Share The Seeds
Gardening Area => Growing questions and answers => Topic started by: BotanyBay on August 05, 2015, 02:56:32 AM
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Hello,
Background:
My understanding is that some plants, such as Tomatoes and Morning Glory vines prefer slightly acidic soil. I have also read that "If the nitrogen level is high in the soil they will just grow leaves" (http://www.almanac.com/plant/morning-glories), and the same for tomatoes.
Also from what I've read here (http://homeguides.sfgate.com/remedy-nitrogen-overdose-tomato-plants-29733.html), the amount of nitrogen in the soil is related to its pH; the "treatment" for high nitrogen in tomato plants is to make the soil more acidic.
So I believe the potting soil that has been in use is too high in nitrogen; the morning glories have not yet flowered (I have been careful to water them sparingly, but when I started I nearly drowned them). The tomatoes are just recently showing signs of making flowers, which seems late in the season for where I live (the plants were sprouts in early May).
For reference, the plants each recieve 4-6 hours of direct sunlight every day. The morning glories are on a trellis (growing vigorously, but making only foliage), and the tomatoes are in separate containers with cages. The morning glories get a very small amount of water every 3-7 days or if they wilt, and the tomatoes are usually watered 2-4 days or if they wilt. The tomatoes are grown in potting soil, as are the morning glories. I transplanted the morning glories(!) to a container with a mixture of 2:1 ratio of used potting soil and cactus potting mix (lots of little, porous rocks), but they have all since recovered.
My questions:
- Should I fertilize the tomato plants once they flower? If so, should I use low-nitrogen (but high phosphorous and potassium) fertilizer?
- To encourage flowering of the vines, should I condition the soil of the container using something acidic applied over time? Lemon juice diluted with water seems like it might be too harsh, and I worry that the same holds true for the use of pine bark.
- I planted my vines very late in the season and they were not cared for very well at first (I am a beginner). It's a record El Niño year, but I am concerned that they may not make it through the season. Being full-sun vines, can they survive a winter indoors (with some, but not much sunlight)?
- Being that this is the first year I've done any sort of gardening, I would like to try and preserve as many plants over the winter, but there is not much space indoors. For plants that don't produce seeds (such as succulents), has anyone here used a small greenhouse to keep them alive? If so, I would like to talk to you, as I am interested in building my own.
Thank you for your time.
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Not exactly an answer to any of the questions (sorry, I always, plant, watch, play by ear, repeat lol), the morning glories will most certainly not flower if there is too much nitrogen in the soil. I've never tried to un-nitrogen it, but made the mistake of adding a nitrogen fert (twice!) before I realized it was stopping all flowering for a long time.
I have heard of people mixing a small amount of apple cider vinegar in when watering, to help keep gnats away and reduce salt build up in potted plants, so it should at least not be too harmful if you wanted to try that route.
The morning glories probably want more sun, if that is possible. They seem to flower best with a decent bit, and since you're in Zone 5, it is likely not as hot or sunny as where I am.
Also, they may not overwinter. Mine set seed every year and replant themselves (morning glories will seed profusely if they get to flowering), but I don't bother trying to move them indoors overwinter. I save that space for more rare plants. Once you find a spot they like, and get them started early in the Spring, you can have plants that go from seed, to huge vine, to flowering and seeding, within a growing season.
I have seeds for Heavenly Blue, Grandpa Ott's, and I think Flying Saucers, so if you ever need more seed to give it another try, just let me know.
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For tomatoes I normally fertilize with a 10-10-10 mix when I plant the seedlings and fertilize again when they start to develop flowers, most "flower cycle" fertilizers will work. Since I grow in an area with very little calcium or magnesium in the soil so I supplement with Dolomite by digging it in a coupe weeks before I pant the seedlings. If you need to add cal/mag after they are planted water it in, do not spray as a foliar treatment. Spraying tomatoes can cause lots of problems with disease and they tend to dislike it in general.
I dont know much about moving morning glories inside but if you want to trigger the flower cycle early try using coconut water from a green coconut. I normaly mix it 50/50 with water but you might want to start with a lighter mix to play it safe.
nobody