Raised Bed Gardening - Cement Blocks > Greenhouse!

INDEX

Split Tomatoes

Mildew

Garden Pests

Soil Additives

De-Chlorinating City Water

2019 Week -4

Family Beds Rebuild

Pantry Beds Prep

2019 Growing Season - Week 0

Tomatoes and the interminable Bacterial Wilt

41.6oz Homegrown Tomato

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... Week 8 - July 13, 2019

Week 8 - 2019
Harvest begun, Friday - Nearly 20lb of Squash, ... Onions, Radishes, Lettuce, Beets, Peas, Green and Yellow Beans pushed total towards 40lb.
Totals expected to, possibly, double weekly, for a while ...

#1 Tomato bed looking good and strong, did extensive trimming near ground and sucker removal.

I've had good success rooting Suckers and am soaking quantities for greenhouse planting. Hopefully they will do better than the stunted starter plants I have been nursing along. 1 week soaking in rainwater produces substantial root bud growth, possibly longer for the larger suckers, then transfer to constantly wet-soaked soil till notable growth resumed.



Peppers finally starting to "bush up". Flower buds abound and time to stop pinching flowers off.
Problem with Peppers, in Upstate NY, is that they don't reach good production till growing season is ending, greenhouse will definitely help with that!

Might transfer-transplant center row to greenhouse? Room for others to grow.



Squash getting large enough ... won't be able to wear shorts in aisles! Stems are prickly enough to tear up legs, arms too, while harvesting.



2nd tied up Tomatoes doing well.

Most of Garlic is ready for harvest, if it was for drying and extended storage, but usually gets parceled out over a few weeks. So harvest will be delayed a couple more weeks for the most brown and longer for the greener.




Winter Squash, along fence, growing gangbusters, long vines.
Cleaned up and planted - replanted some neglected beds, should green up fast.



Most Family Beds doing good to very good. Most beds looking good, nice contrast to neglected beds we were forced to weed.
#1 lower right
#2 3rd row from right , center and right beds.




Greenhouse Progress - Endwalls - (in case you missed it)
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... Tomatoes and the interminable Bacterial Wilt

Seems our Tomato crop is always cut short by a yellowing and wilting and dying of leaves and stems.

Cause - Bacterial wilt is the diagnosed culprit. Supposedly, infection occurs when rainwater splashes bacteria in dirt onto leaves.

Prevention:
#1 Remove all low lying leaves before infection starts
#2 Leave space between plants for good airflow
#3 Mulch below plants to negate soil splash, or
#4 Semipermeable ground cover fabric below plants
#5 Spray plants thoroughly with a beneficial bacteria infused Compost Tea
note - Spraying plants with chlorinated water will strip leaves of any protective-beneficial bacteria

Treatment:
Remove infected leaves, then:
Thoroughly spray leaves and stem with a Neem Oil solution (dilute as directed)
or
Various solutions involve baking soda and occasionally Vinegar, spayed on infected areas - (not personally tested)

We are trying low trimming for bottom air flow (12", after plant well established) and ground cover fabric ...

With tending and attention we're hoping for a prolonged Tomato harvest.
Had great harvest but short lived (160lb Tomatoes in best week, last year)
Planting another crop from stunted plants and rooted suckers in greenhouse next week. Hoping to maintain crops of Tomatoes, Peppers and possibly Eggplant into November. Radishes, Lettuce, Green Onions etc. into December

Goldfish feast!
Added Goldfish to 2 rain barrels. 2 for the one with least Mosquito Larva and 4 to the one with the most.
2 days later and all Larva are gone. Fortunately the fish can live happily off the algae growing on the inside of the barrel (white translucent barrels) ... till Mosquitoes lay more eggs.

Spigot on water barrels are up several inches, so even when "empty" barrels still have 10 gal fish tank. Will find good homes for survivors, come Fall.
Water gets partially changed with every rain and floating debris removed with every heavy rain - overflow.

Fish feces rich in Nitrates as good fertilizer.

Harvested towards 40lb of Squash this week, (Monday and Friday) not including the half dozen Acorn Squash, letting get a bit bigger, 1st Peppers (Sweet Banana) are ripe and ready. Harvested 1st batch of Garlic, pulled up, but letting dry for a week before parceling out.

Looks like Romaine Lettuce "heads" are filling out for next week harvest.

