The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1959-05-07

Fertilizer Suggestions For
Tomatoes For Processing
Ohio farmers raising tomatoes
for processing have been apply
ing larger amounts of fertilizer
each year according to a sum-
mary of the records of the Ohio
Top Ten Tomato club.
This is to be expected, since
growers realize the Importance
of higher yields and the need for
best quality that can be pro-
duced, according to f. c. Witt
meyer, Ohio State University
extension horticulturist.
The clubs records show the
average basic fertilizer applica-
ton for the 149 growers in 1858
was 283 pounds of actual nutri-
ents per acre The average APP
plication included Al pounds of
nitrogen, 1876 pounds of phos-
phoric acid, and 1l6 pounds of
potash. This is equivalent to
about 700 pounds of 6-18-l8 fer
tilizer, if such were available,
Wittmeyer notes. Some of the
growers applied additional fer
tilizcr after planting The 283
pounds represents 70 percent
increase in the amount of plant
food applied since the club start
ed in l947.
Last year so percent of the
growers in the club had their
soil tested. This is another man
agement tool, Wittmeyer says,
that will help the grower and his
field man make some of the soil
management decisions affecting
the crop.
Often tomato growers, as we'll
as other vegetable growers, will
apply large quantities of fertiliz-
er and then be disappointed with
results at end of season, accord
ing TO the horticulturist. Some
times the field selected for toma-
toes may be unsuitable for this
crop due to inadequate surface
and internal drainage, poor soil
structure due to lack Of sufficient
organic matter or improper till
age practices, high soil acidity,
or even lack of water during part
of season when crop is develop
ing rapidly. Fertilizer, even
though it is important, cannot
solve some of these other soil
problems, Wittmeyer points out.
When tomatoes are TO be rails
ed in the heavier soils that are
in good tilth, half to tWo-thirds
of the fertilizer can be applied
before plowing, and remainder
deep-drilled later. A n o h +
method is to deep-drill all of the
fertilizer after ploWing. Recent
research work outside OHIO
shows advantages to banding
most of the fertilizer in bands
a to 5 inches below the roots at
planting time.
Growers with sandy soils
should plan to apply most OF the
fertilizer after plowing, follow
ing with several side placed ap-
plications after plants become
established, Wittmeyer says.
The amount of fertilizer to
apply will depend upon many
different situations, such as the
soil type involved, amount OF
manure that has been applied,
the fertilizer program during the
rotation, soil acidity, variety to
be planted, and results of the
soil test. The amount will range
from a maintenance application
of 500 to 600 pounds per acre OF
6-l2-12 on soils that have been
heavily fertilized during the en-
tire rotation, to as much as l5O0
pounds OI IiOlC Vi I o-i0
fertility levels are low. Field
men for companies contracting
purchase of tomatoes usually are
well qualified to assist growers
in working out specific fertilizer
recommendations, Witt m y I
points out.
The use of starter fertilizers in
transplanter water has become
standard practice in the tomato
processing area. Fertilizers tor
this purpose, according TO the
horticulturist, should be high IN
phosphoric acid and relatively
low in nitrogen and potash. Sew
eral completely soluble formula
4iouc own available