Is flushing necessary for outdoor tomatoes?

[KosmoKramer]

Posted a new topic a few days ago, but I think I worded it wrong. So here goes again.

I just planted 3 tomato plants outdoors yesterday. 2 Early Girls, and a Goliath something. They are in 5 gal Hempys, handwatered to waste, in coco, and I've decided to use up some of my GH nutes (got lots) and run them with Head's 6/9 formula. I had some seeds started but based on they're small size I bought some at the local nursery and tranplanted them from soil to coco.

Tomato plants being a somewhat continuous harvesting plant I was wondering if and/or how they are to be flushed. Is it really necessary to flush them? If so, when and for how long?

Do I really need to starve them if they will be bearing fruits for weeks? Will flushing them for long periods have an effect on yield and fruit weight? I would thing so.

I was under the impression that flushing was more for leafy consumables rather than for fruit bearing species. I'm hoping some experienced tomato growers can shed some light on this topic and enlighten me.

Thanks

 

[ranta]

flushing is recommended

 

[fishheadbob]

I wouldn't go out of your way to flush your plants as long as you discontinue your nutes well before harvest. The commercial tomatoes you've been eating all your life have chemical fertilizers applied around planting time, then they're not normally fertilized again. Keep watering them as you go along right up to picking time. You have in effect banked nutrients in the soil and the plant stems as the plants take up your nutes, and by continuing to water them you'll keep your tomatoes juicy and do a de facto flush.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Tomatoes put out all season. Kinda hard to flush something like that. As long as the foliage doesn't show signs of over feeding you should be fine.

I feed mine GH too, they love it. Kinda expensive but it gets rid of the big sample bottle of floranova grow I never use with mj.

I usually alternate feedings with plain water unless plants show deficiencies. Other than that, no flush.

 

[KosmoKramer]

Thanks for the replies

Disco, how's the flavor on your tom's? Any metallic or funky tastes? My actual nute plan is to do Rez's with one Kool Bloom blast as soon as flowers appear, then 6/9 rest of the way.

Maybe I'll do a little experiment and do one with a flush and one without.

Thanks again

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Tastes fine to me.

 

[dagnabit]

if you ever get the chance to try millionaire or black from tula you will never want another early girl or goliath beefsteak again.

it's like eating good dry aged beef,after you have it once you ask yourself "what is this crap i've been eating that people call beef?" and you never wanna eat regular beef again!

those heirlooms are like the landraces of tomatoes

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

i like better boy

 

[supermanlives]

i have never flushed i grow both determinate and indeterminate. one you can flush if you wanted as fruits tent to be all at the same time. if i tried to flush my cherry tomatoes i would loose yield big time

 

[supermanlives]

oxheart rules. brandywine second. people slice em and make a tomato sandwich. 1 slice is all you need. so sweet. heirlooms are where its at

 

[dagnabit]

i like better boy

Better boy and flavr savr are both actually GMO product lines

 

[ogenko]

Is it really necessary to flush them? If so, when and for how long?

same as bud, answer is no

 

[Jaymer]

We pay a lot for these nutrients, might as well eat them.

 

[Eatatjoes]

Flushing isn't needed, but if your tomato's taste a bit salty (like mine sometimes did) you might want to cut back on the nutes. I used maxibloom with good results.

 

[lloy]

good answers so far, no need to flush. Try hierloom varietys next time. Good luck