Container Makeover, Denver

[guruofgardens]

I hope to see you with a full bowl on Saturday!

[Ricky Shaw]

Well I'm hoping I've got ripe toms besides the hybrids, cause I'm not taking Big Beef or Brandy Boys. They were my back-up plants after the hail and they're in main stride. The heirlooms are slowing down and this cool weather is not helping ripening these late toms. I'll have a few things, but not some of my best and that's a little aggravating. Next year 24 pots and fewer varieties, at least 3 of each, and only the best of the best goes forward. I want that crown.

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

I love Tomatoville.

Happy anniversary - Would never take you for a newbie.

Lots of posts in a year too.

Best of luck in the contest.

[Ricky Shaw]

I do post a lot. It must be some kind of outlet, because I'm not chatty at all and generally prefer the company of dogs to people.

Tomato love cannot be suppressed.

[pondgardener]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

I do post a lot. It must be some kind of outlet, because I'm not chatty at all and generally prefer the company of dogs to people.

Tomato love cannot be suppressed.

I could not agree with you more about the dogs over people...

[BigVanVader]

I'm not a big fan of people either. Not most anyway. Stunning garden and plants garden brother. Absolutely gorgeous. Hope you do win the crown! You would certainly win the neatest garden trophy.

[Hellmanns]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

I do post a lot. It must be some kind of outlet, because I'm not chatty at all and generally prefer the company of dogs to people.

Tomato love cannot be suppressed.

Uncannily, similarly predisposed! Terriers, and beefsteaks, totally ROCK!

[Ricky Shaw]

Thank you my tomato friends.

Went to Taste of Tomato Festival in Boulder, saw gurugardens and TommyTime and had a fun time today. Got hooke4d up with some wonderful pepper jellies from guru and her husband, squash, and even more tomatoes. I didn't have some of my best stuff cause most of the heirlooms are past prime and the cool rainy weather had slowed ripening. Rebel Yell and Crnkovic Y were my best but I only had 2 large toms ready of each and you needed 3. My best received tom was Malakhitovaya Shkatulka, the plate of samples was gone in a flash and I racked up a lot of votes and excellent comments. The votes stops when the tomatoes do and I'd wish I'd brought more. Ironical the 'Malachite Box' was troublesome from the go, I'd cut away more than half the plant from mold. A three-stem plant that became a one-stemmed plant mid-season, that will limp to the finish line with maybe 10 tomatoes total, and it's the ugly duckling they liked. Comments were, 'perfectly grown', 'excellent texture and ripeness', 'exquisite taste'. I could go on, but I can't remember anymore right now, or I would.

Oh and the seeds were a big hit,(CosmoVolkov, Malachite Box, Crnkovic Y), several people asked for them when word got around there was a Tomatoville contingent in the house. I gave some to the festival's sponsors, Eve at Harlequin Nurseries, and told her I'd be back for that crown next year. A nice day, with a lot of nice people.

[guruofgardens]

Such a beautiful day to meet 2 Tomatovillians in person and taste their (and many others') home grown tomatoes. We talked a lot about tomatoes in general, what did well, what tasted more bland this year because of our colder weather, plans for 2017, and seed and tomato sharing.

Such an enjoyable day with fellow gardeners. There were many more cherry tomatoes to try than in 2015, and fewer large ones like brandywines, etc., a few yellow/orange and a few black/purple. Many of the tomato names were not familiar so I hope we can grow many more to share next year.

Thank you, Ricky Shaw and TommyTime for bringing family and friends to share this fun day.

[pondgardener]

Well it sounds like you all had a great time. I hope next year to get a few things under control and be able to meet some fellow gardeners and share some tomatoes. My wife especially would enjoy the experience, although not a grower, she loves to meet new people.

Keep me in mind.

George in Pueblo

[BajaMitch]

All I can say is, Well Done, Ricky Shaw. This has been an amazing thread. Just finished re-perusing the whole thing for the 2nd time. It helped me to quit sniveling and whimpering about the heat conditions that almost wiped me out this season. Your weather challenges were more severe and frequent than mine and you didn't give up.

Oh, one other thing, you did a very decent job on the photography as well.

[Ricky Shaw]

For 2017 some changes. Heat was a problem on the tomatoes closest to patio, now there's raised beds for squash and cukes and the tomato patch has shifted toward the back of the lot. The t-post supported cages are on a 52" grid and have 10 and 15 gal pots. They provide scaffolding for bamboo supports for the 7gal pots placed between the cages. I'll be using a lot of reflective material this year, with some creating floating panels 2ft off the surface. Hail netting is up and it provides about 15% shading. Hope it all works out okay.

[Nematode]

Are those root pouches? Thinking of going with those for some root veg.
Do your pots stand alone for easy filling?
Looking like a great setup.

[Randall]

I just read through this thread. Wow, Ricky. Impressive stuff for sure!

[PureHarvest]

Ricky engineering for the win!