Quote:
Originally Posted by DocBrock
All of my tomato and pepper plants are potted in 12-20gal plastic containers with 1/2" holes drilled in the bottom and large rectangular cutouts along the bottom rim like you would see on a nursery pot. I put window screen on the inside before adding soil to keep the dirt in. As far as soil it's that lime green natures care potting mix. I added espoma garden lime, Dr. Earth Home grown granular fertilizer, extra perlite, several tbsp's of Epsom salts, and then planted the seedlings. 2 weeks after planting I started watering weekly, alternating with Dr. Earth Home Grown liquid concentrate and fox farm big bloom on the older plants. I've also water once so far with general hydroponics calmag because a few small tomatoes had BER. My 2 BHN 602 plants that I started with in 5 gallon buckets were planted 3 weeks earlier than my other seedlings and peppers, using the same potting mix. They are 3' tall and full of around 20 developing tomatoes each. My seedlings have barely taken off. Maybe a few inches of stem. Weird thing is my golden jubilee has grown maybe 3" since planting and now has a marble sized tomato on it. Makes no sense that it's fruiting right now. I made sure I picked a plant that didn't have blossoms on it yet when I purchased it, so those developed after planting. The seedlings Im having problems with were planted about two weeks ago. It's gunna bite to get rid of the potting mix they're in if that's problem because I've probably gone through 20 bags at $10 a piece, but I will if it's gunna ruin the joy of having my first harvest.
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Isn't that green bag a Scotts organic product? I hate evetything Scotts ever made. Total crap without sterility IMHO, I used the green bag Natures Care at our community garden because they got it for free as a grant, and the solarized bags were used(sterile) and put over thick plastic, not touching the soil at all, and my plants failed to thrive, then started to die. I cut open a stem, and it had fusarium, classic case. Fusarium is SOIL BORNE.
Scott's products are famous for having fungus gnat eggs in them. Go with PromixBX for new pots, you won't be sorry.
Meanwhile, you can reuse this soil next year, but sterilize it in the Summer with the 3mil large clear Husky Bags, kept tight for about 6 to 8 weeks. It will cook and kill everything.
I think your plants might have fungus gnat larvae being the issue here, but if one dies, I suggest cutting it open to see if fusarium is in the stem. (Google it for photos) brown purple vascular plant tissue.