OK, Another Question?

[Deborah]

When a seed catalog says "suitable for greenhouse growing" or a plant is bred specifically for greenhouses, what does that mean? That the plants inside don't need bugs to pollinate?

[heirloomtomaguy]

It usually means that they are bred for greenhouse conditions and diseases that are more prevalent to growing inside a greenhouse. Greenhouse growers use pollination insects in a closed environment. I would imagine this is how we get organic honey.

[ContainerTed]

Greenhouse tomatoes usually have a thinner skin that won't stand up to a full range of weather. They may also depend on the constant conditions of fertilizers, water, light, and such. I've been to Grainger County (TN) greenhouses and that was certainly what the growers were saying. They get a good looking marketable product as long as they maintain the overall conditions.

They also admitted that the taste is not as good as those grown in the fields with normal sunlight.

[Gardeneer]

They have to produce fairly uniform size fruits too.. It is time consuming to separate them into different sized. Heirloom tomatoes in the field can vary in size by 300%.

[clkeiper]

In greenhouse growing we don't have the disease pressure outside growers experience since the plants aren't exposed to rain and prevailing winds carrying insects and diseases from storms in southern or other areas. They also are more uniform in fruit size, grow for an extended period of time and may or may not need a pollinator. If it needs a pollinator then a grower buys a special bee to pollinate the flowers. If they don't they get no fruit.

The organic honey is a totally different subject, but it has nothing to do with greenhouse growing. It is that the beekeeper uses no synthetic chemicals in the hive. I can't even begin to fathom how a bee keeper coould keep the bees from visiting any flowers that were exposed to synthetic chemicals and bringing it back to the hive. Unless the hives were very isolated from any farming of any type. A bee will fly up to 3 miles for nectar, water and pollen.

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

. I can't even begin to fathom how a bee keeper coould keep the bees from visiting any flowers that were exposed to synthetic chemicals and bringing it back to the hive. Unless the hives were very isolated from any farming of any type. A bee will fly up to 3 miles for nectar, water and pollen.

The benefits of organic honey are explained to them in a pre-work shift pep talk by the queen (prepped by the Hive Legal Dept of course). They initial the sign-in sheet and off they go, their pledge to be all natural fresh in their cubic ml brain. Or at least that's what this article on FB said, and they always tell the truth.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

The benefits of organic honey are explained to them in a pre-work shift pep talk by the queen (prepped by the Hive Legal Dept of course). They initial the sign-in sheet and off they go, their pledge to be all natural fresh in their cubic ml brain. Or at least that's what this article on FB said, and they always tell the truth.

I think you meant to say their cubic mm brain, since if it were cubic ml brain, they would have hydrocephalus, as in water in the brain, and would be incapable of flying.

I didn't see that on Facebook since I'm not a Facebook person, nor do I tweet, instagram or pinterest. I don't do nuttin like that and can still function quite fine, thank you, and that's a self assessment.

Carolyn

[Deborah]

Thanks everyone. OK, so what is a cold frame? Is it a small greenhouse?

[travis]

Originally Posted by heirloomtomaguy

It usually means that they are bred for greenhouse conditions and diseases that are more prevalent to growing inside a greenhouse. Greenhouse growers use pollination insects in a closed environment. I would imagine this is how we get organic honey.

When insects are used to pollinate hoop house tomatoes, they are bumble bees, not honey bees.

Most hoop house tomatoes are pollinated manually by vibrators, fans, or simply by knocking a broom handle against the suspended support wires.

[travis]

I've trialed a few "greenhouse" tomatoes in an outdoor garden. Some do well, some have pithy cores when grown outside. Kumato does just fine, for example. Compari gets a pithy white core.

[travis]

Originally Posted by Deborah

Thanks everyone. OK, so what is a cold frame? Is it a small greenhouse?

A cold frame is a small box, with a glass or plastic lid, in which a gardener starts seedlings.

The box can be constructed of wood, concrete block, or even straw bales placed in a square or rectangular arrangement. The clear lid may be an old window frame, or any framework to fit the surround, and covered with glass or plastic sheeting to allow the sunlight to enter.

If using wood or concrete block, you might want to line the inside walls with Styrofoam insulation board.

Placed facing south, the box is warmed by solar energy, and becomes so warm on mild days that you may have to prop the lid open to ventilate and prevent the interior temp. to exceed 80 - 90*F.

On a cold night, you should cover the cold frame with a heavy blanket or a sheet of insulation board held down by bricks or something.

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

I think you meant to say their cubic mm brain, since if it were cubic ml brain, they would have hydrocephalus, as in water in the brain, and would be incapable of flying.

I didn't see that on Facebook since I'm not a Facebook person, nor do I tweet, instagram or pinterest. I don't do nuttin like that and can still function quite fine, thank you, and that's a self assessment.

Carolyn

Carolyn, you're absolutely right on all fronts, especially the social media one.

I'd love to see the bee dance that explains the benefits of organic vs synthetic, perhaps in the next bee movie Seinfeld puts out.

Great Sunday to all.

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

The benefits of organic honey are explained to them in a pre-work shift pep talk by the queen (prepped by the Hive Legal Dept of course). They initial the sign-in sheet and off they go, their pledge to be all natural fresh in their cubic ml brain. Or at least that's what this article on FB said, and they always tell the truth.

I am sure you are right. I wasn't thinking very well when I responded. no coffee at that point. I missed the facebook post... since I don't "do" facebook. I'll do better next time making something up so it is more beelievable.

[Worth1]

Speaking of organic I just read a forum thread the other day about all natural organic bacon.
I dont know who these people are but most of them had no clue about any of it.
The posters would take all of the information and jumble it up till none of it was right.
Well from what I read some place else the hay day is about over for the mislabeling of the all natural uncured bacon.
All organic all natural honey is about the most ridiculous thing to date I have ever heard of.
People need to buy honey locally to get the benefits of it if there is any.

Worth

[Nattybo!]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

The benefits of organic honey are explained to them in a pre-work shift pep talk by the queen (prepped by the Hive Legal Dept of course). They initial the sign-in sheet and off they go, their pledge to be all natural fresh in their cubic ml brain. Or at least that's what this article on FB said, and they always tell the truth.

Ha ha ha OMG I laughed so hard, I cried. Thanks