Tapla and Justaguy, I wanted to point out your dislike of organics in containers was reaffirmed by Ray's experiment. I know the problems associated with using organics in containers and that researchers have tried to obtain results equal to conventional methods with much tweaking of the organic systems and have had some success. But Ray's experiments last year certainly back up your contentions in other threads that using organics in containers would give disappointing results. At least it certainly did using Fox Farm vs the old formula of Tomato Tone. The old T.T. formula was a mix of synthetics and organics and look at the results in Ray's picture--the tomato with lots of fruits on the right (TT) VS the pitiful organic one (Foxfarm) next to it that you can barely make out. Even Ray's miracle gro soil mix WITH fertilizer did not help Fox Farm. Now having said this I have had good results growing certain vegetables organically in containers. Perhaps they would been bigger with synthetics but I was happy with the results. I certainly would not be happy with the results that Ray got with Fox Farm and was surprised the difference was that dramatic. By the way I use both synthetic and organics fertilizers but I am interested in improving organic results particular when told it just can't be done. Any chance that some of the non-plant ingredients are soil-type microbes that would help the organic fertilizer breakdown and be utilized in containers? Ray, I also noted the change in the formulas on my old bags of TT and the new. I was disappointed that they did this as I liked the higher potassium and the synthetic components ameliorate some of the organic drawbacks. I already had Plant-tone if I wanted to go purely organic. As far as your new experiment, it will be interesting to see how the new TT with all the biological microbes stacks up to the old. Also the ferts, in the Miracle Gro are long gone now and won't impact the experiment.

Agree with what others have said about testing your soil first, usually through your state ag center. I have a home tester which cost apx $35, & have compared the ag center's reports on my 3 soil samples w/ what my own tester shows - pretty accurate. High end testers cost apx $75-100. I grow the herb comfrey, make a tea like the alfalfa tea described above & apply it with a sprayer or a watering can. I would worry that comfrey used as a mulch or in compost might grow new plants all over the place. Comfrey tea smells until the leaves turn black, then it stops smelling. As I remember the alfalfa tea that I made never stopped smelling until I poured it on the plants, then there was no smell. Comfrey grows very quickly here, dies back somewhat in the winter & costs almost nothing. See links below. Has anyone mentioned a worm box (vermiculture)? Very cheap as the worms eat your rotten produce, newspapers & eggshells & provide liquid gold to your garden. Info on comfrey as fertilizer, see p2 of link for "liquid fertilizer": http://www.organicgardening.com/learn-and-grow/comfrey-power Comfrey needs room as it has a huge taproot. It can also throw a seed. I am currently cutting off the flowers until I can get the sterile one, Russian Comfrey Bocking #14, developed for this use & recommended. Also see book on link below: http://www.nantahala-farm.com/comfrey-root-bocking-14-s.shtml

Virtually all organic fertilizers are, Ann. Dogs LOVE the stuff. Many also like Sluggo, the iron phosphate snail bait. One of mine goes nuts when he finds the stuff. He likes it as much as he likes the snails themselves. The other one prefers any poop she finds and all the "worm jerky" out front after the rains. Takes some real effort to police the area before they're allowed out! I can't use organics out back because the animal by products attract the coyotes, bob cats, raccoons while the plant by products attract every rodent, squirrel and rabbit for miles. Those attract SNAKES and all organics encourage earth worm activity and that brings more MOLES. Danged if I do, danged if I don't! Kim

I'm in Zone 5, central Indiana. I saw on the news this morning that we have had almost 4" of rain above average for the month of June, and May was just as wet. Since I've put my plants out in the SWC's I think I've used the hose to water them about 5 or 6 times. I check the water level every day and when it gets below 2" I add water. I also was able to find the old Tomato Tone Fertilizer and I used that in all but 1 SWC. The area where the plants are sitting gets at least 6 hours of sun each day. Lastb year my plants shot up and grew like crazy very quickly but then they seemed to fizzle out in late August. Thanks for the replies.