Container Makeover, Denver

[Ricky Shaw]

Neighbor says, "That is really smart moving them all at once in the truck bed."

I expound on my brilliance, and say to myself, "Thanks Ted".

[AKmark]

Ricky, your stuff looks great, and I love the detail in your garden setup too. Best of luck this season, I bet your ready to get going.

[Ricky Shaw]

Everything is still pretty much inside, the weather has remained too cool and rainy to plant out. I've given some seedlings away that's helped, still though, it's getting crowded. They've remained healthy in large part, but there are signs of stress and I've done some leaf pulling. I do have back-ups, the small plants are multiples of Big Beef, Sungold, Rose de Bern, Moskovich, and a lone Malachite Box.

Another cold front with rain will move through this weekend and hoping to get some things planted mid-week with some clearing weather.

[Ricky Shaw]

Planted out 17 tomatoes and 5 peppers this weekend, and will bring that up to a total of 30 toms and 12 peppers by Memorial Day. I'll be hardening some Big Beef and Brandy Boy this week and hope to get them planted by Saturday.

I lost some good seedlings that just got too big to maintain with fluorescent lighting and it was too cold to plant out. Some of these planted today were 24" tall and throwing blossoms. The first pic was purely to show off my lawn, which peaked today and will look no better at any point this Summer.

[garyjr]

Ricky, nice and neat. I like the way you elevated the grow bags. How many gallons are those and what supplier did you use? Thanks

[Worth1]

Looks great hows the weather?
My friend reported much rain in Longmont.

Worth

[Ricky Shaw]

gary they are nearly all 15gal, a couple of 20gal on the far right. The gray ones and from Greenhouse Mega and we're $3.60 in bundles of 10. The black ones are true 15gal and from some closeout on ebay last year, and they were $1.50 each.


worth, oh yeah, lots of rain and cool weather. Mixed in was hail and it hit both our Home Depot and Lowe's, plants got tough to find for retail shoppers. The weather finally straightened out this week, I hope it holds.

[AKmark]

Very nice, I like the perfection. If external factors, such as weather, does not hurt you, I bet you will have a wonderful season. Very, very, nice, I just love the detail, and apparent effort you have put into your set up.
Good luck Ricky

[Ricky Shaw]

mark,

Thank you the compliments. They mean so much because your operation and 2015 grow thread were the inspiration. I came to Tomatoville looking for tips on raised bed tomatoes in soil and ended up with a backyard container farm. I've tried to be diligent, I'm hoping it works, at least a little.

[Ricky Shaw]

Wipeout! 2pm hailstorm and losses are heavy.

[AKmark]

Oh No... Ricky, I feel for you. I hate it when people put 100 percent into something to have an external factor derail the effort. If there are any leaves left they will come back.
Again, I feel you pain.

[guruofgardens]

Ricky - I feel your pain. So much beautiful hard work and you get that hail.

I have extra tomatoes and peppers if you're ever in need.

[AKmark]

Ricky, I will also donate some rooted cuttings if you want some?

[Salsacharley]

I bet most all of your plants can recover from the hail, but you'll be set back 3 to 4 weeks minimum. I don't know how long your season is but you've got a shot. Here's what happened to me last year and all my plants recovered, albeit a month late.

[Ricky Shaw]

You guys are the best, thank you. I got back-ups that will be ready in a week, so I'm in good shape. The hail got 5 for sure, I think 12 will be savable from the storm. This won't be the last of the hail, can just about guarantee it.

Thank you so much for your generosity.