I "germinate" in nutrient solution. Tomatoes are heavy eaters and you almost can't overfeed them. I transplant seedlings when the top plant is anywhere from 4" to 8" tall. If you have been growing them in good nutrient, the roots should be fairly short and pure white. If you've let them rely on their stored nutrient (from the seed), the roots are likely to be long and lanky -- not good! I grow tomatoes at 2.5 EC. You'll need a quality EC measuring device to check and maintain it. I (of late) use a Bluelab Truncheon.

Hi AlisonOz, I too have some queries re medinilla (probably also myriantha) and am also in subtropical east-coast Australia (Byron Bay). Over the last 2-3 years, I've had two Probably Myrianthas. Both did okay. Both bloomed. Then I moved (only 20 minutes up the road) and took one with me and left the other under some else's care, where it died. So now I've just one (the one I took with me). Aaand, although I've tried to create similar conditions to what it was used to (and seemed to like), it's stopped blooming (whereas before they both bloomed year round!) aaand it's also begun to get ... well maybe it's leaf-tip burn, but it really doesnt get much sun (just filtered arvo sun) and the symptoms look more like a type of mould type on the leaves. The leaves crumple and krinkle as well...and then they become fragile - and drop off if you touch them. They not only get "mouldy" at their tips but I note a purple-red 'bruising' at where they're joined to the stem. I've even come to suspect that it's some form of canker (why? ah because I also note that some of its woodier stems have blistered and split open!). I've got this one in a cymbid bark in a black plastic pot. It's been under a balcony (protected from too much rain), gets the SLIGHTEST bit of arvo sun, no morning sun. I water it as i do my orchids - by sitting the pot into a bath of water and letting it soak for a bit. Then it goes back onto it's a humidity pebble tray but the water doesnt touch the bottom of the pot. I feed it orchid strike back very occasionally (which incidently I'm convinced they love - always seem to perk up!). Otherwise its leaves are green and healthy... oh but some have "holes' in them (full circular holes, yep!). So no, i cannot get to the bottom of what's going on with this leaf-burn or leaf-mould AND the NO-blooming anymore... I'll post some pix in a tick (when I work out how). Any ideas? Any advice?

Much depends on the soil prep. that the plants are going into. If you have "Loaded" the soil to the highest safe nutrient levels then adding more could do more harm than good. However if you have gone easy on broadcast fertilizers than placing more fertilizer at the root zone will often give the transplant a boost. I plant at high density in soil in two greenhouses and usually work considerable amounts of fertilizer into the soil prior to planting. I never add additional fertilizer to those plants. In the field I sparingly broadcast and work in fertilizer and then when I plant (with a water- wheel planter) I dissolve a pound of Miracle Gro fertilizer in each 150 gallon tank of transplant water, enough for about 400 plants. Many tomato growers fail to supplement plants later in the growing season when plants need it most. With Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and minor nutrients I try to incorporate in soil prior to planting, especially with P since Phosphorus(P) is not very mobile in the soil. Plants almost always respond to later Nitrogen and Potassium supplementation beginning at about the first harvest.

Are there pictures of this so I can see what you crazy people are doing? We don't have a picture gallery for this forum, and Gardenweb asks that we avoid linking to other sites in the FAQ that might go dormant later. However, search for "pictures" or "pics" in our forum, and see if any of the discussion threads have pictures included! We usually have at least a few.When should I plant...? Can I grow ...? What is this pest / disease / plant? These questions are best directed towards the regional forums or those about that type of plant. The FAQs in those other groups will often have the answers to these questions for you, and if not, gardeners in similar situations are in a better spot to help you out on issues not specific to raised beds and intensive planting. Try the Vegetable Gardening forum, the Organic Gardening forum, the various regional forums, the Pests forum, or your county extension service. You can find the list of all the GW forums here.How do I learn more?A web search for any of the following phrases should help you tremendously. Put quotes around the phrases for best results: "square foot gardening" "Mel Bartholemew" "intensive gardening" or "French intensive"Mel Bartholemew's Square Foot Gardening book and website are highly recommended for a good, basic introduction to one intensive gardening method. There are others, of course, and you will find them as you search and learn more. If we haven't answered your questions here, post and we'll do our best to make something up! Permission gained from Mel Bartholemew to share his ideas and material when his name, website, or book is mentioned, June 2003. FAQ compiled and formatted primarily by fuzzy and Ray_Scheel.