One Fertilizer Type Does it All?

The Best Fertilizer

Hands down the best all around fertilizer for plants growing in desert soils is compost. It will do it all for probably 95% of all the plants growing in a home yard. It provided nutrients in the ratio and form that plants can use, it helps lower soil pH, improves the soil and improves soil health and biology. It does it all!

Viragrow compost sells for $2.75 per cubic foot bag and  $36 per cubic foot in bulk (27 cubic feet)

Apply it to the soil surface in vegetable beds once a year and rototill or dig it in.

Compost makes a great fertilizer for grapes. Apply it right over the top of wood or rock mulch and water it in.

Apply it around fruit trees and water it in right through wood or rock mulch.

Conventional or Traditional Fertilizers

I guess if you would push me to recommend one traditional fertilizer for everything I would recommend a complete fertilizer (one with all three numbers on the bag). I would recommend one high in nitrogen, low in phosphorus and moderate to high in potassium. One fertilizer that might fit this profile is our tree and shrub fertilizer at 13-7-7 or a 10-5-10.

Fertilizers like 13-7-7 ($1.90 per pound) have small enough amounts of phosphorus that build up of this nutrient in the soil will not be a problem.

Even this palm tree fertilizer will be good as well as an all around fertilizer at $1.90 per pound

But I would really recommend three fertilizers for different applications if you do not use compost. One is a high nitrogen fertilizer such as ammonium sulfate for pushing new growth.

Ammonium sulfate, pure nitrogen, sells for as little as 55 cents per pound.

For root, flower and fruit growth use a high phosphorus fertilizer like Triple Super Phosphate.

Triple super phosphate or 0-45-0 sells for as little as 65 cents per pound

And for potassium use Sul Po Mag which, besides potassium at 22%, also adds magnesium to the soil, just like epsom salts.

Contains 22% potassium and sells for $1.35 per pound

You can take these three fertilizers and mix any of them together for a complete fertilizer (all three numbers present) if you want or use them separately.

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The Basics About Phosphorus Fertilizers

Let me cover just a few basics on phosphorus and chemistry in general. When people begin talking about availability of phosphorus they usually refer to this diagram.

As you can see, the pH or alkalinity increases to the right following the line at the bottom of the graph. Each one unit change in pH is a 10 X change in alkalinity (to the right) or acidity (to the left). These one unit changes are in logarithms, just like they measure earthquakes.

At the center of this graph of pH is 7, also considered neutral. There is an equal amount of acidity compared to alkalinity. At pH 7 acidity and alkalinity are in perfect balance with one another. A one unit change from pH 7 to 8 means there is a 10 fold increase in alkalinity. A two unit change from pH 7 to pH 9 is a 100 fold increase in alkalinity (10 x 10). A three unit change from pH 7 to pH 10 is a 1000 fold increase in alkalinity (10 x 10 x 10) etc. The change is the same with increasing acidity; if the pH decreases from pH 7 to pH 6 (10), pH 7 to pH 5 (10 x 10), pH 7 to pH 4 (10 x 10 x 10).

The availability of phosphorus (bar gets wider), according to the graph, decreases with increasing acidity (below pH=6.0) as well as with increasing alkalinity above pH=7.5. But if you look closely, phosphorus availability does not disappear. It’s availability only decreases. Phosphorus is still available. But it’s availability is less.

When you apply phosphorus that is not “available” it does not mean this is 100%. It is not like a light switch; off and on. As soon as the pH of the soil reacts with the applied phosphorus, some of the applied phosphorus becomes available to plants and some of it does not. How much becomes available depends on the soil pH as well as the rest of the chemistry in the soil.

Viragrow sells steamed bone meal for as little as $1.20 per pound

To keep phosphorus available in the soil push your soil pH more acid in our soils. You can do this with compost and decomposing organics. Some fertilizers also decrease pH. One of them is MAP or monoammonium phosphate. This fertilizer pushes soil pH lower and improves a plants uptake of phosphorus.

