Growing Together: Open Forum

Hello Everyone,
I am teacher/director at a parent participation preschool in Mar Vista CA.
I'm a pretty good gardener but currently I am stumped!
We recently filled a 6' round galvanized tub with a combination of potting soil, organic compost and worm castings. We watered it well and stirred it all up. We waited a week+ before we planted anything. I got some 6" seedlings from a neighborhood gardener. We planted them and they are not really growing. The corn is a little but zucchini, tomato, sweet pepper are just the same size as they were 3 weeks ago.
What do you think is wrong?

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------

Hi Nina,
We planted sweet corn in a raised garden bed. Sounds like you have some fresh soil which is great. I'm wondering if it's a potting mix for a container versus a planting mix, which is recommended for "in ground" planting.  Also, you want to make sure to plant your seedlings accordingly to the space. Meaning, corn requires at least 6 inches apart, at least our sweet corn did. Often, galvanized tubs like this do not come with pre-drilled holes for drainage. You may have to drill holes under (if possible) or at the bottom of the container (lowest part possible) to allow water to drain.  Otherwise, you will be drowning everything.  Lastly, you listed quite a few things.  It may be overcrowded in there. You may want to stick to one thing...say tomatoes and then plant some marigolds to prevent other bugs from eating them.  Hope this helps.  

Best,
victor 

------------------------------
Victor Soto
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-18-2021 12:22:27 PM
From: Nina Moench
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hello Everyone,
I am teacher/director at a parent participation preschool in Mar Vista CA.
I'm a pretty good gardener but currently I am stumped!
We recently filled a 6' round galvanized tub with a combination of potting soil, organic compost and worm castings. We watered it well and stirred it all up. We waited a week+ before we planted anything. I got some 6" seedlings from a neighborhood gardener. We planted them and they are not really growing. The corn is a little but zucchini, tomato, sweet pepper are just the same size as they were 3 weeks ago.
What do you think is wrong?

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------

Hi Nina-

Is the potting soil new and the organic compost fully decomposed?   Did you purchase them?  My first guess would be this is a soil issue and even if you brought it in from a store, there still could be something in there that is impacting growth.  Not that this is exactly the same issue - but a couple of years ago we planted some tomato seeds in an organic seed starting mix that we purchased and even though the seeds germinated, they just got to a certain point and then did nothing.  We got a different brand of seed starting mix and planted the left over seeds  in it (so same pack of seeds as the first try) -- and the new plants immediately germinated and grew fine (other conditions exactly the same).  So, that was my lesson learned that purchased potting soil can have bad batches.  I never did find out exactly was in the first potting soil that impacted the growth that way, but my guess was that  there was a lack of nutrients - or maybe even some kind of balance issue that was preventing the plants from being able to access the nutrients that were in there.

Since your container is larger than a few seed trays like I was dealing with that were easy enough to toss and replant, you might want to try adding some additional organic fertilizer (I am not sure if this available every where but at our garden we use Microlife and I am a big fan) and see if it might be a nutrient availability issue (although it won't help if is a nutrient accessibility issue).

------------------------------
Sarah Pounders
Senior Education Specialist
KidsGardening
The Woodlands TX
8324186540
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-18-2021 12:22:27 PM
From: Nina Moench
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hello Everyone,
I am teacher/director at a parent participation preschool in Mar Vista CA.
I'm a pretty good gardener but currently I am stumped!
We recently filled a 6' round galvanized tub with a combination of potting soil, organic compost and worm castings. We watered it well and stirred it all up. We waited a week+ before we planted anything. I got some 6" seedlings from a neighborhood gardener. We planted them and they are not really growing. The corn is a little but zucchini, tomato, sweet pepper are just the same size as they were 3 weeks ago.
What do you think is wrong?

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------

Thanks for all the good advice!

