Kitchen Garden Forum

Good afternoon all,

It's my 1st time on growing fruiting plants on mass. Fast running out of my small bottle of tomorite... Please can people let me know if there is an easier place to buy bulk feed, or possibly make my own? (Looked into comfy, but can't get it in bulk locally and it's too late in the season to grow as I need it now).

I've got a wormary and people mention "worm tea" but not sure if there's a tried and tested formula / method to dilute it down?

Any advice / tips would be great!

Thank you

Hello SC
The cheapest way to buy is in 20/25kg bags or plastic tubs which are usually around 8-10kg for Growmore or Fish Blood Bone. Bottles of solution or boxes of about 1kg work out much more expensive. It all depends how much you think you might need. If you only have a smallish area then 25kg will last you a very long time though it doesn't go 'off'.
Farm stores often have good prices for larger amounts - garden centres all seem to charge the same high prices wherever you go.
Hope this helps
John

PS I'm a big fan of FBB as it suits most crops and is slow release.

If you are seriously into bulk or can round up some friends to share the pallet shipping charges you could try http://www.gro-welldirect.co.uk/fertilisers Their Clover professional potting composts are good.

I'll have a look at the ones you mentioned

John - what is FBB?

By "growing plants on mass", I mean 45 tomato plants, 30 chilli / pepper plants, 10 blueberry plants, 15 strawberry plants, 4 blackberries and then the rest of bits and bobs!

My mistake of "plant 3 x the amount as there will be casualties" has been rectified somewhat, but it's still a lot more than I'm used to!

Have found a pack of plant feed, so will use that up. The KG bags of Growmore look to be thee next point of call!

Hello SC
FBB is just my abbreviation for Fish Blood Bone.

I have always used J. Arthur Bowers stuff but couldn't get any last time I needed it so had to buy pelleted Miracle Gro FBB. Not too sure about this as it looked and smelt like pelleted chicken manure. I think its probably a mixture of FBB and chicken manure. Wouldn't buy again as I like to see what I'm getting.

John

PS 45 tomato plants - amazing you must really lurve tomatoes.

There's always blight, to help lighten the cropping...

oldherbaceous wrote:There's always blight, to help lighten the cropping...

Oh You Pessimist You

Pa Snip wrote:

oldherbaceous wrote:There's always blight, to help lighten the cropping...

Oh You Pessimist You

I thought there was no such thing as pessimstic gardeners, only pragmatists.

Thankfully I do love tomatoes! Looking forwards to fresh toms and then salsa and chutneys and then tom soup and puree! Got quite a range of beet toms and cherry toms too! Will see if I can get a photo uploaded

Hi Stonecoloured,
You mention the use of Comfrey and should you wish to go down that route then July is the month to split up plants and also take root cuttings.
Should you wish to know any further PM me and the information will be forthcoming. But first find your plants. Bocking 14 is the less invasive variety to use. I have both Bocking 4 and 14 and use to great effect.
Sincerely,
JB.