Growing Laterals...

[murihikukid]

Patti...Re Pollination ..I have a steel tube attached to each side of the freezer to help later with staking etc....I have just put a picture up on my new thread of my latest freezer. which shows these...I had hoped to get the drums with soil in them today but I have run out of time so it surely will be tomorrow ...I am just dieing to get the plants transplanted but I have to get an understanding of what the panel heater with a thermostat will do to the soil temperature and that will require in my mind at least 2 days testing ..there is also lighting to put up......Now I can flick either of the two tubes with my finger nail or just a gentle shake and the whole freezer vibrates as do all the plants with quite a vibration so I think this may do the trick for pollination....I tryed to chase a Bumble Bee inside but he out tricked me...another warm afternoon and unusual to see a bumble bee 4 days away from the shortest day...

Thankyou for your comprehensive explanation for my Pruning which I intend doing just prior to the transplanting...
I am hoping they will end up like the mother ..it was a beautiful plant and I still have not found out how they staked it so thats another bike ride next week..Regards Ron.

[murihikukid]

bigpinks..Thankyou for your input...Yes because my plants are 1/2 Tasty Tom and 1/2 Black from Tula or Spud Tula ?? with I think a Lisa King ...I should be able to start my greenhouse off (if I can get the alterations done in time) with cuttings taken especially from my Tasty Toms ..That will save me a considerable sum of money...

I am still hoping to get some type of soil warming up and running in my greenhouse ...as without it I question whether its worth my growing in it ....I am only a beginner but my present plants are so superior to anything I have grown in the past its amazing ..and I can only put that down to the wonderful help I have received especially from MissS and the fact I have used heating underneath all be it an electric blanket ..but I am sure heat from my lights is helping also...Cheers Ron

[murihikukid]

Patti...My plants are getting away on me... I am desparate to get more Freezers online ....but its not only the soil heat its also light I have to worry about...Its going to be a few weeks before I get my HPS bulbs from China so I plan to use a combination of CFL bulbs initially on my new freezer...BUT instead of the light coming directly on top of the plants I am hoping to put the fittings to the sides of the plant and I wondered if that would be OK till I get everything organised properly...

So I have attached two photos ... one of my freezer and another exactly the same but I have drawn in the aprox position of my Light fittings.....The mounting they are on will be able to be raised or lowered .....In fact I could another mounting panel across the freezer or across the ends ...Thats the beauty of the two steel supports that ring the freezers ....They allow me to set up lights, my staking and hold my blankets and I purchased these some time ago for the steel and they are now proving invaluable...It has occurred to me that if I could find some Flouro Tube fittings I could fit these at the sides also ...I purchased more large bed coverings from a charity shop last week so getting them is no problem..

I have another Freezer nearly ready to have lights etc fitted in it so two freezers equals Eight plants and I think I will have to keep the rest spread out more in the freezer they have grown in...When I get time I will start on the third freezer??

I am hoping I get the drums in the freezer today..The drums need another slight wash first..Then the soil mix can be put in and finally I can try and set up the thermostat to control the panel heater underneath ...

I would love to send you a photo of my Lisa King (if it is that ) but Its that cold today after a frosty night...I do not want to shift it from the warmth ..BUT regarding its colour ..Its foliage is a Dark Green and I mean dark ....One can see how dark it is against my Tasty Toms and Black Tula .....Two of my Tasty Toms are simply growing tall so fast I have to continually raise my light tubes ....I must see if I can get some more fittings as I have nine 5 foot LED tubes in storage....I wonder if its alright to cross post this on my new thread..Regards Ron

[MissS]

Ron you can always slow down your plants growth by allowing them to be in cooler temperatures. That will help to buy you some time to get your new environments ready for them. I do not know much about the side lighting but it sounds as if it may work OK. Try posting this idea in your new thread and see what if anything that others have to say.

Your Lisa King plant may be just one of those varieties that has very dark foliage. If you have been treating it the same way as the others then I would not be too concerned. If the leaves become brittle and turn down then I would advise you to flush the soil again to get some of the nitrogen out. I did take the time to look at the plant on Tatiana's great site, http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Lisa_King. The plants shown there do not seem to be a very dark green but it is always hard to tell from pictures exactly what color things actually are. Since it is a determinate I guess that I would flush the soil so that the plant will produce fruit rather that lush growth. A high phosphorous fertiliser would also be a benefit to promote more blossoms to this and all of your plants. It will also help to off set your high nitrogen.

Good Day ~ Patti

[murihikukid]

Patti thanks ..anything I do is all hit and miss but I really cannot see anything wrong with side lighting til I get more Flouro Tube fittings...If I want more light coming from above I could put a set of high side lights in....
I have 3 drums in and finishing the cleaning of 4th one ...Then I put stainless steel Pot Scrubs in the hole at the bottom so they drain but no soil falls out and then make the mix and tip in in ....