Sugar Peas are delicious, so letting a bunch ripen for planting next year.
Got more than 1 1/2" of rain, in less than an hour, so expecting another growth surge! Something about thunderstorm energized rainwater?

Will post up proceedures and pictures of rooting Tomato suckers for planting and attempts at rejuvenating stunted plants left in small starter pots for way too long.

DrkAngel said:

..... Will find good homes for survivors, come Fall......

Click to expand...

If the barrels don't freeze solid in the winter, Just leave them in there with a way to feed them a couple of times a week.

Week 9 - July 20, 2019

Trimming and pruning definitely help height. Several Tomato plants standing at 6'+. Beautiful Cherry 100 plant with 7 strings of 12-15 fruit, so far ...


Storm knocked some Peppers over, so had to stake them up - soft loamy soil.


Squash plants are taking over the aisles!


2nd tier of Tomatoes doing well.
Harvested out 1 of 3 batches of Garlic. Not great size. Will be moving dedicated Garlic bed to freshly rejuvenated soil and expect great improvement for next year.


Harvested out and\or scrapped leaf lettuce, Romaine heads filling out, will harvest some come Monday.


Nice crop of Acorn Squash on left, with some Butternut started. Nice growth in most all the Family Beds.


Front gate doing nicely.

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... July planting Tomatoes, for Greenhouse

We have leftover Tomato plants for planting ... I've been keeping these stunted, sickly looking plants alive well past their expiration date.
Now that a planting date is actually expected, I've begun various methods of rejuvenating and repopulating our seedling supply

#1 method - resurrecting spindly, foliagely challenged sets.
Peat pots and lower stem placed in primo topsoil surrounded on all side with 1"+ soil, kept moist with Miracle Gro, Epsom Salt, Calcium mixture, to "unbound" and "shock" new root and foliage growth.

#2 method - rejuvenating spindly, leaf bare plants in oem plastic tray-pots, been outside "hardened" to near death. Similar to #1, Roots and lower stem placed in primo topsoil surrounded on all side with 1"+ soil, kept moist with Miracle Gro, Epsom Salt, Calcium mixture, to "shock" new root and foliage growth.

Already showing new growth with good color.
Will plant deep to promote root growth along long bare stem.


#3 method - limited number of plastic tray sets kept alive in "grow tent" with LED lighting and nutrient additives. Placed in larger peat pots with primo topsoil and "nutrient bath" to free up "bound" roots and encourage stem and branch growth-strengthening.

#4 method - rooting "suckers" from established plants.
1st attempt at creating an entire crop of extended- 2nd season Tomato plants. Removed suckers looked like a massacre! Waited too long to get in and remove. But, encouraged me to attempt rooting suckers of various sizes ... working well, 4" to near 24". Just removed branches from lower several inches and placed in water. Root development was evident in less than 1 week and foliage barely withered. Will place in deep soil, place in hole and sprinkle fine loose topsoil gently around roots, then water religiously till notable new growth evident.

10 day root growth, ready to gently plant in loose soil


Tall suckers tended to bend and sink into water. Used brick holes to support. About 1 week of root growth.


Success, Suckers rooted and growing for additional week. Healthy color and noticeable growth.


Growing from suckers is only recommended in regions of extended length growing season, or ... if you have a Greenhouse.

Note: Rooting suckers kept in reduced-limited sunlight.
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... Squash vs Heat?

Been hovering around 90 for the past week.
Wondering if that explains a recent lack of succesful blooms - new fruit on our Summer Squash?
Is Squash flowering - successful "fruitage" related to temperature?

Had plenty of rain, on good draining soil.
Cucumbers flowering "properly", and they received same watering and supplements etc as Squash, hmm ...

Update - Temperature does affect pollination.
"3) When temperatures are above 85 degrees F the pollen dies quickly, therefore pollination & fertilization does not occur."
Recommend
"To remedy these issues you could simply pollinated each female bloom manually by transferring pollen from the male bloom to the female bloom. Early in the morning before temperatures reach 85 degrees F. seek and pick the male blooms (the ones with the stem behind the petals); carefully remove the petals by tearing them off at the base to expose the pollen sacks; and then jiggle the pollen sacks onto the stigma of the female flower. You will notice how easily the pollen will stick onto the stigma. Fertilization will follow quickly on its own."

