Update: Beginning of December

It's snowing tonight, and I'm still eating tomatoes directly off the plants.  We're down to about 35 containers of primarily tomatoes, then garlic, and some with strawberries, basil, and spearmint.  The fruits on the strawberry plants are struggling, but everything else is doing very well.  There's only one container that's five gallons; all the others are smaller.  All are now indoors.

A note on the Cherokee Purple tomato---
First, I thought it was a "bush" plant; it's not...it's "vine" (indeterminate growth).
Secondly, though the fruits were slow in coming, they are delicious.  They're being grown in containers ranging from a 2.5-gallon pail to small dog food bags to a large coffee can.  All are producing, but only a few fruits at a time... which is okay with me.

There's a greenhouse tomato called the "Moneymaker".  It's okay in terms of taste, but I rank it below the Cherry tomato and the Cherokee Purple.  Those two have the best taste in my garden.

I attribute the moderate success of the garden to the following:
1.  potting soil with a bit of perlite and mulch (mulch both mixed into the soil and as litter on the soil surface);
2.  Epsom Salt solution for magnesium, coffee grounds for a variety of nutrients, watered-down lowfat or fat-free milk for calcium, and a buried half banana for potassium & other nutrients;
3.  pruning of tomatoes...especially the lower branches & any dying/dead leaves anywhere on the plant;
4.  no over-watering of the containers;
5.  and finally, a very light spraying of the tomato container soil surface with well-diluted white vinegar...once in a blue moon.

See previous posts for details on the points above.
...................................................

The piece on composting is being postponed until late winter or early spring.
...................................................
Happy Container Gardening, and Be Well

Home-Made Liquid Organic Fertilizers

IMPORTANT:  Edited 6-2-16, as follows---
In the original post below, I forgot to mention something very important.  Be sure to give your "tea" a good stir at least a couple times per day.  That will keep it aerated.

This can be done with all kinds of organic matter, separately or all together, and in amounts ranging from one gallon to five gallons...or really, almost any amount.  Essentially, what you do is make organic "tea".  For example, take some coffee grounds---or fresh grass clippings, or dead leaves, or flowers, or wood ash, or dead broken up twigs, or fruit peelings, etc.---and place them on an old piece of cloth.  Tie up the corners of the cloth, thus making a "tea" bag of sorts.  Place the bag in your container, fill that with water, and let the whole thing "steep" for about three or four days.  Keep the container outside or in the garage (or shed, if you have one).  Depending upon what type of organic matter you're using and the ambient temperature, and even though three days is a short span of time, there may be a small amount of unpleasant odor produced.  [There's an old adage:  after three days, fish and visitors stink:]

As with a compost bin or pile, never put any meat scraps in your "tea" bag.  They decompose too slowly and attract scavengers & pests in general.  If you cover your "tea" pail (or whatever container you're using), make sure the lid allows for ventilation; otherwise, your organic "tea" is likely to have harmful anaerobic bacteria in it when it's done steeping.  If you're making a large amount of this liquid fertilizer, let's say in a garbage can, then a burlap sack probably is the handiest item for use as a bag.  For container gardening, as opposed to raised bed gardening, I can't imagine that you'd need to make more than five gallons at a time... and probably less than that.

Liquid organic fertilizer is good for "quick fixes".  If your plants look sickly or stressed, apply the liquid to the soil.  Do some research on the symptoms of plant Nitrogen deficiency, Phosphorus deficiency, Potassium deficiency, etc., then you'll know what type of "tea" to make in each circumstance...see the previous post on this Blog.  [The internet is the world's greatest library.]  Or simply do a Search for "what causes _____________ in [e.g.] tomatoes?".

All this may sound as though it's too much trouble, but it really doesn't take much effort or time.  The rewards are worth it.  Plus, it's always a good thing to recycle

Happy Trails, and Be Well

More Fertilizer Tips...and a Word to Portugal

More on Fertilizing---

Diluted milk can be used in container gardening as a source of calcium.  Take a cup of nonfat (skim) or 1% (fat) milk, add a cup of water, then spread it over the soil in your largest container.  For smaller containers, meaning your smallest & medium-sized ones, use it sparingly...a few tablespoons or so.  You can use whole milk, but then dig a hole about six inches deep before you pour in the diluted milk.  Fill in the hole so that when the milk fat decomposes, the decay stench mostly will stay buried; then it will dissipate at a slower, almost undetectable rate.  Calcium (Ca) is a secondary nutrient for plants, and provides strength or sturdiness to plant tissues.  Magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S) also are secondary nutrients.

Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate) can be used to fertilize your plants; a very small bag of it will last a very long time.  Get a small squeeze bottle, put 3 - 4 pinches of Epsom Salt crystals in it, add water, and add a few squirts of the solution to each of your seedling cups...more to larger containers.  Most grocery stores carry Epsom Salt, and probably all drug stores have it.  It's a good, inexpensive source of magnesium and sulfur.

The primary nutrients plants require, also known as macronutrients, are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).  Green plants need large amounts of those.  The secondary nutrients (identified above) are needed in lesser amounts.  Lastly, plants require the following micronutrients in very small amounts:  zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), chloride (a form of chlorine, Cl), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), and boron (B).  That's a total of thirteen main nutrients needed by green plants.

Don't panic!  :)  A good, rich soil---especially potting soil---will provide those nutrients most of the time.  As mentioned before, the problem with container gardening, though, is that there's no way to naturally renew that soil from time to time.  We have to do it by hand.  That can be done three main ways:  totally or partially replace the potting soil in your containers every so often; or fertilize your soil; or a combination of the two previous methods.  I use the third approach; that way, buying new potting soil is not required nearly as often as with never fertilizing.

Fertilizers Can Be Confusing---

We can simplify the subject, as follows.

1.  What are the differences between Organic and Artificial/Synthetic fertilizers?  In one sense, not many; in another sense (which is important), a whole bunch!  These two types of fertilizers are similar only in this regard:  N is N, K is K, Zn is Zn, Ca is Ca, etc...whether they come from plant/animal carcasses (or wastes) or from a chemical processing factory.  Those chemical elements (N, Zn, etc.) are all from stardust...exploding stars.  The huge difference between Organic & Artificial/Synthetic fertilizers is this:  the natural/organic type supplies much more to the soil than just the chemical elements (nutrients); the humus---which contains the elements/nutrients---that makes up the fertilizer is organic matter, and that contributes to soil structure, beneficial microbes, water retention, and the overall health of the plants.  Artificial or synthetic fertilizer, except for supplying chemical elements/nutrients, does none of that.  In fact, it often kills beneficial soil microbes.

2.  Synthetic/Artificial fertilizer is highly concentrated compared to the Organic type; it can "burn" roots, and it leaches fairly quickly down through the soil.  Organic fertilizer nutrients are released slowly from humus, and that's better for plants.

3.  What are some common kinds of Organic fertilizer?  The most common are:  dead plants and/or plant parts (a great source of nitrogen); eggshells (calcium); bone meal (phosphorus & calcium); animal manure (composted or aged, not fresh...nitrogen & phosphorus); wood ash (potassium & calcium); Epsom Salt (magnesium & sulfur); bananas (potassium); and coffee grounds (phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, copper, & calcium).

4.  A few cautions:  coffee grounds are somewhat acidic...research your specific plant for compatibility; except for liquid types (next post), Organic fertilizers take time to release nutrients...plan ahead; and, fresh animal manure can "burn" container garden plants and introduce weed seeds...the heat from composting usually kills weed seeds.

5.  Artificial/Synthetic fertilizers usually do not supply any secondary nutrients or micronutrients.  Most Organic fertilizers supply almost all plant nutrients to one degree or another.  The Synthetics are best suited (if at all) to very large outdoor farming operations.  There really is no good reason to not use natural fertilizer in container gardening.  Plus, Synthetic fertilizer is derived from petroleum; it's a petrochemical.
................................................
A Word to Portugal---

Although we Americans are not totally up on your situation relative to the worldwide Economic Crash, it's my understanding that you (along with at least Greece, Ireland, Spain, and Italy) are suffering the full force of unemployment, austerity, and the weight of lenders being saved instead of your economy.  If I recall correctly, such has been your lot for at least three years or so.  Hang in there.  Recent events in your Land seem to offer some hope for relief.  Keep up the anti-austerity fight.

I mention all this because I noticed several visits to this site from Portugal.  Thanks, and kudos to you.  At times it may not seem like much, but container gardening definitely can help one weather a crisis... not only by providing food, but by refreshing your spirit as well.
..................................................
Our next post will be on liquid natural/organic fertilizers...mostly home-made.

Happy Trails, and Be Well