- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: The 2021 Garden Thread
Posted on 4/13/21 at 9:23 am to jyoung1
Posted on 4/13/21 at 9:23 am to jyoung1
I never post pictures so let's see if this works. Btw, Being it's a Semi-Determine should I pinch the suckers or not? I didn't and the tomatoes are growing close to ground level.
Celebrity Tomato
Celebrity Tomato
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 9:31 am
1
Posted on 4/13/21 at 11:24 am to jyoung1
quote:
Also, it's really a super expensive form of Nitrogen, and I don't know if there's any benefits from it compared to say Miracle Gro.
Fish Fertilizer is super concentrated. I bought a gallon about a year ago for $20 and still have some. Not expensive at all. The benefits it has over Miracle Gro is that it is organic and provides lots of trace minerals you wont find it a man made fertilizer. I only use it as a supplemental fertilizer anyway just to give everything a little boost.
Posted on 4/13/21 at 12:42 pm to WigSplitta22
quote:
Fish Fertilizer is super concentrated
A $20 gallon of fish fertilizer is 8 lbs at 5-1-1 NPK, that comes out to $50 / lb of Nitrogen.
A $10 / 5lb container of miracle gro at 24-8-16, that comes out to $8.33 / lb of N.
A $20 / 27 lb bag of solid organic fertilizer at 3-4-4, comes out to $24.691 / lb of N.
A $10 / 25 lb bag of chicken manure at 3-2-3, comes out to $13.33 / lb of N.
Some man-made & most organic fertilizers also have micro-nutrients like calcium, magnesium, sulfur, etc. There's nothing in fish fertilizer beyond N-P-K.
Solid organic fertilizers also offer additional benefits to soil structure that liquid fertilizer doesn't.
quote:
provides lots of trace minerals you wont find it a man made fertilizer
When it comes to "trace materials", if you won't find them in the fertilizers, you will usually find your soil already has plenty of it, or it doesn't need it.
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 1:04 pm
Posted on 4/13/21 at 1:04 pm to jyoung1
For me, I have been using fish emulsion mainly because I wanted a low dose source of N. Soil test showed I had tons of everything else I need. For that, it has served its purpose well.
A lot depends on individual needs. Fish emulsion has its place.
ETA: I'm definitely not arguing with your points. I purchased some on a whim because it was readily available and easy to use. It surely smells putrid. But I won't say it didn't provide any benefit. My plants did seem to perk up and turn a deeper green after each feeding. (once per week).
I'm about to cut back because everything is flowering. I may not use it ever again once I run out. Future soil tests will determine how to proceed.
A lot depends on individual needs. Fish emulsion has its place.
ETA: I'm definitely not arguing with your points. I purchased some on a whim because it was readily available and easy to use. It surely smells putrid. But I won't say it didn't provide any benefit. My plants did seem to perk up and turn a deeper green after each feeding. (once per week).
I'm about to cut back because everything is flowering. I may not use it ever again once I run out. Future soil tests will determine how to proceed.
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 1:22 pm
Posted on 4/13/21 at 1:26 pm to PillageUrVillage
I use the fish waste I get out of the filter from a goldfish pond as fertilizer, it works well
Posted on 4/13/21 at 1:33 pm to jchamil
That’s a good idea. I have a 30 gallon fish tank and every time I do a water change I water my plants with the old fish water. Can’t let that good detritus go to waste. 
Posted on 4/13/21 at 2:01 pm to jyoung1
quote:
A $20 gallon of fish fertilizer is 8 lbs at 5-1-1 NPK, that comes out to $50 / lb of Nitrogen.
1 gallon equals 768 teaspoons. At 2 teaspoons per gallon of water you can cover 25 sq ft of garden or a 4 x 6 bed at a 5:1:1 ratio. Your getting 384 doses of Nitrogen, low doses but it's supplemental anyway, for $20. You are trying to convert a unit of volume to a unit of weight.
Posted on 4/13/21 at 2:06 pm to PillageUrVillage
That's a fair point, I used some yesterday just because I still have some left.
I do think you would see the same results using miracle gro or another liquid plant food but I understand being against using that also.
My soil usually has plenty of nitrogen just using organic fertilizers. But I do give them a liquid boost after transplanting or if they seem stressed, in the past that has been either miracle gro or fish fertilizer, but I don't think I'll buy fish fertilizer again.
I do think you would see the same results using miracle gro or another liquid plant food but I understand being against using that also.
My soil usually has plenty of nitrogen just using organic fertilizers. But I do give them a liquid boost after transplanting or if they seem stressed, in the past that has been either miracle gro or fish fertilizer, but I don't think I'll buy fish fertilizer again.
Posted on 4/13/21 at 2:09 pm to WigSplitta22
quote:
You are trying to convert a unit of volume to a unit of weight.