I did purchase what I thought was good soil at a local garden store. I am surprised to hear there are bad batches sometimes!
You can see in this picture things are not over crowded. 
Another thing I forgot to mention is that we have had some slime mold. I read that comes when it is too wet.
After I took this picture we took out the basil plant that did not survive moving from the old wood bed into this one.
I have been off for a week, I am curious to see what it looks like when I return tomorrow.




------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-20-2021 01:05:09 PM
From: Sarah Pounders
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hi Nina-

Is the potting soil new and the organic compost fully decomposed?   Did you purchase them?  My first guess would be this is a soil issue and even if you brought it in from a store, there still could be something in there that is impacting growth.  Not that this is exactly the same issue - but a couple of years ago we planted some tomato seeds in an organic seed starting mix that we purchased and even though the seeds germinated, they just got to a certain point and then did nothing.  We got a different brand of seed starting mix and planted the left over seeds  in it (so same pack of seeds as the first try) -- and the new plants immediately germinated and grew fine (other conditions exactly the same).  So, that was my lesson learned that purchased potting soil can have bad batches.  I never did find out exactly was in the first potting soil that impacted the growth that way, but my guess was that  there was a lack of nutrients - or maybe even some kind of balance issue that was preventing the plants from being able to access the nutrients that were in there.

Since your container is larger than a few seed trays like I was dealing with that were easy enough to toss and replant, you might want to try adding some additional organic fertilizer (I am not sure if this available every where but at our garden we use Microlife and I am a big fan) and see if it might be a nutrient availability issue (although it won't help if is a nutrient accessibility issue).

------------------------------
Sarah Pounders
Senior Education Specialist
KidsGardening
The Woodlands TX
8324186540

Original Message:
Sent: 06-18-2021 12:22:27 PM
From: Nina Moench
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hello Everyone,
I am teacher/director at a parent participation preschool in Mar Vista CA.
I'm a pretty good gardener but currently I am stumped!
We recently filled a 6' round galvanized tub with a combination of potting soil, organic compost and worm castings. We watered it well and stirred it all up. We waited a week+ before we planted anything. I got some 6" seedlings from a neighborhood gardener. We planted them and they are not really growing. The corn is a little but zucchini, tomato, sweet pepper are just the same size as they were 3 weeks ago.
What do you think is wrong?

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------

In addition to moisture, slime mold might be another sign that something in your soil is still in the process of decomposing too and possibly tying up available nutrients -  so I would go back to my initial suggestion of adding some additional organic fertilizer of some kind - compost will definitely help with the soil texture- but it is varies widely in nutrient content.

------------------------------
Sarah Pounders
Senior Education Specialist
KidsGardening
The Woodlands TX
8324186540
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-27-2021 04:21:09 PM
From: Nina Moench
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Thanks for all the good advice!

I did purchase what I thought was good soil at a local garden store. I am surprised to hear there are bad batches sometimes!
You can see in this picture things are not over crowded. 
Another thing I forgot to mention is that we have had some slime mold. I read that comes when it is too wet.
After I took this picture we took out the basil plant that did not survive moving from the old wood bed into this one.
I have been off for a week, I am curious to see what it looks like when I return tomorrow.

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA

Original Message:
Sent: 06-20-2021 01:05:09 PM
From: Sarah Pounders
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hi Nina-

Is the potting soil new and the organic compost fully decomposed?   Did you purchase them?  My first guess would be this is a soil issue and even if you brought it in from a store, there still could be something in there that is impacting growth.  Not that this is exactly the same issue - but a couple of years ago we planted some tomato seeds in an organic seed starting mix that we purchased and even though the seeds germinated, they just got to a certain point and then did nothing.  We got a different brand of seed starting mix and planted the left over seeds  in it (so same pack of seeds as the first try) -- and the new plants immediately germinated and grew fine (other conditions exactly the same).  So, that was my lesson learned that purchased potting soil can have bad batches.  I never did find out exactly was in the first potting soil that impacted the growth that way, but my guess was that  there was a lack of nutrients - or maybe even some kind of balance issue that was preventing the plants from being able to access the nutrients that were in there.

