...reaching down to Hell and sucking up demonic forces

hmmm...and here I was concerned about my shrubs having a close encounter with my septic system...

What are the ingredients in Moo Grow? If you still have the bag it came in, and can tell us, we might be able to help more. Just because it said it was good in containers doesn't mean it is -- you might need to add something else to the soil.

A good rule of thumb for watering is, indeed, the thumb -- or forefinger. Poke whichever finger you choose into the soil and see how far down you can go before the soil becomes moist and dense. If it's moist within the first inch, you don't need to water. If it's moist about two inches down, you also don't need to water but should check the next day. If it's not moist until your palm hits the soil, then water! You won't have to water much in the beginning since the roots are still growing in. Once the pot is full of roots you may have to water every day. Since you're in Southern Maine, I assume your summers do not get very hot. If you do get temperatures in the 90s and above, it would be a good idea to mulch your veggies. A 2" layer of shredded bark or other light organic mulch, spread up to 1" from the stem (you never want mulch to touch a stem) will help your plant roots conserve water and stay cool.

What kind of nutrients are in the Moo Grow, or did you add extra nutrients when you planted? Some nutrients, such as calcium, deplete quickly. Tomatoes seem to be the biggest calcium-needing plants among the ones you've chosen. A good remedy for low calcium (which is displayed when the tomato fruits develop blossom end rot) is Liquid Bonemeal, which you can water in. I think only Aggrand sells it. You would only need to water in a product like this once or twice during the entire growing season.

Miracle Gro is, to me, anathema.

You don't mention what kind of supports your veggies will grow on. Do you have a trellis?

Hello MRobbins. Thank you for all your great advice!

The Moo Grow bag says that it is all organic. Composted manure (cow, horse, chicken), peat moss, humus and sand. There is no list of nutrients on the bag. I didnÂt add any nutrients to the soil.

Thanks for the "rule of thumb". IÂve been watering everyday but maybe IÂm overdoing it at this early stage? IÂve been soaking the containers until water comes out the bottom holes. Come back 30 minutes later and add about 1/3 the previous dose.

Good idea about mulch. Thanks. Temps over 90 degrees can happen here in the Maine summers, although it is not common, but certainly the 80s. All the plants are located where they get full sun and the summer days are long at this latitude. I will take your advice and mulch just to be on the safe side.

For support I put in some cages that I got cheap at the Dollar Store. Now I realize that they are way too small. Once the plants outgrow the cages (and they are already halfway there) I can rig something else for taller support. Maybe some stakes or something? Fortunately I donÂt have to drive anything into the containers and risk impaling a root. The containers are sitting right on the lawn, so I can drive stakes into the ground outside the containers.

Thanks for the calcium tip. Especially regarding tomatoes. Someone suggested egg shells for calcium. Ummm, errr, is this something I should have added before planting? Or can I simply grind them up and spread them around the plants?

Fred

You're welcome. My second instalment of advice is an urgent WHOA on the water. You don't need to water every day until the plants have been established in their pots for a good two to three months, and even then, every-day watering is only necessary if the temperatures get above 90F. When you do soak the containers, do it slowly -- about as fast as you'd pour hot coffee into your cup. And once the water comes out the bottom drainage hole, stop, and don't add any more water until the top inch of soil dries out again.

You can attach bamboo stakes to your too-small cages with cable ties. Be prepared to tie the vines loosely to the supports with something soft but sturdy. Strips of panty hose are a good cheap solution.

Broken eggshells would take a while to break down and release their calcium to your tomato's roots. That would work as an amendment to a tomato bed in early spring, perhaps. For your container I'd really recommend the liquid bonemeal. Your soil mix is rather acid with all that peat and manure, and bonemeal will both add calcium and raise the soil's pH. Since our rain here in the northeast is acid anyway, not a bad idea to buffer. The reason you want to avoid acidity is that an acid soil locks up nutrients and makes it harder for the plant to get what it needs from the soil.