Amount of diluted fertiliser to use on plants

davidw87

Hi

Is there a recommended amount of diluted fertiliser that should be used per plant? Once I've diluted fertiliser (e.g. Tomorite) into water, I never really know how much of that water each plant should receive.

For example, I usually pour a 9-litre watering can with diluted Tomorite onto around 8 tomato plants in containers. I'd use the same amount for maybe around 15 flowering plants in containers. (The soil is already most beforehand.)

In other words, around 1L per tomato plant but a bit less for others. Is this about right? 

Thanks.

Fairygirl

I'd say that's probably fine @davidw87, however, there's no hard and fast rule, and it will depend on the size of the plant and the pot. You're doing the right thing by adding it when the soil is dampened first, otherwise it can run through and be wasteful.

The only other thing I'd add is - tomatoes don't need fed until the first truss of fruit is set.  I assume yours aren't at that stage yet  

Pete.8

This is from the Tomorite website -

How to use

Use measure provided. Dilute 20ml in 4.5 litres (1 gallon) of water. Apply diluted feed to base of plant, avoid foliage.

• Greenhouse: Start feeding when first truss of of tomatoes (stem with small green fruits) has set. In soil feed at alternate waterings.
• Outdoors: Start feeding when second truss has set. In soil, feed every 7-14 days and use 4.5 litres for two plants.
• Gro-bags: Use 4.5 litres per bag. Outdoors, feed once a week. In greenhouses, increase to twice a week when second truss has se

I try and water/feed well but not too often to make the roots search deep.
How much I use varies, but in the greenhouse it's about 2-3L per plant when needed.

davidw87

Fairygirl said:

I'd say that's probably fine @davidw87, however, there's no hard and fast rule, and it will depend on the size of the plant and the pot. You're doing the right thing by adding it when the soil is dampened first, otherwise it can run through and be wasteful.

The only other thing I'd add is - tomatoes don't need fed until the first truss of fruit is set.  I assume yours aren't at that stage yet  

Thanks! Indeed, I'm not feeding the tomatoes yet.

Pete.8 said:

This is from the Tomorite website -

How to use

..... use 4.5 litres for two plants....

I think I remember seeing that on the bottle and thought it was rather a lot. As mentioned above, surely much of that would end up draining through. I suppose it's in their interest to say 4.5L for two plants as they'd sell more that way though.

Fairygirl

I certainly don't feed tomatoes that often. A couple of times after the initial feed, at most. I expect if you have them into growth much sooner [location will determine that]  and they're starting to fruit earlier, it might be more, especially if in the ground and it gets washed through, but that seems excessive.
I'd expect a lot of that is wasted, and/or unnecessary.