I did a lot of research on Tapla's now-famous 5-1-1 or perhaps 3-1-1 mixture, and I am starting to understand why this can be good for container gardens and it really makes a LOT of sense... for next year.
I am wondering if there is a post-planting fix I can devise for
this year. I'm using a very large container (170 gallons) as described in the "trough" thread here in the container section. My mix was compost, peat, and vermiculite. I thought I was doing the right thing by adding nutrients and water retention for our very hot and drought-prone MO summers. A similar mixture to what I use has been suggested elsewhere, and without realizing it, I definitely made a mixture that I fear retains too much moisture. I'd like to maximize the production/container-space ratio, and I guess I'm looking for all the info I can get to make it the best it can be.
Despite drilling tons of holes, I now know I created a mixture that likely retains too much water and I am concerned about the PWT and the negative effect it could have on the health of my roots, or their growth. I planted close together as an experiment (newbie) hoping that the 170 gallon growing medium volume and a good, comprehensive fertilizer would allow for the plants to succeed. I have used some TTF, and want to use more, but am now afraid of over saturating the soil. The troughs are on 5" heavy-duty castors so I can move them around the patio if need be for more sun, shade, protection, etc. However, what I thought was a good idea turns out to make the PWT issue even worse since it raises the containers off the ground, which might have helped wick way excess moisture. I also plan to keep plants pruned to 2 vines each and given lots of vertical space to grow since they are all indeterminate.
So, is it worthwhile or recommended to try to drill a few holes in the sides of the tank near the bottom (where I presume the PWT to be) and perhaps insert some sort of wicking ropes or material deep into the center of the mix and string it out to the patio or ground (container is on a patio, but the ground isn't that far away). Perhaps this would help decrease/eliminate the PWT? Might this work, and if so, does anyone think it would be beneficial?
More to the point, is it necessary? Will the PWT actually help during hot summers, or will it just encourage root growth into this area when the plant is drier and wants more moisture. Will these roots later be drowned and rot when the container is watered again, re-establishing the PWT?. Right now the plants are growing very well and seriously look bigger every morning. I am worried that the mix I used, and hence the drainage and PWT issues, could cause the plants serious problems later on and they will fail, or produce poorly. I know I said this garden was an experiment, but I'd really rather it not fail
Before I learned last night what a PWT is, though I certainly don't claim to fully understand how it functions, I thought squirrels would be my biggest problem
Now I wonder if my tomatoes have a good chance of being healthy at all.
As I often do, I could be over thinking the situation, or just being paranoid.
I'd truly appreciate any feedback anyone has to offer.