next crop

[Mandy Onderwater]

Oh my, that's a huge difference! It looks really good though

 

[daveb]

so time to start snipping tips back so the herbs start to bush out more on a few ,
the tyme has decided to take off like a shot now snd oregano is staying a nice tight growth so far


the maragoram is doing nice as are the basils. sage is slow to fill in but coming along

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

They look good!

 

[daveb]

ok as i was saying i am still getting tomatoes off the tiny tim dwarf from begining Octobers last year, i have not trimmed or prunned. i just let the shoots die back naturally and start new branches as they would in nature. Going to let them go to see how they grow long term
these are four i moved from nft to deep water when i was doing some maint. on the nft set up the tub is a plastic tote from homedepot i think they are rate 7 Imp gallon to the top of rim so only need 4.5 to 5 gallons to be slightly below the net pot or at the very bottom. 4 plants and just the basic nutrient light above them are all 4 feet long - 2 @ 4500K ( homedepot led shop light ) , 1 @4000K (harbour freight led shop light ) , and 2 @6500k ( Barrina shop lights off amazon ) all are basically available stock off the shelf purchase. Also as a referance you can barely make out behide the leafs the left corner of lid is 12 inches wide

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Definitely shows the signs of an aging plant, but still looks really healthy considering.
What do you reckon is the longest you'd let a tomato plant go on for? Does the age affect it's taste?

 

[daveb]

Definitely shows the signs of an aging plant, but still looks really healthy considering.
What do you reckon is the longest you'd let a tomato plant go on for? Does the age affect it's taste?

actually the taste right now is as good or better then young plant, its got the right balance so all its energy is going to the tomaotes and blooms and right now i am taking a consistent amount off for salads 4 times a week for 2 people and if it continues to blossum the way is has been i would almost take it indefinate. right now i am pollinating flowers everyother day some days 2 to 4 other days as many as a dozen to pollinate, so its still productive.
A friend of mine has a tomatoes plant the is in a 10 gallon planter that has grown up side of his wall on a trellise indoors across above the picture window and around the casing of window, its at least 5 years old he has LED lights to augment the natural light and he picks regular off it.
One additional thing i jhave noticed with all the tomatoes - lettuce and herbs the air has a crisper cleaner smell and feel to it. like that aura that hits you when you walk into a greenhouse that fresh crisp earthy natural smell to the air. so i plan to let this tomatoe go as long as it still produces a viable amount to see how it does

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Ahh fair enough. Interesting!
That's one old plant, wowza! I had a cherry tomato plant that refused to die, even though I really did try to kill it (turns out I still dislike cherry tomatoes). I even cut it out of it's pot, and it grew new roots from the stem. Then I cut it out again and moved the pot, it grew into the ground below. Then I ripped it out and tossed it on the ground in hopes that it was damaged enough. Nope, grew new roots. Then I just left it be. It lived a fair while actually! But it did eventually succumb to the whippersnipper.

I personally hate the scent the tomato plants give off. It's a very overwhelming scent to me with how pungent it is. When I touch the stem and it leaves sticky stuff on my hands I have to thouroughly wash my hands, as the scent would follow me everywhere. But that might just be a me thing.

 

[daveb]

Ahh fair enough. Interesting!
That's one old plant, wowza! I had a cherry tomato plant that refused to die, even though I really did try to kill it (turns out I still dislike cherry tomatoes). I even cut it out of it's pot, and it grew new roots from the stem. Then I cut it out again and moved the pot, it grew into the ground below. Then I ripped it out and tossed it on the ground in hopes that it was damaged enough. Nope, grew new roots. Then I just left it be. It lived a fair while actually! But it did eventually succumb to the whippersnipper.

I personally hate the scent the tomato plants give off. It's a very overwhelming scent to me with how pungent it is. When I touch the stem and it leaves sticky stuff on my hands I have to thouroughly wash my hands, as the scent would follow me everywhere. But that might just be a me thing.

if i remember correctly the scent is from an oily compound in the stems refered to as terpene its part of the natual defendes of the plant to ward off most insects , that is why the clipping of the stems and leafs from trimming a tomato crushed and steeped in hot water as a base to add a touch of soap crush garli basil and a few other herbs makes a good spray against aphids and some other infestations. and no you are not alone many cannot stand the scent of tomatoes others love it

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Aah, it was making me think I was crazy. Very interesting on it's repellant effect

 

[daveb]

Aah, it was making me think I was crazy. Very interesting on it's repellant effect

yes many homemade repellent us many plants we take for granted work very well as detterants in the garden and as insect repellents we can use on skin i have numerous recipes i can always post that use common herbs and plants. the leafs of the tomatoe plant and small stems chop and crush to make 2 cups put in bowl and cover with 2 cup hot water and allow to steep over night , strain and use in spray bottle this is toxic to aphid, i also add 1/2 cup of fine chopped basil in with the tomatoes leafs, but i go one step further and 3 to 4 crushed diced garlic cloves into a couple teaspoons of mineral oil let that steep a day strain add a teaspoon of liquid castile soap mix completely add to the strained water from tomatoes and basil. shake well and spray on infested plants. this mix will also knock out or reduce the larva of white flies also but be careful the garlic is harmful to ladybugs if you have lady bugs eating the aphids just use the straight tomato leaf mix.

on senistive plants test a few leafs first , if any leaf damage browing or burning occurs dilute mix and test again

 

[daveb]

side plantings of herbs doing nicely , brushed hand over the thyme and oregano snipped a bit off tips of basil plants and the whole house now smells like ready to make sheghetti sauce

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Ooh they look great

Haha, the smells alone must be making you hungry too

 

[daveb]

those little basil from back 2nd dec are taking over other herbs doing well and i need to swap out the eggplant to the 5 gallon pails and going to male an attept to do same with the tomato. Was moving branches around on the tomato plant and countes 42 pea size and larger tomatoes and numerous tiny ones just forming from polinating the last 6 to 8 days

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Oh my, look at the growth! You can see the difference from even a week back

 

[daveb]

I pulled a few branches back on tomatoes to show part of the hidden treasure growing its 25 F ( 4c ) out no snow again it warmed just enugh to melt it but a layer of frst think on the grass. as crops grow to go to table. prts a few branches and many more down under on lower sides of the brancehs cant see in these shots

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

That's a lot of tomatoes! That's awesome

 

[daveb]

trim of basil averaging 9 to 10 inch long leaders off 5 plants didn't cut the purple basil
before and after trimming have moved the two young egg plant that were in 3rd tote over into a 5 gallon net pot pail



weight out a bit over 13 1/2 oz ( 383 grams )

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

They look great. Do you hang your basil to dry?

 

[daveb]

They look great. Do you hang your basil to dry?

yes those are actully hanging

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

How long do you hang the basil out for? Or do you leave it hanging until used?