Containers Growing ?

[ginger2778]

Salt, I know this is off topic, but so many have been able to get off their addictive opiates(codeine) by using medical marijuana, if that's an option for you. I mention this because if there was ever someone who it was medically necessary for, I think that's you.
Not sure if it's legal yet in your state.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Salt, I know this is off topic, but so many have been able to get off their addictive opiates(codeine) by using medical marijuana, if that's an option for you. I mention this because if there was ever someone who it was medically necessary for, I think that's you.
Not sure if it's legal yet in your state.

Yeah they passed the law some time ago like last year or so, total joke so far.
They even put the Texas DPS in charge of it and super high taxes/permits and so on.
Leave it to these old narrow minded coots to mess up a good thing.
Many of the excuses are the debate as to whether it does harm.
Really after all the drug recalls and what they do.
Give me a break.
Sorry Salt
Worth

[DocBrock]

I have several patients who use it and no longer have to take drugs like gabapentin, imitrex, and topamax. All of those are neurological drugs. If marijuana isn't legal in TX, maybe look into cbd oil. The molecules in cannabidiol are what's responsible for most of the pain relieving properties of medical marijuana. CBD oil doesn't get you high either.

[AlittleSalt]

Everyone, medical MJ in my opinion is not going off topic. As I have written many times, gardening is therapy for me. As far as MJ goes, it has been so many years since I tried it that I don't remember what it's like - other than how some of it smells.

What Worth wrote is spot-on for Texas. MJ is not legal here. I live in a county where the judges and many lawyers are the same ones that were here in the 1970s.

Doing the research for this thread, a lot of sites came up about growing MJ in states where it is legal - or not. It seems that MJ has a lot in common with tomato growing. Some of the same problems happen too.

If it was legal, I would try it. It is difficult moving today. I did not think the pain would last this long at this level when I mowed the yard and did other things last Thursday. I still haven't taken the medicine prescribed, but today, I may have to. The pain has also affected my anxiety level.

My mother swears by cbd oil. She has also started smoking MJ. Most of my extended family does too, and my wife's relatives. We seem to be the black sheep of the families. As I think about it, a large percentage of the people I have known smoke MJ.

The container tomatoes and squash plants look great. The tomato plants are outgrowing the temporary cages. You can't help but say, "Wow" when seeing the amount of growth they have put on each day. There are not many flowers - it has been too hot. It is usually hotter here than at DFW airport where the official records are taken.

[GrowingCoastal]

"The pain has also affected my anxiety level."

Yes, I have noticed that too many days of pain, especially with not enough sleep, does the same to me even if I am aware of what's going on with that. You have my sympathy. I hope this bout is over soon for you.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by GrowingCoastal

"The pain has also affected my anxiety level."

Yes, I have noticed that too many days of pain, especially with not enough sleep, does the same to me even if I am aware of what's going on with that. You have my sympathy. I hope this bout is over soon for you.

This week, I get sleepy in the middle of the day - like I need to take a nap. It does go away. I keep thinking that tomorrow, I will wake up ready to do things again. I guess it's a waiting game.

[DocBrock]

You ever try magnesium supplements salt? There's a product called natural calm that is a raspberry lemonade flavored powder that you mix in water, tastes amazing. Works really well for both pain and anxiety. I use it all the time for muscle aches and it chills you out a bunch. I was skeptical of it at first but it's legit. Research what magnesium's role is in your physiological processes and it'll make more sense. The supplement is cheap too and can be found at any vitamin store. Completely natural and safe. You could probably give some to your plants too haha.

[AlittleSalt]

I will have to check that out Doc.

There was some improvement today after a rough start. The anxiety seems to be gone for now. I was able to get out there and water all the beds and buckets and do a little bit of weeding in the raised beds. Positive signs.

(Container Gardening) There was some wilting when the plants were in the full sun, but then it got cloudy and the plants perked up. I watered using the food solution after it became cloudy. I used two 5 gallon buckets of water/solution for 15 plants - 12 tomato and 3 buckets of summer squash which look very good for being planted a couple weeks late.

[Tomzhawaii]

Salt,
It's good that you have an open mind. I hope your determination continues, either in the garden or with your health. Both are important.
I recently made a rail system to grow lettuce. As it turns out, I have been missing out. It's practically no hands on after planting. There's a whole groupie fad thing that grows everything this way. Basically just 5gal buckets with a 3" drip cup in the botton to wick the water up to the plants. Flippin genius. Hook up the hose to the float and watch it grow. I don't have the space for that. But mine is coming along nice.
Aloha & go green. 😃 Tom

[AlittleSalt]

Just a thought as I was hanging out clothes (Out in the Texas Heat/sun)... Growing in 5 gallon containers/buckets is 'in ways' like square foot gardening. The spacing of the buckets would be different from how I've done it. I spaced the buckets 3.5' apart as if I were growing tomatoes in all 20 buckets, but I'm not growing just tomatoes.

