Soth Florida Harvest (Container Gardening)

This is dinner tonight: (just picked) Tomatoes, cukes, baby carrots, Romaine and Buttercrunch Lettuce, peppers, and young onions, all grown in containers, IMP the only way to go.

BocaBob

Bob: Those look fabulous. I hope mine can look half as good, I'd be happy with that. LOL
joy112854

We'll make sure yours look that good

BocaBob

Bob: I love the confidence you have. So far all my seed starting kits are misting up and looking wonderful. The one ABS that I bought from Gardeners' Supply has big cells in it, there are only 6 cells, I planted my eggplants in that one as I understand they need lots of room. I used the Gardener's Supply germinating mix to start them in in that one. And of course, it's self watering in a way as it has this thermometor type thingy that you insert into the side of the container and it tells you when it is not full of water. I love the big dome on the coconut coir one and it seems to be misting up fine right now. I'm really excited about being able to start seeds already.
joy112854

I can't wait until it's picking time. Those look really good! I'm sure you had a great dinner.

Bob, I am using the coir on my tomato seedlings. I used that funky potting soil that was so coarse and some worm casings mixed into it for germination, but have since gotten them into pots of the coir. They're still real tiny, they're only about 2 and a half weeks since sprouting. I had to get them out because I put too many seeds in the peat pots and they ALL germinated after I got them under that light. I didn't expect 100 percent germination but I sure got it. So I didn't want to waste the seedlings so I have been giving some away to save them. I had about 140 extra seedlings now and I sacrificed the worst of the lot, puny ones. (gave away 20 today and someone else is picking up a bunch on Saturday)

Some are just now starting to make true leaves, some are still cotelydons.

I've been adding the coir around the stems as they grow bigger. I'm using your grow light and it's working really well, I have to add some coir every couple of days since I transplanted them.

My question is, now that I've transplanted them into larger pots they no longer all fit under my light since the light has to be down so close to them, so I am putting some in the window sill and some are going to go outside during the day and be brought in at night. Are they going to get leggy now that I can't keep them all under the light?

And the other question is, once they grow taller and I have to raise that light up, that means that the light will be hitting a wider area on my table. Is it ok to have some of the pots around the light as opposed to right underneath it? The light is supposed to cover a total of about 18 sq feet of area but I don't know at what height the light has to be to cover that area.

I guess if they start leaning toward the light after I raise it, I can just make sure I turn them every day and it won't hurt anything, right?

I have about 85 seedlings besides the 140 and the ones I murdered.

I dont' know how to do anything small Bob. My husband says I think I'm a tomato factory now. I guess a "normal" person would have done around 24 plants tops.

Pugzley: How many did you need? LOL I have wasted a lot of seeds before. I understand from reading elsewhere that epsom salts has something to do with keeping the plants from getting leggy.
joy112854

LOL! Joy, my eyes are bigger than my belley, for once! I don't know! This is the strangest thing. I have this inner voice and I listen to it always, it said "Plant lots and lots of tomatoes this year." Well, I expected to do about 75 plants which is huge for us here. I don't know whether I am nuts to listen to this little voice, though it is never wrong. Do you ever get that inner drive to do something and then it turns out really good at the end? Maybe my mission is to try and help feed people who are not doing so well with the economy or something and that little voice just didn't spell it out very clearly. Or as I said... maybe I'm not psychic, I'm just psycho. LOL!

Where I got caught up in this was putting to many seeds in there I guess, because last year I didn't have this kind of germination rate with my tomatoes, far from it. I put 3 seeds in the pots on purpose, then some of them were practically welded together and I couldn't get them apart so I dropped them in and both germinated. hahaha! All in all I'd say I had around 350 seedlings pop out of that crummy soil I used.

Oh, thanks for the tip on the epsom salts, joy112854

I need to know about lime, too!

Bob, if you see this, gimme a clue about adding lime to my toms, if you don't mind.

