Seeds contain nutritional compounds essential to plant growth. Allow these compounds to work in your garden by using Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food.
Our Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food comes in an easy-pour, bright green jug. Feed your plants with seed extractions from Mother Nature in liquid form.
What if the life-supporting power of a seed could be put into a bottle? That question inspired the inventor of Bonnie’s fertilizer to do just that. We’ve been using this unique, patented formula as part of our process of producing lush, well-rooted transplants in our greenhouses. Now we are bringing the formula to you in Bonnie Herb and Vegetable 8-4-4 Plant Food so that you can continue this excellent source of nutrition in your garden.
Why a Seed?
Mother Nature put into a seed all that is needed to propagate the next generation. Our plant food simply found these nutrients, extracted them, and placed the “secret” in a bottle.
How to Use Bonnie Herb and Vegetable Plant Food
Just mix with water and pour. You can use it from a watering can or a hose end sprayer over your entire garden. Follow the directions on the label.
Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food has been tested and approved by the National Home Gardening Club.
The Benefits
- Quick results.
- An excellent food source for beneficial organisms in the soil. Helps support nutrient-rich soil.
- Supplies nutritional compounds that enhance and benefit overall plant growth.
Why It’s Different
Compared to traditional chemical fertilizers, we see a superior response in the vigor of our plants when using this unique formula. Oilseed extract is known to contain nutritional compounds that are vital to plant growth.
We invite you to try it and judge for yourself.
Download the Material Safety Data Sheet for Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food. The MSDS is in .PDF format and can be viewed in Acrobat Reader.
tt Kapphahn
How do I prevent botttom rot on Tomato,. I plant everything in contiaers.
Hi Jeanett,
Blossom end rot is a very common problem caused by a calcium deficiency, but there are a few ways to prevent and/or address it. You can find more info in the article Conquer Blossom End Rot. Happy gardening!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I am having trouble growing herbs outside. How can I grow herbs inside?
Hi Yvonne,
Browse the articles in our Herbs section—I hope you find some info that will give you more success growing herbs outdoors. It is possible to grow herbs indoors in a sunny windowsill. We suggest you start with mint, rosemary, thyme, and oregano rather than basil, which loves hot weather. I am actually starting an indoor windowsill garden myself, and I’ll post on our website about the results, so stay tuned. I’d love to hear about your experience as well.
Best,
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
My cabbage is smal and wont get bigger.I water it every week unles rains.
Hi Ashley,
Have you tried using a little fertilizer, too? Are you growing the cabbage for the Cabbage Program? Thanks!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I am having the same issue. All plants were planted at the same time but only 4 are growing like they should. Slowly I picked a head Sunday it was small but fed us. I fertilize and have put Rabbit poop around them and egg shells.
Looking for Juliet rom a tomatoes, when are they available in Lowes or Home Depot , Ocala Fl. 34482 , thank you Sam
Hello, I was at Home Depot in Charlotte NC yesterday and I saw the most gorgeous strawberry plants and herbs with your tag in the pot. With so many seed/plant companies sellling out to Monsanto, I am very wary of buying plants that are GMO. I am no fanatic, however I do know that GMO plants have been found to damage the outer shell of our human cells. I really want to purchase these plants, can you tell me if any are organic or non-GMO?
Thank you very much,
Nancy Lopez-Ibanez
Charlotte, NC
Hi Nancy,
All our plants are non-GMO, so you can rest assured when buying a Bonnie plant! Good luck with your strawberries. Learn all about growing strawberries on our new strawberry page.
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Thanks for the info! I have to go buy some plants also this week and will look for Bonnie. I wish they were all organic too but I very much appreciate the non-GMO.
looking for mucho nacho jalapeno plants
Hi Eduardo,
We carry Mucho Nacho jalapeño. Find a Bonnie retailer in your area and look for this variety on the Bonnie Plants rack.
Good luck!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Hello, I’m seed starting 5 different types of watermelon(Orangalo, Startbrite, Jubilee, SSX 7405 Hybrid,Crimson Sweet) in my home. Im not using any fertilizer just seed starting soil its taking about 2 weeks to get somewhat of a good root system on them before I transplant them to my field which for the field im using 15-15-15 fertilizer. To speed things up and make sure the plants have a good root system could I use the Herb & Vegetable Plant Food both for home and for the field?
Hi Jason,
Yes, you could use our plant food on your seedlings. Start applying fertilizer with cotyledon emergence. Apply according to the bottle instructions (a capful per gallon of water) and fertilize every three days or so. This will give your plant a good start and should speed up true leaf emersion. Let us know how it grows!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
My pepper seedlings keep dying how can I get them big enough that they won’t die….should I plant outside instead of in….watering with your fertalizer when I plant seeds would that help any…
Hi Randy,
I assume you’re talking about seedlings you’ve started from seeds, not our Bonnie transplants? Yes, you can try our plant food. Apply according to instructions on the bottle (one capful per gallon of water) and fertilize every three days or so, starting after seedlings emerge. Good luck!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Thanks for the reply. Once the seedlings are transplanted to the feild what type of ferterlizer to use then? Do I stick with the plant food or do I switch over to something that’s a more stronger?
