Re: [compost_tea] Compost Tea for Tomato plants.

From: Tad Hussey <tadhussey_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:35:10 -0800 (PST)

I grew a chocolate cherry tomato plant this summer that I really enjoyed.=
  High yield and good flavor.  The fruit is almost a chocolate co=
lor it's so dark.  You can see the list of nutrient/minerals that were=
 in the soil.  It didn't receive any ACT, just water every few days.=
  I'm in the Seattle area, and this was a rough year weather-wise for =
tomatoes.  I didn't have any disease.


http://simplici-tea.com/soilmix.htm

Richard, keep us updated on how your plants/experiments turn out!

~Tad



________________________________
 From: "ezentrix_at_aol.com" <ezentrix_at_aol.com>
To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com; erica_r_at_charter.net
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 9:08 AM
Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Compost Tea for Tomato plants.
 

 
What a great thread.  Thanks all 
Where is everyone located?  Are you taking Brix readings of plant?
fruit?  Soil tests?  If so by lab, for residual levels, or paste=
 
tests?  La Motte Kit?  Paramagnetic values?  Â=
 Are
you balancing minerals?  Using different feeds for veg/fruit stages?=
 
I brew AACT and SAM4/EM.  Also testing a biochar plot. 
 
This year's tomatoes got a general mineral starter mix from Arden Andersen=
 
Book then a drip application of SAM4 plus molasses mixed 50/50 and dosed 11=
00/1
through drip.  Container plants got the SAM4 + molasses  and=
 
Foxfarm Nutes appropriate to developmental stage.  Brix ranged from 8.=
5 to
13.  No insect pests, almost no disease (2 or 3 end rot, no
blight)   Elevation 7000 ft, record drought, record heat, 2 month=
 
delay of monsoons, etc.
 
In late winter I will get soils off to Logan Labs in Ohio and then
consider a paste test or probably buy a La Motte Kit from Pike Agro labs.=
 
That way I can compare residual nutrients to functional nutrients.  Th=
is
perhaps strays off the AACT track, but soil is structure, moisture, chemist=
ry,
biology and energy.  The bugs do their jobs in context.  Hence al=
l the
other themes.
 
Look forward to more discussions.  For what it is worth, Sungold was
one of my all time memorable tomato taste experiences.  The others wer=
e
Isis and a black cherry.
 
Kind
Regards,

Richard Jennings, Designer
Earthwrights Designs / Dirtwrights
Technologies
30 Camino Sudeste
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508
USA
Phone:
(1 505 ) 986 1719
www.earthwrights.com
 
 
 
In a message dated 11/22/2011 8:21:20 A.M. Mountain Standard Time,
erica_r_at_charter.net writes:
 
>My tomatoes, which are organically grown in mineralized soil always die of=
  late blight.  We have nights in the 50s F throughout the year.
>
>Early Girl works quite well, compared to others.  This year
  I trialed New Girl with quite a bit of success - better flavor, though th=
ey
  are quite small.  Small is not necessarily a disadvantage; these mig=
ht
  replace Sungold Cherry Tomatoes in my garden.  That's saying alot.=
 
  Sungolds are very good cherry tomatoes.
>
>I also trialed Defiant, the new
  late blight resistant tomato from Johnnies, for a late crop, which I harv=
ested
  in mid October.  The flavor is less than spectacular, but better tha=
n
  supermarket tomatos.  They are are likely to replace Longkeeper and =
Gold
  Treasure Storage Tomatos in my garden.  They do seem to be fairly la=
te
  blight resistant.  But, I may try some late planted Early Girls next=
 year
  too, as the Early Girls have far better flavor.  Maybe plant some Ne=
w
  Girls late too.
>
>One growing technique which seems to help is to grow
  the tomatoes in spun polyester tunnels.  Keeps the dew off, and is a=
 bit
  warmer as not so much radiation to the sky happens.
>On very cool summers
  like 2010, I draped the polyester over the caged plants when they outgrew=
 the
  tunnels.
>
>I foliar feed with kelp fairly often - I think this might
  help.
>
>Avoid overhead watering, though misting during times of low (25%)
  humidity is helpful.
>
>I do cage the tomatoes, mulch with straw, and use
  drip irrigation, which I discontinue as they begin to turn red.  Cut=
ting
  the water shortens their life and risks blossom end rot if it is re-start=
ed,
  but it greatly improves the tomatoes flavor.
>
>I never have pruned tomato
  plants, so I don't know much about the benefits.  As I usually grow =
over
  35 plants it would be quite alot of work.  It's quite alot of work c=
aging
  them too, but the flavor improves vastly if they don't touch the straw or=
 
