Tomato Feed

Quite a good starting point here >
http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/index.php

 

I remember seeing that graph before Dave, last year perhaps?

Very useful.

Do you have it in Excel or somesuch, or just have the "picture"? coz there are a few that could perhaps be usefully added (Doff and Phostrogen do a Tomato fertiliser)

Also, personally speaking, it would also be useful to see the ratio between the NPK, rather than the actual NPK percentages - to see at a glance whether something is appropriate for Tomatoes, relative to other products.

 

It's in Excel Kristen, I did it a couple of years ago from raw data that another GC member had spent a lot of time gathering. If you want a copy to play with drop me a PM with an email address.

 

Hi all, Thankyou for your help!:gnthb: After seeing Kristenâ??s post I created a spreadsheet with a few formulas to work out which is the cheapest per diluted litre and how many feeds you get per bottle. Then see how this changes when you add like how many growbags you have and if it requires you to feed twice a week after the second truss.

I think I will be using Asda's feed this year. Roughly[FONT=&quot] £0.0171 per diluted litre or high yield £0.0343.

djrock
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just to stir this up again...

Ive got a big blue barrel which has got rotted manure susspended in an old pilow case.

Will this be good for my toms? and everything else for that matter?

 

"Will this be good for my toms?"

No, too much Nitrogen, not enough Potassium. Wood ash would help ...

" and everything else for that matter?"

Yes (well, not Cucumbers, Melons, Peppers and other things that feed like Tomatoes)

 

Ok, what could i add to the "bag" to correct the mixture?

Would something like charcoal be any good?

 

Nope, charcoal won't add anything I'm afraid. You would need wood ash (sieve the charcoal out of it)

Burn the charcoal in your Bar-b-q and use the ash! although I doubt you will get enough.

Comfrey leaves would do too.

 

Thanks for the Excel data Dave, I've done a graph of the relative ratios of the N-to-P-to-K, and moved the balanced ones to the left, then the N-rich, next the P-rich and finally the K-rich (which are best suited to Tomatoes etc.)

 

Thanks for the advice....

Dont have any comfrey this year so thats not an option.

How about seaweed??

 

Yup, seaweed should be good. No experience of that, but I believe Tomorite is based on seaweed. Maxicrop used to the seaweed fertilizer of choice - there might be something on the Internet about how to formulate a seaweed based "tea"

 

RHS on "Seaweed" here -
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/Profile.aspx?pid=301

Just done a bit of Googling and it seems that NPK ratios in seaweed based fertilisers can vary quite considerably . Trace element content, apart from magnesium, seems to be generally good though. If you are looking for a high K seaweed based fertiliser you need to be selective.

During the 19th century and probably earlier, "lazy beds" - raised beds, comprising seaweed and shell sand were used to grow potatoes and veg on the islands and northern coastal areas up here. The remnants of these beds can still be seen as ridges and furrows around abandoned crofts and villages.

 

Nice job on the ratios Kristen! Would you please do me a big favour and email me your xls version?

Main reason I ask is that once upon a time I was involved in producing some quite big and fairly complex XL packages (mainly accounting) and due to passage of time, lack of use and lack of incentive I'm starting to lose my touch and I'd like to see how you converted % to ratios.

 

Is comfrey expensive? Were on a very tight budget but Id love to try some for myself. Also does anyone know if it would be okay for rabbits to eat?