Quote:
Originally Posted by Greatgardens
As I see it, the problem is to provide my plants with adequate nutrients over (hopefully) a long growing period from May to October. In order to do this with my EarthBoxes, I mix organic fertilizer into the growing media, provide a small chemical fertilizer strip (which is the standard method suggested for EarthBoxes), and if needed later in the season, add "blue water" to the reservoir every other week. Normally, only one or two doses of blue water is required. Another addition suggested by some EB users is "the snack" -- addition of calcium nitrate for both for fertilization and stopping BER. Since I rarely have BER issues, I'm not really an advocate of "the snack." However, it's a pretty popular addition. Look on YouTube for videos of its use. Just an opinion, but I find expensive "micro-nutrient" fertilizers and other additions not worth the cost. I do like Jobes Organic Vegetable and Tomato fertilizer -- a little over a dollar per pound in a 16# bag at Lowes.
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Calcium Nitrate is not a snack, it contains large amounts of the second and third most important elements in growing tomatoes. When growers are using a medium which contains few or no fertilizer components, Calcium Nitrate is generally added in an equal amount as a fertilizer that is tailored for tomatoes.
How do they know what to add and how much? Leaf samples determine the perfect balance and strength of elements used to find the genetic potential of any given variety.
3. I suggest a reservoir, and drips to feed. You can mix your fertilizer into the tank then plumb it out from there, many possibilities. If you are not using injectors I think two tanks plumbed together with a small pump is better than one because of P precipitation with Ca in stock form.
Good luck this season