Growing Tomatoes In Containers

Tomatoes are the perfect crop for small spaces: rewarding, productive and delicious.

I will go into hydroponics tomato growing in another post, for now lets concentrate on using  soil in containers to grow tomatoes. You can grow them on a windowsill for cherry tomato bushes, In larger containers on your balcony, or if you have a yard or patio. 

Let go...
Lets assume that you have already germinated the tomato seeds, once the seedlings are showing their first true leaves, they are ready for transplanting into the larger containers. 

1. Choose the right size container for the variety

• At least a six litre (1.5 gallon) for dwarf, bush types or vining cherry tomatoes. You can probably use smaller containers for cherry tomatoes, but the yield will not be as abundant. They look nice as ornamentals as well.  
• At least a ten litre (2 gallon) for a larger tomatoes.
• 2. Grow cherry tomatoes rather than big beefsteak tomatoes.
  Cherry tomatoes grow and ripen more easily, and will usually give you a better crop. Dwarf, bush cherry tomatoes (perfect for small pots and hanging baskets) recommended  Heirloom vareties include( Suitable for tropical climates) 
  • Orange Dwarf Tomato " Venus"
  • Red Dwarf Tomato "Vilma"
  • Red Dwarf Tomato "Roma VF"
  And some recommended larger (bigger Plant) varieties include(suitable for tropical climates) 
  • Yellow Pearshaped 
  • Red Tomato San Marzano
  • Red Tomato "Seijk
  3. Ensure the roots of your tomatoes receive a good supply of air.
  • Add 10 – 20% perlite to your growing mix. Use good quality potting soil. 
  • Use an Airpot or drill lots of small holes in the side of your pot for the roots to breathe.
  • Or, insert a tube with holes drilled in it, into the growing mix.
  4. Support your tomatoes with stakes or strings.
  • Bush tomatoes also benefit from support.
  5. When watering, it’s important the whole soil area is saturated with water.
  • Add a cup of used washing up water to your watering can once every couple of weeks. This acts as a wetting agent, and helps re-wet areas that have dried out. (Take note: Its always better to under mix than to over mix.)
  • Also take note not to over water, tomatoes do not like soil conditions that are too wet, it will cause diseases. Especially for Hot tropical climates, its usually better water slightly less than you would like to, and to let the soil dry out slightly inbetween watering. Have learnt this the hard way, once the tomato plant has a disease, it becomes super difficult to get rid of it, and the crop that you have(should the plant not die) will not be as ideal.  
  6. Feed little and often
  • I always use hydroponic solutions to feed the tomato plants even if they are planted in soil. In the long run its more economical. And always err on the side of less is more... For example, you might feed half the recommended dose twice as often.
  7. Things to note: 
  The growing conditions of your garden will vary from mine or anyone else's. Paying attention to your plants reaction is the best way to make sure that your crop will be rewarding you fruitily. If something looks wrong, its usually because the growing conditions are less than optimal.
  My belief is that all plants, their only purpose in life is to grow. Give them the right conditions, they can never fail you. ( Everything i ever planted always died, until i discovered this belief and made it work ) Everyone has a green thumb. You just gotta find it. 
  
  

  Your turn

  What’s your favourite tomato variety or tomato growing tip? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

Chemicals and fungicides... How we are killing ourselves and our planet.

Just got a case of Thiram poisoning 

accidentally last night when i opened a new can of dill seeds.

Read on to find out more... 

All i got was a small whiff of this noxious chemical 

fungicide that the seeds were coated with. 

The seeds in the can are blue in color... BLUE?!?! oh well..  please read on... 

I had dry tongue n a slight burning sensation in my throat that i felt immediately, 

but brushed it off thinking that is alright in a while... 

as the night went by, my throat started becoming really dry and it felt like it was coated with a layer of sandpaper. 

When i finally went to bed(it was a usual night that i went at ard 4am) i was feeling slightly

giddy and the throat felt strange and even more painful. I just thought that i was feeling slightly under the weather and

it will all be fine when i wake up

Upon waking, i couldn't get out of bed immediately,

My head was still feeling giddy and 

I had probably the worst case of sore throat in years. 

To top it off,  stomach was cramping quite badly too. 

