Jobes Heirloom tomato plant food question

jhouse · July 2, 2021

Hi all,

I thought I would try this Jobes Heirloom granular plant food, but am confused as to application -- and you can't call the company support number and get through to anyone.

My plants a just now setting fruit, I have a variety (cherry, roma, etc) of them. The package says:

2-5-3 (under the analysis section)

directions: established plants, 1 and 1/2 cup per foot of plant spread, feed plants at dripline.

Can anyone clarify that for me? I would hate to burn my plants. Thanks so much if you can -- I just used a liquid fert up until now and the plants are nice and healthy with quite a lot of fruit set.

Jan H

eyolf · July 2, 2021

That's a little hard to figure out.

My first inclination would be to try to figure out something like 1-1/2C per SQ foot.

That's about a 13-1/2" dia circle.

But not everyone is OK with math.

So if your plants are about 2 feet in diameter from sucker leaf tip to one opposite, you're gonna measure out 2 cups per plant, around the perimeter of that 2 foot circle.

If you cage, and your plants are smaller, you'll use less.
And waste less.
And have to buy less.

The positive side is out there at the edge of the circle, your tomatoes' roots are safe. The negative is that as the fertilizer diffuses in the bigger circle, more weeds reach out and suck some up.

I grow tomatoes in black plastic, and use a posthole digger to make deep planting holes. I usually put about 2 TBSP of something like this in the bottom,

add a few inches of dirt, and plant my tomatoes.

I never add anything again.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

zipcode · July 3, 2021

Any organic is somewhat safe to apply once the plants are big, you'd have to use to crazy amounts to do serious damage. By that formula I would guess a good one or two spoonfull in a circle around each plant, incorporated a bit in the soil, every two weeks should work well.

PaulF · July 3, 2021

My wife uses the Jobe's spikes in her water lillies. Makes for bigger pads and lots of flowers. I get on my knees and stick my arm in the pond down to the container and shove the sticks into the soil.

Labradors2 · July 3, 2021

Wow Paul, I'd never have thought of using Jobe's spikes for water lillies! I'd have to get my diving gear on to do that though, as they are 8' deep.......

Linda

PaulF · July 3, 2021

Wow! that is deep. Ours are only up to the armpit. Our little pond is 7' diameter and 5" deep with a three foot shelf for the lilies and iris containers. No need to fertilize the iris; they tend to take over the area anyway.

Labradors2 · July 3, 2021

That's beautiful

. Our pond is very rural. We have the Irises too. The blues are Siberian, the yellows grow like weeds.......

jhouse · July 3, 2021

thanks Zipcode and eyolf!

But, am I understanding one of you is saying 1 and 1/2 cup per plant, (if a fairly large plant) and one of you saying a few spoonsful?

I did weedblock fabric around/under the tomatoes this year, so will have a lot of fun trying to get this fertilizer incorporated into the soil, thinking of creating a large circular "apron" of weedblock that I can remove to fertilize then stake back in. Last growing season I did deep straw which was lovely, until I got a whopping crop of voles. I've had to steer clear of mulch or straw due to those lil buggers!

the water lilies are beautiful, by the way!

jmsieglaff · July 4, 2021

I use the Jobes product you're referring to (I apply it every about every ~3 weeks and apply a liquid soluble fert in between). I incorporate some into soil at planting location, then first application, 1-2 weeks after planting. For tomatoes I apply about 1/4 cup around the plant. Second application and beyond I apply 1/2 cup around the plant. I pull back my straw mulch and just barely scratch into the soil. I have been very pleased with results for many years. Good luck!

eyolf · July 4, 2021

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhouse

thanks Zipcode and eyolf!

But, am I understanding one of you is saying 1 and 1/2 cup per plant, (if a fairly large plant) and one of you saying a few spoonsful?

I did weedblock fabric around/under the tomatoes this year, so will have a lot of fun trying to get this fertilizer incorporated into the soil, thinking of creating a large circular "apron" of weedblock that I can remove to fertilize then stake back in. Last growing season I did deep straw which was lovely, until I got a whopping crop of voles. I've had to steer clear of mulch or straw due to those lil buggers!

the water lilies are beautiful, by the way!

Yes, that would be about 1.5 cups per plant. I think Zipcode suggests about the same season totals (24 TBSP=1.5 C) but spread over the season.

