tiny tim dwarf tomato

[daveb]

picked a few off one plant to left earlier and almost overpowering sweet

 

[daveb]

re reading my earlier post and noticed i mixed up on lights the 2:1 red to blue 3250K ( 890 nanometer ) is my lights for tomatoes fruit bearing crops and flowering stage , versus for my greens there are also an additional five strips at 6500K at 2200 lm strips which push the light output up to 407 ppfd on low setting and puts it in the Kelvin range of 4200K ( 690 Nanometer )

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Looks great! May I ask what you are growing them in?

 

[daveb]

the nutrient solution per gallon is master blend 4-18-38 2.4 grams , calcium nitrate 15-0-0 2.4 gram , epsom salt 1.2 gram , "AG southern " chelated -liquid iron 1/8 teaspoon this will give an EC of aprox 2.00 plus your starter water EC ( ec = electrical conductivity ) ( seedlings i keep ph in the 6.5 - 6.7 range ) ( Mature plant 6.2 ph range )

i start seed in a solution 1/4c of nutrient per gallon. and gradually increase concentration and just watch for stress and move them to final nutrient solution strength after third and 4th set of true leafs form.

For heirloom and older mature plants and plants past 4th blossom sets, i will add a small amount of Potassium Nitrate equal to .5 gram and .25 gram epsom salt per gallon ( ec should be around 2.27 + starter water EC )

( i mix my solutions in concentrates enough to make 100 gallon with master blend and epsom salt in one container and calcium nitrate in a second because it does not like to dissolve in presences on heavy concentrates of fertilizer )

if you have test kits you can get these same equivalents in organic compost teas bone meal and fish meals to get the proper total n - p - k but i like the master blend because i carries over all the minor trace minerals

i just took clippings off those plants from Christmas 2020 harvest to start new growth a couple weeks ago , simply took the cutting - slit a piece of rock wool stuck the stem in in and into a 2 inch net pot suspended into a kratky set up on the 19th dec i attached a picture of the root system so far after 11 days in the nutrient solution

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

the nutrient solution per gallon is master blend 4-18-38 2.4 grams , calcium nitrate 15-0-0 2.4 gram , epsom salt 1.2 gram , "AG southern " chelated -liquid iron 1/8 teaspoon this will give an EC of aprox 2.00 plus your starter water EC ( ec = electrical conductivity ) ( seedlings i keep ph in the 6.5 - 6.7 range ) ( Mature plant 6.2 ph range )

i start seed in a solution 1/4c of nutrient per gallon. and gradually increase concentration and just watch for stress and move them to final nutrient solution strength after third and 4th set of true leafs form.

For heirloom and older mature plants and plants past 4th blossom sets, i will add a small amount of Potassium Nitrate equal to .5 gram and .25 gram epsom salt per gallon ( ec should be around 2.27 + starter water EC )

( i mix my solutions in concentrates enough to make 100 gallon with master blend and epsom salt in one container and calcium nitrate in a second because it does not like to dissolve in presences on heavy concentrates of fertilizer )

if you have test kits you can get these same equivalents in organic compost teas bone meal and fish meals to get the proper total n - p - k but i like the master blend because i carries over all the minor trace minerals

i just took clippings off those plants from Christmas 2020 harvest to start new growth a couple weeks ago , simply took the cutting - slit a piece of rock wool stuck the stem in in and into a 2 inch net pot suspended into a kratky set up on the 19th dec i attached a picture of the root system so far after 11 days in the nutrient solution

Wow! That looks amazing! Thank you for this information!

 

[daveb]

i should have said 1/4 strength on the starter plant nutrient mix i can add the balance of the two concentrates later to bring to full strength

 

[daveb]

started seeds next batch of lettuce into hydroponics .... this is now the start of day 6

and tomatoes i took clipping off mother plant 12 days now , well rooted and today they decided they like it so much ..... look at photo

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Amazing! I've not really gone into hydrophonics yet myself, but have been thinking of it. Looks very successful for you!

