This trial, started in August 2007, examines the effects of Sea-Crop on seed germination and early growth and the later incorporation of molasses fertilizer mixed with Sea-Crop as opposed to a molasses only control group on Micro Tom variety tomato.

 

The advantages of the Micro Tom include its small size, ability to grow to fruition in a small 4” pot, and its ability to grow in lower light sources. The main problem of the Micro Tom is that unlike other varieties of tomato it is very susceptible to aphid attack.

 

On August 8, 2007 Micro Tom seeds were sewn into 4” pots as shown in the following photo. The four rows on the right received 100 mg. of Sea-Crop concentrate diluted to 0.25% with 40 ml. of water used as planting solution via overhead sprinkler can and the three rows of control plants on the left received 40 ml. of water only. Soil used in the trial was Organic Choice Potting Mix a commercially available product of the Scotts Company.

 

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This photo was taken eight days (on 8/16/07) after planting and shows the positive effect of Sea-Crop
on the seed germination and early growth of the Micro Tom tomato plants.

 

Three weeks after planting (09/01/07) the tomato plants were fertilized with a solution of 1 gr./liter of Schultz Garden Safe (sugar beet molasses) alone mixed with water on the control group and the Sea-Crop plants received a mixture of 1 gr./liter Sea-Crop with 1 gr./liter of the Schultz molasses mixed with water.

 

On September 15, 2007 the control plants received a foliar spray of 1% molasses and the Sea-Crop plants received a foliar spray of a 0.5% molasses 0.5% Sea-Crop Combination.

 

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This photo was taken 37 days after seed planting and just before the application of the foliar spray treatment.
Note the number of surviving Sea-Crop treated plants on the right compared to the control group in the three rows on the left.

 

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41 days after seed planting and 4 days after foliar treatment

 

The results of the final harvest on December 21, 2007 are shown in the following photos. Eight representative plants from each treatment were harvested.

 

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The fruit, each representative of a group of eight plants, was counted and weighed.
The molasses only control on the left yielded 31 tomatoes weighing 107.84 grams
while the molasses/Sea-Crop treatment on the right  yielded 57 Tomatoes weighing a total of 263.5 grams .

 

 

Tomatoes harvested from eight representative plants with molasses fertilizer only are shown on the left
and the tomatoes harvested from eight representative plants with Sea-Crop plus molasses fertilizer are shown on the right.
Both harvests took place on 12/21/07.

 

From this trial it was observed that Sea-Crop in a small dosage at seed planting benefited seed germination and early growth resulting in more tomato plants and healthier starts. The molasses fertilizer applications by itself benefited the control group but not to the extent that the combination of Sea-Crop and Molasses did.

 

Based on other experiments with this variety, more fertilization than was provided by the molasses would have benefited both groups and most likely additional nitrogen fertilizer in an organic form at planting or at the initial fertilization would have resulted in even more effective growth. However, from a preliminary examination additional trials with Sea-Crop/molasses are recommended with different ratios of the blended products.

 

Additional data and photos from root washing of the plants will be provided in the near future.