phostrogen..

[taff]

does anyone use it regularly, is it detrimental or good?
I gave my father some of my tomato plants about 6 weeks ago, he feeds them this [granules in water] and it's galling to say, but his [my ex-]tomato plants are twice the size and lush and green compared to mine fed with comfrey.
I know we've had crap weather lately, but honestly, he lives in wales, it's colder, and they're still huge compared to mine, and this is what he feeds them with.

[reetnproper]

I use the General Plant Food Phostrogen every year. It's fabulous stuff but I do use tomato food for tomatoes and cucumbers etc.

I seem to think that phostrogen is great for foliage and root growth but not so good at promoting fruits which is why I don't use it after first fruits have set on things such as pumpkins, courgettes etc, but I'm sure someone will confrm or not, shortly.

Mind you Phostrogen do do a tomato feed, so it depends what he's actually using.

Reet
x

[solway cropper]

Comfrey tea, like all such 'organic' feeds is very low in nutrients compared to chemical fertilizers which can give an instant boost to plants. This is not always a good thing as soft lush growth is much more susceptible to pests and diseases. I use a lot of home-made concoctions but I sometimes give a chemical tonic if I think the plants might need it. It would be interesting to see who's tomato plants were better able to withstand adverse conditions.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Phostrogen make a dedicated tom feed.

NPK 4, 5.3, 5.9. Maybe thats what dads using.

Colin

[sewer rat]

I use tomato feed on my cukes only until they are up about three ft high then switch to a high nitrogen feed.

[taff]

it's the all purpose one, not a specific one. He uses it on everything, from veg to flowers, and they all look fab, lush growth, thick strong plants, healthy colours etc.
trust me, I was surprised, since I've always thought/acted/believed that organic or as near as dammit best....hence the question.

[reetnproper]

organic or as near as dammit best....hence the question.

This year I'm trying a mix of nettle feed (home made) and an organic seaweed feed, as last year the only chemical we used was phostrogen (which as I said is great stuff) and this year we want to see how successful we can be chemical free. So far, fingers crossed, so good

Reet
x

[Two_Sheds]

Comfrey tea, like all such 'organic' feeds is very low in nutrients compared to chemical fertilizers

Really? According to this, comfrey is higher in potash than either farmyard manure or Tomorite

As I bang on on the early tom sowing thread, I've been picking toms for a couple of weeks - all fed on comfrey tea

[solway cropper]

Really? According to this, comfrey is higher in potash than either farmyard manure or Tomorite

Farmyard manure is NOT a chemical fertilizer.

Comfrey will typically contain around one percent potash. Compare this with the 6.6 percent of Tomorite (according to the label)

[Two_Sheds]

Farmyard manure is NOT a chemical fertilizer.

Yes, I know It was an example

"Trials conducted ... at the HDRA have shown that comfrey provides increased yield in potatoes compared with manure, compost or ‘Growmore’ artificial fertiliser "

When it's used in liquid form (comfrey tea) the nutrients are immediately available to your plants. It may stink, but it's free

[Florence Fennel]

When it's used in liquid form (comfrey tea) the nutrients are immediately available to your plants. It may stink, but it's free

Both of which make it a very good idea. I'll be chopping my comfrey again this week, cheers TS.

[Potstubsdustbins]

First let me say I am no aficionado of comfrey tea, in fact I have never used it. However I have come across a set of figures that appear to be at variance with those above.

L.D.Hills conducted the following experiment and published the results as set out below.

Comfrey tea made with 14 lbs of comfrey and 20 gallons of water. Tomorite made up to the manufacturer's instructions. Answers are given in percentages.

Tomorite N. 0.0130% P. 0.0093% K. 0.0139%

Comfrey N. 0.0140% P. 0.0059% K. 0.0340%

These figures give comfrey a clear lead in the potash stakes against a solution of tomorite.

Colin

[Potstubsdustbins]

I must be getting old, of course its labeled at 6.6% in the bottle but then you put a capful into 1.5 gallons of water hence the dilution.

Colin

[Sven the gardener]

Comfrey Tea v Phostrogen

I have used comfrey tea for two years following Monty D's programme on Richard Sandford's method of using nettle tea first, then comfrey tea then wood ash tea. A smelly practice but one which does produce results. My tomatoes grown in grow bags cut in half and upended - one plant per half. This bag method cured my blossom end rot too as the plants never went short of water.
Back to the tea. I installed an automatic watering system and wondered whether it would cope with the tea, which has a lot of debris. So I strained it carefully and added it to my reservoir. The system is coping at the moment. I have thus resisted using chemicals. Reading the last parts of the thread it seems clear that tea has a slightly greater K content over Phostrogen. I shall continue with tea and report back.
Google Richard Sandford's Amazing Tomatoes for details. It gives links to making the various teas.
StG

[jacob]

I'm satisfied with the results I get with the nutrients coming from home made compost wood ash and a variety of homemade feeds, in particular comfrey.

I suspect I'd get somewhat better crops if I bought fertilisers, but growing without doing so is all part of my personal growing challenge.