for those of us that have followed john through the years, we know he has done over forty thousand informative gardening videos & he has explained numerous times over what exactly he uses in his soil mixes-from rock dust to compost etc and just about every bit of technical advice any one could ever hope for, you just happened upon one where john is rambling on a bit, but we can certainly excuse him for this rare event after all he has graciously shared with us all.&he doesn't ever self promote.
I had no problem understanding the title. I think some people had never heard of "square foot gardening" and took the one foot literally. Enjoyed the video.
It is so amazing! Proper spacing is one of the factors that every gardener must know in order to have a very good progress of their plants. As I have known, some people doesn't know how to measure the spaces between their various plants. Basically, cages is really useful especially for planting tomatoes because it will help the tomato to grow straightly. It is really a good deed! Very much nice !
Love watching your videos with my wife. Because of your videos we started our own organic raised beds and they have been doing great! I actually just posted a video of our garden! Thanks!
This informative post is quite different from any other techniques I've ever known! I have noticed that this video is the best access in learning new knowledge about gardening and it is the best way to make you more better gardener. Thank you!
My mom raised us as cutters and choosers. It was to the crumb. I have been Square Foot Gardening since Mel Bartholomew came out with the PBS show and the nice to read and easy to follow book. I found a few things worked better for me than 4x4 raised beds. A friend built me 3x12 foot beds and I loved it. Being short, it was easier for me. Now I container garden because of the contaminants in our soil. I sure do miss New Jersey gardening!
Convinced my mother to let me set up a raised bed or two in her garden (which is just a wilderness). Got the idea from watching your vids, I might add, though I had long been wanting to do some gardening projects. I have no outdoor areas to my name, but she does, so I figured it was about time she used the space, and I'd help her. Gonna get it done some time this week, I think. Keep up the good work, and keep the uploads coming!
@jaymeez Make your own. Get some 2x4 inch welded wire fencing. A roll is about $35. Figure out how big around you need, cut the fencing accordingly, wrap it around your plants carefully, and you're finished. Less expensive, just as functional, and easy.
I thought the video was great for a new gardener,like my daughter-gives her plenty of info and saves me from explaining! As a seasoned 'tom grower' I watched the whole vid and found it contained all info she would need to be successful and passed it on to her. I enoyed both the 'repeats' and the 'rambling'!
Hi John~ Very informative and helpful video!! Although...I DID watch to find out how to plant 11 tomato plants in a square foot!! lol I couldn't for the life of me figure out how that could possibly be done!! lol I enjoyed watching and learning. You were really helpful with all your info. And your cute little short family story was cute and shows your personality. I'm amazed at the jokers who say you talk too much! Go figure~ I thank you.
The man knows his stuff - I would suggest, just me talking - that if you are in a harsher environment (John is in CA, but if you had to make it through a Las Vegas or Texas summer) keep the drip system, but bury it about 4" below the surface, which greatly reduced the amount of moisture you lose to evaporation.
Thanks for all the videos I have learned a lot I plan on using your ideas and I will tell everyone about your videos... again thanks for all the tips and keep it up...I think every family needs to watch your videos
I agree with you, the reason I think sfg works is that they interplant smaller or faster growing plants in between.... ex you can stick tomatoes 24" apart and throw some green beans in the empty sq. - love your videos,especially your trip to the garden show. never saw a texas cage before, good info.
yes you can just top dress it. If possible try to scratch it in to the first few inches of soil, but dont go hurting the roots. But just spreading it over the top then watering will seep some in to the soil. This really applies to most sandy like amendments. While of course mixing it in before things are planted and spreading it out nice and even is best. Top dressing is fine too.
To answer Julia's question...I got my tomato cages from Burpee.com. They are square,which I like better,and are VERY sturdy. You can get the extenders cages,which will handle the indeterminate's height. I've tried many types,and these are the best I've found. They have lasted for years. Hope that helps. Love your video's!
There are many options. You can use a long stake and stake the tomatoes to it. or you can get some re-mesh (concrete re-inforcing wire) about $5 at home depot and make a few cages out of that. They rust, and are functional, and cheap.
