Big pots with lots of organic matter can support a sizeable microbe community, thus making organic ferts somewhat feasible. Really big pots can often function closer to raised beds than container culture.

The problem is successful container horticulture requires us to be on top of everything that a) goes into the soil mix and b) happens within the mix. Depending on a fragile microbe community creates a dynamic environment that can swing widely depending on weather, temperature, qty of organic matter and so forth. Gets too unpredictable, which is why enthusiasts on this forum stay away from organic-heavy mixes and organic ferts.

Oxboy is right.

Organic container gardening is *more* difficult, and the smaller the containers, the more difficult it becomes. It's not impossible, of course, but requires more attention from the grower, in my opinion....and the variability and unpredictability of media and nutrients can dramatically influence one's success from year to year, container to container.

Josh

Thanks so much!!! I love that I can actually find answers here.

My plants do seem to benefit from the fish emulsion solution I use, but I have many doubts about whether it is enough. Likewise, I do sometimes see worms when I move a pot, but that is not often. I don't really know what's going on in the mix. I guess I will start looking for a synthetic to add in to the schedule.

Thanks again!

Hey there, I'm in Los Angeles and have done organic in pots for a number of years with great success. I actually get better results for veggies with organic fertilizer in peat mixes than 5-1-1 and Dyna-Gro. I go 5-1-1 and synthetic for all my fruit trees, but tomatoes and other veggies like the more organic route.

That said, there's different kinds of organic. I've used General Organics line of nutrients and was giving away tomatoes by the bucket. General Organics isn't hard core organics like compost teas and mulches, it's more of an organic mix with fast acting nutrients and all kinds of organic supplements. If you're doing just mulches, compost and teas, you probably won't have success in pots, though I have a friend who did just that and worked fine. But I haven't given it a shot.

I use the General Organics basic grow formula all the time, it's my go-to organic fertilizer. Pro-mix HP from Home Depot (or Gardener and Bloome Blue Ribbon from Anawalt or other small stores) and General Organics is all you need for tremendous organic veggies. I've used it on veggies from 3-15 gallon pots with constant success. For whatever reason, I didn't get blossom end rot with General Organics like I did with Dyna-Gro. I also think my veggies taste better with organics, but that's probably psychological.

Also, I use Dr. Earth, Espoma and other dry organic fertilizers in my potted veggies and they seem to love it. Dr. Earth says they mix a combination of fast and slow fertilizer nutrients (I think alfalfa, blood and guano break down very quickly while bone and shells don't, but I could be wrong). The fertilizers for veggies are said to give what the plants what they need at the right time, at least that's what the marketing says and I don't see anything that contradicts it.

The last thing with organics is I've never burned a plant, even if I go nuts with the fertilizer. I suppose it's possible, but I use everything at full strength with no downsides.

The reason to go 5-1-1 and synthetic is for long term plants like trees and succulents. I made over 300 gallons of 5-1-1 this year and love it, my fruit trees do tremendously well with Dyna-Gro. But with veggies, they grow very quickly and peat mixes don't break down fast enough to hinder their growth. You have to refresh the soil with every new plant, but your tomatoes will be taller than you can reach before the mix goes bad.

Anyway, hope that helps!

I grew organic initially in my Earthboxes. Here is what I learned. 1: Growing organic in containers works really great until it doesn't. 2) Growing organic is possible in containers but for me, in my climate will require more time, money and specialty products than I am willing to provide.
3) Synthetic10-10-10 with a teaspoon of calcium nitrate weekly supplement works great for heavy feeders like tomatoes in my long growing season! =)

done organic in pots for a number of years with great success. I actually get better results for veggies with organic fertilizer in peat mixes than 5-1-1 and Dyna-Gro. I go 5-1-1 and synthetic for all my fruit trees, but tomatoes and other veggies like the more organic route.

I agree, I have much better results with organics. But I don't face the high heat of CA, so very impressive work!
The difference is striking actually. I still use synthetics for certain plants. As was stated it's hard to keep the right environment in a pot. But to tell the truth with normal watering and stuff, i don't find it hard at all. i find it hard with cacti, which in the winter I water once a month.
Something people don't get. If bacteria die, they will form spores. When you water 24 hours later it's possible 1 million generations of bacteria have grown from the spores in that 24 hour period. So if they die, it's easy to restore them very quickly.
I was paid to grow bacteria, I know what I'm talking about.
I have grown millions of bacteria and also isolated and identified what species were in the inoculant given to me.
If you're getting less than 20 pounds of tomatoes per plant, try organics!

Ah, the plot thickens!

This is why I love this site so much. I really benefit so much from hearing what everyone else is up to.

Thanks so much, everyone!!!