Raybo's InnTainer 2011/12 Winter Indoor Tomato Project - Year #2 (pics)

[rnewste]

desert,

While the Clearex soil drench isn't absolutely necessary, I think it to be prudent to apply once mid-Season, as a preventative.

I've used it on the outdoor EarthTainers when I saw buildup of salts around the overflow hole.

mysidx,

Rather than try to stake the cages from the ground up - - I let "gravity" do the work by suspending the inverted cages from the upper section of the rack. A couple of zip-ties to join the upper and lower cages together and I'm done....

Raybo

[desertlzbn]

Do you then rinse out the clearx water from the container?

[rnewste]

Originally Posted by desertlzbn

Do you then rinse out the clearx water from the container?

After doing the initial soil drench with the Clearex, I then top water in spurts until water runs out the overflow hole for a minute or two. You don't want to flush this out for too long, as you can purge out the fertilizer and Dolomite Lime, which you want to remain in the EarthTainer.

With the InnTainer, after you do the Clearex drench and top water it in, you can rotate the clear level indicator tube to drain out most of the residual water in the reservoir, then refill the reservoir with fresh water.

Raybo

[rnewste]

Time again for a weekly update (after skipping last Saturday). Been VERY busy outside getting 32 EarthTainers reloaded with Grow Media, Lime, fertilizer, etc.

Anyway, I took a "Command Decision" this week to pare down the InnTainers. As my Outside Iditarod Red has now set 3 fruit, I've decided to focus my time on the outdoor prep activities:



Weather has been in the low 80's this past week, and while we are in a cooling trend, no frost predicted for at least the next 10 days. Nightime lows of 45 seem to be about it.

So, back to the indoor InnTainers. As we are getting really strong sunlight now, I simply couldn't justify the Power Bill in running the HPS light system. I've now eliminated 2 of the 6 InnTainers (yes, Mano and Demidov were among those taken down), but the free Lumens from the Sun are now well able to grow the tomato plants in Rack #1 at the window.



Victorian Dwarf and now Mountain Princess (foreground) are producing ripe fruit:



Rosella Purple has set a disappointing 2 fruit only to date:



Like Naysen, I've had a number of blossom drops off the trusses:



On the other hand, Iditarod Red, which is in the same InnTainer, has been a real performer:





Several trusses with 5 or 6 fruitset!

Unlike Rosella Purple, the Iditarod Red is flowering prolifically:



(You-Go-Girl!!!)

The overwintered Peppers are doing well, and they should give me a jump on an early outdoor harvest this year:



One thing I should have been doing - - which is now easier, is to do "The Tainer Tango" and rotate the rack 180 degrees so the plants facing in, now get the direct sunlight. I plan to do this every other week from here on out:



And finally, here are the pickings from today:



They will be in the Dinner salad tonight!

Raybo

A most excellent thread Raybo.

[akgardengirl]

Iditarod Red loves those night time lows of 45...it's feeling right at home. Only Container Ted can tell you how they did in that hot southern sun in TN.
Sue B.

PS Am I seeing some little pointy ends on IR? That is how they grow here in AK but others that have grown them out didn't get them. Maybe they are showing up more often now...it used to be a topic of discussion for me a couple years back. I can't wait to see what Craig gets down in NC.

[rnewste]

Sue,

Yes, I'm not sure what to call them but they are noticeable. You in Alaska really came up with a hardy Dwarf variety.

Looking forward to grow Yukon Quest later this Summer.

Raybo

[akgardengirl]

I hope the taste is up there for you as it was for me. In the past, one of my selections had more nippled ends instead of pointy. I may go back to that one and see if I can get a good tasting tomato out of it. It was maybe the F4 generation.
Sue B.

[z_willus_d]

Ray, w.r.t. your low fruit set on RP and it's dropping blossoms, could you observe the formation of it's flowers and monitor for the defects that Patrina listed in my thread on blossom drop. I'm curious if you're seeing those malformed blooms and if so whether any of them managed to set fruit. I'm finding that aiding pollination with a my wife's (currently unused -- forever so far as I know ) vibrating toothbrush has really helped with the Rosella Purple fruit set. I will say that while my RP plants set 1 or 2 fruits each at first, it took another month or two before they were pushing out a lot of flowers, so it may be that you just have to give that plant more time. Sadly, for me the time those first fruits had to hang before ripening must have deleteriously affected their flavor, or rather consistency. They were very mushy and tasted half-way on their way to fermenting. I plan to write up my first fruit harvest in Lakelady's winter grow-out thread.

Good luck!
Naysen

[rnewste]

Naysen,

Regarding the RP blossom drop, you can see in the above picture where the truss ends have become "fuzzy" where the blossoms fell off. What is really strange is that the Iditarod Red in the SAME container - - meaning the SAME fertilizer, water, etc. is not exhibiting this degree of blossom drop.

I wonder if various Dwarf Project varieties are more "robust" versus others in tolerating soil conditions, moisture level, etc. Got to give it to the Ladies up there in Alaska, as it would appear they developed a very tolerant plant variety. Next Winter, you have to grow Iditarod Red.

Raybo

[z_willus_d]

Hi Ray, thanks for responding. Keep an eye on that Rosella because, ironically, it's the variety of the six that I'm growing (RP, Mr. Snow, Smrt Green/Gold, Tasmanian Chocolate, and Beryl Beauty) that's fared best in my "garden." Based on my experience, I will be growing RP again, but I'm going to dump the others from any future indoor grow lists. If the Iditarod Red turns out as well as it's hinting (and in taste too), I'll definitely be giving it a try next year.

Thanks,
Naysen

[rnewste]

Naysen,

I potted up about 25 tomato and Pepper plants today using the Ocean Forest product that Damon recommended. Looks like promising stuff.

After working with it today, I agree with your assessment that it is too "potent" (for lack of a better word) to use as the only Peat component in the 3:2:1 Combo Mix, so I will be doing as you suggest and use a 1.5 : 1.5 : 2 : 1 ratio of Ocean Forest, Sunshine Mix #4, Microbark, and Perlite in the remaining EarthTainers needing to be filled (about 8 more).

This will be a good run-off contest this Summer before loading up the InnTainers with hopefully this same ratio, come Fall timeframe.

Raybo

[z_willus_d]

I'm glad we're in agreement Ray. Let's hope for a nice, predictable Spring and moderate Summer. Of course, sitting we're you're at, that's probably not too uncommon.
-naysen

[akgardengirl]

Ray, I am sure that the plants hardiness comes from that northern parent, Black from Tula. Ted did get much better production in the hotter weather and you will probably get it too. If our growing season was just a little longer then we would see it up here. We do get all that light, day and night, in the summer but not much of sun or heat. I am enjoying hearing the progress reports on the IR.
Sue B.

[lakelady]

Great photos and notes Raybo! Interesting to read about the container mix as I'm planning to make several more for outdoors this spring and I may also try the 50/50 potting mix with pine bark fines and perlite.

Great to see which dwarf varieties grow better in the inntainers as well to get some perspective for the next winter project! THANKS as always!