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Growing Tomatoes

To fertilize or not

11 years ago

Some of you might remember my post this past winter about trying to increase productivity, and my surprising soil test results (Alkaline soil and too much organic matter and nutrients). I brought in plain top soil to level off the raised bed and was able to till it just enough to level off the bed. Then I fell in the garage and had trouble even walking, so I just barely got the plants in while limping and using a few choice words, and did not get to till the topsoil well into the underlying nutrient rich soil.( I ended up on crutches, but the foot wasn't broken, although I am sure I didn't help it much by continuing to stand and walk on it until the tomatoes were in, lol. Anyway, I fine now.) That was on May 20th. The plants were planted deep, and I have assumed so far that they will put out enough deep roots to get all the nutrients they need from the underlying soil, even in the end where it is down 8 inches or so below the purchased top soil. They seem OK so far, although temps have gotten cooler than I would like again.

Am I probably OK leaving them be at this point unless they show signs of problems? I probably over thinking this, but I just wondered, since soil tests only ask for the top 5-6 inches of soil to test, if there is any evidence that plants take up more of their nutrients from that area than deeper down. I don't want to create the same problem, if it ever really was a problem, by adding more fertilizer when it is not needed.

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Comments (3)

coconut_head
11 years ago
When they are young, the roots will be primarily in the top 12 inches of the soil, but after a few months, the roots will go down very far. 4 feet down and beyond actually.

I would not worry too much about tilling your soil, the roots will be in both soil horizons, just mulch the topsoil with grass clippings or straw or something and the worms will mix it all up for you anyway.

As for Liquid Ferts, Tomatoes are pretty heavy feeders, I myself have decided on doing fish emulsion a few days after transplant, and then every few weeks after that as needed. This is in addition to top-dressing with compost and grass clippings.

Last year I didn't use any fertilizers, didn't mulch with anything and still had a forest of tomatoes. I am blessed with amazing topsoil here though.
behlgarden
11 years ago
I fed my tomatoes at the time of planting. 2 cups of tomatotone, 1/4 cup ea of bone meal and espoma lime went into the 12" deep hole, then I placed my seedlings on top. In 10 days they took off like crazy putting me under pressure to do staking or risk damage from winds.
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sue_ct
Original Author
11 years ago
Well, maybe either a little bit of tomato tone or fish emulsion wouldn't hurt. I plan to mulch with a commercial hay/straw product. Not sure about the grass clippings since my grass isn't organic, and I don't know that I want whatever the lawn service is using in my vegetable garden. I think I should stay away from high phosphate fertilizers or use them sparingly considering everything was so high in soil tests. But I do want a good strong start for them and its going to take a little while for those roots to really get down well into the old compost.

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