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 chucklehead
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 Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs 
#363548 - 02/13/10 12:23 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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I checked the rules for this forum and I didn't see anything that said I had to talk about Weed. So I thought I'd do a little grow log about my other plants. I discovered last summer that I really enjoy gardening. I find it relaxing and rewarding. I do a lot of cooking and fresh tomatoes, peppers, and herbs are fantastic in your food. Really I can't buy tomatoes that taste as good as my home grown ones.
Last year I grew a cherry tomato plant in a pot of strictly cocoa coir and vermiculite. It was a pain because I had to water them really really often but they thrived. Had the same problem with growing them in just Posy Power. I found the plants that required the least work and did just as well were the ones I had a nice mix of peat moss vermiculite perlite sand and manure heavy on the peat. Seems like it held water longer. Also these plants grew amazingly well in just half gallon, gallon, and two gallon pots. Of course the bigger the pot the less often watering was required.
About a month ago I started getting bored with only having oregano growing in my window and weed in my basement. I've been missing green plants around since this winter has been bleak and snowy. So I set up my shelf for my indoor green house and started a bunch of tomato seedlings in some jiffy pellets. Man that works fast. the only problem was the plants were really stretch because they pop up over night and race for the light which I wasn't providing. I repotted those stretchy plants in a bunch of dixey cups using whatever soil I had handy. Ferti-lome cactus soil, seedling soil, and ultimate soil. I put them under an florescent shop light that is 80W I think. Well that wasn't enough for me so I planted still more tomato seeds and some globe basil and some red basil. Then I started seeds for some marigolds pansies and petunias.
As you can imagine all of those plants started taking up a lot of space so I had to move a bunch to a lower shelf and add more lights. I had some small grow lights and other short florescent lights at around 15-20W each. I noticed a lot of stretching happening with some of the early on tomatoes so I added still more lights. I put in a couple 26W CFL. They were 6500K daylight bulbs. Eventually I'll start switching out all of the long tubes for the CFLs. I think I get more bang for my buck from the CFLs. Plus it will make more sense space wise. Right now I don't have money in my budget to get any more lights. So that will have to wait for a few weeks or more.
Some of the above plants needed repotted . So I had to pick up more soil. I picked up some Espoma brand Organic cactus mix and seeding mix. I'm pleased with them so far too. I'll be using the Espoma cactus for my Nirvana grow. What I like about the Espoma brand is it doesn't have a wetting agent which ironically seems to repel water. So far the plants seem to really like it. I haven't fed plant food to a single plant yet but I'm about to give the oldest tomatoes a little shultz plant food in a 1/4 dilution.
The last frost doesn't come here until about the first or second week of May. So I will be challenged to keep these plants alive and well until then. I'm going to have to buy more CFLs and probably put up another set of shelving to hold everything once it all starts to get bushy.
Here is how it looks as of today.
  
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 Ben18
Drunk Derelict
Registered: 04/22/08
Posts: 3,189
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 Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#363606 - 02/13/10 02:07 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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excellent i'm excited to see this grow.
how much was that germ shelf?
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FurrowedBrow
Free yourself from yourself
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 12,045
Loc: Carpal Tunnel
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs (moved) [Re: chucklehead]
#363616 - 02/13/10 02:24 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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 This thread was moved from Grow Journals.
Reason:
lookin good chucklehead!
we have a section called "Other Growables" that contains other peoples grow logs of things other than cannabis. The grow logs section is under the heading of marijuana so we usually move these kinds of threads to the other growable section. hope you dont mind. i'll leave a pointer for ya.
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chucklehead
Super Villian
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: Ben18]
#363621 - 02/13/10 02:33 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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$35 at Lowes. You can find them in the early spring in the garden section. It was really a green house. I was using it to grow mushrooms back in the day but I don't really need it to hold the humidity in nor heat for my plants. So I took the plastic tent off and use the shelves only. I've got two more of these things in my basement.
I have to tell you this sure is fun. Plus it takes a little of the sadness out of winter.
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Ben18
Drunk Derelict
Registered: 04/22/08
Posts: 3,189
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#363649 - 02/13/10 03:43 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
chucklehead said:
Plus it takes a little of the sadness out of winter.
right on 
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Simisu
Registered: 05/06/08
Posts: 240
Loc: Israeli in 
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: Ben18]
#363904 - 02/14/10 04:13 AM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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sure looks like fun!
and it's going to get better in spring!
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 It's a WEED man! 
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Dephect
Registered: 06/25/08
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: Simisu]
#364830 - 02/15/10 04:39 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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Nice dude. I really like your set-up.
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chucklehead
Super Villian
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: Dephect]
#364876 - 02/15/10 06:40 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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Thanks everyone.
Top shelf stuff is coming along nicely. Makes me wonder how weed would do under a couple of the 4 ft shop lights. btw incase anyone was wondering the 4ft shop light only cost me $10 at lowes a few years ago that was with the tubes included.
 
