Don't want to make too many threads:

Do you think that my tomatoes in the pots will produce any fruit? I know the pot is small/ After selecting the strong tomatoes I left these in some empty pots. Any tips on how to nurture them?

I also have peppers in the other pot, should I move them over to the garden (after weeding to open space ) next to my tomatoes?

colors:
White: Tomatoes
Green: Peppers

It would help to know where you are located as your plants look rather small for this time of the year (at least where I am in zone 5).

1. Do cut the leaves that are close to the ground. You have no mulch, so splash-back will be a problem when it rains and even when you water.

2. I don't really know why that tomato plant near the roach trap isn't growing. Perhaps the soil isn't very good there?

3. It looks as if you have too many tomatoes for the size of those pots. Tomatoes do better when planted individually in something the size of a bucket from a hardware store (5 gallons)

4. The peppers look ok. You could try spacing them out evenly in that long pot, and you could add some more potting mix (I hope that you are using soil-less potting mix) right to the top of the container.

HTH,
Linda

Sorry, I forgot to post where I am which is zone 6.

1. Yes, I do see a lot of the lower leaves have soil build up on them.

2. Im not really sure why that part of the soil would be much different than the rest. I turned over and mixed that whole area a few weeks before planting. Should I try adding used coffee ground and/or egg shells around its base?

3. I had to start over after my first attempt. Something ate the plants when I planted them. Which is why there aren't as big as you would expect.

4.I know they would need a bigger pot to actually grow. I didn't give them much attention after I took the strong plants to put in the soil. Actually, didn't even expect them to grow at all with the way I left them in the pot.

( I actually have one growing in a pot with potting soil, that I believe is 5 gallon. That one was doing well. Now it is recovering from being over watered )

5 The peppers wouldn't benefit from being spread out and put into soil, over only spreading them out in the pots? No, I am not using potting soil. Didn't know there was a difference and used garden soil. The only reason the tomato has potting soil, is because I planted it the pot from a fig tree I purchased.

Thank you for the response

Hi,

You might get some fruit in the fall with any luck.

If you could mulch the in-ground plants, it would be a good idea. Grass clippings would work, as long as they've never been sprayed with herbicides.

You could try some water-soluble fertilizer for the tomatoes in the ground. Something specifically for tomatoes would be good. Egg shells and coffee grounds would need some time to decompose. You could put them down now to enrich the soil for next year.

Everything does better in the ground, but if you are forced to grow in containers (due to lack of space), potting soil is best because garden soil becomes compacted and doesn't allow for proper aeration and drainage.

Linda

I have the room to put them in the ground. Now that you mention I might go ahead with that. The question is just where to put them with full sun exposure. The area where I want to put the peppers has shade from my neighbors annoying berry tree. I might as well though take the risk, have nothing to lose. Would there be any issues growing tomatoes near mint?

In terms of fertilizer, I am trying to save up to make the area into a raised bed for next year. The only method of fertilizer after I planted them has been water from my fish tank, during cleaning.

No problem growing tomatoes near mint. You do know that mint is invasive??? I love it, but keep it away from my veggie garden.

Fish water is excellent. I water my garden with pond water and my plants love it! I also save my leftover tea (herb and regular) as well as coffee for my potted plants. I don't know if it helps much, but I feel that there is a little nutrition there and it's not going to waste.

Linda

Yeah, I know mint is invasive. I didn't plant them. My parents want the mint.

I am hoping that:

1 - I can make the rest of it a raised bed, preventing the mint from coming to my veggies.

2 - It is all a raised bed and I divide the two areas, between mint and veggies.

I have been meaning to go to Starbucks to get used coffee grounds. Feel awkward though going in to ask for them. No one drinks coffee at home and especially nothing with grounds to re-use.

Any ideas on how I can promote its growth? Its saddening to look and see one not growing at all to produce fruit

Hi your peppers will probably be fine in the containers, just give them more room. I'm growing peppers in containers and most of my tomatoes are in containers with a special growing mix, like Linda said, not soil. You could try growing mint in a large container as it spreads like crazy and will choke out everything.
Sharon

Sorry. I forgot to update. The peppers were put in the oil in a shady area. I also moved a couple of the tomatoes to the soil. The mint would need to stay, I don't have a say in that matter.

I was referencing the tomato plant in the soil, from the original post, that is not growing.

Thank you