I decided I'd copy my post here where more gardeners might see it and pick up something new to try...also, I'm thinking about adding another possible ingredient. Here is the original post with a couple tweaks for clarity:
I start all my tomato seeds in large solo cups with only a couple inches of dirt in the bottom. As they grow taller, I add more dirt so that by the time the cup is full of dirt, I have a huge root system. I let them keep going after the cup is topped off with dirt until they are about 18 inches above the rim of the cup. I dig a very deep hole, about 15 to 18 inches, and put the egg in the bottom. I add epsom, calcium...sometimes powdered milk, sometimes crushed calcium pills, whatever I'm needing to rotate but the pills work better, a handful of Dr. Earth Bud & Bloom, a couple handfuls from my compost bin and maybe a few more secret ingredients lol. I mix it all up with my sharp shooter being sure to break the egg then take off the bottom leaves from my plant and put it in the hole leaving about nine inches above ground, top the hole off with water, fill it back up with dirt and then water again in a couple hours.
Before planting, I do my whole garden with the mittleider protocol plus a little granular fertilizer and yellow cornmeal. I never plant my tomatoes until two weeks after the last frost date unless the nights are warmer than usual. I'm in no rush, they are thriving and living happily in their solo cups. Also, I never up-pot my tomatoes. They grow their whole young life in one cup, undisturbed until I am ready to put them in the ground. I also plant a marigold between each tomato.
Edited to add...I always put a huge nail alongside the stalk and into the ground to stop cut worms. My tallest varieties are Trip-L-Crops and Cherokee Purples with Amish Paste being right after them. I grow a few others but most of them are a shorter variety.
Last year I bought this and used the largest auger to dig my tomato holes...life was much easier:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097B1ZFDR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?
I notice the above item has sold out since I made my original post but there are others available. I never used the gloves or the smaller auger...it was just cheaper to buy the combo at the time than the single auger. The thing I'm considering adding is a little bone meal to each hole...it will help the blooms. The Dr. Earth Bud and Bloom does great but I'm having trouble getting it lately and it's gone up quite a bit. I'll be using a little of both as long as I have the Dr. Earth. I have other Dr. Earth fertilizers that I will add in addition to the bone meal if I can't get the Bud and Bloom.
Edited to add a link to the egg testing thread: FOOD - How to easily check if your eggs are good or bad.
www.timebomb2000.com
I start all my tomato seeds in large solo cups with only a couple inches of dirt in the bottom. As they grow taller, I add more dirt so that by the time the cup is full of dirt, I have a huge root system. I let them keep going after the cup is topped off with dirt until they are about 18 inches above the rim of the cup. I dig a very deep hole, about 15 to 18 inches, and put the egg in the bottom. I add epsom, calcium...sometimes powdered milk, sometimes crushed calcium pills, whatever I'm needing to rotate but the pills work better, a handful of Dr. Earth Bud & Bloom, a couple handfuls from my compost bin and maybe a few more secret ingredients lol. I mix it all up with my sharp shooter being sure to break the egg then take off the bottom leaves from my plant and put it in the hole leaving about nine inches above ground, top the hole off with water, fill it back up with dirt and then water again in a couple hours.
Before planting, I do my whole garden with the mittleider protocol plus a little granular fertilizer and yellow cornmeal. I never plant my tomatoes until two weeks after the last frost date unless the nights are warmer than usual. I'm in no rush, they are thriving and living happily in their solo cups. Also, I never up-pot my tomatoes. They grow their whole young life in one cup, undisturbed until I am ready to put them in the ground. I also plant a marigold between each tomato.
Edited to add...I always put a huge nail alongside the stalk and into the ground to stop cut worms. My tallest varieties are Trip-L-Crops and Cherokee Purples with Amish Paste being right after them. I grow a few others but most of them are a shorter variety.
Last year I bought this and used the largest auger to dig my tomato holes...life was much easier:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B097B1ZFDR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?
I notice the above item has sold out since I made my original post but there are others available. I never used the gloves or the smaller auger...it was just cheaper to buy the combo at the time than the single auger. The thing I'm considering adding is a little bone meal to each hole...it will help the blooms. The Dr. Earth Bud and Bloom does great but I'm having trouble getting it lately and it's gone up quite a bit. I'll be using a little of both as long as I have the Dr. Earth. I have other Dr. Earth fertilizers that I will add in addition to the bone meal if I can't get the Bud and Bloom.
Edited to add a link to the egg testing thread: FOOD - How to easily check if your eggs are good or bad.
FOOD - How to easily check if your eggs are good or bad
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/how-to-easily-check-if-your-eggs-are-good-or-bad/ar-AA19tnPn?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=2ff09333e9fc41938ecfdf92f10bd915&ei=67 Fair Use- Story by Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY • Tuesday Aside from the obvious barometers like smell and color, it can...
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