By Orlando Jude
Tomatoes & Peppers
Submitted on Sat, 2009/05/30 - 10:50am
Last updated on Sun, 2009/07/05 - 6:50pm
Posted in
I've decided to start a separate log on my Tomatoes & Peppers -- AG's, Buckets, and Topsy Turvy's.
Sat, 2009/05/30 - 2:35pm
#2
On Thurs 5/28/09 I wrote: My heat tolerant tomatoes are planted, and yesterday I planted lettuces in ball jars.
Am now trying to come up with a way to put a cucumber outside in water similar to the trash can cuke previously talked about. Would like to do that in a smaller container.
More later
Sat, 2009/05/30 - 2:37pm
#3
Gisette answered: Ooh, thanks for posting that picture, Judith. I've been curious about those, and wondering about hanging one from my deck.
About how much water does it hold at the top? Is there a screw-on lid on top?
I ask because I'm really very short... Might be hard for me to water if I hang from my deck unless I put it down so low the plant no longer has room to grow. 
Sat, 2009/05/30 - 2:38pm
#4
My reply to Gisette: I'm really short too. 5'. I used a bird feeder pole to hang it on, and I chose to put it slightly above my head for the same reasons you state. I have to be able to insert the hose in the top to water. I figure if it gets to long I'll gently attach a line or two and guide it back to the upper part of the pole. Could also use a trellis beside it if needed. All I know is I absolutely didn't want to plant it in the ground.
The very top is an open hole, bigger than my fist. I'll be adding more miracle grow and watering it thru there. You can't over water because all excess drains out on it's own, so our famous Florida rains every day is no concern at all. I just check to be sure it's got enough water. If I need to water, easy enough, -- when if flows out the bottom I'm done watering. :-)
I'm trying to post a closeup picture of the box, but it won't show up in the lighboxer. Is the other way of inserting a picture still working? I'll shut this down then bring it up again to try it again. In any case, the top gray parts are in 2 pieces. The one around the rim of the bag, and the other one fits on top of that. It comes with a hanger on a swivel, and a screw hook you could use to hang it from a 'ceiling' or 'rafter'. I added S hooks to hang if from the pole. 
This picture is from the box and shows water being poured in from the top. My only caution is --- get a small tomato plant because the bottom hole is small. I had to insert my plants from the top, taking great care not to break it while inserting it through the bottome hole. Was difficult. You then place a piece of foam (included) around the stem, which keeps the soil and plant from falling out. You then fill it with soil. I've only got it 1/2 full right now. I think I'll be able to fill it the rest of the way tomorrow. They recommend no closer than 1 inch from the top. The last step is to 'seat' the two gray pieces, water, and you're done.
It gets hot here fast, so I might be to late, but I really wanted to try it. If it doesn't work right now, I'll try again in the fall/winter.
Try it. Your weather is about perfect to start it now. I got mine from Bed, Bath & Beyond, with coupon, $7.99 ea.
Enjoy!
ps: images 1 & 2 are NOT mine! how do I get rid of them?
Sun, 2009/05/31 - 2:32pm
#5
There were a few more posts then on 5/30/09:
Well I've decided to start new plants when the older ones are ready for harvest. My research reveals that veggies are ready to harvest anywhere from 60 to 90 days. My memory says they produce from 2 to 4 months. (outside) Therefore, I'll plant every two months and see what happens. I'm behind on cucumbers and will have to plant right away, since I've been harvesting for about a month now. I'm playing with the idea of planting a couple in Topsy turvy planters since I'm out of room in my aero setup. hmmmmmm Will have to plan better when original cukes, etc are done.
ps: now have more cukes started -- see cucumber page
Sun, 2009/06/07 - 7:16pm
#6
My one and only Ruby Heirloom Tomato 
finally turning red at 14 weeks.
Also planted a Park Seeds Sugary Tomato 
with the basil.
Topsy Turvy toms doing great too.
Bucket tom has buds, growing fine.
Sun, 2009/06/07 - 7:19pm
#7
Congrats on the ruby tomato, Judith! Are those tomato plants not setting more fruit?
The sugary tomato looks interesting. Good luck!
Sun, 2009/06/07 - 9:44pm
#8
No other tomatoes. A few buds, so we'll see. I'm really disgusted with the lack of production of Ruby's. I'm not giving up yet tho.
