Tomatoes are not growing in potting soil

bird-n-buck · May 22, 2012

My friend talked me into trying to grow tomatoes in some containers I had . They are made out of fiberglass and are 32" around and about 13" deep. I went to the store and they sold me miracle-gro potting mix and my started plants. It has been about 5-6 weeks and they have not grown. They have not died but they don't look to good some of the leaves on the outside edges look yellow. I went over to my neighbors, he planted his about the same time in his garden, and his are about 30' tall and mine are the about the same size as when I planted them. I water them everyday. Do I need to mix something with the potting soil mix or what. I thought someone else might have had this experience.

TigersAU777 · May 22, 2012

It is easy to wash away the nutrients in containers...I fertilize mine every 4 days to combat it. Google "tomato diagnosis" and there should be a link to a site called vegetablemdonline or something like that...there you can see hundreds of pictures of common deficiency and diseases found in tomatoes...this should give u a starting point as to know what ur plants are missing. Lowes also sells a soil test kit for 11 dollars that has ten tests each for ph nitrogen phosphorous and potassium. Hope this helps

Tania · May 22, 2012

bird-n-buck, welcome to the forum!

Please watch your watering - too much water can stunt the growth and make leaves yellow. I often observe this happening in container tomatoes that stay out in a rain for a few days in a row.

I'd suggest to let the soil mix dry up between the waterings.

kurt · May 22, 2012

If you say 13" deep and 32"inch round the roots might be developing longer since it is a large area for a small plant to fill in.Do you have drain holes?If not and you are watering everyday more than likely your roots are not getting enough oxygen.Miracle grow in a container tends to stay "wet"if drenched and is hard to dry out.Might have to pull one plant out check roots,if real muddy at the bottom pull all of plants out leaving good rootball soil,put in shade,pull all of wet soil on plastic in yard with sun,mix some perlite in some dry peat moss fluff all day by pulling up corner of plastic and flipping.When soil is drier(will make a ball if squeezed in hand but falls apart after)you should be good to go.Replant deep and hold off watering to let root ball kinda dry out.I monitor watering by the plant talking to me,when you see them kinda turn down and get wilty time to water.If you see water droplets running off of leaf(not morning dew)then they are too wet.

coloken · May 22, 2012

I grow tomatoes all the time in pots of all sizes with nothing but MG potting mix. I hardly ever add any fertilizer all tho it might be better is i did add a little once in a while. Your problem has to be something else. A wild guess is you are drowning them. I usually mix a little perlite in with the potting mix to keep it lighter.

Sun City Linda · May 22, 2012

Last Spring as an experiment, I planted a Bloody Butcher and Moskvitch each in their own 7 gallon container with only Miracle Grow. They grew well and produced fruit. I am inclined to agree that you are overwatering. When you first put a little tomato plant in a large container it will not require much water.

Vinny · May 22, 2012

I water everyday but temps here are in the low 90s already and I also use smart pots that drain much faster than a conventional container. I don't think it's the MG mix to blame. I harvested about 15 tomatoes just today some pretty dang big Taps and my soil is mostly MG potting mix. Many people here use it to great success.

May 22, 2012	#1
bird-n-buck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: oklahoma Posts: 1	Tomatoes are not growing in potting soil My friend talked me into trying to grow tomatoes in some containers I had . They are made out of fiberglass and are 32" around and about 13" deep. I went to the store and they sold me miracle-gro potting mix and my started plants. It has been about 5-6 weeks and they have not grown. They have not died but they don't look to good some of the leaves on the outside edges look yellow. I went over to my neighbors, he planted his about the same time in his garden, and his are about 30' tall and mine are the about the same size as when I planted them. I water them everyday. Do I need to mix something with the potting soil mix or what. I thought someone else might have had this experience.

May 22, 2012	#3
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	bird-n-buck, welcome to the forum! Please watch your watering - too much water can stunt the growth and make leaves yellow. I often observe this happening in container tomatoes that stay out in a rain for a few days in a row. I'd suggest to let the soil mix dry up between the waterings. __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase Last edited by Tania; May 22, 2012 at 05:58 PM.

May 22, 2012	#2
TigersAU777 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Mobile, AL Posts: 83	It is easy to wash away the nutrients in containers...I fertilize mine every 4 days to combat it. Google "tomato diagnosis" and there should be a link to a site called vegetablemdonline or something like that...there you can see hundreds of pictures of common deficiency and diseases found in tomatoes...this should give u a starting point as to know what ur plants are missing. Lowes also sells a soil test kit for 11 dollars that has ten tests each for ph nitrogen phosphorous and potassium. Hope this helps

May 22, 2012	#4
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,490	If you say 13" deep and 32"inch round the roots might be developing longer since it is a large area for a small plant to fill in.Do you have drain holes?If not and you are watering everyday more than likely your roots are not getting enough oxygen.Miracle grow in a container tends to stay "wet"if drenched and is hard to dry out.Might have to pull one plant out check roots,if real muddy at the bottom pull all of plants out leaving good rootball soil,put in shade,pull all of wet soil on plastic in yard with sun,mix some perlite in some dry peat moss fluff all day by pulling up corner of plastic and flipping.When soil is drier(will make a ball if squeezed in hand but falls apart after)you should be good to go.Replant deep and hold off watering to let root ball kinda dry out.I monitor watering by the plant talking to me,when you see them kinda turn down and get wilty time to water.If you see water droplets running off of leaf(not morning dew)then they are too wet.

May 22, 2012	#5
coloken Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NE Co Posts: 303	I grow tomatoes all the time in pots of all sizes with nothing but MG potting mix. I hardly ever add any fertilizer all tho it might be better is i did add a little once in a while. Your problem has to be something else. A wild guess is you are drowning them. I usually mix a little perlite in with the potting mix to keep it lighter.

May 22, 2012	#6
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	Last Spring as an experiment, I planted a Bloody Butcher and Moskvitch each in their own 7 gallon container with only Miracle Grow. They grew well and produced fruit. I am inclined to agree that you are overwatering. When you first put a little tomato plant in a large container it will not require much water.

May 22, 2012	#7
Vinny Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Homosassa, FL Posts: 63	I water everyday but temps here are in the low 90s already and I also use smart pots that drain much faster than a conventional container. I don't think it's the MG mix to blame. I harvested about 15 tomatoes just today some pretty dang big Taps and my soil is mostly MG potting mix. Many people here use it to great success.