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mozzles

Need advice with how much Foliage Pro to use..

mozzles
11 years ago

First off this is my first year gardening at all, I'm growing a variety of different tomatoes, bell peppers, hot peppers, and now a few other vegetables as well. All my plants are each in at least a 5 gallon pot, some of them I'm not sure of the size but they look considerably bigger. Maybe 6 or 7 gallon.

I got some Foliage Pro today after seeing the name come up a lot in discussion on here. For my tomato plants specifically, how much should I use? I'm sure it's different for the bell peppers and hot peppers so if you have any idea for those, let me know.

Also I'm having trouble watering them with the watering can I got today, without getting some on the leaves. Is this ok or will it hurt the leaves? Up until now I was watering with a quart jar but that was disturbing the soil a little so I got a watering can today, but I'm thinking maybe it was a little too big!

Read about using Pro-Tekt also, would most of you recommend adding that or anything else, now or at blooming? Again this is my first year gardening, so I could use all the advice I can get!

Zac

Comments (6)

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    11 years ago

    Wouldn't worry about getting any on the foliage. I just follow the directions on the bottle. 1 teaspoon per gallon once per week, or 1/4 teaspoon per gallon at every watering. Sometimes I increase it when the plants are growing vigorously. I also sometimes use Pro-Tekt, and again, I follow the instructions on the bottle. Hope this helps.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    11 years ago

    I pre-water, then fertilize, and then lightly water again to rinse any foliage that might
    have drops of the fertigation solution on it.


    Josh

  • howelbama
    11 years ago

    What type of mix are they planted in? If it is a Miracle Gro potting mix or something that has nutrients in it already, you may want to hold off on using the Foliage Pro for a month or so until those nutrients have been used up/washed out...

    Just a thought.

  • JVjava
    11 years ago

    I spoke with a very helpful person at Dyna-Gro about how much FP to use with Tomatoes because last year my tomatoes in containers were quite small. Last year I followed the directions on the bottle and only used FP. This year on the recommendation of the Dyna-Gro representative I am using FP and Mag-Pro. She said during the warmer months to use 1 tsp. per gallon of each FP and MG EACH time I water, even if it is every couple of days. I have been watering about 2 times a week for the last few weeks, and have not noticed any negative affects from over fertilizing, and my tomatoes are doing well. I have Tomatoes on every plant and just harvested my first 3 tomatoes from my Early Girl today and had BLT's for dinner this evening. I am also growing peppers but I do not think I will put more than 1 tsp. per gallon per week on them.

  • JVjava
    11 years ago

    I spoke with a very helpful person at Dyna-Gro about how much FP to use with Tomatoes because last year my tomatoes in containers were quite small. Last year I followed the directions on the bottle and only used FP. This year on the recommendation of the Dyna-Gro representative I am using FP and Mag-Pro. She said during the warmer months to use 1 tsp. per gallon of each FP and MG EACH time I water, even if it is every couple of days. I have been watering about 2 times a week for the last few weeks, and have not noticed any negative affects from over fertilizing, and my tomatoes are doing well. I have Tomatoes on every plant and just harvested my first 3 tomatoes from my Early Girl today and had BLT's for dinner this evening. I am also growing peppers but I do not think I will put more than 1 tsp. per gallon per week on them.

  • redshirtcat
    11 years ago

    Did the rep give you any justification for the use of Mag-Pro?

    The suggestion she gave you yields a fertilizer regimen of 11-18-10 with 2% Ca, 2.5% Mg

    This is not ideal. For one thing the ratio of Mg to Ca is too high. I've read that the best results with tomatoes include a minimum mg available and in a 1:4 ratio with Ca - so you want 4x as much Ca than Mg. Here's one paper you can read for verification but there are many more: http://pubs.aic.ca/doi/pdf/10.4141/P02-140

    It's not as simple as 4:1 Ca:Mg in every case but certainly that is an excessive level of Mg - not to mention the issues with the major nutrients which, to my understanding, is also not ideal.