When I called my friend Jamie, up in Alameda, suggesting they should do a segment on “Tomato Myths – Confirmed or Busted”, I was met with thundering silence. His only response was: But Ray, tomato myths aren’t “Show” (Hollywood-speak for low audience interest - - no explosions or cars crashing into each other).
So, in the true spirit of Myth-Busters, I am going to put half of my tomato crop in jeopardy this year. Having visited the Galapagos, and Fanning Island in the remote South Pacific, I have always been impressed with Natural Selection in flora and fauna. So what better way to experiment doing “A/B” comparisons than with identical tomato plants in a controlled eco-system like an Earthbox.
As I am doing the “Noah’s Ark” thing this year (2 identical plants per one EarthTainer) I can precisely control variables such as: water availability, growing-media uniformity, fertilization, sun exposure, such that I can keep everything constant, and change only one variable at a time. This is something difficult to accomplish with in-ground planting.
Now for the “Challenge”. I have 12 containers that will contain two identical plants, with a divider isolating the plants from each other (see photo below). Each plant will have identical access to water through the wicking basket; both plants will be in the same amount of Miracle Grow Potting Mix with Moisture Control (except Myth # 7), and both plants will have identical exposure to the Sun. I have come up with 9 of the 12 “A/B” experiments,
and need your help suggesting another 3.
Now for the Myths - - Confirmed or Busted!!
1). Aeration Screen – few holes vs. lots of holes. Victim: JD’s Special C-Tex
2). Fertilizer – strip vs. ring around plant. Victim: Purple Haze
3). Epsom Salts vs. Dolomite as a supplement. Victim: Earl’s Faux
4). Wall-O-Water vs. none. Victim: Paul Robeson
5). FoxFarms fertilizer vs. TomatoTone. Victim: Stump of the World
6). Gypsum added to potting mix vs. none. Victim: Goose Creek
7). Miracle Grow vs. Sta-Green with Moisture Control. Victim: Ed’s Millennium
8. Battery toothbrush assist vs. natural pollination. Victim: Brandywine Sudduth
9). Single stem vs. two stem plant to assess productivity. Victim: 1884 Purple
10). ________________________________________ Victim: Stupice
11). ________________________________________ Victim: Dona
12). ________________________________________ Victim: Cherokee Chocolate
Let's have some fun!!
Ray
