Last year i planted a new garden, amended soil, good water, sun, nice plants BUT few tomatoes, peppers etc Why

I ammended the soil with 'mushroom compost' which I tilled in, the sun exposure was about 8 hours direct sun a day, plants never looked dehydrated... I want to try again but wonder what could have gone wrong%26gt;%26gt;%26gt;

Last year i planted a new garden, amended soil, good water, sun, nice plants BUT few tomatoes, peppers etc Why
I wouldn't call myself an expert - I'm still just learning to grow veg myself - but it sounds to me like you had too much nitrogen in the soil and not enough potassium.


Basically, nitrogen feeds leaves (therefore best for lettuce, cabbage etc.), phosphorous/phosphates feed roots/bulbs (therefore best for onions, garlic etc.) and potassium/potash feeds fruit (tomatoes, peppers). Perhaps the mushroom compost was very high in nitrogen but not enough potassium. Feed with a proper tomato food from when the plants start flowering and you should get better results.





Also make sure you plant at the right time as it says on the pack (and according to your region of course). If you sow too late the plants won't have time to produce before it gets cold again.





Good luck next time!
Reply:Go to a garden center and get a test kit. Accurate or not they will give you a broad guideline on where to start. I try to keep my soil pH between 6.5 to 6.7 for tomatoes and peppers. 7.0 is neutral, use lime to raise it, sulphur to lower it. Check for a local county Extension Agent, they should be able to send out a soil sample for evaluation. Shake tomato plants often to distribute pollen. Weather too hot and dry, pollen will not stick to pollinate, plant too wet, pollen will not separate to pollinate so ground watering is better. Next pg
Reply:I'd bet your garden was over-fertilized. Highly nitrogen rich soils will produce plants with lots of foliage, at the expense of flowers and fruit.
Reply:Horse manure. lots of it. more sun if you can swing it
Reply:There are a lot of factors that can make or break a garden.


Last year our squash and zuccinis produced for two and a half months while the peas, beans, tomatos, peppers and potatoes did not do well. Our corn was so bad that the racoon's didn't even want it. We will try again this year. We live in Indiana and last year was very hot and little rain. I watered, but nothing can beat a good soaking from mother nature. A garden needs at least an inch of rain a week, keep in mind that if it is very hot, evaporation will steal that water away. That is why if you water, do it in the morning so it has time to soak to the roots before the sun comes up to high.


Use mulch around plants that don't have big leaves to keep the moisture in.


Look for disease and crack resistant tomatos to plant.


Keep the weeds away. They steal nutrients away from your veggies.


Do a ph test in random parts of your garden and amend the soil as needed. A call to your local Co-op can help with this since some of those over the counter ph tests are not to accurate.


Pick up some books and read about gardening.


Visit some web sites like Corrnell University, they have great gardening advice.


Some years just don't work out as good as others growing vegetables. Some years are great. I keep a journal each year of what we grow, where we got it from, and what we have done each day in the garden. Then during the winter we can look back and see if we need to change things for the next season. It does help. Good luck.
Reply:Choosing the right tomato is really the first thing to do. There are so many varieties to choose from! If you buy your plants at a small local nursery or garden store, the odds are much higher that you'll find a variety that thrives in YOUR area. They want their customers to be successful.





Yes, the prices are a little higher but you get as much free advice as you've got questions. Don't be afraid to say you've got more time than money, though, most of the sales people I've met are gardeners first and sales people secondly


I have grown tomatoes for over 10 years now. You win some and lose some. My first year was prob the best ever (I wasn't working at the time) and last year was the worst. I started too late, didn't have the time to PREPARE THE SOIL...





OK, here it comes "easy" tip time...





In the next couple of weeks, depending on whether its dry enough---Dig a deep hole. Fluff up that dirt as much as you can- add stuff if you want- then just plant a whole bunch of peas a couple of inches apart (buy a seed packet---early snow peas are fine) and let those peas do your "dirty" work. Their roots will tunnel down, add nitrogen to the soil, invite the worms to help out AND you can eat them! They are very pretty, too.





A few months later, after you've enjoyed many a stir-fry (or just giving them away) Just go back and dig them in. The leaves and stems will rot and provide nutrients for the KILLER TOMATOES you plant in the summer.





At that point, just do what you did before, plant deep... the stem will grow more roots. I like to add fish fertilizer every two weeks or so. If you live in an area with cool summers, put some plastic sheeting around your plant - just slit it in the middle. (Black is fine but they say tomatoes LOVE red...hmm)





Now I know I am skipping a lot of advice that I could give but I wanted to emphasize two things. First, I wasn't hyping the garden stores... I believe that you can learn so much from them - a little at a time. They can turn you on to other info outlets (free soil testing, etc) Many have free flyers on things like "growing KILLER TOMATOES" etc..





And mainly I wanted to turn you onto a cheap and easy way to improve your soil now. Good luck! (If you have other garden questions, please mention the approximate area you live in...advice can be more tailored to you!)
Reply:The Bear, last year was the worse garden I've ever had, especially with tomatoes and peppers.





I usually have more peppers than I can use and give away. Last year one or two peppers. I mean, the plants just sat there all summer without any growth. I was convinced that it was bad plants.





This year I'm growing all of my plants from seed. We'll see.
Reply:Tomatoes do not set on in real hot weather. Did the neighbors have a good tomato crop. Did the tomatoes set on very late when it cooled down? Were they planted too close together (should plant every three feet. for determinates.)
Reply:This species, needs very hot sun, and hot evenings, or they won't set the flowers. They do need rich soil, perhaps you did not give them enough sun, and warmth at night. I don't even set in my cuts of tomatoes until July, it's just not hot enough for them to set the flowers. I also bury the tomatoe stem quiet deep into the soil, they will grow stronger and faster. The are a berry fruit , not a vegetable. I shelter against a Souther exposure wall, and mine need water every day, or they may wilt. They are in 5 gallon containers. Perhaps too much nitrogen, not enough of the right nurturients. I don't think your soil is right.

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