New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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#46 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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From what I read, you can use styrofoam, although perlite and vermiculite are superior at retaining air and water in the media. You might try looking for other alternatives, like a very coarse sand, or a small-sized, porous gravel.
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#47 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Nigeria
Posts: 9
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Thanks Cole.
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#48 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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I would use chopped fall leaves
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture |
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#49 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Posts: 3,149
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Nice to see you posting Scott. Welcome back!
![]() And, I agree with Redbaron. Chopped leaves are a much batter option than Styrofoam. Bark fines also work great. Many, many years ago, I too tried using Styrofoam with horrible results. Styrofoam does nothing to add any air to the soil. The soil just compacts around it. You need something that creates air pockets. Styrofoam just takes up space, never decays and pollutes your soil.
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~ Patti ~ |
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#50 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Nigeria
Posts: 9
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Chopped leaves? I haven't heard of that before. Fresh or dry leaves?
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#51 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Nigeria
Posts: 9
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Sorry, I don't know what you mean by fall leaves, but I'll look it up. What size should they be? Should they be finely chopped or kinda big?
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#52 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Vancouver Island Canada BC
Posts: 1,253
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Would coco coir be a good addition if perlite is not available?
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#53 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Nigeria
Posts: 9
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#54 |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
Posts: 21,169
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I forgot to tell you that I'm also glad you are back posting as well.
And when I think Red Baron, I'm also thinking of the seeds I sent you and the variety was named Red Baron. Do you remember that? I've tried and tried to find out where I got those seeds from but I'm through trying to find out. ![]() Carolyn
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Carolyn |
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#55 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Posts: 3,149
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Fall leaves are dry brown leaves. I just rake them into a pile and run the lawn mower over them. I guess that they are about quarter size and smaller when I am done. I like them to be on the fine side.
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~ Patti ~ |
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#56 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 4,488
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![]() Quote:
![]() Usually dry leaves that then are moistened as they become partly composted. It's easy enough. Just make a pile of leaves! Nature does the rest. Some people prefer the finer ones that filter down towards the bottom of the pile, others prefer a courser mix. If you make the pile in the same place every year you can even get good leaf mould from the very bottom! All of these are good mediums for starts.
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Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture Last edited by Redbaron; June 16, 2017 at 11:37 AM. |
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#57 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Nigeria
Posts: 9
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#58 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
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Technically, tomatoes are a perennial that are treated like an annual. If your frost free zone is anything like mine, there's plenty of insects and infective microbes to kill them off every year, but we have a 9 month season.
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#59 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Nigeria
Posts: 9
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Wow. Well I don't think insects or microbes will be a problem. If they're like 3 years old, would their yield reduce?
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#60 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10
Posts: 9,283
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