Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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November 28, 2017 | #16 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 1,460
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Depends if you want fixed lights on the shelves or would like to be able to raise and lower them over the plants. This is what I use, But I suspend the lights from the ceiling and raise that back up to use as ceiling lights when I am not using the lights for plants. You might be able to get them cheaper some place. Got my at Garden.com I think.
https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-...+pulley+system |
November 28, 2017 | #17 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 4,832
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Under lights or not, until the transplants go into the solo cups, I keep them in a solid tray so they get bottom watered and without leaks.
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November 28, 2017 | #18 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MA/NH Border
Posts: 4,917
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November 29, 2017 | #19 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 4,832
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November 29, 2017 | #20 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MA
Posts: 903
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Quote:
For each shelf, you'll need a 4ft long board, 3/4" thick and as wide as the shelf, Easy to cut from a piece of plywood. lay it on the metal shelf. Small hooks can be screwed from below, into the shelf above to hang the lights. If you use small chain for the lights (that usually comes with them) adjusting for height is a piece of cake. Last edited by taboule; November 29, 2017 at 11:52 AM. |
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November 29, 2017 | #21 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Ireland
Posts: 211
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I use LED lights, and rest them on a plastic box. The box increases the humidity a bit, which is useful. When the plants get taller, I move them into a taller box.
I use glue dots, used for sticker posters on walls, to stop the LEDs from sliding off the boxes but I can still move them easily Last edited by Hatgirl; November 29, 2017 at 12:32 PM. |
November 29, 2017 | #22 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Brantford, ON, Canada
Posts: 1,341
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LED Home Depot and a 5 gallon pail,.
http://durgan.org/2017/April%202017/...%20light/HTML/ 5 April 2017 LED light
Four growing containers were made to facilitate small plant growth. There is room for six pots in each bucket for a total of 24 which is a reasonable amount for a home grower. Various seeds are started and grown to a reasonable size prior to placing in outdoor garden about May 25. Experimentation indicates the light is adequate for the purpose indicated, precluding much more expensive lights. Main advantage being very little heat is produced by LED lights. Details of construction. The parts used were obtained locally 22 liter bucket beverage trade, 110 volt fan ordered off the internet, LED lamp from the local hardware store. lamp fitting a trouble lamp cord and socket. Vent holes and fan hole were made using a soldering iron and melting the plastic as required. Approximate cost: bucket $3.00, fan $25.00,LED Lamp $40.00,lamp electrical fitting $12.00. Total cost ~$80.00.They should last several years. Power consumption LED and fan is about 35 watts. |
November 29, 2017 | #23 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 3,825
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I rarely bottom water in starter flats. I top water with a nice fat syringe. Acquaints me with each plant daily.
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Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers |
November 29, 2017 | #24 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 4,832
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Quote:
I like looking my plants over often, and have the habit of brushing my hands across their tops - the smell is great and reminds me of the end results. Last edited by imp; November 29, 2017 at 09:39 PM. |
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November 29, 2017 | #25 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 3,825
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With 1400 plants I'd bottom water too!
__________________
Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers |
November 29, 2017 | #26 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas
Posts: 4,832
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Here is a link to the T'ville thread for the dense planting thing:
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=437 It was pretty eassy, DM, not as much work as it may seem. |
November 30, 2017 | #27 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Zone 6
Posts: 92
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That PVC contraption is a thing of beauty.
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November 30, 2017 | #28 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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A thousand ways to do it all successfully. $$$ or $ or free cycle.
My first set-up years ago was two metal shelving units from a building recycle place. Now in the garage for storage of various things one puts on shelves and rarely use...the gack and product. Home Depot has them new for about 25bucks. I now have fixed wooden shelves, adjustable if needed easy enough. Downstairs work/project room. I'm growing year round micro greens and micro toms so I still am constantly making adjustments. Done with chains and pulleys. Fixed lights. I block up trays from below with stacks of wood blocks as needed. One shelf/light for starts, another for micro greens. Another for taller potted up toms. I still have the pulleys NIB and even a couple timers but never used them last year. You will want to start your peppers a few weeks ahead of toms. Slooow to get going. Just need a shelf system first using the lights you have. So spread out the sticker shock, then add another light or two later when potting up. I just run my lights 24/7 for the last couple weeks and shift the trays around so they all get what they need. The other delicate starts like cukes really just need a week or two, maybe three waiting for good weather to plant out. They don't transplant that well anyway but a head start helps. Peppers and toms are usually already out and hardening off when I start those. Fast growers. Some of the more expensive table-top systems are one trick, not valuable storage the rest of the year. My shelves hold all the trays, soil, food, usual gack the rest of the year. Lights on eye/waist level shelves so easy to quick check on them. Once potted up in 4" cups, I can fit 36 tom/pepper starts per shelf/light. 72 with two shelves. Double that if I run lights 24/7. |
November 30, 2017 | #29 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MA/NH Border
Posts: 4,917
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Quote:
Two fixtures per shelf. It gives me full coverage without having to do any rotating. I use 1020 trays turned sideways (short end against the back of the shelf rail) and can fit four side-by-side. I just leave the end that hangs off the shelf full of empty pots to keep the ones with plants from tipping over. |
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December 1, 2017 | #30 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Zone 6
Posts: 92
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Ah, so the lights are oriented in the same direction as the trays?
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