Didnt know what to do, so i forced myself up and drank 

copious amounts of water hoping to flush whatever it is out,

I had diarrhoea, and after that i vomited.

I thought i was falling sick due to the weather or something... 

Thinking back what had happened the previously night that was out of the ordinary. 

I realised that the only thing out of ordinary was that immediate reaction i got after 

opening the can of seeds. I went on to check what Thiram is, and this is what i got: 

Thiram

Thiram is an ectoparasiticide. It is used to prevent fungal diseases in seed and crops. It is also used as an animal repellent to protect fruit trees and ornamentals from damage by rabbits, rodents and deer. Wikipedia

Thiram is moderately toxic by ingestion, but it is highly toxic if inhaled. Acute exposure in humans may cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints.^[4]

Thiram is irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. It is a skin sensitizer. Symptoms of acute inhalation exposure to thiram include itching, scratchy throat, hoarseness, sneezing, coughing, inflammation of the nose or throat, bronchitis, dizziness, headaches, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal complaints. Persons with chronic respiratory or skin disease are at increased risk from exposure to thiram.

The exact symptoms that was suffering from, and all i got was a whiff... 

A further search gave more shocking info. 

Thiram is a non-systemic fungicide used to prevent crop damage in the 

field and to protect harvested crops (apples, peaches, and strawberries) from 

deterioration in storage or transport. It is also used as a seed protectant (e.g. small 

seeded vegetables, large seeded vegetables, cereal grains and other seeds, 

coniferous seeds, cotton seed, ornamental seeds, and soybeans) and to protect turf 

from fungal diseases. In addition, thiram is used as an animal repellent to protect 

crops from damage by rabbits, rodents, and deer. Formulations include dust, 

wettable powder, water dispersible granule, flowable concentrate, dry flowable, 

soluble concentrate, and ready-to-use liquid. Thiram is applied to seeds prior to 

planting both by commercial seed treaters and on-farm applicators. regulatory 

History 

Human Health 

Assessment 

Approximately 165,000 pounds of thiram are applied to 35,000 acres of 

strawberries, apples, and peaches annually. Approximately 631,000 pounds of 

thiram are used to treat approximately 1.3 billion pounds of seed annually. Link to full article

WE ARE PUTTING THIS INTO OUR FOOD?!?!

Most probably the strawberries that you a snacking on, unless u grow it yourself or you are very sure of the source... you are ingesting this shit with every bite. Yes... the cute little morsels of aphrodisiac that you ingest with champagne... its toxic... the apples that can last for weeks its probably coated with thiram...  

To end this long post... all i want to say is... i still feel nauseous and giddy, throat still hurts although the effects are much less now... all this from a small whiff... i do not know how long the effects will last...

I am not saying that the small whiff i had caused all this... but the coincidence is so high and the symptoms so similar that its not possible to ignore...

Got rid of the can of seeds immediately thus there is no picture the actual can.
I found this picture on the net and have have included it as a example here. BLUE Cucumber seeds?

Just be careful folks... Thiram is found in sunscreen and soaps too...  No doubt they will tell you its safe, and that the toxicology reports show that its safe for human consumption... but i know what i felt.. and what i am feeling now. I hope you will never get to feel this way...  

Growing with hydroponics. Necessities and things you will need to know

Using Hydroponics to grow plants, there are a few things that are really necessary which are different from growing in soil. Whatever Hydroponic system you choose to use, you will have to deal with this sometime.

Water: Plants grown in an indoor herb or vegetable garden require much less water compared to soil-based gardens, as hydroponic systems are able to recycle the nutrient solution.  Use purified or reverse osmosis filtered water, as poor water quality can have an adverse effect on your plants. If you just want to risk it with tap water, at least leave the water uncovered overnight with a air stone to aerate the  chorine or floride out. You can also use rainwater. Before adding fresh water to your reservoir it is important to allow it to reach room temperature, as plants do not like rapid temperature changes in the root zone.

Nutrients – The hydroponic nutrients you choose are the most important aspect to grow hydroponic herbs. Make sure to use a high-quality line. (More on this in the future) Several different herbs/vegetables may be grown in a single nutrient solution; however, care must be taken to avoid minor nutrient deficiencies. Make sure to monitor and control the balance of the nutrient solution on a daily basis. Completely replace the nutrient solution every 7 to 14 days, depending upon plant size and nutrient usage. 

