The Impact of Disproportionate Nutrients on Container Tomato Plants 

This is for Jeff Bernhard.i just started watching u about two weeks ago. You r very inspirational and very educational .I'm really enjoying watching u. I have been doing container tomatoes for yrs. But, I'm really surprised at how many things u CAN grow in containers. I also like to grow herbs. Due to health issues I have always liked container growing. Gee ,but Jeff I have learned so much from u.See so the old saying u can't teach an old dog new tricks is absolutely wrong. Lol.I will continue watching ur channel. I just planted my tomatoes.We like grape,cherry,&maybe one husky. But,I had been fooled for yrs that u could only use patio tomatoes in containers. I know better now. I hope I have a good harvest using your methods. Thanks Jeff.. Lily Baker

Wonderful advice! Thanks!

Yes Jeff you have made it clear the important facts about micro-nutrients in the different stages of plants.

Thanks for this information. Wish I'd seen it a month ago. Now I know why my tomato leaves are so big!

Thanks for sharing ! very good information. @

Hi Jeff, first of all...I'm glad to have discovered your videos. I have learned a great deal of information from you that I can't wait to try. I am rather novice when it comes to gardening, and like you I was looking for a stress reliever as I also work many hours a week...usually 60 to 80 hours. I've watched all of your videos and I am looking forward to new ones. Have a great day from NW PA!

The most informative video I've come across! I'm from Malaysia and it rains a lot during the monsoon season, so container is best for tomatoes. Will definitely try from now on to incorporate the right micro/macro nutrients as food for my tomato plants. Thanks for the fantastic video!

Thanks for sharing!

This guy needs to be a sport anchor. Like the 6 o'clock news sports. I don't know why, but it feels right.

Whoa! That side by side comparison I think just solved the mystery of my maters! Tall, leggy things with not many blossoms. Just on the ends. I have a gigantic bag of lime... like 25lb... I think... from Tractor Supply. It was super cheap. Like $4. I use it for amending my mushroom substrate with. Will that work just as well as what you had for adding calcium? I don't see why not but maybe isn't bioavailability to tomatoes... one pot has been dropping blossoms without setting fruit. I reused that potting soil from last year. I'm suspecting lack of calcium is at play with that guy.

Hello Jeff, Enjoying the videos. I have 2 questions. Do you prefer tomato plants in containers or in the ground? I have two tomato plants in containers that produced well until recently. I assume the heat has slowed production. These plants are about 6 ft tall. Would you top these now so they will continue to perform in the fall?

Jeff - thanks for the video. Question- I have about 9 tomato plants that I believe I improperly fertilized and used too much nitrogen. They all have huge thick stems and tons of leafy growth (and are quite tall), and of course, have almost no flowers. What few they had mostly fell off with literally just two tiny tomatoes so far (which already have a black spot developing on the bottom). So, I'm pretty sure this sounds like classic over-fertilizing with nitrogen. I've been a bit despondent as I watch neighbors with tomato plants with half the stems/size as mine put out literally 20x more tomatoes. What can I do to salvage the rest of the season?

Hi Jeff. I just discovered your videos and really appreciate all that you put into them. I'm a first-time gardener and I'm starting with container gardening, just two varieties each of tomatoes and peppers. Question? I understand about the 5-10-10 for the NPK, but if I'm making a batch of potting soil for my containers, how much of the Dolomite and Epsom Salts should a amend with the other ingredients??? I'm going to be using a 50/50 mix of compost/peat. Is the nutrient mix something like this: 0.5 part blood meal for Nitrogen (N) for ??? 1 part fish bone meal for Phosphorus (P) for bloom set and blossom creation 1 Part Potassium Sulfate/Sulfate of Fetash for Potassium (K) for ??? 1 part Dolomite (Calcium Magnesium Carbonate) and/or egg shells to fight BER 1 part Magnesium Sulfate/Epsom Salt for ??? Thanks so much, Bob

If you use a good potting mix, when and how do you use the tomato tone or the other things talked about

This was so informative! How much of each nutrient do you use per container? I've seen other videos where they take a handful of the Epsom salt and fertilizer (a 5-10-10 mix) and sprinkle it into the plant, but I don't want to over fertilize.

Uh. Dolomite is magnesium carbonate. Doesn't do anything for calcium.

Tomatos are so easy to grow. All you have to do is pay attention to them.

Be careful of "organic" fertilizers that are labeled "organic" but are not OMRI listed. Most of the "organic" fertilizers sold at Lowes and Home Depot are not OMRI listed. Also, there are many companies that use the word "Organics" in the name of their company (like Sally's Organics, or something like that) but the fertilizers they sell are not OMRI listed. They do this to throw you off apparently. Also beware the term "natural". It means nothing...just about everything starts off from something natural LOL. Again, check for the OMRI emblem before buying if you are serious about only using organic fertilizers. I just went to home depot last night and was going to buy the Tomato-tone stuff you showed thinking it was organic since it ways "Organic" at the top of the bag, but it has no OMRI emblem on the bag. And if they are organic but refuse to pay OMRI fees for the application and review process, they obviously don't care about helping the consumer differentiate real organic products from the frauds.

Great advice. Thank you!