Tomatoes - Aquaponic Gardening2024-03-28T23:21:30Zhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/forum/topics/tomatoes-1?groupUrl=planttalk&commentId=4778851%3AComment%3A48075&groupId=4778851%3AGroup%3A35022&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHarold: I do squeeze the beds…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-22:4778851:Comment:491092011-02-22T18:56:28.314ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
Harold: I do squeeze the beds a bit as I have a passion for trying a whole lot of stuff. I constantly run low on micro-nutrients, but believe in variety over performance at this point. Last season I had 5 tomato plants in one of those beds and they did produce well until the system wobbled under the alkalinity and pH issues. Now I'm at two plants per bed (and some cucumbers, and egg plant, and peppers <a style="cursor: pointer;"><img src="http://www.bkserv.net/images/Grin.gif"></img></a> ) per bed. It will be interesting to see how…
Harold: I do squeeze the beds a bit as I have a passion for trying a whole lot of stuff. I constantly run low on micro-nutrients, but believe in variety over performance at this point. Last season I had 5 tomato plants in one of those beds and they did produce well until the system wobbled under the alkalinity and pH issues. Now I'm at two plants per bed (and some cucumbers, and egg plant, and peppers <a style="cursor: pointer;"><img src="http://www.bkserv.net/images/Grin.gif"/></a>) per bed. It will be interesting to see how production is affected by the high density planting. Hi Kobus,
Wow you have tremen…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-22:4778851:Comment:491032011-02-22T18:06:00.908ZHarold Sukhbirhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HaroldSukhbir
<p>Hi Kobus,</p>
<p>Wow you have tremendous growth in you media beds! Your beds are very intensive! Ap really develops a strong growing system, doesn't it? I think that Tomato plants ideally require a separate dedicated bed as their nutrient demands are more than most other plants and they do better without competition.Their root mass demands adequate space and without it not only do their roots become thinner and spread out evasively throughout the bed hunting nitrates, but the stems also…</p>
<p>Hi Kobus,</p>
<p>Wow you have tremendous growth in you media beds! Your beds are very intensive! Ap really develops a strong growing system, doesn't it? I think that Tomato plants ideally require a separate dedicated bed as their nutrient demands are more than most other plants and they do better without competition.Their root mass demands adequate space and without it not only do their roots become thinner and spread out evasively throughout the bed hunting nitrates, but the stems also become thinner as a result. So, we are going to grow thin and high, fruiting at different heights instead of growing laterally and lush. Anyone can correct me on this, but this comes from my limited. experience on tomato culture.</p>
<p>I think we're both on the same page with the hanging supports.</p> Harold - here are some pics o…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-22:4778851:Comment:488142011-02-22T15:31:04.692ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
Harold - here are some pics of what I am trying to do with the vines. The first two are of the ones in a grow bed with an unobstructed path to the ceiling of the structure - still, the vines are at the top of the greenhouse and the fruit is not yet ripe! The second vine is obstructed (water melon support overhead) and thus I am letting it grow out to the side of the bed. Incidently, this one is in a raft and is doing great. The "string" I use to tie up the vines is flat waxed dental floss. …
Harold - here are some pics of what I am trying to do with the vines. The first two are of the ones in a grow bed with an unobstructed path to the ceiling of the structure - still, the vines are at the top of the greenhouse and the fruit is not yet ripe! The second vine is obstructed (water melon support overhead) and thus I am letting it grow out to the side of the bed. Incidently, this one is in a raft and is doing great. The "string" I use to tie up the vines is flat waxed dental floss. It works!<br/><br/><cite>Kobus Jooste said:</cite>
<blockquote><div>Will have to refine the coiling angle then!</div>
</blockquote> I'm going in the same directi…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-21:4778851:Comment:481432011-02-21T21:42:44.441ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
I'm going in the same direction, but have cleared a lot more tomato leaves off the bottom sections of the vines to make way fro peppers and stuff growing underneath.My problem is that my variety started bearing fruit very low down, and these are still not mature. It is time to start coiling the bottom of the vine, but hopefully the tomatoes will be ready to come off soon. I'll post some pics tomorrow.
