Red Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes

[MaryL]

Amazing.  Do you notice any difference in flavor at all this far down the road?

[Kate]

None at all. These really are absolutely worth growing.

[tomz]

Newbie here.  I just read your 10-page report on the heirloom tomatoes.  Wow.  If it isn't too much trouble, can you summarize what you did as far as nutrients (AG nutrients, GH Flora, and CaliMagic)?  I.e., how much of each did you add and when?  Did you drain and refill weekly?  Whatever you did, it obviously worked.  I guess I'm looking for a debrief so that I can attempt to replicate what you did.  Thank you in advance and congratulations on a very impressive result.

[Kate]

I actually just followed the recommended application for the Flora Series and the CALiMAGic. I only water with a gallon of mixed nutrients in distilled water, never plain water, and feed/water every other day, as they all need a top-off by then. I'd used the AG Nutes the first several weeks. You can see in my posts where I switched after checking the TDS and discovered my plants, (tomato and pepper), were dangerously low in nutrients. As far as maintenance, I'm lazy, so please don't follow me on that. I only change water once a month or so. That's not even remotely recommended. My plants suck up so much water that I felt the changeover was adequate, but again, don't do what I do on that front.

Animals, domesticated and wild, have always trusted me and I love them. I've always had good luck with plants, and feel I can sense the life in them. I'm probably insane, but I think that's part of it. I think of living creatures as friends, and treat them that way. I talk to them, and I think they respond to it. It's a scientific fact that plants communicate. I also literally hug trees. I feel most at home among nature. Not something very scientific, LOL!

Feel free to disregard that last paragraph. Needless to say, I digress.

[tomz]

Thanks for the reply.   I guess if I'm going to grow tomatoes, I need a meter.

[drbanks]

I find the flora series nutes to be especially effective with nightshades (and some sort of Ca-Mg supplement is essential), and yes, when they really get going, they need about 3-4 gallons of water a week just to keep from drying out.

[Shawn]

How are your tomatoes?  Are they still going strong?

[Shawn]

Nov 8, 2018 20:22:36 GMT -5 tomz said:

Thanks for the reply.   I guess if I'm going to grow tomatoes, I need a meter.

  tomz, did you ever start your tomatoes?  How are they doing?

[basil]

Hi Kate!

Thank you so much for sharing your tomato journey.

I've just planted two of these in my Bounty. I was wondering if you could clear some stuff up for me?

Did you ever prune the roots? Have issues with the roots and the pump?
For the food, I understand you switched to flora + calimagic, how do you combine those two? (e.g. is calimagic an additional thing you add on top of flora?). 

I have zero experience with flora, mooch, etc. Are the AG nutrients sufficient if I add calimagic on top of the AG nutrients? I'm not too worried about the brown color, as I add a little hydrogen peroxide (did this with my herb garden) to prevent rot and such.

Any other tips would be most welcome.

Thank you again!

[Shawn]

Mar 27, 2019 5:42:10 GMT -5 basil said:

Hi Kate!

Thank you so much for sharing your tomato journey.

I've just planted two of these in my Bounty. I was wondering if you could clear some stuff up for me?

Did you ever prune the roots? Have issues with the roots and the pump?
For the food, I understand you switched to flora + calimagic, how do you combine those two? (e.g. is calimagic an additional thing you add on top of flora?). 

I have zero experience with flora, mooch, etc. Are the AG nutrients sufficient if I add calimagic on top of the AG nutrients? I'm not too worried about the brown color, as I add a little hydrogen peroxide (did this with my herb garden) to prevent rot and such.

Any other tips would be most welcome.

Thank you again!

Hello and Welcome to the forum basil

While I have not grown tomatoes let me see if I can assist at all.

Roots:  Normally roots do not need to be trimmed.  However if they get out of control and are filling the water bowl and getting into the pump, many have trimmed the roots.  Just do not go too crazy.  Also what I found in my pepper plants, is I turn them every couple of days as the plant is still controllable to turn.  This forms a soft root ball and helps control the roots somewhat.

