Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old September 26, 2015   #286
kayrobbins
Tomatovillian™
 
kayrobbins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 820
Default

I have grown all of my tomatoes in the 5 gallon SWCs. I was growing heirlooms like Cherokee Purple, Arkansas Traveler, etc before I even heard of dwarfs. I have only been on Tomatoville a little over a year and had only grown Wild Fred before I found the Dwarf Project. I don't grow hybrids or determinate tomatoes. Even though I got the UG seeds they were to donate to the extension, they don't get to grow in my garden.

This is my first time growing in root pouches, learned about them here. I have a few dwarfs and a pepper plant in them. They are sitting on the ground and I did not even think about the evil nematodes being able to get in there. The peppers I have growing in a GB and an RP were about the same size and planted at the same time and the one in the RP is much bigger. I took two of the RPs to the extension garden. I like to share anything I am trying with the other Master GArdenrs so we can learn together.
kayrobbins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 26, 2015   #287
Zone9b
Tomatovillian™
 
Zone9b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 620
Default

kay
I grow tomatoes to eat fresh and cook and also to freeze large amounts. I want to eat tomatoes almost every day but my goal is not to have to buy them. This makes determinate tomatoes in addition to indeterminates very valuable. Very productive determinates, such as, Early Wonder, Clear Pink Early and especially the hybrids such as Bush Early Girl put on large amount of fruit and then in a crescendo they all come ripe in 2 or 3 days. This is great because then I can freeze tomatoes like crazy for a couple of days. Then the determinates start setting fruit again and we can do it all over again in a couple of weeks. For people freezing or canning tomatoes the determinates are of great value and of course for commercial growers determinates would seem to be of imminence value.
Larry
Zone9b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 26, 2015   #288
Barb_FL
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Indialantic, Florida
Posts: 2,000
Default

This is so exciting - our fall season is starting to come together.

Kay - Thanks for letting me know about all the varieties. I ended up putting a Bradley tomato in the bucket (Semi-Determinant) - new for me; got the seeds from GardenBoy (Doug). Something about getting seeds grown from a Florida crop; seem to withstand the bugs a lot better.

I remember you posting a link to your "HOW TO BUILD the SWC" in last years humongous thread. Might be helpful to Larry, etc. but I have a ? too.

When you put the drain holes in the outer bucket, I always felt that not enough air went in. Last season, I put 3 air holes above the 3 drain holes; today, I added about 5 more. (My buckets for some reason stay really wet); even EB - that is why I am so anal about air.

And probably why the Root Pouches work for me. Confession: The $.50 Walmart bag works for me too.

RE: I now elevate ALL RB and buckets even though mine sit on the pool deck.
In addition to grills on bricks (my favorite), wooden pallets - especially the crappy ones with missing boards or wide spaces between boards. I have a 3' square wooden piece. I purposely took out every other board. When plant is mature, I water until I see the water come out the bottom.

I have even placed them on the pot carrying trays.

===
Spring 2015 season first time for Dwarf project tomatoes - grew some in EB, 5 gallon HD SWC, and root pouches. They produced the same in Root Pouches as the others, so I'm doing that again. (Even though I have tons of Boxer Brown RP, I bought new 5 gallon 3/4 year RP - much cheaper $, but not as study at all.
Barb_FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 26, 2015   #289
kayrobbins
Tomatovillian™
 
kayrobbins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 820
Default

Larry, I do a lot of horse trading with garden friends. I have one that grows lots of Rutgers that are heirloom determinates and she gives me lots of those for my freezer. I repay her with my herb and pepper flavored finishing salts. She has so much more gardening space than I do so we are both happy with the trade.

