New Pics and opinions wanted here

These are pics of my tomato babies under the lights (48) of them, the new 5 gallon buckets for my Bible study mates and self made watering trays full of rolled down 1 gallon grow bags for potting my tomatoes up to. Question: Do you think they are big enough to start potting up to the 1 gallon bags yet? That will be where they will stay until they will be being planted into their permanent home, the 5 gallon buckets. While they are in the grow bags they will be going through the bury the stem routine as the bags have been rolled down for this routine and will be rolled up as they grow and more coir is added up to the bottom two leaves. I have like 20 bottom watering trays due in about Wednesday and am hanging flourescent lights from the ceiling on adjustable chains.

This will be the next stage I plant them up to: 1 gallon grow bags, I like them as they will be able to grow with the plant by unrolling them as I bury the stem until they reach the top of the bag. The perferations on the bottom of bag make them ideal I think for bottom watering from a tray.

Here are my buckets made for my Bible study class, I finally finished them, mine (37) are in my office, so it's difficult to move around right now. Notice the newly invented drain hole, that is tubing for sprinkler systems, that i used to put through both holes and should keep it open and aligned. I also have a great many of mine that have the 5 gallon bucket on top and the 3 1/2 gallon one on the bottom as the reservoir bucket.

here are the 16 using the 3 1/2 gallon bucket for the top:

Joy, when you pot up....bury those plants DEEP! They are looking a little wonky. Also try to give them a little sun every now and then. But only after you replant them.

Ray: The temps for the next 10 days here are between 50 and 60; so I think if I plant them all up in the one gallon bags, burying the stems and take them outdoors from 10 AM til 5 PM, they will be ok, the north wind will be gone around 10 AM and after 5 PM it will start getting chilly again. We got a good 5 weeks of chilly weather left here. MY greenhouse goes up supposedly Monday, but even then, I think it's too chancey to leave them out all night or early in the morning and I only have 5 grow lights and 98 tomato plants. So; field trip time. Yes they are getting long thin stems that need to be buried to thicken them up some.
joy

Nice job on the eBuckets, Joy!

Where'd you get the pond baskets? What diameter hole bit did you use for the basket Hole? I see you left a lip for the baske to sit on. Good plan.

And, yep. The seedlings are leggy, and need more light on em. If you've got 10 days of 50-60 temps, I'd bring the trays out, and LEAVE them out. Since the seedlings will be down in the bags, just throw a cover over them at night.

How chilly is chilly? My WS seedlings have made it through two nights of 34 degrees this week and, they're going into the EBs and eBuckets this weekend with just their 1st set of true leaves. I'll bury them up to that set of leaves.

No more babying them. Time to swim!

Oops. It just occurred to me you're still working with TWO buckets. My design only uses one bucket.

Something doesn't feel right about your design, Joy. Has to do with the drain hole placement. You've got it sitting inside the top bucket. But, as I recall, that hole should be right BELOW the bottom of the top bucket to leave an air space between the potting bucket and the water in the reservoir.

Please double-check your design before you put all your seedlings down. I think your potting mix might end up sitting in the water, which would be disastrous for you!

Linda

Joy, I am so jealous! Your tomato plants look good, even if a little leggy. Spring is supposedly 3 weeks around here. I took this photo just as it was getting dark to show the irony of this weather. A tray of my tomatoes against the snow that is falling. But I got Hiiigh hopes! By the way, these looked pretty much like yours just a week ago when I buried them in a new tray.

I hope you will check your drain hole, as well. The water should come just below the bottom of the bucket so there is an air space, I believe. The irrigation hose is an excellent idea, it is readily available at Lowes and Walmart, isn't it?

Ray is wonky even a word? I LIKE it!

Gymgirl, I heard that Wackadoodle Moonglow use the word "wonky" and now I can't stop using it to describe things. lol Apparently it is indeed a word.

Joy, like gessieviolet said. Mine too went a little cattywampus on me, but have turned into some real nice seedlings after I potted up. That's the beauty of tomato seedlings. A couple of seedlings got chilled(left them out in 40 degree nights) and purpled up a leaf or 2. These now have been planted and their roots are warm and happy. Now, if somebody can please stop these storms that seem to be hitting us weekly, I'll be a happy camper. Another one gonna hit us this weekend :( So you people in the south be prepared, looks like another one will probably hit you this time next week.

