Zenbaas' General growing and Hydroponic thread

[Zenbaas]

Originally Posted by AKmark

Looking good, fresh fruit is something I don't have right now. lol

But when you do you have more than I will be able to grow in three decades at least...!

[Zenbaas]

Some pics of my Black from Tula tomatoes. Quite a bit of cracking on a few of these at yh4 moment though.

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[Ricky Shaw]

Gorgeous!

[Zenbaas]

Seedlings for Orange Russian 117, Sungold F1 and Indigo Cherry Drops(4 of each)
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One Azoychka and the rest are Black cherry.
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I've decided to cull at least three other cherry tomato plants in my little garden so I can at least try out the three cherry tomatoes listed above. (The others will be planted out in the garden below and elsewhere).

[Ricky Shaw]

Stout looking seedlings and lots of new top growth. Interested in the habit and maturation on that Orange Russian 117, I've got some of that beautiful pondgardener stock and will be growing it 2016.

[Zenbaas]

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Black from Tula, Brandywine Sudduth and Cherokee Purple in the front.

[Gerardo]

Can't decide if it's kif or Lekker, probably both!

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[Gardeneer]

Zenbaas,
Nice plants and good looming tomatoes up there.
My BFT looked more like those of yours on the vine, kind of flat and ribbed, not round.
I like BFT better than CP. In 2016 I won't be growing CP. Instead I will grow Indian Stripes.

Gardeneer

[Zenbaas]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

Can't decide if it's kif or Lekker, probably both!

Attachment 54656

Ha ha definitely not Kif, but very lekker indeed.!

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Zenbaas,
Nice plants and good looming tomatoes up there.
My BFT looked more like those of yours on the vine, kind of flat and ribbed, not round.
I like BFT better than CP. In 2016 I won't be growing CP. Instead I will grow Indian Stripes.

Gardeneer

Agreed. BFT is currently my best tasting tomato for early in the season. I'm germinating some Indian Stripe at the moment as well so hopefully will be able to taste them as well before the end of the season.

[Zenbaas]

Originally Posted by Zenbaas

Ha ha definitely not Kif, but very lekker indeed.!

Agreed. BFT is currently my best tasting tomato for early in the season. I'm germinating some Indian Stripe at the moment as well so hopefully will be able to taste them as well before the end of the season.

I'm revising my taste test based on the latest fruit. A nice ripe Brandywine Sudduth had a nicer taste than BFT. I have had some very ripe BFT and would day they're very creamy and have a slight smokey aftertaste. I am a bit underwhelmed by Cherokee Purple at the moment compared to the other two.

It's still nice but is lacking in something. Verdict is still out on Brandywine OTV.
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I have already been instructed that I have to make some gazpacho tomorrow

[Zenbaas]

So unfortunately powdery mildew has crept up on me and completely decimated my plants. I have decided to cull all of them and I am just waiting for the last tomatoes to turn colour then I'll pick them.

I have been trying to manage it with the bleach solution but at the moment I still find it's burning new growth quite badly sometimes. I have dropped the 7% bleach concentration by about 10% so far but it's still doing the same. Guess I'll just have to keep on testing it out.

At least I have two new OR117 seedling potted up as well as one Indian stripe plant in the hydro setup so I'll be super keen to compare. Still waiting for my Maidens Pride and Hendersons Pink Ponderosa seedlings to mature a little more before taking them out as well.


On a unrelated note I was checking my pH (was sittting at 4.5-shock _horror) so I've adjusted it back up to about 6. I was looking at the pH scales again as well as ppm levels in the nutrient solutions and came across this:

