Sun, 2012/01/29 - 4:52pm
Hi,
Glad I found this site. We are restarting our AG 6; we have grown herbs but the success of other plants is really hit-or-miss.
Hope to find a lot of successful tips to make our AG work for tomatoes. Here in Colorado our outside growing season is June to August; if the hail doesn't get the tomatoes, the cutworms will.
We have a small greenhouse, but the cold weather still can impact the growth if we start too early (May).
Doug & Betty in Colorado
Sun, 2012/01/29 - 5:28pm
#2
P.S. Among the fruiting plants, I've had best luck in the AG growing fairy tale eggplant. Beth has success with jalapeños and Ace bell peppers. Pete and Beth can grow cherry tomatoes, too... I don't really like cherry tomatoes - I like the mid-size. That I haven't succeeded with - yet. 
Mon, 2012/01/30 - 8:43pm
#3
Hi Doug and Betty!
I've had great luck with ag jalapenos and Johnny's seeds Ace bell pepper (in an ag 7 with the pump. They don't seem to like the ag 6 - YMMV). Not spectacular yields like outside, but enough to keep us content through the winter months. I have grown cherry tomatoes. I have 2 Florida Petite tomatoes growing and fruiting right now at work. Not the best tasting tomatoes - need summer temps for that, but acceptable. The plants stay small enough not to overwhelm the ag. I got the seeds from tomato growers supply but they don't have them in the catalog anymore! I'm looking forward to Gisette's new grow. Good luck with your grows and let us know how you make out!
Beth
Mon, 2012/01/30 - 8:55pm
#4
Ooh, cool, Beth, that you've found another tomato that works! Is the work one an AG6 or AG7? (aerator or water pump?)
Mon, 2012/01/30 - 9:11pm
#5
White ag with pump. Plants are less than 18" tall. Did not prune. Set many tomatoes that are now ripening. Not as messy as some tomatoes I've grown. Excellent variety for the ag. Have it on my desk so overhead cabinet limits the ag height, but great teaching tool for engineers who have never seen a tomato plant! Seriously, these guys don't even know the name of "the red bird that comes to the bird feeder" (cardinal!!). They think I'm magical for growing anything. Women engineers aren't so impressed... Beth
Sun, 2012/02/26 - 10:56pm
#6
Hi, djinco - how's the AG6 restart coming?
Welcome, Doug & Betty!
Sounds like tough growing conditions. Are you on the Front Range? (I graduated from Boulder - lived in Denver / Boulder / Fort Collins for 3 years.) I'm in Connecticut now.
I just started a new tomato-in-AG experiment today.
Though in truth, if your goal is tomatoes, I'd really recommend saving the AG's for herbs and lettuce, and doing an early indoor/outdoor scheme for the tomatoes. This thread was an experiment, that turned into that, and I got quite a bit of May/June harvest out of it, so now I do it every year. Aside from serious wattage on the lights (probably 100W of 6500K in CFL's, more for T8 fluorescents), it's key to pick a tomato variety that's going to be happy in its indoor/outdoor pot for the rest of its life.
I'm trying to develop a product line along these lines. Wish me luck!