Just showing off. - Page 5

no charge · February 27, 2012

Carolyn, Great job there! I have also used this method for 5 years now, but without the poly cover. Hopefully this year I can cover and get the tomatoes planted early. Was wondering what you think of not buying the micro-nutrients. I use (pre-plant)5lbs lime, 4oz epsom salts, 1oz borax. Weekly feed I mix 30lbs 13-13-13, 5lbs epsom salts, 51/4 tspns borax. each 30' bed gets 16 oz's. Do you see anything I might need to add?

John

Petronius_II · February 27, 2012

Quote:

Wow you are my idol!!!! When I grow up I want to be just like you.

Tommy

Me too, but that doesn't mean much of anything in my case. I'm only 60, and I have no intention of growing up.

CarolynPhillips · February 28, 2012

sorry....i been working on this years spring crop and getting plant sales ready and haven't been to tomatoville in several days. I do apologize in the delay of answering questions. I will give a few answers now and a few in the morning cause it is late night and I just happen to see an email that required my attention.

First of all......I believe in micro-nutrients. I think they are a must in order to have a huge healthy productive plant. The cost is minimal compared to the outcome production. I use to grow tomato plants without it and maybe it is a mental thing but I truly think it made a big difference in plant vigor when I started using micro-nutrients. 2nd......I love calcium nitrate. I buy it at my local Feed and Seed farm store or local Co-Op. Just ask for calcium nitrate and if they don't have it, ask if they can order it on a regular basis. I think the calcium nitrate is another absolute must to have lush beautiful green leaves that feeds the fruit and big thick healthy stalks to hold it all up and it prevents blossom end rot if the watering and fertilizer is all balanced out.
9 years ago, I sat down and came up with a balance of fertilizer and using peat moss and my local water authorities pH level to keep a balanced pH. These mixtures are what I came up with and I don't change it by much. It works great for me.
3rd...... soil mixture. Sometimes I use just Promix if I get it at a great price. My Favorite soil mix and normally cheaper than promix is half peat moss and half compost manure...... I like the compost manure at Marvins building supply. It is dark, some sand, some tiny wood chips. One bale of compressed 3.8cuft peat moss and 6 forty pound bags of compost equals half and half. I will be using this mixture this year in one greenhouse but on low scale just to have an extra early crop. I will be growing my other tomato plants in the other greenhouse in slightly raised beds.
To add info not asked about===I give those raised beds a break by rotating from 4 gallon pots one season and back to the beds the next season. kinda like semi rotation. Dunno If I mentioned that anywhere on here last year or not.

I will look back over the questions in the morning.

CarolynPhillips · February 28, 2012

Pest control.......the only thing I have to worry about is hornworms. Liquid Seven Dust.

Disease........I use copper before the fruits start showing well...... I guess about 4 weeks after they start blooming. Then I switch to Fung-O-Nil or Daconil.

They are under a poly roof which helps cut down on fungus problems cause they are not out in the rain. The plants stay dry unless there is a strong blowing rain.

CarolynPhillips · February 29, 2012

Most of my watering is manual. I tried automatic watering systems and the water release is just in one spot. I prefer to either manually water a couple days a week with the addition of the automatic watering systems or just do it all manually. Manually distributes the water everywhere around the plant and I can make sure that hit that fertilizer applied to the plants.
I have never actually measured the amount of water. I use a hose pipe with a spray wond set on shower and I only water at the soil. Then I count the same amount of time for each plant. Example. I count to 6 when the plants are young. I count to 12 when they are larger. ( estimated from 2 pints per day when young to 2 quarts when they are larger) When they are much larger, I water them twice a day and gradually increase my count.
The soil mixture you use has a lot to do with how much water they will need and if you have dry hot weather. Every zone or region may experience different water usage. This may be too much work for some but I prefer manual water and it does make a difference. Even if its a few days a week, or maybe an automatic in the mornings and manual in the evenings. Plus you get to visit your plants and catch a few problems before it gets out of hand. I have caught many hornworms by manually watering just because it was one on one time with the plant. Pinch a few suckers while you water.