Temperature finally dropped, high below 70 today, and getting prolonged, if intermittent, rain.
Planned ahead and got a bunch of planting done yesterday.
Tomato seedlings in freshly soiled corner bed. (3 types of seedlings for direct comparison: 1. stunted bush Tomato seedlings; 2. Rooted Rutgers suckers; 3. Plastic tray Cherry 100 transplanted to large wet peat pot, week ago, then planted deeply)
Beets along Northern fence bed.
Sugar Peas and climbing Green Beans against Northern fence. (Only had several hours prep time to soak seeds, but Peas plumped up nicely and wet soil should prompt quick germination for both)
Old Tomato seedling vs rooted suckers in greenhouse, for comparison purposes. Trying to determine advisability of resurrecting stunted plants vs rooted suckers as better method for populating late season planting.

All plantings watered "prepped" with:
per gallon
1 Tablespoon Miracle Gro fertilizer
1 Teaspoon Epsom Salts
1000mg Calcium (crushed dietary supplement pills)

Just started adding Epsom Salts to Calcium supplement as it aids Calcium absorption and, supposedly, sweetens Tomatoes.

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... Weed Control-Kill (spray mixture)

Outside of fence is a bit of a jungle, all sorts of swamp grass and a multitude of invasive weeds. Worst is the stuff that grows between the chain link fence and the chicken wire to keep out the smaller critters.

Just tried a new recommendation.
Dissolving Epsom Salts in Vinegar and spraying on weeds.
Trying in multiple methods:
Spraying lower stems and ground around fence
Spraying the foliage in the cracks of my sidewalks
Will continue report at 1 day, 1 week etc.

Update - reasonable ineffective, must add soap to mixture to be absorbed ... and Salt rather than Epsom Salt is more effective. Mixture to be sprayed on leaves - for best effect.


Should be concentrated enough to kill most anything ...
Trace amount of both ingredients are beneficial and any indirect absorption from raised beds inside fence hopefully of insignificant damage or of positive contribution.
Might help deter the snail intrusion from that area! ... ?

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... Week 10 July 27, 2019


Several Tomato plants hitting the 7' bar.





Peppers really taking off this week.
Peppers started on most every plant, might have to transplant center row to greenhouse, just to provide proper room for plants.





Squash starting new produce, might be minimal harvest this next week, Yellow Summer doing well but Zucchini lagging.





Garlic harvested, small bulbs due to worn out soil?
Tomato plants chock full of Tomatoes!





Family beds doing well, harvesting 1st Cherry Tomatoes.





Cleaned up the corner and planted "resurrected Tomatoes, Cherry 100's in center 4. Snap Peas against the fence and Climbing Green Beans down the right along the fence.





That is 1 humungous Tomato in lower left!

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... Greenhouse Progress

Trim finished and painted up.
Ready for the plastic "roof".



Inside walls painted white also, to reflect sunlight into the regions darkened by wall's shadow.




After plastic installed will need to place chicken wire fence for when ends are rolled up.
Planning on placing a J channel on "hips" to "gutter" rainwater into 250 gallon reservoir as component of watering system.
Final touch might be shelves and workbench.

Oops ... forgot about vents and/or fans in peaks, for cooling-ventilation.
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... Solar heating

Considering the mass of cement blocks, I believe they will act as a considerable heatsink, storing the days Sun heat and releasing it over night.
Also considering painting the 250gal water tank black, to store additional heat.



4 remaining "low beds" will be raised after harvesting Radishes, Green Onions and Lettuce. Will transplant Pepper plants and other(?)
desirables into raised beds




... Rainwater irrigation

Latest method for collecting rainwater involves a simple J-channel guttering water to rear into PVC elbow and into tank. 2sq ft solar panel should charge Lithium cells sufficient for twice weekly watering through soaking hoses. Got some real small pumps, but gravity feed might be good enough.
"Adhesive foam" is dbl sided foam tape, about 1/8" thick between top 2 x 4 and 2 mil plastic, to provide positive seal.

"hip" tilted 45 degrees


Previous idea involved large gutter at bottom and pumping rainwater up into tank. New method much simpler and effective!

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... Greenhouse Progress

Gettin' there ...
Figured the door, went with a simple storm door. Framed in and painted the rough opening. Placed closing apparatus at top to prevent snagging any one or thing.



Planted and transplanted
Onions, Lettuce and Radishes growing well. Planted 4 beds with Tomatoes, mostly sucker cuttings and a few rejuvenated old seedlings. Starting to tie some up to the overhead framework.
Caught a rabbit munching all the Radishes from Cement Block holes. Hoping to have plastic roof and walls up next weekend.
High tunnel design rolls up the sidewalls, so will add 24" chicken wire at bottom to keep critters out while open for ventilation.