  especially not the dirt.
>
>Commercial organic growers spray with copper
  sulfate regularly as a late blight preventative, but I'm not going to do=
 
  that.
>
>Erica
>
>On 11/21/2011 2:35 PM, thatsmyluggage_at_aol.com wrote:
> 
>>I have been using fish hydrolysate and kelp meal to feed tomatoes and so=
il microbes with great results. Calcium, Potassium, and trace mineral=
s are provided in these fertilizers. For me, success or failure are later =
season blights. Do you have a early/late blight problem? how do you deal w=
ith it? Do grow commercially? You might not be able to apply AACT to contr=
ol those issues during fruiting.
>> 
>>I haven't controlled those diseases with AACT, but I think that the=
 right person with the right tea with the right cultural practices might d=
o so.
>> 
>>Keep cultural practice as a whole in your mind... Till/no till? what kin=
d of soil and mulch? How do you stake them? Pinch suckers on the toma=
toes?  Graft them? Control the potentially devastating diseases?
>> 
>>Brian
>> 
>> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Tad Hussey <tadhussey_at_yahoo.com>
>>To:
    compost_tea <compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com>
>>Sent:
    Mon, Nov 21, 2011 4:57 pm
>>Subject: Re: [compost_tea] Compost Tea for
    Tomato plants.
>>
>>
>> 
>>I think nutrients are better addressed in this situation by looking at y=
our growing media (I'm assuming soil).  There are many ways to raise =
calcium levels in soil based on initial inputs when mixing your soil.Â=
  This is going to have a much greater and beneficial impact on your pla=
nts than the tea in my opinion. 
>>
>>
>>
>>The concept is the same, and ACT can help, but I would focus on making a=
 complete soil with good aeration and biological activity, diversity, and =
biomass.  If the soil is lacking in any particular nutrients/minerals=
, then there will need to be added at some point in time during the plant'=
s life.
>>
>>
>>Just my 2 cents,
>>Tad
>>
>>
>>PS:  Feel free to contact me off-list if you want help in making a =
soil mix since it's slightly off-topic.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>________________________________
>> From: thawk4 <thawk4_at_neo.rr.com>
>>To: compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com
>>Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 9:43 AM
>>Subject: [compost_tea] Compost Tea for Tomato plants.
>>
>>
>> 
>>I will be planting tomatoes in Eco-Grow pots which use capillary action =
to water the plants on an as needed basis. The pots have a built-in water =
reservoir. Eco-Grow claims you can't over/under water with these pots.
>>
>>My plan is to use organic media to grow these plants in and I
    want to use compost tea as the sole fertilizer source which I will top =
dress
    on the plant. (Not through the pot's water reservoir.)
>>
>>One of my
    questions is will compost tea supply enough calcium and magnesium or do=
 I
    need to add ingredients in the tea to ensure adequate levels of calcium=
 and
    magnesium?
>>
>>Or better yet does somebody have a tea recipe adjusted
    for tomatoes?
>>
>>Tomatoes need calcium to prevent blossom end rot and
    to prevent fruit
    cracking.
>>
>>Thanks!
>>
>>
>>
>>
> 
 

Received on Tue Nov 22 2011 - 14:42:35 EST

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