Topic: Compost for Tomatoes

[lottie lou]

The last few years I have dug out the greenhouse borders and refilled with manure and compost.   However I have been told that this is too rich in nitrogen and makes for a lot of green growth, which I did have.  I am not happy at the thought of using the same soil year after year - any suggestions as to what I should replace the soil with.

[GRACELAND]

Garden soil from veg patch maybe  or  your compost bins in bottom  Mushroom compost !!!

[goodlife]

Lottie...I keep same soil on my GH borders for several years before changing it. My plants are planted into bottomless buckets which I half bury into borders, buckets are filled with mixture of bagged top soil, multipurpose compost, grit and bit of Blood, Fish and Bone meal fertilizer. It is the mixture in the buckets I change every year.
The border get treated with lime every winter and this is flushed down with thorough watering.
In spring the borders get sprinkling of BFB and seaweed meal. In the borders I always have some other crops growing underneath the tomatoes.
I found that I get away 3 or 4 years without soil change by doing winter 'lime flush'...and even then I don't take anymore than top 8 inches off. I replace that with similar mixture that I use in the buckets.
I find buying bagged top soil worth it..you don't get weed seeds and unwated creepy crawlies in like if you take some soil from garden.   

[goodlife]

You are just about able to see the buckets in this photo.. they are just ordinary florist buckets with bottoms cut off..

[attachment=1]
I would not worry about changing the soil as yet..your plants have taken out lot of the nutrients now..and next year it should be just fine with just a normal bit of fertilizer...

[lincsyokel2]

The short version
:
Nitrogen - makes lots of leaves

Pottasium - photosynthesis, fruit quality and quantity.

Phosphorus - photosynthesis, flower blooming and root growth


The long version:

    The primary nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). These major nutrients usually are lacking from the soil first because plants use large amounts for their growth and survival.

    The secondary nutrients are calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S). There are usually enough of these nutrients in the soil so fertilization is not always needed. Also, large amounts of Calcium and Magnesium are added when lime is applied to acidic soils. Sulfur is usually found in sufficient amounts from the slow decomposition of soil organic matter, an important reason for not throwing out grass clippings and leaves.

Micronutrients

    Micronutrients are those elements essential for plant growth which are needed in only very small (micro) quantities . These elements are sometimes called minor elements or trace elements, but use of the term micronutrient is encouraged by the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Science Society of America. The micronutrients are boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), chloride (Cl), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn). Recycling organic matter such as grass clippings and tree leaves is an excellent way of providing micronutrients (as well as macronutrients) to growing plants.
    
        Macronutrients tend to be less available in soils with low pH.
        Micronutrients tend to be less available in soils with high pH.

Macronutrients

Nitrogen (N)

    Nitrogen is a part of all living cells and is a necessary part of all proteins, enzymes and metabolic processes involved in the synthesis and transfer of energy.
    Nitrogen is a part of chlorophyll, the green pigment of the plant that is responsible for photosynthesis.
    Helps plants with rapid growth, increasing seed and fruit production and improving the quality of leaf and forage crops.
    Nitrogen often comes from fertilizer application and from the air (legumes get their N from the atmosphere, water or rainfall contributes very little nitrogen)

Phosphorus (P)

    Like nitrogen, phosphorus (P) is an essential part of the process of photosynthesis.
    Involved in the formation of all oils, sugars, starches, etc.
    Helps with the transformation of solar energy into chemical energy; proper plant maturation; withstanding stress.
    Effects rapid growth.
    Encourages blooming and root growth.
    Phosphorus often comes from fertilizer, bone meal, and superphosphate.

Potassium (K)

    Potassium is absorbed by plants in larger amounts than any other mineral element except nitrogen and, in some cases, calcium.
    Helps in the building of protein, photosynthesis, fruit quality and reduction of diseases.
    Potassium is supplied to plants by soil minerals, organic materials, and fertilizer.

Calcium (Ca)

    Calcium, an essential part of plant cell wall structure, provides for normal transport and retention of other elements as well as strength in the plant. It is also thought to counteract the effect of alkali salts and organic acids within a plant.
    Sources of calcium are dolomitic lime, gypsum, and superphosphate.

Magnesium (Mg)

    Magnesium is part of the chlorophyll in all green plants and essential for photosynthesis. It also helps activate many plant enzymes needed for growth.
    Soil minerals, organic material, fertilizers, and dolomitic limestone are sources of magnesium for plants.

Sulfur (S)

    Essential plant food for production of protein.
    Promotes activity and development of enzymes and vitamins.
    Helps in chlorophyll formation.
    Improves root growth and seed production.
    Helps with vigorous plant growth and resistance to cold.
    Sulfur may be supplied to the soil from rainwater. It is also added in some fertilizers as an impurity, especially the lower grade fertilizers. The use of gypsum also increases soil sulfur levels. 

Boron (B)

    Helps in the use of nutrients and regulates other nutrients.
    Aids production of sugar and carbohydrates.
    Essential for seed and fruit development.
    Sources of boron are organic matter and borax

Copper (Cu)

    Important for reproductive growth.
    Aids in root metabolism and helps in the utilization of proteins.

Chloride (Cl)

    Aids plant metabolism.
    Chloride is found in the soil.

Iron (Fe)

    Essential for formation of chlorophyll.
    Sources of iron are the soil, iron sulfate, iron chelate.

Manganese (Mn)

    Functions with enzyme systems involved in breakdown of carbohydrates, and nitrogen metabolism.
    Soil is a source of manganese.

Molybdenum (Mo)

    Helps in the use of nitrogen
    Soil is a source of molybdenum.

Zinc (Zn)

    Essential for the transformation of carbohydrates.
    Regulates consumption of sugars.
    Part of the enzyme systems which regulate plant growth.
    Sources of zinc are soil, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, zinc chelate.

[GRACELAND]

Interesting list i have a headache now  ???

[lincsyokel2]

Interesting list i have a headache now  ???

Thats why i started with the Short version   :P

[GRACELAND]

 ::) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Interesting list i have a headache now  ???

Thats why i started with the Short version   :P

[lottie lou]

Thank you for that interesting information Linksyokel.   However do I have to add the bits and bobs ie nitrogen, phosphous etc individually to the soil and if so, how much.

[goodlife]

do I have to add the bits and bobs ie nitrogen, phosphous etc individually to the soil and if so, how much.

Code: [Select]

No you don't have to.
If you use something like Blood, Fish and Bone meal..all the basics are there = NPK
....lot of those in the list are trace elements that you could not apply individually as the quantities are so small anyway...
But if you should use seaweed..in liquid form or dry 'meal' form..you will get trace elements from that.
BFB..you would use 'handfull' per sqr meter...or so..
Liquid seaweed you can buy in bottle and apply as instructed..or get tomato feed with seaweed.
Seaweed meal you get from places that sell supplements/feed for equestrian/farm use. That is just ground up dry seaweed that you can sprinkle as you would BFB..once a year is plenty...but it is slow working so you need to apply it late winter/early spring to give it time to release some of the elements for plant use.
If you use some multipurpose compost some of the basic stuff comes from that too.
 

[chriscross1966]

If you're going to start digging around the garden for replacement soil then the GH border soil as it comes out wants to go where the potatoes were as toms adn pots are the same group adn share some pests.... so replace the soil in the GH with soil from where the spuds will go next year (and throw a lload of manure in the space thus created, the spuds will love it next year....