[tomato] fert exp

Byron.Bromley (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Mon, 15 Mar 1999 14:29:38 -0500 

The following is an experiment I did for starting plants.
Why? The only way to get an unbiased opinion is to do it
yourself.

1 Basic concepts for experiment
  A: Find best fertilizer
  B: Find a dilution that I can use, so that I can fertilize
      every time I water, so I don't forget. without overfeeding
  C: Start with some cheap pepper seeds 10 pkg for $1.
      99% of whats good for peppers is also good for tomatoes
      -- same plant family -- 

2. Started some seeds in a speed tray in sterile soil.
   A: When seedlings started to open seed leaves tranplanted
   B: Transplant pots, 3 1/2 x5 in deep newspaper pots
   C: Potting soil Sams Mirical earth with a .09 .06 .06
       rating.
   D: Mixed the following in a 100% mix - normal
       however to to reduce amount of fluids I did 1/2 tsp in 21 oz
       water; Normal mix is 1 tbsp per gal, 1 tsp in 42 oz eg. 1/3 gal
   E. Mix the following
       Miracale Gro  15-35-15
       Tomato Gro 18-18-21   aka Miracle Gro for tomatoes
       Miracid  30-10-10
       Rapid Grow 20-20-20
       Liquid 5-10-5   by Hytrous
       Fish emulsion  5-1-1
       and for comparison some plants in just plain water.
    F. Using 7ea  1 liter soda bottles add 1 drop of each different
        fertilizer.
    G. After the 3 watering with the above, the Miracle gro plants
        started showing signs of excess fertilizer.
    H. added water 3 more times.
     I. When plants were 4" high, I noted the following.
        Miracle Gro, Tomato Gro, Rapid Grow and Miracid Plants
        For about 2 in above the soil line were bent and laying in the
soil.
        In the Fish emulsion 5 out of the 6 were perfectly straight up
        1 had a slight bend, same for just water.
    
        The ones fed 5-10-5 we all straight up. The stem/stalk was
        by eyeball at least 4 times the diameter of all the rest.

       Why is that important to me ? The stronger, bigger stem/stalk
       can hold more fruit weight and stand up to winds mobetter

      My regret is after I had finished this I found some 5-30-5
      AKA Bloom plus by Shultz.

     My final conculsions are I will use 1 drop of 5-10-5 per 1/2 gal
     from first to 4th true leaf stage.

Byron