> i noticed the runt seedling i let grow is still an inch tall at 3 months old. its siblings are about a foot tall and really leafing out.

Mike,

Yep, runts happen. And thankfully, so do extra vigorous plants. I try to always save bagged seeds from the latter.

> they were under potted and...

Something I also learned by observation and experience. A root-bound plant blooms and sets pods earlier than one that is growing a healthier (in the end) root system.

I love sugar snap peas too! Haven't grown them since moved into a mini forest where can't plant in the ground and only room for so many containers.

Happy growing to you!

jt

jt said "Something I also learned by observation and experience. A root-bound plant blooms and sets pods earlier than one that is growing a healthier (in the end) root system."
(cant seem to figure out the italized. lol. maybe cut and paste from word?)

wonder if this is a survival response? last chance to make seeds and multiply?

Michael

Mike,

Survival is my guess too.

Italic words are bracketed (or is it called tagging) like this: %lt;i%gt; %lt;/i%gt;

jt

OOps! Something has changed here. Substitute > for %gt; and At one time had this forum figured out. LOL

I think that the plant will only grow as big as the roots can support, so if it becomes root bound it will stop making energy and nutrient consuming leaves, and set flower where it is. Like in nature if it gets caught up in rocks its not going to grow too big and not be able to feed its flowers and pods, whitch is the eventual goal of the plant. Set flower and reproduce.

I will note that, in hydro, root mass is almost independent of plant vigor.

Root bound never comes up as a problem in hydro

> Root bound never comes up as a problem in hydro

Hey Willard!

Hydro fan here too even though been since early 90s.

Root-bound is not always a problem. I will be enjoying a superb salad tonight thanks to ripe tomatoes grown in 5 1/2" pots. Their siblings in 7-8 gal containers are at least 2 weeks and maybe 3 until will have ripe.

Gots to admit that bought the organically grown, ready to eat salad mix at wholesale club. Will add my tomato and cuke slices & doctor up some store-bought ranch dressing with a datil hot sauce purchased from the Kato site.

Followed by ho-made burrito and not sure yet what for desert.

Life is good!

Hot regards,
jt

can you say how you get tomatoes in a 5 1/2 inch pot.

what strain. and how you did it. etc. this is interesting.

I have some Kord D55 5 1/2 inch square pots. can not imagine a tomato in one. but that would be cool if I could do that.

johnt, just curious those 5 1/2 tomatoes are in dirt right?
i was actually surprised how well my tomatoes did this year (my extras) that got very root bound. they seemed to eat plenty and drink everyday but other than that they seemed ahappy. and we will see if i got this right or not. thanks for expaining how to italicize. i was thinking it was these [ brackets. live and learn.

i have peppers i had that were a bit root bound when i put them in the ground. this was about 4-5 weeks ago i planted them and they are just now taking off in size. takes a little while to get into the grove after transplanting but you can really tell when they are happy again.

i also have noticed some posts about larger leaves falling off. ppl seem to be worried about this. i have noticed that the leaves get big. then get bigger. then very big, then start to look bad, then yellow and finally drop. then you end up with new small leaves and more growth. more leaves than the one you start with. just seems natural to me. many seemed worried when the big ones drop. should i be? i say no.

some might know i bought ladybugs this year. they looked a bit different than the ones i have normally seen around here but i really dont know to much about them or their life cycle but anyway... i have been noticing many more this year and it has been almost a month since i let them go. i had also had larva and put them into the garden. (they were found on a potted tomato) i am pretty happy about that and i say an aphid or 2 so the lady bugs should stay around.

one last thing. SQUIRRELS!!!!! frig! what can you do about them. i have heard a few gripes about them. and it seems someone is feeding the little buggers and i have peanuts sprouting everywhere. not such a heart breaker in the garden just routine weeding. peanuts sure grow fast too. but my grip is the digging is awesome in the potted plants with the soft potting soil which makes an appealing place for a squirrel to farm his peanuts. maybe i need a dog?

michael

> johnt, just curious those 5 1/2 tomatoes are in dirt right?

Michael,

Nope... I use ProMix BX and occasionally give them some 1/2 strength Miracle Gro (the blue stuff). Any tomato will work, but cherry types are best. And of course a normally large fruit tomato will have much smaller toms. The only cherry I grow anymore is Sungold even though there are several fantastic ones out there. Cut a Sungold in half and dehydrate with just a light sprinkling of Zatarain's or Tony C's Creole pepper powders (they are mostly salt) on top. Yum!!

jt

Squirrels....

Mothballs are too nasty to let contaminate the soil, but pill vials on top of bamboo stakes help some. Large mulberry tree and a white oak are right next to my garden area. Squirrels are everywhere and constantly digging out the old and burying the new.

jt

Good luck with the squirrels. I have them burying and digging up everywhere--peanuts and sunflower seeds, which come up in clusters of plants. I tried trapping them in a Havaheart and transporting them but there seemed to be an endless supply of the little buggers.

johnf