I wonder if people go to any trouble in preparing a mix of compost etc for
putting their tomatoes in when they plant out in to 10" pots or whatever.

The reason that I ask is that I used that Verve rubbish compost this year for
some of my pots and I noticed that some of them retained much more water that
others. I have a dripper system and some were having standing water on the
surface - others weren't. When I investigated it was the worst of the Verve
which was retaining much more water.

Some of those are now developing the stalk splitting and cracking and the
yellow leaves which I understand can be caused indirectly by over watering.

Of course I need not drip water them every day - but I would rather prepare the
same compost/sand/vermiculite mixture or whatever others recommend this next
year.


Judith (not in France)

"Judith" wrote in message
...


I wonder if people go to any trouble in preparing a mix of compost etc for
putting their tomatoes in when they plant out in to 10" pots or whatever.

The reason that I ask is that I used that Verve rubbish compost this year
for
some of my pots and I noticed that some of them retained much more water
that
others. I have a dripper system and some were having standing water on
the
surface - others weren't. When I investigated it was the worst of the
Verve
which was retaining much more water.

Some of those are now developing the stalk splitting and cracking and the
yellow leaves which I understand can be caused indirectly by over
watering.

Of course I need not drip water them every day - but I would rather
prepare the
same compost/sand/vermiculite mixture or whatever others recommend this
next
year.


My standard mix for all pot vegetables was one of bagged manure, one of peat
(or peat free) compost and one of top soil (or JI3 depending on price).
This gives a good dose of organics, fine compost to encourage roots, and
soil base to encourage easy re-wetting when it all dries out.
I also added Growmore and chicken manure pellets.
Having had bad experiences with peat free compost I may go back to peat
based.
Generally does quite well with tomatoes and cucumbers.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

On Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:47:42 +0100, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:


"Judith" wrote in message
.. .


I wonder if people go to any trouble in preparing a mix of compost etc for
putting their tomatoes in when they plant out in to 10" pots or whatever.

The reason that I ask is that I used that Verve rubbish compost this year
for
some of my pots and I noticed that some of them retained much more water
that
others. I have a dripper system and some were having standing water on
the
surface - others weren't. When I investigated it was the worst of the
Verve
which was retaining much more water.

Some of those are now developing the stalk splitting and cracking and the
yellow leaves which I understand can be caused indirectly by over
watering.

Of course I need not drip water them every day - but I would rather
prepare the
same compost/sand/vermiculite mixture or whatever others recommend this
next
year.


My standard mix for all pot vegetables was one of bagged manure, one of peat
(or peat free) compost and one of top soil (or JI3 depending on price).
This gives a good dose of organics, fine compost to encourage roots, and
soil base to encourage easy re-wetting when it all dries out.
I also added Growmore and chicken manure pellets.
Having had bad experiences with peat free compost I may go back to peat
based.
Generally does quite well with tomatoes and cucumbers.

Cheers

Dave R


Many thanks - appreciated

On Monday, September 17, 2012 1:41:02 PM UTC+1, Judith wrote:
I wonder if people go to any trouble in preparing a mix of compost etc for

putting their tomatoes in when they plant out in to 10" pots or whatever.



The reason that I ask is that I used that Verve rubbish compost this year for

some of my pots and I noticed that some of them retained much more water that

others. I have a dripper system and some were having standing water on the

surface - others weren't. When I investigated it was the worst of the Verve

which was retaining much more water.



Some of those are now developing the stalk splitting and cracking and the

yellow leaves which I understand can be caused indirectly by over watering.



Of course I need not drip water them every day - but I would rather prepare the

same compost/sand/vermiculite mixture or whatever others recommend this next

year.



I mix my own compost for tomatoes in tubs, but I try not to make it too nutritious for the plants initially because I find that the plants grow vast quantities of leaves but do not have many flowers.

Only when the first fruits have appeared do I start feeding the plants with a homemade liquid feed.

The compost for my plants is usually a mixture of bought peat compost, home produced compost, home produced leaf mould and a hand full of blood, fish and bone.

I did try the council bagged recycled compost once but the results were so disappointing that I will not use it again except maybe for a mulch.

John

"John" wrote in message
...
On Monday, September 17, 2012 1:41:02 PM UTC+1, Judith wrote:
I wonder if people go to any trouble in preparing a mix of compost etc
for

putting their tomatoes in when they plant out in to 10" pots or whatever.



The reason that I ask is that I used that Verve rubbish compost this year
for

some of my pots and I noticed that some of them retained much more water
that

others. I have a dripper system and some were having standing water on
the

surface - others weren't. When I investigated it was the worst of the
Verve

which was retaining much more water.



Some of those are now developing the stalk splitting and cracking and the

yellow leaves which I understand can be caused indirectly by over
watering.



Of course I need not drip water them every day - but I would rather
prepare the

same compost/sand/vermiculite mixture or whatever others recommend this
next

year.



I mix my own compost for tomatoes in tubs, but I try not to make it too
nutritious for the plants initially because I find that the plants grow
vast quantities of leaves but do not have many flowers.

Only when the first fruits have appeared do I start feeding the plants
with a homemade liquid feed.

The compost for my plants is usually a mixture of bought peat compost,
home produced compost, home produced leaf mould and a hand full of blood,
fish and bone.

I did try the council bagged recycled compost once but the results were so
disappointing that I will not use it again except maybe for a mulch.

John


saved with thanks!

--
--

http://www.shop.helpforheroes.org.uk/