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This year I emptied my manure bin that was about two years old and have been mixing it about 50/50% with general seed compost to fill all containers for Tomatoes, Courgettes, Cucumber and peppers.
The Tomatoes: all started very slowly and some are so stunted; only 12 inches high while the remainder are about 3ft tall but all the growing tips are yellow, hard and again very stunted but do fill out later. The flower heads are only just forming and are not as large as I would expect. I have fed and watered as normal and given the pot a top dressing of my own compost. No fruits have formed as yet.
The Cucumbers, one just withered and died the second is planted in normal veg sack compost and is just beginning to get going.
The Courgettes, I started in pots and planted out as normal one has died off and the other is making very slow progress and has produced the smallest courgette I have ever seen; about 1 inch long but is now showing signs of developing.
The peppers; I started off in 3inch pots, the one I planted into a container is still only 5 or 6 inches tall while the other is about 12 inches tall but is still in the original pot.
I can only assume there is a problem with the manure or the % I used in the containers. Was 50/50 too rich?
I also know that there has been something reported on another forum about some manure being contaminated.
At the end of the year I would normally empty all my containers onto my raised beads as a mulch for the winter. I need advise as to whether I should do that this year.
The Tomatoes: all started very slowly and some are so stunted; only 12 inches high while the remainder are about 3ft tall but all the growing tips are yellow, hard and again very stunted but do fill out later. The flower heads are only just forming and are not as large as I would expect. I have fed and watered as normal and given the pot a top dressing of my own compost. No fruits have formed as yet.
The Cucumbers, one just withered and died the second is planted in normal veg sack compost and is just beginning to get going.
The Courgettes, I started in pots and planted out as normal one has died off and the other is making very slow progress and has produced the smallest courgette I have ever seen; about 1 inch long but is now showing signs of developing.
The peppers; I started off in 3inch pots, the one I planted into a container is still only 5 or 6 inches tall while the other is about 12 inches tall but is still in the original pot.
I can only assume there is a problem with the manure or the % I used in the containers. Was 50/50 too rich?
I also know that there has been something reported on another forum about some manure being contaminated.
At the end of the year I would normally empty all my containers onto my raised beads as a mulch for the winter. I need advise as to whether I should do that this year.
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