Mon, 2009/06/08 - 2:30pm
#9
I'm getting aggravated wtih my lack of tomatoes, but I'm determined to get SOME kind growing in the AG and SOME kind growing in one of the buckets. My newly planted Park's Sugary is up, (patio type) we'll see if that'll work for the AG, and I still have pods of Mega Cherry waiting their turn. I've just planted (in rockwool) an Early determinate, to go in a bucket. And my 2 topsy turvy (heat tolerant) tomaoes are growing fine. So it'll be a while before I try another kind. But, by gum, !!!!! Something has got to work! I've also planted more seeds of bell peppers and cucumbers. Will put some outside in trash cans, and some in buckets. Bells are to big for the AG, but the jalapeno's are growing in a 6+ and doing great. I've harvested about 6, and have 3 more on the vines, and lots of buds and flowers. I've also harvested 5 cucumbers, but NO tomatoes. And I've harvested lots of lettuce, lots of herbs, some peas, but NO tomatoes! I'm becoming obsessed!
Mon, 2009/06/08 - 8:03pm
#10
Do you ever test for pH, Judith? I only ask because I didn't, for the longest time - had litmus papers, but they didn't really give reliable answers. And the tomatoes/peppers seem to draw their nute baths down to 4.0 pH really easily. 
Silly plants. They don't bear well at that pH - in soil, they prefer lime or dolomite to keep the pH up around 6.5.
Just a thought. But you're probably already doing it - better equipped than me. 
Wed, 2009/06/10 - 9:20am
#11
Yes, PH doing fine. The flora nutes keeps things pretty neutral. The AG tabs are on the alkaline side and need to be adjusted occasionally.
My Ruby Tomato, 3 days after STARTING to tun color. 
Boy! It would be great if the plant were full of these! The other plant still has NOT set any fruit, and this plant has NO MORE fruit on it. Grrrrrrrrr.
Wed, 2009/06/10 - 6:01pm
#12
You're lucky. The flora nutes don't do any good at all vs. my water, on keeping the pH good...
Ooh! I wanna eat the tomato... 
I've still got a long wait on mine outside. Though all are blooming now! Including two that are only 8 weeks old!
Wed, 2009/06/10 - 6:57pm
#13
Put me down as lucky too, the flora does a decent job of keeping the pH stable with my water - it only goes crazy if I don't top the water off often enough and allow the EC to rocket; but that's due to my neglect and not the nutes. 
Wed, 2009/06/10 - 8:02pm
#14
I top off daily and the EC never rockets. It's just the pH that plummets.
Sun, 2009/06/14 - 10:51am
#15
Today's Ruby Tom, almost ready to harvest at 15 wks. I'm pleased with this one -- don't know what it tastes like yet, -- but NOT happy that it's the only one I have! What a waste of resourses! Will wait one or 2 more weeks, and if no other blooms show up , will pull and plant with something else!
Bells in a bucket! Looks like I'll have several bell peppers soon. They ARE growing.
Cukes in other log.
Sun, 2009/06/14 - 11:07am
#16
Nice peppers, Judith! And that one Ruby tom does look tasty!
Mon, 2009/06/15 - 2:10pm
#17
Harvested the Ruby today. Tasted wonderful. Had a dime sized rotten spot inside, but the rest was fabulous! Wish they produced better. Not sure what I'll do about that. May not waste the time trying again.
These are the outside toms today. 
Have other tom seedlings coming along right now. 
One in a classic and one going into a bucket when big enough.
Edit: gisette fixed lightbox target locations.
Mon, 2009/06/15 - 3:12pm
#18
If it's any consolation, my AG grown cherry toms weren't a great cropper - it's something I would not grow in my Classic again. I can understand your annoyance at only having one tomato, that's really, really frustrating.
Mon, 2009/06/15 - 3:51pm
#19
I can understand your annoyance at only having one tomato, that's really, really frustrating. And that's only ONE tomato on ONE of two plants taking up space and resoruces in TWO AG6+'s since February 28!! I'm extrememly frustrated!
Mon, 2009/06/15 - 8:41pm
#20
I'm really glad to learn from your experience, Judith. I was thinking of trying the ruby tom kit, since I didn't have any luck trying my own best guess tomato (the kibits). Guess I'll just keep waiting and watching others. Because like you said, that's a lot of time / resource investment for such disappointing results.
Mon, 2009/06/15 - 8:49pm
#21
And the topsy-turvey toms are growing a lot!
