Plants

[Sylvia Bernstein]

what do you have the most success growing?  what specific varieties to you recommend?  what should be avoided, in your opinion

[Ken Richardson]

you have done sweet potatoes in AP? Please tell me how you did it and how they turned out. I wanted to do them but I didnt think they would work in AP and was going to do in a wicking bed. Thanks for the replies you give. Ken

TCLynx said:

What plants do well in my systems.

Bananas, go bananas.
Basil
Tomatoes
sweet potatoes
jicama
yardlong beans
okra
papaya
meyer lemon
cayenne peppers
jalapeno peppers
Hot wax peppers
turnips
carrots
sweet potatoes
lettuce
collards
broccoli
spring onions
leeks
fennel
dill
parsley
oregano (regularly asks for Iron though)
cabbage
bamboo
marigolds
water chestnuts
plantain (the healing lawn weed not the banana like fruit)

and I'm sure there is more
In my high pH big system I've never had much luck with cucumbers or anything closely related to pumpkins or zucchini, I think they all like lower pH and more Iron that they get there. Will have to try some in the 300 gallon system once it matures some more. The yardlong beans seem to be doing better in the 300 gallon system than in the older higher pH system too.
I plan to try watercress in the big system since it's supposed to be fond of alkali water.
I have found that some things that struggled terribly the first year in my big AP system are thriving and going bonkers in this year's system (okra.)

I do have lots of trouble with ants farming aphids on the peppers, okra, and beans however, I've refused to do anything about it other than try to be careful not to get bit by the ants. Some plants might suffer a bit for it but I'm still getting plenty of harvest so, let it be. (No way to get rid of ants here without killing everything else around so I figure why bother with the less toxic and very temporary attempts and just save my energy by ignoring them as best I can.)

Aquaponics gets better with age.

[TCLynx]

Yes I have grown sweet potatoes in AP. Beware they could take over if you turn your back. They grow pretty easily in dirt around here so most of mine have been grown in soil rather than AP though.

They don't seem to like salt very much, the few times I salted my system, the sweet potato leaves seemed to show distress before even the strawberries.

[Dan Brown]

Sylvia - I just watched your excellent video on trimming heirloom tomatoes (which I found on a Google search, rather than through the site, FYI). Is it possible, with early training, to get an indeterminate to grow out rather than up? I don't have much in elevation in my closet, and I can (and will) follow your guidelines with a string and a vegetable clip if that's the only option, but I thought I'd ask the source!

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Thanks, Dan. Glad you liked the video! The challenge with indeterminates is that they put all their fruit on new growth...which is on the end of the plant. You can keep everything but the top 3 - 4' trimmed of leaves, though, and coil that down on your floor like a rope. Does that make sense?



Daniel E Brown said:

Sylvia - I just watched your excellent video on trimming heirloom tomatoes (which I found on a Google search, rather than through the site, FYI). Is it possible, with early training, to get an indeterminate to grow out rather than up? I don't have much in elevation in my closet, and I can (and will) follow your guidelines with a string and a vegetable clip if that's the only option, but I thought I'd ask the source!

[Dan Brown]

Perfect sense, thank you. I've got seeds I started two weeks ago today that are already 3" high. Almost time to thin them out, and I just wanted a little more advisement before I go after the growbed with snips.



Sylvia Bernstein said:

Thanks, Dan. Glad you liked the video! The challenge with indeterminates is that they put all their fruit on new growth...which is on the end of the plant. You can keep everything but the top 3 - 4' trimmed of leaves, though, and coil that down on your floor like a rope. Does that make sense?



Daniel E Brown said:

Sylvia - I just watched your excellent video on trimming heirloom tomatoes (which I found on a Google search, rather than through the site, FYI). Is it possible, with early training, to get an indeterminate to grow out rather than up? I don't have much in elevation in my closet, and I can (and will) follow your guidelines with a string and a vegetable clip if that's the only option, but I thought I'd ask the source!

[Ron Thompson]

Has anyone tried any grape vines?

not for wine, just table grapes.

[TCLynx]

I know some of the members on BYAP have planted grapes, I don't think anyone has had them in long enough to get fruit yet though.

[Raychel A Watkins]

Hi
Yes there is some one on this site with a grapevine. I must admit it is I. My WWOOFers put them in the gravel bed about 6 weeks ago. I just left them in> I was about to give up on them when yesterday I saw they have finally produced a new leaf. So I am leaving them in. Let you know what happens.

[Ken Richardson]

Yes I have a seedless green grape that is in first year and grows about 3 inches a day in the vines. You will love growing one.





Kobus Jooste said:

Take a look at plant topics on this forum, I'm sure there is a member from Hawaii that has an outside system with a grape vine in it. Positive I saw a pic and mention of it made on his page.

Ron Thompson said:

Has anyone tried any grape vines?

not for wine, just table grapes.

[Harold Sukhbir]

Hi Sylvia, I too saw your video and learn't. I'm now growing an indeterminate (abt 2 ft tall and after only 5 attempts!),which is about 3/16" thick, too skinny i think.They didn't seemed to like foliar spraying so I've discontinued that. Since you have great knowledge on tomatoes, would it be too much to ask, for the benefit of all on the site( especially since tomatoes are one of the most popular planted), if you can share some of that in-depth wisdom you have?

Sylvia Bernstein said:

Thanks, Dan. Glad you liked the video! The challenge with indeterminates is that they put all their fruit on new growth...which is on the end of the plant. You can keep everything but the top 3 - 4' trimmed of leaves, though, and coil that down on your floor like a rope. Does that make sense?



Daniel E Brown said:

Sylvia - I just watched your excellent video on trimming heirloom tomatoes (which I found on a Google search, rather than through the site, FYI). Is it possible, with early training, to get an indeterminate to grow out rather than up? I don't have much in elevation in my closet, and I can (and will) follow your guidelines with a string and a vegetable clip if that's the only option, but I thought I'd ask the source!

[Sylvia Bernstein]

Oh Harold, you are a charmer. Not so sure about the wisdom thing, but I have a deep love for good tomatoes. And they grow like weeds in my AP systems. I don't really know why, except for a few simple guidelines. Keep the temps warm, the nutrient level high, the suckers pruned off (like in my video), and make sure you have lots of air circulation between the plants. And shake them every day for pollination if you are in a greenhouse. Just had the pleasure of giving away 5 beautiful heirloom tomatoes as a gift to a friend who took care of my dog over the holiday. They seemed to be much appreciated. My favorite varieties are Black Krim, Hillbilly Potato Leaf and Sungold cherries.

[Harold Sukhbir]

Well now i am really envious! Haven' t you noticed how many AP'ers both new and old have had issues with growing these damn infernal tomatoes? Ranging from seed starting all the way up to harvesting? when all you do is to plant them and even give them away? You even call them pest and they still grow for you! I've treated them like babies(better than my own kids! HaHa!), and what do they give me? only pure heartbreak! At least i finally got one on the way(knock on wood!).Life is never easy for some of us...........Lol

Sylvia Bernstein said:

Oh Harold, you are a charmer. Not so sure about the wisdom thing, but I have a deep love for good tomatoes. And they grow like weeds in my AP systems. I don't really know why, except for a few simple guidelines. Keep the temps warm, the nutrient level high, the suckers pruned off (like in my video), and make sure you have lots of air circulation between the plants. And shake them every day for pollination if you are in a greenhouse. Just had the pleasure of giving away 5 beautiful heirloom tomatoes as a gift to a friend who took care of my dog over the holiday. They seemed to be much appreciated. My favorite varieties are Black Krim, Hillbilly Potato Leaf and Sungold cherries.