As one
famous tomato
once said ....
"You are what you eat" :)
Making a good tomato
taste better!
How to fertilize...
Nutrients for the BIG Guys
Fertilizing... a continuous process and a better understanding of
Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.
Nutrition for your plants... The final proof is in the Taste.
Your tomatoes need a proper "balance" of nutrients. Packaged fertilizer
should include on its label the Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium ratio
of 5-10-10 or 10-10-10.
For best results, stay with these numbers; since, a change from the
stated numerical format like 20-5-5 [too much nitrogen] will create tall,
very green, leafy tomato plants with little or no tomatoes.
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If you are using a dried, rotted manure... mix it with bone meal to
obtain a proper nutrient balance. Many organic tomato growers like this
combination of nutrients to grow good tasting, champion tomatoes.
To fertilize... Sprinkle the fertilizer mix approximately one foot from
the base of the tomato plant. Make sure you encircle the entire plant.
Cover the mix with 2" of top soil and then place a light covering of grass
cuttings or hay over the fertilizer mix and soil. Then soak the area!
Your objective is to always keep the soil moist! Then you will avoid
big problems such as Blossom End Rot. Your cut grass or hay covering
will keep the soil moisture at a constant. |
Fertilize every 15 to 21 days, depending on package instructions and
repeat the above "how to" procedure. What will happen is that you will
create a "layering" process, where you will have a nice "hill" build-up
of soil, mulch and nutrients encircling your plant.
Avoid making direct contact with any part of the tomato
plant with your fertilizer... this could burn your plant or create other
negative problems.
Copyright & copy; 1996-2003 New Jersey Championship Tomato Weigh-In
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