North Charleston ground

FILMNET · February 28, 2014

I moved here last year and am getting ready for my tomatoes, this soil is terrible here. Huge pin trees all around the house, dirt looks like 1/2 sand and some black soil. So many bugs in dirt, and squirrels everywhere. Backyard and side gets 8-10 hour's of sun.

Lowes down here has Black Kow bags of compost i see that they say on there website you can grow cherries from the bags. Must use the side or backyard for my tomatoes and peppers only no driveway pots can be here. I dont think i can dig here to many bugs , anyone know what i could use pots are Bags

kath · February 28, 2014

Looks like you're already collecting some containers that might be a good size for peppers and tomatoes. Are you planning to stay in your current location? If not, it sounds like containers would make the most sense.

I'd start searching the old threads about open container growing and see what people have successfully used for a mix and begin searching to find what there is locally that's free/cheap. As I recall, there are lots of combinations that will grow tomatoes/peppers without being too wet. Not sure you need to use 100% compost, though- wouldn't that be too rich?

kath

FILMNET · February 28, 2014

Yes containers or bags, i which i could grow then in the driveway like Craig does. nothing in front the homes.

bughunter99 · March 1, 2014

Actually, your soil looks and sounds pretty good, other than being compacted and maybe needing a bit of compost for water retention. A little love and it might surprise you!

I'm not seeing any big patches in your yard where you plants on the ground are going to get 8-10 hours of direct sun. I think this will be your biggest challenge. I've grown both peppers and tomatoes in grow bags but tomatoes are such big plants, grow bags were a challenge to keep watered and keep the tomatoes upright. I would go containers if you need to go that route to catch the light. There are threads here for self watering containers which you can make yourself from a $4 bin from a box store. They work great. I prefer these over buckets because I don't want to be a slave to watering. I'm not remotely handy (my husband hides his power tools from me) and I can whip one up in about 45 minutes. Someone handy could do it in half that time.

Stacy

FILMNET · March 1, 2014

I took these pic in the morning the backyard gets a ton of sun and the sun we be high in 2 month's.

ChristinaJo · March 1, 2014

I bet you'll whip everything into shape...

February 28, 2014	#1
FILMNET Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: North Charleston,South Carolina, USA Posts: 1,803	North Charleston ground I moved here last year and am getting ready for my tomatoes, this soil is terrible here. Huge pin trees all around the house, dirt looks like 1/2 sand and some black soil. So many bugs in dirt, and squirrels everywhere. Backyard and side gets 8-10 hour's of sun. Lowes down here has Black Kow bags of compost i see that they say on there website you can grow cherries from the bags. Must use the side or backyard for my tomatoes and peppers only no driveway pots can be here. I dont think i can dig here to many bugs , anyone know what i could use pots are Bags

February 28, 2014	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Looks like you're already collecting some containers that might be a good size for peppers and tomatoes. Are you planning to stay in your current location? If not, it sounds like containers would make the most sense. I'd start searching the old threads about open container growing and see what people have successfully used for a mix and begin searching to find what there is locally that's free/cheap. As I recall, there are lots of combinations that will grow tomatoes/peppers without being too wet. Not sure you need to use 100% compost, though- wouldn't that be too rich? kath

March 1, 2014	#4
bughunter99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: zone 5 Posts: 821	Actually, your soil looks and sounds pretty good, other than being compacted and maybe needing a bit of compost for water retention. A little love and it might surprise you! I'm not seeing any big patches in your yard where you plants on the ground are going to get 8-10 hours of direct sun. I think this will be your biggest challenge. I've grown both peppers and tomatoes in grow bags but tomatoes are such big plants, grow bags were a challenge to keep watered and keep the tomatoes upright. I would go containers if you need to go that route to catch the light. There are threads here for self watering containers which you can make yourself from a $4 bin from a box store. They work great. I prefer these over buckets because I don't want to be a slave to watering. I'm not remotely handy (my husband hides his power tools from me) and I can whip one up in about 45 minutes. Someone handy could do it in half that time. Stacy

March 1, 2014	#6
ChristinaJo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NE Texas Posts: 425	I bet you'll whip everything into shape...