HOW TO MAKE AND USE COMPOST TEA FROM TOMATO TONE
I have had numerous questions about how to make and use compost tea from Tomato Tone. In this article I will explain, as best as I possibly can, how I have successfully used Tomato Tone tea to produce some of the best tomatoes in the world. In another article, I have written more about the various ways that I use this great fertilizer, specially formulated to provide everything tomato plants need throughout the season.
My Observations Since Using Tomato Tone
Before I started using this awesome Espoma product, I used many different brands and blends of fertilizers. I had plenty of successes, but nothing like I am having now. Since converting, one of the things that I have noticed, is that I haven’t had any incidents of blossom end rot. Another improvement is in the area of production. My plants have been healthier and produce at least 25% more fruits. I also love that plants never get burned, even when I am heavy-handed with my tea. Plants are always very responsive to a needed drink of TT tea. Within a few days of feeding, they visually come alive!
What I Use For Measuring
I do not use a standard size measuring cup, but this explanation will give you a better idea of how I successfully use and make compost tea. I use containers that I have around the house from my Chinese food store purchase. (Love Chinese Food). Yearly, I grow an average of 700-800 plants. , So I make a lot of tea! Normally, I go through 6-8, eighteen pound bags per year. This includes using the straight pellets/granules in my planting holes and that first drink of tea to water them in when transplanted.
After that first drink, I do not feed for another 3-4 weeks. I then continue to feed every 3 weeks from that point. Each time I feed or water from that point, I use 1 quart per plant. If there are lengthy periods of dry weather, watering is done twice weekly. If not, once weekly, unless it has rained. I try to water directly on the root-ball of the plant.
Ratio Of Tomato Tone To Water
1 Quart = 2 pints= 4 cups= 64Tbs =32 ounces = 2lbs.
1 Pint = 2 cups =32Tbs =16 ounces =1lb
1 Cup = 16 Tbs = 8 ounces
1/4 Cup = 4Tbs =2 ounces
For quick mix, use warm water and let mix sit for 1 hour before use.
I do my mixing in 5 gallon buckets. My mixture is, one full cup (8 ounces) see picture above, per 5 gallon bucket. To save time, I measure and mix (in one bucket), enough to supply 10 buckets of tea. After tea is made I just divide the concentrate in 10, then fill the rest of the buckets with water. If you are making smaller quantities, like one gallon, just for a few plants, simply do the math. I use 1/4 to 1/2 cup per gallon of tea. Remember your plants will not get burnt even if you are way over the recommended amounts.
NOTE: Tomato Tone tea will begin to develop a stench after a few days of non-use. It usually becomes worse with every passing day. It still can be used and would not hurt your plants, just your ego!
I believe Tomato Tone is sold in 4, 8 and 18 pound bag quantities. I purchase the 18 pound bags for about fifteen dollars each. There may also be smaller quantities available, inquire! PS: Watch out for end of season sales, where TT and other organic fertilizers can be purchased for as much as half that costs . Espoma Tomato Tone stores excellently in cool dry places.
Let me know if this article helped!!
~Curtis T Maters~
I’m so happy to find your instructions on TT tea, because I just got a bag of Tomato Tone, and find the dry application pretty inconvenient for my indoor potted microtomatoes!
One issue though is it seems like you’re recommending much smaller amounts than the manufacturer. At your ratios, I would be using 0.75 tbsp TT for the 1/4 gallons I use to water my 12 pots. But Espoma’s instructions recommend 0.75 tbsp dry feed per pot, for 6 inch pots!
So why the discrepancy? Is the tea more effective than the dry application? Is the manufacturer just recommending way too much? Do I really only need less than a tbsp total every 3 weeks for my 12 little microtomatoes?
Hey Curtis,
Jeff, here. Thanks again for all this info. I got some Tomato Tone this yr., 4 for the price of one (end of season sell). Now is the time to prepare for our next growing time, for me it’s all year round.
Thank you for such good information. I believe in Espoma products and I enjoy making the tea. Some how that tea works best for me. As a gardener of many years, I can always learn from others. Again, thank you.
Hey Curtis. Love your sight and good article on the use of Tomato Tone. I recently started using the Espoma organic fertilizer and am pleased with the results. I love growing tomatoes also, but recently started back at trying to grow watermelon. Wow…they can be a challenge for numerous reasons. One of the things that I have learned is that they are heavy potassium feeders and I think phosphorous also. Mainly during the fruiting stage. Last year I got over zealous and added a different fertilizer with too much phosphorus and potassium and almost wiped out the few plants that I had. So I am more cautious this year. So my question is, do you think the Tomato Tone would work well for watermelon growth? I live in Maryland and sometimes the May nights can be too cool to give watermelon the longest season they need with warm/hot weather, so a mis-application of fertilizer can kill any progress and I could end up having to wait another whole year because there would not be enough time left in the season for them to recover and fully mature. Delays can be deadly for WM. To get a nice size fully ripe melon you need to have the fruit starting to grow well early enough in the warm/hot season to fully mature. Don’t want to mess up…lol. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks for any feedback. Happy gardening. : )
Hi, tomato tone or garden tone would work great. I used both on my few watermelon plants each year, with god results.
Can I use garden tone in place of tomato tone? New to gardening would like to make this tea
Yes, I have done that with good results but believe that tomato tones works better for tomatoes.
Hello good day! Where do you get your serenade that you mention in the video?
I buy my serenade usually on Ebay. Thanks for your question, Julie!
Curtis, Thanks for the article. I will be making a small batch of tea. Does the 1/4 to 1/2 cup of TT in one gallon of water make a batch of tea or a batch of tea concentrate? In other words, do I still have to dilute it or is this the strength to use it at?
Thanks,
Yes, you can dilute it or leave it at that strength. I wouldn’t hurt the plant one way or the other. I use about one cup per 5 gallon bucket.
Thanks for this article – great information. I've used Tomato Tone for a couple years but never considered using it to make compost tea. I (very recently) decided to try growing tomatoes from seed and this literally brings my transplants to life.
Jess, thanks for the feedback! I always use Tomato Tone compost on my new transplants. In fact, I saturate the soil(pots/containers) with it before I put them in. When in the ground, they get their firs drink of tea at the moment of transplant, along with some granules in holes and as top-dressing. After that, I don’t fertilize again for about a month, when the plants have really caught on and starting to show signs of blooming! I only use the granules again if it’s going to rain and I have time to sprinkle a little at the base of each plant. If not, every three weeks or so they get a tea drink! Huge harvests!