When to move rockwool seedlings to dutch buckets

[gdgdad]

Stan, thanks for the quick response. I’ve provided a (hopefully) better pic and circled the “discolored” leaves that shows their position. On your comments / questions:
-The plants aren’t moved in and out, and actually have never been moved since being put in the Dutch buckets, BUT…. They’re only inches from the garage door (to get the most full sun) that I open in the morning, close in the evening.
-Watering: still set at 15min off/ 3 min on 24/7 (reduced from 5 min on). I use an “open” (i.e. nothing on the end of the hose) dual ¼” drip line per bucket. See the pic with the “hoop”, I cut the hoop at center and left ends open, pushed down ~ 2” into perlite. Per my measurement on the return line, I believe each bucket gets about 10 gph. (if running continuously). Increase time on?
-My PH tester is a battery operated ATC – iMeshbean PH tester (https://www.amazon.com/iMeshbean-Dig.../dp/B00LE3MZ7S). I also bought Atlas Scientific calibration liquids and check the tester ~ once a month and it’s dead on.
-Fertilizer: still using Miracle Grow® for tomatoes (@1/4 strength) – open to your recommendations – type and strength….
-On the air stone(s), I’ll turn them on manually in the morning for ~ 2hrs. until I grab another timer from good ‘ol Harbor Freight.

[Stan]

PH Tester - Ok I had 1 of those ph testers when I first started they were never very accurate and a PITA to adjust. I use General Hydroponics ph tester it's always accurate and easy to deal with and cheap 5 - 7 dollars that'll last for the year. The ph color in the pic is what you want.


Fertilizer - I tried once growing with Miracle Grow it works in the beginning stages but I never got it to grow to the end. Plants need more than what that fertilizer will give them. I've been using Verti-Gro for a long time now always had success with them. They have a sale going on now for the same fertilizer I've been buying from them.
http://www.vertigro.com/dealoftheday.asp
They have instructions on the package of how much to dilute in 1 gallon bottles You need strong 1 gallon containers not the flimsy milk containers. Both fertilizes need to be in separate containers. Instructions also include how much of the nutrients should be added to the reservoir of which I never went full strength with. Now my growing season is from May thru October growing 11 tomato plants of which I only used a total of 1/2 gallon of each solution.

Watering - I never used that ring does it drip out or flow out? If it drips out increase the time double it. I take my black tubing and push it down close to the stem of the tomato plant pics below. Those plants grew so fast they came over the top of the cages and grew down below the cages easily over 10ft tall. I also shot a very short video of my Black Cherry Tomato plants that was loaded with forming tomatoes. It was shot after an extreme heatwave that lasted about a week. You'll see my feed line running from PVC pipe into the perlite. The leaves aren't perfect but the tomatoes didn't suffer from the heatwave. I will remove the video in a couple days.

https://mega.nz/#!oWhXUaoT!lBC6rTlGu...bDXf5um3pMFtEc

[gdgdad]

Thanks so much Stan! I’m following your suggestions from your recent and previous post:
- I put the aerator on its own timer – 1hr. in morning, 1 hr. in evening
- I’ll order the fertilizer you suggested, though I may have to wait a week
- Ditto on the PH tester – though I don’t totally trust my ability to color match (per the wife)….
- Watering: I’ve attached an excerpt (pic) from my CAD drawing, and the ¼ inch lines are “open ended” (no ring), free flowing (good steady streams) buried ~2” down in the perlite on each side of plant(s). Also 2 pics of line leading into bucket(s) from ½ PVC line.
- Watched the video (thank you) – I’m envious…. But I’ll get there.
Got your PM on the seeds – thanks again! Lastly, I temporarily “decommissioned” the cloner today, sanitized and storing for when I get the new seeds. The remaining “back up” plant still in the cloner I put into a pot (standard dirt mix). It seemed to be wilting, I’m guessing it didn’t like the spray intervals – I only had that old timer and it was “feast or famine”…..

[gdgdad]

Stan, I’m getting ready to do the first “complete flush” of the Dutch bucket reservoir. I’ll be leaving to Michigan the 16th. For ~2 weeks, and I have a neighbor and a brother coming by to check on things and add pre-mixed / balanced water to the reservoir when necessary. Everything is on timers, i.e. pump, aerator, lights and automatic heater in reservoir is always on. The neighbor will open the garage door when sunny and warm enough (he says he was a farmer in Jamaica and is blown away by this “system”). My question: The plants are about 20” high now and I was thinking of increasing the fertilizer from 25% to 50% (yes, I’m still using the miracle grow). I plan on ordering the fertilizer you suggested just before I get back. One plant has a flower just starting (see pic) and I’m wondering if that’s an indicator they’re at a stage where I should increase nutrients. I know you said add Epsom salt when tomatoes actually start to form – and I’m guessing that’s weeks away. Thanks again for all your help – things seem to be going (growing?) good.

[Stan]

When you see flowers forming on all the plants up Fertilizer to 50%. The pic of the plant looks really good and healthy. It has plenty trichomes (hairs) which is excellent. It doesn’t look like it needs to go to 50% yet. It will when all the plants firm flowers then tomatoes.

What you should do is self pollinate any flowers you see that are open usually mid morning to midday. You can do it 2 ways either by slightly tapping on the stem the flower is forming on or by using a battery operated toothbrush and let it vibrate the stem. Here’s an amazing slo-mo video of the pollen that comes out of the flowers. That flower is pollinated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFzyIi6yn8Q

I would start putting a little bit of pure epsom salt in with the nutrients. First mix the miracle grow ph the water let run thru the system wait 1 hour. Add small amount of pure epsom salt in a bottle of warm water let desolve add to reservoir ph the water. This will make plants bloom lots of flowers and as tomatoes grow add 1 time each month will make the tomatoes taste amazing!


Can your neighbor send you pics of the plants in case of any changes while you are gone? I would stay with same strength of nutrients but would make 1 batch of 50% just in case as these plants will skyrocket when you do and you want to be present for it or only be gone a week at most.

You’ve done an incredible job with your plants. It really is easy once you get that first grow out of the way and you’ve built confidence in yourself.

[Stan]

I forgot to mention can you take the neoprene sleeves off the plants and make the openings larger than the actual stem? If you take a look at the stem on the pic I posted the stems are really large. I'm wondering if the sleeves will prevent those stems from getting larger. The larger the stem the stronger the plant will be. If those stems stay slim and lots of tomatoes form it might split the stem killing most of the tomatoes on the plants. Just something to think about.

[gdgdad]

Thanks Stan,
I’ll be flushing the system today and I’ll add in (separately per your instructions) some Epsom salts. You mentioned in a previous post “…maybe 3 tablespoons once a month”, is that per my ~ 16 gallon reservoir, or per gallon of water? I removed the last neoprene collar and added hydroton around the stems, do you think that will still constrict the plants? My intent is to block out sunlight to prevent algae, but I doubt that’ll be a problem this time of year. Just a note on the pump timing, it remains at 15 min off & 3 min on, 7/24, and the plants seem to be OK with that, so I’ll leave it be – though I do have an additional timer to run the Spartan® timer. I custom built a panel to house the four timers so it doesn’t look like the wiring in the Griswald Christmas vacation movie! I’ll post a pic when it’s complete. And... that video was awesome - I'll be the "bee" for now, though I have actually had a couple bees wander in when the garage door is open.