very small veg

[earthy]

Hi
I'm growing various veg in pots. They grow but very small! I think the pots are big enough, they get plenty of sun and water. They're planted in mainly soil and a bit of bought compost (no space for making my own compost).
I presume they need some fertiliser. Any advice or anyone recommend me what organic fertiliser to buy?
Thanks.

[POTHEAD]

any farms or stables near you,manure could help for the right veg
regards pothead

[Livebait]

Originally Posted by earthy

Hi
I'm growing various veg in pots. They grow but very small! I think the pots are big enough, they get plenty of sun and water. They're planted in mainly soil and a bit of bought compost (no space for making my own compost).
I presume they need some fertiliser. Any advice or anyone recommend me what organic fertiliser to buy?
Thanks.

Plants that need fertilizer let you know, they usually tend to lack luster and seem duller green than the same type veggie that is not lacking nutrients!

If your plants look healthy yet still seem to finish up small i would tend to think that your containers are not really big enough. Veggies grown in containers that are to small will still produce but i believe the veggies end up slightly miniturized

My advice would be to make sure the containers are truely big enough

[dexter]

try using some sea weed extract foliar spray this will give some trace elements and green them up

[TPeers]

Originally Posted by earthy

Hi
I'm growing various veg in pots. They grow but very small! I think the pots are big enough, they get plenty of sun and water. They're planted in mainly soil and a bit of bought compost (no space for making my own compost).
I presume they need some fertiliser. Any advice or anyone recommend me what organic fertiliser to buy?
Thanks.

Welcome!

When you say you think the pots are big enough - can I ask what you are growing and the size of the pot?

Carrots for example can, depending on variety, grow roots a foot long and therefore need a pot at least 15" deep. Lettuce on the other hand only needs 6" deep pots but each plant needs a good 6" to 8" of space between it and the next if you want it to grow big enough to heart.

[SmileySue]

Hate to disagree with experience, but I have some little gems in a trough - they are only a couple of inches apart and have lovely little hearts! I ate one just today in my lunch salad I don't mind them being small as there is only me in my house that eats salad!

Although am most unimpressed that I cut one this morning and made my salad, came back from work and another has been demolished by two snails I found stuck to the side. The trough is now moved to an old table in the garden

[TPeers]

Ahh... I had rather ment the big blousy butterhead type that I grow! 6" each way in a diamond pattern and no ground showing!

I shall have to try some little gems - what would you say - 3" each way?
I'm lazy - rather than cut one head per person I have lettuce that are one per family meal!

[SmileySue]

He he! Yes, they are no more than 3 inches apart, probably only 2. I love them fresh from the ground, and they have really crisp sweet centres. I prefer the crunch to the leafy kinds. As I say, we don't eat salad as a meal (male dominated household!) so they are just for me really and a few leaves go in hubby's sandwiches!

[TheVegGarden.co.uk]

I have to agree with a few others here. If you are after larger lettuces, then spacing them 10 inches apart is ideal. However for us we sow close together and get good results although smaller lettuces.

Sometimes the smaller leaves are tastier

We have Great Lakes and May Queen. The Great Lakes are very tasty and don't need much space at all. The great lakes need a little more space, probably 4-5 inches to allow them to spread a little.

Robert

[Cabbagelover]

The big blousy butterhead lettuces are crunchy when eaten fresh, just plucked from the ground. As a kid I remember the dreadful limp lettuce leaves that we had for dinner but home grown taste and crunch super.