We suggest continuing to use the Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food. I think you’ll find that it works great and is all the strength you’ll need!
I’m not sure how much of the Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food to use on my 4×8 raised bed. I have a number of veggies/fruits planted, and just transplanted them this weekend. Any suggestions. I understand I should use a capful to 1 gallon of water but should I be puring a gallon of water/Plant food mix per plant? Thank you for any information
Hi Jeff,
A gallon of water should cover 30 to 40 sq. ft. You should use 1 capful of plant food per gallon of water, which should be sufficient to feed a 4 x 8 foot garden (32 sq. ft.).
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
How long can the Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food be stored? I have an entire jug from last season and want to know if I can still use it this year in my garden, or if there is an expiration date or “best used by” date. Thanks!
Hi Ben,
Our plant food has a shelf life of about 5 years. Your jug is good to go!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I recently used the vegetable plant food on my tomatoes and pepper plants. The next day all my plants had shriveled up like if the got burned. I poured the plant food mixed with water directly over the plants. Is it possible this would have caused it?
Bonnie plant food shouldn’t cause this problem if properly diluted according to the bottle instructions. Also be sure that you feed at the base of the plant, like you do when properly watering, not pouring over the whole plant.
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I poured it over the plant thats why I believed i caused this issue. tanks for the help
I’ve transplanted ciltantro,rosemary and basil to pots indoors and they seem to be doing well , its been over 10 days now after I made a purchase at Home Depot. I also purchased the ‘Bonnie veg and herb food’, but have not used it yet on any of the herbs. Should it be applied at an interval of a week, two weeks or do you recommend using it more often?
All the transplants turned out well and I also harvested a few leaves from the plants a couple of times already.
Sounds like you’ve got a great season of gardening coming! As with all fertilizers, we recommend that you follow the instructions on the plant food label—on the Bonnie food, we suggest application once to twice a week. It depends on the plant, though, as some need more food than others. I recommend that you read our article “The Basics of Fertilizing,” which includes lists of plants from light feeders to heavy feeders.
Happy gardening!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
i just got the new fertalizer and used it once allready noticed a diffrence but i have a question i just planted my garden and have a gopher problem is there anything that can help me out?
We don’t have any information about gophers specifically. I can share this video by our friend P. Allen Smith which addresses rabbits, groundhogs, and squirrels: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlzcRVAHrYc. You might also ask your local Cooperative Extension agent for advice.
Good luck with the gophers!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I had applied Blood meal to my vegetable garden couple of days ago. I want to keep my garden organic as much as possible.
I have purchased the ‘Bonnie Herb and Plant vegetable food’ and was wondering if I can apply again or wait for a while ? and if its organic and what is the proportion of the plant food i need to mix with water to spray on a 7 x 4 ft / 8 x 4 ft / 4 x4 ft beds
Any comments or suggestions is greatly appreciated.
Hi Naveen,
Our plant food is made from oilseed extract and is very unique when compared to traditional chemical fertilizers, but it does not have organic certification. As the label on the Little Green Jug describes, you can apply our plant food up to twice a week. You should be fine following blood meal a few days later with an application of this fertilizer. Use 1 capful of plant food per gallon of water (always follow directions on the fertilizer label), which should cover 30 to 40 sq. ft. per gallon.
Happy growing!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Could I use full strength 1 capfull to a gallon ratio on Tomato and Pepper seedlings?
Hi John,
Yes, you can use our plant food for seedlings. Start applying fertilizer with cotyledon emergence. Apply according to the bottle instructions (a capful per gallon of water) and fertilize every three days or so. This will give your plant a good start and should speed up true leaf emersion. Let us know how it grows!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
hello,
I just purchased jalapeno, tomatoe, and strawberry plants from home depot in washington, dc. This will be my first time trying to grow anything and i will be using containers on my little balcony. Is there any specific directions i should follow when planting these? I also have your food/vegetable fertilizer, am i supposed to use this when I first plant these? Please Help, I’m so lost.
Hi Tash,
Congratulations on your first homegrown veggies and fruits! A great place to start is the “How to Grow” section of the site, where we give detailed planting, care, harvesting and use information for each of the items you mention. Also, read “The Basics of Fertilizing” to learn more about feeding your plants. Make sure you dilute the Plant Food as instructed on the label and apply at the base of the plant (not drenching the leaves). Let us know how it grows! ~Mary Beth, Bonnie Plants
Evening,
I noticed the video for planting strawberries and peppers you need to put mulch over the soil. Will the plants still produce if there isn’t any? Also, can you plant zuchini in containers and if so can they be planted with your Big Bertha bell peppers?