Viragrow sells MAP for 80 cents per pound in 10 and 40 pound bags

Phosphorus applications do a great job stimulating mycorrhizae!

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Fertilizers for Improving Potato Production

 Phosphorous and Foliar Applied Nitrogen Improved Productivity and Quality of Potato

Growth, yield and quality of potato are greatly affected by its nutritional management. Foliar application of urea reduces nitrogen losses and increases plant nitrogen use efficiency. This study was therefore planned to evaluate the effect of soil applied phosphorus (DAP) and foliar application of nitrogenous fertilizer (urea) on growth, yield and quality of potato. Experiment was comprised of four different treatments of phosphorus (DAP, 46% P) and nitrogen (urea, 46% N) including a control. Treatments were T0 (DAP 160 + Urea 300 kg/acre), T1 (DAP 160 + Urea 5 kg/acre), T2 (DAP 100 + Urea 6 kg/acre) and T3 (DAP 120 + Urea 8 kg/acre). DAP fertilizer was given as basal dressing at the time of sowing. Foliar applications of nitrogenous fertilizer (urea) were given after 30 of sowing with one week interval in five split doses. Results indicated that T3 remained better regarding productivity and quality of potato. The overall fertilizer efficacy regarding yield and quality was: T3 ˃ T2 ˃ T1 ˃ T0. However, Vitamin C was found maximum in T0.

Authors: 

Rashid Waseem Khan Qadri

Imran Khan

Muhammad Muzammil Jahangir

Umair Ashraf

Ghufrana Samin

Ammara Anwer

Muhammad Adnan

Mohsin Bashir

Publisher: American Journal of Plant Sciences

http://file.scirp.org/pdf/AJPS_2015011513431971.pdf

What is DAP? Diammonium phoshphate, an old time commercial fertilizer. Diammonium phosphate (DAP) is a highly water-soluble fertilizer used in a number of multi-component fertilizer mixtures as well as in directly applied compound fertilizers. Aside from monoammonium phosphate (MAP), it is the world’s most commonly used phosphate fertilizer, Phosphates are mined in the form of rock phosphate. Phosphates react with sulphuric acid to produce phosphoric acid, which in turn reacts with ammonia. This process converts the poorly water-soluble rock phosphate into a water-soluble phosphate fertilizer that is easily taken up by plants. 

Viragrow has chosen MAP over DAP as its pre-planting fertilizer. Why? it is not as "hot", not as likely to burn plants for several reasons AND it helps lower soil pH (lowers alkalinity) better than DAP. Like DAP, t is also 100% water soluble.

Apply it directly to the soil or mix it with warm water and apply it as a liquid to the leaves of plants for a more immediate response. Make a 0.25 to 0.5% solution of MAP to apply to the leaves. 

Dissolve 1 1/4 tbs of MAP in one gallon of water for a 0.5% solution for spraying on leaves.

available in 10 and 40 lb bags at 80 cents per pound

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Intercropping Improves Soil Fertility and Soil Health

 Pepper-Garlic Intercropping System Improves Soil Biology and Nutrient Status in Plastic Tunnel

A two year (2009-2011) experiment was conducted to investigate effect of pepper-garlic intercropping system on soil biology and nutrient profile in plastic tunnel to overcome continuous monocropping obstacles. During first year’s trial, garlic cloves of four cultivars (G026, G025, and G087 for the harvest of bulbs) were intercropped between two rows of pepper seedlings (cv. Golden Pepper) on each bed. Similarly, garlic bulb (cv G064 for the harvest of green seedlings) was sandwiched between two rows of pepper seedlings. During 2nd year, the pepper crop was transplanted on the same beds already having garlic in the field of previous crop, following the same geometry. Sole pepper was grown as control. Both crops received uniform fertilization and irrigation as per requirements of pepper. Results revealed that concentration of soil bacteria and actinomycetes was higher respectively after one month of garlic intercropping during both the years of study as compared to the sole pepper; however, fungal population exhibited a diminishing trend. Soil protective enzyme activity (invertase, urease, and alkaline phosphatase) also showed dynamic changes after the intercropping of garlic. The principal soil nutrients (NPK) attained higher levels in pepper-garlic co-growth treatments as compared to the sole pepper The intercropping with green garlic (cv. G064) resulted highest nutrient levels suggesting that the effect might be cultivar specific. It was concluded that the intercropping of pepper with garlic enhances the soil fertility by changing nutrient levels, enzymatic activity and the soil microbial population. Overall, the pepper-garlic intercropping model provides a cost effective and eco-friendly organic farming system for vegetable growers.