Another thought is that with square foot gardening - the roots don't have a plastic container keeping them from spreading - in a square foot garden they can spread. Just something to think about.

[Nan_PA_6b]

3.5' apart allows you access from all sides. And it keeps tall plants like tomatoes from shading their neighbors. But it is kind of like square foot gardening.
Nan

[AlittleSalt]

The thought I had mostly about the square foot gardening is how many plants of whatever vegetable could grow in each bucket. As I wrote - it's just a thought.

__________________________________________________ ________________________

The official high today was 95F at DFW Airport, but all three of our thermometers read 100F. Our squash plants in buckets bloomed this morning but the leaves wilted during the hottest part of the day. They look good again this evening now that they are in shade. The tomato plants looked fine throughout the day. I watered them all with a gallon of mix per bucket this evening.

The biggest surprise so far in the containers is that the MG Nature's Care that I amended so much is out producing the pro mix Sungold F1 vs Sungold F1 plants. I did not expect that at all.

The regular MG in the yellow bag is a pain to water. It takes twice as long to water the same amount as the other mixes. Otherwise the Japanese Pink Cherry plant in the regular MG is just as tall as the one in the pro mix.

With the temperatures going above 100F / 37.7C tomorrow and many days after... We'll just have to see what happens.

[korney19]

Originally Posted by mobiledynamics

When I'm working with potting mix, I err on the featherlight hands..

Super Coarse Perlite is not expensive but it's not in-expensive too...
Last thing I want to do is turn it into dust.
If fresh, I pour it out and get it wet. It's less dusty and a bit more water absorbed - so less dusting due to my mechanical mixing.

ALS, if you have access to more Promix, maybe buy 1 bag and leave it in the garage for next year. The mix will settle a bit even more during winter. When you remove you're root at end of season, I try to shake some back in, but more often than not , a bit of the mix is intwined. And or just plan on settling and figure you might want more pmix at some point

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Sue, that is how I learned from many posts here at Tomatoville in 2014.
Before I joined here, I had never grown a tomato plant from seed. I was told that it's too hard.

I think maybe he had followed the tips for EB's and EarthTainers--pack it to make it a continuous conductor for moisture wicking, maybe?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

The biggest surprise so far in the containers is that the MG Nature's Care that I amended so much is out producing the pro mix Sungold F1 vs Sungold F1 plants. I did not expect that at all.

The regular MG in the yellow bag is a pain to water. It takes twice as long to water the same amount as the other mixes. Otherwise the Japanese Pink Cherry plant in the regular MG is just as tall as the one in the pro mix.

Why does this not surprised me.

It seems people get a hate on for something and let it carry over into things they have no experience with.

Like Chinese made products there is garbage and there are good products too.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

The biggest surprise so far in the containers is that the MG Nature's Care that I amended so much is out producing the pro mix Sungold F1 vs Sungold F1 plants. I did not expect that at all.

The regular MG in the yellow bag is a pain to water. It takes twice as long to water the same amount as the other mixes. Otherwise the Japanese Pink Cherry plant in the regular MG is just as tall as the one in the pro mix.

Originally Posted by Worth1

Why does this not surprised me.

It seems people get a hate on for something and let it carry over into things they have no experience with.

Like Chinese made products there is garbage and there are good products too.

Worth, back in the 90s or earlier 2000's I bought a 4 pack of plastic handled serrated steak knives from HEB - they will cut a tomato so thin it's around 1/16th". Made in China. They still sell them, and they look exactly like the ones we have.

There are things that work for some of us that do not work for others. If I had a larger budget, I would have experienced more different growing mediums. There are 11.21 acres out here to plant whatever in many different shaded and non-shaded areas.

I invite every comment, thought, idea, experiences, etc. negative/positive - it doesn't matter. Not only in this thread, but in any thread I start.

As I think about it - Marsha, what I wrote about the MG filled containers is just what I am experiencing. I do not mean to step on anyone's toes.

(This may appall some) What I want to do after this growing season is mix the buckets of mixes including the ones that will not ever dry out in a huge container we have, and mix it all together. I need to figure out what to add and amend.

This thread has taught me a lot more than growing in containers.