Hmm. I believe cotton burr compost can alter the pH of your mixture significantly, you may want to check up on that if you weren't aware. Also, I don't see how it would be of much value in "breaking up" the potting soil, unless it was screened first (with the mix using only the large particles). Even then, unless it becomes the major component of the mixture, I don't think it would be worth for the function of aeration. It will never be my first choice, but Moisture Control does work. My initial perception was that it worked too well, even. I hardly ever water the many herbs I have in that soil, and have to convince myself that I shouldn't be sampling underneath the surface with a bamboo skewer. However, a plant like a tomato is often very sensitive to overwatering / anoxic soil conditions. I don't have any tomatoes in the soil this year, but I do have zuchinnis and lots of herbs, like I said. I agree that the it does look very compacted at first... but over the long term, it seems to provide sufficient aeration for plants that are not too susceptible to problems related to overwatering and saturated soil. It has not noticeably compacted beyond the initial shrinkage (3 months ago). The "aqua-coir" is theoretically able to absorb and hold the water within its fibers, but allow for air to fill in around it. It then releases it slowly, providing moist conditions - but not saturated, anoxic conditions. As far as I can tell, it works as advertised.. up to a point. I don't think its nearly as effective in protecting against overwatering as it is in protecting against underwatering. To have that extra moisture retention, you have to sacrifice some aeration. Dill, for example, did not do well in the soil - seemingly because of too much moisture. Chamomile and rosemary also underperformed, though I'm not sure of the reasons. It can be unnerving when the soil of potted plants that are supposed to be very thirsty stay very moist for days, but it hasn't had an extreme adverse effect on my average plants so far. Whether or not it is able to stand up to decomposition over the course of the season remains to be seen. Despite the success with other plants, my best guess is that tomatoes wouldn't perform optimally in it - there's just too many potential problems with tomatoes that are caused or compounded by too much water.

This stuff becomes unbelievably hot and cooks the plants!!! I have 4 enormous ornamental planters in my gardens, which I have planted with purchased annuals for over 20 years. I am very experienced, and these planters have excellent drainage. This year, I switched the potting soil out for Miracle Gro Moisture Control. I flooded the planters before putting the plants in - several times. I planted them, and was surprised to have to water every single day. This soil product felt moist, but none was shared with the plants - their soil root balls stayed bone dry. The 2 planters in full sun had dying plants. I plunged my arm at least 25 inches down into the planters and the soil was hotter than beach sand, all the way down. This product somehow retains heat and was cooking my plants. When I removed this soil, I was surprised to find big pockets of it that were dust dry. The 2 planters in shade did a little better, but no plant growth whatsoever. Maybe if the plants grew in this from seed, they would do better, but you can't put plants in root balls into it - this soil just won't let the moisture leach into adjacent soils. And it cooks them. If your plants are still alive, rescue them and replace the soil. I don't know what this stuff is, but I would definitely not eat anything grown in it.

Yaeli, how about containers on a patio or balcony, or on the concrete next to an outside door (if your own apartment has one)? That way the plants would have something better than asphalt to grow in. If you have a really sunny window (south or west are usually brightest), you could try growing indoors also.

Trying to compare growth patterns between different varieties usually leads you down a wrong road and making decisions we later regret. Their genetics, what triggers their behavior, are often very different. In this case a cherry type vs. a grafted paste vs. a hybrid semi-determinate beefsteak all with differing DTM. So it could easily take one of those longer than the others to recover from either the weather exposure or from the over-watering (which was likely the real problem). Plus "seeing growth" is also very subjective. That we don't see it doesn't mean it isn't happening. :) It may be in the roots, it may be in nothing more than an increased size of some of the leaves rather than height. Bottom line, since the plant appears healthy the lack of growth you can see really means little. Be patient and you may discover that it will soon kick into high speed and leave the others in its dust. :) Dave