Help! Trying 5-1-1 - Nothing is Growing!

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

I have planted several containers with 5-1-1 mix - but nothing is really growing. It has been two months and plants I put in the garden are taking off like gangbusters, but my containers are thwarted.

Here is tomato in a hanging basket, compared to one of its siblings that was put in the ground.

The basket has been well watered and fed once a week with Dyna Grow Foilage Pro (1 tsp/gallon). It has barely doubled in size.

Here is some herbs and annuals - again planted two months ago. They seem to have barely grown.

Finally, here is a squash growing slowly and not looking very robust.

Needless to say this is the opposite of what I was expecting. I thought it would outperform a commercial potting mix.

I must have done something wrong? Any ideas or suggestions?

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Comments (5)

mblan13
8 years ago
Are you watering "enough" for the highly water retentive, peat based commercial potting mix you used to use?

In my experience with the 5-1-1, they are much more free draining, so need to be watered more frequently.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
8 years ago
You'd need a pretty good sized hanging basket to successfully grow any sort of tomato other than a few very dwarf varieties!! Ditto with the squash....how big is that pot? And have you fertilized?
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funkyhat
8 years ago
OP stated they fertilized with dyna-gro foliage pro once at week at 1tsp/gal.

The directions on the dyna-gro bottle say 1tsp/gal/every watering when used in 'non-recirculating hydroponics', which is what 5-1-1 is.

As for the tomatoes, they may not grow very large or quickly with such a small container. I would have expected more from the annuals and herbs.
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
8 years ago
Those baskets are terrible for just about everything. You need to water more, and fertilize much more heavily!

1 tsp/gallon is for maintenance....not for pushing Summer growth. Also, did you add the Lime and slow-release fertilizer?

Josh
G'Anne JTX
8 years ago
Did you use COMPOSTED pine fine? If not, your mix might be low on nitrogen.