Very nice video, John. Those cages look amazing, but like you said, they would be quite an "investment." I like the way you edited the film to show the cages popping up on the ground -- and you did pretty well with editing the chit-chat too (we know you like to talk!). Enough to have limited anecdotes without "too many" repetitive statements. Good job, John!
I havent grown that variety of Roma, so I am not familiar with it. Tips on highest yields (aside from the basics): 1. use rock dust. Adding trace minerals will increase yields. 2. ensure pollination. Hand polinate (shake plants) or get a bees.
Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens, john, u ever grow ox heart? Or siberian red? I use fizh hydrosylate and kelp with rock dust for fert. U got a start to finish tomatoe video?
@growingyourgreens Here is a good tip that really helps. Lay carpet down and cut holes for each tomato plant, helps moister and you can let your tomatoes grow wild which is natural for a plant. I usually plant 10 a year and I grow at least 1500+ tomatoes a year. Even if you don't let them go wild the carpet will still keep your water usage down. You can also use grass about 1 inch thick which also helps.
Why? I have been traveling the world, been busy making videos and living life.. Luckily the ones I did plant were purchased in March, and then "nursed" in the greenhouse and transplantted into larger containers.. Some already have fruits on them and most have flowers. I encourage everyone to plant as soon after their last frost date, even then, there may be a small percentage of a frost.. Its best to get the longest growing season by planting as early as possible.
The texas tomato cages are durable, and made in the USA. They are expensive, but you get what you pay for. They will be the last cage you ever need to purchase.. They are available at some nurseries (they have limited distribution) but the eaiest thing is to order direct from the manufacturer tomatocage*com they are $16.65 each + shipping (sold in sets of 6)
No. all I do is add additional compost, rock dust, kelp on top. Im a fan of the "no till" method and do not like to disturb the soil any more than necessary.
@jaymeez my plants get 8 to 9 ft tall and about 3 1/2 to 4 ft around. I use fence cages that i make...i have had the same cages for 11years...they work great...grow huge and produce tons o tomatos.. if i put 11 plants that close together they would get mold...or this black gunk...mine need air to breath i would say i could only get 3 plants in that bed..go down to the local box store buy some nice wire fencing at least 5 ft wide...bigger if they have it...and make your cages...just a thought
Hey John- What about using Blood meal or Bone Meal in your gardens? Thanks for the videos! Sure inspiring and helpful for us newbies. I did SFG last year for the first time. My kale was AWESOME! It got like 5 feet tall from the continual harvesting. Anyway, Thanks again!
if you want to increase your yield with less wasted space, plant a companion plant in the empty spaces between your tomatoes, peppers are a good companion to tomatoes. Then you can have a raised square-foot permaculture bed.
yeah, me too... i thought in a square foot of space. it took me 8:24 minutes to figure out, what was the video all about. but i just watched it anyway after really figuring it out. i'm kinda slow lately. sorry
Yes, it's actually very easy. Just put them in some soil in an area that is out of the sun(they won't have roots at first, so they can only get water through capillary action) and water regularly. Eventually, the hairs that cover the sucker will become roots, and the plant with grow as if it were a seedling.
My tomato cages stack like these and the tomatoes become top heavy, I had to use a steel fence post to support the heavy vines. Just drive a tall post in next to the cage and secure the post to the cage for additional support.
I teach based on my individual gardening experience, and I appreciate your comments, as YOUR experience. I disagree with your statements. My tomato plants get 10+ feet tall and branch out WAY TOO MUCH to be planted 1 foot apart. If planting certain varieties and SINGLE stemming, I may agree you can space them 1 foot apart Maybe in your climate/soil they dont grow as wide. I encourage each person to do what works best for them.
Can indeterminate tomato plant live from spring all the wall until frost? The same plant? Or does it usually suffer in hot 100F summer heat? Or does it get diseased before then? Do I grow a different set of tomato plants later in the season?
I will grow in a community garden with 4x16 plot (s) and plant to grow a lot of heirloom tomatoes and lot of peppers along with other companion veggies as well. I am working on the plan right now. I plan to grow 2 rows of tomato 24" apart each plant, and 2 rows of peppers 24" apart for each plant in square foot garden schema. Each rows will be 12" apart. Do you think it is too crowded? I will use string to train my tomatoes to climb vertically (same with beans, cucumbers).
