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4 Responses to Why would tomatoes and lettuce do poorly in a vegetable garden in a city while peas and beans do well?

1. A good rule of thumb is that the larger the seed, the easier the crop is to grow. Peas, beans, corn have large seeds so they get a good start in life from the nutrients in the seeds. Lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, etc. have tiny seeds, and are more difficult to “get going”. There are exceptions — radish seeds and carrot seeds are tiny, but tough. Start with crops which are easy, then take on more challenging crops after a few years practice.

   

   Small Business Owner in TX
   February 26, 2012 at 10:31 pm
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2. Hi Harry

   Tomatoes and Lettuce require more fertilizer than do peas and beans. Peas and beans only need moderately rich soil and will even survive in poor soils. They make their own nitrogen whereas tomatoes and lettuce are users of nitrogen.

   From what you have said, I would think you should get a soil sample to adjust your Ph and then you apparently need more fertilizer added and probably a good addition of organic matter as well.

   All of this will be told to you from the results of your soil sample. It is the cheapest 8 or 10 dollars you can spend.

   I hope this helps

   Johnny

   

   Johnny
   February 26, 2012 at 10:54 pm
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3. Would be helpful to know a little bit more about when the tomatoes and lettuce were planted…how they were cared for…and what symptoms they displayed before being able to offer any suggestions.

   

   TQ
   February 26, 2012 at 11:30 pm
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4. The lot is probably shady with acid soil. Peas and beans like partial shade, cool temps and acid soil. Lettuce also likes patrial shade and cool temps but they need alkaline soil. Tomatoes like full sun and hot temps.

   

   Cowboy's Sweetheart
   February 26, 2012 at 11:52 pm
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