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kawaiineko_gardener

fertilizing vegetables

When I attempted to grow tomatoes and squash, I added some fertilizer in with the soil mixture I made and that's it.

Do I need to add a layer of manure or compost on top of the soil once the the

plant starts to set fruit? It seems like a stupid question in retrospect, but

it didn't even occur to me that I should've possibly done this until AFTER

I had grown the plants.

At what point in the growth period should the fertilizer be added again (if necessary).

This question is in regards to tomato plants, squash, and melons, simply because

I know they're very heavy feeders.

Is it as necessary to fertilize as heavily for other crops such as eggplant,

beans, and peppers, or are they moderate feeders in comparison to squash

and tomatoes?

Comments (5)

  • 15 years ago

    try some foliage pro from dyna gro use 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoons per gallon of water everytime you water
    you will get good results with all veggies.

    you can order it online at www.dyno gro.com.
    good luck.

    les

  • 15 years ago

    I use a combination of fertility enhancements. In fall I use some fully ripe leaf compost, aged horse manure, and some leaf mulch....mixing the first two in some. In spring in the planting row, I do add some fertilizer, both organic [long lasting] and some 12-12-12. Later I tend to add some liquid organic stuff.
    A few selected areas may get a fall cover crop.

  • 15 years ago

    maybe a diffrent view at the same subject, we feed the soil, which feeds the plants which feed us.

    that is all our rottable kitchen scraps go into the garden, along with my wee water incorporated into dish pre-rinse or dish wash water (all by hand). all spent plants get mulched under the compost where they once grew, with the addition at times of some grass clippings.

    we sue no additional fertilisers or manures, which we believe if uaed wrongly could tip the balance of the plants natural reistance to bugs, ie.,. too much nitrogen makes the plants as attractive as lollies to bugs.

    all our composting including vermicomposting occurs in the garden. we use green type spoilt hay or sugar cane mulch they all add nutrients as they break down.

    len

    Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

  • 15 years ago

    Peppers have similar fertility requirements to tomatoes, while beans, in good soil, require no fertilizer at all.
    Beans mostly need plenty of water when first blooming.

    Most plants need nitrogen early on, to boost growth. What happens next depend on your soil type and fertility. I give my fruiting plants a small amount of urea when they first set fruits, and that is it. I think I could forego this step really. I do give all of them substantial amounts of wood ash at the beginning of the season, one cup per tomato plant, and that is enough for all their other needs.

    Greens prefer continuous small amounts of nitrogen, through the growing season.

  • 15 years ago

    Len, I'm with you!
    I'm a composting whacko (as you will find on the composting board)
    Between recycling/composting and serving to the critters, we only go to the dump a few times a year!
    I'm just a gardening journeyman at 10 years, but I've used very little except for home made compost and neighbor's animal waste in my gardens.
    I tried some organic fertilizer in a panic this year when we had such crappy weather, but it didn't help!
    I just had to accept a really BAD year!
    I DO have a great crop of compost brewing, and am hoping for a much better year!

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