Authors: 

Muhammad Azam Khan

Cheng Zhihui

Abdul Rehman Khan

Shah Jahan Rana

Bushra Ghazanfar

Publisher: 

International Journal of Agriculture and Biology

https://www.fspublishers.org/published_papers/88456_..pdf

       

What is intercropping? It is the planting of different crops in the same area. This can be in alternate rows, between rows or in the same block of vegetables if you are planting vegetables in blocks rather than rows. See references to Square Foot Gardening...

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Which is Better? Compost or Fertilizer?

Research article concludes that compost/vermicompost + fertilizers gave the best yields of cabbage. Make sure you use a high quality compost if you apply compost or make your own vermicompost (compost made by worms).

Viragrow carries high quality fertilizers for vegetables, fruit trees, landscapes and turfgrass.Try foliar applied fertilizers for faster response with a fertilizer applied directly to the plant rather than the soil.

Yield Performance of Cabbage under Different Combinations of Manures and Fertilizers

An investigation was made on yield performance of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) under different combinations of manures and fertilizers at Hogladanga village under Botiaghata upazila, Khulna during the period from November, 2013 to March, 2014. The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment consisted of seven treatments. The treatments were T recommended doses of NPK (urea @ 350 kg ha , TSP @ 250 kg ha , MoP @ 300 kg ha , 1 = 11 1 respectively), T = cowdung @10 t ha , T = vermicompost @ 10 t ha , T =Trichoderma compost @10 t ha , 23 4 11 1 T = 50 % cowdung + 50 % recommended doses of fertilizer, T = 50 % vermicompost + 50 % recommended doses 5 6 of fertilizer and T =50 % 7 Trichoderma compost + 50 % recommended doses of fertilizer. The growth and physio-morphological characteristics, yield attributes and yield were positively and significantly influenced by the application of vermicompost with recommended dose of NPK and also cowdung compost with the recommended dose of NPK. In most cases 50 % vermicompost + 50 % recommended doses of fertilizer receiving treatment performed better. However, the maximum yield of cabbage (57.16 t ha ) was obtained from the 1 treatment receiving 50 % vermicompost + 50 % recommended doses of fertilizers and the lowest yield of cabbage (38.48 t ha ) was obtained from the control. But considering the highest benefit cost ratio of cabbage 1 (3.63) was noted when applied 50 % cowdung + 50 % recommended doses of fertilizer was applied for sustainable crop production.

Authors: 

Kumazr Sajib

Prosanta Kumar Dash

Bipradas Adhikary

Abdul Mannan

Publisher: World Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Year: 2015
Read the entire article here 

Viragrow's natural compost, no biosolids, no food waste

Foliar applied fertilizer

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Swiss Chard Doing Fabulous In Viragrow Soil Mixes

Swiss chard 'Bright Lights' growing in raised beds at Viragrow's soil mix testing area. We test all of our soil mix products before we release them to the public, making sure they are safe to use and produce fabulous results!

www.Viragrow.com

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Composted Chicken Manure: a Solution for Nematode Problems?

This is difficult to to read unless you have a  background in writing scientific journal articles. The reason I included this summary is for those of you who do have this background and it interests you and I summarized it for the layperson. Highlighting is mine.

