Noobie observations and questions and progress throughout season - Page 3

dice · June 7, 2013

Quote:

May be I will have to increase tomato to 8 plants

For future reference, just in case:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VFsxrUNE88

tnkrer · June 7, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by dice

For future reference, just in case:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VFsxrUNE88

bwahaha! Only areas around my house that have 5+ hours of sun are .. the deck, driveway and front lawn. Front lawn is sacrosanct to wife and I cannot use any part of it for vegetable gardening. On the deck I am competing with grilling and eating space and on the driveway I am competing with kids who want the area for playing (not to mention the errant basketballs, footballs, baseballs and occasional curious/crazy kid wanting to poke around the plants). Still, when the kids are gone to college, I think I will line the driveway with tainers

dice · June 8, 2013

SomeT'ville members grow in containers on driveways. It is the only
place that they have enough sun and no fusarium (their in-ground
gardens are infested). Each grower knows his/her own space best,
so good luck finding room for your tomatoes.:-)

tnkrer · June 9, 2013

At the beginning, earthtainer was doing better than my large SWC. However, now at one month mark, tomato plants in large SWC are doing better than the earthtainer. Something slowed the earthtainer plants down. (The plastic on the earthtainer is an attempt to reduce the temperature of the tainer)

large SWC - All plants are 34-36" tall

earthtainer - early girl 30, brandywine - 33

dice · June 11, 2013

This is another good page on pH and nutrient uptake:
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~blpprt/acid2.html
(Rather a lot of detail, read at your leisure.)

I do not know that this would be responsible for the difference in
growth in your two containers. It could be differences in pH, in
average moisture level over time, in root space and nutrient
uptake. I am assuming that they get about the same sunlight
per day.

Drought stress was implicated by a local television garden
advisor in the development of powdery mildew. (Makes it
easier to attack the plant.) I use a moisture meter to get
a rough idea of the relative moisture level in containers,
but you can always dig down with your hand and get an idea.

tnkrer · June 18, 2013

Hoping that I will get my first fresh cuke in a week now. Already hand pollinated the flower this morning. Next week is supposed to be dry and warm.

tnkrer · July 5, 2013

Almost 2 months since I planted out! We had our first cuke yesterday. cukes should be coming in daily from now on!

The early girl has ripened. It claimed 50 days, but this would be 60 days for me. (and probably couple more days before I pick the fruit)

The large SWC has been really good to the plants. All 4 plants are 7.5 ft tall. The cherries have 70-80 tomatoes on each and as many flowers.

The brandywine is also doing good with about 5 tomatoes. 4 blueberry size and 1 about 3 oz. The black cherries are turning as well. Should be ready to pick around day 63 .. Thats earlier than most reported times on Tatiana's tomato base. (not complaining

)

The earthtainer - plants have grown and early girl is doing well. Brandywine just grows and does not have any good buds on it. I have foliar fed a fert with high P in hopes of getting some blossoms. We will see, otherwise, it gets kicked out and replaced by something.

The chard in the container is doing great. So is the cuke in the container. (no water reservoir for these and no fert strip.)

And this is my in-ground experiment with chards and one cuke. The strip gets only about 4 hours of sun. Last year rabbits and other critters ate everything I planted there, so this year, the patio got a door. So far only chipmunks have been seen on the patio.

Thanks for looking

lycomania · July 6, 2013

Thanks for the update! Your plants are looking great!! Pretty awesome job in New England!

I'm jealous of your black cherry; I planted one but it has turned out to be a mislabeled grape-type. Hope you enjoy yours.

dice · July 7, 2013

I was going to say when you posted your pictures of the plants
in the big container first overtaking the plants in the Earthtainer
that those Earthtainer plants looked really healthy. Brandywine
being uncooperative despite a healthy plant is not really a
surprise for a lot of growers. (A notorious "YMMV" cultivar in
some climates.)

tnkrer · July 8, 2013

lycomania - Thanks. big vote of thanks go to Raybo and others that have helped along the way.
First time to taste black cherry. It was good, but didn't find it to be great. May be later harvest will be better.

Dice: Brandywine in the earthtainer is probably going to cooperate thanks to your suggestion.
Also the large SWC photo I posted was an earlier photo .. here is the current one at 2 months. (can't edit older posts)

Also the yellow pear turned color. I picked two. I liked them as much as black cherry. (I know its first few fruits .. the flavor is supposed to be better for later harvest)

So time to picking first fruit after planting out
BC - 56 days (earlier calculation was wrong. BC was planted out 4 days later than others)
YP - 62 days
EG - 60 days
Sunsugar - 63 days and still waiting
And now three bumblebees have taken up the job of pollinating the cukes. Whew! I was getting tired of finding all the cuke flowers and pollinating them by hand.

tnkrer · July 15, 2013

Everything expect brandywine gave 2-3 ripe fruits so far! and Brandywine has about 15 tomatoes on it! So that is exciting.

