Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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January 17, 2017 | #31 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 219
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Great information! I want to try this...
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January 18, 2017 | #32 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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Dang makes me want to try it. So you just cut them with scissors? I wonder if diatomaceous earth would work with sunflowers to keep the mold at bay? It holds moisture longer as well. Just a thought.
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January 18, 2017 | #33 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
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Watch the couple of videos johnnys seeds has on growing micros. Yeah you just grab a handful and cut with scissors.
The spicy brassica mix is the bomb, but my kids like the mild. You can totally knock out a tray van, in 10-14 days from seed to scissors. |
January 19, 2017 | #34 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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Yeah I was looking at the mixes on MVseeds. Is that where you got yours PH? Just watched the vid. That salt shaker idea is pure genus! Looks easy enough. I think I may try a few and see how it goes over. I don't think anyone else does micros at my market so maybe i can fill a niche.
Last edited by BigVanVader; January 19, 2017 at 09:22 AM. |
January 19, 2017 | #35 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
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I started with Johnny's 2 brassica mixes to keep it simple. I would probably buy ounces of their different categories in the future and make my own mixes to add more color and spice. Their pre-mixes don't have cress or radish in them and I'd like to see a little more purple/red color.
The shaker is cool. I just put my seeds in a small Dixie cup and sprinkled away. Did the outside edges first, then worked the middle. Then had enough seed in the cup to go back and do the edges and middle again. 15 grams per tray. |
January 19, 2017 | #36 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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I have a tray of MV spicy i need to harvest and another small tray of pea that is TALL and needs to be used tonight. Still very tender.
I started separate small trays of broccoli, coriander, celery, beet, arugula, more peas, a few days ago that were stacked. I un-covered those sprouting this morning. Now under lights. The MV spicy mix is not much variety. Johnny's, though a bit more expensive, does have more variety in its mix. I'll take some pics when i cut. The UrbanGardener, Curtis Stone, has quite a few videos. The advice for market gardeners by most growing is to set up your customers before diving in. Harvesting in 10 to 12 days needs a buyer. BigV, I have relatives in the Greenville area and those that would buy can't afford it and grow their own. Knowing your customers and what they might buy would be the key to the variety. Pea shoots are quick growers and 'look' more substantial and more like the actual plant. Well, since they are. But don't look as much like 'sprouts'. Many rely on a few restaurant orders. A local heath food store might be a good customer. They seem to like the pea, broccoli and sunflower. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEvqngpDJqo |
January 19, 2017 | #37 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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Very true Oakley, might not be much of a market here. I'm going to just do a couple of flats for personal use for now. When market starts I can see how much interest there is. Thanks for the tips.
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January 19, 2017 | #38 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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Quote:
My Bil and SIl are near Pendleton. Goats and rabbits and chickens. Professor at Clemson, the GovernorsSchool...but horrid at gardening. I plant 3 dozen tomatoes, mulched, 3 rows of salads, peas, beans, fast zippy in a few hours.. they are still looking at the sky being poetic resting on their fork and hoe, lol, contemplating the next sowing. Snail pace. Success is go get it and plant. |
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January 20, 2017 | #39 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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Lol, yeah I know the type. I'm curious about how many flats will one ounce do of the johnny's mix? I'm wanting to do my big seed order from them today.
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January 20, 2017 | #40 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
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At 15 grams of seed needed per 1020 tray, once ounce of seeds will do 2 trays.
Math: 1 ounce = 28.3 grams. I rounded up to 30 grams. 30 grams/15 grams of seed per tray= 2 trays. |
January 20, 2017 | #41 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
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Thanks PH!
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January 20, 2017 | #42 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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You'll get two full trays aprox.
And maybe you will want to start with a half tray. For trial. In 7-10 days that is a lot of salad. 4-5 days the other half seeded and covered. I cut my trays in half for easier maneuvering. The 20 row trays that were just sitting around as i found no use for them for any other seed starting. Made my own mix last night and trying a couple more in the small trays. |
January 20, 2017 | #43 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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January 22, 2017 | #44 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 3,194
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I know nothing about microgreens except what I've read in this thread, so a couple of noob questions.
1. When you cut the tops off, do they grow back? 2. When they're finished, can you re-use the soil or do you always use new? 3. If so, why? 4. And what do you do with the old soil? Nan |
January 22, 2017 | #45 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NewYork 5a
Posts: 2,303
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No, it is not a cut-and-come-again salad like mesclun mixes.
Not much soil is used, 1/2 inch. And usually a thick web of roots. Compost. Especially the pea shoots. I do have a 'trub' container in the basement/garage that i have saved for some spring containers for kitchen deck herbs. Just planning to use as bottom 'pot filler' soil. (i maybe have 2 gallon amount) Once cut you have plant waste and roots, they will rot. Just like store bought salad after a few weeks in the fridge. If you use/buy the salad mixes in the bags from the grocery....those flavorless mixes at a high cost per pound...cut days before, this is an alternative to have fresh greens at home cut just before making a salad. Much more flavor. Veggie greens that are the exact plant of its later in life plant. The pea shoots tasted just like a Spring pea. Broccoli, chard, beet, celery, cilantro, etc grown as micro are the exact same plant with the exact same flavor, just tiny plants. Same food value. Just compact. |
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