My Tomato Jungle

RomanX · June 1, 2015

For my first year of both indoor seed starting and tomato growing, I am conducting both a side-by-side comparison of different types of growing vessels (EB, 5-gal shop buckets and an 18.5 inch decorative container) and ten different red tomato varieties - for a total of 11 tomato plants and 10 vessels.

I have two EBs (set up as containers only) holding a total of 4 plants with a mature height of about 3 feet; there are 6 5-gallon shop buckets, each with one plant (max. heights vary from 18 inches to 5 feet) and 1 5-gal shop bucket with two plants (max. height roughly less than 12 inches); the decorative container contains one plant with a maximum height of 4.9 feet.

This is a picture of my Tomato Jungle.

PA_Julia · June 1, 2015

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ginger2778 · June 1, 2015

Nice! You went all out on the EBs, even their trellising system. I think you are going to have a great harvest.

pauldavid · June 1, 2015

Nice set-up!

AlittleSalt · June 1, 2015

I finally see what an Earth Box is. cool setup

BucksCountyGirl · June 2, 2015

Looking good! Keep us posted. Best of luck!

greyghost · June 2, 2015

They look extremely healthy and happy-I'm sure you'll get a great harvest!

RomanX · June 2, 2015

Thank y'all for your kind compliments. . . but I'm afraid they're undeserved.

This evening, I was struck by the sight of unhealthy leaves in my little domain. At first, I thought it was just ONE plant, but the closer I looked it's THREE plants! Bottom ones in 2 shop buckets were mottled yellow and one of those buckets also had "pebbly" / goose-bumpy leaves on the bottom & on the top (the other leaves on that plant are flat and green). In addition, most plants were a light-er green for their upper third.

Here's some pics; I'll also post in the Q&A forum for HELP!!!

RomanX · June 2, 2015

HERE'S the pics!!

AlittleSalt · June 2, 2015

I'm going to keep an eye on this thread. I'm curious as to what this might be. Maybe something really simple? The 4th and 5th picture shows leaves discolored that I haven't seen before.

luigiwu · June 3, 2015

are the buckets selfwatering? then its not a fair competition with the EBs.

ginger2778 · June 3, 2015

I think interveinal chlorosis is an iron deficiency.

RomanX · June 3, 2015

The buckets are NOT self-watering. May 1 was plant out: the first day EVERYTHING was planted outside in their final place.

You REALLY wanna talk "fair" re watering??

ALL vessels (EBs included) require watering twice a day. The shop buckets and the decorative container have 1" red rubber mulch on top of the growing medium and are top watered: May 1, they took 1/2 cup and yesterday, 4 cups (that's for EACH watering). The EBs started out (May 1) taking an eighth of a gallon twice a day; yesterday, they required a few ounces short of 1/2 gallon: both in the morning and again, in the evening.

I EXPECTED that the EBs would NOT require twice daily watering like the shop buckets and decorative container, so watering was to be a factor NOT included in my experimental design.

For my career (I'm retired now) I designed, conducted and statistically analyzed experimental results. For more information regarding this experimental design, please send me a private message.

Miller734 · June 3, 2015

I found this link on an older TV post. Good pictures and description of tomato nutritient deficiencies.
http://www.haifa-group.com/knowledge...A-956B741717D4}

RomanX · June 3, 2015

Thanks, ginger...and Miller for the link to nutritional deficiencies...I'm going RIGHT NOW!

June 1, 2015	#2
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	Very nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013

June 2, 2015	#6
BucksCountyGirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Holland, PA/Zone 7A Posts: 692	Looking good! Keep us posted. Best of luck! __________________ - Kelli Life's a climb...but the view is fantastic

June 3, 2015	#11
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	are the buckets selfwatering? then its not a fair competition with the EBs. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

June 1, 2015	#3
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Nice! You went all out on the EBs, even their trellising system. I think you are going to have a great harvest.

June 1, 2015	#4
pauldavid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NE Louisiana, Zone 8A Posts: 1,179	Nice set-up!

June 1, 2015	#5
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I finally see what an Earth Box is. cool setup

June 2, 2015	#7
greyghost Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: southeastern PA Posts: 760	They look extremely healthy and happy-I'm sure you'll get a great harvest!

June 2, 2015	#8
RomanX Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 119	Thank y'all for your kind compliments. . . but I'm afraid they're undeserved. This evening, I was struck by the sight of unhealthy leaves in my little domain. At first, I thought it was just ONE plant, but the closer I looked it's THREE plants! Bottom ones in 2 shop buckets were mottled yellow and one of those buckets also had "pebbly" / goose-bumpy leaves on the bottom & on the top (the other leaves on that plant are flat and green). In addition, most plants were a light-er green for their upper third. Here's some pics; I'll also post in the Q&A forum for HELP!!!

June 3, 2015	#14
Miller734 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Bethlehem GA Posts: 5	I found this link on an older TV post. Good pictures and description of tomato nutritient deficiencies. http://www.haifa-group.com/knowledge...A-956B741717D4}