that same fertilizer on the rest of my veggies and flowers? Or do I need to get different fertilizers for different plants? Its all so confusing..

Its really fairly simple: Nitrogen is for the green growth, P is for blooms and K is for plant and fruit growth. It is more complicated than this but basically its true. I am not sure that the ratio you mentioned is true at all. If this were the perfect ratio then why doesn't someone make it? I don't know of any fertilizer either organic or synthetic that is in this "ideal" ratio.

 

[GneissPlace]

Ok, it was something a lady that was leading a "how to grow tomatoes" webinar said. Its been stuck in my head and annoying me bc it gets me nowhere.

 

[Chuck]

Ok, it was something a lady that was leading a "how to grow tomatoes" webinar said. Its been stuck in my head and annoying me bc it gets me nowhere.

This might help clear your head. THERE IS NO PERFECT IDEAL FERTILIZER. And why is this? Its because there are no two soils nor no two plants exactly the same. Remember, it is not the numbers on the bag that are important, it is microbes in the soil that are important. The plants don't "eat" the fertilizer, they uptake the nutrients in the fertilizer AFTER the microbes have broken the fertilizer down into its molecular components. At least this is the way it works with organic fertilizers. With synthetics the nutrients go from the bag to the plant leaving out the soil microbes.

 

[GneissPlace]

That does help. There are just so many choices. I'll look at it like picking out a shampoo.. ha! They all clean your hair basically. So the fertilizers all feed the soil basically, which in turn feeds the plants. No real need to scrutinize over what is better that what. Just get the job done. I should however make sure whatever i get is organic and doesn't have really high numbers like the Langebenite did. Sound right? Sorta?

 

[Chuck]

Yep, that about sums it up

 

[GneissPlace]

You know I feel a little leery about feeding my plants after what I did with the Langebenite... Are the low npk organic fertilizers so gentle that its ok for me to feed my tomatoes and other plants as usual? As if Langebenite never happened? I'm guessing yes but just wanna make sure...

P.S. my plants are looking much better since I applied the soil activator you recommended! Less yellow! Thank you! I also set free a bunch of beneficial nematodes into my garden! Bye bye cutworms!

 

[Chuck]

You know I feel a little leery about feeding my plants after what I did with the Langebenite... Are the low npk organic fertilizers so gentle that its ok for me to feed my tomatoes and other plants as usual? As if Langebenite never happened? I'm guessing yes but just wanna make sure...

P.S. my plants are looking much better since I applied the soil activator you recommended! Less yellow! Thank you! I also set free a bunch of beneficial nematodes into my garden! Bye bye cutworms!

I would wait to fertilize until buds are forming on your tomatoes, then go ahead as usual. It won't be long. My tomato blooms are already opening and I expect to see a baby tomato any time now.

 

[GneissPlace]

Oh ok, that sounds sensible. I will. Thats exciting your tomatoes are starting to bloom! I've just started hardening mine off to go out on our last frost date, April 15th!

 

[Chuck]

Oh ok, that sounds sensible. I will. Thats exciting your tomatoes are starting to bloom! I've just started hardening mine off to go out on our last frost date, April 15th!

My last frost is April 1. I started my seeds the first of Feb.

 

[GneissPlace]

Ah, yours got a little more indoor grow time than mine. I started mine about 5 or 6 weeks before last frost. They are kinda small. Next year I'll start sooner. I may buy a couple larger plants from store just so I am sure to get some tomatoes. Also it will be fun to compare how they do and taste etc..

 

[Chuck]

Ah, yours got a little more indoor grow time than mine. I started mine about 5 or 6 weeks before last frost. They are kinda small. Next year I'll start sooner. I may buy a couple larger plants from store just so I am sure to get some tomatoes. Also it will be fun to compare how they do and taste etc..

I start hardening mine off when they get two sets of true leaves. It is a lot of moving them in and out but I get some amazing transplants.

 

[GneissPlace]

Thats a good rule.
Mine are on their second set of true leaves but the second set is still rather small. Yesterday was the first day I set them out for 1 hour. Do you think I should stop the hardening off process and let them grow a bit more inside first?

 

[Chuck]

Thats a good rule.
Mine are on their second set of true leaves but the second set is still rather small. Yesterday was the first day I set them out for 1 hour. Do you think I should stop the hardening off process and let them grow a bit more inside first?

It depends on the temps and the wind. Try to keep them out of any wind ( a small breeze is great) and below 90F until they beef up. After they get some strength you don't have to worry much about anything except low temps, about 50F and below. You don't want the soil to get really cool, but your daytime temps should be OK.

 

[GneissPlace]

Ok, I'll continue hardening them off just being extra careful not to stress them too much. Yesterday was their first day out and it was just for an hour. Today I'm giving them 2 hours and tomorrow I'll give em 3... and just build up gradually until their nice and strong.