Pugzley -

Be careful around the window sill. My experience has been real leggy plants (not good). The further you leave the plants from the light fixture the weaker the plants will be. You just have too many plants, my girl . If you can get them outside under sun, do it as much as possible. I know it will be a big pain trying to get them inside if a frost is due. Where did you say your final home for the plants are? Ground or container? We need to ask Joy where she read about Epsom Salts and leggy plants. I'm not sure on that one. Espoma Garden Lime (HD or Lowes) is the lime of choice (as reported by TPlant) and should be mixed in most potting mixes. The amount depends on the size of the container. If you are going into ground soil it is recommended that you test your soil for PH and nutrients

BocaBob

Boca Bob: On the internet, it says that you use 1 TBSP of epsom salts per gallon of water and get the plants into some lighting. The further away from the lighting causes legginess; but the absence of magnesism does too. That is what epsom salts provides magneseism. Dolomite Lime (calcium) and epsom salts (magnesium) are both needed for tomatoes. Notice that with your fertilizer you add espom salts right? That is why. The epsom salts helps promote healthy cellular structure in the stalks of the plants.
joy112854

Joy, maybe I can help you out here...
Epsom's Salts (magnesium sulfate) has nothing to do with legginess in tomato plant growth. Epsom's will, however, contribute to chlorophyll production and by doing so will help with cell formation of the plant. (FYI, each particle of chlorophyll contains one molecule of magnesium in its make-up.)

Magnesium is needed for utilization of nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur though. This being the case, since Bob uses a liquid fertilizer then adding a bit of Epsom's will contribute to proper nutrient uptake by the plants. I hope this helps.

As far as legginess in young seedlings, that is most often associated with either not enough light, too much fertilizer, excessive warmth (encouraging "too fast" growth) or any combination of those.

Bob, love that picture! Now I'm hungry!
Shoe

Horseshoe: Thank you, I know it's talked about online to help with leggyness; but I also know it helps with the cellular structure too, too much epsom salts is not good though either and egg shells is slow reacting and dolomite lime is better than calcimatic lime. The right amount of epsom salts ensures the plant will get the calcium and nutrients it needs. They use it here a lot because of the red clay.
joy112854

"I know it's talked about online to help with leggyness"
Can you point out that site?

And remember, it is always best to look for University-oriented research sites, specifically aimed towards agriculture. (I see so much anecdotal information posted on many sites that are based on hear-say or on "my grandfather's uncle's brother-in-law always did it that way". *grin)

"dolomite lime is better than calcimatic lime". (sic). That statement is not necessarily a given; in some instances it may apply but in many others it goes against the grain of proper recommendation and usage of those ingredients. For example, many folks in the Northeast area of the US shouldn't use dolomite as they already have a surplus of magnesium. Keeping that in mind, what is recommended for in-ground growers and container growers are not always the same; breaking it down even further, what is recommended for one container grower is not the best for the next container grower unless both growers are using the same media, same plant food/fertilizer, have the same environment, etc. See what I mean?

But you're on the right track! You're interest in growing the best garden you can really has you seeking out the best answers for you, and that's a good thing! (Sorry to have quoted Martha Stewart!) I think I can speak for lots of us on this site by thanking your for your questions and suggestions.

Happy Gardening! Will be looking forward to pics of your success this year.
Shoe

Shoe: Some of those sites you mentioned is like reading a school book that is so full of scientific terms it is way over my head. Sorry; but that is all I can say about some of those research studies, they get so scientific if you ain't scientific you are more confused after reading what they wrote than when you started. LOL Sorry, I admit it science and biology were not my best subjects. That is why I wind up asking questions here, people like you, TPlant, Boca Bob and many, many others break the scientific words down into a vocabulary I can grasp onto. LOL Bob's fertilizer has the right amounts of everything in it added with the epsom salts to be a one fertilizer and is good when used with coconut coir. In the EBs if you are using potting mix, you need to add dolomite lime and use a granular fertilizer. I bought some Sea Magic to add to my reservoir in the EBs because it helps and I also bought some Rot-Stop which I will spray on my foilage and blooms of my tomatoes this Spring. I want tomatoes and peppers ya'll!!!!
joy112854

"they get so scientific if you ain't scientific you are more confused after reading what they wrote than when you started."

