M-G Potting Mix and Gardener's Self-Watering Container Mix

Hello, everyone. I never noticed this before, since I was so consumed measuring growth in height only. These are both Sweet 100s bought as seedlings at Target September 7, 2008. Potted up the same time (regular 5-6 gallon pots since I didn't have EB then, and I ran out of Gardener's SF Success Kits).

Left: Miracle-Gro
The leaves are dark-green and shiny.

Right: Gardener's Self-Watering Container Mix
The leaves are double the size, and lighter shade of green.

Both have about the same number of fruits right now, just harder to see on the plant on the right (because of the huge and fuller leaves). In two (2) weeks, I have to side-dress the plant on the right.

The M-G pot has 3 months of fertilizer - - - do I add a supplement?

Foliar spray on the plant on the right?

Please advise. Thank you so much!

Annapet


This message was edited Oct 5, 2008 9:20 PM

annapet - i'm sure there are people here who can tell you why there is a difference but for me as a veggie grower in containers i can tell you that all i do is set my plants into the containers than aded some bone meal in it plus some 5-10-10 fertilizer. after that all i do is add MG fertilizer into a gallon of water and then water the plants with that every three weeks. i do not do anything else to the plants. i don't spray them or add any kind of supplements other than the MG and i am very happy with what i end up with.

thanks, frank.

it didn't occur to me that i may have two (2) different kinds of tomatoes since nurseries make mistake in labeling seedlings. now i am curious and excited what these tomatoes could really be.

Moonglow: I have a box of Schultz Tomato and Vegetable Slow-Release Plant Food, it's 10-12-12, which from what I understand, you need at least 10-10-10 for good tomatoes. The 10-12-12 gives you more phosphate and potash, which has a tendency to give you bigger and healthier tomatoes. Mine is for a 3 month period also; so, what I intend on doing is putting it in the line I'm supposed to do when I plant the seedlings in the EBs and then 3 months later repeat it and then repeat it again in 3 more months. The covers on the EB's are removeable; and I don't think it will hurt to do it that way. But, I'm just a beginner here; so, let's wait and see what happens or if someone has another suggestion here?
joy112854

joy -- Just take a sharp razor and slice a line over the middle where you have placed your old fertilizer, scoop out old fertilizer, refill with fresh mix to replace what you scooped out and replace with fresh fertilizer, wet to activate and then wait till next day and tape the seam closed as you probably could not do it the same day as the cover may have gotten wet. I use white duct tape because my covers are white, when necessary! It holds very well and can be recut to repeat the process if it becomes necessary by laying new tape over the old tape. OK?

TPlant: On further thought, I have decided to use your recipe for the EB box fertilizer and then use the Schultz for the topsy turvy's along with the Miracle Grow liquid plant food. That should have both departments taken care of. I have two topsy turvys, and will have a total of 15 grow boxes/earth boxes and 2 square footers, so your way is less work and since you have been successful, hopefully I will be also.
I did notice something on the one grow box of tomatoes that all I got was the stem and a few leafs on though, after dumping the dirt out after season and this is what I found: there was a long skinny root that seemed to be combined between the two tomato plants, they were sharing the same root , freaky, but was curious as to what caused it? I imagine that is the reason there were no tomatoes on the stems or leafs for that matter. Isn't that like where the roots have no where to go and wind up being root bound, like the two tomato plants' roots were joined together and in one long string connecting the two. Very weird. I did notice though that as they were grown in the a Garden Patch Box, that the fertilizer had melted to the underside of the plastic cover. I had noticed this earlier on and had added fertilizer right to the well. As since the fertilzier seemed crystalized I doubted that the tomatoes got any nutrients except what they got through the well under them.
joy112854

So much easier to answer your questions if you would take pictures?

Thanks, Joy. Thanks, Ted.

These tomatoes will definitely be happier with a weekly M-G Tomato elixir shot.

TPlant, I am not that computer literate, sorry, but will do my best to take pics. I just got a camera, it's a Cannon Power Shot A510, my sister usually does the downloading of pics for me, so will have to get her in on this one. LOL Just helped a friend into the hospital where they had surgery, so will be kind of slow at doing this ok?
joy112854

Sure understand! Don't know how I would do with my computer if it weren't for my son showing me. He was in the Marine Corp Air Wing on a carrier and repair the computers on planes so I'm lucky!

Moonglow -- I think a weekly dose would be too much as the fertilizer will filter into the resevoir so it will have more than enough and you may get more growth than tomatos or worse burn up the roots?

TPlant: I hear you there, I have even my grandbabies helping me when it comes to computers. LOL I called Lowes and they gave me Jungle Growth's phone number, Peadmont Pacific makes it, and there is only one blue bag, so if it's blue, it's the right one, for now they are only shipping to Florida, Georgia and a few other states and Lowes is the one that will be carrying it. I asked them if they would consider shipping to individuals, as we wanted to get our hands on the stuff, and they said the freight would be too much. They are looking into shipping to other states though, as I told them there were many in other states that could not acquire it, and what it was being used for. If anyone else would like the number here it is: 1-770-725-6853. They are also looking up the earthboxes. If they are smart they will get with the earthbox people and maybe work with them.
Since I have 11 boxes counting and probably 4-5 more to buy I'll need lots of the stuff. Happy gardening.
joy112854

Freight is horrific! A 40 lb bag of dolomitic lime costs $5 but $35 for shipping!!!! Wish Lowes would bring it back?

Thanks, T.

Speaking of mixes, I am curious about Pro-Mix though can't find it close by.

Edited to add:

I found a distributor in Sonoma!

This message was edited Oct 15, 2008 6:04 PM