Raybo's EarthTainer "Farm" - 2017
 

Well, a little late in getting started this year - but everything is finally planted:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4600.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4600.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The tomatoes were first in on April 3. Early Girl have already set fruit:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4611.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4611.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Momotaro have gotten in the act too:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4618.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4618.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

My biggest surprise is how early the Big Beef have set fruit:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4620.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4620.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The cukes are doing well in the warm California Sun:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4626.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4626.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

So hopefully, lot's of blue sky and no infestation nor fungal issues this Season:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4617.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/EarthTainer%20pix/IMG_4617.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Raybo:D:D

Good to see your first-of-the season post Ray :yes:!

Beautiful, as always! Thanks for posting.

Looking good Ray. Come 1 July you should have a jungle with ripe fruits.:)

Ami

Love it all! Your Big Beef tomatoes are much bigger than mine.

Hi peebee, Linda and Ami and Deborah,

After a VERY wet Winter / Spring the warm weather has finally returned (will be 92 on Sunday). Haven't heard from Anne or Sprtsguy76 in a while....

The Big Beef have really surprised me with the rapid fruit growth:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/IMG_4632.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_4632.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/IMG_4634_1.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_4634_1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The Sweet Success cukes are now flowering:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/IMG_4635.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_4635.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

So, I am a Happy Camper!

Raybo:D

Lookin good Ray !!

Ray, what are you using for mulch in your 'tainers? Why did you choose that topping?

dust,

On the EarthTainers I use the same Microbark (from HD in the gold bag) that I use for the 3-2-1 combo mix. On the EarthBoxes I use the small size Orchid Bark.

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/IMG_0166.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_0166.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL="http://s1066.photobucket.com/user/raybo31/media/IMG_3912_zpsdx6sxwla.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u405/raybo31/IMG_3912_zpsdx6sxwla.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

It keeps the containers cooler in the hot Sun. The naked black plastic would simply absorb too much heat.

Raybo:D

Ray, thanks for your response :)

Looks great Ray! Good to see you still at it out there in California.

Looks great, Ray! Here is my own just a few miles down the road...

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Quick question on your layers of mesh netting...do you manually guide the vines/branches thru certain vertical "channels" or do you let them just find their own way, as they wish?

About once a week I go around and pull the stems back into the trellis netting in the cages:

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I trim some of the branches that extend outside the cages to keep focus on vertical growth.

My first Early Girl is now blushing:

[URL="http://s253.photobucket.com/user/rnewste/media/IMG_4645.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_4645.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I'm just down Winchester from you in Los Gatos, at Hacienda. Really like the copper foil bands you installed to keep away the snails. Great idea!

I would also recommend you cover your black plastic mulch with the microbark as in my post above. Our hot Sun will dry out the roots otherwise.

Raybo:yes:

Looks fantastic as always Ray.
If my experiments with the sight tube work I'm going to call them Worth Tainers. :lol:
Worth

Thanks Ray! Yep, the copper works great. I need to replace some sections of it each year as the adhesive isn't the greatest, but much better than resorting to any sort of bait/poison, since my dog is too nosy for her own good!

I've got three Early Girl plants, but I think I'm about 3-4 weeks behind you. Just starting to set the first fruit.

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This is my first year growing cukes, and I'm amazed at how fast and lush they are growing. This is just a little more than 3 weeks of growth.

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My next project is to rig up a rudimentary watering system to keep these watered when I go on vacation in July. I don't think I need to go all the way to the set up you describe in the Earthtainer instructions, but I'll probably just rig some hoses on a timer, and deal with some temporary water waste for the time that I'm gone.

I know your area well...I've got some good friends that live by Jack Fisher Park. I'm out on the East side of LG, near Leigh and Blossom Hill.

And yes, I will be adding the microbark cover shortly...thanks for the reminder!!

It has been one week shy of 3 months since plantout, and the garden is developing well:

[URL="http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/raybo71/media/IMG_4680_zpsi9cltgop.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a444/raybo71/IMG_4680_zpsi9cltgop.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Been picking Early Girl, Big Beef, Golaith and today Momotaro:

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Goliath on the left and two Momotaro with Sweet Success cuke:

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The Sweet Success in my EarthBox is growing over its cage:

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Quite prolific as well:

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The Sweeter Yet in the EarthTainer are really liking this June weather.

[URL="http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/raybo71/media/IMG_4678_zpsoz4za6cz.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a444/raybo71/IMG_4678_zpsoz4za6cz.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

More Momotaro are about ready to pick:

[URL="http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/raybo71/media/IMG_4702_zpsi2xvqre5.jpg.html"][IMG]http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a444/raybo71/IMG_4702_zpsi2xvqre5.jpg[/IMG][/URL]


So far, no bugs nor fungal issues (I have not had to spray for either yet). Hope the good fortune continues:

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Raybo:D:D

Wow, looks really nice Raybo.

Great looking plants!!!!!

Momotaro will be grown every year in my garden; this year, the plants are vigorous, stems are super thick and they are the last to succumb to those dreadful spider mites.
Your plants look wonderful as usual! My cukes are struggling and will probably not survive (again, 3rd year in a row, killed by mites) and the beans died before I had a single bean. Nothing like a fresh bean, alas they are mite magnets. :(

Hey Raybo,
I'm starting to think about what I might want to plant to get fall/winter usage out of my 'tainers, after the tomato run is done. Do you have any suggestions of crops that are successful in our area for a growing season opposite our tomatoes?

Thanks in advance!

Am growing Sweet Success cukes, though in a raised bed this year, and have to thank you Raybo for your recommendation...getting many slim cukes with a narrow seed cavity. Thanks again!!

2017 has been an extremely good year, while my Season has peaked, I am happy with production:

[URL="https://flic.kr/p/XV138p"][IMG]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4415/36699403685_0bb812afb5_b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

No Daconil nor Take Down spraying at all this year!

Farmette:

You might want to give a variety called Seeeter Yet a try. Here they are on the right (Sweet Success on the left):

[URL="https://flic.kr/p/Xj5Zpo"][IMG]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4350/36304292720_1c232180e0_b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

They really grew at an amazing rate:

[URL="https://flic.kr/p/Xj5Zm7"][IMG]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4441/36304292530_c6222ea912_b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
.
MSchep,

You certainly can grow a Fall crop in your EarthTainers, as our weather is good through October. I would normally do that, but this year I have had a "volunteer" crop growing along the fence which should take me through to December:

[URL="https://flic.kr/p/Xj8Uuh"][IMG]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4380/36304861520_763fb5a683_b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Happy Camper this year!

Raybo:D:D

Thanks, Ray! Sweeter Yet for next season!

Farmette,

Sweeter Yet seeds are far cheaper than Sweet Success (about 9 cents / seed) at Jung Seed. See link:

[url]https://www.jungseed.com/P/02175/Sweeter+Yet+Hybrid+Cucumber[/url]

Mine are averaging about 18 inches long. Probably should pick at 12 to 15 inches.

Raybo:)

Oh my! That is a site I thought I'd never see. Ground tomatoes by Raybo! LOL! Looking great as always Ray.

Dewayne

Hey Dewayne,

The in-ground tomatoes were a "happy accident". Had the Landscaper remove old bushes, etc. to clear out an area for some flower plantings. However, the irrigation system ignited seeds from winging old tomatoes in previous years flung back in those bushes. Needless to say when I saw the volunteer plants growing nicely over the past month, I figured it would make a nice late Season crop.

Sometimes, it is better to be lucky than good....

Raybo:twisted:

The in ground plants slipped past me.:lol:

Worth