Struggling With Fabric Pots

[mobiledynamics]

New to Fabric Pots...

Same seedlings I started. The ones in the ground have taken off. I put them in some ratty a#@ old plastic containers with potting soil that's never been amended for at least 5-7 years. Those are taking off as well. Like 5-8X larger than my container ones

15 Gal Root Pouches with bark fine/soil/perlite mix.
Only 2 of them which are slightly smaller than the plastic potted ones, and the rest seem to be either growing really small and 1 even seems stunted.

Soil was mixed with both TT and Oscmocote.

Just for the hell of it, and decided to give it a boost with some liquid fert.

What am I missing with growing in containers. I thought it was all that and a bag of chips

[zipcode]

That tomato tone might be causing some root burn. I know it happened to me (some other organic), and they can stay kind of frozen for up to 2 weeks, after which they explode and make overly leafy plants.
I think that osmocote is a good idea for transplants, there was no need for something else until they start growing visibly.

[garyjr]

I wonder if you have enough fertilizer. I assume you fertilized your in ground ones as well but I doubt you dug out 15 gallons worth of soil then spread the fertilizer among that soil. I put a cup of TT about 2 inches from the stem around my container plants at time of planting. Never had problems with root burn. I would do this now with yours then water slowly and deeply. Root pouches dry out quickly so you need to water a lot more often and deeply. Do you have any pics?

[Ricky Shaw]

I think those fabric pots work best with compost free, non-enriched high porosity media, that's fed nutrients with watering. Short of that, it creates layers of possible problems, on top of what is already difficult. You've got compaction, contamination, over-fertilization. It goes on.

So, what's your mix? The bark and perlite are nice things, porous and clean with nicely in-range pH.

[AKmark]

We measure everything precisely that goes in as a fertilizer for container growing. I have had the same experience in the past, guessing gets old and results are mediocre at best in most cases.

[fonseca]

If I ever do fabric pots again, they will either be in a plastic kid's pool, gutter or on a drip system. Otherwise they dry out ridiculously fast.

I also would not immediately plant seedlings in a soil- and compost-free mix amended with TT at recommended rates. It needs to be kept evenly moist for a few weeks first, or seedlings can have lots of issues. That's not a problem when re-amending last year's container mix where the microbial population is well-established.

I think an organic, dry fertilizer like TT benefits from some compost or worm castings in the mix.

[Gerardo]

Watering can be tricky. The ones I have in kiddie pools do an outstanding job of maintaining moisture. The ones on drip not so much. Gutter ones are quite happy.
Top watering requires a pre-moistening dose, wait a bit, and then a real drench.

I've used from 3 gal to 100 gal rootpots, and I like them, especially in kiddie pools.

Excess biomass/nutrients in the initial mix can be detrimental to young seedlings.

[pixlpush]

I'm growing in 15 gallon smart pots for the first time this year and so far so good. I liked the kiddie pool idea but didn't like the look and didn't really have the space. I bought these 9.2 gallon tub trugs from Amazon and I'm using them like individual kiddie pools or large drip trays under my fabric smart pots. My back yard is mostly a concrete patio so I put them on large plant dollies too so I can roll them around. I put plastic bags on the top of the soil to aid with evaporation. I try to keep about 2" of water in the tub trugs and let them go dry for a few days between waterings. I've been feeding I day a week with Texas tomato food and added some tomato tone to the original mix which was Pro Mix Bx. Certainly not the cheapest solution but it seems to be working so far plants are looking really good. This photo was taken right after I transplanted from 1 gallon plastic pots. I've got 6 of these going and another 12 plants in the ground.

[Ricky Shaw]

Science meets art, simply beautiful.

[Ricky Shaw]

Totally immersed in using the most primitive means as possible, I mix in 55gal drums and ferti-water by hand.

[pixlpush]

Good looking setup Ricky, I'm envious of all that space! Are those Texas Tomato Cages, the look up to the task what ever they are.

Here's a few more of my setup. The first photo is the same Berkeley Tie Dye take this morning. Then a few of the others. It's been really foggy in LA for the last few weeks and cool. Finally getting some fruit to set but I've been worried. I think it's going to turn soon.