Hello,
This was the first season that I had a go at growing a few plants on my fire escape here in Brooklyn. I have a small rosemary plant that is looking great and a few basil plants that did fairly well. They weren't as bushy as I'd like but they provided enough leaves for me to enjoy. I'm going to bring the basil indoors now to see if I can coax a few more weeks out of it.
But this is the tomato forum so allow me to ask my tomato question. I started a tomato plant from seed in April and the biggest plant is currently about 6 inches high. Needless to say I won't see any tomatoes this season. What should I do differently next season? Start the seeds earlier? Start with a plant? Stick to rosemary?
Thanks.
well those maters should've been 6" tall or taller like 6 weeks after planting.
I suspect you had one (or more) of the following conditions:
1. lack of nutrients in soil
2. lack of adequate sunlight
3. lack of consistent hydration
Without all 3 in harmony, the plant cannot grow or make use of the other 2 items if the 3rd is deficient.
I'd guess nutrients were missing, since a lack of sunlight usually gives leggy growth as the plant reaches for the light.
I suspect you had one (or more) of the following conditions:
1. lack of nutrients in soil
2. lack of adequate sunlight
3. lack of consistent hydration
Without all 3 in harmony, the plant cannot grow or make use of the other 2 items if the 3rd is deficient.
I'd guess nutrients were missing, since a lack of sunlight usually gives leggy growth as the plant reaches for the light.
Thanks for the reply. My fire escape gets a good amount of sunlight, probably 8-9 hours of direct sunlight in the summer. Which I think should be enough. I'm a fairly diligent waterer and watered daily, save a couple out of town weekends. So the nutrient issue might be the one. I planted the seeds in Hamptons Estate Potting Mix of which the following is said:
Hampton’s Estate™ Professional Potting Mix
All horticultural grade ingredients including organic fertilizer (25:10:10), and an organic wetting agent. Disease suppressive qualities, rich with microbes and nutrients that feed plants’ roots throughout the growing season which results in enhanced healthy foliage. Excellent water retention while providing proper aeration and drainage suitable for all types of plants. Ideal for deck and patio containers, indoor pots, hanging baskets, bedding plants and seed starting.
I didn't add anything to the pot except for water after it was planted. Should I have?
Hampton’s Estate™ Professional Potting Mix
All horticultural grade ingredients including organic fertilizer (25:10:10), and an organic wetting agent. Disease suppressive qualities, rich with microbes and nutrients that feed plants’ roots throughout the growing season which results in enhanced healthy foliage. Excellent water retention while providing proper aeration and drainage suitable for all types of plants. Ideal for deck and patio containers, indoor pots, hanging baskets, bedding plants and seed starting.
I didn't add anything to the pot except for water after it was planted. Should I have?
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applestar
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Fire Escape Garden, huh? Sounds great!
With the amount of sun you've described, I suspect that you're more in need of sun/heat protection as well as in danger of too arid condition due to too much air circulation (maybe that's an UNDERstatement
)
I recommend you bring your rosemary inside for the winter. It can sustain temps down to about 35ºF without going dormant. But even the hardiest Rosemary isn't going to survive the winter out on the fire escape. I'll dig up a link for the thread on what to do with it (it's a bit controversial). (or you can search the forum for it under "overwintering rosemary indoors")
For next year, it's best to start your tomato seeds around March 1st. I'm a bit farther south of you but you'll have the urban and coastal heat sink conditions so your planting time maybe equivalent. I started some of my earliest tomatoes on Feb. 14th this year for our "Race for June Tomatoes" and that worked out well.
Make sure to uppot as the seedlings grow, so they are never set back from crowded roots, and end up in at MINIMUM 5 gallon bucket size container per plant when you're ready to set them outside.
The Hampton Mix sounds like it has way too much Nitrogen (the first number) -- well, actually too much fertilizer altogether -- for starting seeds, and you should have provided a more evenly distributed fertilizer first month or so after they were uppotted into this soil mix after their first or 2nd pair of true leaves grew out.
There are lot of accumulated info/expertise about starting seeds and tomato seeds in particular on this forum. Some people have been doing this for years.
You're in good hands.
