I have similar soil results with plenty of nutrients and an organic percentage around 12%. I don't ever fertilize during the growing season. I add compost (leaf origin) and composted manures in early spring and turn them in. I also geta soil test every other year.

The organics in your soil will break down slowly and naturally. It sounds like your soil is fine to start. Adding exogenous fertilizer simply puts your plans on a growth roller coaster and you may end up with confused leggy but non-productive plants.

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Smith has a very nice discussion of this issue. Farmers work with soil that they really can't add organics to as it just becomes too expensive and cumbersome. So they use inorganic fertilizers. For the home gardener, it's actually better to use mulch and compost and let it work naturally. I've tried both approaches and the latter simply is better. I end up with huge plants (10 feet high supported) and many more tomatoes than I can ever use.

Scott

I intend to spray a fish/seaweed emulsion in diluted form on the plants maybe once a week for added micronutrients. Does anyone have a suggestion for me as to what products I might use and how dilute they should be? I know there are many ways to do this but using a drench for the granular or liquid fertilizer and a spray for the fish/seaweed emulsion would work best for me. Thanks.

Not actual granular fertilizer. It doesn't dissolve well in water - isn't meant to - so can easily spot burn leaves. Water soluable ferts (like Miracle Grow stuff and similar brands) diluted to 1/4 strength works ok.

Dilute compost tea is my personal favorite foliar feed but honestly, your diluted fish/seaweed mix will provide everything needed assuming a good level of soil nutrients.

Otherwise there are many products available for foliar and drench feeding - both organic and synthetic. Check out all the products from www.wormsway.com

Keep in mind that there are risks associated with foliar feeding - specifically leaf burn and fungus and mold problems if leaves are left wet for too long. Time of day spraying can be crucial.

Dave

(Sorry, I meant water soluble fertilizer.) One reason I feel the need to fertilize is that the compost I put on is not totally composted. I put it on and till it in in the fall but I can still see leaves in the Spring. These leaves are mostly carbohydrate and I wonder how much nitrogen they are removing from my garden as they break down. Because of this I feel the need to put on some dilute water soluble fetilizer by drench and then the fish/seaweed by way of a spray. I find it very difficult to totally abandon my old fertilizer habits though I have come a long way. I doubt I will ever feel comfortable that my soil alone is good enough to provide the required nutrients to my plants throughout the growing season. Like the birds seem to have to fly South in the Fall, I feel I have to put fertilizer on my garden, not much though, and mostly organic.

I doubt I will ever feel comfortable that my soil alone is good enough to provide the required nutrients to my plants throughout the growing season. Like the birds seem to have to fly South in the Fall, I feel I have to put fertilizer on my garden

I think most of us would agree with you on that. But if I am reading you right you seem to be implying that the only way to accomplish that is with foliar spraying. That's where many would differ with you.

There are many other ways of applying supplemental feedings during the season, some of them even more effective and less risky to the plants than improperly done foliar feeding.

Side dressing the plants with any form of granular fertilizer be it organic like finished compost or a synthetic balanced fertilizer is likely one of the most beneficial.

Root drenching the plants with any type of water-soluble powder fertilizer ranks right up there too when it comes to effectiveness. Your fish/seaweed mix is just as effective, perhaps even more so, as a root drench rather than a foliar spray.

If you use drip irrigation or soaker hose as many of us do then fertigation with the existing watering system is both easy and exceptionally effective.

Don't get me wrong. Unlike some I am a firm believer in supplemental foliar spraying as long as the potential problems it can cause are avoided. As I said, I use diluted compost tea - my own, diluted to the color of weak iced tea - approx. every 10 days to 2 weeks depending on the plant growth stages and the weather.

You don't indicate your zone or location in your posts so I can't say how much of a problem it might cause for you, but here it can only be done early in the morning, out of the direct sun, during dry periods of weather with low-humidity, and with a light breeze moving through the plants. I also don't drench the plant, just lightly mist the leaves and avoid the fruit so a fine mist sprayer is needed.

Unlike the other forms of supplemental feeding, it has to be done with more care otherwise you can easily create serious problems for yourself with sun scald, leaf burn, and foliar fungus infections.

Just some thoughts to consider.

