The EarthTainer "Farm" May 15 - It's All Green!

rnewste · May 15, 2012

This is absolutely the best time of the year for my vegetable garden. Everything is green and not a hint of a yellowed leaf in sight.

Iditarod Red and Yukon Quest continue to develop well in this cooler weather pattern we've been in for the past 2 weeks. I'll take mid-day temps in the upper 70s all year long!!! However, we will start hitting the 90s in 30 days or so, if history repeats.

The Dwarf Project Trials on Tastywine and Caitydid F5 continue well:

Fruitset now happening on several varieties including Jetstar and Applause.

Goose Creek is loading up with blossoms:

This year, I am pre-emptively pruning the bottom 8 to 10 inches of growth to encourage better air circulation and disease prevention:

The sweet peppers are doing OK, but I'm sure they would like a bit warmer weather:

Got a nice one developing on the Big Bertha plant on the right.

The Sweet Success cukes have grown 10 inches in the past 14 days:

And the sweetcorn is now adding 2 inches per day in vertical growth:

Over the course of the day, you can actually observe the stalks in the morning, and how they have grown by the end of the day.

I've now transplanted the Utah Tall celery into an EarthBox:

We'll see how it does in this form factor SWC this year. New seedlings of Tango celery are developing under the T5 lights and will be put out into an EarthTainer in about a month.

So now, if the insects just leave me alone and the fungal problems can be minimized, this is on the way to a good Season:

Raybo

Rockporter · May 15, 2012

Wow, it looks beautiful. I wish I could say I have no yellow leaves, I am already dealing with some kind of fungus something on my pierson. I have moved it away from the others and cut off all the bad leaves in the hopes I can contain whatever it is. I would like to spray with something but it is raining and I don't really know what to spray it with. Ah Well, that's another thread anyway.

Your garden is beautiful.

kath · May 15, 2012

Everything looks fantastic, Ray! My husband just made the same comment about our garden yesterday knowing that by July, those hints of yellow will be inevitable.

kath

Dewayne mater · May 16, 2012

Ray - best yet! Congrats. Is that daconil residue on your leaves? Hope you have an amazing year.

Dewayne mater.

P.S. Looks like every plant may make it for me, but a couple just barely survived the onslaught of I what my best guess was gray mold and maybe septoria. Sadly, Indian Stripe and JD's CTex were hit hardest, which shocked me for those two. Hopefully, they will get back and set a few more before the end of tomato time in Texas, which is rapidly approaching!

nicky · May 16, 2012

Gorgeous job, as always!

ginger2778 · May 16, 2012

So beautiful. Jealous Jealous Jealous!!! I can't wait (can't even stand it) until my season starts again. Love your pictures. I am living vicariously!

JamesL · May 16, 2012

Raybo,
Looks spectacular!!!!

Mark0820 · May 16, 2012

Your plants look awesome (as usual)! How is the fresh grown celery? I'm guessing it must be a lot more tender than what I buy at the supermarket.

rnewste · May 16, 2012

Mark,

From the articles I have read, celery is one of the most contamination prone commercial crops - especially that grown in Mexico. The taste of home-grown celery is more "intense" than anything I have purchased in a supermarket. Similar to the difference in store bought tomatoes versus those from your garden. I spray nothing on my celery so it is as "organic" as you can get.

I am growing both Tango and Utah Tall celery varieties this year to see which one I like best. Neither of these varieties requires banking up of the surrounding soil, etc. so they are both relatively maintenance free.

...and the aroma of Celery at night in the still air is amazing.

Raybo

EDIT: Just happened across this Article today:

""Rich in Vitamins C and potassium celery is one of the healthiest vegetables but ranks among the top of the “Dirty” produce list. A piece of celery had 14 types of pesticides on it. Vegetables with edible exteriors like celery are prone to contamination.""

Here is the link:

http://www.healthcentral.com/cholest...elery/?ic=8831

RayR · May 16, 2012

Raybo, I'm really tempted to go find some Celery transplants now, it's a bit late to start from seed here. I guess Tango would be preferable due to its faster maturity.