Calimagic:  Also known here are Mr. Mooch, Calcium Supplement of Calimag.  This is added in addition to the nutrients.  You can find some info on this here.   You do not want to add a calcium supplement too early.  Members usually wait until at least 30 days in from planting to do so.

Nutrients:  Many use the AG nutes for everything.  However some do venture off to using the Flora Series as well as others.  Our member drbanks was kind enough to type up a GH Flora Series 101 here.  She explains how to use and mix, etc. 

        NOTE:  Nutrients is different and separate from any other added supplements like Calimag.

I hope this has helped some.


PS, also check out Growing Guide and Tips for Tomatoes

[drbanks]

Wow.  Sorry I haven't been around lately, but yes, I love that breed of tomatoes, and I've had very good luck with both the GH Nutes and CaliMagic.  Usually, I figure when it starts setting blossoms is a good time to add the Calimag, or maybe a little sooner.  Mostly, wait until it starts looking like a real plant.

[drbanks]

Mar 27, 2019 5:42:10 GMT -5 basil said:

Hi Kate!

Thank you so much for sharing your tomato journey.

I've just planted two of these in my Bounty. I was wondering if you could clear some stuff up for me?

Did you ever prune the roots? Have issues with the roots and the pump?
For the food, I understand you switched to flora + calimagic, how do you combine those two? (e.g. is calimagic an additional thing you add on top of flora?). 

I have zero experience with flora, mooch, etc. Are the AG nutrients sufficient if I add calimagic on top of the AG nutrients? I'm not too worried about the brown color, as I add a little hydrogen peroxide (did this with my herb garden) to prevent rot and such.

Any other tips would be most welcome.

Thank you again!

You know, I've planted a lot of different tomato varieties in my aerogardens and have mostly had success each time (except for that one time some cultivar of cherry toms I can no longer remember literally took over my dining room table).

Of all of them, I still find the AG Red Heirloom to be my favorite by far. I can usually count on getting three rounds of toms from a single plant, although others have certainly gone longer than that. Anymore, I just put one pod in a Harvest, or maybe two in a larger Aerogarden and let the thing get its freak flag on.

The only problem I have is that I find them so delicious that I usually pick them about 15 seconds after they've ripened. It would be nice to have a big bowl of them, and the yield is certainly there, but I just can't resist eating them as soon as I can.

[MaryL]

Hi Dawn!  Great to see you!  I myself am just now catching up here after an unintentional hiatus.  Hope all is well.

[basil]

Mar 27, 2019 6:10:04 GMT -5 Shawn said:

Mar 27, 2019 5:42:10 GMT -5 basil said:

Hello and Welcome to the forum basil

While I have not grown tomatoes let me see if I can assist at all.

Roots:  Normally roots do not need to be trimmed.  However if they get out of control and are filling the water bowl and getting into the pump, many have trimmed the roots.  Just do not go too crazy.  Also what I found in my pepper plants, is I turn them every couple of days as the plant is still controllable to turn.  This forms a soft root ball and helps control the roots somewhat.

Calimagic:  Also known here are Mr. Mooch, Calcium Supplement of Calimag.  This is added in addition to the nutrients.  You can find some info on this here.   You do not want to add a calcium supplement too early.  Members usually wait until at least 30 days in from planting to do so.

Nutrients:  Many use the AG nutes for everything.  However some do venture off to using the Flora Series as well as others.  Our member drbanks was kind enough to type up a GH Flora Series 101 here.  She explains how to use and mix, etc. 

        NOTE:  Nutrients is different and separate from any other added supplements like Calimag.

I hope this has helped some.


PS, also check out Growing Guide and Tips for Tomatoes

Sorry realized I didn't reply! Thank you for the advice.

Tomato plants seem to be doing quite well so far.