[Nature_Lover]

I recently moved to a house with a great neighbor/landlord. He grows three large garden plots every year, assorted tomatoes, six varieties of peppers, green beans, yellow squash, and zucchini. He doesn't fertilize or amend the soil at all, and so far this year has had a bumper crop. But most of the squash and zucchini, and a small patch (40 plants) of tomatoes are going bye. These tomato plants are smaller than those in the big garden, probably because of limited watering. When I asked him if I could try to revive this garden with organic fertilizer, he agreed to let me try - only organic, though.
(He doesn't believe in fertilizing.)

I live in Missouri, zone six.

Can I do this, and expect the plants to start growing and blooming again?

After two months of giving them away, the squash have stopped blooming, and the squash/zucchini are small and stunted, not maturing.

I've read a lot about organic fertilizers, their properties and how to apply them.

What I haven't been able to find out is which ones to use for mid-season top-dressing, and if they will even work this late in the season.
I would not mind mixing components in my garden cart if necessary, but is there a pre-mixed organic fertilizer that might do what I need?

I will start watering deeply twice a week while we have the hot weather, I trenched the garden so the water soaks in at the base of the plants instead of running off, intending to put the fertilizer in the trenches.
Is this the way to do this?

I figure I might have six or eight weeks left of growing season, will the squash begin to grow and bear again, or are they just spent for the season?

LOL, Can you tell I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm doing it anyway?

 

[ceresone]

I dont know how good a job the recipe for organic fertilizer that I have would work, this late, and in the terrible heat we're having. (same location as you) I would try fish emulsion, see if it responds, but my garden is burning up, regardless of what I do. 100 plus temps is a bit much, just hoping mine hangs on till fall.

 

[Tricky Grama]

Maybe use compost tea & make sure you're mulched a lot.

Patty

 

[Beltane]

I started using this mixture this year with EXCELLENT results. I'm due for another side-dressing now!

Organic Fertilizer

The Quick and Easy Guide to Fertilizer
Organic Fertilizer Recipe

Mix uniformly, in parts by volume:
4 parts seed meal*
1/4 part ordinary agricultural lime, best finely ground
1/4 part gypsum (or double the agricultural lime)
1/2 part dolomitic lime

Plus, for best results:
1 part bone meal, rock phosphate or high-phosphate guano
1/2 to 1 part kelp meal (or 1 part basalt dust)

 

[wy_white_wolf]

Urine, reduce about 20 to 1 with water.

 

[Nature_Lover]

Thank You all for the replies, and the link.

I've started watering, and most of the plants have perked up, I am optimistic.

Fish emulsion looks like a good choice, inexpensive, and not labor intensive. It has a lot of nitrogen to stimulate green growth, and some phosphorous for flowers. Probably the best choice until I see if they really will start growing again.

I picked a lot of stink bugs from the squash, and the plants that are still alive are growing new leaves already.
The tomatoes aren't drooping, despite two weeks of 100 plus temperatures, hopefully we are finished with the heatwave, it's only going to be in the nineties for at least a few days.
ceresone, I'm sending positive energy to your garden, too!

Tricky Grama, thanks for suggesting mulch, I forgot all about it. I think after I side-dress, I'll put down some straw. Does anyone know if straw is ok for under squash? I don't want to rot the veggies, but I want to try to get them off the ground, if possible.
I'm not sure whether compost tea is the best choice in my situation. I don't have any, and I really don't want to carry a liquid fertilizer out there (200+ feet from the faucet,) the hoses are enough of a pain right now.

Beltane, thank you for the link, and the recipe. If these take off like I expect them to, I'll wait a few weeks and use your mixture for long-term, continuous feeding under that straw mulch.

wy_white_wolf, LOL do you save your urine, take up a collection, or buy it? Thanks for the suggestion, but again, liquid fertilizer isn't practical in this garden.

I found a home recipe for molasses water to spray for squash bugs, I'll try that and let you know whether it works, 1/2 cup black strap molasses to a gallon of water, spray tops & undersides of leaves.
I hope that doesn't just chase them off over to the tomatoes.

I got out there and counted, there's only about twenty tomato plants left alive, and eight squash hills with about thirteen plants.

I'll post some pictures when I find my camera.

Thank You again for the help,

 

[wy_white_wolf]

At this time I don't save mine because of the medications I'm on. If it was only me eating from the garden than I would.

Can't seem to get anyone else to donate to the cause, wonder why.

I do have a friend that hooked up the canister (without a filter installed) for a whole hose filter to his drip system. Once a week he fills the canister and waters away. He grows the biggest and best vegis around.

 

[jnap31]

My family will be Donating to the cause next year for growing corn Wy white wolf

 

[Nature_Lover]

Heh, that's a long way to go, jnap.
Even if you are back in the states now.
~jus' couldn't pass it up....