Scoop1

I use bamboo stakes - free, renewable and easy to work with.

magnesium OK. Bot if you enrich the soil beforehand and use some potash if you can get it you'll find the fertiliser totally unnecessary and you avoid the risk of over-nitrogenising the plants. The potash does the same thing as you describe for the magnesium. If you feel you MUST fertilise, use Seaweed Emulsion - a much healthier and cheaper option - just add water and with a watering cam apply around the root region.

As for seed sources, I find the best are Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I buy them on-line. They are good quality, and cheaper than most others in the US, and FAR cheaper than Australia and far more generous in their packs. Just make sure you buy varieties that are suited to the tropics and humid conditions.

It depends where you are located. I have no problem growing them as soon as the rainy season finishes, but we are at higher altitude. Better in part-shade despite what the "experts" tell you and better to buy DRV's (Disease Resistant varieties) because they tolerate the heat and humidity better - Start with Tropic or Moneymaker - medium sized and much easier to grow. As soon as the flower bunches appear cover them with small cotton squares - protects from the heat of the sun plus fruit-fly. Another local trick is to grow them under a "roof" of clear plastic, say about 2m high - protects them from some of the harmful rays of the sun plus helps to control watering if it rains.Mulch heavily to keep the soil temperature down as well as to maintain moisture.

Go easy on the fertiliser - you might end up with beautiful plants but no fruit - better to enrich the soil beforehand with lower nitrogen substances such as compost, humus and cow (not chicken) manure. Tomatoes respond amazingly to potash - a little difficult to buy in Thailand and expensive. A handful around the plant in its early growth stages and again as it is preparing to flower. Always water the ground (sparingly) NOT the leaves, and practice bed rotation to prevent soil borne diseases. Also to prevent disease, space them out well, stake them and NEVER allow the leaves to touch the soil.

If all this fails, grow cherry tomatoes. They grow like weeds, even in the rainy season. If they fail, give up!!!

This all seems to be good advice. I have tried and failed to grow tomatoes. Recently, I visited a tomato farm and was told they apply a fertilizer high in magnesium when the tomatoes are growing, to thicken the skins to prevent splitting. Can anyone confirm that?

What are you successful gardeners using to support your tomatoes? Wooden stakes? I tried fence wire cages as I did in the U.S. A Thai neighbor said the metal fence was the reason the vines wilted. Comments? Experience?

Just my two bits worth on splitting ... Tomatoes often split when the soil dries out while ripening and "explode" (split) when watered... so best to keep evenly moist soil ... and do not let the soil dry out! Water the roots, not the actual plant.

As for the metal cage, I cannot see that would make a difference... Thai's would not be used to such fancy equipment! .... bamboo or wood stakes would do the job though...

Hi all, very well explained sam, there are so many misconceptions about Tomatoes.

Can anyone give me help to produce this type of tomato?

http://www.agaclar.net/forum/attachments/domates/3389d1156330072-img_4097.jpg

I had seeds and I'll get some more from my home country again. This tomato looks ugly, we call it pink tomato (not really ping), however it tastes amazing.

Another photo

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__wpjdLo-yUs/Sh9xiefZv6I/AAAAAAAALkk/cfCRLrtTnPY/s400/pembe.JPG

and

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXNMRBlPi5o/Tm0hkaWU0FI/AAAAAAAABVk/5OhMe5t0q7A/s1600/KucukBahcem_Pembe_Domates_tohum_alma1.jpg

Hi Muratremix, those pics I would safely say are "brandy wine" { Pink } a very big and old Heirloom variety and they also suffer from cat facing and misshapen fruit as your pics show

Cheers

Scoop

Hi cdmtdm, I would raise the stud height to 4mtrs minimum which means the majority of the heat will be above the plant canopy[ unless you are growing indeterminate tomatoes and yes you will have to have a ridge vent and at least 500 micron bug mesh on the vent and the walls, the best way to run your greenhouse is in the most sterile way possible and that includes a foot bath with a chlorine solution to step into so not to carry any soil pathogens inside the greenhouse, its widely thought that the best design for the tropics is the "sawtooth" greenhouse it gives much better natural ventilation, but ugly as all hell, haha, I was thinking that if ever I got sick of the greenhouse that the design will have the versatility to be used as something else. you mention that you will be using NFT so I am guessing that you will be growing lettuce or micro greens?.

Cheers

Scoop

Hi cdmtdm, I was looking to use galvanised square tube about 1 inch or 1.5 inch for the frame, search in the farming forum " Green House" and have a look at "tiger2" post 8, that looked pretty good to me, and also I asked in the housing forum about the square gal tube and a poster sent me some information on scaffolding and that looked ok as well. I will seach for that and let you know where that post is.

Cheers

Scoop

Found it, this may be an option for the frame?

http://www.vpcgroup.co.th/

Hi cdmtdm, I have done a lot of research on this subject and what you want to build is about the same as what I came up with, this is what I will use when I build my greenhouse, Suntuf Plus, this website will give you some very good information.

