Knox Gelatine on Tomato Plants

Gelatin properties

• Unflavored gelatin is a high source of nitrogen, a key plant nutrient. Some companies, including Knox, have even labeled their unflavored gelatin boxes as a 15-0-0 plant fertilizer. This means the gelatin contains 15 percent nitrogen and no potassium or phosphorous, calcium, magnesium or other essential minerals. Even flavored Jell-O brand dessert gelatin can be used in the same way as the unflavored gelatin. You must be careful to use only the sugar-sweetened type, however. Artificial sweeteners can actually damage plants, so sugar-free products shouldn't be used as fertilizers. The gelatin's water solubility allows nitrogen to be released slowly as microbes decompose the gelatin's proteins.

Formula

• The Knox Gelatine website recommends adding 1 pouch of Knox Gelatine to ¼ cup cold water in a pitcher. After the gelatine softens for up to two minutes, add 1 cup of room temperature tap water, stirring to finish dissolving the gelatin. Add water sufficient to make 1 quart of liquid. The solution can be used in place of normal water when irrigating. Water plants enough to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Avoid leaving standing water puddles around your plants. Gelatin sitting in standing water makes an excellent medium for growing fungi and bacteria.

Tomato Nutritional Needs

• Tomato plants require less nitrogen than other plants. Tomato-specific fertilizers typically use an 8-32-15 or 6-24-24 blend that's low in nitrogen. High levels of nitrogen will stimulate the growth of early foliage to the detriment of later vine, blossom and fruit growth, and can significantly reduce crop yields. Once set, the growing fruit draws potassium, calcium and phosphorous from the rest of the plant. These are the nutrients that need replacing during the time fruit is growing and ripening. Excess nitrogen in the soil, on the other hand, actually inhibits fruit production.

Gelatin and Tomatoes

• Because gelatin is pure nitrogen, the only use tomato growers might have for Knox Gelatine is in the unlikely event that the tomato plants' soil is too low in nitrogen. However, the soil in most gardens is more likely to test too high in nitrogen than too low. By reducing nitrogen levels in your regular fertilizer, the soil's nitrogen is consumed by the plants without replacement, thereby lowering levels of nitrogen in the surrounding soil. This makes tomato plants much happier.