Then the fun starts cause although I have programed the STC - 1000 Thermostat previously I wonder if my memory will come back and tell me how I did it.....I looked everywhere for a soil Thermometer yesterday and nobody had one ...I think I have a long meat temperature thermometer somewhere and if I find it I can try it......
I am staggered by the growth....

Now can I go back to Pollination does the bee just shake the flower? and the pollen falls ?? I am just trying to get a picture in my mind cause as I have said in a previous post I can get my plants trembling by quick tapping of a vertical post....

Regards Ron...

[murihikukid]

Patti..So would ground,dried banana skins provide the phosphorous required?? I also have made contact with two potential suppliers of warming cable...one will even make up the cables to my specifications ....so once I get quotations I will have to make a choice....I will order four HPS bulbs on Ebay now as its 2.30am and i have been to sleep..
I finally emailed the Seed Company again re the incorrectly labeled seeds..No reply as yet ....If they do not reply I will have to seek another way of getting my seed for a couple of varieties on your list... Regards Ron

[bigpinks]

Originally Posted by bigpinks

Last yr the July suckers produced 16 oz fruit until late Oct. A few yrs back I gave one of these to my Dad and he took 2 huge Mr Stripey with him deer hunting which comes in Thanksgiving week in West Virginia. Prob had to cover them up a few times.

And picked them green I would bet...left that part out. I have pulled them and just stuck them in the ground with success and I have also nurtured them in water in the shade and failed. Kept in wet potting soil in large Styrofoam cups for 5 or six days works best for me.

[MissS]

Oh dear, you have forgotten about how the birds and the bees work and you would like for me to give you a lesson???

Well it seems to me that your way of thinking is just like most men's...........

Originally Posted by murihikukid

I can get my plants trembling by quick tapping of a vertical post....

All kidding aside, tomatoes are self-pollinating. The pollen needs to drop from the anthers onto the stigma for pollination to occur. Each grain of pollen creates one seed. The more pollen that is dropped, the more complete the pollination. If your plants are outdoors the wind and the bees will cause enough movement and vibration to allow the pollen to fall. The bees do vibrate the blossoms to cause pollen to fall while they are on the flowers collecting pollen. If your plants are indoors then pollination would not occur unless you give the plants some assistance.

Here is a very good video by our own Jen here at TV........

https://vimeo.com/44286909

Here are some threads for you to read........

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=40220
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=41122
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=32735

As long as you get the blossoms moving well and the humidity is not too high, you will achieve pollination.

No banana's will not be a source of phosphorous. Bone meal is, but I would not recommend using it indoors or in pots. You will get flies and maggots in your house. You can purchase phosphates at the garden center or buy a complete fertiliser with a high middle number. Miracle Grow has a Blossom Booster that has a high middle number. NPK - N = Nitrogen, P = Phosphorous, K = Potassium. When you look at a fertiliser package it will have three numbers on it. The first is N, second P and the third K.

If you understand your plants growth patterns you will know what and when you need to feed it. Early on your plants are making growth and roots. It needs N & P. Then growth slows a bit and flowering begins. It still needs N & P but not as much and soon will need more K to support the fruit growth. After the first harvest your plant will need to grow some more and then it is time for more N & P. So it goes.......... Nitrogen moves quickly through the soil and is rapidly washed out with water. P & K are far more stable and do not move well through the soil. Therefore you do not need to add them as often as N.

Regards ~ Patti

[MissS]

Originally Posted by bigpinks

And picked them green I would bet...left that part out. I have pulled them and just stuck them in the ground with success and I have also nurtured them in water in the shade and failed. Kept in wet potting soil in large Styrofoam cups for 5 or six days works best for me.

Yes, during the growing season starting plants from laterals is quite easy to do. However, Ron was starting his plants at the beginning of winter when the plants were shutting down for the season. In this case he had to re-program the plants from shutting down into a growth mode. If you look at his location he is in New Zealand. While we are in Spring/Summer he is in late Fall/Winter. A very big difference in growing seasons indeed. Try starting some laterals in late October or November, it is not so very easy to do at that point. Short days and cold temps are not well suited to starting plants.

[murihikukid]

Patti...I have been working all day and night? The soil mix (with banana powder?) is finally in the drums (3 of them ..I ran out for the 4th ) but I am short of a cable for the thermostat so will make one up later but I have to go for a scan at the hospital which will disrupt my day...I think you will see the thermostat in my photo ...its got power to it but doing nothing ..its only showing the air temperature from the probe within the freezer .. I power the panel heater up manually till the temperature reaches about 45 C and unplug the heater and sit and watch the temperature...It initially keeps rising for quite a number of minutes and slowly drops ...I presume it will take some time for the air heat to work through and raise the soil temperature...I have seen such a wide variation of soil temperatures for tomatoes it surprises me...Tomorrow with a cable ..I hope it will automaticly raise to the set temperature and be switched off and restart at a lower temperature that I will set on the thermostat and maybe after 48 hours I may feel a change in the soil temperature.....I am going to ask in another thread about this....I have ordered HPS bulbs and a 4 in 1 Soil Temperature probe via Ebay/China.......

