Nitrogen and garden use -HELP dying plants

I am new to gardening. I planted in bales using nitrogen to break them down. Now they badly need fertilized but I don't know what I am doing. I don't want to use a heavy chemical but death to the plants isn't a great option either. I am afraid if I use nitrogen in the form of blood meal I will burn my plants. Please Help

Blood meal should not burn, it is slower release than most chemical forms of nitrogen. Dust on a little bit and water it in.

You could try fish emulsion, too.

Are the plants showing other nutrient deficiencies? Or just N?

Thank you Diana_K I will try both of those things. I have no idea what the issues are. Some yellowing/brown spots. No doubt some bugs eating but is it more than that, I have no idea. I will try and post some pictures. Also Tomato plants have a dark hue to them?? I have no idea what I am doing. I grew up with fertile soil where you stick something in the ground and it grows beautifully. Not so much here.

Dark hues on Tomato's can be cold night temp's, I would rather see some pictures and some idea as to what type of plants you are concerned about as sometimes one species of plant gets a disease while a different type of plant sitting next to it wont be troubled by the same problems.

Best of luck and Kind Regards.
WeeNel.

We actually did just have colder temps. I noticed today that the darkness has gone. Thanks!

You need to try send pictures as this will show the size of the plants, the foliage and any discolourations on the folliage,
There is Blood / fish / bonemeal ready mixed in packets that you buy from garden store and it is used as a slow release fertiliser, it should last all season long for Tomato plants. there is also liquid Tomato feeds that you water into the soil or growing medium, this needs added to the waterings every week when flowers appear on the plants. so maybe look see IF the plants just need a feed.
Dont over feed as that causes even more problems that no feeds.

get back soon.
Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.

Im new here. I posted 5 pics on my phone. I got a message saying they were submitted. However, I do not see them here. Do they get approved before they post on here?

They do not need to be approved in this forum. They should show up right away.

lets try this again

I would start with a complete fertilizer, including trace minerals.
The general all over yellowing looks consistent with nitrogen deficiency, and the planting technique definitely means problems with all the nutrients that plants need- Coarse organic matter is not decomposed well enough to provide any of the nutrients that plants need. Decomposer organisms will get the benefits.

So, you need to feed the microorganisms that are decomposing the straw and over feed so the vegetable plants get some.

Here is how I would handle this situation:
1) Dust the tops of all the bales with slow release, 'organic' materials that will work their way slowly through the bales to help the decomposers do their job, and to provide small amounts of nutrients to the plants.
Blood meal, cottonseed meal, fish emulsion are good sources of nitrogen and some other nutrients.
Bone meal is a good source of phosphorus.
Greensand is a good source of potassium.
A chelated mineral blend can help supply trace minerals.

2) Foliar feed the plants with liquid fertilizers diluted to about 1/4 strength. These plants are so severely deficient that I would do this daily or every other day for a week or two, then twice a week when they start getting richer green. Foliar feed is sprayed on the leaves, targeting the underside of the leaves. Allow it to soak into the straw bales, too.

There may be other things going on, for example with the melon that is grey at the ends of the branches, and the holes in some leaves. I think nutrient deficiency is such a big part of this picture that I would work hardest at correcting this, first. When the plants are stronger they may outgrow things like this.
Keep your eyes open for pests that might be munching on the plants, though. Maybe see the perpetrator.

Is there anyway to tell if the bales haven't been treated with a persistent herbicide or anything else that would inhibit broadleaf growth? There are certain fungus/ molds that grow on dry hay/straw too.

I cant help you any further as I dont know enough about planting using this hay-bale method. and to give the wrong info is even worse than no info at all.
I will stay on the thread as Diana seems to know more about it and I'm always interested in learning new gardening methods. Thank you Miss Diana, your now the classroom teacher LOL.
Good luck and Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.

I cant help you any further as I dont know enough about planting using this hay-bale method. and to give the wrong info is even worse than no info at all.
I will stay on the thread as Diana seems to know more about it and I'm always interested in learning new gardening methods. Thank you Miss Diana, your now the classroom teacher LOL.
Good luck and Kindest Regards.
WeeNel.

Thanks WeeNel. I think I will work on Diana's info. Super helpful. Thank you Diana!! As for 1lisac's question. I don't think they have been sprayed since grass and mushrooms are growing wonderfully ;/ . I will keep you posted

The herbicide is for broad leafed plants so mushrooms and grass would grow fine. Veggies not so much.

Oh right you mentioned broad leaf before, 1lisac. I don't think so, but we will see what the fertilizing does.

OK so I can use my fish emulsion for the foliar feed? Or Could I use my blood meal and make a tea and spray that directly on the plants? What about egg shells? Reading a bit about that to. Sorry if these are dumb questions. Im just trying to figure out what I need to do. If not the emulsion or blood meal is there a certain # or brand I should be looking for?

Fish emulsion can be diluted and used to foliar feed the plant. Whatever the label says for use in the soil, cut that to 1/4.

Any fertilizer that can be mixed into a liquid, or is already a liquid can be used as a foliar fertilizer. Just dilute it more.

Oh perfect. I have fish emulsion. Thank you!

Also do I spray edible leaves for example basil?/

You can, but I am not sure the delay time to harvest. I would assume after several rains or irrigations have rinsed off any residue.

It should say on the label. The delay time might be just long enough for the smell to go away.lol but it does work really well.

Cooking with basil coated with fish emulsion would be like pizza with anchovies. Great if you like anchovies ; )

http://www.groworganic.com/fertilizers/organic-fertilizer/foliar-fertilizer.html

Wow this is great! Thank you!! I have already seen improvement and growth after 2 feeds.

The straw bales will be decomposing faster, too.