I'm going in the same direction, but have cleared a lot more tomato leaves off the bottom sections of the vines to make way fro peppers and stuff growing underneath.My problem is that my variety started bearing fruit very low down, and these are still not mature. It is time to start coiling the bottom of the vine, but hopefully the tomatoes will be ready to come off soon. I'll post some pics tomorrow. And thesetag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-21:4778851:Comment:482372011-02-21T21:16:46.054ZHarold Sukhbirhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HaroldSukhbir
And these
And these Here are some pics. I replace…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-21:4778851:Comment:482342011-02-21T21:15:28.268ZHarold Sukhbirhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HaroldSukhbir
Here are some pics. I replaced the string with a nylon string on the lower branches that have fruit to highlight the support
Here are some pics. I replaced the string with a nylon string on the lower branches that have fruit to highlight the support Will have to refine the coili…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-21:4778851:Comment:480752011-02-21T18:05:44.696ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
Will have to refine the coiling angle then!
Will have to refine the coiling angle then! I have a 4 ft. ceiling height…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-21:4778851:Comment:480742011-02-21T17:54:43.471ZHarold Sukhbirhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HaroldSukhbir
I have a 4 ft. ceiling height to work with. It can be done in less space as long as you start the base coil, by supporting the area where the fruit is(at an angle from the main stem), you are in effect starting a coiling point, so it can be done, theoretically at any feasible ceiling height. I have allowed the plants to become unruly as i saw Sylvia's video after planting, so i support branches at angles natural to the stem growth, this way it's more work but you still get all the fruit.
I have a 4 ft. ceiling height to work with. It can be done in less space as long as you start the base coil, by supporting the area where the fruit is(at an angle from the main stem), you are in effect starting a coiling point, so it can be done, theoretically at any feasible ceiling height. I have allowed the plants to become unruly as i saw Sylvia's video after planting, so i support branches at angles natural to the stem growth, this way it's more work but you still get all the fruit. What is the height from the b…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-21:4778851:Comment:480582011-02-21T16:18:13.334ZKobus Joostehttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/KobusJooste
What is the height from the base of your bed to the top of the structure? My tomatoes are touching the top of the greenhouse and the fruit are not ready at the base yet. I only have about 1.8 meters of clearence to work with. I also use the same method, but think I left myself too little space.
What is the height from the base of your bed to the top of the structure? My tomatoes are touching the top of the greenhouse and the fruit are not ready at the base yet. I only have about 1.8 meters of clearence to work with. I also use the same method, but think I left myself too little space. I've followed Sylvia's method…tag:aquaponicgardening.ning.com,2011-02-21:4778851:Comment:480522011-02-21T16:00:06.288ZHarold Sukhbirhttps://aquaponicgardening.ning.com/profile/HaroldSukhbir
I've followed Sylvia's method of wrapping with string and hanging from the ceiling of the GH. I used simple cotton string wrapped around the main stem(not tied), and adjust it by slackening the wrap from the bottom,pulling the slack every inch until it reaches the top. The cotton string adheres to the tiny "hairs" on the stem and naturally grips firmly. This is very light knitting string. When the top is at it's ceiling and fruit is touching thew bottom i string the bottom near the fruit and…
I've followed Sylvia's method of wrapping with string and hanging from the ceiling of the GH. I used simple cotton string wrapped around the main stem(not tied), and adjust it by slackening the wrap from the bottom,pulling the slack every inch until it reaches the top. The cotton string adheres to the tiny "hairs" on the stem and naturally grips firmly. This is very light knitting string. When the top is at it's ceiling and fruit is touching thew bottom i string the bottom near the fruit and tie off at a 45 deg angle to the top of one side of the GH, this raises the fruit off the media and starts a bend to give the stem a "memory" to start the coiling process of the unproductive part of the stem base.