Hi Tash,
Yes, plants will produce without mulch covering the soil, but it is best to do so. Mulch prevents weeds from growing around your plants, keeps moisture in the soil and prevents soil from splashing on the leaves of the plant. We highly recommend mulch of any sort, whether wheatstraw, pine straw, pine mulch or anything similar. Zucchini can be grown in a container but you probably should give each pepper and zucchini their own large pot. See our article on choosing container size. Thanks for visiting our site! Mary Beth, Bonnie Plants
I planted a zucchini plant and noticed that the leaves on the had closed up after planting. Does that mean the plant is going to die or will they open back up?
Hi Tash,
It may be that you are experiencing “leaf curl” in your zucchini. Leaf curl is a response to stress such as heat, and most importantly water. Leaves may curl after a huge amount of rainfall or when the soil dries out. This is a physiological condition and will correct itself as the environmental stress does. Your plants should get one inch to one and a half inches of water a week from either rainfall or irrigation. They need 6 to 8 hours of full sun a day. We recommend that you start using a liquid fertilizer specifically for vegetables. This could be caused by the roots having a problem such as the biodegradable pot not being planted correctly. Remember, you must remove the bottom half of the pot when you plant so that the roots will be able to grow out into the soil. Let us know how it goes. ~Mary Beth, Bonnie Plants
Thanks, I will keep an eye on it I hope it will grow.
A couple more questions and concerns. My strawberry plant leaves are turning yellow is there anything I should do about that? I live in Washington, DC is there specific veggies/herbs you can suggest that would grow well here in containers on the balcony? Any idea if it would be possible to grow regular or sweet potatoes.
thanks
Hi Tash,
Plants usually turn yellow because of a nitrogen deficiency. This can be caused by overwatering. They only need an inch to an inch and a half of water a week either from rainfall or irrigation. If in pots, they should be watered when the top inch and a half or so of potting soil becomes dry to the touch. We recommend using a liquid fertilizer.
There are several vegetables and herbs that grow very well in containers. In fact some do better in containers than in the garden. There are several soil borne diseases that can infect them. You avoid this in containers. Be sure to buy quality packaged potting mix and a vegetable fertilizer (follow directions on package).
When selecting vegetables, find the compact or dwarf varieties. In tomatoes, these have “patio” or “husky” in their name. Other vegetables to try are cucumbers – trellis them on your balcony railing; peppers and eggplants. Squash might be a challenge as they make really large plants. Any of the herb plants will grow fine on your balcony. As to potatoes, we encourage you to hold off for another time. These also take up lots of space. ~Mary Beth, Bonnie Plants
I was not much of a green thumb for many years, however, about a 1 1/2 ago i bought many different types of Bonnie herbs. I must say, i haven’t killed one yet. Last year i grew the better bush tomato. The yield was great, but the size was somewhat too small for me. This year i decided to plant beef steak tomatoes from seeds….Hmm..not sure when i should start feeding them Bonnie herb and vegetable plant food? They range about 2 to 3 inches in hieght at this time. When is a good time to start using the plant food on them?
Hi Veronica,
Congratulations on your happy, healthy Bonnie herbs! It is the small successes that keep us coming back to gardening and wanting to try more. As for your seedlings, be careful with fertilizer at this stage as you do not want to burn them. When you are ready to plant, remember to plant them deeply and use this step-by-step guide on planting and fertilizing. Our “How to Grow Tomatoes” article also gives you a detailed overview from planting to harvest. Let us know how it grows! ~Mary Beth, Bonnie Plants
i just noticed that my plants have tiny little leaves/plants growing in the soil, is this normal? what is it?
Hi Tash,
Are you talking about little sprouts growing in the biodegradable pot with your Bonnie plant? Without seeing it, I can’t be sure, but these might just be a couple stray weeds and you could pull them out when planting the plant.
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
no, i already planted your plants in pots and put them on my balcony. they are little sprouts in the soil that i covered them in.
It’s hard to know without seeing it, but it sounds like these could be weeds or other new plants growing. You can decide whether to pull them or let them grow. Keeping on top of weeds is one of the challenging but rewarding parts of gardening!
Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food apllication.
Hi, due to my limited mobility I would prefer liquid food aplication with hose and feeder, rather than watering can. I could not find any type of feeder that would attach to the hose. Can I use MiracleGrow feeder, and if so what would be amount of liquid food apropriate to fill in the feeder? Dont want to burn the plants with too much liquid food.