Equipment –
You are strongly recommend to have a digital pH tester and EC/PPM meter to accurately check the pH and nutrient strength of the system. Generally the nutrient strength should run between 800 to 1500 parts per million (ppm), though the exact ppm requirements will vary depending on circumstances and style of growing.  The pH of the nutrient solution should be between 5.5 and 6.0. This also depends on the type of plants you are growing, but a general rule of thumb its usually between 5.5 to 6

Environmental Conditions – Most herbs grow well at temperatures between 20 to 26°C( 70-80°F). They prefer relative humidity levels around 40-50%, some sun, and adequate drainage. You can also propagate some herbs from cuttings especially Basil. 

Lighting - It is important to provide enough light for your herb garden. If your light levels are low, give them a boost with some lights/LED/HPS/CFL above the top of your plants. I am planning a whole section just on lights soon. Using the right light spectrum will greatly increase growth and yield. CFL Lights and LED Lights for hydroponics are a hotly debated issue. 

Pesticide Use - 
If you are growing your own herbs/vegetable, you would probably not want to use any chemical based pesticides for your own sake. 
A good preventative, such as insecticidal soap, will usually keep most pests under control. Sticky traps should be used for indicators of what is present. Indoors, herbs tend to be more attractive to aphids and whiteflies. Use a organic pestide if you really have to. Come back for  a recipe for some homemade pesticide soon.

Choosing Your Herbs - Some herbs naturally lend themselves better to indoor growing conditions. Hydroponics for Parsley, basil, sage and thyme are known to hold up stronger inside. My favourite as you can see is still Basil...

I have just transplanted my basils seedlings into their new environment. Will post up something about that soon. 

Doing research now for the purchase of LED lights for hydroponics. One important consideration is heat sink for the light. as it adds to the cost quite abit.

I just found spent the last 3 hours reading everything about heat sinks. 

Did you know that.... 


The scientific analysis of aluminium vs copper as a heat sink, 
copper has a conductivity of about 9 watts/inch degree C; Aluminum, about 5 watts/inch degree C.
In other words, copper conducts heat almost twice as much as aluminium.

But... that does not mean that copper is better than aluminium, there is still something called thermal schematic from heat sink to air and then the temperature gradient of the design.   0,o  

Meaning... the design can actually make the cheaper aluminium become as efficient as copper. Or copper can be worst as a heatsink depending on the design.

Aluminium has much lower anisotropic values (1.22) compared to copper (3.16). This results in lower vibrational entropy which microscopically (quantumly) means much lower thermal capacity leading to lower heat storage levels than that of copper. So, yes! while copper tends to conduct and accelerates heat diffusion much faster than aluminium  copper's higher vibrational entropy stores heat energy longer while it is being transformed from thermal to vibrational entropy back to thermal, and that is why its release speed of heat is significantly lower than that of copper. so while for cooling heat diffusion is faster in copper, heat release is lower in copper and higher in aluminium  For heating, not quite so! while for coils inside the warmer medium (condenser is now inside the room) heat is dissipated faster by aluminium coils, which is what we need to get warm, evaporator coils outside in colder temperatures need to be copper so that they absorb heat faster, and store heat longer. 

In short....(i found this very good article that puts it in layman terms... 

Copper and aluminum are both effective materials for heat sink construction, but they have different requirements. If you want to know why, consider a great chef's kitchen.

Aluminum sure can move heat, if it has been done right. It very efficiently absorbs and transfers heat to it's environment and things that interact with it. This works great for bacon in the morning, and even for boiling water, but isn't so good for a large, thick filet mignon. That cold slab of beef sucks the heat right out of the aluminum, and there isn't any left to keep up the cooking. Many people who buy aluminum cookware have a lot of trouble doing steaks properly for this very reason. Aluminum has a low thermal capacity, and a very high thermal conductivity.

As such, aluminum just wicks heat away with little concern for anything else. It won't wick as much as copper, but it sure will move it quickly; Dumping it's capacity as soon as any heat leaves the sink, and quickly soaking up more.

