Planted tomatoes in containers for the first time this spring. The plants are not as bushy as ground grown tomatoes - not doing as well as I expected.
Pots are about 5 gallon plastic containers with drain holes. Put about 2 inches of gravel in the bottom of the pot and a mixture of commercial top soil and manure for soil. One tomatoe plant per pot.
What did I do wrong?
Eugene
This site uses cookies to maintain login information on FarmallCub.Com. Click the X in the banner upper right corner to close this notice. For more information on our privacy policy, visit this link: Privacy Policy
NEW REGISTERED MEMBERS: Be sure to check your SPAM/JUNK folders for the activation email.
Container grown tomatoes
-
- Team Cub Mentor
- Posts: 20377
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:52 pm
- Zip Code: 65051
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: Mo. Linn
- Don McCombs
- Team Cub Mentor
- Posts: 17488
- Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2003 6:45 am
- Zip Code: 21550
- Tractors Owned: "1950 Something" Farmall Cub
1957 Farmall Cub w/FH
1977 International Cub w/FH
1978 International Cub
1948 Farmall Super A - Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: MD, Deep Creek Lake
Eugene,
You really need to watch container grown plants carefully for soil moisture level. They do not have the ability to pull moisture from deeper in the soil, as they can when in the ground. Therefore, you typically have to water them more often.
Another factor may be soil pH. Was the manure fresh or "aged"? Depending on how much manure you mixed in, the soil may be too acidic.
Describe what is happening to the plants.
You really need to watch container grown plants carefully for soil moisture level. They do not have the ability to pull moisture from deeper in the soil, as they can when in the ground. Therefore, you typically have to water them more often.
Another factor may be soil pH. Was the manure fresh or "aged"? Depending on how much manure you mixed in, the soil may be too acidic.
Describe what is happening to the plants.
-
- Team Cub Mentor
- Posts: 20377
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:52 pm
- Zip Code: 65051
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: Mo. Linn
- Don McCombs
- Team Cub Mentor
- Posts: 17488
- Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2003 6:45 am
- Zip Code: 21550
- Tractors Owned: "1950 Something" Farmall Cub
1957 Farmall Cub w/FH
1977 International Cub w/FH
1978 International Cub
1948 Farmall Super A - Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: MD, Deep Creek Lake
Hmmmmm....that is a quandry. Can you move them to a location where they get sun most of the day? Tall stems with few leaves sounds like not enough sun. I haven't had much success with commercial packaged "topsoil". I'm not sure where it comes from or how it's processed, but it doesn't seem to have the organic matter, nutrients and minerals that the real topsoil in your garden has. To satify my curiousity, I just may send some to have it analyzed and see what turns up. Try giving the plants a little soluble plant food once a week with their water. I believe Miracle Gro makes one specifically for vegetables. The manure will help over time, but it takes a while for it to break down enough so that the nitrogen becomes available to the plants. Good luck with those 'maters
-
- Team Cub Mentor
- Posts: 20377
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 9:52 pm
- Zip Code: 65051
- Circle of Safety: Y
- Location: Mo. Linn
A service man stopped by. He commented that his tomatoes looked exactly like mine. Comparing notes. We both purchased packaged manure and top soil from the same store.
Researched a bit. Some of the manure sold in stores contains mostly rotted saw dust - very low nutritional value for plants.
Eugene
Researched a bit. Some of the manure sold in stores contains mostly rotted saw dust - very low nutritional value for plants.
Eugene
Last edited by Eugene on Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
- beaconlight
- 10+ Years
- Posts: 7703
- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:31 pm
- Zip Code: 10314
- Location: NY Staten Island & Franklin
We had walks and driveway replaced. Beverly wanted flower beds next to the walks. I went to the Local Lowes to get some bagged top soil. They had a number of broken bags. I made an offer to take all off their hands. I found it to be mostly clay that dried to a rock like hardness. Fortunately I have a lot of compost tht I have worked in to it but it still needs more to keep it frieable.
Bill
Bill
Bill
"Life's tough.It's even tougher if you're stupid."
- John Wayne
" We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
- Aesop
"Life's tough.It's even tougher if you're stupid."
- John Wayne
" We hang petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."
- Aesop
Return to “Farm Life and Better Half Forum”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests