FRAMINGHAM – Are you trying to grow tomatoes in containers? Jenna Porter from River’s Edge Garden Center shared some secrets during a presentation at McAuliffe Library:
“You want really nice soil. You don’t want dirt,” she advised. She uses a soil-less mixture that’s “nice and light.” Even mixing that with topsoil would make it too dense for tomato plant roots, she said.
Tomatoes need large pots - perhaps at least10 gallons. And that includes cherry tomatoes. Many customers who come in mid-July asking about problems with tomato plants with a leathery spot on them are having problems with blossom end rot because the pots are too small, resulting in so much watering that nutrients are being washed out, she said.
“But the biggest secret? . . . Earthworm castings. This is what I mix with my organic potting soil,” she revealed. Not familiar with that? It’s earthworm poop. Apparently it’s great for a lot of plants (although not cheap).
Porter also demonstrated how to use flowers, foliage, and herbs to create attractive containers. The idea is to combine “thrillers, fillers, and spillers” she said.
- Thrillers: Tall, visually striking plants that first catch a viewer’s eye
- Spillers: Plants that trail over the container edge
- Fillers: Plants that fill in between them.
When she moves plants into containers, she said she places the plants fairly lightly into their new pots. “I am not pushing down on this soil,” she said.
Another tip: Don’t water your containers in the evening! “All plants hate being wet at night. It’s like a wet baby bottom at night. They would rather be dry [at that time],” she said.
When is it time to start planting outside? While there’s always a chance of frost until the end of May, “I usually feel fairly safe about five days after the full moon,” she said. Around May 10, you can check the 10-day forecast and how cold the nights are expected to be and decide when it might be time.
A couple of the containers Porter planted last night as the audience watched:
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