Finishing touches:
Roll on the plastic and and fasten down on hips with 2 x 4's
Add "roll up" bars to bottoms
Add chicken wire to bottom
Run J-Channel along hip 2 x 4s to channel water to rear and 1 1/2" PVC to pipe into water storage
Install small solar panel, Lithium storage and small water pumps
Lay down soaker hosing to all beds

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... Tomato Season

Historically, our Tomato season lasts about 1 month, from about the 1st week in August till the 1st week in September. With better attention to disease prevention we are hoping to extend that by weeks! Further, the Green house, and other fresh plantings should provide a complete 2nd crop that could, potentially, prolong Tomato production for a complete additional month!
Greenhouse and additional beds are just beginning to flower as 1st Season Tomatoes are beginning to ripen. LED grow lights are in supply to lengthen days to continue flowering if necessary to extend crop into late Fall. Add additional couple hours of light to induce flowering.

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... Greenhouse Operational

Got the plastic up and roll-up sides functional.
Beds are about 50% populated, saving space for Peppers before 1st frost.

2 items left for completion:
Upper vents near roof - plan on louvered vents, in conjunction with covering door for Winter season.
Rain water collection - ready to J-Channel rainwater into PVC pipe to 250 gallon water tank. To prevent algae growth and as heatsink, will paint white plastic tank black.









Half of Tomatoes are staked with the other half wrapped-tied to coated steel cables, to the rafters.


Space left for vents above door and at opposite end.
Temp, with sides closed was about 95 on a 70 degree day. Will require sides open till weather cools significantly. put up temporary 2' fence on 1 side, may go 6' fence on North side, to climb Beans or Peas. Gotta keep out the Rabbits and Groundhogs! ... but let the Bees in.

Looking good!

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... Week 12 - 2019

1st Tomatoes ripening. Removed-transplanted 1 "infected"(?) plant to isolated location, Neem oiled and watering twice daily to ripen fruit and test Neem oil effectiveness.



Peppers doing great! Letting all Peppers ripen to color, Red, Orange or Yellow, getting Green Peppers from "shares" of a local farm.




Plants heavily laden with fruit, some red visible. 1 gigantic mutation resident. I would guess at 2lb+ and just starting to get some color.
10 foot + Sunflower on left. Cut all leaves that might shade tomatoes, so does no harm.




Cherry ripen 1st, several full size and 1 Roma sampled. Heavy enough that several Green Tomatoes have been "crowded" off the vines. Will make available for fried Green Tomatoes.




Tomatoes and Peppers being harvested, Squash and Cucumbers suffering from Beetles, disease and heat? Marigold are taking over as the goldmine.
Tomatoes, herbs and Peppers still doing great!




Corner with Cherry 100's and Pear Cherry just starting to flower, relying on them as a 2nd season crop.




7 beds planted, With various Tomatoes and Peppers, some Eggplants. Front 4 beds to be raised another block and planted with transplant Peppers before 1st frost ... or various 2nd season crops, Will harvest out Onions and Lettuce before raising. Low bed with Tomato plants will receive 2nd level of blocks and add more topsoil as plants grow, Tomatoes will grow more roots from main stem as soil added. Deciding on 2nd season crops for block holes, will need to investigate heat tolerance due to sauna like temps from roof added. Might spread white sand and throw a Beach party in December?





Got 1st cherry tomato off from hanging basket in left rear. Glad to get protected from the wind. I feared gusts would break stem. I would recommend hanging baskets for cherry type Tomatoes only, over 100 fruits growing, compared to less than half a dozen full size on any of the other 4 hangings.
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... High Tunnel Progress slideshow

Was 115 degrees, at floor level, with one side open 2'. (Chicken wired to keep rabbits, woodchucks etc out.)
Plants looked pretty wilted.
Watered all plants.
Cut 2 rough openings in end walls near peaks, ordered 18 x 24" gabel vents, but won't arrive for several days.
Will be 85 today, will monitor temp.
Hoping to rely on passive cooling but left space for up to 24" fans.

Tomatoes rooted from suckers doing fantastic!
Thick stems and massive leaves.
Whether due to the new rich soil, the heat and humidity or my Calcium - Epsom Salt additive ... the plants look excellent, will post pictures.
2 block height beds include a layer of partially decomposed leaves at 8" deep. For prolonged nutrition, moisture retention, worm propagation etc.