For me, this suggested the possibility of using composted poultry manure to help reduce populations of root knot nematode. By the way, Carbofuran is the chemical name for a highly toxic pesticide. I worked with this insecticide while a student at the University in some trials back in the 1970s with the entomology department at Colorado State University. The product I worked with was called by the manufacturer Furadan.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbofuran

Another take-home lesson from this research article is that when this insecticide/nematicide (pesticide) was applied to watermelons the plant was not able to transport this product to the melon itself in any measurable amounts using highly sophisticated gas chromatography- mass spectometry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_chromatography%E2%80%93mass_spectrometry


From reading this abstract or short summary below of the article we don't know the levels at which the insecticide was measured (ppb, ppt, etc). We also don't know if any related compounds were detected or even measured.

The good news? Composted chicken manure may be a good substitute for pesticides when trying to control nematodes in the gardens, fruit trees or landscapes.

Viragrow carries composted chicken manure in the form of EZ Green as an organic soil amendment that is OMRI certified.

 www.viragrow.com

Go to our bagged soil amendments

Nematicidal Effects of Carbofuran and GC-MS Analysis of its Residue in Pineapple Fruits 

Concerns over the safety of food items from fields treated with nematicides had risen in recent times. In this study, two field experiments arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design were conducted to assess the efficacy of poultry manure and carbofuran in suppressing nematode population and determine the residual presence of the nematicide in pineapple fruits. Three poultry manure rates (0, 20 and 25 metric tonnes per hectare) and carbofuran treatments (0, 3.0 kg a.i/ha and 3.4 kg a.i/ha) were applied to two naturally infested pineapple fields. Twenty core soil samples per plot were collected from plants rhizosphere at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months after planting. Fifty grams each of chopped pineapple samples from the carbofuran-treated and untreated plots was extracted with 20ml of ethyl acetate solution for fruit analysis to determine the residual presence of carbofuran using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The study indicated that poultry manure and carbofuran significantly (P≤ 0.05) suppressed nematode population in both locations and promoted crop yield. The GC-MS test showed that carbofuran and its metabolites were not detected in the pineapple fruits, suggesting that carbofuran is not likely to constitute dietary risks to consumers of fruits from treated plots.

Authors: 

Fisayo Daramola

Stephen Afolami

Ololade Enikuomehin

Conrad Omonhinmin

Abiodun Adebayo

 Full length article here

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Fall Planted Sweet Corn Doing Fabulous in Viragrow Soil Mixes is "Bodacious'!

'Bodacious' Sweet Corn planted September, 7, 2016 purchased from Park Seed Company
Planted at Viragrow in raised beds using Rejuvenate Soil Mix (Biosolid Free)

• Planted 12 inches on center
• Fertilizing with high nitrogen fertilizer every three weeks after planting
• 75 days to maturity when planted in the spring
• 10 weeks (70 days) and the ears are now filling out

Expect to eat corn in 10 days

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Rejuvenate Soil Mix Now Available in Bags

Rejuvenate Soil Mix is made from BF Compost (Biosolid Free). It is free of all animal and human waste. BF Compost is made from plant products, forest products and yard trimmings.

Rejuvenate Soil Mix is an alternative to Tomato Lady Soil Mix and includes Rock Dust!

Retail price $3.75 per one cubic foot bag

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Viragrow Compost Now Available in One Cubic Foot Bags

Viragrow Compost is the same compost used in Tomato Lady Soil Mix and our Premium Garden Soil Mix. It is now available in one cubic foot bags. Before now you could only buy it in bulk. That meant you had to provide containers or bags, come to Viragrow and load it yourself.

Now you can pick up one cubic foot bags of Viragrow Compost at very reasonable prices without worrying about containers and bags.

