Can someone help me diagnose the issue with my transplants?

[Stainless]

Originally Posted by UFXEFU

Stainless,
What size and how many drain holes in the buckets? Have you used this bucket method in the past?

There are four 1 1/2" openings in the bottom.

I used this method last year as a test and the plants did great. The only difference this time is that I made my potting mix with the 5.1.1 method instead of buying it. There was no way I was going to buy enough potting mix to fill twenty buckets. That's the part that had me concerned was that the mix may have been causing it or something. I'm sure it is pretty cool down in the ground right now.. which will work great for me once the heat comes.

[Stainless]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

This:
http://i.imgur.com/n60OpqY.jpg

is something eating your plants.

I believe that is wind damage. We've had several rough storms since I put these small plants out. Lots of Spring time winds.

[Stainless]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Did you add Dolomitic lime to your mix ?
Gardeneer

Yes; I sure did. I may need a little more later because I was a little on the light side just to see how they turned out early on.

I did sprinkle a little bit of Tomato Tone around the top the other day, but I didn't mix it in and it was only a little shake out of my hand. I wanted to wait till the plants settled in and took off before adding the full dosage of fert.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Stainless

Yes; I sure did. I may need a little more later because I was a little on the light side just to see how they turned out early on.

I did sprinkle a little bit of Tomato Tone around the top the other day, but I didn't mix it in and it was only a little shake out of my hand. I wanted to wait till the plants settled in and took off before adding the full dosage of fert.

You don't have to be afraid of using Tomato-Tone, it's all organic. The 5:1:1 mix doesn't have an NPK or any micronutrients in it to speak of, so I think that may be a big part of your problem. You should have mixed at least 1/4 cup of Tomato-Tone into the mix before you transplanted. Sprinkling it on top of the mix isn't going to be effective since the microbes in Tomato-Tone are needed to break it down into available nutrition for the plant. Those microbes work under the moist soil, not on top of the soil. At this point you can mix the Tomato-Tone into the soil down to 3" into the soil around the plants as per Espoma's directions. If you are growing strictly with organics, a liquid organic fertilizer like a fish hydrolysate & seaweed will give the plants a more rapid boost of nutrients in that mix and increase microbial activity which is critical to organic practices.

[Timomac]

I've had plants look similar. I'm of the opinion mine looked that way because I had tall plants, that I'd planted deep, after knocking off several tiers of branches, into cold soil.

I think I basically stressed the plant by knocking off leaves, reduced its ability to photosynthesize, and buried it deeply into cold soil, reducing its ability to take up nutrients. So, they looked sick and the only thing that helped was time and warmth. A little foliar feeding might help. Gently though.

That's just my thinking. This year, as the result of just such issues, I plan to knock off fewer branches and plant less deeply. I'm covering the rows with plastic mulch with soaker hoses so I'm not as worried about water.

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by Timomac

I've had plants look similar. I'm of the opinion mine looked that way because I had tall plants, that I'd planted deep, after knocking off several tiers of branches, into cold soil.

I think I basically stressed the plant by knocking off leaves, reduced its ability to photosynthesize, and buried it deeply into cold soil, reducing its ability to take up nutrients. So, they looked sick and the only thing that helped was time and warmth. A little foliar feeding might help. Gently though.

That's just my thinking. This year, as the result of just such issues, I plan to knock off fewer branches and plant less deeply. I'm covering the rows with plastic mulch with soaker hoses so I'm not as worried about water.

Yes, cold roots in deep soil. agree as above. careful with all the additions that have been advised.
KO

[iherbs]

I have the same issue. I think it is due to poor drainage.

[Stvrob]

I still think You should lift one of the buckets out and inspect the hole just to rule out poor drainage. You said you had a lot of rain. You could have a drainage problem regardless of what is inside the bucket. The way you have them buried, drainage is controlled by what is outside the bucket.

[Stainless]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

I still think You should lift one of the buckets out and inspect the hole just to rule out poor drainage. You said you had a lot of rain. You could have a drainage problem regardless of what is inside the bucket. The way you have them buried, drainage is controlled by what is outside the bucket.

I may give it a look. I tested this same method last year and the plants grew fine. The only difference was that the plants were smaller and weren't planted out till may 1.

[Stvrob]

Originally Posted by Stainless

I may give it a look. I tested this same method last year and the plants grew fine. The only difference was that the plants were smaller and weren't planted out till may 1.

Yes, but you mentioned the heavy rains that you had this year.

[Stainless]

Just figured I would update this thread. Looks like most of the plants took off a few weeks back. I think the cold ground is what originally got them. We've had lots of rain and they seem to be fine.

[Stainless]

Maybe this picture will be better.

[wormgirl]

Glad to hear they have recovered! I think you mostly answered your own question when you said you put them out earlier than last year.

I recognized your mix as 5:1:1 immediately It's what I use for my container plants too.

They way I implement my fertilizer in containers is to use a mix of dry such as Tomato Tone (which I mix in when planting because it needs time to break down, be close to the roots, etc) and soluble fertilizers when I water such as Texas Tomato Food, Neptune's Harvest, Dyna Gro.

I know some people say not to fertilze till the plant starts growing, but in my experience the plant starts growing faster when you give it soluble fertilizer when transplanting. That's the way Mom taught me and it works for me. If it were synthetic fert I give at 1/2 strength if transplanting, but organics I usually apply full strength.

I hope you continue posting pictures as the season goes on!

[greenthumbomaha]

I appreciate the update! I planted out today and several plants had leaves that color. Hopefully mine will do as well as yours when it warms up here.

Your garden is so spacious. Very nice!

- Lisa

[Stainless]

They are way behind last year.. I think because of all the rain and cool weather. They're looking good. Just figured I would update.

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