Your plants should be telling you. Are the drooping and
all wilty? If so, more water's needed.

Are they growing nicely? Then you're probably doing it
just right.

How's the dirt (or whatever you're growing in)? Is it nice
and damp? Doing good if so.

Is it swampy and bog-like? Probably overdoing the watering.

But then again, next week might be different.

Monitor your plants (since they're at your place of
employment, I suspect you're out there at least once a day
anyway). They'll tell you what you need to do.

I'm pulling for ya, we're all in this together!

I'm a horticulturist, and these plants are outside of our shop, so I'm there every working day. I'm using a mixture of half good topsoil and half "pinefines" (shredded pine bark mulch). I put 3" of gravel in the bottom of the pots, so they all have very good drainage.
When I transplanted to the pots, they continued growing just fine. A few had even started flowering. Then last week the leaves started yellowing somewhat. The worse of it occurred on the lowest leaves, but even the topmost leaves had some yellowing (not entire leaves, more like many tiny yellow spots). Two days ago I soaked them with a solution of Biolizer (1-1-1) organic liquid plus True-Brew plant beverage (I kid you not...it's advertised as a "plant beverage").
As of this afternoon, the upper leaves are all green,with several new leaves and flowers on most of the plants. Some of the bottommost leaves/branches turned completely yellow, but most of those that did had new shoots sprouting from the base of the dying leaf/branch. I pinched off the dying ones, leaving just the new sprouts.
I am a bit concerned, because I'll be on vacation for the next 2 weeks. I've arranged for one of my co-workers to water them on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until my return. It's supposed to be VERY hot here next week, so hopefully 3 times a week will be sufficient.
Thanks,
John

If its not you will find out!! I hope you have some moisture barrier on top of the soil this will help with evaporation!

Have you been to the "Container Gardening" forum? A wealth of information!!!

"I'm a horticulturist, and these plants are outside of our shop, so I'm there every working day. I'm using a mixture of half good topsoil and half "pinefines" (shredded pine bark mulch). I put 3" of gravel in the bottom of the pots, so they all have very good drainage." .

Are you a new hortucultist ? What is the purpose of yhe gravel ?

"I'm a horticulturist, and these plants are outside of our shop, so I'm there every working day. I'm using a mixture of half good topsoil and half "pinefines" (shredded pine bark mulch). I put 3" of gravel in the bottom of the pots, so they all have very good drainage." .
Its sad how little people know about growing in containers. Topsoil and gravel in containers..........
Plantem if you got em.
Sam

For anyone planting ANYTHING in containers... check out the "Container Gardening" forum first!!!

I would suggest investing in a moisture meter. They are relatively inexpensive and take a lot of the guess work out of watering questions. Most gardening stores have them. Particularly, if you are having very hot temperatures, your top soil will obviously dry out way before the lower soil does. I find that my moisture meter is indispensable. Particularly, as I have some plants in containers and some in the ground...they have VERY different water needs.
Good Luck,
Don

Hey Punkin,

I second Don's suggestion of a moisture meter, especially if you are leaving your plants in someone elses care while you go on vacation!

Topsoil generally holds WAY too much moisture for use in containers. That may be why your leaves started yellowing as that is a typical symptom. Now that the weather is warming up, it may be drying out just right. When it gets warmer they may not get enough water.

I am guessing the gravel went into the pot to help with drainage? Good theory, but if the soil holds it, no amount of gravel under it will increase drainage. At best the gravel may keep the soil from washing out the drain hole, but that is not usually a problem.

Hope that helps.

Betsy

John,

You mentioned that you'd fed the plants once. However, you didn't say how much water leaches out of the containers when you water. Container tomatoes need to be fed more often than tomatoes planted in the ground. In addition to the good advice mentioned above, you may want to consider fertilizing your tomatoes in pots every 10-14 days. Leaching could account for some of the yellowing. The link below may help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato fertilizer for pots

Okay, I've been out of town for the last week and a half.

First, I didn't know there was a container gardening forum. I'll check it out.

"Its sad how little people know about growing in containers. Topsoil and gravel in containers..........
Plantem if you got em."

The majority of my career has been dealing with trees and shrubs. I've never done container gardening. I simply asked a question about something new to me; I didn't ask for sardonic rhetoric.

Pumpkinhead1961!

ARRRRRGH! You said you had been out of town, but you did not tell us how the tomatoes fared while you were away!!!!!

So, how are they?????

Betsy

"Horticulturist" appears to be a new term for someone who has not one clue about growing common garden vegetables.

Oh come on, give the guy a break. We have all been there.

I used to drive to the fitness center and walk on the tradmill for 45 minutes-- for 10 years.

One day it hit me.. walk to the fitness center, its a 45 minute roundtrip. Just lift weights.

Then it hit me again. just lift dirt bags in the garden.
Go directly to the hot tub.

Sometimes, these things take a little time. for all of us.

d

Betsy-I didn't return to work until today. The biolizer I applied before I went on vacation did wonders, The plants had doubled in size, and were a deep healthy green color and some flowers. The problem is we've had extreme heat, so they may have problems setting fruit.
My currant tomatoes are another story. I picked about a dozen ripe tomatoes today and they have clusters forming everywhere.

tdspca- Who the hell are you to remark on my knowledge??? Since I've NEVER grown anything in containers, I asked about how often I should water. That does not equate to "someone who has not one clue about growing garden vegetables"!

I am so done with this forum. Folks come here to ask a simple question, and a few certain people see that as an opportunity to be derisive and condescending, making sardonic remarks, as if to insinuate that you're a complete and utter moron for asking such a question. Nobody needs this grief.