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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 8:47 pm Post subject: organic containers

I know that the founding principle of organic gardening is that you feed the soil and not the plant. This suits me fine, it cuts down on stuff to buy, as most things seem to manage on a good muckspreading once a year or so, but how do do this with containers?

Is it a question of making sure the compost that goes into the pot is rich enough to see the plant through, or are you allowed a sneaky feed of worm or weed tea, or do all organic gardeners have lots of room and don't need to fill up their patios with pots of tomatoes and chilis and things!

I'm planning on worm tea, if the worms get their fingers out.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 05 8:52 pm Post subject:
You'll definitely have to feed, I use an organic tomato feed alternating with a seaweed feed for my toms and chillis

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 05 10:17 am Post subject:

Sneaky feeds are definitely allowed - mandatory even!

I suspect that worm tea will be relatively high in nitrogen, though, so I would probably stop using it once your tomatoes flower, otherwise it will encourage the plants to put their energy into growing leaves rather than tomatoes for you. At that point you want a feed that is rich in potassium (which encourages fruiting) - I think comfrey tea might fit the bill (but check that, my memory might be going!) or go with a specific tomato feed.

Your toms will appreciate a good spraying with seaweed solution at any time.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 05 6:10 pm Post subject:
Does the fact that tomatoes need potash mean that I can get rid of some more woodash onto them? I've got masses of it, so that would be useful.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 05 6:11 pm Post subject:
Yup, no hassles

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 05 8:19 pm Post subject:
I've read but not tested it that tomatoes like some crushed eggshell mixed into the compost

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