In article
,
Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Billy said:
I didn't see any NPK numbers. I wouldn't think that most compost would
have that much nitrogen in it, unless it was composted manure.
It was recommended for "lawns" and "house plants" and the name is
"Elite N+" -- fish meal and feather meal among the indgredients *in
addition* to compost. The implication is pretty strong.
I understand that organic fertilizers can provide more than simple N-P-K
but I do think that best practices would be to provide an analysis for them
and include in that analysis some of the major micronutrients as well. That
would be so much more useful than claiming special powers for the "subtle
energies" provided by "paramagnetic rock dust." And when you throw in
sentences like this:
"The more Calcium a plant absorbs, the greater its ability to attract
nutrients
from the atmosphere, especially Nitrogen, Potassium, Magnesium, and
Carbon Dioxide."
...well, my inclination would be to back away slowly with my hand on my
wallet.
Note, I recommended best practice would be a soil test.
Some soils have a good bank of P already. Sometimes K or one of the
major micronutrients is in short supply.
Pat, it's hard to tell, if you're being grumpy, or what. The post that
you refer to went like this:
------------
Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Todd said:
In my little organic garden, I have three cherry tomato plants:
a sun gold, a sweet 100, and a black. I have one Cherokee
Purple tomato plant.
The sun gold and sweet 100 I have been getting about five
tomatoes a week.
I have only got one from the black (although I now have
about 10 green one).
The Cherokee Purple has only given me flowers. They turn
black on fall off.
This past two weeks, nothing has ripened.
Daytime temperatures are about 90F; night time about 52F.
Oh, and the plants themselves are growing very nicely. They
range from about 4 to 5 feet tall. They are fertilized only with
organic compost:
http://www.fullcirclecompost.com/SoilEssenceEliteN.php
Way too much nitrogen for tomatos. You would be better off using
a fertilizer formulated for tomatoes, such as Espoma's Tomato-tone.
Best would be to have your soil tested and find out what your limiting
nutrient(s) might be.
I didn't see any NPK numbers. I wouldn't think that most compost would
have that much nitrogen in it, unless it was composted manure.
As you rightly observed, plentiful nitrogen, and enough water would be
sufficient to slow ripening, and encourage growth as Todd reported.
I'd think something like N-Lite fertilizer would be better at this stag
of the plans development.
Minimum Guaranteed Analysis:
Total Nitrogen (N)............................................... .... 2%
Available Phosphate (P 2 O 5 )................................. 5%
Soluble Potash (K 2 O) ............................................. 6%
As opposed to Espoma Tomato-tone 3-4-6.
I'd like to see more phosphorus in the fertilizer. Maybe try "bloom
fertilizer" (6-30-30), and cut the amount applied in half.
---------
Then I went off on a tangent about the possibility of bone meal being
able to cause Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
That said, your first response to Todd was to recommend a fertilizer
with a lower nitrogen content, and then you said it would be best to
have the soil analyzed. I agree fully, that it would be best to have the
soil analyzed, but I am aware also that many of us don't. I don't even
know if Todd had his soil analyzed, but he was fertilizing it. You
seemed to think that "SoilEssenceEliteN" had too much nitrogen in it (I
never found an NPK for it), so I recommended "something" like N-Lite
fertilizer (2-5-6), or a flower bloom (6-30-30) fertilizer, with it's
lower nitrogen, and higher phosphorus might work better.
Where you got
"claiming special powers for the "subtle
energies" provided by "paramagnetic rock dust." And when you throw in
sentences like this:
"The more Calcium a plant absorbs, the greater its ability to attract
nutrients
from the atmosphere, especially Nitrogen, Potassium, Magnesium, and
Carbon Dioxide."
is a mystery to me. Some may say that, but not I, and it's not in my
post, so I hope you're not attributing such "hocus pocus" superstitions
to me.
In the mean time, Todds tomatoes seem to exhibit signs of too much
nitrogen, and watering (not setting flowers, and fruit not ripening).
Having his soil analyzed is, of course, a good idea. A person can't have
too much information, when making a decision.
I hope you agree, that we agree.
Good luck with your swooping.
--
Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
or
E Pluribus Unum
Green Party Nominee Jill Stein & Running Mate, Cheri Honkala
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/7/13/green_party_nominee_jill_stein_running