Barb, I only do the two drain holes in the bottom bucket because that is not where the air part comes in. I always make sure there is 3/4 inch space between the planting bucket and the water reservoir bucket. The planting bucket has 40 holes drilled in the bottom and I never have a problem with it staying too wet. I think that air space between the two is so important.
kayrobbins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 26, 2015   #290
kayrobbins
Tomatovillian™
 
kayrobbins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 820
Default

I could have put my root pouches on the pool deck or even the concrete driveway. When you try something new sometimes you just don't think things through. I think our discussions here are so helpful. They are too heavy for me to lift now but next time I will know to do it different.
kayrobbins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 26, 2015   #291
Barb_FL
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Indialantic, Florida
Posts: 2,000
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kayrobbins View Post
I could have put my root pouches on the pool deck or even the concrete driveway. When you try something new sometimes you just don't think things through. I think our discussions here are so helpful. They are too heavy for me to lift now but next time I will know to do it different.
I'm sure yours will be fine.
Barb_FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 26, 2015   #292
efisakov
Tomatovillian™
 
efisakov's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: NJ, zone 7
Posts: 3,162
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fiishergurl View Post
Barb, your seedlings look really happy and healthy! Nice job!

love reading everyone's posts.

Ginny
second that
__________________
Ella

God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”
efisakov is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 26, 2015   #293
ginger2778
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kayrobbins View Post
I could have put my root pouches on the pool deck or even the concrete driveway. When you try something new sometimes you just don't think things through. I think our discussions here are so helpful. They are too heavy for me to lift now but next time I will know to do it different.
Kay, try putting landscape fabric under the pouches. It can also line a raised bed. Helps stop the nematodes, Fusarium, Bacterial wilt.
ginger2778 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 27, 2015   #294
kurt
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,500
Default Not all nematodes are bad.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ginger2778 View Post
Kay, try putting landscape fabric under the pouches. It can also line a raised bed. Helps stop the nematodes, Fusarium, Bacterial wilt.
Another alternative for pest control.

http://www.arbico-organics.com/produ...cial-nematodes
__________________
KURT
kurt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 27, 2015   #295
Imthechuck
Tomatovillian™
 
Imthechuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SouthFlorida Zone 10
Posts: 120
Default

I finally got some things planted, and earth boxes organized; still need to put back together trellis's








all my wifes co workers want to buy our tomatoes lol........
Imthechuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 27, 2015   #296
Zone9b
Tomatovillian™
 
Zone9b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 620
Default

Imthechuck
Thanks for a look at you EBs. Do you later place stakes close to the boxes in order to tie taller varieties to them? I see in the back you have several plants per EB. Would that be peppers or dwarf tomatoes?
Larry
Zone9b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 27, 2015   #297
Imthechuck
Tomatovillian™
 
Imthechuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SouthFlorida Zone 10
Posts: 120
Default

Each box gets its on trellis. I buy 10 ft 1/2 inch rebar cut it half and pound in ground. Then just slip over .5 electrical conduit and elbows and then tie my own trellising

I would like to use the pea fencing but its too costly....

I'll post a pic when they are all done, got to friggen overheated today..... Cooler weather is hopefully coming soon...



Quote:
Originally Posted by Zone9b View Post
Imthechuck
Thanks for a look at you EBs. Do you later place stakes close to the boxes in order to tie taller varieties to them? I see in the back you have several plants per EB. Would that be peppers or dwarf tomatoes?
Larry

Last edited by Imthechuck; September 27, 2015 at 04:41 PM.
Imthechuck is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 27, 2015   #298
kayrobbins
Tomatovillian™
 
kayrobbins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 820
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kurt View Post
Another alternative for pest control.

http://www.arbico-organics.com/produ...cial-nematodes
Have you tried their beneficial nematodes? I thought about it but did not do it since I was not sure how they would really work. I have several insectary gardens set up to get beneficial insects. The only time I have bought them from Arbico was to get Assassin Bugs. I have not been able to get them to come from what I have done. I am so fascinated with them and consider them true garden ninjas. It was fun watching the eggs hatch and they went to work right away. I will work on trying to get them here without buying them but if not I would buy again.
kayrobbins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 27, 2015   #299
kayrobbins
Tomatovillian™
 
kayrobbins's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Jacksonville, Fl
Posts: 820
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Imthechuck View Post
I finally got some things planted, and earth boxes organized; still need to put back together trellis's








all my wifes co workers want to buy our tomatoes lol........
It always feels so good getting things planted out. In a few weeks they will really take off. It is amazing how fast they grow once they are in their permanent homes
.
kayrobbins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old September 27, 2015   #300
ginger2778
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
Default

Im the chuck- your garden is so lovely.
ginger2778 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:18 PM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★