I dont have time to read all the comments but just want to back jimmy up...according to official SFG its 1 square foot for indeterminates and 4 square feet for determinates. I've read the book and refer to it constantly and I'm positive on that. If you've ever grown both types of tomato and do the one-stem method for indeterminates it makes common sense too. Simple mistake no big deal.
Why grow tomatoes? Because you can. Tomatoes are a delicious food. Especially fresh picked off the vine in the warm sun. I eat many tomatoes in the summer time. In addition, I enjoy sharing real tomatoes with friends so they can taste what REAL food should taste like. I have startled many people by feeding them my tomatoes. They really wake-up your taste buds. In addition, I grow for the winter. I dry my excess tomatoes, so I have dried tomatoes that last thru the winter.
Hey John - I was wondering why you waited so long to plant your tomatoes? Aren't they best planted April 15 - May 15, so they have the longest season for the most fruit? Thanks.
Glad you found your niche with tomatoes, but don't disrespect somebody that took the time to make a video so you can learn something new. If you have something mean to say don't say it, instead ask questions. Make your own video if you think you know more.
hello there! I have a 15' square concrete slab in my back yard. It was put there for the first type of satellite dish (the big ones). Rather than remove the slab, I am considering putting raised beds on top of it. My question is: How deep would the raised bed have to be when on a concrete base in order to have enough room for adequate root growth for things such as tomatoes, peppers, green beans, cucumbers, and root crops such as beets and onions?
MimiB1 12 inches for taller plants and 6 for stuff like radishes lettuce etc. 18"s is plenty for almost anything in a typical Vegetable garden. My beds are 20" but only filled 16 or so inches deep. and I grow everything from carrots and tomatoes to onions radishes etc.
i have 2 big boys tomaters in 5 gal buckets what kind of trelis should i use can't aford them texas ones yet maybe next year love your videos learning a lot
First off thanks for all the great info. You really inspire me. Who helps you maintain your garden and also how much time do you spend maintaining it in an avg week?
John, how many inches is the spacing between your drip line and how long do you water? I have Netafim 12 inch spacing and it seems that it's not enough to spread the water to all the vegetables.
Where do you get the 4 leg tomato cages? I was going to put together tomato boxes that had water under them for self watering but my problem was getting 4 legged cages and also some of the connections tht had to be gotten were expensive unless you bought them in 100 units which was a lot of money. Still they are better than the 3 prong which aren't too stable.
jon i planted 5 different types of tomatos 1 feet apart they grew but all of them are giving me the same type red roma tomatos i see some different but same size same color grettings from Panama!
i watch your videos very often, and i use many of your teaching in my garden; and my question to you is why my tomatoes are acid and my melons not sweet, the soil here in Prescott is reddish,sandy and rockie, i built raised bed thanks to your videos, i am shopping for the rock dust...will it help me? thank you "I LOVE YOUR VIDEO!!!!"
John, I have several Omar's Lebanese Tomato plants in pots and also in a raised flower bed. Some of the potted plants are flowering but then the flower seems to die off. What am I doing wrong? These plants that are doing this are in my driveway away from other flowering plants. My Wife seems to think that the bees aren't pollenating them in there present location, could that be it?
Hi John I see you're using irrigation tubing to water your plants. Have you ever seen the Garden Grid by Garden In Minutes? It's similar but makes square foot sections as opposed to rows. I just got one of their kits and was wondering what you thought. Thanks!
I have a large tomato plant in a large pot. It was doing great with lots of blooms but we have had lots of rain in Texas and I believe it has gotten to much water and not looking good. I removed lots of yellow leaves and stems but it seems to be in shock. Do you have any suggestion what I can do? thanks
@scodurh I wanted to make some out of the concrete reinforcing wire like you said, but it was so expensive! I just got the biggest cages - and already they are at the tops, probably 5ft tall. What do you think I should do next? I was thinking just big stakes and string.
Hello john can you please tell me the cedar fence you used for your raise bed garden how do they hold up today. Do you recommend for raise bed garden and how long do you have it for. I really love your channel thank you for sharing and i really love your garden. Thank again. :P
Those are some nice cages, but very expensive unfortunately. I made a bunch of 5 foot tall cages yesterday using concrete remesh. They'll last forever but storage options aren't as good as these cages.