CarolynPhillips · February 29, 2012

I don't remember the brand of calcium nitrate that I buy. It has no other shelf name other than calcium nitrate.

no charge · February 29, 2012

Thanks for the info Carolyn, will look into calcium nitrate & the micro nutrients this week! The rotation issue is something I have worried about, since all I grow is tomatoes and only have a 50x30 area to garden in. I have grown them for 10 years and really have no option. Think Ill try your "pot" method next year, not sure I can afford all that peat though.
Am soooo envious of your setup lol.

John

CarolynPhillips · February 29, 2012

For the past 5 years, I have been taking the soil from the tomato containers and dumping it in new raised beds and growing other veggies in it.

Just free standing concrete block beds. I have many.
They're like giant containers

Worth1 · February 29, 2012

Absolutely fabulous.

Worth

CarolynPhillips · February 29, 2012

Thanks for all the compliments.

the name brand for the calcium nitrate is Southern Ag

raindrops27 · February 29, 2012

I cannot believe this, this is absolutely amazing! Wow, I wish this was my setup thank you Carolyn for sharing all your wonderful pictures!

casino · February 29, 2012

Your garden is amazing. I started using micro-nutrients a few years ago and it makes a big difference. AND thanks for the reminder about using micro-nutrients. I need to get a bag before the planting season begins.

no charge · March 7, 2012

Carolyn, bought the micro-nutrients (ordered on Saturday, received on Monday) and looked around for calcium nitrate. Have found that this product is only available in bulk, none of these places would sell me a bag, or even a pickup bed full. Seems its regulated by Homeland Security and hard to get unless your one of the big farms. I don't know, guess I'll have to find an alternative.
Looking into this has brought up a question though. What other way could I raise the N level safely. I think that's what the calcium nitrate is doing, so I would think I could achieve the same result with a different product?

Thanks in advance
John

roamwhereiwant2 · March 7, 2012

Hi Carolyn,

This is really inspiring. I went ahead and ordered the micronutrients and am going to be mixing up the Prefeed and Weekly Feed this weekend. What fun!

kurt · March 8, 2012

Noticing your greenhouse,one of the main factors is the amount of carbon dioxide/oxygen exchange.Alot of us folks do not know the importance of this.I noticed that or could not see any ventilation vents.Maybe this is one of the keys in your good production.

February 28, 2012	#63
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	sorry....i been working on this years spring crop and getting plant sales ready and haven't been to tomatoville in several days. I do apologize in the delay of answering questions. I will give a few answers now and a few in the morning cause it is late night and I just happen to see an email that required my attention. First of all......I believe in micro-nutrients. I think they are a must in order to have a huge healthy productive plant. The cost is minimal compared to the outcome production. I use to grow tomato plants without it and maybe it is a mental thing but I truly think it made a big difference in plant vigor when I started using micro-nutrients. 2nd......I love calcium nitrate. I buy it at my local Feed and Seed farm store or local Co-Op. Just ask for calcium nitrate and if they don't have it, ask if they can order it on a regular basis. I think the calcium nitrate is another absolute must to have lush beautiful green leaves that feeds the fruit and big thick healthy stalks to hold it all up and it prevents blossom end rot if the watering and fertilizer is all balanced out. 9 years ago, I sat down and came up with a balance of fertilizer and using peat moss and my local water authorities pH level to keep a balanced pH. These mixtures are what I came up with and I don't change it by much. It works great for me. 3rd...... soil mixture. Sometimes I use just Promix if I get it at a great price. My Favorite soil mix and normally cheaper than promix is half peat moss and half compost manure...... I like the compost manure at Marvins building supply. It is dark, some sand, some tiny wood chips. One bale of compressed 3.8cuft peat moss and 6 forty pound bags of compost equals half and half. I will be using this mixture this year in one greenhouse but on low scale just to have an extra early crop. I will be growing my other tomato plants in the other greenhouse in slightly raised beds. To add info not asked about===I give those raised beds a break by rotating from 4 gallon pots one season and back to the beds the next season. kinda like semi rotation. Dunno If I mentioned that anywhere on here last year or not. I will look back over the questions in the morning. __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