Uh oh, the drain hole is just above the pond basket, I wanted to make sure the pond basket stayed emerged in the reservoir. Why is this bad?

I traced the outer rim of the pond basket with a marker pen first and then cut inside the marked area and that way the pond basket sits snuggly into the hole. I used a 1 1/4" hole drill to make the hole for the 3/4" PVC pipe, I used a 3/4" drill bit to start the hole in the middle for the pond basket and then finished it with a jigsaw.

The pond baskets - you will get a great quality and size and price from Boca Bob, I paid like half what I was paying by ordering them through him, same as the 1 gallon grow bags, I love the bags, they are perfect for potting up your tomatoes in and cheap in price also, they also are great for growing plants in you want to give away as gifts.
joy

It's bad because your potting mix end up sitting IN the water and is constantly wet. This doesn't allow the plant to regulate how much water it takes in. NOT a good thing!

Plug up those holes and redrill them 1/4" BELOW the bottom of the top bucket...there needs to be an airspace between your water and your potting mix.

Linda

Ok, now I'm totally confused! I made 4 buckets using the trimmed upside down strainer inside one bucket with an overflow line. This has potting mix packed down all around the strainer, so is in constant contact with the water inside the upside down strainer. Mine takes about a 1/2 gal of water once a week. Tomatoes appear to be doing really well.

msrobin, in your buckets only the mix on the sides of the upside down strainer are actually in contact with the water so this small strip circle of mix wicks the water into the mass of mix above.

When the water comes over the strainer (as it would in Joyce's buckets) the total body of mix sits in the solution. It would be the equivalent of putting plants in a bog situation.

Linda: I got to thinking about that one, and it might just be easier to drill another hole just below the first one, that would put the drain hole just beneath the upper bucket's bottom leaving the air space you are talking about, moving the tube down, it can be removed and replaced through the new holes, and I believe the water will come out the first open hole it comes to then, which would be the newer hole, it's lower on the bucket right? What do you think?
joy

Joy, I had to knock my forehead with one of those "dah, of course" moments when I read you post about the hole. Of course, you are right. Stupid me would probably plugged all the old holes, Why? Cause I don't think, sometimes!

I read on another post that you were afraid of a hammer a couple years ago. Hard to believe when I see what you are doing with your garden. All I can say is, "YOU GO! Proud of you!"

Joy,
WHAT GESSIE SAID!

Gessie,
YOU GO, GIRL!

This message was edited Mar 3, 2010 12:19 PM

Thanks. I am amazed at how well these are doing. All of the buckets are cherry tomatoes and are about 2' tall. They're still sitting on the counter in front of a south facing window. I'm going to add cages soon, then sit each bucket inside of huge heavy duty clear plastic bags and then clipped to the top edge of the cages, leaving the top open. Then I'll start moving them out on the front deck during the day. Just can't bring myself to start heating the greenhouse at night yet. We've still got 6 more weeks till our last avg frost date. But it's getting closer. WhooHoo!

Gymgirl: I was telling my neighbor about the boo-boo and he said, "yep, no since in having a wicking device if you ain't gonna wick water up" DUH, I need to follow directions myself a little better. Will tell the ladies tonight, if necessary, they can bring their buckets in and I'll bring in the handy drill, it won't take long.

Here is what they looked liked doing it the wrong way: the tube should not be visible in the upper bucket because it should be below the bottom of the upper bucket right?



This message was edited Mar 3, 2010 12:31 PM

Gessie violet: Well I will be learning to use the other end of the hammer to take the roofing nails out of this. The guy got the green in greenhouse part right; but, the house is the size of an outhouse, with the only light coming from the glass door I supplied and the clear panel on top which leaks like a sieve (groan). Maybe I can still use the frame though?

the front door I was supplying:

Another view of my green outhouse:

The only light from the door and here: This little bitty clear panel:

Yes, Joy, I think you've got it!

The outhouse is tooooooooo funny!

Gymgirl: Taking all those roofing nails out ain't gonna be too funny, and I ain't no hurry bout it either, as it's almost too late for a greenhouse anyways. Then I think I will find some clear stuff to replace the fiberglass with and put up shelves for next year's early Spring garden, it's over 7 ft tall, so it's taller than it is wide, ain't outhouses like that? LOL
joy