We have a local weather man who is famous for his tomatoes.
Thought I’d through in his formula:
Dale Nelson’s tomato formula:
There are two Tomato formulas... One formula for sandy soil and one for clay soil. The first time you use the tomato formula use the “Original” formula no matter what type of soil you have.
Original Formula / Sandy Soil
1 cup 10-20-10 (1-2-1 ratio) fertilizer
1/4 cup super phosphate
1/2 cup gypsum
2 cups cow manure
Dig a hole and mix ingredients. Then, add regular dirt on top of formula before placing tomato plant in hole. Otherwise, formula will burn the roots of the plant. Don’t let formula touch the roots when they are first planted. Let the plant grow into the formula. Water regularly. Stand back and watch them grow! Best varieties are Sonny, Bingo, Carnival, Heatwave, Celebrity, Big Boy, Better Boy and President. Best cherry tomatoes to use are small Fry and Cherry Grande. Everything needed is available at any local nursery.
Caution: Please be aware that excessive use of phosphorus in our clay soil over a long period of time can be non beneficial to your plants.
Clay Soil*
1 Cup 21-0-0 (1-0-0 Ratio) Ammonium Sulphate
3/4 Cup Gypsum
2 Cups Cow Manure
Mix these ingredients together with existing garden soil and plant one tomato plant per hole mixture.
*Most clay soils in this area already have too much super phosphate, which tends to stay in the soil for a long period of time. The local nursery people tell me, the best way to correct this is by adding ammonium sulphate which is 21-0-0.
I typically dig a really deep hole. I put something that will hold water in the bottom (coconut hulls, peat moss, styrofoam peanuts, etc). I also use cornstalks or pine cones just because they are usually laying around handy. Water crystals are “AWESOME” to toss in too. This is so there will always be water down deep for the roots and the plants will never get water stressed. Then I toss in a handful of fertilizer (usually tomato-tone) and cover it with a couple paper towels. The roots will grow down into this. Then I add a few inches of manure. Then I add good dirt (usually miracle grow garden soil. I get good indeterminate plants that are stocky and about a foot tall. I pinch off all of the leaves except the very topmost one. Don’t feel sad. It will grow back like crazy!Then I plant it deep with only that one leaf peaking above the ground. The rest of the plant will turn to roots and give you one incredible tomato plant. I have had highly productive 12’ plants.
You should sucker it some, especially down low after its established so you don’t get blight. A little bit of lime while planting will help prevent blossom end rot.
I have my preferences on tomatoes. I’m kinda old fashioned. Costeluto Genovese for slicing. San Marzano or Super Marzano’s for sauce/paste. I do like Juliet hybrids for salads and sauce. They are larger than a cherry but smaller than a roma. They are really prolific. I’ve easily got 45 lbs from a single plant.
Try it and in the summer/fall let me know what you think.
We have clay here in Virginia. I was wondering if this would work for pepers as well. Got Sweet, Jalapeno, Red Roasters, and Habanero. I figured I would can and make stewed tomatoes and Salsa in August, Sept. etc.