The EarthTainer "Farm" May 1, 2012 - First Ripe Tomatoes

[rnewste]

Well, May 1 and I have 3 ripe Iditarod Red tomatoes today. Also in the same EarthTainer, a Yukon Quest, a Rosella Purple, and a Caitydid F4. We'll see how 4 of the Dwarf plants coexist in one 31 gallon EarthTainer.



I planted this one out on February 1 and it survived the cool Spring weather. Hat's off to the Gals up there in Alaska!



Since putting in the plants one month ago, they have really taken off:


Barlow Jap............................................... ........................Gary'O Sena

36 inches tall today.


Applause.......................................... ................................Champion 2


Better Boy............................................... .........................Terhune


Jetsetter......................................... ...................................Jet Star


JD Special C-Tex............................................... .................RAF


Goose Creek (pair)


Red Boar.............................................. ............................Solar Flare


MarNar F3................................................ ..........................MarNar F2


Momotaro F1................................................ ....................Odoriko F1

The Dwarf Project plants are doing great. A pair of each in the 2 InnTainers:


Tastywine........Caitydid F5....................................Tastywine... ..............Caitydid F5

Big Bertha has already set fruit:



Sweet Success cukes:



And the first of 7 EarthTainers of corn has been planted:



So, for May 1 timeframe, I am quite happy with the results.



Raybo

[Farmette]

Ray, thanks for the great pictures...as always your plants look very healthy and productive. I'm looking forward to growing Iditarod Red, Yukon Quest and Barlow Jap, all new to me this yr. Goose Creek is in my garden every yr.

[Crandrew]

Everything looks fantastic!

[sprtsguy76]

Looking great Ray.

Damon

[Jaysan]

Looking good. Isn't that a lot of cukes in one container? Enlighten me. I have two in one 18 gallon container and if I can safely get one or two more in it would open up containers for more stuff and you know how we like that.

[kath]

Always love looking at your pics, Ray. I'm particularly looking forward to your comparison of Momotaro and Odoriko.

[rnewste]

Originally Posted by Jaysan

Looking good. Isn't that a lot of cukes in one container? Enlighten me. I have two in one 18 gallon container and if I can safely get one or two more in it would open up containers for more stuff and you know how we like that.

Jaysan,

Using the 8 vertical sub-channels with the trellis netting, the cage system can easily accommodate 12 plants with proper guidance up through the netting, with the vines trained evenly apart and with good pruning.



Remember, you've got 21 cubic feet of grow space within the 76 inch high cage system, so with the vines properly guided, you can get a very high yield.



Raybo

[Structure]

Nice looking garden. Can't believe how early you're getting ripe fruit. My outside plants went in in late Feb, but even the cherries only have pinners on them. Some fair sized greenies on in my hoophouse on the dwarfs but I'd guess another month or more before anything gets eaten.

Love watching your garden grow!

[rnewste]

Hey Structure,

I am pleasantly surprised at how hardy the Iditarod Red plant has been through February and March coolness. A real trooper! Not sure how the taste will be - - but it is more "emotional" that on May 1, I have 3 ripe tomatoes outdoors. Previously, May 29 ripe date was the best I've ever achieved.

Raybo

[z_willus_d]

It's good to see your getting awful close to that goal of 365d a year tomatoes on hand. I've been harvesting these past couple months (albeit somewhat slim quantities and with mixed quality) from my Dwarfs grown in InnTainers set outside. I've got three plants on death's door but still ripening fruit for me (I think they're Mr. Snow, and Rosella Purple). I'm going to pull those plants perhaps as soon as this next weekend, to plant out 2 ea of Yukon Quest, Iditarod, and Perth's pride, all of which were graciously donated to me by Steve's sister in Sac, Marla. In my other three InnTainers, I cut ripped out 1 of 2 Dwarfs (per Tainer) and cut the remaining dwarf in each down to about 4-5" from the surface. They've slowly put out new leaves in the most dense and rugose fashion I've yet seen in a tomato. There are even a few densely packed flowers crammed in, though I don't know if they can ever set fruit and produce. I left them in there as an experiment to see if it's possible to leverage the root system of a dying and over diseased dwarf plant to birth a new run. So I'd grow them in doors through the winter, then cut them back to stumps in the Spring, set out, and let them renew and repeat the cycle. Something tells me this will not pan out so well, in which case I'll just pull those last three dwarfs and replace with some more corn.
Wishing you sweet success!
-naysen

[Mark0820]

All of your plants are looking great!

[Annie]

Well, I am stupid but what is a earth taner planter? Annie

[rnewste]

Anne,

You can do a search here for "EarthTainer". Lot's of Threads on its design and use.

Also, visit my website: www.earthtainer.org for more info on theory of design, photos, etc.

Raybo

[Annie]

That is very interesting, your plants are beautiful. Do the tomatoes have the same taste as those that are grown our old fashion way. I know you can buy beautiful tomatoes at the grocery store but they have not taste but are beautiful to look at. Just wondering. Thanks for sending me the link. I want to read it all though. Annie

[Jaysan]

I do have trellis netting for the first time this year supported by 7 feet of metal conduit. It's plenty of growing room. I am using 511 mix in non-earthtainer containers. They did well last year but should do better with the trellis giving them more room.

I was thinking there wasn't enough room per plant root system if I went over two per 18 gallon container. Some info I had read on how many said 2 per 18 gallon container.
So maybe 4?

And pruning cucumbers? Aww man. So MUCH to learn!

Thanks!