Here's a link to some pictures of my container garden... http://www.twylightman.blogspot.com Enjoy!
Container Tomato Garden Pictures
Holy Tomato!!! So when is happy hour? I'll bring the Marguerita's and chips for the salsa!
Come on down Yankee boy! The weather is warm, the salsa hot and tomato growing is as enjoyable as any place on earth.
Tomato-man, that is wonderful - wish I was your neighbor! Want to trade or sell some of your plants to an old gal in Missouri? If so, email me: plant_lady2@hotmail.com. Thanks!
Hello Kay, How do you ship plants?
My mouth was watering just looking at the pictures! Do you make salsa and can or freeze it?
Laura
Hi Laura, I have been making salsa for a few years now. I have everyone at the office hooked on the stuff. I have a couple of recipes that are really exciting if you are interested. I give most of the tomatos away to anyone who wants them (lots of takers). I made over 100 jars of salsa last summer and gave it all away, with the exception of the jars we ate. It is just loads of fun to see how happy folks are to get something so fresh and good for you.
Beare - thank you. After a long long month, I needed some inspiration to begin prepping the garden. Not only for the pictures, but the reminder about how much the garden meant to my friends & family. Your seedlings are looking great - if you have a chance, let me know how you set up your Water Barrel system.
Best of luck with this years crop - Hopefully I can get some Basil pictures up soon to inspire the next Pesto prodigy. :)
Chris
Hello Chris, I work with people and people problems all day long. My garden is an escape and a place where I confront "different" challenges. Okay, the water barrel system is something new for me this year. I kept hearing folks say that rainwater is really good for tomato plants (all plants for that matter). So I bought some barrels cut out the tops (on the inside of the rim). This allows the barrels to maintain their structural integrity. About two or three inches from the bottom of the barrel I drilled a hole approx. 3/4 " dia. and screwed a brass water faucet into the hole. (You might check the dia. of the faucet threads first, I am doing this from memory. Anyway I set the barrels up on solid concrete blocks, two on the bottom, two in the middle perpendicular to the bottom pair and then two on top perpendicular to the middle pair. When I attach a water hose, the pressure causes the water to flow freely due to the height of the barrels. Since the water comes off a metal 18' x 24' roof over my patio, it take very little rain to fill the barrels. I may add over-flow barrels as needed. Hope this isn't too much info... Jerry
Beare, I would really be interested in your recipe for salsa, I usually have tomatoes left over and I've never been able to fix the salsa that was tasty.
This is not fair; look at my containers outsde!
~* Robin
This message was edited Mar 9, 2006 6:23 PM
Robin I got a cold just looking at your picture. Awchoo! No really, when are you folks able to plant in the frozen northland?
Blooper!
This message was edited Mar 9, 2006 2:04 PM
I sow a lot of seeds out in the fall, the ones that I know come back seasonally every year. Then I winter sow seeds outside throughout the coldest weather for seeds that need stratification. Usually I've done that directly on the ground... However this year, I'm trying it via the wintersown.org way; in containers & baggies. I've noticed in the past that some seeds just "disappeared", (yeah right) the hungry little critters took 'em! Especially those black crows!
I sow other seeds inside after tax day; it makes for a great calming affect. Usually peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, okra (been doing 'longhorn' these days,) all squash - pumpkins included. But I did do a couple of experiments with trying to winter sow some of those too. I want to see the growth & germination rate on them first before I totally commit myself to doing all my seeds that way.
I've already started onion seeds inside, as they need to be put outside by April 5th - 12th for growing outside up north here. Sage, Rosemary, Parsely, Thyme, Dill, Yarrow, were sown outside too. I would definetly say that most plants would be safe to place outside after June 1st; as we had an unexpected killer frost last year on May 30th & 31st.
~* Robin
What a beautiful landscape... Wow!
That's the "Wild Zone" of my backyard. I'm not going to "tame" it at all. There are too many wild creatures who depend on it. I make it my business to keep kids from going back there & annoying or harrassing the tiny things that live there. Ok, ok the crazy deer too. The snakes, frogs (toads.) racoons, skunks and any wild alike creatures can stay there too. I also add 'New' wild flowers back there too. I'm already trying this method here: Propagation: Seed Balls http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/561225/
The bears, who come down occasionally scare the life out of me. Time to stay in then! They usually come down after the sun goes down. Sometimes the auto-on lights scare them away.
This is the left side of the front with the driveway under snow.
~* Robin
See what you went and did; you made me start doing my Garden Journal, beare. Winter Pictures 2006 http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/index.php?tabid=2417
Oh well; I had to do it one day or another..... says Eeyore.
