Worth's Peppers and Tomatoes For 2016.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

If you are growing them under a hoop or tent, you can install a thermostatically controlled exhaust fan

Gardeneer

Right now with this set up they are growing under the equivalent of a make shift hobo shack.
I have a fan set up about 20 feet away down the hallway blowing air at the setup.
The house thermostat is set on 66 degrees F.
The temperature in the tomato hobo shack is 78.8 degrees F steady.
The soil temperature is at 70 degrees F.
By the end of the light cycle the soil temps go up some more and then everything drops back down at night.
As far as the tomato plants are concerned it is springtime in Texas.
My sauerkraut crock Krokatoa, has settled down too.

Worth

[Worth1]

Here we are on 12/19/2015 at 12:30 PM.
Looks like a few are about to go into the vegetative growth stage.
I have other things going on but chose to keep taking a picture of the same plants from the same view and angle.
Worth
IMG_20151219_49582.jpg

Here is the pictuer from 2 days ago for comparison.

[Aerial]

Wow, the growth rate is incredible. Impressive!

Originally Posted by Worth1

Here we are on 12/19/2015 at 12:30 PM.
Looks like a few are about to go into the vegetative growth stage.
I have other things going on but chose to keep taking a picture of the same plants from the same view and angle.
Worth

[Gardeneer]

Ok, Worth. ..Now I think know where and how your setup is and working.
Are you using incandescent high wattage lights? With CFL you cannot heat the space to 85F or near it.
I do mine (when the time comes) In a spare room with the temperatures 65 to 70F, cause I want them to grow stocky . In my situation the soil temperature stabilize at room temperature. So then in 6-8 weeks they are no taller than 10".

I realize that we have different climates and ways of doing things.
By the time you are planting out , I will be sowing.

Gardeneer.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Ok, Worth. ..Now I think know where and how your setup is and working.
Are you using incandescent high wattage lights? With CFL you cannot heat the space to 85F or near it.
I do mine (when the time comes) In a spare room with the temperatures 65 to 70F, cause I want them to grow stocky . In my situation the soil temperature stabilize at room temperature. So then in 6-8 weeks they are no taller than 10".

I realize that we have different climates and ways of doing things.
By the time you are planting out , I will be sowing.

Gardeneer.

No I am using CFL lights and if I want I can heat the space to well above 100 degrees F.
All 12 of the 100 watt CFL lights have there own ballast and they are giving off heat.
Plus the CFL lights are so hot you cant put your hands on them without it burning you.
Not as bad as an incandescent but hot.
on top of each light I have a paper plate as a reflector between the bulb and the porcelain fixture.
It is not even close to being hot enough to catch on fire.

On top of the frame I have a big white towel that not only reflects some light back but also acts as an insulator.

So you are looking at 1200 watts of light energy and 23 watts times 12 = 276 watts worth of energy being converted from electricity to heat keeping it warm.

I'm keeping the lights about 1 inch from the top of the tallest plants.
My thermometers are set about 5 inches to each side of two lights in the middle of the frame on one side.

As everyone knows you cannot create or destroy energy you can only convert it to something else.

I chose light and heat evenly dispersed with CFL lights.
The water consumption is one pint per tray per day at this time.


Worth

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Aerial

Wow, the growth rate is incredible. Impressive!

Thanks.
I'm afraid they will get away from me but I dont really care.
If you look at the one plant in the front row you will see a dead tip on the first leaf.
This is where one time I set the lights too close and it burned the tip.
I think I was about 1/4 inch from the leaf.
I did this on purpose to see how close I could get.

Worth

[Worth1]

Okay I said I had a plan and here it is.
It is a fancy aluminum convertible dolly that has a wire rack fastened to it.
The plants will go outside on a back porch with filtered light because all of the leaves from the trees are gone.
This area gets sunlight from sun up till about 4:00 PM.
At night and during cold snaps they come back into the living room.
Worth
IMG_20151219_28542.jpg
Here they are protected from the north wind and the rack will be wired to the fence so the rack doesn't fall over.
If the wind is out of the south it is warm.

IMG_20151219_4238.jpg

[Worth1]

I Just had one of those idiot moments.
If you look at the last pictuer you will see a large dark glass table top leaning against the fence.
This 200 pound monstrosity just got cleaned up and hauled into the house.
All of the plants were taken to a (((SAFE)))) area and the glass top was set on the oak table top.
This top is 41 inches wide by 54 inches long with rounded corners.
The top it is now sitting on is 30 X 48.
By doing this I now have enough room to set my water bottle.
The ends are now long enough so I can move the plants out farther without them hanging off the edge.

The thing has been sitting there all this time and I have been avoiding cutting a sheet of plywood up.

Worth

[AKmark]

Worth, by looking at you last pics, I just cant imagine you would rather be on the Slope

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AKmark

Worth, by looking at you last pics, I just cant imagine you would rather be on the Slope

You mean wouldn't rather be on the Slope.
Nope not at all.
It is a society based on fear and punishment.
Worth

[Gerardo]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Here we are on 12/19/2015 at 12:30 PM.
Looks like a few are about to go into the vegetative growth stage.
I have other things going on but chose to keep taking a picture of the same plants from the same view and angle.
Worth

Here is the pictuer from 2 days ago for comparison.

Fast and furious growth. The heat seems to be just right. Great pics.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Gerardo

Fast and furious growth. The heat seems to be just right. Great pics.

Thanks I think I have it figured out.
Before when I had them sitting on the wood table the soil temps were always 5 degrees cooler than the air temperature.
When I put the thick glass table top on top of the wood the soil temperature stabilized and is the same as the air.
Both are at 75 degrees F.
I have an idea behind this but looked on line and cant find exactly what I want because of the internet clutter.
Basically the darkened glass is collecting the heat better than the wood is and giving it back to the trays.
The wood was collecting it but not giving it back.
I can tell this just by putting my hand on the glass.
It is acting like a big warm stone.

My next experiment is I am going to fold up a towel and put it under one of the trays and see if the heat sink effect can be eliminated.

Worth

[Worth1]

Lets see if we can't kill some tomato plants.
These two fellers are going outside in their new home.
Each was planted in some seed starting mix with a few shots of MG almost full strength.
The pepper is getting kicked out of the house too.
I have plenty of these two types of tomatoes to spare.
Worth
IMG_20151220_56566.jpg

IMG_20151220_8930.jpg

IMG_20151220_41842.jpg

[Gardeneer]

Spring Training !

When I plant out, the outside temps are in 40 -56F range most of the times. It might go down to 36F and on the high side up to 65F. This is around mid April I am talking. No problems, except they won't grow noticeably fast.
Tomato plants are tough and resilient. As long as you don't get frost ( which you NEVER do) then there is no life threat.

PS: I have heard some gardeners speaking against clear cups potting. But I am not sure.

Gardeneed

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Spring Training !

When I plant out, the outside temps are in 40 -56F range most of the times. It might go down to 36F and on the high side up to 65F. This is around mid April I am talking. No problems, except they won't grow noticeably fast.
Tomato plants are tough and resilient. As long as you don't get frost ( which you NEVER do) then there is no life threat.

PS: I have heard some gardeners speaking against clear cups potting. But I am not sure.

Gardeneed

Okay let me clear this (((MYTH))) about growing in clear containers up right now and yes I have proof.
I have been doing it for years.
Here is a Cherokee purple and others growing in a glass jar and planted out late.
Worth
IMG_0156 rr.jpg

IMG_0157 rr.jpg

IMG_0158 rr.jpg

IMG_0169 rr.jpg