Should I Have Used 7-7-7 Soil Improver For Tomatoes?

Question

Hello, I’m planting tomatoes for the first time this year. The patch I’m growing them in used to be overgrown with weeds, but I’ve cleared them. I also mixed in lots of compost to improve the soil. However: I also mixed in balanced (7-7-7) fertilizer granules into the soil. I’m worried I might have made a mistake, because I’m also going to be using liquid feed. Am I at risk of growing lots of leaves but few fruits? Would the tomatos produce better in a grow bag?

Answer 1

Compost, alone, mixed with the soil would have been plenty! That would be enough to feed tomatoes, all year. You would use feeds if you did not have access to compost or quality soils. Kind of a "one or the other" thing.

I would allow that soil to rest and leach out for a year or so before attempting to plant in it. You can test it, periodically, to know when it is safe to plant.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-moisture-in-plants.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/soil-ph-plants.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/test-soil-for-pests-and-diseases.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/making-sure-soil-drains-well.htm

Before feeding, it is a good idea to test the area to know, exactly, what needs to be added. This way the soil does not receive too much of one thing, while it already has enough.

In the future, if you use compost, then stick with that alone. If you choose a feeding program, then follow all instructions, carefully, and stick with one feed type instead of mixing. Nutrient lockout can occur when mixing, and this can be rather difficult to correct once it happens.