Love your good sensible gardening advice John. I also do raised bed gardening, but in Queensland Australia. I'm quite envious of your wonderful tomato cages - haven't seen anything quite as good here in Oz. Like the way they fold for transport and can add another top layer for height. Can you provide a link for where you bought them? Might be worth a look despite my distance from America. Thank you, Lissa
Hello!...I didn't quite catch the additive, even after replaying. Please write the name and purpose for this additive. (Or maybe a viewer could reply to me.) I read that you don't use "byproducts" like bone meal for your "food" plants. I appreciated the reasons why and the info. Thank you!
Based on your expertise what would you recommend I grow in 200 square feet for MAXIMUM YIELDS? I am trying to become a vegan and I need help. I am looking for as much weight in vegetables/fruits as possible! (Preferably vegetables)
I did not read all the comments but my question is I have cats and I noitced you had one by your car. How do you or do you keep them out of the raised beds?
Thanks for your great videos. When you clear out your beds from the previous harvest, do you empty out the soil and replace with new compost/rock dust?
You can buy an inexpensive soil testing meter if you are unsure (we use one regularly on all of our plants, it helps), it is better to water tomatoes in one watering, rather than lots of small waterings, it promotes deep root growth, rather than surface/shallow root growth
for those of us that have followed john through the years, we know he has done over forty thousand informative gardening videos & he has explained numerous times over what exactly he uses in his soil mixes-from rock dust to compost etc and just about every bit of technical advice any one could ever hope for, you just happened upon one where john is rambling on a bit, but we can certainly excuse him for this rare event after all he has graciously shared with us all.&he doesn't ever self promote.
I had no problem understanding the title. I think some people had never heard of "square foot gardening" and took the one foot literally. Enjoyed the video.
It is so amazing! Proper spacing is one of the factors that every gardener must know in order to have a very good progress of their plants. As I have known, some people doesn't know how to measure the spaces between their various plants. Basically, cages is really useful especially for planting tomatoes because it will help the tomato to grow straightly. It is really a good deed! Very much nice !
Love watching your videos with my wife. Because of your videos we started our own organic raised beds and they have been doing great! I actually just posted a video of our garden!
Thanks!
This informative post is quite different from any other techniques I've ever known! I have noticed that this video is the best access in learning new knowledge about gardening and it is the best way to make you more better gardener. Thank you!
Thanks John! I admire your work, it has inspired me to start building my soil and grow my own foods. I want to watch all your videos!
My mom raised us as cutters and choosers. It was to the crumb. I have been Square Foot Gardening since Mel Bartholomew came out with the PBS show and the nice to read and easy to follow book. I found a few things worked better for me than 4x4 raised beds. A friend built me 3x12 foot beds and I loved it. Being short, it was easier for me. Now I container garden because of the contaminants in our soil. I sure do miss New Jersey gardening!
Convinced my mother to let me set up a raised bed or two in her garden (which is just a wilderness). Got the idea from watching your vids, I might add, though I had long been wanting to do some gardening projects.
I have no outdoor areas to my name, but she does, so I figured it was about time she used the space, and I'd help her. Gonna get it done some time this week, I think.
Keep up the good work, and keep the uploads coming!
@jaymeez Make your own. Get some 2x4 inch welded wire fencing. A roll is about $35. Figure out how big around you need, cut the fencing accordingly, wrap it around your plants carefully, and you're finished. Less expensive, just as functional, and easy.
I thought the video was great for a new gardener,like my daughter-gives her plenty of info and saves me from explaining! As a seasoned 'tom grower' I watched the whole vid and found it contained all info she would need to be successful and passed it on to her. I enoyed both the 'repeats' and the 'rambling'!
Hi John~ Very informative and helpful video!! Although...I DID watch to find out how to plant 11 tomato plants in a square foot!! lol I couldn't for the life of me figure out how that could possibly be done!! lol I enjoyed watching and learning. You were really helpful with all your info. And your cute little short family story was cute and shows your personality. I'm amazed at the jokers who say you talk too much! Go figure~ I thank you.
vegasjill21 some people are good at maintaining relationships through conversation. Others are tricky to figure out.