I over watered quite a few of these and they are getting droopy plus I think some of them could use a little food. I know they need repotted but I don't have any bigger pots. I'm saving my gallon and half gallon milk jugs and cutting off the tops and poking holes in the bottoms so I can repurpose them like I do my used dixie cups. So the very larges plants will get repotted soon but the others will have to hang in there until I drink my water myself.
Ok these short florescent tube lights are for the birds. The plants are stretching out really fast and now they are through the shelf and between the lights. I'm going to have to get some decent lighting in there sooner than I anticipated. The 4ft shop light is working way better and the CFLs better still. If my 'friend' that 'owes' me comes by with some cash this week I'll go pick up some better lights. If not the poor bastards on the bottom shelf are going to have to suck it up and stick it out a little longer.
I wonder if you can 'top' a tomato plant the way you can 'top' weed to make it bush out more and not grow quite as tall.
Last year three basil plants was all it took to get me through all summer and fall and I still have plenty to dry out at the end of the season. I'm excited about giving most of these herbs, plants, and flowers away once they get a little bigger. I like the idea of these little plants in the windows of my friends and family brightening the world around them. (I can make the world a better place one seed at a time.)
Globe Basil
Marigolds
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chucklehead
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#366865 - 02/17/10 08:40 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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I put in three more CFLs today.
Some of the plants have become a bit droopy. I touched the soil and it felt like sand.  So I'm going to go through more than a gallon a day of water for some of these plants.
Also a lot of these are so big they really need replanting. I'll try to get to that this week end. I'm running out of space for addtional pots. When I started the project I just didn't realize how fast these plants would grow. I thought I would have more time before I would have to repot the plants. These things are taking over. Little Shop of Horrors all over agian. Chucklehead no more, now it's Seymore.
A few lessons learned so far.
1) Plan your space before you start seeds. Think about every plant in it's biggest pot.
2) Germination rates vary. Tomato seeds germination rates are extremely high. Really only two seeds per jiffy pellet is all that is needed. Marigolds are reasonlbly good too. No more than three seeds but probably two is enough per jiffy pellet. Basil is about 50%. So two maybe three seeds per pellet but two is probably enough.
3) Label everything from start to finish. I have no idea what is what.
4) Keep a close eye on your seedlings. When they start they only need a day or two in the green house after they break the soil. After that get them in moist fluffy soil and medium light right away. Then after a few days get them up to full light. Otherwise they stretch.
5) Don't get carried away. These plants are hearty. Only start what you need.
6) Have pots handy for each stage of your plant. You run out of pots fast... I could really use some half gallon square pots. I would prefer those really thin plastic ones. If anyone knows where I could get some really cheeply that would be helpful.
7) Seriously avoid soils with wetting agent. That stuff repels water longer than you might imagine. The Espoma product line is pretty nice. I really like how well it holds the moisture. The Ferti-lome seems to lose moisture just a little too fast but it's still good stuff. It works freeking great for pot.
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chucklehead
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#367718 - 02/18/10 09:03 PM (14 years, 10 months ago) |
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Not much news. I've neglected a few plants and they are dying. I'm going to do some repotting over the week end. Some of these plants are in desperate need.
 
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chucklehead
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#371726 - 02/23/10 06:14 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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These are from a couple days ago.
 
The really tall plants are going to a green house tomorrow night. A friend of mine has a green house and is willing to take a few of these plants off my hands. I really must get rid of quite a few since I'm quickly running out of space.
I started some more seedlings. I'm planning to start yet another tray as soon as there is space. I'm messing around with various techniques for starting plants. Plus I really would like to get some more of certain kinds of plants going. Particularly shorter plants. So I'll be trying to get some more sage going and more flowers like marigolds etc. I am starting some more tomatoes again but this time I'm going to control them a good bit more... I hope.
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chucklehead
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#373516 - 02/25/10 06:03 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Ok lots of changes going on now. I got rid of most of the tall plants. Those went to the green house yesterday. This is what it looked like before I took out the tall stuff.
   
