February 27, 2012 | #61 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: West Plains, Mo.
Posts: 47
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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 27, 2012 | #62 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Albuquerque, NM - Zone 7a
Posts: 209
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February 28, 2012 | #63 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nauvoo, Alabama
Posts: 184
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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.
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Happy Gardening Carolyn |
February 28, 2012 | #64 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nauvoo, Alabama
Posts: 184
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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.
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Happy Gardening Carolyn |
February 29, 2012 | #65 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nauvoo, Alabama
Posts: 184
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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.
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Happy Gardening Carolyn |
February 29, 2012 | #66 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nauvoo, Alabama
Posts: 184
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I don't remember the brand of calcium nitrate that I buy. It has no other shelf name other than calcium nitrate.
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Happy Gardening Carolyn |
February 29, 2012 | #67 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: West Plains, Mo.
Posts: 47
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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 |
February 29, 2012 | #68 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nauvoo, Alabama
Posts: 184
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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
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Happy Gardening Carolyn |
February 29, 2012 | #69 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Absolutely fabulous.
Worth |
February 29, 2012 | #70 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Nauvoo, Alabama
Posts: 184
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Thanks for all the compliments.
the name brand for the calcium nitrate is Southern Ag
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Happy Gardening Carolyn |
February 29, 2012 | #71 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: long island
Posts: 327
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I cannot believe this, this is absolutely amazing! Wow, I wish this was my setup thank you Carolyn for sharing all your wonderful pictures!
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February 29, 2012 | #72 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Southfield, Michigan
Posts: 318
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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.
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March 7, 2012 | #73 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: West Plains, Mo.
Posts: 47
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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 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Lawrenceville, GA, 7b
Posts: 130
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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 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl.
Posts: 2,490
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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.
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