 

[daveb]

a few ways you can grow
the totes are food safe totes the lids snap on securely ( 6 ) 2 inch holes (5 cm) with net cup same type i use in the 1 gallon water jug. the tote are rated at a 12 gallon liquid capacity and are food grade safe these i got from homedepot for $11 usd each

the other system i use is a 5 gallon pail it has a net pot style lid from viagrow that cost me $35 for a pack of 12 and will snap firm on a 5 gallon pail ( go to local donut maker and get some of their used 5 gallon food grade pails jelly comes in for their donuts ) the pepper in photo was at end of seasons and i had trimmed back some side growth the plant alone was over 6 feet tall.

and final option i started with originally as a test but still us is a rail system i would lay it out differently if i did it now, i built so the all tie into a manifold at each end i would do them different in i would connect to one and then daisy chain them with flexable hose , or have each just dump separate into a pick up tray to return liquid to holding tank. either way i could adjust spacing or raise in tiers and i would switch to a vinyl rain maybe placed on edge so a 2 inche wide 4 inch high tube. as is water and lights are on timers so the pump circulates nutrient for 15 minutes every 4 hrs and then drains down but still leaves about 1/2 inch in bottom of tubes this rack holds 36 plants. i currently have it down to do some general cleaning and start new batch of lettuce for it. the suspended. light is still set in photoe for tomatoes peppers eggplant and is 3250K spectrum it does not have the addition 5 strips of 6500K led strips snapped in place the boost it to 4200k . the reflective mylar i got from homedepot they had the 100 foot roll price less then the cost of a 50ft roll when i got it so i bouth 6 rolls i plant to make hard panel to close in around the totes with same reflective surface.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Do you think gardening like this is also possible without growlights? Use this outdoors. We get spells of drought and I can easily attach a tap to this to make sure it stays full (similar idea to my automatic dogbowl, that'll refill when it goes below a certain level).
I'm also really tempted to grow some plants indoors or even on the covered patio. This seems like a great alternative to messy pots to me.

 

[daveb]

actually yes i also grow outdoors with hydroponics i met Dr Bernard Krakty while i was in hawaii many years ago and he uses it exclusively , deep water culture is not new , there at many many system and variation that will work indoors or out. i just supplement nature indoors , the pepper in photos above was grown outside, and numerous tomatoes and eggplants i grow out doors on back deck in summer the tomatoes actually were tie to am arched arbor that shaded the deck.


the auto fill there was a video on you tube many years back from Dr Kratky where he made a low water valve the opened that kept his hydroponics at a constant level i will look tomorrow to see if i can find those videos. the only thing to be aware is to keep the liguid temperature down so some type of shad on the refill reservoir tank

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

actually yes i also grow outdoors with hydroponics i met Dr Bernard Krakty while i was in hawaii many years ago and he uses it exclusively , deep water culture is not new , there at many many system and variation that will work indoors or out. i just supplement nature indoors , the pepper in photos above was grown outside, and numerous tomatoes and eggplants i grow out doors on back deck in summer the tomatoes actually were tie to am arched arbor that shaded the deck.


the auto fill there was a video on you tube many years back from Dr Kratky where he made a low water valve the opened that kept his hydroponics at a constant level i will look tomorrow to see if i can find those videos. the only thing to be aware is to keep the liguid temperature down so some type of shad on the refill reservoir tank

Thank you so much! If you remember the video, I'd love a link!

 

[daveb]

here are two simple valves they used he uses multiple bins . in the second video list notice as he show a shot of the bin with 8 holes and an extra he has black nylon screening visible at edge. the reason is to keep mosquitos out of the nutrient solution
also one additional note i gave the concentration amounts above for tomatoes for lettuce and herbs it is reduced 2.0 gram of 4-18-38 fertilizer and calcium nitrate and 1.0 gram of epsom salt i do0nt bother with the Potassium Nitrate in the greens and i cut the chelated iron to about half




it is now day 8 from the day i put seeds in the rock wool to start a new batch of lettuce and the leafs are showing the true character of the mature leafs and includes one of my sweet peppers this is a month old plant in the 5 gallon pail with the via-gro lid and a correction the totes shows i had on bench were the smaller ones 7 gallon capacity to the top of bin $8.46 each at home depot. #7 is red salad bowl lettuce - #1 is simpson black seed

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Thank you so much! They are very informative!
It's great information. One issue I've just thought of though... the sun get's pretty hot here, how do I keep the water cool enough for the plants?

 

[daveb]

Thank you so much! They are very informative!
It's great information. One issue I've just thought of though... the sun get's pretty hot here, how do I keep the water cool enough for the plants?

shade it and wrap it make a air barrier between the heat and the barrel or tank and if you run any water to live stock that is cool from a well drop a coil in the tank and run the feed to the live stop in one end of the coile and out the other to chill the tank, or do like a buddy of mine his tank sits in a spare room on a stand and a small tube runs out underground inclosed in a blue board foam channel out to his vege's he has a nft ( Nutrient film technique) set up which is also part of the systems i use the most. go onto youtube look up a gent his channel is " hoocho " he is from down under has a wealth of info that you will probably get tons of ideas for your area and ideas. the systems i have inside are simple ones the plug in behind the hydroponics are feed from an inverter and battery bank in a separate closed area that are charged by solar panel i salvaged years ago, my outdoor area is power by low voltage system and uses dc low voltage pumps. so there are dozens of ways to do stuff , my total expenses are low i have those 4 totes i got on sale i ordered the lids for buckets on sale , the tubes for the ntf i use i got free from local lumber yard each had a flaw or broken end so not sellable and pumps came out of my old koi pond. so best i can say is look at various idea and use what you have on hand and like my grandpa use to say " K.i.s.s. keep it simple stupid "