http://www.homehydrosystems.com/ph_t...bles_page.html

Vegetables
Plants pH cF EC PPM
Ambra radicchio 5.5-6.5
Artichoke 6.5-7.5 8-18 0.8-1.8 560-1260
Asparagus 6.0-6.8 14-18 1.4-1.8 980-1260
Bean (Common) 6.0 20-40 2-4 1400-2800
Beans (Italian bush) 6.0-6.5
Beans (Lima) 6.0-6.5
Beans (Pole) 6.0-6.5
Beetroot 6.0-6.5 8-50 0.8-5 1260-3500
Broad Bean 6.0-6.5 18-22 1.8-2.2 1260-1540
Broccoli 6.0-6.5 28-35 2.8-3.5 1960-2450
Brussell Sprout 6.5-7.5 25-30 2.5-3.0 1750-2100
Cabbage 6.5-7.0 25-30 2.5-3.0 1750-2100
Capsicum 6.0-6.5 18-22 1.8-2.2 1260-1540
Carrots 6.3 16-20 1.6-2.0 1120-1400
Cauliflower 6.0-7.0 5-20 0.5-2.0 1050-1400
Celery 6.5 18-24 1.8- 2.4 1260-1680
Collard greens 6.5-7.5
Cucumber 5.8-6.0 17-25 1.7-2.5 1190-1750
Eggplant 5.5-6.5 25-35 2.5-3.5 1750-2450
Endive 5.5 20-24 2.0-2.4 1400-1680
Fodder 6.0 18-20 1.8-2.0 1260-1400
Garlic 6.0 14-18 1.4-1.8 980-1260
Leek 6.5-7.0 14-18 1.4-1.8 980-1260
Lettuce 5.5-6.5 8-12 0.8-1.2 560-840
Marrow 6.0 18-24 1.8-2.4 1260-1680
Okra 6.5 20-24 2.0-2.4 1400-1680
Onions 6.0-6.7 14-18 1.4-1.8 980-1260
Pak-choi 7.0 15-20 1.5-2.0 1050-1400
Parsnip 6.0 14-18 1.4-1.8 980-1260
Pea 6.0-7.0 8-18 0.8-1.8 980-1260
Peas (Sugar) 6.0-6.8
Pepino 6.0-6.5 20-50 2.0-5.0 1400-3500
Peppers 5.8-6.3 20-30 2.0-3.0 1400-2100
Bell peppers 6.0-6.5 20-25 2.0-2.5 1400-1750
Hot Peppers 6.0-6.5 30-35 3.0-3.5 2100-2450
Potato 5.0-6.0 20-25 2.0-2.5 1400-1750
Pumpkin 5.5-7.5 18-24 1.8-2.4 1260-1680
Radish 6.0-7.0 16-22 1.6-2.2 840-1540
Spinach 5.5-6.6 18-23 1.8-2.3 1260-1610
Silverbeet 6.0-7.0 18-23 1.8-2.3 1260-1610
Sweet Corn 6.0 16-24 1.6-2.4 840-1680
Sweet Potato 5.5-6.0 20-25 2.0-2.5 1400-1750
Swiss chard 6.0 6.5
Squash (Summer) 5.0-6.5
Squash (Winter) 5.0-6.5
Taro 5.0-5.5 25-30 2.5-3.0 1750-2100
Tomato 5.5-6.5 20-50 2.0-5.0 1400-3500
Turnip 6.0-6.5 18-24 1.8-2.4 1260-1680
Zucchini 6.0 18-24 1.8-2.4 1260-1680

It's a bit jumbled but ppm range for tomatoes is 1400 to 3500. Mine currently is hovering around 1450 but could you honestly push it up to 3500...? That seems mighty high.

[Zenbaas]

Mostly dwarf tomato seedlings plodding along.


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[Ricky Shaw]

Zenbass wrote: Mine currently is hovering around 1450 but could you honestly push it up to 3500...?

Wowser! I've not seen an EC of 4.0 recommended, much less 5.0. Regardless if the plant could manage it, there has to be a point of diminishing return where cost outweighs benefit.

[Zenbaas]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

Zenbass wrote: Mine currently is hovering around 1450 but could you honestly push it up to 3500...?

Wowser! I've not seen an EC of 4.0 recommended, much less 5.0. Regardless if the plant could manage it, there has to be a point of diminishing return where cost outweighs benefit.

Now here's the interesting thing. I've been googling how to improve taste in Hydroponically grown tomatoes and I've seen high EC recommended in more than one place from 3.5 to 4.1-4.6.


These of course work under the presumption that the stress the high EC of the solution causes the plant results on improved taste. That said it's assumed that this would ultimately lead to lower yield and smaller fruit albeit better tasting.

Hmmm......

[Gerardo]

Too bad about the mildew. Many weapons at your disposal other than the bleach:

Vinegar, Potassium Bicarb, Neem, Sulfur, etc. Relatively easy to obtain, and if you do a multi pronged attack you will get control again. Be proactive on the next batch, it would be a shame for those OR117 to go down to fungus.

Best of luck