Raybo's EarthTainer 'Farm' Update on June 15 - - (Pics)

14 years ago

It has been a cool first 2 weeks of June with our temps never getting higher than 75 here in San Jose. However, the plants are making steady progress.

First to ripen has been Bloody Butcher. I like it slightly better than Stupice as the fruit are about 25% larger. It has a more "home tomato" taste, to my palate.

Marianna's Peace continues to lead in the foliage growth contest:

The Old and New Tomato-tone evaluations continue with the Old Tomato-tone showing an advantage over the New formulation. Here is my pair of Goose Creek plants:

16 fruitset on the plant with the New Tomato-tone, vs 27 on the plant with the Old Tomato-tone.

Purple Haze F3 and F1 (on the right) continue to do well:

Purple Haze F1:

and Purple Haze F3:

Black Krim:

Paul Robeson:

Brandywine X NAR:

So far, things are looking fine; Just bring on some warmer weather!!

Raybo

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Comments (17)

bcskye
14 years ago
Wow, Raybo! They are looking great. Thanks for the update.
containerted
14 years ago
Ray, I'm gonna try a couple of those varieties next year. You're looking good as usual.

That is unless you and Brian are taking pictures over the fence at each others plants. :>)

Take care

Ted
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Okay, I have a beefsteak and cherokee purple in an EB, that I planted from seedlings on 4/8/09. I used 2 cups of the original Tomato-Tone (A new Ace hardware opened up in the area with the old stuff on the shelf. I grabbed a couple of bags. HeHe) Anyway, I had a little trouble with the leveling of the boxes and worked through that. My tomato plants are growing now. The beefsteak has about 10 little maters growing with lots of blooms popping up everyday. The creokee purple has about 5 maters with several blooms. But...they are no where near yours in height or production. Have yours been out longer or are my plants just destined to be smaller, etc? I am in NC, zone 7. Any suggestions?
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bdank, Funny, I was just thinking this afternoon if I should revise the EarthTainer instruction guide to now recommend 3 cups of organic fertilizer, as the NPK numbers of the "New" Tomato-tone are significantly lower than the "Old" Tomato-tone. I am holding off on the hope that the new Microbes "may" offset the lowered NPK analysis. Here is a photo today of the Goose Creek pair, and the New Tomato-tone has caught up to the plant with the Old Tomato-tone: Stay Tuned!! Raybo
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Help Â I need the advice from a SWC expert. Last weekend I built two SWC containers. Mind you, IÂm not a talented builder of any sorts. So at any rate Â after deciding to try 17 different tomato plants this year, and having had my share of dreaded BLER , I decided to give the SWC a try (funny how things in February when it is rainy and cold seem like a good idea Â just like my 50Â x 20Â lasgane garden idea) At any rate Â I had plants I started from seed that absolutely needed to get in the ground. In my area, I could not find the 4 pronged tomato supports, so I decided to invest in the Texas Tomato Cages Â Well, I followed the direction pretty much to a tee on the first container Â right up to filling the container. Well with the Texas Tomato cages, there is only about a 4 inch gap between the first ring and the top of the container. Needless to say, filling the container was a real PIA!!!!After struggling with filling the first container in 100 degree heat, I realized it would be much easier to fill the container if I simply added the black plastic after I filled the container Â Can I remind you it was 100 degree, and those bags get heavier when the temp goes up. O.K. now on to the second container. After building the first container, I learned a few things along the way and the assembly went much faster.. I was able to finish the second container in about half the time as the first (now it is above 100 degrees and of course I need to fill the container in direct sun) o.k. Â so now I have proudly planted the rest of my tomato crop only to look up on my porch to see the two 4" PVC support parts that are used to support the aeration bench!!!!!!!! UGHHHHHHH Â So now what do I do? Do I dig up the plants, take out all the dirt, undo the whatever type of bolts those are that hold the aeration bench to the container and put the supports in? Or do I risk it and just let it be????
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spaghetina
14 years ago
My mouth is watering looking at all of the green tomatoes you've got there, and fantasizing about how amazing they'll be once ripe.

The whole lot of them look so healthy! I wish I had your tomato growing knowledge. As it stands, I have a guy from Wegman's in Redwood City, coming to investigate all of my tomato woes tomorrow because they're looking so, so lousy.