My season is rather short; I want the plants to be "hungry" in August, and to focus on ripening tomatoes more than growth. My season will usually end with Jack Frost in September, so I encourage the tomatoes to hurry it up.

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

jhouse · July 5, 2021

thanks Jmsieglaff! and eyolf.

Our season can run quite late in sw ohio. So I'll try to stretch things a bit.

I have some leftover liquid fert so I may copy Jmsieglaff and go a bit light on the granular and use liquid inbetween.

Thanks again all who took time to respond!

July 2, 2021	#1
jhouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: sw ohio Posts: 153	Jobes Heirloom tomato plant food question Hi all, I thought I would try this Jobes Heirloom granular plant food, but am confused as to application -- and you can't call the company support number and get through to anyone. My plants a just now setting fruit, I have a variety (cherry, roma, etc) of them. The package says: 2-5-3 (under the analysis section) directions: established plants, 1 and 1/2 cup per foot of plant spread, feed plants at dripline. Can anyone clarify that for me? I would hate to burn my plants. Thanks so much if you can -- I just used a liquid fert up until now and the plants are nice and healthy with quite a lot of fruit set. Jan H

July 2, 2021	#2
eyolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central MN, USDA Zone 3 Posts: 294	That's a little hard to figure out. My first inclination would be to try to figure out something like 1-1/2C per SQ foot. That's about a 13-1/2" dia circle. But not everyone is OK with math. So if your plants are about 2 feet in diameter from sucker leaf tip to one opposite, you're gonna measure out 2 cups per plant, around the perimeter of that 2 foot circle. If you cage, and your plants are smaller, you'll use less. And waste less. And have to buy less. The positive side is out there at the edge of the circle, your tomatoes' roots are safe. The negative is that as the fertilizer diffuses in the bigger circle, more weeds reach out and suck some up. I grow tomatoes in black plastic, and use a posthole digger to make deep planting holes. I usually put about 2 TBSP of something like this in the bottom, add a few inches of dirt, and plant my tomatoes. I never add anything again. Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk __________________ a day without fresh homegrown tomatoes is like... ...sigh

July 3, 2021	#4
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,282	My wife uses the Jobe's spikes in her water lillies. Makes for bigger pads and lots of flowers. I get on my knees and stick my arm in the pond down to the container and shove the sticks into the soil. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

July 3, 2021	#8
jhouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: sw ohio Posts: 153	spoon or cup? thanks Zipcode and eyolf! But, am I understanding one of you is saying 1 and 1/2 cup per plant, (if a fairly large plant) and one of you saying a few spoonsful? I did weedblock fabric around/under the tomatoes this year, so will have a lot of fun trying to get this fertilizer incorporated into the soil, thinking of creating a large circular "apron" of weedblock that I can remove to fertilize then stake back in. Last growing season I did deep straw which was lovely, until I got a whopping crop of voles. I've had to steer clear of mulch or straw due to those lil buggers! the water lilies are beautiful, by the way! Last edited by jhouse; July 3, 2021 at 04:13 PM.

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July 3, 2021	#3
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Any organic is somewhat safe to apply once the plants are big, you'd have to use to crazy amounts to do serious damage. By that formula I would guess a good one or two spoonfull in a circle around each plant, incorporated a bit in the soil, every two weeks should work well.

July 3, 2021	#5
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,886	Wow Paul, I'd never have thought of using Jobe's spikes for water lillies! I'd have to get my diving gear on to do that though, as they are 8' deep....... Linda

July 4, 2021	#9
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	I use the Jobes product you're referring to (I apply it every about every ~3 weeks and apply a liquid soluble fert in between). I incorporate some into soil at planting location, then first application, 1-2 weeks after planting. For tomatoes I apply about 1/4 cup around the plant. Second application and beyond I apply 1/2 cup around the plant. I pull back my straw mulch and just barely scratch into the soil. I have been very pleased with results for many years. Good luck!

July 5, 2021	#11
jhouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2016 Location: sw ohio Posts: 153	thanks Jmsieglaff! and eyolf. Our season can run quite late in sw ohio. So I'll try to stretch things a bit. I have some leftover liquid fert so I may copy Jmsieglaff and go a bit light on the granular and use liquid inbetween. Thanks again all who took time to respond!