re: The 2021 Garden Thread

Tomatoes are relatively heavy feeders. So the best advice I can give you to grow them in the biggest possible container you can. A 5 gallon bucket is barely big enough in my opinion. You want it wide and deep. Maintain consistent moisture. And feed regularly.

How do I determine that? Do I have to send off a soil sample?

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but they make Soil Testers that are probably accurate enough for ph level

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They are if you use them correctly. The best way to do this is to mix equal parts soil and distilled water. Let this sit for a couple hours, then stick the probe in. Most people think they don't work cause they'll stick it in dry soil and the needle doesn't move. Still, they're not going to be the most accurate. Sending it off to a lab will be.

What bell pepper variety have y’all had the best success with in south Louisiana?

Oh yeah. I forgot to mention to drain the excess water first.

Most of those things are pretty hit and miss though.

ETA: Gary Pilarchik does a similar version of what I mentioned.
LINK

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when i said fully saturated I meant the soil in my containers.

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That usually recommended with those type of meters. I’ve owned a few of them but never really trusted the readings.

Yea im getting just under 6 for my tap water so the meter is off 1 point or so.

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One of my cucumber transplants is RIP. Got 5 left. They’re not doing anything with this cold but I sowed some more seeds.

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That sucks.

I sowed all of my beans and cucumbers last weekend. They all sprouted. But with the cooler weather they don’t look like they’ve grown much.

Nm