Since your container is larger than a few seed trays like I was dealing with that were easy enough to toss and replant, you might want to try adding some additional organic fertilizer (I am not sure if this available every where but at our garden we use Microlife and I am a big fan) and see if it might be a nutrient availability issue (although it won't help if is a nutrient accessibility issue).

------------------------------
Sarah Pounders
Senior Education Specialist
KidsGardening
The Woodlands TX
8324186540

Original Message:
Sent: 06-18-2021 12:22:27 PM
From: Nina Moench
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hello Everyone,
I am teacher/director at a parent participation preschool in Mar Vista CA.
I'm a pretty good gardener but currently I am stumped!
We recently filled a 6' round galvanized tub with a combination of potting soil, organic compost and worm castings. We watered it well and stirred it all up. We waited a week+ before we planted anything. I got some 6" seedlings from a neighborhood gardener. We planted them and they are not really growing. The corn is a little but zucchini, tomato, sweet pepper are just the same size as they were 3 weeks ago.
What do you think is wrong?

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------

There are several things that could be at issue. #1 heat -- galvanized metal will cook their little roots, plastic, clay or wood is better; #2 bad soil​​ -- not all soil is really great -- even the fancy bagged organics can be lacking in nutrients or have fungus; #3 lack of air circulation -- depending upon the size of your tub and the number of plants they may be too crowded in which case they won't grow; #4 seedlings came with a problem -- not all plants will thrive, some come with issues.

My suggestion is to get a different container -- not metal -- and make sure it hase drain holes.  Buy a different bagged soil and blend it with a bagged compost.  Then move several of your plants to that container. Only water until water begins to leak out the bottom, then stop. Allow soil to dry slightly between waterings (stick your finger in the soil to the first knuckle to determine when more watering is required).  Make sure that your container is situated in the best light location for the plants -- zucchini droops if it is in the sun for 10 hours. 

Good luck! 
​​

------------------------------
Michelle Zupan
Hickory Hill
THOMSON GA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-18-2021 12:22:27 PM
From: Nina Moench
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hello Everyone,
I am teacher/director at a parent participation preschool in Mar Vista CA.
I'm a pretty good gardener but currently I am stumped!
We recently filled a 6' round galvanized tub with a combination of potting soil, organic compost and worm castings. We watered it well and stirred it all up. We waited a week+ before we planted anything. I got some 6" seedlings from a neighborhood gardener. We planted them and they are not really growing. The corn is a little but zucchini, tomato, sweet pepper are just the same size as they were 3 weeks ago.
What do you think is wrong?

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------

Hi Nina-

We are using galvanized tubs smaller than the one you describe, and having good luck so far, so maybe before you look for another container, check the soil temp if you can, to see if that is the issue?  We were "gifted" our tubs and "had to" use them. I was worried about the temperature issue that Michelle suggested, but even here in hot NC it has not been a problem.  We did make sure there was drainage as she suggests.

On the other hand, the soil we were "gifted" was actually horrible, and once we added nutrients our plants took off. 

Good luck!
Shauna




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Shauna Farmer
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-18-2021 12:22:27 PM
From: Nina Moench
Subject: My seedlings aren't growing!

Hello Everyone,
I am teacher/director at a parent participation preschool in Mar Vista CA.
I'm a pretty good gardener but currently I am stumped!
We recently filled a 6' round galvanized tub with a combination of potting soil, organic compost and worm castings. We watered it well and stirred it all up. We waited a week+ before we planted anything. I got some 6" seedlings from a neighborhood gardener. We planted them and they are not really growing. The corn is a little but zucchini, tomato, sweet pepper are just the same size as they were 3 weeks ago.
What do you think is wrong?

------------------------------
Nina Moench
DIG Childhood Center
LOS ANGELES CA
------------------------------