Viragrow Compost is full of plant nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and a dozen others

Viragrow Compost is full of beneficial microorganisms that help plants grow and improve soil "health"

Use Viragrow Compost for:

• Amending desert soils for raised beds. Mix desert soils with an equal amount of compost.
• Mixing it with soil used for planting trees, shrubs, fruit trees, small fruits and vines. Use an equal volume of Viragrow Compost mixed with the native soil taken from the planting hole
• Use it as a natural slow release fertilizer. Viragrow Compost contains alot of plant nutrients in amounts perfect for plant growth. For small plants use 1/3 of a cubic foot while large trees and shrubs require three to four cubic feet. Apply it on top of the soil or on top of rock mulch and water it in.
• Use it to improve the soil. Mixing Viragrow Compost 50/50 with soil opens the soil for better drainage and workability.

Retail Price $3.75 per cubic foot bag

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Extremelyt Popular 'Tomato Lady' Soil Mix Now in Bags

Tomato Lady Soil Mix now in bags!! Tomato Lady Soil Mix is our best selling soil mix by a long shot. It's got everything in it. Put it in your raised beds and start growing. Also great for planting fruit trees, ornamental trees and shrubs, flower beds. This is a finished product that is ready for immediate planting. Use it in raised beds, flower beds, planting trees and shrubs, fruit trees.

Viragrow's Tomato Lady Soil Mix. $3.75 per cubic foot bag

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Use the Correct Iron During the Summer Months

Q. I was told I need chelated iron for my roses..So  per instructions added the granulated type today..My question is how often do I do this?.They do not mention this on the label, just the dosage.

A. The soil applied chelated iron is not effective this time of year (summer). It should be applied once in January or early February just before new growth or shortly after it begins. Iron does not move inside the plant once growth has stopped. The only iron effective now on older growth is the iron applied to the leaves as a liquid spray. This liquid spray enters the leaf directly rather than up the inside of the plant from the roots. This is the one you should use after the big flush of spring growth.

 

It is 8 dry oz and sells for $5.20 and makes 50 gallons of liquid spray
Use distilled or RO water and a wetting agent such as  EZ Wet to help it move through the leaf surface

EZ Wet is a surfactant cold pressed from agave which helps make sprays "wetter" by reducing their surface tension. This helps sprays move inside the leaf rather than run off onto the ground
$20 per quart. Use 1 to 3 oz in 5 to 10 gallons of spray

You can get this one at Viragrow in North Las Vegas. Use distilled water when you mix it with water and a wetting agent like 1 tsp per gallon of dishwashing detergent but the commercial wetting agents are better such as EZ Wet. Apply it until the solution drips from the leaves. Repeat every 4 or 5 days for three or four applications.

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Star Jasmine LOVES Compost!

Q. We have star jasmine on both sides of the house. You mentioned adding compost to the plants and you mentioned Viragrow. Where are you located? We had trouble findingit.

A. The compost that Viragrow carries in North Las Vegas is called Viragrow compost. They carry two types of compost; one that has about 15% biosolids in it and the other is biosolid free. Both make very good soil amendments and can act as a slow release fertilizer as well.

Viragrow compost is straight, 100% compost. Use as a soil amendment or slow release fertilizer

It comes in bulk and also now in bags but the bags do not say compost on them. There was so much demand for it in small quantities that they started bagging it. They used some leftover bags for bagging the bulk compost. I think the bag says soil mix or something like that. 

Viragrow compost might come in either of these bags since leftover bags were used

Apply about 1/2 cubic foot per plant around the base, near the stem but not touching, and water it in. Apply it once a year and see the difference compost makes.

I am up there on Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays in the morning as their consultant to help homeowners with product selection and talk about any problems they might have. Feel free to stop in at that time if you want to talk with me about it.

The company, Viragrow, is located near Cheyenne and I 15. Exit I 15 and drive west to Losee Road. Turn north on Losee until you get to Colton, the first stoplight, and turn west and then an immediate north on Bruce. Viragrow is on Delhi St. which runs into Bruce.

