Garden 2017

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Randall

Real heavy!

It's made out of cement so it doesn't eat much. I swear every time I move it, it feels like it's gained weight.

I was wondering because I kept seeing it in different locations I thought.

Worth

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Randall

Thank ya, MissS!

Here's a peek at the tomato patch. The sun just went down and there's a light drizzle out here.

I love the grass between rows giving good ground cover! Kudos to you Randall.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

I love the grass between rows giving good ground cover! Kudos to you Randall.

Where in tar-nation have you been?

Worth

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Where in tar-nation have you been?

Worth

Hi Worth. I have been around.

[Randall]

@Redbaron

Thanks, Redbaron.

The real kudos go to you because I took extensive notes on your threads here!

When I initially decided to put this garden in several years ago, I decided it would be all green with only the soil in beds being disrupted. I've been really happy with the results and it's really nice to be able to walk around the garden regardless of how much rain it's had.

[oakley]

Gorgeous. GGWT was the first last year for me right behind SunGold and CubanYellow.
So good a tomato i have 6 plants this year. (family wanted all GGWT)

First year i spread a 2 lb bag of clover that i loved. Native grass took over but still easy
to whip-snip and keep controlled. Otherwise the entire garden would be a mud wrestling
pit.

[clkeiper]

tell me about your ghost pepper? where do you keep that all Winter? it is gorgeous!

[Randall]

Thanks, all.

@oakley, I'm excited to hear that about GGWT. I think I put 5 of them out this year. So far, they definitely seem productive and are making some whoppers!

@clkeiper.

I kept it indoors in a window that gets morning sun. It was pruned back to just the main stems and potted up into a 5 gallon smart pot.

It wasn't really overwintered like some folks do with lower temperatures and less light. It never went truly dormant. I just let it go ahead and grow. It even made a few small peppers over the Winter.

I kept it pruned to a manageable size and I thought it made a fairly nice looking house plant.

Once it was nice enough outside, I moved it out there and it really took off. I had considered putting it back in the ground but after seeing how it did in the smart pot I decided to leave it there.

I have trouble with getting any peppers in my climate (especially from the longer dtm varieties), so this ended up working out well for me.

Here's a picture of it this morning. I'm really impressed with how it's done!

[Worth1]

I dont even have red ghost peppers yet.
But I do plan on keeping mine in the big containers over winter outside.
This will be easy for me to do where I live.
Worth

[Randall]

I bet you'll really be able to see what they can do down there, Worth.

You'll have pepper trees!

I really wish I'd have bumped this one into a 10 gallon but it started fruiting and I chickened out on it. It's as root bound as all heck but it seems to keep going as long as I feed it.

[Randall]

A few mater shots.

GGWT, Lucid Gem, Brandywine Sudduth, Brandy Boy and a Lucid Gem from above that has had a little sun.

[MissS]

You sure have a magnificent crop there Randall.

I was also wondering, do you have any problems with the straw seeds sprouting in your beds? I used straw one year and had straw sprouting everywhere for the next two years. If not, what type of straw do you use for your beds?

[BigVanVader]

Your tomatoes look amazing dude. Do you get much rain there? I always have concentric craks on the tops of my heirlooms. Yours are picture perfect.

[Randall]

Thanks, MissS -

I do end up having seeds germinate in the straw. It's just baled wheat straw from Lowes. I've never had it be horribly filled with seed but I do pull up sprouts as I see them. I figure it's better than all of the weeds I'd be pulling instead. I'll need to mulch the tomato beds here soon. I'm sure the soil has warmed up enough for it. I can tell you I'll happily pull some sprouts out of the straw vs. intensively weeding 5 rows of 10 plants until the ground is nice and warm.

Thanks, BVV-

We definitely get our fair share of rain. Every now and then, I'll get some concentric cracking. I try my best to maintain an even watering schedule. I know there are a lot of theories on that one but I personally water every other day or daily in smaller quantities. I always feel like if they're getting a steady supply but not being drenched they don't react quite as much to a hard rain. It doesn't always work but it seems to mostly take care of it in my climate, anyway.

[Ricky Shaw]

Plants growing up red poles is my oldest tomato memory. Grandpa Falconi, patriarch of the large extended Italian family next door to me as a child in southwestern Pennsylvania used them.