Fertilizers: Neptune’s Harvest vs Texas Tomato Food?

[Cranraspberry]

I had really great results last year with TTF, but I’ve also heard great things about Neptune’s Harvest. Has anyone tried both and compared the two?

NH ends up being quite a bit more expensive: depending on the type it’s about $60/gallon, and dosage is 1 oz/gallon of water, while TTF is $48/gallon and you only need 0.5 oz/gallon, so leaning towards sticking with that, but still curious!

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

I used to use NH, switched to TTF and loved results so stuck with it for. Last year, which was a really rough year for my garden, I used both. I will repeat again and hope for better results. I have never done a side by side comparison to them though.

[rossomendblot]

I don't have experience with either but just looking at the NPK numbers I would prefer the TTF (4-2.5-6). Neptune's Harvest (2-4-2) seems quite high in P, whereas most of the tomato fertilisers I have seen are higher in K. Seems like Neptune's Harvest would be more suitable if your soil was low in phosphorous and high in potassium?

[Setec Astronomy]

Last year I alternated between the NH and TTF, I believe I started with the blue label NH (fish/seaweed) before changing to the tomato version when the plants matured. I honestly disliked the handling of the NH due to the smell (when bringing the jug and mixing container back inside, and worrying about splashing it on my shoes/clothes), and I'm going to stick with just TTF this year.

[Cranraspberry]

@Setec Astronomy I used Alaska fish fertilizer last year and the smell was HORRIBLE. I knew I had covid when I opened the bottle without gagging! And it attracted tons of flies too. My understanding was that NH was higher grade and less smelly, but I guess when fish is your main ingredient it will always have that scent. Another reason to stick with TTF!

[Toomanymatoes]

Just buy whatever is cheaper. It will break down in the soil all the same and the plants will take what they need. If you want to be more accurate, test your soil and make up for any deficiencies if there are any. There is no other way to really do it properly.

[Setec Astronomy]

@Setec Astronomy I used Alaska fish fertilizer last year and the smell was HORRIBLE. I knew I had covid when I opened the bottle without gagging! And it attracted tons of flies too. My understanding was that NH was higher grade and less smelly, but I guess when fish is your main ingredient it will always have that scent. Another reason to stick with TTF!

I don't remember the NH being horrible or gag-worthy, just unpleasant. I still have half a jug from last year that I'm going to use up, I'll report back in a couple of months with fresh recollections. As noted the NH is also much more expensive per mixed gallon.

PS The TTF is only about $30/gallon if you buy the 4-pack, which is probably what I will do this year. Oops, I see they charge you for the shipping when you buy the 4-pack, so it comes out to about $37.50, but they let you mix-and-match the 4 pack.

[Cranraspberry]

@Setec Astronomy one issue I ran into this year is that the TTF really separates over time, and shaking it to try and recombine is a bit of a pain. I had a half gallon jug of their vegetable formula from last year that I recently opened, and even that took some time and upper body strength to shake up, a gallon would be even more difficult. But we have a tiny garden, I’m sure there are folks who go through 4+ gallons a season, and for them it wouldn’t be an issue.

[karstopography]

For me a gallon of TTF lasts a pretty good amount of time. I got my gallon early in last season and still have quite a bit remaining, over 1/2 gallon, and I’ve already used a little this season. I’m thinking I won’t use up what’s remaining this season, but maybe I might. The price doesn’t seem so bad since it lasts so long. Our local feed store carries TTF and I believe also NH. I might go half strength on TTF and put in some 5-1-1 fish emulsion instead if I feel like the tomatoes need some more N. That fish emulsion reeks, but it will definitely green up things.

I’ve got tomato plants in four different beds currently each with slightly different soil consistency and make up that are periodically being amended with various things and stay in cultivation for almost the entire year. Even if I had the soil tested for each one I feel like some of the math would likely change before the test results came back.

TTF does separate during the off season and it takes significant elbow grease and time to get it blended again.

Next time at the feed store I might check out to see if the have Neptune’s Harvest. Maybe I’ll get some of that to see how the tomatoes respond.

[Cranraspberry]

The Alaska 5-1-1 was a total bust for us last year. I purchased it because using TTF on fall lettuces seemed like a waste, but with the Alaska they just sat there. I think I used it for almost a month till I broke down and gave everything a shot of 1/3 strength Miracle Gro and all of a sudden we had greens exploding! Our parsley got big enough to harvest after spending all summer at transplant size! Guessing our soil had some significant nitrogen tie up issues, but between that and the smell I’m a little miffed at Alaska.