So since I got rid of all that stuff I started a shit load of new stuff. This time I used labels so at least I have some clue as to what I started. I planted 16 Sun Gold yellow cherry tomatoes. I planted 8 yellow Tumbling Tom's cherry tomatoes but I dried those myself and I only have had three sprout so far. I planted 16 mixed red and yellow Jelly Bean grape tomatoes. I planted 32 Golden Beats. I planted 16 Danish Flag Poppies and 16 Laurens Grape Poppies. I did three more marigolds those are from my own stash of seeds I dried last summer. I planted 27 more seafy sage plants. I did 8 purple petunias. I planted 20 mixed pansies.
Most of this stuff is going to get given away come spring time. I just don't have the room in my outdoor garden for all of that but my relatives do. 
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DJ_avocado
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#374822 - 02/27/10 07:35 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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That. is. way cool.
I gave up growing tomatoes, except a small cannibals tomatoe plant in my garden bed. Only 4in tall, with one tomatoe. Yesterday I put some cucumber and watermelon in 5g pots, hoping they take off. I get cherry tomatoes popping up all the time and I just started watering them instead of weeding them.
I know what you mean about labeling. I labeled some jalapeno, banana, white habenero, serrano, and yellow bell peppers but they all peeled off in the rain! So now I don't know what is what, but I am not too impatient for peppers.
I'd like to see a pic of your outdoor garden green house when its full. Looks like it'll be glorious.
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chucklehead
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: DJ_avocado]
#375140 - 02/28/10 11:25 AM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thanks man! I'll do my best to document the summer garden. I'm quickly running out of available space for my pictures. I'm going to have to go to off site storage for the pics. So for those of you that block off site photos, that is coming.
This summer I'll be doing something different. Instead of raised beds I'm going to try about half a dozen 20 gallon clay pots plus hanging baskets and window boxes. The window boxes will be fore the herbs, mint, and small flowers like pansys, marigolds, and petunias. Only one clay pot will be dedicated to flowers I think Mostly poppies. The rest will be for tomatoes. On and my wife has asked for one hanging basket of something called sweet mint. It's very small and looks a bit like moss at first glance. It is marvelous in teas. There are some advantages to the clay pots. Primarily the deapth is the main advantage. I only have about 6 inches of good soil in my raised beds. Beyond that is clay. I've tried and tried to work other things into that clay and try as I might it just sucks up what ever I give it hardens right backup. I am telling you I dug down over a foot and mixed in sand vermiculite mulch peat and cocoa coir. I'm sure there has been some impact but not enough to be hospitable to roots. So these clay pots may turn out to be better in the long run.
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TomCollins
Registered: 10/06/09
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#375167 - 02/28/10 11:58 AM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Wow very cool and very inspirational! I've been wanting to grow cherry tomatoes myself. Though I think I want to grow them in hydro...
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andyistic said:
Ok so let me bring you idiots up to speed.
The admins are tired of this shitfest being made the joke of the weed community on the Internet.
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Dephect
Registered: 06/25/08
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: TomCollins]
#375311 - 02/28/10 03:41 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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You should try and find a farmers market to sell some of your produce. That's what I do in the summer. Ill update my picks as well! I too wish I had a green house to move my plants into.
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chucklehead
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: Dephect] 1
#375618 - 02/28/10 08:50 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
Dephect said:
You should try and find a farmers market to sell some of your produce. That's what I do in the summer. Ill update my picks as well! I too wish I had a green house to move my plants into.
Good idea.
You can get a mini green house for $35. That's what I've been using as my shelving minus the plastic cover and the pointy thing on top.
Today I started 16 Super Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, 16 beef steak tomatoes, 72 roma tomatoes, 10 petunias, 9 mammoth basil, and 9 dill plants.
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Dephect
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: chucklehead]
#375649 - 02/28/10 09:21 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Nice!
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Dephect
Registered: 06/25/08
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: Dephect]
#376173 - 03/01/10 01:45 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Where did you get your greenhouse again? Can you remove the shelves?
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chucklehead
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Re: Garden Grow -tomatoes-flowers-herbs [Re: Dephect]
#376454 - 03/01/10 07:30 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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I got mine at Lowes. I went to Lowes.com and did a search on 'greenhouse' the cheapest one I see on their site is $58 but it's different from the ones I have. I suggest going to Lowes and checking out there garden center. I see them there all the time. I've seen them at nurserys too but usually at vastly inflated prices.
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