I was only giving you a cost per amount of nitrogen ratio. NPK values are given as a percentage of weight, unless I'm mistaken and it's different for liquid fertilizer. I'm assuming that's why most fish fertilizer containers list the weight along with the volume.
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 2:13 pm
Posted on 4/13/21 at 2:31 pm to jyoung1
quote:
I was only giving you a cost per amount of nitrogen ratio. NPK values are given as a percentage of weight, unless I'm mistaken and it's different for liquid fertilizer. I'm assuming that's why most fish fertilizer containers list the weight along with the volume.
No biggie i always look at it as a volume thing since you are mixing it with liquid. Didn't seem expensive to me considering how much use ive gotten out of it, that's all
Posted on 4/13/21 at 2:35 pm to WigSplitta22
While we are on the topic of fertilizer, has anyone ever used CAL-MAG?
Since a lot of my plants are going into flowering and fruiting mode, I thought it may be beneficial. I'm mostly wondering if it would help prevent cracking/splitting and BER of my tomatoes. Especially if we keep getting rains like we are today.
Since a lot of my plants are going into flowering and fruiting mode, I thought it may be beneficial. I'm mostly wondering if it would help prevent cracking/splitting and BER of my tomatoes. Especially if we keep getting rains like we are today.
Posted on 4/13/21 at 2:43 pm to PillageUrVillage
quote:
While we are on the topic of fertilizer, has anyone ever used CAL-MAG?
Never used CAL-MAG but most fertilizers especially the ones that say tomato on them already have Calcium in them. Not sure if yours does. You could also save money and mix epsom salt and tums together with a gallon of water and you get the same benefits
Posted on 4/13/21 at 2:47 pm to WigSplitta22
My soil already has tons of magnesium and calcium in it. I haven't added any. I was thinking more along the lines of foliar application after a big rain to try to prevent splitting and BER.
My thinking may be way off. I don't know. I'm not a scientist.
ETA: I would normally add bone meal in each transplant hole. But my soil test literally said “excessive” in the calcium and magnesium columns.
ETA2: I also gotta wonder if my pH being way off was preventing uptake, so my levels in the soil just kept building up. Splitting and BER wasn’t a big problem for me last year, but I did have a few instances.
My thinking may be way off. I don't know. I'm not a scientist.
ETA: I would normally add bone meal in each transplant hole. But my soil test literally said “excessive” in the calcium and magnesium columns.
ETA2: I also gotta wonder if my pH being way off was preventing uptake, so my levels in the soil just kept building up. Splitting and BER wasn’t a big problem for me last year, but I did have a few instances.
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 3:00 pm
Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:01 pm to PillageUrVillage
If your soil already has a ton of both i wouldn't worry about it. Your plants are already taking them up to help with that. I always thought tomatoes split when they couldn't grow anymore and have gotten very close to ripening stage. If that's the case then just pick them
Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:15 pm to WigSplitta22
I'm having trouble with my tomato's getting past 24"ish tall. Started flowering a bit early, so I cut the flowers and small fruit off. I need to check my soil levels. How accurate are those little rapid testers from Lowes? I've used them every year but this year, but after each test in the past, I never really had to make an adjustment (based on the test).
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 3:16 pm
Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:18 pm to WigSplitta22
I’ll see how they do now that my pH is getting right. Might be a little better this year. I do try to pick once they hit the breaker stage.
Not very. I’d just send a sample off to the soil lab. Takes all of the guesswork out.
quote:
How accurate are those little rapid testers from Lowes?
Not very. I’d just send a sample off to the soil lab. Takes all of the guesswork out.
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 3:23 pm
Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:21 pm to CDH1990
quote:
I'm having trouble with my tomato's getting past 24"ish tall.
What variety? Indeterminate or no ? Not sure on the soil test. I have never used one
This post was edited on 4/13/21 at 3:22 pm
Posted on 4/13/21 at 3:30 pm to WigSplitta22
Couple different variety's. Better Boy (which jumped quick, then stopped), Creole, Black Krim, and a couple different cherry's (Sun Gold, Sweet 100)
They don't look dead or even yellowing, just a bit leggy, and seem to be stunted.
Yea, I'm not far from the LSU Ag in Covington, I'll give them a holler this week.
They don't look dead or even yellowing, just a bit leggy, and seem to be stunted.
Yea, I'm not far from the LSU Ag in Covington, I'll give them a holler this week.
Posted on 4/13/21 at 6:04 pm to CDH1990
quote:
Yea, I'm not far from the LSU Ag in Covington, I'll give them a holler this week.
Take some small samples from varying places in your garden plot to get an overall view of your soil conditions.
An ag center will give you an accurate account of the condition of your soil and recommend what you need to do to improve it.
The only soil test kit I'd trust, and just marginally, is the PH tester from big box stores.
Page 38 of 79
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News