Hi.

I have several tomato plants in the greenhouse, Gardeners Delight, Shirley F1 and Striped Roman.

My liquid tomato food says to start feeding once the first truss has set. What exactly does "set" mean ? - Gone red ? Flower died off ? and does it mean the whole truss or just the first tomato ?

Thanks -Dave.

On Sat, 31 May 2008 00:20:49 +0100, Dave Whipp
wrote:

:
:Hi.
:
:I have several tomato plants in the greenhouse, Gardeners Delight,
:Shirley F1 and Striped Roman.
:
:My liquid tomato food says to start feeding once the first truss has
:set. What exactly does "set" mean ? - Gone red ? Flower died off ? and
:does it mean the whole truss or just the first tomato ?
:
:Thanks -Dave.

Your tomato has set when you see the tiny green tomato in lieu of the
flower. The first tomatos often don't set because nighttime temperatures
are too cold (if they drop much below 55 F). To make the first ones set
I always apply tomato setting hormone, which you can get at your garden
supply. It's a spray, but I always apply with a soft little brush,
personally, and have been using my spray bottle (sprayed into the
plastic bottle cap, which I dip my brush in) for many years (double
digits).

When to fertilize is totally individual depending on the nature of your
planting soil. Myself, I fertilized earlier this year than I normally
do, which is when the first tomatos are golf ball sized, and I think I
over fertilized, because the plants are twisting like corkscrews. I'm
going to hold off on more fertilizer for quite a while. In fact, I think
I worked enough compost into the soil that I could get a very
respectible crop with no more fertilizer. I'll see how things go.

Dan

Thanks Dan.

I have added a small amount of rotted down manure to the growbags, in addition to what was originally there. On my first trusses, about half the flowers so far have "set".

I think I'll leave it a couple of weeks then try with a half strength tomato feed first of all and see how it goes.

Dave.

In article ,
Dave Whipp wrote:

;795369 Wrote:
On Sat, 31 May 2008 00:20:49 +0100, Dave Whipp
wrote:

:
:Hi.
:
:I have several tomato plants in the greenhouse, Gardeners Delight,
:Shirley F1 and Striped Roman.
:
:My liquid tomato food says to start feeding once the first truss has
:set. What exactly does "set" mean ? - Gone red ? Flower died off ?
and
:does it mean the whole truss or just the first tomato ?
:
:Thanks -Dave.

Your tomato has set when you see the tiny green tomato in lieu of the
flower. The first tomatos often don't set because nighttime
temperatures
are too cold (if they drop much below 55 F). To make the first ones
set
I always apply tomato setting hormone, which you can get at your
garden
supply. It's a spray, but I always apply with a soft little brush,
personally, and have been using my spray bottle (sprayed into the
plastic bottle cap, which I dip my brush in) for many years (double
digits).

When to fertilize is totally individual depending on the nature of
your
planting soil. Myself, I fertilized earlier this year than I normally
do, which is when the first tomatos are golf ball sized, and I think I
over fertilized, because the plants are twisting like corkscrews. I'm
going to hold off on more fertilizer for quite a while. In fact, I
think
I worked enough compost into the soil that I could get a very
respectible crop with no more fertilizer. I'll see how things go.

Dan

Thanks Dan.

I have added a small amount of rotted down manure to the growbags, in
addition to what was originally there. On my first trusses, about half
the flowers so far have "set".

I think I'll leave it a couple of weeks then try with a half strength
tomato feed first of all and see how it goes.

Dave.

If that is chemical fertilizer, it may help the tomatoes but it won't
help the soil and it won't help you. If you feed the soil, the soil will
feed the tomatoes, and the tomatoes will be more nutritious for you.
With chemical fertilizers, you kill the life in the soil and you put in
a little over a calorie of energy for every calorie that you get back.
With organic farming/gardening you get back two calories for every
calorie that you put in and you make healthy soil as well. You have
already made one smart decision, to eat non-industrial food. Make
another one, don't grow it with industrial methods.
Read "Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan.
If you get the chance see the video "King Corn". It and Pollan's book go
together like a hand in a glove.
--

Billy
Bush Behind Bars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related