Patio Vegetables

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Anyone grow vegetables in containers? Hadn't tried the "Patio Tomato" before. Big thick wavy leaves and thick stem... but the plants stay shorter and seem to be producing well. Jalapenos are looking good this year too... yum yum.

[canoeguy]

I grew some Romano tomatoes in 5 gallon buckets last year as an experiment, they came out good, plenty of tomatoes for the effort and space.

Nothing like needing a few tomatoes for salad or cooking, stepping out back and harvesting a few of your own.

This year, I have planted a total of 30 "Bettter Boy" plants between my house and the church garden, they are lush and healthy, many small tomatoes, I think it will be a "Bumper Crop" of tomatoes this year.

This is on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, plants put in the ground April 9....

[BarbC]

We always grow them on our patio. Too many deer and rocks to try for a garden.

We get determinate tomatoes which are suitable for containers because they are more bush-like, not indeterminate which are vines.

We usually grow tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

[gunlovingirl]

They're looking good Phil! I got mine in late, so the tomatoes are just little bitty right now. I don't put them in containers, just plant a few next to the deck. I might try containers next year though. I could get a lot earlier start if I could bring them in during early spring frosts. Probably just as well I got a late start this year. Had they been in earlier, they would probably be miles downriver by now!
They sure don't make a store bought tomato as good as homegrown!
Barb, looks like you have a beautiful setting! I'd be spending a lot of time out there in that chair!

[JcMack]

I had a cousin named Patty O'Vegetables. He married a girl named Filet O'Fish. She had a fine looking sister named Lookslika....and on and on

[Ethang]

We got two tomato plants from Costco this year. They are growing well and I can't wait for some fresh tomato's. I should have got the pepper plant too.

[JcMack]

I have long wanted to plant something. Maybe tomatoes as I'm new to this. When I was married I remember my green thumb wife had the best luck with tomatoes. Fact is that ground here is probably polluted by air bourn industrial pollution.

[Maddog 521]

I have been eating my container tomatoes for about a month. I put the containers in an industrial type 4 wheel wagon. When the "Texas Heat" shows up I pull the wagon to the shade in the afternoon. Works for me and the fresh tomatoes taste great.

[ChattanoogaPhil]

I grew some Roma last year, Canoeguy. They produced a crazy amount all they way through Sept - October.

Nice looking setup and deck area, Barb. I have some Bell Peppers going too-- yellow, red and green. Peppers grow easy down here. And deer... here's one who gave up trying to climb the steps to get up on the deck for lunch.

I agree, GunLovinGirl. Pickin yer own veggies is as good as it gets.

I have no clue what I'm doing, McJack, but the plants seem to know enough. I toss some potting soil in a container, add a plant and water. Eat when ready.

[dave b]

I have tried to grow tomatoes several times in pots with no luck. Something always gets them. Bugs, fungus, mites, squirrels,etc. However, hot peppers are a no brainer. I've gotten loads of Serranos and Habineros with little effort. They are much hardier. They only need sun, water, and a little Miracle Gro, They don't seem to have all of the problems of tomatoes.

[CAJUNLAWYER]

My clients used to grow patio vegetables but they kept on getting busted-so now they grow indoor ornamentals

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Banana peppers hadn't even started last week... now some are a near half foot long... (Mother nature is amazing). Bell peppers are on steroids... hopefully they will start turning yellow and red before too long... starting to get hungry.

[loutent]

I grow mainly tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and zucchini in 4 raised beds. Here's a (partial) shot of the vegetable garden from about a month ago when I had some spinach going (on right). The tomatoes are really coming along now (well above the cages). The small seedlings are basil plants that I start by sprinkling seeds between the plants:

[ChattanoogaPhil]

It just tastes better when you pick your own.....

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Siamese Tomato Twins? Wonder what was in that bottle of Super Secret Veggie Grow? Oh well... it'll be on a salad tonight.

[Bullseye 2620]

Originally Posted by ChattanoogaPhil

I just tastes better when you pick your own.....

Yessir. Attached, a photo of just some of last summer's haul. . .

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Been growing veggies on the deck for years. Never saw these before. Literally hundreds under all the plants. About 1/8+ inch. Whatever the little critters are they don't like the fruit, just the stems and leaves and they certainly poop a lot. Any ideas on what they (it) is?

[BarbC]

Caterpillars?

http://www.ehow.com/how_6028582_iden...to-plants.html

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Thanks Barb. Those pics look identical to what I have. They said how the critters were near impossible to see on plants... they're right.

[Davwingman]

My wife grows a few peppers, tomatoes & egg plants, but her first love is flowers. Here is a cactus she grew from a cutting. It is spectacular when it blooms!!

[ChattanoogaPhil]

They will soon be visiting the bird feeder.

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Just cut these banana peppers a few minutes ago. The red ones are sweet with just the slightest amount of hot (near zero). If you ain't had these on a salad... well... you be missin' it.

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Well it's that time of year again.... time to harvest what is left and say so long to some hard working veggie plants.

[mtgianni]

Our first frost was 6 weeks ago, congratulations on a good growing year.

[turnerriver]

We put in a for real garden last month-our "winter" planting season is now.
Arugula,bell peppers,tomatoes,red & gold beets,Swiss chard,kale & some salad mix.First time we've done anything like this-my wife grows some
beautiful roses & orchids but plants tend to wither & die when I look at them.
Results are impressive so far & I haven't killed anything yet.
Photos to follow,if & when anything edible comes along.
Regards,
John Witty
turnerriver

[DeathGrip]

Turneriver,same here.Used to be Fla. fed a lot of this country during the late season.I guess not so much anymore with the urban sprawl and taxes.
Looks like a good year for my Keylime,it's loaded.

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Here we go agin...



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[ChattanoogaPhil]

And they keep coming and coming....



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[Rule3]

We made these last year. They are a DIY version of the Earth Box which you can buy.

They work really well and there is not over watering, no weeding .

EarthBox

DIY version: Many other links on the web

http://www.seattleoil.com/Flyers/Earthbox.pdf

Homemade Self-Contained Gardening Systems

[pluspea]

It was difficult to eat this one, seemed like part of the family, nice knowing you buddy.

[RonJ]

We grew a single tomato plant in a pot this year, our first. Our first harvestable fruit ripened about three weeks ago. They're relatively small, the largest being a little smaller than a tennis ball. A few of the early ones developed bottom end rot so we stepped up the watering and they were much better. The fruit is sweet, delicious and firmer than most supermarket tomatos. At one time we had 30 tomato's on that single plant.
Some of the later fruit has stayed yellow at the stem end and started to rot. Usually the ones near the top of the plant. Any ideas about this?

[ChattanoogaPhil]

These will be part of our chicken and steak fajitas tonight



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