Cheers

Scoop

http://www.palram.com.au/com_suntuf_plus.html

Hello All, Scoop1, about 16 years ago before I moved to LOS, I helped a

Thai friend run his restaurant south of SFO. For the most part, we used

serranos for the main HEAT source for 98% of all meals served, they had

enough kick for the average person.

My wife now uses jals and serranos for her Thai concoctions witch she

use to Thai chilies out of her garden. She does have the habit of phinching

some of mine on the way to the pot. Can you spot the different chillies?

rice555

Hi Rice, wowww there are some very different shapes in that lot, how is your Hydroponic garden growing and what are you growing in Hydroponics at the moment?

Cheers

Scoop

Hi Rice, hope you are well, I am growing some Jalapeno's now and also some Cayenne and I still have the one Trinidad Scorpion, and two Halbanero Reds but they are very slow growing compared to the Thai Birdseye that I grow all year, the other night I prepared myself a Thai dish and I was very brave Rice, I used two birdseye chilli's, I also took the seeds out, and it was very nice, but two would be my limit, haha.

Cheers

Scoop

Hi , thanks riceyummm if I feel brave when they get a little bit bigger and start to show some flowers I might just try that.

Cheers

Scoop

Hello All, thanks Scoop1 for the calcium nitrate info.

The husk pieces in this pic is what runs Bt.80 for the

big bag, have not seen this wide of tray before.

Rice555

Two questions

Do you plant seeds directly into growing medium or in seed trays?

How often do you have to change the growing medium?

Thanks. Bob

Hi GB, I use my coir 3 or 4 times with just about everything I grow and when it becomes totally filled with roots I do what rice does and dig it into the soil garden, as for the seeds I sew my seeds in individual trays 1 seed per division, with the same coir and transplant when strong enough, If you have to separate, lets say 10 or 20 seedlings it does cause stress to them and that sets you back a little bit while they recover, but with Hydroponics , it is not the same as soil, where you should not plant the same plants in the same position season after season ,because you are feeding a balanced and fresh nutrient all the time so there is no depletion of elements from the same plants like there is in soil, I just flush the used coir in fresh water and start again.

Cheers

Scoop

Hi Sawadeka, that's great, lets know how you get on, just make sure you look after those leaves, and you will notice the difference .

Cheers

Scoop

Thanks all, I think I will throw them out and stick with something a little more user friendly

Cheers

Scoop

Hi All, whitewater if the coir processing procedure is done properly there is a lot less sodium remaining in the coir, however that is not always the case or what maybe in the bag, its a Nitrogen draw down index that has to be rectified before initial use, most large coir manufacturers have specifications on what that Nitrogen draw down index is, but so many don't have that information, the easiest way to "charge" the new coir is to use a Calcium Nitrate solution { 20.0% Calcium 15.5% Nitrogen or similar } at an EC of 2.0 and totally cover and saturate the coir with this charging solution and leave it soaking for at least 24 hours and the completely drain it , then give it a good flush with the nutrient solution at the strength that you require for the plant that will be growing in the coir, and then it will be ready to use and the seedling won't suffer from a Nitrogen deficiency from that draw down. This is the formula that is required, dissolve 400 grams of { Calcium Nitrate at the percentage mentioned above } in 1 litre of water and use it at a dilution rate of 1- 200 and that will get you very close to EC 2.0. which will supply 310ppm of Nitrogen and 400ppm of Calcium. If the percentage of the Calcium Nitrate is a little different, give me yell and I will work it out for you if you need me to.

Cheers

Scoop

Hi, thank you for the help guys, I will do as you say, but maybe I will put them in the garbage

cheers

Scoop

Hi all, tried this in the Hydroponic forum but didn't get many responses, so I thought it may be better here, just need some information on two types of Chilli's from experienced Chilli growers if possible, I have been given some seeds to grow in Hydroponics and have been warned that they are extremely hot and just wanted to know if I have to take any precautions because of the heat, one is a Habanero Red and a Trinidad Scorpion, I have grown Thai Birdseye before but apparently these two are much much hotter, any advice would be great.

Cheers

Scoop

Cloves? Yes, and garlic around your neck, 'cause these chilli bite.

Regards.

Hi Teletiger, I think you mean Gloves not Cloves , is that right? yes I am aware that they are the hottest chilli on the planet, I wont be eating them just growing them, haha, but what about handling them, and other advice ? , Sorry buts what's with the Garlic? I know nothing about eating chilli's is that like an Anti Venom.

Cheers

Scoop

Hello All, I haven't grown those two parities, but the latter is the hottest.

I thought you were a light weight when it came to fire!

rice555

Hi Rice, you are one hundred percent correct , I also heard that you have to wear cloves when handling them, but I am not sure, that's why I need some advice.

Cheers

Scoop

Hi all, just need some information on two types of Chilli's from experienced Chilli growers if possible, I have been given some seeds to grow in Hydroponics and have been warned that they are extremely hot and just wanted to know if I have to take any precautions because of the heat, one is a Habanero Red and a Trinidad Scorpion, I have grown Thai Birdseye before but apparently these two are much much hotter, any advice would be great.

