My lettuce & tomato plants aren't growing very fast. What do they need? Is fish emulsion a good fertilizer?

Question

Is it the soil is too hard. I didn't plant in mulch. What is mulch? Is any mulch fine (any leaves from anything??)

Answer 1

OK, this is going to sound strange, but it really works. Jerry Baker, who's a Master gardener, created this recipe. Not only is it non-toxic to put on your veggies, but you should have all the ingredients at home already. Just apply and wait 10 minutes. You can actually SEE it working! Everything turns brilliant green, and in just a few weeks, you will have HUGE tomatoes and lettuce. Also works on other plants and your lawn too!

In a 5-cup hose-end sprayer, combine the following:
1-can of beer
1-can of coca-cola (not diet), or 1/2 cup of molasses, or corn syrup
1/2 cup of dish soap (not the fancy antigrease or antibacterial stuff)
1/2 cup of liquid plant food (any brand)
1 cup of household ammonia (if you use lemon-scented ammonia and/or dish soap, it will also help repel bugs!)
Spray your plants twice per week.

Answer 2

Compost and mulch are kind of loose terms. They both are typically organic mixtures, one brand varies from another. They come in a bag. They can be used to dress the soil on top, or mixed into the soil.

If this is a first year garden, then you are finding out that it takes time to build a successful vegetable garden. A first year success is an exception, not the rule.

Yes, compost your soil in between crops. That helps replace some of the things that the soil lost in the growth of prior crops.

Compost is composted. That is , it has had time to sit around and decompose. You would need a compost pile to make some of your own. If you have a yard that is big enough, you can start your own compost piles. Most that have the will and the room to do that will start more than one and develop them to be ready at different times. Anything organic can be used.

The general rule is, a layer of wet ( banana skins, old lettuce, the cut parts of fruits and vegetables from the kitchen, etc. )
and a layer of dry ( grass clippings, leaves, etc. )

Turn the compost pile with a pitchfork about once a week. Get it wet with water if it becomes too dry. Add 21-0-0 ammonia sulfate to get a faster reaction. It's cheap and almost every nursery sells it for the lawn to make a quick green. That'll help the pile decompose quicker. Mix it in.

A diversity of composts that you can buy at the store is great for the soil biology. But stay away from the cheapest. You can introduce insects, weeds, diseases, and salts into your soil, especially from the cheap Home Improvement brands.

I hope that helps.

Answer 3

Mulch is normally put on top of the ground to help hold in water. It's a little late to be adding in compost to the ground or a anything into the ground for that mater of fact. You add stuff to the ground in fall or in the early spring so it has time to break down before you plant something there. The best thing you can do at this point is water and fertilize them. Get some Miracle Grow for tomatos and water them about twice a week with that and it should help them start taking off. Tomatos and lettuce like a lot of sun, water, and nitrogen. So I try finding a sunny place, keep them well watered (not overwatered), and give them plenty of nitrogen fertilizer. I like using rabbit manure the best if you are going to add manure to the soil. Cow and horse manure both will have weeds in them and could possibly burn the plants if you add too much. Most likely they won't burn the plants, but they are both messy to work with too. Chicken manure is too acidic and easily burns plants. Rabbit manure is easy to work with, comes in nice little round balls, and won't burn the plants no matter how much you add. And on top of it all, you don't get the weeds like you do with horse or cow manure. It makes my tomatoes really grow good. But if you add anything to the soil while the plant is growing it will normally hurt about as much as it helps because it actually takes away from the soil while it is being broken down. That's why it's good to put it in the ground in the fall or early spring.

Answer 4

I recommend using Spray-N-Grow's fertilizer. For my tomatoes, I use their Perfect Blend Kit (fertilizer, plant vitamins, etc.), Better Reds Mulch Film (for stimulating growth), and Nutri-Cal (calcium to help prevent blossom end rot). Good Luck!

Answer 5

You didn't say where you are from but here in New England my plants are doing terrible. We've had too much rain and cloudy weather. For fertilizer I use miricle grow for tomatoes. The best thing for tomato plants though is heat and full sun.

Answer 6

What region are u in? Mulch is ground up leaves. I didn't mulch mine and they are growing fine.

Answer 7

Use caution with fish fertilizer. It stinks worst than cow
manure.
I Corinthians 13;8a, Love never fails!!!!!

Answer 8

if you drink tea...after you have finished stirring your tea, add the tea leaves to the plants..
it's effective