If it's truly organic it should not burn the plants that bad.. What's the ingredients? How big is the box? How big is the bed?

Joe

I have not seen an organic fertilizer with an analysis of 5-10-10 and would be interested in knowing what it was and what was in it. Was this a 1 pound box spread over 100 square feet or a 10 pound box spread over 16 square feet?

I'm with kimmsr - what kind of fertilizer and what amount over what area? If you still have the box take a look under at the analysis table and see if it shows water soluble N and water insoluble N - if so, what are those numbers? Last question - what does it give for "derived from" (i.e., what was it made from).

Depending on what your soil was like before, I tend to doubt you're in much trouble. If you really pushed the N level to excessive levels, the you might see a lot of green growth and a bit less fruiting. My bigger concern for soil/plant health would be a high potassium (salt) level. But even at 1.5X, unless you're soil was on the saline side to begin with you'll probably be okay so long as you keep it well irrigated without going crazy.

I'm with kimmsr - what kind of fertilizer and what amount over what area? If you still have the box take a look under at the analysis table and see if it shows water soluble N and water insoluble N - if so, what are those numbers? Last question - what does it give for "derived from" (i.e., what was it made from).

Depending on what your soil was like before, I tend to doubt you're in much trouble. If you really pushed the N level to excessive levels, the you might see a lot of green growth and a bit less fruiting. My bigger concern for soil/plant health would be a high potassium (salt) level. But even at 1.5X, unless you're soil was on the saline side to begin with you'll probably be okay so long as you keep it well irrigated without going crazy.

If you are worried about too much concentrated fertilizer, perhaps you can work it in deeper. Still, I think that 1.5 times 5% nitrogen will not hurt you at all.

So what do us guys hear when she says "just read the box"?

Friend of mine who was a school teacher explained to me a difference between boys and girls as follows:

Teacher says to kids, "don't touch the scissors."

Girls hear, "don't touch".
Boys hear, "touch the scissors".

Watering with mild sugar-water solution will increase the microbial population thereby tying up excess nitrogen for a period of time.

This is the theoretical principle. Don't ask me the solution strength or for how long the nitrogen will be sequestered. If you do it and it works, let us all know in case we screw up too.

Be careful with the sugar strength. Sugar, like salt, is preservative (think jam) by causing reverse osmosis.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nutrient Level Control

If the soil has adequate levels of organic matter and if the soil has an active Soil Food Web then maybe spraying sugar would stimulate them into working overtime and using up the excess N. However, if the soil has adequate levels of organic matter a little too much N will not be of much concern since it will be tied up in the OM. If the soil lacks adequate levels of OM watering to wash the excess out simply moves the point of pollution somewhere else.

I find it hard to believe that a man would not read the instructions. On a similar vein, we always stop and ask for directions as well.

;-)

Lloyd

Now Lloyd, You know that it isn't the manly thing to do to stop and ask directions.

Sorry, guys the box is gone. The bed is 4x8. I can't dig it in any more cause it has wire for gophers. The tomatoes look nice and perky today. We shall see what comes of this "experiment"! Maybe I'll try the sugar water thing. Thanks for the info. Nancy

nancyjane - a question .. does DH stop and ask for directions?

One pound of a 5-10-10 spread over aa 32 square feet (4 x 8) planting bed that has adequate amounts of organic matter is not going to do much harm. It is not a realy good thing but not too harmful either. However, 5 pounds of hte same thing spread over the same area could be and if the soil does not have adequate amounts of OM any amount can be a problem, and 10 pounds would be a lot worse.
If the soil has adequate amounts of OM the soil bacteria will take care of the problem without the sugar water but if the soil does not have adequate levels of OM there will be too little soil bacterial activity for the sugar water to do much of anything except waste your money, time, and energy.

The OM should be OK, I just turned in some compost last week.
TXEB- Are you kidding? He has all sorts of maps AND a GARMIN!
Vector me, baby! Nancy

kimmsr is right - I had to go look because I don't use any 5-10-10, but the general recommendation for vegetables is 3lbs per 100 sq. ft per application. Your 4x8 bed would lead to ~ 1 lb. It probably won't get interesting unless you got up to more than 2 or 3 lbs over a bed that size.

The key question is how big was the box. Was it smaller or larger than the mushy melon your doofus husband has for a head?

:-D

I bet those tomatoes grow better than ever.

I said "just read the box" he heard "just use the box"

As a husband I have to say, I know right where he's comin' from.

Anyway....along with the theme in the other posts, the dose makes the poison. At least it was tomatoes. They can take some salts so your odds are a little better in that regard compared to more sensitive stuff.

"Posted by pt03 2b Southern Manitob (My Page) on Sun, Apr 21, 13 at 7:51

I find it hard to believe that a man would not read the instructions. On a similar vein, we always stop and ask for directions as well.
;-) "

Lloyd
Lloyd I always stop and ask for directions whenever I am lost.
It just so happens I've never been lost. My wife while riding shotgun is a different story...