CGS's 2012 Earthtainer Garden

[cgs]

60 days in and I am nervously pleased. Battling gnats and caterpillars, but great weather so far.

Cherokee Purple has about a 12 fruit and 40+ blossoms. Performing well. Some heart shapes.


Persimmon showing 6 fruit and maybe 12 more blossoms. Stingy with some leaf curl. Perhaps bigger fruit with less fruit?


Green Zebra is steady with 8-10 fruit and 24ish blossoms. Middle of the road plant, but pretty toms as stripes develop.


Mortgage Lifter is a little disappointing with blossom drop. 3 set fruit with a dozen or so blossoms. They do look like they could get big.


Black Krim is being secretive and hiding. Oddly trying to grow more sideways than up and its work to keep in the cage. Probably 10 fruit set and
20 blossoms. Largest fruit.

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[rnewste]

Looking Great!!!

Be sure to do preventative fungal disease control with Daconil, Exel LG, Serenade, or similar fungicide in your humid area. The key is to have a spraying routine BEFORE you see problems.

Raybo (and I almost feel like a proud parent)

[cgs]

Sungold and Black Cherry already out top of two Gurney's pea fences. Tons of flowers and tomatoes.



Vintage Wine is my pleasant surprise so far. Maybe 12 set and 2 dozen plus blooms. Almost as tall as Black Cherry! Very pretty - ruffles and stripes.


Orange Minsk is something to behold. Only 45 days in, 5 set 12 blossoms, thick stems, big blossoms and big looking fruit. Simply powerful, if you can say that about growth habit.


Jersey Devil impressively holding its own with 'tainermate Orange Minsk. Nothin wimpy about this wispy foliage, it is lush. Only 3 set, 8 blooms, but also only 45 days since plant out.


Anna Russian (45 days) is decent height, but foliage doesn't compare to previous two. First set looks to be a double, 2 fruit, 8 blossoms.

[cgs]

Homestead is a machine, my hedge. Probably 30 6oz tomatoes with 20 blossoms.


Black Plum may be more productive than Black Cherry. Has more caterpillars, but doesn't slow down.


Blush is the light wispy I expected, but skimpy still. Maybe 7 set and 20 blossoms.


Black Brandywine is not what I thought, but it is performing well. It was the first to set fruit and has kept up well with Homestead. A little smaller.


Roman Candle is weak. Until Jersey Devil, I really didn't expect much plant from wispys, but...it has set 8 fruit and has 20 blossoms, but blossom drop...I think gnats are affecting it.

[cgs]

Peppers: Serrano/Jalepeno/Ancho, Ghost, and Pimento






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[cgs]

Thanks Raybo, for the compliment and all of the help. I couldn't have done it without you.

Completely agree on the Daconcil, Exel LG...I need to update, this is in San Antonio (I updated), so a bit less humid. Another Earthtainer advantage: take your garden with you.

That said, I learn more every year, but it seems the wheels usually come off at some point. So I am big on the antifungals, and more: employing Daconcil, Exel LG, Actinovate, Thrive, Biovam, MycoGrow, Tomato Tone (new), Biotamax, FloraNova Bloom, Azos, CalCarb, Spinosad and more. I need all the help I can get. I look forward to more of your trial results and read all of your and Ami's applications threads.




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[rnewste]

cgs,

I am sure you read the "fine print" in the EarthTainer Guide that you have to send me 10% of the vegetables you harvest. PM me and I will give you my shipping address.

Raybo

[celerystalksmidnite]

Wow! Looks fantastic! My Houston plants aren't nearly as far along. They are just starting to set fruit. Clearly I need to try EarthTainers next year!

I'd really like to know what you think of Homestead once you taste it. I haven't been able to dig up much info. I started 8 seeds from an 8YO pack last night.

[Dewayne mater]

Impressive! Well done.

Dewayne mater

[cgs]

Thank you all for the kind words. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoy all the others people have posted.

Here is a pic of the garden. I put cage #3 on the Black Cherry as it is headed for the clouds. I'm making shorter extensions for the others. Gonna need a step ladder soon.



I was excited about my set double bloom Anna Russian...


...but BER...oh well. Still thrilled with where things are.


Peppers are turning on.

[rnewste]

cgs,

What dolomite Lime treatment did you use? Did you mix the (x) Cups throughout the Grow Media - - or just added it as a layer mid-way through filling the 'Tainer.

Your pictures are outstanding, especially for a first year EarthTainer "groupie".

Raybo

[cgs]

Nothing gets by Raybo!

I did not mix lime in this season :-( (Almost nothing, this is my third year). I haven't had the time and rationalized thinking it would be the
"no till" method. So far I am very pleased. One BER tomato out of over 100 set is no problem, and I usually have Some BER even when remixing. I sure hope I didn't curse myself by typing that.

Also note, that these boxes are "running" a spring and fall crop. I'm not going to rebuild and remix twice a year (yet).

[celerystalksmidnite]

up, up, and away!

fun. I always wanted to grow some 20-30' plants like Charles Wilber.

[cgs]

Uh oh... in the continued spirit of "why don't I listen to Raybo more"...lost my other set Anna Russian to BER and lost two Orange Minsk to BER. No other sign. Though the lime is probably the reason, I do believe I am just over a gnat larvae attack - so my thinking is less roots = less nutrients... lets see if I can get my roots going again and freshen up some mycos.

Cel - Thats what I was thinking, though the earthainer does give me a little headstart. I want tomatoe plants that require a ladder and some day maybe even scaffolding like CW. And if it falls over, well isnt that good luck in the tomato growing world?

[sprtsguy76]

No lime in the mix????!!!!!

Damon