I need help with a tomato plant, growing in a 5 gallon bucket. I will try to post a picture later, but basically it doesn't look good. I think it was over watered at first, but I let it dry out and it has started growing, but the lower leaves are all yellow, some fell off, and it isn't producing any flower trusses. I started it from seed, it was doing great until I planted it out. The soil is COM potting soil, top dressed with straw mulch, which I put together and planted in last year. This year I topped it up with some compost before planting. When I noticed problems, I top dressed with malted barley, and then the peat/castings that came when I ordered worms a week ago. I have a few ideas how to fix: 1. Sprinkle surface with fix-it mix (kelp:crab:neem/karanja at 1:1:1) + alfalfa pellets/meal at 1 part, since it seems to be lacking nitrogen. 2. Make alfalfa/kelp tea and water in (LD said that was his first step when trying to fix an unknown problem). 3. ??? Any help would be greatly appreciated! I actually have a few other containers in a similar, but not quite as severe, situation, so this advice could go a long way. thanks, toaster
I’m not a fan of tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets because it’s really not enough soil for many of them. IME even 10 is stretching it. However, if you’re diligent about feeding and watering consistently I have seen some decent results. It’s just not my kind of gardening. In your situation I would recommend Tomato Tone. I have 2 daughters with tomatoes in well amended 10 gallon fabric pots and they do best when they use it. I know, it’s fertilizer, but at least it’s organic. A kelp/alfalfa tea on the regular might do well also. Fabric pots sitting on soil with mulch around is a whole different story. Those can do very well, but I’d still say 15 gallons minimum for tomatoes. Hope that helps.
Trim all the old and yellow leaves from lower sections. The low stuff has done its job. Also, if its an indeterminate, pinch the suckers. cheers os
DO you use some of your herb as companion plants for your MJ? I just added chamomile , basil, yarrow, cloves, and marigolds to my basement grow room.
“ affect your MJ plants” Do you mean in a negative way? Definitely not negatively. I’m not sure what you mean? Are you referring maybe to powdery mildew? J
I don’t. I pretty much just grow my herbs outdoors in the good weather. Not saying it’s anything but a good thing indoors - but I just don’t myself... although it would be a good thing to do. I don’t have time to Do a lot of things I’d like to do though. J
Yes I am referring 2 powdery mold I heard that if you leave any decomposing matter near or around your area the spores can travel and make powdery mold when your leaves I just want to know your experience with this Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
Powdery mildew needs a living host to survive, if you have a case where you get it you can bury the spores in your pot with vermicompost or compost topdress in the soil where they will be eaten by bacteria worms etc. Of course the plant with pm will need to be eradicated or sprayed constantly weekly aka dancing with the devil. Greencure and neem with dr bronner's works good.
Bad air exchange and humid climates are more likely to cause a issue or overcrowded plants. Fungi and bacteria are the food bags for plants to survive. When the fungi and bacteria die or eaten they give food to the plant. Fungi break down organic matter for the worms and bacteria and speed up decomposition and vise versa
Thanks for the clarification cuz that's what I was thinking I assumed that spores of fungi created powdery mold or mildew. But it makes sense that if it's mixed with soil it just actually ends up feeding the soil but if standing alone by itself it can create issues Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
Want a real challenge grow some squash or zucchini and try not to get powdery mildew....it is like a damn certainty every year for me atleast
Powdery mildew Is host specific. Apparently there are many varieties, Rose's have a form, lilacs have thier own type same with Mary Jane. Without proper environment and proper host pm wont survive.
I’m no expert by any stretch of the imagination on fungi - I’m in the kindergarten class, but like Jay said, not all fungi is bad and while there are hundreds of different types that make up the class known as “PM”, Ive never had an issue out in my garden besides with the squash and cucumbers and I mulch with the material shown - so it is on the surface of the soil. J
Hey Jerry thanks for leading me into a whole new world of gardening.....I've never heard of hugelkultur before now I'm looking it up finally this morn getting ready to fill the raised bed. C I live in the north of east coast and have plenty of resources for this beautiful journey ahead. Cheers man you are a blessing here on this forum.
gonna make a path with stone up the middle or lay a plank across, most likely some slate or granite. Cheers! Took me 3 hours of gathering and shoveling composted manure into the bed. Gonna let her set this year and plant next year or this fall.
Small garden not much here mostly the salad stuff. Some chives, basil guess you can't see that behind the wood tho lol. Peppers, tomatoes, carrots etc. .....bigger garden is corn, peas, beans, squash, zucchini, and a few melons. ..oh forgot about 1 eggplant and 2 cucumbers lol. The 3 sisters or so I'm told.