Siletz tomatoes

[BlackbearryGardens]

Anyone grow Siletz tomatoes? I want to try these this year. Would like any helpful feed back. Thanks in advance.

[scakya]

Hi,
I have some started now that will be transplanted to an experimental solar bed in January. Will let you know how they perform.

scakya

[yooperjon]

Blackbearry, I have grown Siletz Tomatoes for two seasons. While they taste good I found that the intermeadite vines do not yeild well enough for the space used. Scakya I dont have enough information about your experiment to offer much imput.
I replaced Siletz with a couple short season Determinates Grushovka and Clear Pink. Both grow 2-3 feet and are loaded with fruit. :) Jon

[scakya]

That's ok about knowing what I've created. I haven't spoken a lot about it as it combines several technologies which are sustainable in nature and need to see how well it works. It involves a subsurface heat sink well insulated which draws warmth from the solar bed next door and the closed unit above the heat sink. Warm air is circulated throughout the heatsink all day and drawn out at night.
Had to do some creative engineering on this one as this is a 100% solar heated and powered unit which is serving as a model for a bigger unit.

The growing bed is also well insulated and will be filled with good organic matter, humate, azomite, leaf compost and good ol'e dirt with a fair amount of sand added. Sonic Bloom will also be used to aid the growth process.

I will have many temperature gages throughout the system so I will know my high daily temps at the bottom of the heat sink and unit air temperaure at it's lowest in the unit itself. Need to mention I will also be covering the unit nightlywith a heavily insulated blanket.

The goals...nightime 60 F and daytime 80F, we'll see how close to this can be accomplished, remember at this local it gets cold!!!!!

scakya

[yooperjon]

Scanka, are you going to use Horse manure as the source of your heat sink?
How long will horse manure heat a coldframe bed?
Is your bed close to a building or a stone struture?
Have you ever used compost tea as a renewable input with the Sonic Bloom program?
Or black plastic mulch under a plastic grow tunnel and monatored the temps?
Iam always looking to learn somthing new. Good Growing! Jon

[scakya]

Hi,
Actually, my heat sink is good 'ole dirt. I use horse manure as have mass quantities of good aged stuff from the previous owner and use that mixed with my own home made compost. Fresh stuff is used sparingly in some projects as it can burn tender plants if not "aged" first.

Black plastic is used in my big garden with strips of cover crop under corn and sunflowers. This saves me much work on the weeding side!

Cold frames are something I use which are always made from scrap materials.
Will post a picture later today of one of my favorites made from a shower stall door, a bit of polycarb and wood scraps.

As you get to know me, you'll find I like pushing the envelope on growing conditions and breaking the so-called rules of growing.

Sonic Bloom, I do not change out the foliar feed with anything else as do understand why not to mess with other stuff in it's place. Done much research and actual experimentation in that direction and so I'm convinced not to tinker with it. Good product.

I do use a fertilizer other than what is mentioned here that is ocean based and am pleased with it. It goes well with what we are already doing enriching soil quality and health.

The only other thing I'm working with is the color spectrum in which some things are grown. Red mulch for tomatoes and peppers is great, but I'm using colored plastic in specific colors over some beds. Worked on that a few years ago and am starting again, previous work was very promising. When you live in an area many of your crops are under plastic, it is a good thing to research with.

scakya

[scakya]

Forgot you asked about the length of time horse manure can be used for warmth. That depends on two things. Area to be heated, how big and age of the manure. Fresh manure has a tendancy to work well for a while when in quanity and in an area that is closed such as a plastic tunnel. The thing I don't like is it will "eat" your plastic if in contact with it, so you need a physical barrier. given that, it can heat anywhere from a few weeks with a smaller quanity and small area to all winter with a larger area, that is insulated in a area consistenly below freezing. I've done it and it was ok, just not crazy about doing it in a large way again. Happily go solar on that one.

You asked about cement block, I use it only when it can be insulated and the holes filled with dirt. It is not a great retainer of heat, but that improves with a physical barrier with the colder surface around it. Cement transfers rather readily and when using it, insulate!!!!!

I personally use wood framing, insulate the bejeebers out of it and make sure have a moisture barrier between it and the soil.

scakya