I love to hear about your product tests. I'll be very interested in the results.

Thank you for keeping us posted.

Yes, also enjoy reading about your tests, keep them coming.

However, you don't have to rub it in on your great growing location (smile)!

"we have about 120 days of growing weather left this Season"

Raybo,
During our discussion about Mycorrhizal fungi, I joked that I got lots of great container growing information from discussion boards on websites for growers of "medicinal herbs". I didn't know your son ran a hydroponics business, but I would imagine that lots of his customers are growers for the medical marijuana industry in New Mexico. Sadly I live in Tennessee, where they will fight the legalization of marijuana to the end, because there is too much money to be made growing it for illegal sale.

One problem with your testing 2 treatments in a single containers is that the water reservoir in the bottom will be inoculated with both treatments and then spread the microbes to both sides. I just hope that something works to keep your russet mites at bay. Are you spraying with sulfur?

Good Luck,
Greg

Greg,

Perhaps with so many trials going on, I confused folks. In the fungi experiments, I am only using Myco Grow in one EarthTainer, and only Biota Max in a separate one - I am not mixing the two fungi products in the same 'Tainer (photo #2).

The Humic Acid (Optimize) and the Biosolmix are in one side of the 'Tainer separated by a mechanical wall insert. I troweled these two in about 3 inches deep, so yes, some of this could run down into the water reservoir, then up through the wicking basket to the partitioned other side, but I think that degree of "contamination" will be minimal.

Afterall, I am not looking for absolute growth, but simply want to see if the two plants grow at different rates. If I do see a delta, next Season I will segment the two nutrients into their own container pairs (like the Myco Grow vs Biota Max containers in the second photo above), and conduct further experiments. I just didn't have enough mature plants for the Fall planting to do the "Noah's Ark" thing....

Raybo

Thanks so much raybo for doing these tests. The 31 different combinations of soil for a SWC system is priceless.

As an aside, what do you put as the top layer on your earthatiner's? It looks like some sort of redwood or colored mulch.

wayne,

For the mulch, I am using a product called "Turf Topper":

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It appears to be a Cedar based product made up of very small bark fines:

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On the left. Decorative Groundcover Bark which is what I use in the 3:2:1 Combo Mix is on the right for comparison.

It serves 2 purposes. First, it is a bit easier on the eye, versus the black plastic. It also keeps the black plastic mulch from heating up under the Sun.

I am also experimenting in a few EarthTainers in just removing the black plastic mulch completely, but applying an extra thick layer of the Turf Topper to maintain the moisture content in the upper surface of the Combo Mix. I've found without any "protection" the upper 3 inches of the Combo Mix will dry out due to the Sun's drying effect. The Turf Topper acts as a "Sun-block" as well as a moisture barrier too.

Raybo

Interesting experiments as always. Is the tomato tone the new one or old one? Can't remember how much tomato tone you use--is it 3 cups?

I know you tried 'doc's snack' of calcium nitrate last time with your earthtainers but was wondering if you did any with just plain tomato tone (the all organic one)?

Every one (Al and others) who uses predominately bark mixes on this forum have had poor results with organic fertilizer (I already know the explanations as to why this is so) --I often wonder if people use enough org. fert. but I am also beginning to wonder if you need more peat to retain more nutrients in the mix or something.

If you did have an all organic tomato-tone box (in your 3-2-1 mix) how did it do in comparison or did those nasty mites do you in before you could make any determinations?

I don't mind using synthetics in containers but I want to find equally effective products for organics as well. Preferably one where the yield is comparable. I will being doing some experiments with different products this fall but haven't decided which to use yet.

Thanks for info.

Hey Farkee,

I have standardized on a 50%/50% mix of Old and New Tomato-tones. I am also using Heavy Harvest CRF shown above in the photo in a few 'Tainers as the fertilizer strip for comparison.

The Calcium Nitrate "snack" got put on the back-burner when all of the insects pests descended on my garden. The new Fall planting of 28 tomato plants has been sprayed weekly with Take Down Garden Spray and so far, I don't see any of the Nasties hanging around. I am also starting to treat with Dyna-Gro Pro-TeKt to strengthen the leaf cell structure.

More photo updates as the Fall Season progresses...

Raybo

Thanks for info--so no strictly organic boxes using your 3- 2- 1. I experimented last year but both boxes in that particular trial packed it in early due to disease.
Try and try again.

Forgot to mention that I have grown with organic fert. in containers for several years but never paid that much attention to it all as to brand, etc. Now I realize that people want to know exactly what works and does not work.

I have also used a combination of components both synthetic and organic and like to do this too.