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South Hill, Virginia

I'm really starting to rethink the amount of N I have given my plants in the past.

First I read an article about soil born diseases in an OVGPG newsletter and it seemed they were all worsened by excess applications of N. Last year my tomatoes were on the same fert system my pumpkins were on and I had the biggest plants I ever had.....and not one single tomato. Granted it is easier to over fertilize tomatoes than AGs but it did serve as a reminder to me that fruit set is hindered by over fertilization and last year I was like 2 for 30 on pollinations.

I'm sure there is an optimum level but this year I'm going to err on the less is more side and see what happens.

Anyone had similar problems?

6/4/2003 10:57:34 AM

Montoursville, PA

By plain 'ole dumb luck I as a basic organic leaner got and followed the advise of another or two who think the same. Surely less managed and ballenced well is better than more tossed on. True no matter what you use. The organics tend to be slower acting and more forgiving to minor error. They seldom if ever are the root of basic elements destruction. Being a little bit more than human these simple truths have protected me for forty years of gardening.
....I am following the suggestions of Craig Lembke, an AGRO-K representative and using their Pumpkin Specific organic program of folular feeding. This on the advise of two growers who produced a 900+ and a near 1100 using this advise and product last year. I know these persons personally. The 1097.7 TC is showing in my diary.
....AS an ASIDE my vegies are loving this product too.

6/4/2003 11:48:16 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Hey Brent, Nitrogen will cause aborts and pollenation problems...I think Kilr said the plant needs about 3 lbs of nitrogen for a full year! Soil conditions and decaying organic matter will have to have it share of nitrogen too! I'm walking a fine line this year with decaying leaves that turn my test hosta's yellow after each rain...so it gets more urea to green up...sooner or later the leaves are gonna stop eating the nitrogen and letting it go back in just hoping its after fruit set...I guess if it looks like I'm aborting I'll throw in some sawdust to compensate! I have had that huge tomatoless vine too!

6/4/2003 12:46:24 PM

porterville, calif.

Im curious What type of tomatoe were you growing?.. Greg

6/4/2003 7:33:54 PM

porterville, calif.

docgipe, How do i get the information you used from AGRO-K? Thanks Greg

6/4/2003 7:36:11 PM

South Hill, Virginia

They were just some tomato seeds from Walmart. Big Boy or Better Boy I think.

6/4/2003 11:51:23 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Yikes! You have got me thinking about over fertilization now.

I put in some granular 3 X 16 and some 3 X 20 slow release when I put them in the ground.
AND I have been fertigating them as well. (triple 20 in the injector)
I gave the pumpkins a shot of Nitrogen yesterday, but have not given the tomatoes a solo dose of N at all

Note to self - only water for the 'maters from now on.

Will let you know if I get any fruit this year.....

6/5/2003 6:54:36 PM

Montoursville, PA

Greg....you can Google Search for AGRO-K. I work with Craig Lembke, representative of. He is in New York State. You may need to deal with a West Coast representative. The neat thing about Craig is he owns a vinyard and has grown the Atlantic Giants up to but not quite 1000 lbs and he serves others who are heavy hitters. cjlemb@webTV.net will get him by E. Don't holler at him until you study the program and philosophy. He does sell the product but may have territorial limits. That would be unfortunate but some large companies have territories tightly held. If this is not enough help drop me an E.

6/18/2003 3:00:38 PM

Chico, Ca

I am literally using only a few handfulls of bloodmeal@ 12%Nitrogen for ours until after we are done with blossom setting. Last year we used ammonium sulfate 26-0-0 and had problems with aborts. Take a good look at your soil test results. Must people overfertilize. We had high residual levels left over from last year so we going light this year on ferts....the results? take a look at our growers diary.


Robert

6/18/2003 8:18:47 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I'll be using blood meal this year. Organic, predictable, and consistent.

6/18/2003 10:43:12 PM

Deer Park WA

I believe that many of the double and flat vine problems expressed by pumpkins are also a direct result of over fertilizing. The plants are so agressive and vigourous at the seedling stage that they go bezerk when over fed.... My friend Jack said that he waters his 24/7 when they first start to go mutant and that they useually return to a normal vine, and his soil is so rich and humic that they rarely fertilize. Sounds like paradise!

6/19/2003 1:12:43 AM

Utah

I think double vine and flat vine are genetic in origin. but maybe it's not a pre-destined result but a pre-disposition one instead ?.... interesting theory...

6/19/2003 9:46:08 AM