Container growing

[Ron Miel]

I'm experimenting with container growing. I am a complete beginner, so please be patient with my newbie questions.

I've got some young tomato and potato plants, and some onions and cabbages growing in small pots indoors. Getting ready to plant them in larger pots outdoors. I also sowed some leeks and carrots, but they aren't looking good so far.

What kind of soil should I use for planting?


I've got some bags of "potting compost" (contains peat) which is described as being good for container growing, and some multi-purpose compost" which is described as being good for growing vegetables. Should I just use one or other of these? A mixture of the two?

Here's the particular brand I've got.

http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/j-arthur-bower's-traditional-potting-compost---50l-402080
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebaseuk/j-arthur-bower's-multi-purpose-compost---120l-402074



Anything I should add to the mix? I understand that plants need traces of minerals from rock. Does the compost have all the needed minerals? Should I add a little gravel or sand to the mix?

I understand too that plants need certain bacteria in the soil for growth. Does the compost have the correct ones already? Maybe I should add a few scoops of soil from the garden?

What about perlite? It's supposed to increase water retention and aeration. Is this needed?


Should I add fertilizer? How about plant food? I've seen potato food sold in pellets, and tomato food in liquid. Should I add some of these?


How about water-retaining crystals? Are these useful? I heard they are good for preventing over-watering. Is that correct?

 

[Plantdoctor]

Keep it simple,don't overthink this .

The composts you mention are fine, no need to add anything at this stage,there is enough food for around 6 weeks then you may need to add some sort of nutrient, either in liquid or granule form.

I don't know what you mean by potato plants though, as they are grown from tubers,planted direct into the soil.

Vegetable growing is for outside, so harden off your plants for about 2 weeks to get used to the outdoor environment then get them in.

Then come back if you want more help.

 

[Ron Miel]

Thanks for the reply.

I don't know what you mean by potato plants though, as they are grown from tubers,planted direct into the soil..

I mean that I planted seed potatoes in pots, and now they have turned into plants, with nice tall shoots coming out of the top of the pot, and roots coming out of the holes at the bottom. Sorry if I've used an incorrect term, but I am a beginner.

What's the correct term for these?

 

[Plantdoctor]

I have never known anyone ,in the UK ,start potatoes off that way,usually they either chit them first or just plant them,covered with 3/4 inches of soil ,then earth them up as they grow.

But if it works ,it works.

 

[Ron Miel]

chit?

 

[Plantdoctor]

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/grow-your-own/vegetables/potatoes

Explains.

Btw,I should mention that carrots to do not transplant well,so starting them off indoors will not work.

There are a lot of pitfalls in veg growing, it is worth reading up a bit,to get the best way of doing it.

Starting early, starting indoors is not always a good move.

 

[nhraziano7]

Potatoes can be grown fine in containers but you need something large, like a small trashcan with drainage holes cut in the bottom. You need to be able to add dirt to the top as they grow. I add a mixture of dirt and straw to help with drainage (proper drainage is super important so they don't rot). Definitely what the previous poster said about the carrots, you can't really transplant them (unless you have inches of dirt around each carrot that won't be disturbed while being moved. They are also great container plants though, I plant mine in a half whiskey barrel and they do great.

 

[Tech]

I find garden soil can be really good for pots providing you can supplement it. In any case you should be adding stuff

 

[Jan]

I was always led to believe you couldn't grow brassicas in peat based composts/soil, they prefer alkaline and I always lime my acid soil.
Will the OP be able to grow decent cabbages in peat based compost?