tomato advice?

[zolu1112]

About a month or so ago I planted 4 tomato plants 2 were the bush kind and 2 were the tall kind. Well the bush kind is growing some nice tomatoes but the tall ones don't even have flowers yet! They are in good soil and are regularly watered. Am I doing something wrong or am I just really impatient? I'm new at this and bought the same tall kind as last year and those did great! Any advice would be helpful!!

 

[scotkat]

Have you been feeding your tomatoes Zolu?

 

[zolu1112]

I did not know I should be feeding them! All I did last year was water them! What should I be feeding them?

 

[scotkat]

Tomorite Zolu you can use this on flowers to.

I feed my fuchsias with tomatoe feed.

And you have to nip out the side shoots to.

 

[headfullofbees]

Bush tomatoes tend to be much earlier than vine ones.
Don't panic.
DON'T nip out the side-shoots on your bush tomatoes.
Wood ash is about the best tomato fertiliseryou can get.

 

[zolu1112]

What exactly are side shoots? Can I get these fertilizers at home depot?

 

[scotkat]

Side shoots are the wee shoots that grow from the main stem Zolu.

Home Depot are fantastic stores .

When on holiday to the States have been in them.

 

[zolu1112]

Thanks! That's what I thought and I didn't want to ask because I thought it was a silly question! But then I remembered what my dear 4th grade teacheruse to tell us "There are no silly or stupid questions when you are learning!"

 

[maddie]

My tomato plants do well with egg shells , banana peels and coffee grounds. I put a little bit of each into my blender and give it a good blend, the water is left to stand for a day and then used to water my tomato plants. I never buy any feeds and fertilizers from the store. This is what I have been using for years and getting a good yield.

 

[scotkat]

Interesting Maddie thats fantastic.

 

[eackley]

I agree with headfullofbees that you should be patient. I grow cherry and beefsteak tomatoes. It takes a while for them to produce, but when they do, I have a LOT of tomatoes. Mine grow to about 5 feet high, in cages. I haven't fertilized, but I do put in a lot of compost in the spring.

 

[zolu1112]

Maddie thanks so much for the tip! I don't drink coffee so I've been using tea grounds don't know if its same but its working! I've been putting the mix on a Fe times a week and my tomatoes look amazing! They have grown bigger and have finally started to flower! I told my step mom about your tip because she was having the same problem and herd are looking amazing too!

 

[happyflowerlady]

I use the banana peels on my tomatoes also, and either bury them next to the plant, or of I am not able to take that much time, then I just toss the banana peel under the tomato, and let it decompose there. It turns black and you never even see it under the tomatoes, but it sure seems to help them.
I always put my coffee grounds out on the garden or flowers as well.
Another thing that is supposed to be really good is a little Epsom salts mixed in the water, I think it said a couple tablespoons for a gallon of water.

 

[dim]

feed them seaweed extract one week, then the next, feed with biobizz fishmix, then the next, add some bat guano ...then start again with the seaweed

all availabile on amazon .... works for me .... my tomato plants have loads of tomatoes and are nearing 7 foot tall