TOMATO SEEDLINGS - GROWTH - ARTICLE #3

High Folks!

Tonight is the 3rd of February and as I checked the weather, it's predicted to get down to 12 degrees in the wee hours of the morning. Although, my tomato seedlings seem to be warm enough in the Plant Incubator on my Patio, I decided to turn on the extra bottom heat so they won't get too cold. A month ago i started this experiment with 126 plants total. All the same batch at about the same stage of growth. Just getting their first real leafs. So I had 63 Tomato Seedlings being fed only plain tap water. And 63 Tomato Seedlings being fed a diet consisting of 97-1/2% tap water and 2-1/2% Alcohol. [102 proof Gin to be exact]. Some people suggested using Rubbing Alcohol, but I Know it can kill People and Humans. If it's not fit for human or animal consumption, then would it also kill plants? It is my understanding that the University of Cornell has run this experiment before. Since they have the knowledge and equipment to do "Real Science", then I wanted to see what my "tinkering" would show up against their results. It is my understanding that they got similar results as I - So Far! The Alcohol Has slowed down growth - and I still have 121 Plants left. Surprisingly, one more in the Alcohol set, than in the regular tap water set. What can we conclude from that? That a little bit of alcohol does a body good - even if it stunts your growth! Admittedly, as you shall see, the plain watered plants are clearly taller and stronger looking as well as being well filled out with foliage.

After measuring the height of all 121 plants yesterday, and doing the numbers I found that the Median Height for the Alcohol Fed Plants was 56mm or 2-3/16 inches.
The Median Height for Regular Tap water Fed Plants was 72mm or 2-14/16 inches. A difference of 11/16 or nearly 3/4 inch. This represents a growth slowdown of the Alcohol Treated Tomato Seedlings of nearly 25%.

Regular Tap Water Fed Tomato Seedlings

2-1/2% Alcohol Solution Fed

Tomato Seedlings

This is definitely a significant amount of difference in growth. At this point, It is time for me to be adding a little food to their diet so I will be adding a diluted solution of Miracle Grow 50% of recommended feeding to each set of Tomato Seedlings along with their regular treatment or Plain Tap Water and Alcohol. I still have at least 6 weeks until regular Tomato Seedling Starting time here in Zone 7 (or zone 6a depending on which map you reference. I use the Arbor Day map. The question is, will the Alcohol Treated Tomato Seedlings survive this treatment for another 6 weeks of more of the same? So at this point, I will be Discontinue the treatment of 30 of the Alcohol Treated Seedlings, and Continue the Alcohol Treatment on the other 31 plants. The other Tap Water Only Tomato Seedlings will continue to be treated with only Tap Water. All will receive the Miracle Grow additive. Any guesses as to how they will all turnout in the end?

Alcohol Fed Tomato Seedlings

Versus

Regular Tap Water Fed Tomato Seedlings!

Until Next Time,

GrandBob

Have some fun!

You can contact me at: RobertLee97@Gmail.com

HOW TO GROW GREAT TOMATOES - 10 TIPS

1. Determinate Tomatoes are tomatoes that bloom and bear in a very narrow time window. 2 or 3 weeks only in a growing season.


2. Indeterminate Tomatoes - the ones most of us grow, have a long blooming season. Indeterminate Tomatoes, once the start blooming, bloom all summer up until the bitter end and the First Freeze. Here in Central Kansas, last year, mine bloomed and bore right into the last of October. I had to bring in several buckets full to avoid them being frozen on the vine. Anything smaller than a golf ball; I told my grandkids to let on the vine.


3. At all costs, do not plant your tomatoes in the same spot as last year. The fungus that got your tomato plants last year, may well get them again this year. It lives in the soil. This year, plant somewhere different.


4. Always plant in full sun. Tomatoes like at least 10 full hours of sunlight a day. 12 is ideal. Also, Tomatoes blossoms set fruit on at night. You may have tons of blooms but if the nights are not at least 55 degrees - no cooler and not over 75 degrees, tomatoes will not set. And you wont see any little tomatoes until those conditions are met. That's why tomatoes will set in the warm spring. Not in hot summer, then they will start bearing like crazy again in the fall when it cools down - just before the freeze. Now you know.


5. Do your tomatoes have tons of luscious green leaves and not much else? To much Nitrogen. Cut back on the fertilizer. If the leaves soon turn yellow after first opening, you probably need to add fertilizer. Once production is started. Stop fertilizing. If tomatoes think they are starving to death, they start bearing like crazy. "Got to Save the Family. Quick -have more kids!" Tomatoes are funny like that. In this case, a little stress is good for them even if they don't like it.


6. Don't use a herky-jerky method of watering. Water regularly. Never let your tomato plants dry out. If you reach down into the soil with your finger - one inch, and it doesn't feel damp, you need to water. If you placed a large coffee can around your new tomato plants when they were first planted Your cans embeded at least one inch in the soil - you will not only protect your young plants from cutworms, you have a handy watering container. Depending on your climate, fill these cans up with water as often as necessary. I paint mine with a cheap green enamel paint inside and outside. They last several seasons with cleaning and care. But note again. Erratic watering produces misshapen and especially Cracked tomato skins and flesh. So, to avoid ugly tomatoes, water regularly. Drying out also causes "Blossom End Rot" -Ugly, leathery, black circular spots on the blossom end. These get thrown away.


7. For best tasting tomatoes, pick fully ripe on the vine. Picking early and letting ripen atop your refrigerator is O.K. but you will loose flavor. This is what you buy in most grocery stores. Nice, vine ripened tomatoes you get at your local Saturday Afternoon Farmers Market. Also, I suspect; tomatoes are like grapes. The longer on the vine they are left to ripen, the sweeter they are! Let me know if you find this to be true. I'm also going to experiment with this.


8. Don't let tomatoes sprawl on the ground. A lot of tomatoes will be wasted do to high winds and bugs. Always use a stake to tie them to as a minimum and also a wire or wood cage, or derrick like I designed if you want to snazzy up your garden a little. (See Page 1 ). Tie the main stem loosely to a stake set within a few inches of the plant. Years ago people used old strips of torn cloth. Now you can buy green twine or plastic (bread tie) stuff at any store that sells plants etc. Bread ties are probably too short. Trash sack ties work great! Do they still include those with the bags? I don't do trash anymore... Also, I hope to have How-To plans available soon for my Tomato Derricks. Be watching for them.


9. Do not mulch around your tomatoes until the soil is thoroughly warm. Mid -June for here in Central Kansas. Mulching early, usually when you first put the plants in, will slow the growth of your tomatoes by a couple weeks at least. But Do Mulch. It keeps the ground cool and holds moister in longer and more evenly.


10. Never Spray Your Tomatoes When Watering. This promotes fungus growth. Always water close to the ground. If you use coffee cans around your tomatoes you can just stick the hose in them. I found that one minute of watering this way for each can is just about right . Since it will be hard to see through the foliage later on. You might want to add a little fertilizer again near Fall.

I hope this article has been helpful. Have a great gardening day!

Bob

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