~* Robin
This message was edited Mar 9, 2006 8:19 PM
Great Pictures Robin! Your Hundred Ac. Forest is beautiful, says Pooh!!!
Thanks beare... um pooh.
~* Robin
I dont know where to build my own web page reasonably so heres a pic of last years tomatoes. I liked growing tomatoes so much i made a business of it. To sell the tomatoes on produce stand.
Cricket
and out the top of the greenhouse--
cricketstomato, those are awesome tomato plants! You have done yourself proud!!! What varieties are you raising?
hey sorry ---been working. I should check the thread more often.
Beare I was gonna ask you quesitons too.
That variety is Big Beef.
And I am thinking about the 55 gallon drum idea two. Gradually buying the drums for $10 each and cutting them in half.
Right now i only have 2 barrells.
I wanted to know how often do you have to water your barrell tomatoes?
And how are you trellising them?
Do you change the soil every year?
How many seasons have you grown in those barrells?
Cricket
When you are growing the tomato seedlings-you pinch them back at all before planting? Am growing some cherry varieties and don't have a clue! Thanks-we have some great tomato growers on this thread.
no I dont pinch them back----pinching them back means you pinch their tops off.
You can trim your plants some later on by removing some of the suckers. Suckers are the new stems that branch out at each leaf node. You pinch those off when they are 2-3 inches long.
Some trim and some dont. Its up to you.
Cricket
thanks so much cricket-have been watching your progress with interest-wish I could come down and help out! Heres a pic of one of my greenhouses-just got a camera this is so much fun!!
CricketsGarden, this is my fourth year with the 1/2 - 55 gal. barrel container garden. It is my second year with the Berger Top Soil mixture (which isn't soil at all). It is much lighter and has material in it to retain moisture. Watering depends a lot of the temp. the hotter it gets the more frequent I water. I watch the mixture and water approx. Every three to four days at first. More frenquent later in the summer of course. I find that the larger barrel does much better the the smaller pots. I started with the blue barrels but I think I would use the white ones if I had it to do over. I bought a 100 ft. roll of horse wire 2" x 4 "and cut harvest portals which are 4" x 4". I think I would buy 4" x 4" wire if I were doing it again. The barbs are sharp where I cut the wire. I have had to grind them down. I was told by the folks at Berger to add some more cow manure and re-use the potting soil again this year. I will keep you posted on have it goes. Hope this helps.
Thanks Beare
Tiger-thats a huge greenhouse.
You will have to come chat at the greenhouse forums.
and show more pics.
Cricket
That's another reason to love the South, tomatoes! Those are great tomato pictures! We Northerners are so jealous of you guys down there. I live in Southern WI, and normally we can't put our tomatoes out until the 2nd or 3rd week of May but I use heated row covers and put them out April 15 with very good results. At the risk of sounding like a dumb Yankee, what is Berger top soil mixture?
Have you considered using Remesh concrete reinforcing wire that has 6" by 6" openings? I've only found it in 5 foot widths but I cut an extra strip of it and attach it to make my cages 7 feet tall. It is not galvanized and it is rusty, but it is heavy duty and will last a number of years and you don't have to cut holes in it. I find it at all of the big box home improvement stores in 50 and 150 foot rolls.
I have had good luck with the Big Beef variety also.
Nathan
beare, on your blog you were wondering what the greenish rock was, that you saw in N.California. It is serpentine. Has a specialized plant community, most plant can't handle the minerals. I am sure UC Davis website has more information than what will fit in my tiny brain.
NathanR, Berger (burr-Jay) Is Berger Horticultural Product of Sulphur Springs, TX 903-945-5403. They ship to nursery operations around the country. I love their product BM-7. Tomatos love it too! Thanks for the concrete reinforcing wire idea. I wish I had use it instead of the 2 x 4... Live and learn.
Speaking of learning Thanks! dale_a_gardener for the information on serpentine. I am sure you are right. Thanks again! I will check the UCDavis website for more info... I just added some new pic. and a sad story to my blog...
Darn, Beare - sorry to hear the freeze got you! Here's to hoping the batch you just planted does well!
Thanks! VirginiaPesto. I replanted everything but the Momotaro. I had already used up all that seed. However last night a person a barely know called me to tell me that the plants I had given him were in a greenhouse and had survived the freeze. It seems I had given him several momotaros and he is going to bring me one. So hooray, I will get to raise a momotaro after all. The new plants are already putting on true leaves...