Dave

After more reading (Vegetable Gardener's Bible, a really informative book) , the posts here, and some deep thought, I have decided that I will fertilize by drench only using a combination of a fish/seaweed emulsion and a 1/4 dilution of Miracle Grow All Purpose Fertilizer with micronutrients (12-4-8), one gallon to each plant, applied weekly. If I could get away from the Miracle Grow I would be totally organic but it seems right for me now. I tried manure tea several years ago as a spray and besides getting me dirty and smelly, it clogged up my sprayer and I decided at that time, never again. I might have been doing it wrong. Thanks for all of the advice, I both needed and appreciate it.

I have been thinking some more since my last post and still have some concerns. I will definately apply my fish/seaweed emulsion by drench. It is the water soluble fertilizer that concerns me. I looked at the wormsway site as recommended and found that their products are fairly expensive if you have more than a small number of plants. Of all their products which would you recommend if you were using it to replace the water soluble fertilizer, which would most likely be a miracle grow product? The only reason I would replace the MG is because of the salts but would that really be a problem if I applied it only once a week as 1/4 to 1/2 Tbs in a gallon of water per plant? As I said before, the manure tea really smelled bad and usually got on me and often clogged my sprayer plus I would need large amounts as I have about 50 to 60 plants. Compost tea or manure tea is more than I can deal with, a personal problem. Also you will note that I bumped the MG up to 1/2 TBS per gallon as 1/4 seemed sparse when the container recommends 1 TBS/gal. You still would put only 1/4 TBS on? Maybe I need a tranquilizer as I seem to be obsessing about this but I do need to finalize my plans so I can move on.

"Maybe I need a tranquilizer as I seem to be obsessing about this but I do need to finalize my plans so I can move on."

I think you hit the nail on the head with this one :)

Gardening can be as complicated or as easy as you want it to be. It's all dependent on what your needs are. If you're trying to optimize every little detail about your garden and achieve a garden worthy of a professional photographer, then yes, you need to analyze every detail. If you're growing for fun / pleasure and the chance at growing your own food; Then there's not that much that needs to be obsessed over.

That being said, let's clarify a few things:
1.) You mention your soil test came back with good results. This would imply that your PH, P and K levels are where they should be; The only thing left to address really is nitrogen (N) since that moves through the soil fastest. Any fertilizer you look for should be adding N and a minimum of P and K since they according to your test they should be in sufficient amounts.
2.) Compost Tea does not equal manure tea. They are different things. They can function for a similar purpose in the garden, but compost tea does not have the same odor and compost tea adds (along with it's nutritive value) beneficial aerobic microorganisms.
3.) You mention the desire to garden organically and then you mention the use of Miracle-gro. I think you realize these two ideas are opposed, but here's a little more detail as to why. Miracle-Gro or any chemical fertilizer is designed to feed the plants directly, and generally very quickly. Any organic fertilizer is designed to feed the soil organisms, which will in turn feed the plants (much slower process). Each way will produce results, but if you choose organic, it's a different mindset.

All that said, you mentioned that you've amended your soil and your soil tests are good. The truth of it is that your soil does have enough to provide nutrients for your plants, all you need to do is give it a little help. Provide some nitrogen after plants are established and then again after fruits begin to set.

If you can get a hold of it, or have it on hand, you can apply a granual fertilizer like Tomato-tone at the time of planting, and then a little around each plant later in the season. If you want to go the water soluable route, fish emulsion drench and foliar feeds work well. If you want a faster acting organic fertilizer you can look to Miracle-Gro (ironically enough). They offer a organic "all purpose" concentrate, that is 8-0-0.

Honestly, if all you did was drop the plants in the ground and never touch them all season, short of watering during dry spells, you'd probably still get a harvest; All the advice about fertilizing and amending is to maximize results. Your plants shouldn't need much to do well - amend your soil, help it along, take a deep breath and let nature take it's course. More plants have been "loved to death" than have ever died of neglect.

Thanks Home. All input is certainly appreciated.

Do you stop feeding your kids when they reach 10?

Slow & steady wins the race!

It is the water soluble fertilizer that concerns me. I looked at the wormsway site as recommended and found that their products are fairly expensive if you have more than a small number of plants. Of all their products which would you recommend if you were using it to replace the water soluble fertilizer, which would most likely be a miracle grow product?

