Is tomato feed suitable for all other plants?

Question

Is tomato feed suitable for all other plants?

Answer 1

The only difference may be the amount of nitrogen for the tomato food as tomatoes love extra nitrogen.  Tomato food can be used with the entire tomato family, like eggplant, peas.

Answer 2

Probably.  Tomato feed is probably higher in Phosphates which may be bad for high phosphate soils like in North Texas where I live.  Otherwise it should be good for most other plants.

Answer 3

Sure, plant food is plant food, just different formulas.

Answer 4

It may be higher in nitrogen than you'd want for flowering plants.

If you look at the packaging your tomato food came in, there should be three numbers listed somewhere on it, like 4-3-3, or 10-10-10.  The first of those numbers represents nitrogen, the second phosphorus, and the third potassium.  

If that first number is higher than the second number, then you probably don't want to use it on flowering plants, because that high nitrogen will promote leaves at the expense of flowers.  It would be great for anything you grow more for its leaves than its flowers, though -- grass, veggies, etc.

If the three numbers are all the same, then it's an all-purpose fertilizer that you can use on anything (although you still might want a different, phosphorus-high food for roses or flowers).

Answer 5

Yes.

Answer 6

Sort of, but......Tomato feed and fertilizer simply has a higher concentration of the nutrients that it specifically needs: such as a higher calcium content than the "other" types....to prevent blossom end rot, magnesium for stronger roots due to the tomatos higher need for water, phosphorus for skin integrety, and it has more acid because that's what maters want, etc....the level of nitrogen for healthy leaf growth is about the same as what's in the regular stuff.  

Don't let it worry you too much though.  If you are only occasionally spraying with the tomato stuff and it gets on your other plants; it's certainly not going to hurt. Peppers, egplant, beans, melons all need the calcium for blossom integrety, just not as much (all the time) because it doesn't have a soft skin fruit.  They all need strong roots from the magnesium; but for different reasons.  

Extensive spraying with tomato feed may give you tough peppers, but the realy drawback is the acid.  So don't over do it.  All plants want some acid to maintain PH, but.....

The thing to really be careful of though is not to "feed" anything too often.  Too much nitrogen can make the plant really pretty and green....but all it wants to do is produce leaves....not fruit.  

The best feed is, of course, compost tea.  It's good for everything, but....if you don't have a pile already, it won't be ready for you this year.

Don't let it worry you too much though.  Unless you plan on standing out there doing it every day or two......You'll be fine!