Kitchen Garden Forum

Like Johnboy, I just topdress the soil with home made compost which has comfrey tossed in it, and let the plants get on with it, which they do very nicely.

Johnboy wrote:The strange thing is that just about every gardening book says when it comes to Tomatoes "do not feed until the first truss has set."

I can't say I know, but I have always assumed that this is for those of us with low greenhouses, who really want to get the first truss as low as possible, so that you get at least 4 or 5 trusses on the plant before it hits the roof. I also assume that they are meaning additional feeding, with liquid feed, not suggesting that you ration the fertility of the compost you use. In which case my plants would probably not have used up the nutrients in the compost of the final potting on by the time the first truss is in flower.

Of course, if you grow in border soil this would not apply.

I do think that in order to get the first truss low on the plant, light probably makes most difference though.

Hi Tony,
I'm afraid I do not agree with your possible explanation because this is information given to total novice gardeners who hardly know anything about greenhouses. It is just very bad information. Over the years we have had several cases where the tomatoes hardly get to the first truss stage due to starvation! (maybe a wee bit of poetic licence!)
JB.

Well, I like to keep mine moving on so that they never get a check by becoming potbound. A couple of weeks ago on GW Monty was saying it was time to plant out his indoor tomatoes, whilst holding a tray full of yellowing, etiolated plants. Mine at that stage were already half way up their canes ! So, I rarely need to feed before the first truss is set, but granted, if you don't keep them moving on to fresh compost (effectively feeding them), it is probably not good advice.

Hi..if you live in the west country ..check out Trago Mills, they are the cheapest around for chicken manure pellets, use nothing else and always get good results.

For the rest of us - Aldi usually have them in the spring at a bargain price. you have to stock up on them though, as they're a special purchase so are only available once a year there.