I have enjoyed an amazing tomato harvest this summer. I have four vines – two slicer tomato plants, one cherry tomato-type plant and a larger “Big Boy” type plant. Not only are they pumping out tomatoes on a regular basis (with many small fruits coming on and still some blossoms) but the tomatoes have been perfect – not a single blemish nor any end rot. This may all be pure, blind luck, but I have done two things differently this year.
First, I took the advice of one of my readers and buried crushed eggshells near the roots of each plant. This adds much needed calcium to nourish the young plants. Secondly, I used a product called Dr. Earth Pump & Grow. I was looking for some tomato spikes to put in the ground with my young plants, but I don’t think they make those anymore. Instead, I saw a pump bottle that said tomato and vegetable fertilizer, and it was of course a liquid. I liked that idea because it would seep into the ground with each rain. So, I bought it and used it, not as often as I should (the bottle says every two weeks), but I did use it and my tomatoes are loving life.
The fertilizer is all natural – no synthetic chemicals nor potentially toxic chicken manure. It says it is a 3-3-2 blend, whatever that means. I’ll leave that to the chemists. And it is so easy to use – just 2 pumps every 2 weeks and you’re good to go
I didn’t try it on my other vegetables, but next year I will. The 8-oz. bottle easily lasts a season and is less than $10. Next year if you have a backyard garden, give it a try.