Your soil/less mix this year?

squibT · August 8, 2007

I'm kinda interested in what soil or soiless mixes everyone is using for potted or HEB tomatoes this year. What has been successfull/trouble free or what has been a disaster/not so good.

I tried compost/potting soil/manure last year but with the heat it was really hard to keep potted plants on concrete properly watered (with work and all). Too much...too little...not enough drainage....

This year I have some HEB's and potted plants and I'm using barkfines (pine?cedar?fir?)/compost/MG potting soil/perlite. Drainage is great, no BER, easily watered and holds the right amount of moisture. BUT...I'm not impressed with the plant growth...fertilizing regularly...almost every time I water...with compost tea, or seaweed or fish fertilizer at 1/2 strength. Growth is good but not really vigorus...nice and green...lots of fruit it seems...but I would expect a lot more growth from ML and Brandywine and some others.

I'm thinking it may be b/c I am using "salted bark fines". I live in the PNW and that may be all the stores are selling. Doesnt say on the label what kind of bark but we transport a lot of wood in the water here. Guess I will go to a reputable nursery next year for bark mulch fines. Or it could be a lack of sun...only getting 4 or 5 hours a day her due to shading.

Anyway...STILL waiting for some non-cherry fruit to ripen. So much rain and cloudy weather here it put a lot of us behind.

How are you all doing and how are you doing it?

squibT

August 8, 2007	#1
squibT Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Nanaimo, BC (7b) Posts: 89	Your soil/less mix this year? I'm kinda interested in what soil or soiless mixes everyone is using for potted or HEB tomatoes this year. What has been successfull/trouble free or what has been a disaster/not so good. I tried compost/potting soil/manure last year but with the heat it was really hard to keep potted plants on concrete properly watered (with work and all). Too much...too little...not enough drainage.... This year I have some HEB's and potted plants and I'm using barkfines (pine?cedar?fir?)/compost/MG potting soil/perlite. Drainage is great, no BER, easily watered and holds the right amount of moisture. BUT...I'm not impressed with the plant growth...fertilizing regularly...almost every time I water...with compost tea, or seaweed or fish fertilizer at 1/2 strength. Growth is good but not really vigorus...nice and green...lots of fruit it seems...but I would expect a lot more growth from ML and Brandywine and some others. I'm thinking it may be b/c I am using "salted bark fines". I live in the PNW and that may be all the stores are selling. Doesnt say on the label what kind of bark but we transport a lot of wood in the water here. Guess I will go to a reputable nursery next year for bark mulch fines. Or it could be a lack of sun...only getting 4 or 5 hours a day her due to shading. Anyway...STILL waiting for some non-cherry fruit to ripen. So much rain and cloudy weather here it put a lot of us behind. How are you all doing and how are you doing it? squibT