Plant Yourselves Some Tomatoes ASAP

[billt]

For those that can and like tomatoes, get a big pot or 3, and good soil and grow your own. Better Boys, Beefsteaks, Cherry, Roma, all can be grown in big pots.

Melanie wants to do this. How big of a pot do I need? I was thinking along the lines of those barrels they saw in half?? What kind of dirt do we need? There isn't much in the way of "soil" out here in the desert, mostly dust and gravel.  Bill T.

[Rastus]

I think heirloom is a great idea.  I wish I could find the old time (60's and earlier) strains of strawberries.   I was raised in the Strawberry Capital of Louisiana (not Ponchatoula) and I miss the very good older strains.  Our school spring break was during berry picking season for 3 weeks or so when I was a child so that the children could help the parents on the farm...hardly any farms now though.  Lots of subdivisions where farms used to be...if imports stop it's gonna be ugly.  

Anyway, the strawberries have been bred for longevity so that they may withstand shipping and storage.    These new berries ship very well, but they had to breed out the sugars and flavor to do it.  Nothing grown since the earlier 70's has the flavor of the earlier berries.  LSU produced a berry that was out-of-sight for flavor...loaded with sugars and flavor but it only lasted 3 days in refrigeration from the time it was picked so it went bye-bye.  

I'm also going to continue a strain of okra that has been in my family for over 100 years...since the 1800's.  Slightly larger in circumference and a lighter green than what you find in the store.   Works well with those tomatoes I'm going to grow.  I just wish the okra would grow earlier in the season but they like it hot.  Maybe I should patent it?

............
2. They have successfully sued farmers in the US who unknowingly grew "heirloom" plants that have been cross-fertilized with pollen from Monsanto plants from a neighbor's field. Monsanto has agents across the country sampling produce (by going into your fields and collecting samples without your knowledge or permission BTW) so they can sue anyone who is found with "their" propriety genetic strains.

Now that is evil.  I doubt I'll every have a field to worry about this...but in my home county if it comes out that someone came onto my property for a sample it is possible that they will end up at least one night in the pokey...with a very unpleasant friend.

....  She tried the upside-down pots last season but got some kind of tomato virus that killed off the flowers before the plant fruited.  .....

Crusader do you know that tobacco virus kills off tomato plants?  I think it's call mosaic...I don't really remember, but gardens are infested by smokers touching plants and gardens.  May not be the same virus because that is unusual to kill off the flowers, but if either of you smoke and stayed in contact with the plant then that's likely the deed.

[Pathfinder]

Melanie wants to do this. How big of a pot do I need? I was thinking along the lines of those barrels they saw in half?? What kind of dirt do we need? There isn't much in the way of "soil" out here in the desert, mostly dust and gravel.  Bill T.

The half-barrel would work, so would a taller ceramic pot - the roots need room to grow and anchor the plant. Just don't put more than one plant in each. In a square foot garden, we allocate 3 squares per plant cuz they get bushy up top.

As for soil, any good top soil or potting would work. I would also add a lot of peat moss to help hold water and compost for nutrients, what with it being in AZ and all. Try to avoid stuff like miracle-gro soil, instead make your own compost out of household waste or use manure or other organic compost that comes in a bag.

I would keep the plants out of direct AZ sunlight especially through the summer, or the plant will get baked. Maybe set it in a shaded lanai or something like that, but even there keep an eye on it. Or set up a pergola with filter fabric over it as well. Check local nurseries to see what kind of help they can offer on what kind of filter fabric to use for tomatoes.

[MikeBjerum]

Melanie wants to do this. How big of a pot do I need? I was thinking along the lines of those barrels they saw in half?? What kind of dirt do we need? There isn't much in the way of "soil" out here in the desert, mostly dust and gravel.  Bill T.

I have seen people buy bags of potting soil, lay them out and cut a hole in the center, plant one plant per bag, and add drip irrigation.  Personally, I would put the soil in a pail (with drainage holes.  The smaller the container the more attention it will need for water.  The upside is the ease of weeding and fungal disease.

[fightingquaker13]

Let me give a huge thumbs down to the half barrells, at least here in Fl. They look good and are the right size. Problem is, they become infested with ants. Whatever they treat them with (the PC version of creasote) apperently attracts the little bastards. It killed my herb garden twice (no, not that herb ) before I figured out thatthe  roots were getting eaten. I'd go plastic or terra cotta instead.
FQ13

[Sponsor]

[shooter32]

Melanie wants to do this. How big of a pot do I need? I was thinking along the lines of those barrels they saw in half?? What kind of dirt do we need? There isn't much in the way of "soil" out here in the desert, mostly dust and gravel.  Bill T.

I use the half barrels with my tomatoes. A grape tomatoe in one and champion in the other, I replace soil and compost every year and have great luck with the barrel / tomatoes!

Path is right on with the soil, peat moss, compost and staying away from the Miracle-Grow soil.

[billt]

Out here we have to water the hell out of everything. What is the best over the counter nutrient to use?   Bill T.

[MikeBjerum]

Out here we have to water the hell out of everything. What is the best over the counter nutrient to use?   Bill T.

Find a basic Tomato fertilizer.  You will find both salt based (like farmers use) and organics (blood and bone meal based).  Remember that tomatoes like acid, so something with a little sulfer wouldn't hurt.  We have some old ladies up here that use coffee grounds in their gardens, and you should see their flowers and vegies!!!  Of course there isn't a coffee ground in the dumpsters behind any eating place in town   

We have used MurAcid from Miricle Gro when we missed some things in spring, but it can get spending.  Our soil is very alkali (7.2 - 7.6) and very heavy, so we need to do drastic things to grow good stuff.  We compost everything that is not diseased and I had a lot of sand to the garden boxes.

[Solus]

Out here we have to water the hell out of everything. What is the best over the counter nutrient to use?   Bill T.

I wonder if a plugged up old bathtub on feet might work as a good planter.  It is deep and water proof. 

Roots would be able to grow deep and with opaque plastic sheathing as a mulch cover with X slits for the plants it might retain some moisture lost to evaporation.  The sheathing would stop weed growth.

The water and nutrients would be contained.  This would be like a "double dug" garden would work in a more moderate climate and soil conditions.  Plants could be placed closer together because the roots grow down rather than sideways, maybe 3 tomato plants to a tub.

[fightingquaker13]

I wonder if a plugged up old bathtub on feet might work as a good planter.  It is deep and water proof.  

Roots would be able to grow deep and with opaque plastic sheathing as a mulch cover with X slits for the plants it might retain some moisture lost to evaporation.  The sheathing would stop weed growth.

The water and nutrients would be contained.  This would be like a "double dug" garden would work in a more moderate climate and soil conditions.  Plants could be placed closer together because the roots grow down rather than sideways, maybe 3 tomato plants to a tub.

Leave it to the Ohio boy! Next you'll be suggesting whitwashed old tires with geraniums in them to off set it.
FQ13