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Bulk Compost for Twenty-Nine Palms, Joshua, Baker, Victorville, Palm Springs, Indio, Yucca Valley

We make direct drops of bulk compost or mulch to desert communities in California. 75 cubic yards. Buy it cooperatively or be a reseller. You would be surprised at the prices! Give us a call at 702-399-3868 or email us at info@Viragrow.com

• Viragrow Compost
• BF Compost
• Gorilla Hair Mulch
• Sequoia Blend Mulch
• All natural wood chip mulch

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Bulk Compost for Bullhead City, Kingman, Lake Havasu, Ft. Mojave, Parker

We make direct drops of bulk compost or mulch to Northern Arizona. 75 cubic yards. Buy it cooperatively or be a reseller. You would be surprised at the prices! Give us a call at 702-399-3868 or email us at info@Viragrow.com

• Viragrow Compost
• BF Compost
• Gorilla Hair Mulch
• Sequoia Blend Mulch
• All natural wood chip mulch

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Bulk Compost for Pahrump, Logandale, Alamo, Warm Springs, Goodsprings, Mesquite, Laughlin, Overton, Sandy Valley

We make direct drops of bulk compost or mulch to locations in Nevada outside of Las Vegas. 75 cubic yards. Buy it cooperatively or be a reseller. You would be surprised at the prices! Email us at info@Viragrow.com

• Viragrow Compost
• BF Compost
• Gorilla Hair Mulch
• Sequoia Blend Mulch
• All natural wood chip mulch

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Xtremehort at Viragrow Every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

Available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 6:30 am until noon.

We had several people ask if Xtremehort, Retired Emeritus Horticulturist from the University of Nevada, could be at Viragrow for help on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Well, we did it and Bob Morris will be here at our Yard office on those days from 6:30 am until about noon. But please call first in case there is a waiting line to see him.

702-399-3868

You can also schedule an appointment to see him by emailing him personally at Xtremehorticulture@gmail.com

Fertilizantes De Árboles, Arbustos, Palmeras Y Árboles Frutales

Aprende a fertilizar árboles , arbustos , palmeras y árboles frutales y qué utilizar .

Fertilizantes de Viragrow de Céspedes

Aprende a fertilizar el césped y lo que debe utilizar

Verlo en nuestro sitio web
http://www.viragrow.com/fertilizantes-de-cespedes

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Why is Steam Coming from My Compost?

Some people think that steam comes only from compost which is too hot for plants. When temperatures are cool, warm compost can create steam but is still safe to use when planting. Know the temperature of your compost. This is why Viragrow posts compost temperatures directly on its website.

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Specs for Landscape Architects on Using Compost

These specifications are for Landscape Architects that are recommending the use of compost for:
• Turf Establishment with Compost
• Planting Bed Establishment with Compost
• Compost as a Landscape Backfill Mix Component
• Compost as a Landscape Mulch
• Compost as a Soil Blanket for Erosion Control
• Compost as a Filter Berm for Sediment Control

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Vegetable Planting Calendar from Viragrow

This calendar is also available on our website here

This calendar tells you if you should plant from seed (s) or use transplants (T) or either (s,T)

It also gives you advice regarding building a raised bed without using costly sidewalls, nothing at all to contain the raised bed except the construction of the bed itself.

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How to Plant in Raised Beds Using Compost

Q. I am going to till up a new area for a vegetable garden. The soil is high clay content "good old desert dirt". Beside the obvious generous addition of compost, what else do you recommend to improve the soil? Washed sand, gypsum, greensand, steer manure? All of the above, none of the above? I thank you in advance for your answers, :)

A. If you add compost you wont really need anything more. I am sure some others have their favorites to add but the backbone is the “black gold” of the compost. The amount of compost depends on the organics in the soil to begin with. This can be judged oftentimes by soil color. A very light color usually indicates very low organics and I would add about 50/50 compost with the soil. If the soil is darker then you can add less. I would make raised beds. You can do this without sidewalls.