February 28, 2012	#64
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	Pest control.......the only thing I have to worry about is hornworms. Liquid Seven Dust. Disease........I use copper before the fruits start showing well...... I guess about 4 weeks after they start blooming. Then I switch to Fung-O-Nil or Daconil. They are under a poly roof which helps cut down on fungus problems cause they are not out in the rain. The plants stay dry unless there is a strong blowing rain. __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

February 29, 2012	#65
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	Most of my watering is manual. I tried automatic watering systems and the water release is just in one spot. I prefer to either manually water a couple days a week with the addition of the automatic watering systems or just do it all manually. Manually distributes the water everywhere around the plant and I can make sure that hit that fertilizer applied to the plants. I have never actually measured the amount of water. I use a hose pipe with a spray wond set on shower and I only water at the soil. Then I count the same amount of time for each plant. Example. I count to 6 when the plants are young. I count to 12 when they are larger. ( estimated from 2 pints per day when young to 2 quarts when they are larger) When they are much larger, I water them twice a day and gradually increase my count. The soil mixture you use has a lot to do with how much water they will need and if you have dry hot weather. Every zone or region may experience different water usage. This may be too much work for some but I prefer manual water and it does make a difference. Even if its a few days a week, or maybe an automatic in the mornings and manual in the evenings. Plus you get to visit your plants and catch a few problems before it gets out of hand. I have caught many hornworms by manually watering just because it was one on one time with the plant. Pinch a few suckers while you water. __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

February 29, 2012	#66
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	I don't remember the brand of calcium nitrate that I buy. It has no other shelf name other than calcium nitrate. __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

February 29, 2012	#68
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	For the past 5 years, I have been taking the soil from the tomato containers and dumping it in new raised beds and growing other veggies in it. Just free standing concrete block beds. I have many. They're like giant containers __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

February 27, 2012	#61
no charge Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: West Plains, Mo. Posts: 47	Carolyn, Great job there! I have also used this method for 5 years now, but without the poly cover. Hopefully this year I can cover and get the tomatoes planted early. Was wondering what you think of not buying the micro-nutrients. I use (pre-plant)5lbs lime, 4oz epsom salts, 1oz borax. Weekly feed I mix 30lbs 13-13-13, 5lbs epsom salts, 51/4 tspns borax. each 30' bed gets 16 oz's. Do you see anything I might need to add? John

February 29, 2012	#69
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Absolutely fabulous. Worth

February 29, 2012	#70
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	Thanks for all the compliments. the name brand for the calcium nitrate is Southern Ag __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

February 29, 2012	#71
raindrops27 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: long island Posts: 327	I cannot believe this, this is absolutely amazing! Wow, I wish this was my setup thank you Carolyn for sharing all your wonderful pictures!

February 29, 2012	#72
casino Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Southfield, Michigan Posts: 318	Your garden is amazing. I started using micro-nutrients a few years ago and it makes a big difference. AND thanks for the reminder about using micro-nutrients. I need to get a bag before the planting season begins.

March 7, 2012	#73
no charge Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: West Plains, Mo. Posts: 47	Carolyn, bought the micro-nutrients (ordered on Saturday, received on Monday) and looked around for calcium nitrate. Have found that this product is only available in bulk, none of these places would sell me a bag, or even a pickup bed full. Seems its regulated by Homeland Security and hard to get unless your one of the big farms. I don't know, guess I'll have to find an alternative. Looking into this has brought up a question though. What other way could I raise the N level safely. I think that's what the calcium nitrate is doing, so I would think I could achieve the same result with a different product? Thanks in advance John

March 7, 2012	#74
roamwhereiwant2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lawrenceville, GA, 7b Posts: 130	Hi Carolyn, This is really inspiring. I went ahead and ordered the micronutrients and am going to be mixing up the Prefeed and Weekly Feed this weekend. What fun!

March 8, 2012	#75
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,490	Noticing your greenhouse,one of the main factors is the amount of carbon dioxide/oxygen exchange.Alot of us folks do not know the importance of this.I noticed that or could not see any ventilation vents.Maybe this is one of the keys in your good production.