With the amount of sun you've described, I suspect that you're more in need of sun/heat protection as well as in danger of too arid condition due to too much air circulation (maybe that's an UNDERstatement
)I recommend you bring your rosemary inside for the winter. It can sustain temps down to about 35ºF without going dormant. But even the hardiest Rosemary isn't going to survive the winter out on the fire escape. I'll dig up a link for the thread on what to do with it (it's a bit controversial). (or you can search the forum for it under "overwintering rosemary indoors")
For next year, it's best to start your tomato seeds around March 1st. I'm a bit farther south of you but you'll have the urban and coastal heat sink conditions so your planting time maybe equivalent. I started some of my earliest tomatoes on Feb. 14th this year for our "Race for June Tomatoes" and that worked out well.
Make sure to uppot as the seedlings grow, so they are never set back from crowded roots, and end up in at MINIMUM 5 gallon bucket size container per plant when you're ready to set them outside.
The Hampton Mix sounds like it has way too much Nitrogen (the first number) -- well, actually too much fertilizer altogether -- for starting seeds, and you should have provided a more evenly distributed fertilizer first month or so after they were uppotted into this soil mix after their first or 2nd pair of true leaves grew out.
There are lot of accumulated info/expertise about starting seeds and tomato seeds in particular on this forum. Some people have been doing this for years.
You're in good hands. I can tell I'm in good hands, and am glad for it! I wish I had found this forum a long time ago.
I'll search around for info on overwintering rosemary and look forward to being a better informed tomato planter next time around. Given your tips it's clear those seeds never had a chance.
I really enjoyed gardening on my fire escape this past year and would love to get better at it. Of course I'm limited by space and plants that can take the exposure but seems like with the collective wisdom of this board I'll be able to make the most of it.
I'll search around for info on overwintering rosemary and look forward to being a better informed tomato planter next time around. Given your tips it's clear those seeds never had a chance.
I really enjoyed gardening on my fire escape this past year and would love to get better at it. Of course I'm limited by space and plants that can take the exposure but seems like with the collective wisdom of this board I'll be able to make the most of it.
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lorax
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And it's not too late for your little seedlings, either. If you blend yourself up a mix of about 25% coir or peat with 75% ordinary, fertilizer-free potting soil, and transplant the little guys, you can bring them indoors for the winter and grow them as houseplants, adding small amounts of higer PK, lower N fert as they grow. At which point, you might see tomatoes in March or April.
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rainbowgardener
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I didn't add anything to the pot except for water after it was planted. Should I have?
Yes. Growing plants in containers is not like growing in the ground. With that much direct sun, you probably were watering every day. That flushes the nutrients out. You needed to be giving mild fertilizer about every couple weeks. Look for Tomato Tone or something like that, that is is higher on the PK not the nitrogen. (All fertilizers give NPK numbers, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium).
Yes. Growing plants in containers is not like growing in the ground. With that much direct sun, you probably were watering every day. That flushes the nutrients out. You needed to be giving mild fertilizer about every couple weeks. Look for Tomato Tone or something like that, that is is higher on the PK not the nitrogen. (All fertilizers give NPK numbers, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium).
That is good to know. On some days I was watering twice since the pots were small and the heat on the fire escape can get pretty serious in the dead of summer. So surely those nutrients were washed away pretty early on.
I'd like to try to revitalize the tomato plant indoors but wonder if it's too late for that guy and if I should just start with some new seeds and get it good and healthy for a Spring move back outside.
I'd like to try to revitalize the tomato plant indoors but wonder if it's too late for that guy and if I should just start with some new seeds and get it good and healthy for a Spring move back outside.
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engineeredgarden
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rainbowgardener
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That plant has been suffering and not really thriving for months. I'd start fresh from seeds.
To grow a producing tomato plant you do need a 5 gallon bucket sized container, but you don't want to start it in that when it is little, all that dirt just holds too much moisture. Start it in a 3" pot and once you have a decent sized healthy little plant, transplant it to the big planter.
To grow a producing tomato plant you do need a 5 gallon bucket sized container, but you don't want to start it in that when it is little, all that dirt just holds too much moisture. Start it in a 3" pot and once you have a decent sized healthy little plant, transplant it to the big planter.
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rainbowgardener
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engineeredgarden
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bkdan - I bet that was your problem. A tomato transplant in a small pot will cease to grow anymore once its' roots have grown a pretty good bit. Learning to grow tomato transplants from seed is kinda tricky until you get the hang of it, and potting up is one of the most important things to do....
EG
EG