“I did get the results back from the [edited] lab and the salts and pH were high as I reported last time. The salts were mostly coming from the high levels of Potassium and high Sulfur. These high levels are what caused nutrient issues with your plants. Since the results have been received and reviewed, I have sent additional samples along with new formulation samples of potting soil to the [edited] lab. There will be changes made to this formula in the future to improve this soil and correct the high salt issues…
…Thanks again for letting us know of your situation with our potting soil. I hope this testing brings about a more consistent product.”
…POD’s still hoping for a refund (and mourning the lost Tomandes).
In case the recent string of posts about garden pests hasn’t tipped you off, it’s been a tough year for the plants on deck. So tough that it’s too depressing to post the monthly update photo. So tough that the only remaining cherry tomato is the Gold Nugget, heretofore referred to as Champ. On the bright side, it seems that blights and fungi were largely avoided this year.
Anyone who says container gardeners don’t need to worry about bugs live a charmed life.
Let’s see, a random nutrient deficiency finally slaughtered the Isis Candy (maybe copper, maybe iron, maybe potassium, maybe all of the above) and whiteflies took out the pampered Black Cherry (pictured left). Next year I’ll make up a batch of yellow sticky traps and see if that doesn’t do the trick. Aphids have taken over and samples of the brown marmorated stink bug have been collected. And oh, yeah, it’s been hot, hot, hot and dry, dry, dry.
And guess what? The rescued Black Brandywine isn’t looking so good. Its calcium deficiency may be terminal but it’s got one lonely fruit that I’m unwilling to sacrifice just yet.
Whitefly close-up
Each year I resist the urge to buy a pH kit to test each container’s soil as it seems just a little too garden-geeky, but let’s face it, the little blue deck has had a blog devoted to it for over a year. If that ain’t geekdom, what is?
Now, all hopes are pinned on the currently thriving Greensgrow Mr. Stripey. Cross your fingers, please.
So, POD hasn’t been entirely happy with the whole alternating weeks of fish emulsion/worm casting tea fertilizing routine. All sorts of secondary deficiencies have been cropping up in POD’s ever-suffering tomatoes. Like magnesium (helped by the addition of epsom salts) and calcium (maybe, or maybe not helped by egg shells) deficiencies, and who knows what else.
A desperate plea was recently lodged with a charmingly hairy farmer guy at Greensgrow. He was incredibly helpful. He suggested this stuff:
These aren’t the kinds of smiles you want to see radiating from any of the plants on deck.
Turn this frown upside down and it's still a frown.
POD’s pretty sure this is a nasty case of blossom end rot. Which, essentially, is a calcium deficiency. The good news? It’s not contagious. The bad news, there’s a chance there’s not much to be done at this point.
So, in the hopes of avoiding this next year, what caused this nastiness? Well, external stress like lack of water and excessive heat could be a factor. (It was pretty brutal a couple of weeks ago and with a vacation nibbling into obsessive-compulsive gardening, the plants were only watered once a day, rather than twice a day). Honestly, that’s what we’re really, really hoping for. That can be immediately addressed.
Also worth noting, this is the only tomato planted in Miracle Gro Organic soil (the Isis Candy, Black Cherry, and Gold Nugget were planted in either Organic Mechanic or Coast of Maine — both of which seemed like much richer, less mulchy soil blends). And, because this fella’ was a rather late and unexpected arrival, I just can’t say for certain whether or not it received the crumbled egg shells its compatriots enjoyed. Next year, the soil can be gussied up with a shot of bone meal, too. And yes, maybe it’s time to invest in that Ph kit to make sure the soil’s around 6.0-6.5.
Calcium, it does a body good.
Its slightly curled leaves add further evidence to the diagnosis. While adding milk to the soil and spraying with the powdery mildew mixture (which contains milk) is tempting, it probably won’t do much as calcium isn’t immediately absorbed. Which isn’t to say both “remedies” haven’t already been applied. It’s worth a shot.
It’s always something. Each week these spoiled beasts receive a dose of fish emulsion or compost tea. (They also live in cushy organic soil that was further enriched with a generous handful of worm casings at planting.)
After consulting a few trusted sources, it appears as though this Isis Candy has something of a nutrient deficiency. Magnesium, perhaps? It may not affect the yield (fingers crossed) but we do hope that some epsom salts will do the trick.
Tell POD Tomato Miracle Gro is bad. Tell POD to be strong and resist the urge.
Any experts out there? Anyone who can tell me what kind of ailment this might be? I’ve visited all my usual diagnostic haunts but haven’t come up with anything terribly promising.
This chocolate cherry was planted in organic potting soil, augmented with a handful of worm casings and a couple of crushed eggshells. It has received near-weekly doses of water mixed with fish emulsion fertilizer and a couple servings of diluted milk.
Or, maybe it’s just damage from the gale-force winds and the chilly nights that the little blue deck has been enduring this month?
Should I lay off the weekly feeding? Should I feed them more? Should I stop obsessing and trust they’ll heal themselves? (Riiiight) Help!
Plants On Deck 