I attached two information sheets I wrote for Viragrow. The planting calendar is a general calendar and don’t take it as gospel. Just a guideline. It is for Las Vegas so adjust it accordingly. The calendar also has some instructions on making raised beds without constructing sidewalls. The other information sheet is on planting in compost rich soils and avoiding some possible burning of transplants and seeds during the summer months.

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Anti-Microbial Soaps an Environmental Problem?

Triclosan or TCS is routinely used in those sanitizing hand soaps we see in grocery stores, the airport and other places. Find out if it shows up in compost.

https://biosolidsblog.com/2016/06/29/triclosan-in-biosolids-no-cause-for-concern/


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Cut Back Difficult Plants to Get Them to Change

Q. This is the 8th year for our honeysuckle plants and, although they appear healthy, we cannot get them to produce blossoms. They do get one or two blossoms each year but do not produce massive blossoms. Tried various fertilizers to no avail. What can we do to stimulate blossoms?

A. I also had a problem with honeysuckle not flowering many years ago. We have a basic tenet in horticulture. When a plant is not doing well or not what we want, cut it back hard. I did that with honeysuckle and it started to bloom. 

I don't think it will be a special fertilizer or anything else. Make sure it gets fertilized once or twice a year, usually in the spring and as early as February. Make sure it gets plenty of water. This is not a desert plant but it can handle our extremes. 

To improve it's looks, add a half a cubic foot of compost to the base of the plant and watered in thoroughly. You can do that now. Viragrow in North Las Vegas has compost available for $2.50 for one cubic foot bag. I consult with them but that is the best compost available and it will improve the health of plants if they are struggling due to soil problems.

July Coupons Coming in.....July!

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Mulch and Sprays Reduce Black Fruit Rot on Tomato

Q. I planted tomatoes in late feb. in  my raised boxes..The cherry tomatoes have been doing great.. producing almost more then I can handle.The neighbors are enjoying the excess..However the larger varieties  develop  good size fruit but as they ripen  start to turn black on the bottom..making them unusable.. Any ideas or suggestions ??

A. This is a physiological disorder (not a true disease caused by a pathogen) called blossom end rot. It is suggested that it is caused by irregular soil moisture causing calcium deficiency. Here is a nice discussion by Bonnie Plants

http://xtremehorticulture.blogspot.com/2014/05/tomatoes-with-black-bottoms-now-being.html

Use mulches to reduce water stress. I like the horse bedding pine shavings you can find at Viragrow.

Calcium sprays might help such as Monterrey's Tomato Blossom Spray available from Viragrow.

Some varieties of tomato or more prone to blossom end rot than others. Keep track of the varieties you are growing and try different ones. It should improve later in the season.

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Viragrow Has Rock!

Because of several requests regarding rock mulch, Viragrow now has rock for its customers. Remember, rock mulch is not organic so covering the soil around plants with rock mulch will slowly (in three to five  years) deplete the organics in the soil.

For a decorative look, instead of rock, use wood mulch such as "Gorilla Hair" or Sequoia Blend found only at Viragrow. These organic mulches are very popular with landscapers and hotel gardeners for that very "finished" and decorative look.

Compost, unlike soil mixes, contains no sand or "filler". It does not add bulk to a soil but improves soil and root health. It is always best mixed with the soil at the time of planting. But it will also slowly improve soils when added to the soil surface near water.

Apply 100% compost to the rock mulch WITHOUT MOVING THE ROCK. Apply it near drip emitters or wherever the soil will be wet. Wash it into the soil with a hose. It will wash through the rock and on to the soil surface. As long as the soil becomes wet it will continue to "feed" plants and improve the soil.

Viragrow Small River Rock Mulch

Viragrow Large River Rock Mulch

Viragrow Rose Rock Mulch

Viragrow Gold Rock Mulch

Viragrow's Gorilla Hair Organic Mulch

Viragrow Sequoia Blend Organic Mulch

See Viragrow's organic mulch here

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