Harvested our 1st few pounds of Tomatoes. Ripening will be fast and furious. Looks like about 1/3 of plants are determinate (produce a single crop, all at once), about 2/3 are indeterminate (still starting new Tomatoes as older ones ripen.)

Spraying greenhouse Radishes, Eggplants and lower Tomato leaves with Neem Oil to address Flea Beetle damage (many small holes in leaves). Most noticeable in Radish and Potato leaves, but worst damage to untreated Eggplants (ate 2 plants to death.)

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... Week 13 - 2019
Tomatoes Cranking up and winding down!
Harvest to begin in earnest.
Couple pounds last week, several pounds this week.
Tomatoes will ripen exponentially over the next few weeks, time to find the canning jars.
Likely to be a couple weeks Tomato shortage before greenhouse Tomatoes are ready ... will have to survive on the omnipresent Cherry Tomatoes?

All vines heavily weighed down, some collapses but no tragic breaks. Attempts at trying to re-tie plants up difficult and liable to make matters worse. Helping lift up, but hoping ground cover fabric helps Tomatoes survive.



Peppers doing great, harvested 1st Small yellow sweet peppers today.


2nd string Tomatoes also suffered some collapses, nasty storm! One giant Tomato near bottom center


... Mutant Tomato is larger than a Cantaloupe and guesstimated at 3lb+ ... ripe for harvest come Friday.

Will need to find custom bread for a slice on my BLT.






Vines too heavy with Tomatoes. Cherry Tomato vines survived the storm pretty well. Cherry Tomatoes thriving with lots of flowers, but many are 8' tall with nothing else to climb ... might set trellis on top of pipes and let Tomatoes hang through. Thanks, now I have more work to do ...



Cleaned and ready to paint 250 gallon water storage cube black. Looking to supply greenhouse irrigation with collected rainwater.

Will do final scrub with SS chore boy pad w/alcohol, let dry then paint with Krylon Fusion, might add coat of cheap Krylon dependent on effectiveness ... want to block light to prevent algae growth inside cube.



<1 month old (since planted from rooted suckers) Tomatoes are tremendous, thick stems and giant leaves impress everyone!



Hoping to get large vents, side fence and irrigation installed by next week.
Half of Tomatoes are tied up to "rafters", other half already outgrowing 4' stakes. Will either need 8' stakes or build additional trellis.



Upside down Cheery Tomato plant has over 200 Tomatoes started. Beginning supplemental fertilizer + Calcium-Epsom Salt.



My 1st Eggplants ... bothered by Flea Beetles. Tried Talc on leaves, but resorted to Neem Oil as deterrent.




BLT - Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato sandwich
Toasted large Italian bread - 2 slices
Smother toast with Hellman's Mayonnaise
bed of Lettuce on toast
add layer, or 2, of firm, not crispy, Bacon
big honking slice of vine ripened Tomato
Salt liberally
cap with 2nd Mayoed toast
eat over large drip pan ... bib recommended!

Nice one DrkAngel!
I did one using cement blocks too. I made the mistake of buying most of my blocks from Lowes. It turns out I have a place in my area that specializes in nothing but cement blocks (Yavapai Block) and sells cement blocks for much cheaper.

My garden isn't really working for me. My issue is that once my totes run out I'm spending about $5-10 more per month on water. We had a really wimpy monsoon season and it looks like this year I'm going to be spending about $20 on water alone for produce that I probably could have bought from the grocery store for about $20.

I have 600 gallons worth of rain storage but the rainy season only gave me 400. I predict I will be out of water again by the end of next month.

Been lucky these past few years, getting most all the water we need from the roofs into rain barrels. Large building and warehouse, we collect 3, of 4, water downspouts into rain barrels ... adding Greenhouse 720 sq/f collection area. Will be adding 2 more 250gal cubes to irrigate Pantry and Family sections with soaking hose - next Spring. 250gallon storage, combined with natural rainfall should suffice. Family section is < 1500sq/f of planting area and Pantry section is near 1000sq/f of planting area.

Green house will be dependent on stored rainwater from 250 gallon cube, but that gets topped up with every rain ... after I get the rain gutters and piping installed. Hopefully this weekend.

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... 41.6oz Homegrown Tomato









Tempted to eat myself but gave to Family, so wouldn't waste any of it.