How to use tomato fertilizer?

How to use tomato fertilizer to get the best tomato production

Take a few simple steps to give the right kind of tomato fertilizer to your plants at the right time during growing season.

Over the course of a few months, a tomato grows from a tiny seed into a mature plant putting out dozens of fruit. It’s no wonder tomatoes are heavy feeders. Fertilizing begins before setting plants out in garden and continues until frost.

Start fertilizing before planting

Work potting mix into the soil before planting. Potting mix  will improve the soil and provide a strong array of nutrients for the new tomato seedlings.

If you do not use potting mix and work in organic matter to the soil that has not yet broken down into compost (such as leaves or grass clippings), apply a good source of nitrogen, too, since organic material uses nitrogen when breaking down.

Fertilize when planting

When you plant tomatoes, add a handful of organic fertilizer to the planting hole. Keep a careful eye on newly-planted seedlings for the first two weeks. Transplanted seedlings with yellowed leaves at the base need to be fed again.

Fertilize when fruit has set

• Apply organic fertilizer once fruit has formed. Some gardeners look for their first tomatoes to be a small ball size as a signal to begin the season’s systematic feeding program. Make sure to use a fertilizer that has the nutrient content that tomatoes need.
• Continue fertilizing tomatoes about every 3-4 weeks.
• Tomatoes grown in sandy soil should be fertilized more often because nutrients leach quickly from soil.
• Tomatoes grown in heavy, clay soils will retain nutrients and can be fertilized on a less-frequent schedule.

How to apply tomato fertilizer

• Pull away potting mix about 4-6 inches away from the base of the tomato plant
• Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons fertilizer around the drip line of the plant. Do not allow the fertilizer to touch the plant, or it will burn the leaves and stems.
• Use a garden hand tool to gently work fertilizer into the soil. Do not penetrate soil too deeply or you will disturb the plant’s root system.
• Water the tomato plant to allow fertilizer to begin absorption into the soil.
• Replace the mulch around the base of the plant.

Plan for next year by rotating crops

Since tomatoes are heavy feeders, try not to deplete your garden soil by planting them in the same spot each year. Rotate crops instead. Ideally, the garden shouldn’t have tomatoes in the same spot more than once every 4 years.

Beautiful vegetable and flower garden using MahaGro Organic Potting Mix

You can find lemon anjeer, curryleaf, drumstick, bougainvillea, roses and lots of other green croutons.

How to Grow Spinach in Pots?

How to Grow Spinach in Pots || Growing Spinach in Containers & Care

Growing Spinach in Pots from Seeds

Sow seeds 1/2 inches deep directly in containers or a seed tray. Seedlings will germinate in 5-14 days depending on the variety and growing conditions. If you have sown seeds in a seed tray wait until 2-3 true leaves appear on each plant and then transplant them into the original pots carefully.

Choosing a pot

For growing spinach in pots, choose a pot that is least 6-8 inches deep. You don’t need a very deep pot rather use a wide pot. You can either use so many small pots and grow one plant in each or select large window boxes, wooden boxes or crates.

Spacing

Provide each spinach plant a space of 3 inches, if you want to pick large leaves, give more space to each plant, 5 inches. If you want to harvest leaves at very young age, then the spacing can be reduced to 2 inches only. Divide the planter box into squares, and see how many plants will feel comfortable in it.

Requirements for Growing Spinach in Containers

Position

If you are growing spinach in winter, keep the plant in a sunny spot due to shorter days and less intensity of the sun. For spring and summer planting keep your potted plants in a location where it receives some shade, especially in the afternoon. In subtropical or tropical climate, place the containers in a spot that receives plenty of shade.

Soil

For growing spinach in containers, use quality potting mix rich in organic matter. The texture of soil must be crumbly and loamy. Avoid soil that clogs the drainage and remains waterlogged. Well-draining soil is most important factor for the optimum growth of spinach in containers. Soil pH must be neutral.

Watering

When growing spinach in containers, avoid water stagnation because it will lead to the development of rot and various fungal diseases. Also, avoid wetting the foliage. Keep the soil moist but not soggy or wet. Taking care of good drainage in the pot is necessary.

Temperature

Spinach seeds germinate in temperatures as low as 4 C and in high temperatures too. The best soil temperature for growing spinach falls in the range of 10-27 C. Once the temperature starts to soar high, you may need to provide shade to your plants.

Growing Spinach Indoors

Growing spinach indoors on a windowsill is a great idea (as it doesn’t require a lot of sunlight) if you’re short of outdoor space. For this, buy a few 6 inches deep small pots and grow spinach in them. You can also grow herbs and annual flowers there.

Spinach Care

Growing spinach in pots doesn’t need special care. Regular watering, fertilizing and the right soil is the key to the great harvest.

Fertilizing

For growing healthy green spinach, you have to provide nitrogen. At the time of planting, you can mix slow release fertilizer this will provide nutrients slowly. Feeding the plant with fish emulsion, compost or manure tea in the middle of the growth and so on is a nice organic way to promote the plants. If you have not done added time-based fertilizer, you can also feed the plant with balanced liquid fertilizer at regular intervals.

Pests and Diseases

You don’t need to worry much about pests as you’re growing spinach in containers, in a small space and you can easily control them. However, keeping an eye on leaf-eating insects like slugs and caterpillars and other common garden pests like aphids will help you in eliminating them in time.

Harvesting

The spinach plant will be ready for harvest 37-50 days after germination depending on the growing conditions and cultivar.

Harvesting can be done when the plant has formed at least 5-6 healthy leaves, and they are at least 3-4 inches long. Pick outer leaves first and leave the new inner leaves so that they continue to grow or cut the whole plant off at the base with a knife or scissor, the plant will resprout again.

When the weather becomes humid and hot (in warm climates) the plant tends to form an erect stem, on which you can see some small yellow or green flowers developing. To coincide with the flowering and the subsequent production of flowers, the foliage of the plant thickens and changes in flavor (more bitter), which is called bolting, so it is convenient to harvest the plant before it starts flowering for better taste.

Pics shared by MahaGro Potting Mix User

A huge thanks to Sameer sir for taking time to share these wonderful pics.