However, some varmint(s) stole tomatoes from every plant today

I am hoping that they cannot do it for higher trusses. If I see a tomato stolen from higher truss, I will need to find a way to deter the thieves. I don't have enough bounty to share with the critters!

June 8, 2013	#33
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	SomeT'ville members grow in containers on driveways. It is the only place that they have enough sun and no fusarium (their in-ground gardens are infested). Each grower knows his/her own space best, so good luck finding room for your tomatoes.:-) __________________ -- alias

June 9, 2013	#34
tnkrer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: MA 6a/b Posts: 352	Progress at one month At the beginning, earthtainer was doing better than my large SWC. However, now at one month mark, tomato plants in large SWC are doing better than the earthtainer. Something slowed the earthtainer plants down. (The plastic on the earthtainer is an attempt to reduce the temperature of the tainer) large SWC - All plants are 34-36" tall earthtainer - early girl 30, brandywine - 33

June 11, 2013	#35
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	This is another good page on pH and nutrient uptake: http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~blpprt/acid2.html (Rather a lot of detail, read at your leisure.) I do not know that this would be responsible for the difference in growth in your two containers. It could be differences in pH, in average moisture level over time, in root space and nutrient uptake. I am assuming that they get about the same sunlight per day. Drought stress was implicated by a local television garden advisor in the development of powdery mildew. (Makes it easier to attack the plant.) I use a moisture meter to get a rough idea of the relative moisture level in containers, but you can always dig down with your hand and get an idea. __________________ -- alias

June 18, 2013	#36
tnkrer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: MA 6a/b Posts: 352	First cuke flower Hoping that I will get my first fresh cuke in a week now. Already hand pollinated the flower this morning. Next week is supposed to be dry and warm.

July 5, 2013	#37
tnkrer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: MA 6a/b Posts: 352	2 month update - harvest time .. well almost. Almost 2 months since I planted out! We had our first cuke yesterday. cukes should be coming in daily from now on! The early girl has ripened. It claimed 50 days, but this would be 60 days for me. (and probably couple more days before I pick the fruit) The large SWC has been really good to the plants. All 4 plants are 7.5 ft tall. The cherries have 70-80 tomatoes on each and as many flowers. The brandywine is also doing good with about 5 tomatoes. 4 blueberry size and 1 about 3 oz. The black cherries are turning as well. Should be ready to pick around day 63 .. Thats earlier than most reported times on Tatiana's tomato base. (not complaining ) The earthtainer - plants have grown and early girl is doing well. Brandywine just grows and does not have any good buds on it. I have foliar fed a fert with high P in hopes of getting some blossoms. We will see, otherwise, it gets kicked out and replaced by something. The chard in the container is doing great. So is the cuke in the container. (no water reservoir for these and no fert strip.) And this is my in-ground experiment with chards and one cuke. The strip gets only about 4 hours of sun. Last year rabbits and other critters ate everything I planted there, so this year, the patio got a door. So far only chipmunks have been seen on the patio. Thanks for looking Last edited by tnkrer; July 5, 2013 at 01:12 PM. Reason: added couple more pictures

July 6, 2013	#38
lycomania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Zone 5b Posts: 179	Thanks for the update! Your plants are looking great!! Pretty awesome job in New England! I'm jealous of your black cherry; I planted one but it has turned out to be a mislabeled grape-type. Hope you enjoy yours.

July 7, 2013	#39
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	I was going to say when you posted your pictures of the plants in the big container first overtaking the plants in the Earthtainer that those Earthtainer plants looked really healthy. Brandywine being uncooperative despite a healthy plant is not really a surprise for a lot of growers. (A notorious "YMMV" cultivar in some climates.) __________________ -- alias

July 8, 2013	#40
tnkrer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: MA 6a/b Posts: 352	lycomania - Thanks. big vote of thanks go to Raybo and others that have helped along the way. First time to taste black cherry. It was good, but didn't find it to be great. May be later harvest will be better. Dice: Brandywine in the earthtainer is probably going to cooperate thanks to your suggestion. Also the large SWC photo I posted was an earlier photo .. here is the current one at 2 months. (can't edit older posts) Also the yellow pear turned color. I picked two. I liked them as much as black cherry. (I know its first few fruits .. the flavor is supposed to be better for later harvest) So time to picking first fruit after planting out BC - 56 days (earlier calculation was wrong. BC was planted out 4 days later than others) YP - 62 days EG - 60 days Sunsugar - 63 days and still waiting And now three bumblebees have taken up the job of pollinating the cukes. Whew! I was getting tired of finding all the cuke flowers and pollinating them by hand.

July 15, 2013	#41
tnkrer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: MA 6a/b Posts: 352	Everything expect brandywine gave 2-3 ripe fruits so far! and Brandywine has about 15 tomatoes on it! So that is exciting. However, some varmint(s) stole tomatoes from every plant today I am hoping that they cannot do it for higher trusses. If I see a tomato stolen from higher truss, I will need to find a way to deter the thieves. I don't have enough bounty to share with the critters!