Thanks,
Hi Vera,
You can use our plant food in a hose-end sprayer at a rate of 1 Tablespoon (capful) per gallon, as described on the label. You should be able to find a hose-end sprayer with a dial at major home and garden retailers. If you’d rather use the Miracle Gro feeder you already have, then adjust the amount of food according to the feeder’s settings. For example, if the feeder uses 50 gallons of water in 15 minutes, you’ll want to use the equivalent of 50 Tablespoons plant food and water for 15 minutes.
Good luck growing!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
i have peper and tomatoe plants from home depot they are growing in hydroponics can i keep the ec at 3 an use herb and vegetable plant food on them it is an ebb an flow system also ph of 6
Hi Dave,
We believe you should be able to use Bonnie Herb & Vegetable Plant Food at the rate described on the label for your hydroponics. I am not very familiar with hydroponic growing, so I can’t make specific recommendations about the EC (electric conductivity). Best of luck and let us know how it grows!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
Hi, its me again. Last night I purchased your Burpless Bush Cucumber and Blue Lake Bush String Bean plant, which i have not transplanted yet. Once I transplant them would it be okay to plant one of them in a hanging basket and the other in a container? I also noticed that the cucumber plant is in a plastic container which has four plant, should they be planted separately and should i fertilize them once they are transplanted or wait.
That’s a fun idea to try the bush string bean in a hanging basket. If you do that, send us pictures! The cucumber would be best in the ground or in a pot where you can install a trellis. Even though it is a bush variety, it still grows as a climbing vine. If you grow it in a pot, just be sure to use a large pot (18 to 24 inches diameter) and provide support for the vine, such as a cage or trellis. If you’re seeing four little cucumber plants in one plastic pot, then you can plant as is. You could separate those plants but you’ll risk damaging them, and they will grow together as they are.
Happy growing!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I have several items that I’m growing (tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper (plants). cucumber, carrots, mesclun, and another type of lettuce which I’m starting from seeds). I want to move them to a bigger container, would it damage the plants if i move them? If not which ones should i plant together? Also, is it okay to start planting carrots (from seed) and should I transplant or direct sow them? I have a small balcony and don’t want to use up a lot of space with a lot of containers if some can be planted together.
Hi Tash,
Are you planting all of these items from seed or are some of them Bonnie transplants? You definitely can plant several types of vegetables together. You can mix carrots with lettuce, and you can underplant tomatoes and peppers with lower-growing plants like carrots and lettuce as well. Herbs are great companions to vegetables in pots, too. Don’t be afraid to try things and see how they work. You might look through our Container Inspiration Gallery for ideas.
I also suggest reading through the articles in our Container Gardening section. We don’t have much information on starting from seed, however, as we only sell transplants.
Best of luck!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
i have 4 bonnie transplants: cucumber,tomato,zucchini,bell pepper. i will read the suggestions above, thanks
I purchased your patio tomato plant and have not transplanted it yet and have noticed that the leaves are curled. Is it okay to still transplant? I also have your zucchini and big bertha plants which i have transplanted to containers, unfortunately my daughter broke the zucchini plant. Is it possible to take the zucchini plant out and replant the pepper plant?
If you’re concerned about the health of your Patio plant, please use our Ask an Expert service. They can help you with expert knowledge about plant health. Be sure to send a photo of the plant for best advice.
I’m sorry about your broken zucchini plant! Yes, you can remove the zucchini and replace it with the pepper. Best of luck!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants
I purchased several Bonnie plants, 3 different types of tomatoes, 2 eggplants (several days apart), zucchini, crooked-neck squash(6plants) basil, cabbage, cucumbers, red and green peppers, broccoli and collard greens. I just planted them in my backyard ( I live in GA with the the GA red clay), I just used miracle-gro potting soil and miracle-gro moisture control dirt, I wished I could send you some pictures of the before and after, I planted them in late March and everything is just growing, I have already had 2 different harvests on my collard greens. I know the squash needs to be pollinated by bees, but for some reason they`re not pollinating them this year, last year was no problem, what can I do? I used seeds last year and took forever to grow, so I tried plants and everything is just tremendous, thank you for your plants, the only kind I will buy.
Hi Pauline,
Your garden sounds fantastic! We’d love to see pictures. You can post them on our Bonnie Plants Facebook page. We are so glad you’re enjoying growing Bonnie plants and would love to have you as a “Fan”!
Has your squash just dropped its first set of blossoms? You might think this is due to poor pollination, but those are actually the male blooms dropping, which is perfectly normal. If this is the case, you should see female blooms in a week or so. You can read more about this in our Growing Squash article.
You can also read about pollinating bees in our article “You Need These Bees in Your Garden.” Hopefully, the bees aren’t the problem and you’re just noticing the dropping of the male blooms. If you continue to see pollination problems, send pictures and your questions to our Ask an Expert service.
Happy growing!
Kelly, Bonnie Plants