5-1-1 does this look ok to you?
Windwaker (8a) AR
6 years ago
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illsstep
6 years agofawnridge (Ricky)
6 years agoRelated Discussions
5 gal. pails OK for San Marzano Tomatoes & Al's 5-1-1 mixture?
Comments (2)You'll probably get a lot of opinions on this. I'm growing tomatoes in containers this year for the first time. I'm trying several sizes from 5-22gal. I've seen photos of great plants in 5gal, and a lot of suggestions that bigger pots are better, which I kind of agree with. The best arguement for 5 gal containers is that maybe they won't grow huge and produce tons of tomatoes, but not everybody wants that. Smaller plants and fewer toms are just fine with some. This is my general opinion. I don't know anything about the size of San Marzano plants specifically. If it's a smallish plant it might do ok....See MoreDo these Gritty and 5-1-1 mix components look OK ?
Comments (21)For sure, it's a bit of a transition and it takes some time to get used to the differences in watering and feeding and the like, but in the end, it's well worth the extra effort! Also... be sure to soak that bark overnight before using it in your medium... so it doesn't go hydrophobic on you! You want it ready and able to absorb some moisture when you do water the newly potted plant. When I mix my batches of medium, I add some water to moisten, mix it well, cover my container, and leave it set a day or two to absorb before using it. That way, it's already evenly moistened and I know that unless I forget to water for a really long time, I won't have any problems with it, or with the newly potted plant getting used to its new environment. Happy Gardening!...See MoreHow does this 5.1.1 look
Comments (2)Is that Pine bark fines, perlite and peat with lime? Is there any way you can throw some light on that and grab a better shot? Good thinking to use the 5.1.1 mix! Mike...See MoreIs 5-1-1 mix ok for conifers in pots?
Comments (23)Ha, that's weird. No idea why that is in the description. If you have a store near you, check it out. You need to run it over 1/2 inch hardware cloth to screen out any big particles,but most is fine enough to go through. It's much better quality than the stuff at big box stores, and a lot more affordable than the reptile bark. Also, the reptile bark is bigger in the big bags vs. small bags. So you will see people say it doesn't need to be screened, but that's only true in the tiny bags. If you get the bigger bags, it seems the bark size also increases. I had to run it through my chipper machine to get it to the right size...What a pain! @gardengal - Well... Someone on gardenweb used a temp gun to measure soil temp vs. a 5 gal black pot. Temps in 80's, soil surface was similar, but the pot was 147.... That's not surprising to me. Think about how much hotter black pavement or a black car gets in the sun. Maybe the plants in larger pots can tolerate it, but why add the stress to the plant. I think smaller bp & 1g pots are at extra risk, especially when they have just been up potted. I'm not willing to test this theory.... I just sink the pots in the ground or provide shade cloth. Now...On the cold, I disagree. z7a on the east coast is way different than the west coast. I an 1/2 a zone colder than the OP and I have definitely lost z5 hardy conifers to cold when they are left in pots, above ground, without protection. Again, pot size plays a big role here. A 5 gal pot is going to be able to absorb/buffer the cold much better than a BP/1g... Those are just my thoughts/experiences... Maybe I am over cautious, but I don't want to add unnecessary risk... http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2111205/can-black-pots-cook-roots...See MoreWindwaker (8a) AR
6 years agoLaurie (8A)
6 years ago
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Laurie (8A)