Help with tomato plants?

Question

We're growing tomato plants in pots on our deck, and the leaves are turning a little yellow, and I'm guessing they're lacking nutrients. We don't want to use chemical fertilizers like miracle grow, etc. Can anyone suggest an organic way to get some nutrition into the soil? We aren't able to compost at this time, btw, which I know would be the best solution.

Answer 1

Get a small bag of composted manure, and a 10 gallon trash can with a lid. Pout the maure in the can,  plastic is fine, fill the can 2/3 full of water, cover tightly and let it bake in the sun for a day. You just made maure tea. with a stick, stir the tea and with some ladle or small pot pour some tea around the plant base. Do this every other day or so, and keep adding water as need be. You will note a difference.

Answer 2

A compost pile is best, but you can improve the soil with your salad waste just by adding it around the plant.  It will not provide an immediate boost but as it decomposes it will add to the soil.  Be sure to mix up the soil each year before you plant.  What you add over winter will even be better, you would have little mini compost piles.

Answer 3

we put dead fish in the soil it perks them right up and believe it or not it doesn't smell

Answer 4

Number one you can not gorw tomatos in POTS!!! you can early on but their roots really need a lot of room to grow so plant them in the ground and trim off the yellow leaves. You can use miricle grow i do and my plants are beautiful! and only water the roots of the tomato plants never the leaves and only water them before the sun is up and when the sun is down. it has taken my 3 years not to master my plants! LOL Now tmy plant looks great and my tomatos are not turning red. LOL but for the first time this year my plants look breath taking! good luck to you. get them in the ground right away

Answer 5

The nutrient you lack is nitrogen. You'll have to look up sources other then fertilizer. I know manure is a good one and even human waste (not kidding). Urea (found in your pee) has nitrogen but I couldn't even begin to tell how much to use.

Answer 6

when ours turned kind of yellow it was still okay...

Answer 7

It is a possible result of overwatering.  However if you don't think that would be the reason, lack of calcium could well be the answer.  If you dissolve a small amount of epsom salts in some warm water, then wait for it to cool down, water with this and the  plant should perk up.  Remove any leaves which are totally yellow as they are probably dead and won't be helping the plant.

For an organic feed, liquid seaweed, given at the appropriate rate, is recommended.  I use the liquid from my wormery and liquid from rotting comfrey leaves - but that suggestion would take some while for you to implement.