Tue, 2009/06/16 - 8:20am
#22
Hi All,
Another tomato not to try in the ag is new big dwarf. It sounded perfect - 2 ft tall plants. The one I'm growing in a pot is 5 feet tall and didn't set tomatoes until it was four feet tall. I may have crossed seeds. The florida petite I'm growing in a pot is the perfect size - but the tomatoes so far aren't all that good. To be fair, it is sitting in a west facing window at work and doesn't get much sunlight or consistent watering. Plus, the seed apparently is no longer available. I may try florida basket in the fall:
http://www.tomatogrowers.com/small.htm
I'd really rather a larger tomato - maybe the mega cherry toms?
Beth
Tue, 2009/06/16 - 8:34am
#23
Oh Jude!
I feel for you sweetie! You know I do. This gardening stuff can me fruitless sometimes! (Pun intended).
What boggles my mind is how I have all these grow lights & I paid such attention to the plants & got 1 tomato that really was not very tasty. My mom negelected hers (not her fault she was in the hospital & rehab center for 2 months) and now she has over 60 tomatoes & alot of sweet peppers growing from the plants I started here & gave to her! Go figure! LOL!
Tue, 2009/06/16 - 1:57pm
#24
Well --- there's a few buds on the Ruby toms, so I'm going to give them a little more time. I'm totally convinced that all the pruning, (have had to do a LOT of constant pruning) has negatively affected those plants. I noticed that if there's buds and I prune further up on the branch, the buds will die off. Pruning from the beginning did NOT stop the wild growth. I've pruposely NOT pruned any branch with buds this time. Time will tell.
I'm going to grow the mega cherries in one of these AG6+'s after I pull the ruby's. Maybe they'll work better.
And Jess, are your mother's plants outside?
Tue, 2009/06/16 - 2:13pm
#25
I totally agree with you about pruning!!! I pruned my tomato plants & my mom did not! And I did it against my intuition because people swore it improves the growth & fruit production but really makes no sense to me & now the evidence is clear. I started 3 new tiny tims & I will not be pruning at all this time.My moms plants are all indoors in her bay window. Luckily for me I gave her so many plants that there are more than enough tomatoes & peppers for me to have some too 
Wed, 2009/06/17 - 10:28am
#26
It's probably best to leave the Tiny Tims alone pruning wise, they are a small determinate, bush type plant which won't need tinkering around with.
I swore I'd never do tomatoes in an Classic AG again, could be swayed by the Tims though if they produced something half decent.
Wed, 2009/06/17 - 10:58am
#27
Yup lesson learned. I don't even know if I like the taste of the tiny tims yet. I only had one & it wasnt sweet like how I usually love my tomatoes. I planted these in soil & even tho I have gotten rid of all my other soil projects I decided to give these guys a chance.
I would have love for my campbells seeds to work but so far they are all dead beats!
Fri, 2009/06/19 - 11:44am
#28
Spoke to AG cust service re: Ruby Toms. Suggestion was to cut 3" off the top & place plant in a closet, in total darkness, for 2 days. This is supposed to 'shock' the plant into producing again, as it will think it's going to die so it better finish producing.
Otherwise, they don't know why some plants will produce and some just won't not matter what.
I also have a problem with one of the pumps. Just the bubbler part, so, since I have to work on that, I've about decided to pull that Ruby, and just plant a Mega Cherry instead. (after fixing the bubbler part).
Any comments anyone?
Fri, 2009/06/19 - 1:58pm
#29
Have decided to wait a couple more days before dumping the Ruby because I decided to cut way way back and found a couple of buds. All other buds have died, so these probably will too, but I just want to see what happens. Jalapeno's are doing great. Each plant has 2 fully grown, ready to harvest, peppers. 
I also decided to move the experimental cuke to this area to take advantage of the additional light spillover from the other AG's, and the "rack" above to tie the vines to.
My outside toms have flowers! And will have to add netting to outside cukes soon as those plants are growing like crazy.
Still enjoying all this in spite of the Ruby problems.
Fri, 2009/06/19 - 2:20pm
#30
My outside toms have flowers!
the ones in the Topsy Turvy?
Today I planted a topsy turvy tomato outside! Can you believe it? I'm determined to try. Tomorrow I'll plant the second. (to balance out the hangers) Also planning on planting 2 pods of lettuce in old ball jars. Will also empty and sanitize a Classic. I want to keep peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes growing all the time, so now I need to figure out when to start new plants.
Any easy way to do that? Thanks for any help.
Enjoy!