Miracle Gro Organic Choice Potting Mix

[jasonig]

Hi friends, I am going to be growing a variety of tomatoes in 20 gallon containers using MG Organic Choice. I have drilled holes in the bottom of the planters and bought rocks to put on bottom for drainage. Any suggestions on what I should use as an additive/fertilizer to soil and how much? I live in CT near water so humid temps. I bought Espoma tomato tone, Dr. Earth veggie fert, lime, and Neptues Harvest Fish/Seaweed Blend for foliar feed. I assume the combo of all is over-doing it. Curious to more experienced thoughts. Thanks so much.

[JamesL]

No rocks! They actually hinder drainage instead of helping it.
Tomato tone- can be a bit slow to release the goods in containers, so keep that in mind.
Dr. Earth - haven't used it.
Neptune's Harvest- good product.
Equally important- establish a weekly spray routine upfront for disease control.

Good luck!

[jasonig]

Originally Posted by JamesL

No rocks! They actually hinder drainage instead of helping it.
Tomato tone- can be a bit slow to release the goods in containers, so keep that in mind.
Dr. Earth - haven't used it.
Neptune's Harvest- good product.
Equally important- establish a weekly spray routine upfront for disease control.

Good luck!

Thanks James. What spray do you use?

[RayR]

Dr. Earth is good stuff, has mycorrhizae and beneficial bacteria in it also.
You don't need any lime, there should be plenty of calcium and magnesium in the potting soil and the dry fertilizers for that. If you do add any lime later, only use very little. you don't want to drive the PH up.
The Fish/Seaweed makes for an excellent soil drench too.

[JamesL]

I alternate weeks - Serenade one week and the combo Actinovate/Exel LG/molasses the next.
Added a mid week milk foliar spray this year - Milk/Neptune's Harvest.

There are lots of threads here discussing.
If you can't find, I can point to some good threads on them.

Milk spray- 2 cups to the gallon plus 1 tbsp neptunes.
AEM spray - I start out with 1 tsp each and as the plants get bigger up it to 1 tbsp each.
(Exel LG now sold as Organocide, but you can still buy it as Exel)
Serenade- 1 capful to the gallon.

Whatever you choose, read the package directions and try to spray in early morning when possible.
This is all aimed at prevention, and by far not the only options.
If you get some disease, after diagnosis, treatment will need to be different.

If this wet weather stays as our pattern for the summer I would expect the disease pressure to be higher than last year for us.

[WVTomatoMan]

I am a proponent of using Miracle Grow Potting Mix in containers. In the experiments I performed I didn't see a difference between the organinc and the non organic so I use the less expensive non organic. If organic is a big deal to you then use it. I use a 60 - 40 ratio of MG and Black Kow manure. After it has had a time to leach a bit I add an organic tomato fertilizer from Gardener's Supply Company once a week. I side dress with about a tablespoon or a little more per container. I have good success and have posted several pictures of my container plants. If you haven't seen any, but want to see some let me know and I'll post a couple.

Good luck.

Randy

[jasonig]

Thank you all for the very helpful replies. Much appreciated