Vegetables not growing.

[optimistisStar]

I planted some vegetable plants such as eggplant, tomatoes and different varieties of peppers, but all of them are mostly growing leaves. Some plants got flowers and they dropped off and some got 1 fruits like 1 tomato and 1 pepper, but it's size was very tiny. I live in an apartment so all the plants are in containers. Tomatoes are in 5 gallon containers and all have good drainage. They are planted in potting soil (Miracle Gro) except tomatoes which has a mixture of peat moss and potting soil. I water them twice a week or when the soil dries. Was thinking to feed them with some solution/good fertilizer but hardly have any idea of which solutions or fertilizers are good for these plants.

Any tips or suggestions. I reside in Kansas, USA so temperature wise it's summer in here now and very hot usually 90's F.

[ElizabethB]

Hi Optimist,

Warm welcome to the Forum.

Please update your profile and include your county and state. It is almost impossible for the Forum Members to provide good advice or information without knowing a specific location.

When I was young - a long time ago - I lived in apartments and practiced container gardening. Well drained pots are essential. I used clay pots with no pot saucers. Good soil is your next issue. MG is good but expensive. I found store brands to be just as good. I have always shopped Lowe's so I used StayGreen. Your next issue is lighting. I had a balcony. It faced south. Full sun. Next water. I know that I PO'd my downstairs neighbors with my watering. I did not care. Management used my balcony as a show place for prospective tenants so they gave me a pass on my watering habits. Containers need more fertilization than in ground gardens. Since you want to produce fruit avoid high Nitrogen fertilizers. High Nitrogen will produce lots of pretty foliage but will restrict fruit production. Read the label. Avoid a high N content. I like water soluble fertilizers for containers. I NEVER use spikes.

BTW - pot size is important. You need large pots. Each plant needs its own pot. The bigger the better.

Don't give up.

[rainbowgardener]

Hi and welcome! A couple pictures would be helpful, showing how your plants look.

If your plants are growing fast and are big and leafy, but not fruiting, that can be a result of too much Nitrogen fertilizer. But if all you have is the Miracle-Gro in the potting soil and haven't added other fertilizer, I wouldn't expect that.

Over fertilized, they might look something like this, very bushy, but no fruit:



If your plants are not getting enough light (what direction does your balcony face, how many hours of direct sun a day does it get?), they will get "leggy" spindly and stretched out as the try to grow to the light.

Leggy tomato plants:






So show us what yours are looking like and we will try to help!

[imafan26]

If you are growing your vegetables indoors they may not be getting enough light. It would account for the leafiness and small, sparse fruiting. Eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans all need a lot of sun Peppers and Eggplant don't even sprout or make much fruit during the winter months for me. You need to be getting at least 6 hours of sun for them.

Things that might grow with less light are the cool season crops like lettuce, and many of the herbs: basil, cilantro (in cooler weather), green onions, mints, parsley, some of the Asian greens like bok choy and carrots. They can grow with partial shade or 4 hours of good sun.

[optimistisStar]

Thanks everyone for replying!! I will post my plants pics pretty soon. I am in middle of moving the apartment and didn't get much chance this week.

[imafan26]

If the temperatures are in the 90's, don't expect the tomatoes to keep their flowers or set fruit unless you have a heat resistant variety. Tomatoes like 80 degrees but they don't like 90's. Eggplant will fare a little better in the heat, but need a lot of water or the fruit will age faster.