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Can I mulch over mulch?

Posted by Celbrise none (My Page) on
Sun, Sep 16, 12 at 18:52

So my tomato plant has been blossom dropping and i think i know what one of the problems is. i add too much nitrogen to the plant/over fertilizing.

at first i just planted it watered it and it already had a lot of nitrogen in it. then later i mulched the surface with wood chips about half of the wood chips composted and broke down into soil since then. then i added on more mulch but this time with unfinished compost. again the compost had a lot of nitrogen in it.

i have never fertilized or added anything else since then which was about a week ago. i was wondering is it better if i just leave it as is and stop adding nitrogen to this plant and just water it or should i mulch over the compost mulch using more wood chips?

their are still wood chip mulch under the compost mulch and the compost mulch will eventually break down in the near future


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Can I mulch over mulch?

Wait, what? You're really overthinking this...sometimes flowers drop, for many different reasons that several people have already mentioned. Where are you again?

If I understood you correctly in your last thread, the trusses that are dropping blossoms are ones that were on the plant when you sprayed your super strong soap/water solution. If so, then that's very, very likely the reason the flowers are dropping. Insecticidal soap, even at regular dosages, can cause blossom drop.

I don't think you added too much nitrogen. It's close to impossible to over fertilize a plant with compost or mulch, especially in a container.


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RE: Can I mulch over mulch?

i know that is the factor but then again i have added compost to this container BEFORE planting. mixed with the soil.

the compost itself consisted on many nitrogen rich items then i used to fertilize the plant once per week as suggested by the MG box. then i found out i was over fertilizing them.

hmm i guess i will just leave it as is then and stop fertilizing till fruit set


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RE: Can I mulch over mulch?

  • Posted by nil13 z21 Mt. Washington L (My Page) on
    Mon, Sep 17, 12 at 20:52

I agree with GT on this. It's really hard to over fertilize a plant in a container with compost, especially a tomato. I've planted tomatoes in containers using straight compost that was cooking so fast it almost burned my hands when I pulled it out of the pile without a problem.


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