so I am an newbie and I am trying my hand at gardening.
I have 3 potted herbs and a roma tomato plant. I was told to line the pot with newspaper to prevent soil loss through the holes at the bottom. I used newspaper with color ink. Is this bad? I never thought about it until after. Is this toxic. Do I have to take all the dirt out of the pots and retrieve the paper or can I just leave it?
-
martydibergi
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:43 pm
-
hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
-
rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
the ink isn't a problem. But I have never lined pots. If they are indoors I set them in saucers or trays, not so much because the soil will come out, but the water does. Admittedly the water that comes out has some soil mixed in with it, but not a whole lot. If they are outdoors, I usually set them up on some rocks or gravel, just to be sure they can drain. But the soil generally holds together well enough not to come out through the little holes.
-
martydibergi
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:43 pm
thank you for the help. I have a few more questions.
1) my roma tomato plant has three new flower buds. they just appeared a few days ago. I have been told to cut these off to allow the plant to concentrate its strength in growing taller and stronger. TRUE or FALSE?
2) I got 3 herbs and a tomato plant. I wanted to start off small. I have really enjoyed gardening and haven't killed anything so far and I want to add another plant. what other plants do well in container. I was thinking strawberries or a bell pepper plant. I don't know though. Any suggestions?
3) I cooked the other day with my rosemary (it really is better when it is fresh) the only problem is that now my rosemary is half the size and so I can't cook with it for awhile. I have rooting hormone. Is it safe to use in a container. It looks dangerous to me and I don't want that in my body. Is there another way to make more stalks.
1) my roma tomato plant has three new flower buds. they just appeared a few days ago. I have been told to cut these off to allow the plant to concentrate its strength in growing taller and stronger. TRUE or FALSE?
2) I got 3 herbs and a tomato plant. I wanted to start off small. I have really enjoyed gardening and haven't killed anything so far and I want to add another plant. what other plants do well in container. I was thinking strawberries or a bell pepper plant. I don't know though. Any suggestions?
3) I cooked the other day with my rosemary (it really is better when it is fresh) the only problem is that now my rosemary is half the size and so I can't cook with it for awhile. I have rooting hormone. Is it safe to use in a container. It looks dangerous to me and I don't want that in my body. Is there another way to make more stalks.
-
martydibergi
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:43 pm
-
hendi_alex
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 3604
- Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
- Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina
Some people pinch and prune tomatoes. I've never found that to be any particular benefit. You may get larger tomatoes by pinching, but you won't get as many tomatoes, and more importantly, by pinching early blooms you won't get as many EARLY tomatoes.
I grow both strawberries and bell peppers in containers and both do well. A single strawberry plant could do o.k. in a one gallon container, I put eight plants in a rectangular container that is approximately one foot tall and 12 inches wide by 24 inches long. For me a bell pepper does best in about a three gallon container, which is called a five gallon container by the nursery trade standards. Black nursery pots have a weird standard where a one gallon is really just a bit over a half gallon and a five gallon may be as small as about three gallons actual. I think the very smallest sized container for an indeterminate tomato would be perhaps 14-16 diameter and 16 inches deep. Tomatoes are heavy feeders, and also go through a lot of water in a day. During hot weather, a fairly large pot may still have to be watered twice per day, and the plant may still suffer from irregular water availability. IMO container tomatoes really should have some steady supply of water like with drip irrigation on a timer.
For me basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, parsley, rosemary all grow well in containers. Many other do as well, but I don't have experience with them. Any of the mints are perhaps best suited for containers, as they tend to be so invasive when placed in the ground.
I wouldn't worry about taking a cutting of the rosemary and using rooting hormone on it. After all, the plant that you bought was probably started that way, with them using rooting hormone. If I were you, would buy me another plant or two, whatever is needed to supply your needs. We have a large rosemary bush planted in the yard and snip from it, which is an endless supply, being about three feet tall by three feet wide.
By the way, a true five gallon bucket is somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 inch diameter and 15 inch height.
I grow both strawberries and bell peppers in containers and both do well. A single strawberry plant could do o.k. in a one gallon container, I put eight plants in a rectangular container that is approximately one foot tall and 12 inches wide by 24 inches long. For me a bell pepper does best in about a three gallon container, which is called a five gallon container by the nursery trade standards. Black nursery pots have a weird standard where a one gallon is really just a bit over a half gallon and a five gallon may be as small as about three gallons actual. I think the very smallest sized container for an indeterminate tomato would be perhaps 14-16 diameter and 16 inches deep. Tomatoes are heavy feeders, and also go through a lot of water in a day. During hot weather, a fairly large pot may still have to be watered twice per day, and the plant may still suffer from irregular water availability. IMO container tomatoes really should have some steady supply of water like with drip irrigation on a timer.
For me basil, thyme, oregano, cilantro, parsley, rosemary all grow well in containers. Many other do as well, but I don't have experience with them. Any of the mints are perhaps best suited for containers, as they tend to be so invasive when placed in the ground.
I wouldn't worry about taking a cutting of the rosemary and using rooting hormone on it. After all, the plant that you bought was probably started that way, with them using rooting hormone. If I were you, would buy me another plant or two, whatever is needed to supply your needs. We have a large rosemary bush planted in the yard and snip from it, which is an endless supply, being about three feet tall by three feet wide.
By the way, a true five gallon bucket is somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 inch diameter and 15 inch height.
Growing in containers is all I have space for,so is all I do.I seem to be having good sucess with any type of pepper plant.Jalepenos,aneheim,giant marconi which is a bigger pepper and also a sweet 100 tomato plant which is now 4 ft. tall after 5 wks. with over 45 salad size toms.All in 5 gallon buckets with holes in bottom and a few inches of rock to allow good drainage.Although sweet 100 is an indeterminate plant it seems to be holding its own.Patio tomato it perfect for containers ,also have one of those.Good luck