Wormsway was only a suggestion - one source of many. Granted their products aren't cheap but they are heavily concentrated. 1 gallon container of Super Tea or Budswell Liquid lasts more that the season and I have over 100 tomato plants. I like them because they work well with my auto drip irrigation system. But then I don't see any reason to feed weekly like you want to do. Does more harm than good IMO. Especially nitrogen and high phos feeding. Excess nitrogen causes all sorts of problems for tomato plants and excess phos just runs off into the ground water.

As homegardenpa said manure tea and compost tea aren't at all the same thing and 1 bag of good store-bought compost can easily make enough tea for the season and it can be applied by root drench or any hose end sprayer with no problems.

Check out these gardensalive.com products or espoma.com or planetnatural.com for their range of products.

But you really need to put the "feed weekly" mind-set aside. :)

Dave

Digdirt: How often are you feeding your plants? Are you constantly fertilizing in very dilute form by fertigation? I collect rainwater in a large tank and water daily using a timer and a pump. I could easily put fertilizer in the tank and fertilize a little with each daily watering or I could put it on by hand at some interval using a mixing barrel and a watering can. What interval are you suggesting? I thought putting a little fertilizer on weekly would be better than putting more on say monthly. Are you suggesting something like fertigation or are you suggesting less fertilizer more often or more fertilizer less often? Help me out here as I am not too bright. I will check out the sites and some of the products you mention. I appreciate your time and energy.

How often? every 10 days to 2 weeks depending on the plant growth stages and the weather.

It isn't set in stone. :) Every 10 days if plants are in early stages of foliar development, if plant is currently setting lots of fruit I wait till approx. 2+ weeks so I don't kick it back into a growth stage, if I have had lots of rain I do a light foliar feed, if it is a dry spell I do a good fertigation, etc. Overall it probably average out to approx. something every 15-16 days but that is just an average and I may not do all the plants at the same time. Determinates are on a different schedule than indeterminates, first planted get different than second planted, etc., and plants showing signs of stress get more attention than healthy appearing ones.

I realize it sounds complicated but it really isn't. You have to access the plant's stages and then add in the weather effects and adjust accordingly.

I thought putting a little fertilizer on weekly would be better than putting more on say monthly.

No. Over-fertilization is more stressful for the plants than is under-fertilization. So if I had to choose weekly or monthly, I'd go with monthly every time. Keep in mind that the plants have access to the nutrients that are in the soil all along too. They are not totally dependent on you for their feed.

To expand on korney's metaphor about feeding your kids, no you don't stop feeding your kids when they are 10 but if there is food in the house a 10 year old kid is capable of feeding himself some of the time and if you have raised him well he won't always go for the junk food. Miracle Grow is junk food. Good soil amendments are healthy food. With well prepped soil your 'kids' will be really healthy. Take them to McDonalds once a month, not every week.

Dave

Many of the giant pumpkin growers are moving in a more organic direction and doing quite well. I am wondering if Digdirt would have the same recommendations if he were trying to get really big tomatoes? I think he would. This is a very interesting thread. Are there any differing opinions out there on this topic? Or, does everyone (not likely) concur?

The soil type demands the action. And that is the truth.

Every two weeks during the growing season is typically what's recommended by fertilizer manufacturers, but if you're soil is already well amended and fertile, you can, and in some cases should, do less than that.

Tomato-tone, a commonly recommended granular organic fertilizer says this (from packaging):
"Apply Tomato-tone after plants are well established (10 - 14 days) and then twice a month during the growing season (May through August)."

Keep in mind, that's their recommendation, which has no reference to your existing soil fertility - if anything it probably assumes poor soil.

Know your soil, add what you need, skip what you don't; You'll save time, money, and a bunch of headaches.

It's human nature to feel that we need to intervene regularly and to "baby" our plants, when in fact over-watering and over-fertilizing are some of the top reasons plants decline. Don't take my word for it, just read these forums for a week or two.

If you feel the need to baby your plants, fertilize bi-weekly and occasionally supplement with a (very dilute) foliar feed, but know for your own sake that you can get away with less.

If your soil is very well balanced you don't need anything else. Yes, you may have some leaves, this and that but manure will work through these if you have good soil already. I believe playing around with fertilizers, additional nutritions may effect the taste if nothing else. You may enjoy pruning your plants and taking some of the suckers away if you would like to help them grow more trained.

Just my two cents...