New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 121
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Folks, most of my tomatoes have come up, and have now developed their first set of true leaves.As I am new to container gardening (after a 15 year hiatus) I still haven't decided on a good container mix, and am seeking advice as to what media I should place these seedlings in.
I have peat moss and perlite; can I transplant my tomatoes into Dixie cups in some proportion of perlite and peat moss, or should I also add some compost, or something else? Thanks in advance for your help! |
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#2 |
BANNED FOR LIFE
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 13,333
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It's my first year of doing this. I bought a large bag of MG Organic Potting Mix and a bunch of Red Solo cups.
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SeTx
Posts: 881
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You might google "Cornell peat-lite" and check this thread out:
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=26519 I would definitely advise against mixing up your own mix unless you're prepared to follow recipes exactly (or okay with a few failures in the process). I think lime is necessary for a peat mix? |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 2,593
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Call your local hydroponics store and get you a bale of this. I pay about $34 for a bale that allows me pot up about 1200 9 ounce dixie cups: PRO-MIX® HP MYCORRHIZAE™
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#5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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I can second the promix recommendation, I used it last year with great results.
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#6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 2,466
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What kind of containers are these plants going into in your garden?
There are numerous recipes for container mixes but since you are new at this I would suggest against putting together your own mix right now unless you want to experiment with some first on a few plants. Peat moss, perlite, compost are all fine but the proportions of each is important. You will also need some lime to balance the PH of the media. Just go with a good quality commercial potting soil for potting up and for your main garden containers for now. |
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#7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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Pro-mix should be about $3.50 per cubic foot. The peat-based pro mixes typically balance the acidity of the peat with a little limestone.
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#8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 121
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Thanks so much for the suggestion of pro mix, but I have not found any in the big box stores, so I bought peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite already. I really would like to not buy a pre-made potting mix, if I can use what I have already purchased.
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#9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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I think you'll want to mix a little limestone with the peat.
Here is a link with some recipes from Cornell: http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/cr...s/peatlite.pdf |
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#10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 121
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I also just received some Azomite. Would a little bit of it work instead if the lime?
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#11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: ny
Posts: 1,219
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lime neutralizes the acidity that comes with peat.
__________________
Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7! |
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#12 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cheektowaga, NY
Posts: 2,466
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![]() Quote:
Peat moss tends to be very acidic and if it's a major part of the mix it may lower the overall PH to undesirable levels. Finished compost tends to be more or less neutral in PH. If your mix is primarily a peat/compost mix the proportions of each will determine the overall PH of the mix and how much lime that will need to be added. |
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#13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 121
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Thanks, RayR, for the explanation. It appears that it will be difficult for me to determine just how much lime to add, supposing that I can even find dolomite.Can't anything be simple?
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#14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Utah
Posts: 693
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#15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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Hmm, I made my own mix to transplant seedlings into this year of equal parts of peat/vermiculite/Diatomeceous earth. Do you folks think I need to add some lime? My first transplants look fine now, but they did drop a few leaves after transplanting.
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