Did I just kill my tomato plant?

[BabyMakes3]

Hello all! This is my first post here.
I have an heirloom container garden up and running (finally!), but I ran into an issue last night while I was transplanting one of my tomato plants.
I had it in a temporary container, which I had filled with some soil from the yard. The temporary container wound up housing the plant for longer than I anticipated. When I was finally ready to transplant it into it's larger pot with high quality potting soil/growth medium, the "soil" I had in the temporary pot had turned to total sludge. Thick, goopy, slimy, nasty. No wonder the plant wasn't looking too well.
Unsure what else to do, and completely unable to shake off the goop, I sunk my hands under the root ball and pulled up (causing it to lose some of its roots). I then gently ran some water over the intact roots until about 95% of the sludge was gone. I then planted the bare roots into it's permanent container, watered it like crazy, and prayed for a miracle.
My question is this: In your experience, will the combination of root trauma and having all the soil washed off the roots kill it? Or do you think it can spring back?
It's currently in a hydroponic pot that is 25" across, 30" tall. Soil is high quality organic potting mix, Kellog is the name brand I believe. I mixed that 2:1 with fertile garden soil (not the same stuff that turned to sludge) and then covered the top of the soil with 1" of black mulch for moisture/temperature regulation. We are working on getting a drip system up and running, but until then I am hand watering, about 1 gallon in the morning, 1/2 gallon at night (daytime temps are over 100 degrees here right now). Container is in full sun.
Any thoughts, input, advise?
Thanks in advance

 

[Chuck]

Hello all! This is my first post here.
I have an heirloom container garden up and running (finally!), but I ran into an issue last night while I was transplanting one of my tomato plants.
I had it in a temporary container, which I had filled with some soil from the yard. The temporary container wound up housing the plant for longer than I anticipated. When I was finally ready to transplant it into it's larger pot with high quality potting soil/growth medium, the "soil" I had in the temporary pot had turned to total sludge. Thick, goopy, slimy, nasty. No wonder the plant wasn't looking too well.
Unsure what else to do, and completely unable to shake off the goop, I sunk my hands under the root ball and pulled up (causing it to lose some of its roots). I then gently ran some water over the intact roots until about 95% of the sludge was gone. I then planted the bare roots into it's permanent container, watered it like crazy, and prayed for a miracle.
My question is this: In your experience, will the combination of root trauma and having all the soil washed off the roots kill it? Or do you think it can spring back?
It's currently in a hydroponic pot that is 25" across, 30" tall. Soil is high quality organic potting mix, Kellog is the name brand I believe. I mixed that 2:1 with fertile garden soil (not the same stuff that turned to sludge) and then covered the top of the soil with 1" of black mulch for moisture/temperature regulation. We are working on getting a drip system up and running, but until then I am hand watering, about 1 gallon in the morning, 1/2 gallon at night (daytime temps are over 100 degrees here right now). Container is in full sun.
Any thoughts, input, advise?
Thanks in advance

As for washing the soil from the plants roots it probably a good thing from your description of the "soil". IMO you will surely kill the plant if you keep watering it. Roots are to plants like lungs are to people. They need oxygen and by excessive watering you are essentially drowning it by giving it a gallon and a half a day. You cannot kill a plant by overwatering it but you will kill it by watering too often. Only water when the plant needs it, probably in the neighborhood of every 7-10 days or if the plant is wilted in the early morning. Always check the soil for moisture before watering with your built in moisture meter, your finger. Stick your finger all the way into the soil and then blow on it. If your finger feels the slightest bit cool it does not need watering at that time.

 

[BabyMakes3]

Thank you for your reply!

So just to clarify, I should water only when my finger doesn't get cool after sticking it in the soil.

In the event that the soil is ready for water, how much/how long do you suggest I water? Bearing in mind that this is a container garden. And once the drip system goes in, do you have any suggestions for how often and how long to run it?

Thank you thank you!

 

[GoatDriver]

Chuck gave some sound tips. Also make sure there are drain holes in your container near the bottom.

 

[Chuck]

Thank you for your reply!

So just to clarify, I should water only when my finger doesn't get cool after sticking it in the soil.

In the event that the soil is ready for water, how much/how long do you suggest I water? Bearing in mind that this is a container garden. And once the drip system goes in, do you have any suggestions for how often and how long to run it?

Thank you thank you!

Just give it a good thorough deep soaking when it needs it. There is no set time nor amount. When the plant is wilted in the morning is when you do the finger test.

 

[headfullofbees]

Thank you for your reply!

So just to clarify, I should water only when my finger doesn't get cool after sticking it in the soil.

In the event that the soil is ready for water, how much/how long do you suggest I water? Bearing in mind that this is a container garden. And once the drip system goes in, do you have any suggestions for how often and how long to run it?

Thank you thank you!

Put one of your drippers into a pint glass.
See how long it takes to fill it.
Set your timer to deliver this amount every day.
After a week, try Chuck's soil moisture test just prior to watering time. If your finger comes out bone dry, add 20% to the watering time.
Repeat until there is just the hint of moisture when you test.
If you liquid feed manually, do not use the drippers on these days.