Cheers

Scoop

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/cypermethrin.pdf

Some Interesting facts about Permethrin

Cheers

Scoop

Just wondering what it takes to get a sub forum on hydroponics, it seems to me that there is enough interest, where are you moderators? what needs to be done?

Cheers

Scoop

Well, Here I am just like the rest of you. I have looked at over 50 videos on Hydraponic, Aquaponics, and for the life of me, I cannot seem to find a supplier of just the baskets for the plants once they are ready to go into a tank. I think that between homepro and my tools, I can do the rest, but find it difficult to get started with the basics. HELP!

Hi Chaiyadan, are you talking about "Net Pots" ?

Cheers

Scoop1

Try this site http://en.bangsaiagro.com/products_page2.asp

Hi all, wowww after reading this topic I am so glad that I can grow most things in Hydroponics, Muratemix I grew Thai snake beans and wing beans here in Australia through the summer months and it was very hot, 35/40 degrees for a fair period , and they were grown in a broccoli box and I ran them up against a cattle yard, they were unbelievably prolific and never had one problem with them, so do as most have advised and start off small, out in hard light, wind and rain and then you will get a gauge on what is needed .

Cheers

Scoop

Hi Green, try this website or PM rice555 he will may know an easier way closer to you

cheers

Scoop

http://www.knaapthailand.com

Hi all, Soidogs, you say you "had bees in the area" if they are honey bees they really don't help that much because tomato flowers only supply pollen, NO NECTAR, so they are not that attractive to honey bees, bumble bees have bigger furrier bodies and can collect a lot more pollen from the stamens and buzz the flower with much more vigour and at a frequency which causes the pollen to explode upwards and showers their bodies with the pollen and this obviously gets transferred to other flowers and aids in optimal fruit set which is very important and what we want, it simply sounds like a pollination issue because from what you have said the temperatures seem be ok for pollination although you don't say what the daytime temperatures were, maybe they are too high, fruit set from pollination is dependent on warm temperatures, and will occur at optimal temperatures above 20 degrees c at lower temperatures some pollination does occur but there is a risk of poor fruit set and the fruit tend to have a higher percentage of deformities, particularly with the Heirloom Varieties that I grow, high temperatures above 35 degrees c { ????? } will interfere with the formation of viable pollen and often result in the prevention of any fruit set at all, so some shade cloth maybe required to cool the plant's immediate environment, and it is important that you get the correct shade percentage so the light intensity does not fall below P.A.R. { Photosythetically Active Radiation } 30% - 40% shading is a good average because it will help with the very bright sunny days but will not shade to much on the cloudy days.

Can I suggest that the next crop you grow, that you do the pollinating yourself, by gently, but with a fast vibrating motion with two fingers on the main stem immediately behind the flower truss and this should be carried out in morning { when temperatures have reached that 20 degree mark }, everyday if you can, so that the pollen tube has a few hours under warm daylight conditions { but not to extreme } to grow and fertilize the flower before the cooler night temperatures arrive and this needs to be done while the flower is open for about 3-4 days and receptive to pollination, so everyday if possible, the more the better.

Also, Soidogs you stated "they probably got 4-5 hours of sun" depending on the intensity of the light, that should be ok, considering that a tomato plant only requires half of the light intensity of a clear summers day which is about 2000 micro moles/m2/second, if the light intensity { Photosythetically Active Radiation } is any where near this than the plant will be under stress and that wont help matters, a mature tomato plant requires only about 550 - 800 micro moles/m2/second and as I am sure you are aware a "healthy plant is a happy plant" I also noticed that the concrete pots are not full of growing media, why is that?, and how big are the pots?, were the plant leaves healthy looking?, did you notice any sign of a deficiency or toxicity?, what were the daytime temperatures and the humidity levels? ,and what type of tomato cultivar were they?, all this simple data is very important for you to be aware of and not to hard to obtain.

I grow hydroponic heirloom tomatoes all year here in Australia and the weather conditions are far from ideal and I very rarely have and problems , the tomatoes in the previous posts were grown very simply and partly in our winter with no bells or whistles, so understanding the optimal conditions in which the plant will thrive is so very important because you can make adjustments to suit the conditions that you face in the climate that you are growing. Now armed with that information, what do you think the problem may have been?

Cheers

Scoop

tomato.jpgNeed some Help. The photo is of some plants at the end of Nov. They grew nicely to over the top rung of the cage and had many flowers, but did not bear fruit. The temp got down under 20c and I have bee's in the area. I am thinking of starting new plants now, is it stupid to start in July? Any wisdom would be appreciated.

Hi Soidogs, do you have any other pics or information? what media were they growing in? what were the average day night temperature differentials? how many hours of direct sunlight were they receiving and are the hydroponic or in soil ?

Cheers

Scoop

Hi Dashboot, I did not know that either, Fe EDTA Is totally soluble at the Ph range of 7 and below

Cheers

Scoop