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Diluting tomato feed for container plants.

CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
in Plants
Hi guys,

A couple of questions :)...

I have read many times that plants in containers need regular feeding with a high potash feed to keep the flowers coming. Well I have some tomatorite and it gives instructions on how to dilute it for tomato's but do you dilute it the same for let's say perennials in pots? Or do you make it weaker?

Also watching gardeners world on Friday Monty said he feeds his containers with a liquid seaweed. Now would this be a high potash liquid seaweed or a general one with equal parts NPK? I was looking at Maxicrop and they have both kinds but I don't know which would be best for most flowering plants in containers.

Thanks
Craigh

Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If I use it for flowering plants in pots, I use it to the same dilution as I would for tomatoes. Tomatoes don't need many feeds anyway - so all the more for the sweet peas!
    I tend to use seaweed for foliage plants rather than flowering ones. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited June 2018
    The main benefit of seaweed extract is that it contains just about all the trace nutrients that a vital for plants but that are not necessarily available in sufficient quantities in general fertilizers. It doesn't contain useful amounts of NPK, so is not really a fertilizer, more of a tonic - a multi-vitamin pill for plants
    I feed toms every 10 days with tomorite and every 10 days with seaweed, so they get something every 5 days

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • CraighBCraighB Posts: 758
    Thanks both!

    So how often do you feed with tomato food, plants in containers? I don't want to end up over feeding. Would once a week be ok with the dilution that it states on the bottle? Or water maybe at half strength more often?
  • ladygardener2ladygardener2 Posts: 371
    I feed my container plants (not talking about Tomatoes here) with Tomato food every fortnight at the normal dilution.
    J.Arthur Bower's has Tomato Plant Food which is enriched with seaweed and magnesium.  ;)
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Half strength is better for plants like alpines as an occasional feed but I go full strength for everything else.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I only feed now and again, but it does depend on the plant. I don't grow many annuals - But I do grow sweet peas though. They need plenty of food, so they get slow release stuff when first planted, and then by the end of June /early July when they're flowering, they get a liquid feed every week or two. Or when I remember  ;)
    We generally get a lot of rain [apart from the last couple of weeks!] so I possibly feed less often than  many people, as it can easily get washed through too quickly, and is therefore a waste. I pick my moments for feeding rather than stick religiously to a set timing.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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