Me too, for God's sakes ! -----Original Message----- From: owner-tomato@GlobalGarden.com [mailto:owner-tomato@GlobalGarden.com]On Behalf Of John Sorge Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 10:45 PM To: Tomato@GlobalGarden.com Subject: Re: [tomato] Fw: Please, please will anyone tell me how to get off this email list? John Sorge ----- Original Message ----- From: "Betsy Lasarow Tozzi" <tozzi@alaska.net> To: <Tomato@GlobalGarden.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2000 3:57 AM Subject: Re: [tomato] Fw: > Bob, > > Why are you doing 15 minute waterings instead of watering "all at once"? > Although there is an allure to the idea that the controller *can* do that, > I think it might actually be better to water in a single pass. If this > quantity of water regularly exceeds the capacity for the pot, it would > make sense to cut back a bit, although I generally prefer to water to the > point of run-out from container-grown tomatoes. What has me concerned is > the wilting you experienced when you cut back on the watering before. > That suggests that the plant's vascular system is pretty fragile. > > Also, I'd err above 1" per week in a container growing environment; you > may want to evaluate the actual qty of water delivered... drip systems > deliver a lot right below the drippers, but you want to make sure you're > getting good coverage to all the edges of the pot (i.e., sides & bottom). > > We're guessing that you're growing outside. If you're growing inside a > greenhouse, as we do with most of our varieties, there are a few other > things I'd suggest for container growing. > > Since you're using mycorrhizal inoculum, have you adjusted your nutrients > accordingly? I think you're on the right track mulching the plants, > although I remember hearing something (surprising) suggesting that bark > mulches can be more harm than help. It was discussed in my Master > Gardener group, so I'll see if I can get a bit more info on that. > > I'm hoping that your earlier watering will help reduce stress on your > plants and get up cranking out tomatoes for you. Meanwhile, keep on > growing and let us know how you're doing! > > Betsy > Fairbanks, Alaska > > On Tue, 1 Aug 2000, Bob Addison wrote: > > >From Bob Addison > > addison@terrapin-net.com > > > > A follow-up my query about timing on a drip system; > > (Should have said 10 min out of every hr. from 11;am > > TO 4:10 pm [six waterings] total of 60 min.) > > > > Just went out and re-checked the flow-rate into one of > > my tomato pots. > > > > Caught 6 OZ of water in 10 Minutes. > > =36 OZ /hr. or 65 cu. in./hr > > 1" in a 15" pot is equal to 176 cu. in. (71% of a gallon) > > This makes 65 cu.in. 37% of a weeks quota. > > (231 cu. in.= 1 gallon) > > Water starts running out of the bottom about the fourth > > ten minute feeding. > > > > Of course if it rains I turn it off for a day and if it is a > > hard rain I'll leave off longer. > > > > Have about 1" of Cyprus bark mulch on top of the soil and > > use mycorrhizal fungi. > > > > Upon Betsy's recommendation I'm changing my watering times > > to 15 min @ 7:AM, 15 min @ 8:AM, 15 min @,9:AM and 15 > > min @ 10:AM > > Bob > > > >