Well, plants are looking a little crisp. I can attribute it to one or more of three things: over fertilizing, bad water, chili pepper flakes as a squirrel deterrent. All three variables occurred at the same time.
1) I planted in fafard pro mix. The bag said nothing about any ferts present, and advised me to fertilizer when plant growth slowed. I added less the the recommended amount of tomato tone at planting time, and after two or three weeks surface dressed with an 8-5-5.
2) I had been using a hose adapter so I could water from my kitchen sink with a hose, until I found an underground water faucet. Damn thing was covered in spider webs, no telling how long that water had been sitting in the pipe. Probably a bad move.
3) I spread the grocery store McCormick brand chili flakes around the soil beginning two weeks ago to deter squirrels. Of course, I assumed that the chili flakes were just that, chili flakes, and didn't consider the possible presence of preservatives such as salt.
Anyways, here are the pics of the plants that look the worst:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Current plan of action, sadly, is to start over. While financially and timewise feasible I am just going to replace the crisped seedlings. I am going to get rid of all the soil, fortunately they are in plastic pots so I am not worried about bad things that might have leeched in the pot. I am going to replant, again with fafard professional. Looks like quality stuff, I just think I underestimated its nutrient content. Therefore, I am going to add in an even smaller amount of tomato tone, mostly as a way to help the organic content of the soil not necessarily as a fert. I am going to wait a full month before I consider fertilizing with anything, and it will be a liquid based organic fertilizer or maybe tomato tone diluted in water. Son of a bitch this is so aggravating.
1) I planted in fafard pro mix. The bag said nothing about any ferts present, and advised me to fertilizer when plant growth slowed. I added less the the recommended amount of tomato tone at planting time, and after two or three weeks surface dressed with an 8-5-5.
2) I had been using a hose adapter so I could water from my kitchen sink with a hose, until I found an underground water faucet. Damn thing was covered in spider webs, no telling how long that water had been sitting in the pipe. Probably a bad move.
3) I spread the grocery store McCormick brand chili flakes around the soil beginning two weeks ago to deter squirrels. Of course, I assumed that the chili flakes were just that, chili flakes, and didn't consider the possible presence of preservatives such as salt.
Anyways, here are the pics of the plants that look the worst:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Current plan of action, sadly, is to start over. While financially and timewise feasible I am just going to replace the crisped seedlings. I am going to get rid of all the soil, fortunately they are in plastic pots so I am not worried about bad things that might have leeched in the pot. I am going to replant, again with fafard professional. Looks like quality stuff, I just think I underestimated its nutrient content. Therefore, I am going to add in an even smaller amount of tomato tone, mostly as a way to help the organic content of the soil not necessarily as a fert. I am going to wait a full month before I consider fertilizing with anything, and it will be a liquid based organic fertilizer or maybe tomato tone diluted in water. Son of a bitch this is so aggravating.
