My Tomato Patch in N. California on Dec 5 - (pics)

[rnewste]

Days are in the mid 60s with nights falling to the low 40s. Plant growth has slowed considerably, but vegetables are still ripening.

Here is my Indian Stripe which is beginning to blush:



Tomatoes are quite large (bigger than my Cherokee Purple)

Yolo Wonder Peppers continue to mature:



The Container Mix trials continue on. I am REALLY happy with the 3:2:1 combo of Potting Mix, Bark Fines, and Perlite. The plant (Cherokee Purple) continues to be green from bottom to top:



I continue to be surprised at what small differences in the Container Mix formulation yields. Here are Pepper plants on the right, in a 3:3:2 ratio of Potting Mix, Redwood Compost, and Perlite; and the two plants on the left in the same 3:3:2 ratio but with Potting Mix, Bark Fines, and Perlite:



My Carmello is producing well, even with the cooler weather now. A few of these will be on the dinner table tonight:



Raybo

[Blueaussi]

Whoa, beautiful! We've come close to our first freeze, but dodged the bullet. I think tonight, though, I think to night is going to be it. I'm fighting the urge to run out and cover the peppers that are left.

[daylilydude]

Oooo... Indian stripe bigger than CP!! Can i ask you your source for the Indian Stripe seeds??

[rnewste]

I don't really remember, but I'll be happy to send you some seed from these Indian Stripe in the above photo in a month, or so. Just drop me a PM.

Raybo

[daylilydude]

Thank you so much Raybo... PM sent

[sprtsguy76]

Looking good Ray, feels like its gonna be a colder winter here for us this year. Thats cool your still getting tomatoes, I ripped my last two out yesterday. Gonna be starting seed in a month!

Damon

[cdbva]

Ray, what exactly are bark fines?

Christine

[rnewste]

Christine,

Bark fines are small particle-sized pieces of pine bark. See the pile on the right side:



I purchase them at Home Depot in the Garden Center. Look for something called "decorative ground cover bark"



I recommend you buy them 6 months before you need them, then let them "age" out in the sun and rain (slit the bag a bit to let rainwater enter).

Raybo

[geeboss]

Christine

Pine bark and fines available at Merrifield Garden Center, Betty's Azalea Ranch, in a white with orange print called VA fines. Usually sold in 2 cu ft at 3.99

Betty's Azalea Ranch also carries Superfines in 3 cu ft bags as soil conditioners. Haven't seen the superfines. I usually use VA fines mixed with my potting mix

http://www.bettysazalearanch.com/mulch.htm

[b54red]

Nice photos of some very nice plants. I picked my larger green tomatoes and peppers off this afternoon. It is now freezing outside. I sprayed everything with water but don't know if anything besides winter veggies will survive. I had 3 five gallon buckets of green bell peppers and one 5 gallon bucket of green tomatoes. I guess I'll be having pepper steak and fried green tomatoes for a while.

[recruiterg]

I plan on flooding my backyard hockey rink this week.

[cdbva]

Thank you Ray, and thank you George. Detailed descriptions (and photos!) are so helpful. And if I'm going to age it, I better buy it now, and that gives me an excuse to go to the garden store!

Christine