Miracle grow? Yes or no for tomatoes and cucumbers?

Question

Experienced gardeners what's your opinion? I want to grow organic without chemicals. Haven't used any pesticides. Read I should side dress my cukes with Nitrogen. Should I use Miracle grow for veggies or just Nitrogen or leave alone?

Answer 1

Use Miracle Gro, it's a great product. If you use just nitrogen then the plant will grow with larger leaves but nitrogen will not encourage flowers and fruit.

Answer 2

I don't use miracle grow because it produces too many leaves and not enough fruit.

I like Schultz's.

Answer 3

If you really want to grow without chemicals you will have to use organic compost.Miracle grow is still a chemical.

Answer 4

I personally don't like Miracle Grow, think it's a highly overrated product.  The biggest thing it has going for it is that it's easy.

  For tomatoes, I would get some epsom salts and some fish oil emulsion, both of which are organic.  Mix the epsom salts 1 tablespoon per gallon of water and water with the solution.  Give them the first dose, wait 2 weeks and give them another.

The fish emulsion is pretty much the same thing, about once every two weeks.  Mix to the recommended ratio on the bottle.  I figure if fish was a good fertilizer for the Native Americans, it's good enough for me!  We're about 1/2 way through our growing season here in PA and I've fed my tomatoes 4 times, first feeding about 2 weeks AFTER they were planted.  

If you use just nitrogen, your plants will grow but not set a lot of fruit.  A balanced fertilizer is better than just one compound.   We compost, use leaf mulch in the fall, add lime because of the leaf mulch and give supplemental feedings as needed.    

Answer 5

If you want to go organic don't use Miracle Gro as it is a synthetic fertilizer. Compost applied spring and fall will build your soil and make it very fertile. water soluable Kelp powders and fish emulsion are also both great fertilizers to use during the growing season.

stay away from nitrogen for fruiting plants such as cukes, tomatoes, peppers etc. They need other nutrients than Nitrogen. N is great for leaf growth.