May 15, 2012	#1
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	The EarthTainer "Farm" May 15 - It's All Green! This is absolutely the best time of the year for my vegetable garden. Everything is green and not a hint of a yellowed leaf in sight. Iditarod Red and Yukon Quest continue to develop well in this cooler weather pattern we've been in for the past 2 weeks. I'll take mid-day temps in the upper 70s all year long!!! However, we will start hitting the 90s in 30 days or so, if history repeats. The Dwarf Project Trials on Tastywine and Caitydid F5 continue well: Fruitset now happening on several varieties including Jetstar and Applause. Goose Creek is loading up with blossoms: This year, I am pre-emptively pruning the bottom 8 to 10 inches of growth to encourage better air circulation and disease prevention: The sweet peppers are doing OK, but I'm sure they would like a bit warmer weather: Got a nice one developing on the Big Bertha plant on the right. The Sweet Success cukes have grown 10 inches in the past 14 days: And the sweetcorn is now adding 2 inches per day in vertical growth: Over the course of the day, you can actually observe the stalks in the morning, and how they have grown by the end of the day. I've now transplanted the Utah Tall celery into an EarthBox: We'll see how it does in this form factor SWC this year. New seedlings of Tango celery are developing under the T5 lights and will be put out into an EarthTainer in about a month. So now, if the insects just leave me alone and the fungal problems can be minimized, this is on the way to a good Season: Raybo

May 15, 2012	#2
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Wow, it looks beautiful. I wish I could say I have no yellow leaves, I am already dealing with some kind of fungus something on my pierson. I have moved it away from the others and cut off all the bad leaves in the hopes I can contain whatever it is. I would like to spray with something but it is raining and I don't really know what to spray it with. Ah Well, that's another thread anyway. Your garden is beautiful. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

May 16, 2012	#9
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Mark, From the articles I have read, celery is one of the most contamination prone commercial crops - especially that grown in Mexico. The taste of home-grown celery is more "intense" than anything I have purchased in a supermarket. Similar to the difference in store bought tomatoes versus those from your garden. I spray nothing on my celery so it is as "organic" as you can get. I am growing both Tango and Utah Tall celery varieties this year to see which one I like best. Neither of these varieties requires banking up of the surrounding soil, etc. so they are both relatively maintenance free. ...and the aroma of Celery at night in the still air is amazing. Raybo EDIT: Just happened across this Article today: ""Rich in Vitamins C and potassium celery is one of the healthiest vegetables but ranks among the top of the “Dirty” produce list. A piece of celery had 14 types of pesticides on it. Vegetables with edible exteriors like celery are prone to contamination."" Here is the link: http://www.healthcentral.com/cholest...elery/?ic=8831 Last edited by rnewste; May 16, 2012 at 09:29 PM.

May 15, 2012	#3
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Everything looks fantastic, Ray! My husband just made the same comment about our garden yesterday knowing that by July, those hints of yellow will be inevitable. kath

May 16, 2012	#4
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	Ray - best yet! Congrats. Is that daconil residue on your leaves? Hope you have an amazing year. Dewayne mater. P.S. Looks like every plant may make it for me, but a couple just barely survived the onslaught of I what my best guess was gray mold and maybe septoria. Sadly, Indian Stripe and JD's CTex were hit hardest, which shocked me for those two. Hopefully, they will get back and set a few more before the end of tomato time in Texas, which is rapidly approaching!

May 16, 2012	#5
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Gorgeous job, as always!

May 16, 2012	#6
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	So beautiful. Jealous Jealous Jealous!!! I can't wait (can't even stand it) until my season starts again. Love your pictures. I am living vicariously!

May 16, 2012	#7
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Raybo, Looks spectacular!!!!

May 16, 2012	#8
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	Your plants look awesome (as usual)! How is the fresh grown celery? I'm guessing it must be a lot more tender than what I buy at the supermarket.

May 16, 2012	#10
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,468	Raybo, I'm really tempted to go find some Celery transplants now, it's a bit late to start from seed here. I guess Tango would be preferable due to its faster maturity.