Copper moves heat as well, even if it hasn't been done all that well. Copper very efficiently absorbs and transfers heat as does aluminum. It does it faster, as well. That said, copper has an incredibly high thermal capacity. That big fat steak just can't suck up all the heat that copper will hold on to, and this is where copper and aluminum differ in requirements. Copper won't readily dump all the heat energy it picks up, because it holds so much of it before it changes temperature to any great degree.

That leaves us with a problem. Copper needs help. Somehow, you have to remove all that heat from the copper, as it will just hold on to it otherwise. A copper heat sink can work much better than an aluminum one, but you have to either have loads of pipes and lots of fins and airflow, or you need peltier/water cooling with excellent transfer to help it out.

The thermal capacity of copper, when compared to an aluminum heat sink of the same design, completely removes the benefit of using copper in the first place without help. As a matter of fact, a poorly designed copper sink can be much worse than an aluminum model.

The best way to use the materials is being tried nowadays, and that is combining them. As with most good things, they work better together than apart.

WHEWWWW..... this is heavy... but now i know that its not necessary to spend much more for copper as long as i find someone who knows what to do with aluminium.  :D 

Day 10, the forest is growing strong...

It's day 10, the basil are showing signs of strong growth. Added 1litre( about 2pints) of water at a  PH5.4 when I felt the rock wool was a little too dry. I will probably go n get hydrometer soon so i can check accurately.
Other than that. It was all left to their own devices...
I am thinking when to add the nutrient solution. Does anyone know if its useful at this stage?

Most of the seeds have sprouted by now. Just 3 are completely quiet.  I will add some more seeds into those and recycle. 

As you can see.. Mostly they are very robust... Especially the Basil Genovese,  Except for The opal basil.. Those are not doing so well.  The other basil varieties are mostly doing ok. My ambient humidity meter has not arrived yet.... 

Look at the plant in the foreground. Looks like the leaves are drying out. Well.. Will hope for the best. In a few days time I guess they will be ready for transfer into their proper habitat.. If I can get around to fixing that contraption....

Day 5, Little basil forest is starting

It's day 5! Amazing what we have seen so far, out of 98 cubes.. We have almost all germinated and showing robust growth.

There are a few empty holes if u look closely.. I hope they are just slow developers and not stillborn...

Closer view. 

It's really joyous to see them grow so nicely. 

Imagine.. From seed to 3cm in 5 days! 

Next are some "basil forest" views... 

Cinnamon basil amoung her cousins.. 

One of the "slow developers" still hiding in their burrow... 

  So far, I have not added water, nor added any other nutrients since the seeds were planted. 

Day 3, sprouts are showing

Day 3, it looks promising. Most of the seeds have sprouted. Small little seedlings are growing! So excited!

As you can see.. Almost all are showing signs of growth.. I have to prepare to transfer them soon! 

It's really exciting to see plants growing. 

Close up of the sprouts.

So far I have not done anything at all.. Just left them as they were since day one. Perhaps will need to add water soon. But it looks n feels completely fine currently. 

First Post, I started planting again on friday 31st May 2013

This Blog is about my adventures in hydroponics... I am not really good at writing yet, but i shall attempt to make up for that with enough pictures.

I started planting again today...

Bought this from Canada about a year ago. It's a Rock wool seedling starter for 98 plants. Gordan is probably the world leader in rockwool substate for plants.

Its almost impossible to get it in Asia, the closest is probably Australia, which technically is not Asia. Well, Lets see how this goes,  Its not cheap, but i want to try it out as compared to whats available here. I like it because its less messy and i do not have to deal with expanded clay pebble, perlite and all that jazz.. maybe it will be possible to find a substitute.

I can only use this as there will be a surprise coming sometime soon in another update.

 According to instructions. I added water at a ph of 5.5.. Actually it shows that its ph4.8 here. I adjusted it finally to p.h 5.6. 

Well, i decided to start with all basil plants. As I think they are easy. . .

So there are 7 varieties that I have. With 7 rows.. I have 14 cubes of each variety. 

The seedling starter box comes in a nice green color and has a plastic lid as well to keep humidity in. 

Day 1