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General discussion regarding the techniques and methods used to successfully grow tomato plants in containers.

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Old June 6, 2018   #301
Worth1
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Early and evening both wont hurt, what ever it takes to stop wilting.
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Old June 6, 2018   #302
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Originally Posted by AlittleSalt View Post
The past two days have been 100+F and I am seeing drooping/wilting during the hottest part of the day. I'm going to start watering in the early morning too. I have been watering in the evenings with a gallon of water/mix per container.

Maybe I should water a gallon in the morning and half a gallon in the evening?
If they are drying out even three times a day is fine. As Worth stated, whatever it takes. How about shade cloth? I know your shade temps are even brutal, but that may help too. My parents snowbird in Burnet, they just got back and said it was cooking temps.

Good luck Robert
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Old June 6, 2018   #303
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Your parents are right Mark. I jokingly told my wife that I could put a frozen 3 lb. chub of hamburger meat outside and it would not only thaw, but it would cook. We could have meatloaf for dinner (It's not "That" hot.) but it is Mid-July hot here which has always meant the end of the spring/early summer tomato growing season. I will go more into that in my next post because it is a separate question.

I have learned - do whatever you have to.

Neither you or Worth mentioned a word about how much I am watering at a time. So, I'm guessing a gallon at a time is okay. I wasn't sure if it was too much or too little for a 5 gallon bucket?

Most 5 gallon buckets actually holds 6 gallons when filled full. Metric equivalents: 5 Gallons = 18.9271 liters. 6 gallons = 22.7125 liters.
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Old June 7, 2018   #304
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Heh heh.
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Old June 7, 2018   #305
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It's a bad time for the plants to be hit with high heat. Before they're loaded with fruit and they still grow fast, they are a lot more sensitive to wilting. It's happening to me too, I had to cover the tops with aluminium foil so the sun doesn't scorch the wilting tops and kills them completely (it has happened a few years back).
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Old June 7, 2018   #306
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Zipcode, you know exactly what is happening here. It's way too hot too soon. The tomato plants are over 6'F tall (2 meters) with no signs of slowing down on growth. To put up shade - it would take 12' or 3.6 meter poles and hope that is tall enough - I'm not sure it would be eventually.

...What a problem tomato plants growing too tall so fast and it being too hot for fruit set. I would much so rather have this to deal with than the alternative of beating that dead horse trying to grow in diseased soil.
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Old June 7, 2018   #307
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Mid-July weather here kills established tomato plants. No if, ands, or buts about it (When grown in-ground) In containers being fed = who knows? There are typically two growing seasons here and a dead zone in-between because of the heat. Seedlings can and do grow during the heat of July and August with the protection of dappled shade.

The pictures in post #278 show exactly what tomato plants look like grown in-ground in mid July. But this is early June in a year when it's just too hot. The things that I have learned by experience...do they still apply...or do I need to say, "Goodbye Yesterday"?

So here I am wondering. Should I build a huge shading structure, or should I start some new seeds/plants next week for the fall garden? Both? or neither and just see what happens? I don't have an answer. Well, at least, not yet.
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Old June 7, 2018   #308
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Originally Posted by AlittleSalt View Post
Your parents are right Mark. I jokingly told my wife that I could put a frozen 3 lb. chub of hamburger meat outside and it would not only thaw, but it would cook. We could have meatloaf for dinner (It's not "That" hot.) but it is Mid-July hot here which has always meant the end of the spring/early summer tomato growing season. I will go more into that in my next post because it is a separate question.

I have learned - do whatever you have to.

Neither you or Worth mentioned a word about how much I am watering at a time. So, I'm guessing a gallon at a time is okay. I wasn't sure if it was too much or too little for a 5 gallon bucket?

Most 5 gallon buckets actually holds 6 gallons when filled full. Metric equivalents: 5 Gallons = 18.9271 liters. 6 gallons = 22.7125 liters.
I do about a half a gallon, but more is fine. Just try to get a touch to leach out of the bottom. (10 percent) What is most important is keeping the moisture content consistent. This keep your fruit looking purdy, no BER or cracked skin on thin skinned varieties. You seemed determined to figure this out, and you will, keep plugging along, it takes some time to work out the details that pertain to your situation.
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Old June 7, 2018   #309
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlittleSalt View Post
...So here I am wondering. Should I build a huge shading structure, or should I start some new seeds/plants next week for the fall garden? Both? or neither and just see what happens? I don't have an answer. Well, at least, not yet.
The answer to many questions is: "Plant more seedlings."

1. It feels good to plant more seedlings.
2. I doesn't take anywhere near the exertion of building a shade structure.
3. It lets you have more time to think about/design the shade structure.
4. It will give you valuable info on how much you really need the shade structure.


Nan
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Old June 7, 2018   #310
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Salt I am watering whether it (((looks like))) it needs not or not right now everyday on everything as soon as I get home.
I really dont like plants to look like they need watering.
I big mistake in my opinion.

I have always heard okra wilts in the heat.
Well no it doesn't if you keep it watered enough.

So far as of my last watering post the only plant that even comes close to looking like it needs watering is the one Big Bertha bell pepper plant.
It is in the container with drain holes above ground.
Starting tomorrow I will start watering in the morning before I go to work too with this plant.

If that doesn't get it I will dig a hole and put the drain holes below ground.

Something I know you cant do due to diseases and nematodes.

Maybe a water saucer will work.

Worth
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Old June 7, 2018   #311
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Mark, Nan, Worth, all good points. I watered this morning and they did not wilt today.

They are saying there is a 50% chance of rain tonight. It has been around a month since it last rained here.
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Old June 8, 2018   #312
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I will be starting seeds soon. A 50% chance of rain can mean that it rains in the county next to you and all you get is damaging downburst winds. I knew those temporary cages wouldn't take a storm with winds like that, and last night's storm proved it. We didn't lose the plants, but they are damaged.
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Old June 8, 2018   #313
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HudsonValley View Post
I'll look forward to another squash-tasting report! I'm growing a container zucchini called Astia this year, along with a yellow and a light green summer squash in mounds. They just germinated yesterday.


I'm glad to hear (and see!) that you're finding success with container gardening!
We fried some squash tonight. It has a very good taste with just a little bit of sweet taste to it.

Edit: It's finally kind of quiet in the house now. I wouldn't grow Early Prolific Straightneck Squash as my only squash again. I just wanted to see how squash did using the containers and the 4-18-38 / 15.5-0-0 Calcium Nitrate / Magnesium Sulfate. Being that they are so early is why I bought them because otherwise - I should have planted out squash two-to-three weeks earlier. It is a good tasting squash with a thin skin. My wife did complain that the larger squash have seeds that are kind of difficult to chew. I noticed that too. You might want to pick them early/smaller - they grow very fast. Their name fits them perfectly.

Last edited by AlittleSalt; June 9, 2018 at 12:19 AM. Reason: more info
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Old June 9, 2018   #314
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To all,
I found some good reading.
https://www.maximumyield.com
It's never too late to learn.
Or at least that's what I tell myself.
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Old June 9, 2018   #315
AlittleSalt
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Instead of cages. A hydraulic lift system...
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