GardenBanter.co.uk - Tomatillos

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Under the impression that tomatillos did better in the heat than tomatos, I
planted some a month or so back in my outdoor/open air hydroponic system.
They look great, and are blooming like crazy, but no fruit is setting.

Is it too hot for tomatillos to set fruit right now?

I cut back all my regular tomatos - Russian, Carbon, Wild Cherry, Green
Zebra, Brandywine, so they could send up new growth for the fall season.
They're doing well (in the same system) but don't look nearly as happy as
the tomatillos.

groober wrote:
Is it too hot for tomatillos to set fruit right now?

I don't think so. My one tomatillo plant is blooming like crazy and producing
a lot of fruit.

--
Victor M. Martinez

http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv

Would you give us some details on your hydroponic system?

"groober" wrote in message
.com...
Under the impression that tomatillos did better in the heat than tomatos,
I
planted some a month or so back in my outdoor/open air hydroponic system.
They look great, and are blooming like crazy, but no fruit is setting.

Is it too hot for tomatillos to set fruit right now?

I cut back all my regular tomatos - Russian, Carbon, Wild Cherry, Green
Zebra, Brandywine, so they could send up new growth for the fall season.
They're doing well (in the same system) but don't look nearly as happy as
the tomatillos.

"Victor M. Martinez" wrote in message
...
: groober wrote:
: Is it too hot for tomatillos to set fruit right now?
:
: I don't think so. My one tomatillo plant is blooming like crazy and
producing
: a lot of fruit.
:
: --
: Victor M. Martinez
:
: http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv
:

Actually, upon closer inspection, there are several small fruit. The plants
are 3-4 ft tall and very bushy, but they are only five weeks from seed, so I
guess they're just not as mature as they look. Jailbait tomatillos...

"Robbin" wrote in message
...
: Would you give us some details on your hydroponic system?
:

You asked for it ;-P

I've got 4 10' sections of 3" PVC connected with elbows into a 'W' shape.
There is an outlet in the middle.
The pipes have 1 1/2" holes drilled every foot or so. I have several 3
gallon 'bato buckets'/'dutch pots' that drain into these holes. They are
filled with rice hulls and gravel.

A 10 gallon reservoir is sunk into the ground below the outlet from the W.
There is a tube that runs from the outlet into a hole in the reservoir's
lid. Inside the reservoir is a small pump connecter to a tube that runs up
to a 10' section of 1/2" pvc. This has holes with 1/4" tubing that runs to
each bato. It's capped on the end. This all allows the nutrient to
recirculate 24/7.

I also have a trashcan with a hose attached to a float valve in the
reservoir. It tops up the reservoir. I just refill it with nutrient
solution every week or so. I use a tomato formula from hydro-gardens.com -
~$30 shipped for a six month supply.

The batos have a segment of pvc tube through the bottom. inside the bato,
the tube has two elbows, so the opening faces down. Otherwise roots grow
into it.

The batos have tomatos, tomatillos, pimentos, basil and chinese long beans.

In the spring, I grow strawberries directly in the 3"pvc holes 'NFT' style.

I also have a 32 gallon tub filled with vermiculite and pea gravel hooked
onto the system. I grow roses in that (Levenson-Gower in full bloom right
now)

Total cost for the system was around $75 three years ago, and it's been in
constant use since then (it's in a hoophouse frame, with the plastic off
from March - November). I'd stick with 2" pvc instead of 3" if I did a new
one.

Sounds interesting. Any info on the produce (quantity, weight, whatever)
this system provides? I didn't see anything in your description regarding
areation of the nutrient solution. Have you tried this? I would think you
could get better production if you were adding oxygen to the solution
(areation is easiest).

"groober" wrote in message
.com...
"Robbin" wrote in message
...
: Would you give us some details on your hydroponic system?
:

You asked for it ;-P

I've got 4 10' sections of 3" PVC connected with elbows into a 'W' shape.
There is an outlet in the middle.
The pipes have 1 1/2" holes drilled every foot or so. I have several 3
gallon 'bato buckets'/'dutch pots' that drain into these holes. They are
filled with rice hulls and gravel.

A 10 gallon reservoir is sunk into the ground below the outlet from the W.
There is a tube that runs from the outlet into a hole in the reservoir's
lid. Inside the reservoir is a small pump connecter to a tube that runs
up
to a 10' section of 1/2" pvc. This has holes with 1/4" tubing that runs
to
each bato. It's capped on the end. This all allows the nutrient to
recirculate 24/7.

I also have a trashcan with a hose attached to a float valve in the
reservoir. It tops up the reservoir. I just refill it with nutrient
solution every week or so. I use a tomato formula from
hydro-gardens.com -
~$30 shipped for a six month supply.

The batos have a segment of pvc tube through the bottom. inside the bato,
the tube has two elbows, so the opening faces down. Otherwise roots grow
into it.

The batos have tomatos, tomatillos, pimentos, basil and chinese long
beans.

In the spring, I grow strawberries directly in the 3"pvc holes 'NFT'
style.

I also have a 32 gallon tub filled with vermiculite and pea gravel hooked
onto the system. I grow roses in that (Levenson-Gower in full bloom right
now)

Total cost for the system was around $75 three years ago, and it's been in
constant use since then (it's in a hoophouse frame, with the plastic off
from March - November). I'd stick with 2" pvc instead of 3" if I did a
new
one.

"Robbin" wrote in message
...
Sounds interesting. Any info on the produce (quantity, weight, whatever)
this system provides? I didn't see anything in your description regarding
areation of the nutrient solution. Have you tried this? I would think you
could get better production if you were adding oxygen to the solution
(areation is easiest).

I've tried a fish tank bubbler in the reservoir on that theory, but it
didn't make a noticeable difference. There's plenty of air contact, between
the spaghetti tubes splashing into the batos and percolating through the
media, the spill from the batos into the drain and from the drain into the
reservoir. With about 60 gallon/hour pump and about 6 gallons in the
reservoir, the oxygen is being refreshed constantly.

OTOH, in the winter I grow greens on floats in a static pond. Putting the
air pump in that makes a big difference.