EarthBox Forum

EarthBox Chat => Questions and Answers => Topic started by: d_shaffee on March 24, 2022, 09:01:03 pm

Title: Amending 8-3-5 kit for Tomatoes?
Post by: d_shaffee on March 24, 2022, 09:01:03 pm

Hi all,

New earthbox user, but not new to gardening - I actually lived on a farm for a few years up to recently!  Now I'm in an apartment so the earthboxes are out on the balcony. 

I ordered two kits but received the 8-3-5 fertilizer rather than the 7-7-7 intended for tomatoes.  Planning on doing tomatoes and/or eggplant in all of these.  Wondering if I can add additional low nitrogen fertilizers, or maybe use half the 8-3-5 and substitute the rest?

For possible amendments, I have:
Dr Earth Tomato/Veg/Herb Fertilizer (Organic)  4-6-3
Hi-Yield Bone Meal 0-10-0
Down to Earth Rock Phosphate 0-3-0

Note that the Dr Earth actually contains both rock phosphate and bone meal, plus a bunch of other "meals."

Apologize if this has been asked already, but I did several searches and read the beginner's threads, couldn't find any reference to this! 

Title: Re: Amending 8-3-5 kit for Tomatoes?
Post by: gardendoc on March 28, 2022, 11:55:47 am

You'll be fine and grow great tomatoes with the 8-3-5 fertilizer. The difference in total N is only 0.15 ounces between the two formulations. Remember is you're using the calcium nitrate snack every 7-14 days you'll be adding more readily available N and Ca through the growing season.