 

[daveb]

newest updates these are a few of the lettuces varieties i from earlier post on the 2nd i planted the seeds in the started material on the 24th dec and on 25th, the tomaotes i snipped off my original plant are well rooted and blooming have now set fruit on numerous plants first picture is Mignonette bronze an old heirloom from siberia, 2nd simpson black seed , 3rd pic in back is red salad bowl in front is buttercrunch , #4 pic front is wild arugula at back is red salant arugula, and one of the tiny time tomato plants last. net pots you see that lettuces are in the outside of rim is about 54 mm ( 2 1/8 inch diameter )

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

They look amazing! Looks like an amazing growth with the time they've had. Definitely looks like you're doing stuff right

 

[daveb]

They look amazing! Looks like an amazing growth with the time they've had. Definitely looks like you're doing stuff right

that Mignonette bronze is a very old heirloom , grows a nice thick tight looseleaf head its one of the group reffered to as butterhead, a sweet crisp lettuce with a subtle hint of a buttery tone same as butter crunch , and it takes o a deep maroon color to some of the leaf edges and sometimes the whole leaf will be dark this is a good example of the lettuce visual ...... Disease Resistance downy mildew cold hardy yet will tolerate heat better then most lettuces heads up to 8 inch diameter are not uncommon

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

that Mignonette bronze is a very old heirloom , grows a nice thick tight looseleaf head its one of the group reffered to as butterhead, a sweet crisp lettuce with a subtle hint of a buttery tone same as butter crunch , and it takes o a deep maroon color to some of the leaf edges and sometimes the whole leaf will be dark this is a good example of the lettuce visual ...... Disease Resistance downy mildew cold hardy yet will tolerate heat better then most lettuces heads up to 8 inch diameter are not uncommon

I've been struggling with growing lettuces as it's simply too hot here. I've tried a couple varieties but they all almost immediately bolt. In all fairness, we didn't have a cold winter and summer is rather hot at the moment. At this time of the day (12pm) it's already 34 degrees Celcius. If the lettuce didn't bolt, I would

 

[daveb]

I've been struggling with growing lettuces as it's simply too hot here. I've tried a couple varieties but they all almost immediately bolt. In all fairness, we didn't have a cold winter and summer is rather hot at the moment. At this time of the day (12pm) it's already 34 degrees Celcius. If the lettuce didn't bolt, I would

yes you get extremes in the heat although the bronze is heat tolerant even your highs there you would see bolting if you try to grow them for max size so cut them back when a good size and let them regrow , and planting so it mature at the coolest point of growing season and shade it or plant it in a well shaded area as best as possible. but sadly most lettuce and cole crops wont fair well in the extreme heat.

for hot areas try one of these romaine -
"Jericho," developed in Israel
"Anuenue," a romaine developed in Hawaii-
another good choice for those crackling temperatures. "Craquerelle du Midi," an open-hearted French variety,

there are numerous loose leaf that do well in higher heat and a few of the crisps heads variants, the major issue you will find with many lettuces once you start exceeding 80f ( 27 c ) they tend to start taking on a bitter taste i have had exceptional luck in the butter head type like buttercrunch and the Mignonette bronze tend to fair very good in heat and still keep a milder flavor doing basically a cut and come harvest snipping off leafs when still young and letting them regrow for best result before they do bolt. we have had summers here of high 80 to mid 90s same range as you but not as prolonged and romains and butterhead types have dne well fr me as have some loose leaf types grown with shade over them oak leaf and Royal Oak Leaf - Black-Seeded Simpson

The ultimate if you have some space would be hydroponics as i do indoors here is that same Mignonette bronze from yesterday post and today , you can see the growth , this is a slower lettuce to starts but once it starts growing it moves along at a consistent steady growth. deep water totes like some i show in photo in an area 18 x 48inches ( 46 x 122 cm ) i can grow and harvest cut and *** year round easily growing up to 30 heads in that amount of space attached a couple photos of what a simple area that size can grow

second photo was returning from a week away and no one to tend and returned to an overgrow 18 x 48 lettuce area with 28 plants growing as a jungle.

3rd is another time of year same area with herbs growing before i set up a more permanent place for herbs and yes i had massive bumper crop of a wide variety of basils