How To Fertilize Tomato Plants

Discussions about fertilizing tomatoes is mostly about selecting the right NPK and rarely discusses the amount to use. When quantity does come up, most comments suggest following the instructions on the box. But are the instructions on the box correct? Are the instructions complete enough so that you can apply the correct amount?

This post will compare some commercial products to see what they suggest and then I’ll compare that to reliable agricultural recommendations to see how much fertilizer gardeners should be using to grow great tomatoes.

hand placing fertilizer on a tomato plant
How much fertilizer should you add? source: Depositphotos

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Best Fragrant Plants to Repel Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are a pain for every gardener, and over the years a number of plants have been recommended to repel mosquitoes.  Almost all of these plants are fragrant and include such things as catnip, citronella grass, beebalm, marigolds, lemon balm, lavender, geraniums, thyme, wormwood, rosemary and various mints. If you plant these in your garden you will have less mosquitoes – or so the proponents claim.

Will plants growing in your garden or on your deck keep mosquitoes away?

Mosquitoes Repelled By Fragrant Plants
Mosquitoes Repelled By Fragrant Plants, Source: Sanofi Pasteur

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Pros & Cons of Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Kratky, Aerogardens

Hydroponics is becoming much more popular with home gardeners and there are a number of different systems including regular hydroponics, aeroponics, kratky hydroponics and indoor hydroponic gardens such as AeroGardens and LetPot. This post will examine the differences between these systems and provide a pros and cons list for each one. Armed with this information you will be able to select the right one for your situation.

girls slicing tomatoes beside a counter hydroponic system
The LetPot aerogarden hydroponic system

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How to Grow Great Tasting Food

Gardeners spend hours growing a few tomatoes simply because it’s the only way to get a truly great tasting tomato. What can you do in the garden to make your food taste even better?

Girl eating strawberries
Learn to grow great tasting food

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Food Science for Gardeners – Available for Pre-order

The next book in my Science for Gardeners series is ready for pre-order on Amazon.

This book is all about food nutrition and safety. The book answers the question, what is nutrition and how do garden practices affect nutrition. For example, does organic gardening produce more nutritious food? Are heirlooms more nutritious than hybrids? How do various cooking and preservation techniques affect the quality of food? Is spinach really full of iron and can our gut absorb it?

A good part of the book is dedicated to food safety. What happens to pathogens during harvesting, preserving and cooking food? What about chemical toxins? Is it safe to grow in plastic containers? What about microplastics in the soil? Do microwaves affect antioxidants and are toxins produced when you grill a steak? The book answers these questions along with hundreds of others that you have been wondering about.

And don’t forget food myths! I can’t write a book without adding myths and there are many food myths.

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Podcast With Bunny Guinness – Growing Nutritious Food

I had the pleasure of being a guest on the Bunny in the Garden Podcast show where we discussed growing nutritious food and my new book Food Science for Gardeners. 

Join Bunny Guinness and myself as we discuss interesting things about food. 

Listen to Bunny in the Garden Podcast now

 

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10 Myths About Raised Beds

Raised beds can be a great way to garden but don’t believe everything you read about them. They aren’t magical! They are a box, that holds soil or a soil-like material. Plants get water and nutrients from the sun and the sky, just like plants growing in the ground.

If you understand these myths you will grow great food.

rabbit looking at a raised bed

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Podcast With Canada’s Local Gardener – Nutrients in the Garden

I had the pleasure of being a guest on Canada’s Local Gardener Podcast where we discussed nutrients in the garden. 

Join  Shauna Dobbie and myself as we discuss interesting things about soil and fertilizer. 

Listen to Canada’s Local Gardener Podcast now

 

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How to Fill Raised Garden Beds Properly

You built some great raised garden beds and now you need to fill them but soil is heavy to move and expensive. You look around for a better alternative and find a hundred suggestions online. Which is the best option?

I started using raised beds back in 1974 and have tried a lot of variations over the years. In this post I’ll combine the science with my experience and tell you what works and what doesn’t, and give you the best option for filling raised beds.

raised bed using 2 x 8 lumber, with no soil
Wooden raised bed ready for filling, source: Laird Kitchen & Bath

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The Truth About Clover in the Lawn

Adding clover to lawns is becoming very popular and it sounds so beneficial for pollinators. Unfortunately, the benefits are not nearly as good as claimed. If you are thinking of creating a clover lawn, you need to read this post. It could save you a lot of time and headaches.

clover lawn with dirt on it in the shape of a heart
The claims for clover lawns are wishful thinking.

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