Boy Howdy, don't I know that! I've spent years scratching my head bald reading and re-reading, wondering out loud, "now what'd they just say?". Fortunately there are some old-timers that can explain lots of it in simpler terms, a goal I try to meet for others.

I hear ya on the EB recommendations. (I have two EB's and a couple HEB's). And yep, I go with dolomite when using them. (I use Metro-Mix potting mix for the "soil".) I'm a believer in using kelp and fish emulsion sprays for the foliage from time to time also.

As for the "Rot Stop", I hope you saved your receipt because it doesn't work. With BER calcium has been shown to be in the plant itself but is locked up along the way and unable to reach the fruit under certain circumstances. (Why? No one knows yet, even the big kids at the universities.) However, it is definitely known that spraying Rot-Stop/calcium directly on the fruit will have no effect at all. Just remember, the skin of the tomato is not porous and won't allow the liquid calcium to penetrate. (If tomato skins were porous every tomato in the country would be popping wide open every time it rained.)

All for now, 'tis a balmy 47º here and time to go feed the chickens, check the greenhouse, finish organizing my seed packets, talk to myself (I enjoy those conversations!) and, and, well, we'll see what happens next!

Keep smiling, Joy! You sure live up to your name!
Shoe

I'm going to put many plants in grow bags and about 30 or so into the ground. I have a PH Meter, so I can test the soil.

I've been busy rounding up trays to I can move the plants in and out of the house. So I will put the ones that don't fit under the light outside instead of in the window sill.

We shouldn't have anymore frosts here, but once in a while it'll surprise us. This week looks good though for temps.

I think Bob is kinda ornery posting that great looking chow. When we are so far from getting any.My lips are a smacken.
~Tubby

Yeah, Tubby, that really made me mad. LOL!

Shoe,

Lots of good facts, thanks man. You make it very understandable.

BocaBob

what were those carrots in

Earthboxes with coconut coir

BocaBob

Hey Bob, I know it would happen to me so I just have to ask : did you ever fall backwards into the pool while caring for the EBs?

Twice, thank God the water was warm.

LOL. I knew it!
On another note: I have been searching all over the web and I didn't realize how important COIR has become in the hydroponics culture. It seems to me that if we are using a "soiless" mixture, and feeding it through some water system while we make sure it is aerated, that IS hydroponics. What say y'all?

Shoe: Thanks, now what am I gonna do with this rot stop. (groan). I could put up a portable greenhouse but my light socket on the outside of the house doesn't work.
joy112854

Bob: Can you reuse the 5 gallon bags year after year?
joy112854

Hydroponics in the last few years has become to mean many ways of growing. I think you can call any system that uses soilless growing mix and nutrient/water feeding hydroponics.

BocaBob

Joy

I'm on my 3rd planting using the same 5 gallon grow bags with coconut coir. The stuff looks and feels like the first day I hydrated it ( with some lingering roots in it). I'm going to keep reusing it until I can't (another BocaBob experiment)

BocaBob

Dev. - As someone with a pool, and about that much space on two sides, Ive wondered that myself lol

I dont get how he keeps it so clean.

Hey! And it's about merry ol' time! I just noticed Bob has changed from "leetomkatebob" to "BocaBob"! Good move, Bob! (er, uh, has it been that way and I am just now noticing it?)

Happy Gardening!
Shoe

Shoe,

It just happened, thanks to Terry in DG Admin

Terry's the best, eh!?

Now my confusion with names is, is, well, less confusing!

Happy Day to you! Have fun (and don't cook, just garden!).

Shoe

Thanks Shoe, and out to the garden for a couple hours

BocaBob

Great news on this end, I found someone who can change that burnt out electrical outlet outside, that means I can start looking for a portable heater for my new dreamhouse greenhouse!!!
joy112854