Just curious, are there any houses for sale or rent in your immediate vicinity? I would kill to be your neighbor! LOL.
rnewste
Original Author
14 years ago
spaghetina,

You are welcome to come down any time starting in mid-July when they start coming in, with an empty bag. I end up giving 90% of them away to Dear Wife's church buddies, neighbors, etc.

Raybo
azruss
14 years ago
Is the same invitation extended to carpetbaggers from out of state?
rnewste
Original Author
14 years ago
Russ,

You are always a "Friend Of The Firm" in sending me those Gary O'Sena seeds. Open door invite here anytime.

Raybo
spaghetina
14 years ago
Oh boy, I may take you up on that offer. Whereabouts in Campbell are you? If you see a short, Asian girl at your door, with a stupid grin, and a large empty bag - don't be alarmed - it's me. :D
tammysf
14 years ago
looking good raybo...

this june weather has been crappy here as well. cooler and overcast. will maybe get a 2 hours of sun a day. at least it is in mid-70's.
bdobs
14 years ago
Impressive as always Ray!! Weather should be heating up this week! We are headed out of town on Saturday for a week so Im looking forward to a week of unwatched growth. I still have nothing but greenies
rnewste
Original Author
14 years ago
Brian,

Enjoy your time in D.C. Weather there should be great. When you return, I am sure you will have a bunch that will be blushing. We are to be in the 80's in a few days. Can't wait to get out of this "June Gloom" here in Silicon Valley!!!

Raybo

p.s.

If you get time, can you post a current picture of your Peppers in your EarthBox, as well as in your EarthTainer? I am seeing a huge delta in growth as of today.
structure
14 years ago
Nice! Thanks for sharing. Your fruit are SOOO far ahead of mine.

I'm going to blame the cool coastal air. Otherwise it hurts too much *grin* We may have had one 80 degree day so far...mostly high 60s mid- to low-70s. Not so much of the fog though. Thankfully.
elskunkito
14 years ago
Nice.

Looks like you got 3' on me, but I'm going to catch ya'.
Zone 7ish, 'tainered on the ?1st - 3rd? week of May.

I don't think my corn will catch up though.

Not sure of it's the containers, the starting way too early,
or the extra weather or a combo of the 3.
I've never had a good year like this.
bencjedi
14 years ago
Looking good Raybo! Mine are starting to reach for the stars and I have to start to consider finding more cages. I don't have dang near the amount of fruit that you do. We've been rainy and humid in the 80s here in Central Kentucky. All growth is accelerated from a year ago. The first Japanese beetles are emerging out of the soil already and it is only mid-June. I didn't expect these guys for a couple more weeks. Cherries were red and devoured by birds a week in advance and I'm having a bumper crop of raspberries already.. just insanity in the back yard! I have had 3 red perfect EarthTainer tomatoes in May and looks like a huge gap before I get more ripe.
geeboss
14 years ago
Ray
Just great growth with your Earthtainer's and here in N VA I'm just getting some ripening cheery tomatoes. Will be a while for the larger one's to blush.

george
bencjedi
14 years ago
Looking good Raybo! Mine are starting to reach for the stars and I have to start to consider finding more cages. I don't have dang near the amount of fruit that you do. We've been rainy and humid in the 80s here in Central Kentucky. All growth is accelerated from a year ago. The first Japanese beetles are emerging out of the soil already and it is only mid-June. I didn't expect these guys for a couple more weeks. Cherries were red and devoured by birds a week in advance and I'm having a bumper crop of raspberries already.. just insanity in the back yard! I have had 3 red perfect EarthTainer tomatoes in May and looks like a huge gap before I get more ripe.
organic_dusty
14 years ago
Ray,
We are waiting for our 4 Heirlooms from California to put in your 2 Earth Tainers that Ken made. Patiently we wait.....but it is getting so hot here....YOUR PLANTS LOOK AWESOME!!!!!! Here is what we have so far until we discovered your earth tainers.

Dusty

Here is a link that might be useful: my pool container garden
rnewste
Original Author
14 years ago
Dusty,

I think you will get a lot more production on a per square foot basis around the pool, with your new EarthTainers. Certainly, you will be making better use of vertical space, and won't have to water as often as you do now.

Just keep the kids from doing "cannon-balls" into the pool and splashing the plants with chlorine water!!!

Raybo

Raybo's EarthTainer 'Farm' Update on June 15 - - (Pics)

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