[Setec Astronomy]

@Setec Astronomy one issue I ran into this year is that the TTF really separates over time, and shaking it to try and recombine is a bit of a pain. I had a half gallon jug of their vegetable formula from last year that I recently opened, and even that took some time and upper body strength to shake up, a gallon would be even more difficult. But we have a tiny garden, I’m sure there are folks who go through 4+ gallons a season, and for them it wouldn’t be an issue.

I think I bought 2 gallons of NH and 2 gallons of TTF last year, and used about 1.5 gallons of each, I have all my plants in containers. I transferred my second gallon of TTF into a translucent jug with a spigot, then I can see when it's mixed up. If I recall, the NH needs to be shaken up also, although it doesn't crystallize the way the TTF can.

[karstopography]

The Alaska 5-1-1 was a total bust for us last year. I purchased it because using TTF on fall lettuces seemed like a waste, but with the Alaska they just sat there. I think I used it for almost a month till I broke down and gave everything a shot of 1/3 strength Miracle Gro and all of a sudden we had greens exploding! Our parsley got big enough to harvest after spending all summer at transplant size! Guessing our soil had some significant nitrogen tie up issues, but between that and the smell I’m a little miffed at Alaska.

I’ve been using the Fertilome 5-1-1 fish emulsion with good outcomes on spinach, lettuce and others. I’m starting to run low on the Fertilome and went to buy more, but they were out of it and only had the Alaska brand which I purchased. I guess I’ll see soon enough if the Alaska brand works like the Fertilome did.

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

@Setec Astronomy one issue I ran into this year is that the TTF really separates over time, and shaking it to try and recombine is a bit of a pain. I had a half gallon jug of their vegetable formula from last year that I recently opened, and even that took some time and upper body strength to shake up, a gallon would be even more difficult. But we have a tiny garden, I’m sure there are folks who go through 4+ gallons a season, and for them it wouldn’t be an issue.

You can soak the bottle in warm, not hot water, for a bit which helps a bit.

[Seven Bends]

@Setec Astronomy one issue I ran into this year is that the TTF really separates over time, and shaking it to try and recombine is a bit of a pain. I had a half gallon jug of their vegetable formula from last year that I recently opened, and even that took some time and upper body strength to shake up, a gallon would be even more difficult. But we have a tiny garden, I’m sure there are folks who go through 4+ gallons a season, and for them it wouldn’t be an issue.

You can soak the bottle in warm, not hot water, for a bit which helps a bit.

The Urban Farm people (makers of TTF) say that if it crystallizes, you can put it in a warm car to warm up, then shake it for 1-2 minutes. No details about how warm the car should be or how warm you should let the TTF get before shaking. I have a gallon of it that's almost three years old, so I guess I'll be testing one of these methods soon.

[Cranraspberry]

I actually tried to remember to shake the bottle every now and then through the winter, but it wasn’t enough. Mine didn’t crystallize, but a thicker sludge settled on the bottom and it took a while - probably would have gone faster had I followed the instructions about warming it up first.

[Sue_CT]

I keep hoping I can pick up one of those paint shakers some day if I ever see a paint store going out of business. I had great luck with TTF, but not allowed to use it any more. Still a tad grouchy about that.

[peroto777]

Neptune's Harvest, always.
The overhyped TTF is chock-full with synthetics (read the ingredients), since it was designed for hydroponic systems and it might enhance your harvest a bit but will also make the tomatoes tasteless. If you are a market grower that's good news, if you grow tomatoes for yourself bad news.
Neptune's is OMRI, just fermented fish with phosphoric some acid as stabilizer, one of the best liquid fertilizers out there.
Too bad Amazon doesn't sell it anymore and the 3rd party sellers are all trying to make a killing. Still, you can get a 5gal for $150, same price per gallon as the TTF.

[Sue_CT]

Personally did not find it made my tomatoes tasteless at all. YMMV.

[Barb_FL]

Neptune's Harvest, always.
The overhyped TTF is chock-full with synthetics (read the ingredients), since it was designed for hydroponic systems and it might enhance your harvest a bit but will also make the tomatoes tasteless. .....

This is not true. Because of nematodes, I grow great tasting tomatoes in grow bags and Earthboxes.

Urban Farms use to have a dry organic fertilizer that was the best I ever came across. I have tried many trying to duplicate it.

[PlainJane]

@Barb_FL I loved that Urban Farms dry fert. It was expensive but fantastic.