I used over one and a 1/2 bags of Tui Tomato mix in 4 drums (this was round 1/3rd of the mix )..the rest was fine soil from the garage roof and 1/2 composted leaves...with plenty of Perlite...so these drums are going to be expensive and then I found bamboo stakes will cost me $24 for 10 ....and my intentions are to use 4...

i might have to try and recover some costs via the sale of plants or Tomatoes??

Later I will try and set up some lights after making my cable for the thermostat ....The ex owner of the Scrap metal business came round and said anything I require he will help me with....He is a real good guy? and has contacts to get more washing machine drums etc ....Meanwhile I received hardly any emails today including confirmation of posts on Tomatoville ..Last night I worked late sending emails re the Warming Cable and had expected responses today but so far nothing...

By the end of the week I could see 4 beautiful Tasty Toms raising from the Drums....its now getting exciting for me ..To reach this stage without too greater problems gives me a sense of satisfaction and that is why I have to be so careful especially using a panel heater ....Regards Ron

[MissS]

Ron everything is looking good and seems to be coming together for you very well.

You do not have to use bamboo for stakes you could use 1"x 1"s from your lumber store or metal posts for signs and such. I would imagine that your friend from scrape yard should have something that you could use for posts.

I hope the heating works out well.

Regards ~ Patti

[murihikukid]

Patti...I am up and powered my Freezer thermostat ..its 16.5C so its held a temperature within the freezer probably thanks to the cover I have round the drums keeping the heated air confined..I think thats not too bad with the heater being off during the night ...Thats a slightly air temperature than I have on my plants in the other freezer ...Once I have breakfast I will get a cable wired up for the thermostat ..One thing I do not want to do is overheat the soil......Regards Ron

[MissS]

Go slowly with the heat.........

This is getting to be fun.

Patti

[murihikukid]

Patti....I now know what is actually happening or at least I think I do....I have a setting of 23.8 C on the thermostat and I have a differential set at 5 degrees ....This differential determines at what temperature the heater will be switched on and off ..However I was confused at exactly what it was doing ...Apparantly the heater will start at a temperature of 18.8 degrees and rises quickly to 28.8 degrees and switches off...it very,very slowly drops in temperature back down to 18.8 degrees and starts the cycle again....So there is a 10 degree temperature swing or minus 5 degrees and plus 5 degrees of the 23.8 C setting I have on the themometer...I hope I have explained that adequately ....

So this is air temperature not soil temperature ...

Without a long soil probe (which could take three weeks to arrive) I can only put my hand in the soil and test it... and it does not feel that cold to me ...I feel I am better to err on the low side rather than the high side ....Hopefully later I can get a time for when the heater is off during each cycle.... its surprisingly a fair length of time which will help my electricity bill.....So my cover must be containing the heat within the freezer...I am now wondering if this way could be better that having warming cable embedded within the drums..

Today its all about lights..The housings have been cleaned but they all have to be put in place and wired....the bamboo has been purchased ....I certainly hope my plants grow big and high as the bamboo stakes will nearly touch the ceiling....but staking will be hit and miss with me ...I feel I need a good centre stake to hold the main stem securely and it cannot be put in the soil and this is how the washing machine drums come into their own because I can put a cross piece across the top of the drum specificly to hold the centre stake ..

I estimate that it will be Saturday before I transplant ...I am hoping you can advise me of any soil preparation etc before I do this...

The weather in the last few days has been exceptional ..the middle of winter and its better than the middle of summer...I actually made a rare visit to my greenhouse yesterday and although most plants are dead there is a half dead Early Girl with a green cluster of big fruit on it and they are ripening??


Meantime my temperature is down to 19.4 from the high of 28.8 and its dropping so slowly....which I feel is really good.....I will try and get its exact temperature when the heater comes back on...Regards Ron

[murihikukid]

Patti...Its working exactly as I thought ..once the temperature lowers to 18.8 the heater kicks in and within a few minutes pushes the temperature up to 28.8 and then the heater switches off ...Now to try and get a time that it takes to get back down to 18.8....I wonder if you know what would be a good soil temperature...I came across a warming cable website and they nominated 80 Degrees F for Tomatoes ??? That staggered me..my other freezer has an air temperature of about 62 degrees just above the pots so I would say the soil temperature would be a number of few degrees lower than that yet they are growing very nicely ...and would not too much heat deteriorate the soil......

The four light supports are being put on ...and I can put up to four CFL bulbs holders on each support ..these are from the side.......
I am hoping that I can cover all my freezers from above with 4 x 250W HPS Lights ....I only have four fittings and the bulbs are on their way??

My Tasty Toms value must be up to $20 a kilo???? If I can get a real great crop I will put them up for sale ...
Now seeds... No reply from the seed company so apparantly they are ignoring me ...I will contact you privately re this...
Regards Ron