Fertilizing Before A Heatwave

greenthumbomaha · June 27, 2018

I believe this has been discussed before but I didn't find a specific thread.

If you follow the College World Series, you know our Omaha weather has been crazy. Opening weekend it was 100 degrees for several days, followed by a week of rain outs and cool weather. Thank goodness for the short break in the heat. Upper 90's are returning again for an extended period.

The torrential rain must have depleted any fertilizer I used a month ago. My in-ground plants are going full speed, but the tomatoes could be larger. I would normally give them another fertilization at this time.

I keep them well watered, so I don't believe a half strength snack would stress them. Given the situation, would I be flushing resources away? Another factor is the heat and hopeful for another round of pollination when the temps go down a few degrees.

Should I give them a dose of mg now, and save the better stuff when the heat goes down, or just wait another two weeks. By late August the plants are ready to be pulled.

- Lisa

zipcode · June 28, 2018

For synthetic it's ok. Might be a slight waste, but will keep the plants going, and not shut down due to stress and now added lack of food. I don't like to add organic, because in the heat it smells fiercely the first week.

b54red · June 28, 2018

We have had a very intense heat wave lately with temps daily getting into the upper 90s and high humidity along with very warm nights. Luckily we got a shower one evening and got to have one night with lower 70s. I fertilized with TTF just three days into the heat wave and have gotten some good fruit set since then despite the conditions so favorable for blossom drop. I have found that keeping the soil moist and cool with a heavy mulch and giving regular feedings does encourage some growth, fruit set and healthier plants during these stressful times.

Feed and water them unless you have soaked ground and even then a little fertilizer helps make up for the leaching of too much rain. A few weeks ago we had 12 days of rain every day averaging an inch or more each day and after the first four days fruit just stopped setting and the plants started looking slightly yellow so as soon as the rain stopped I fertilized despite the soaked ground. Within two days fruit set resumed and the plants regained some of their color which had paled due to the leaching of nutrients.

Bill

June 27, 2018	#1
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Fertilizing Before A Heatwave I believe this has been discussed before but I didn't find a specific thread. If you follow the College World Series, you know our Omaha weather has been crazy. Opening weekend it was 100 degrees for several days, followed by a week of rain outs and cool weather. Thank goodness for the short break in the heat. Upper 90's are returning again for an extended period. The torrential rain must have depleted any fertilizer I used a month ago. My in-ground plants are going full speed, but the tomatoes could be larger. I would normally give them another fertilization at this time. I keep them well watered, so I don't believe a half strength snack would stress them. Given the situation, would I be flushing resources away? Another factor is the heat and hopeful for another round of pollination when the temps go down a few degrees. Should I give them a dose of mg now, and save the better stuff when the heat goes down, or just wait another two weeks. By late August the plants are ready to be pulled. - Lisa

June 28, 2018	#2
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	For synthetic it's ok. Might be a slight waste, but will keep the plants going, and not shut down due to stress and now added lack of food. I don't like to add organic, because in the heat it smells fiercely the first week.

June 28, 2018	#3
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	We have had a very intense heat wave lately with temps daily getting into the upper 90s and high humidity along with very warm nights. Luckily we got a shower one evening and got to have one night with lower 70s. I fertilized with TTF just three days into the heat wave and have gotten some good fruit set since then despite the conditions so favorable for blossom drop. I have found that keeping the soil moist and cool with a heavy mulch and giving regular feedings does encourage some growth, fruit set and healthier plants during these stressful times. Feed and water them unless you have soaked ground and even then a little fertilizer helps make up for the leaching of too much rain. A few weeks ago we had 12 days of rain every day averaging an inch or more each day and after the first four days fruit just stopped setting and the plants started looking slightly yellow so as soon as the rain stopped I fertilized despite the soaked ground. Within two days fruit set resumed and the plants regained some of their color which had paled due to the leaching of nutrients. Bill