I watch this guy's videos every day. Always learn something new. Or remembering something I forgot.
The man knows his stuff - I would suggest, just me talking - that if you are in a harsher environment (John is in CA, but if you had to make it through a Las Vegas or Texas summer) keep the drip system, but bury it about 4" below the surface, which greatly reduced the amount of moisture you lose to evaporation.
I, for one, appreciate the time and explanations in your videos which is why I subscribe. Thank you for your effort, information, and time.
Love your videos! Thank you for taking the time to share your extensive knowledge and create these wonderful learning resources! Much appreciated!
Love growing your greens, keep'em growing.
Thanks for all the videos I have learned a lot I plan on using your ideas and I will tell everyone about your videos... again thanks for all the tips and keep it up...I think every family needs to watch your videos
I agree with you, the reason I think sfg works is that they interplant smaller or faster growing plants in between.... ex you can stick tomatoes 24" apart and throw some green beans in the empty sq.
- love your videos,especially your trip to the garden show. never saw a texas cage before, good info.
yes you can just top dress it.
If possible try to scratch it in to the first few inches of soil, but dont go hurting the roots. But just spreading it over the top then watering will seep some in to the soil.
This really applies to most sandy like amendments. While of course mixing it in before things are planted and spreading it out nice and even is best. Top dressing is fine too.
Yes! Thats coming soon.
To answer Julia's question...I got my tomato cages from Burpee.com. They are square,which I like better,and are VERY sturdy. You can get the extenders cages,which will handle the indeterminate's height. I've tried many types,and these are the best I've found. They have lasted for years. Hope that helps. Love your video's!
Awesome videos..I just starting watching them today to get tips for starting my garden...you need your own show if you haven't gotten one yet!!
Never mind - found the link for Texas Tomato Cages and will check out the possiblity of getting some to Australia. Thank you.
There are many options. You can use a long stake and stake the tomatoes to it. or you can get some re-mesh (concrete re-inforcing wire) about $5 at home depot and make a few cages out of that. They rust, and are functional, and cheap.
Very nice video, John. Those cages look amazing, but like you said, they would be quite an "investment." I like the way you edited the film to show the cages popping up on the ground -- and you did pretty well with editing the chit-chat too (we know you like to talk!). Enough to have limited anecdotes without "too many" repetitive statements. Good job, John!
marigolds also prevent slugs, another great reason to border them. Beautiful garden!
I havent grown that variety of Roma, so I am not familiar with it. Tips on highest yields (aside from the basics):
1. use rock dust. Adding trace minerals will increase yields.
2. ensure pollination. Hand polinate (shake plants) or get a bees.
Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens, john, u ever grow ox heart? Or siberian red? I use fizh hydrosylate and kelp with rock dust for fert. U got a start to finish tomatoe video?
@growingyourgreens
Here is a good tip that really helps. Lay carpet down and cut holes for each tomato plant, helps moister and you can let your tomatoes grow wild which is natural for a plant. I usually plant 10 a year and I grow at least 1500+ tomatoes a year.
Even if you don't let them go wild the carpet will still keep your water usage down. You can also use grass about 1 inch thick which also helps.
Why? I have been traveling the world, been busy making videos and living life.. Luckily the ones I did plant were purchased in March, and then "nursed" in the greenhouse and transplantted into larger containers.. Some already have fruits on them and most have flowers. I encourage everyone to plant as soon after their last frost date, even then, there may be a small percentage of a frost.. Its best to get the longest growing season by planting as early as possible.
The texas tomato cages are durable, and made in the USA. They are expensive, but you get what you pay for. They will be the last cage you ever need to purchase.. They are available at some nurseries (they have limited distribution) but the eaiest thing is to order direct from the manufacturer tomatocage*com they are $16.65 each + shipping (sold in sets of 6)
No. all I do is add additional compost, rock dust, kelp on top. Im a fan of the "no till" method and do not like to disturb the soil any more than necessary.
Great Info & DETAILS! You Just Ignore The Brainless Twits Spewing NONSENSE!! Keep Up The Great INFO!!! And Thank You!!
@jaymeez my plants get 8 to 9 ft tall and about 3 1/2 to 4 ft around. I use fence cages that i make...i have had the same cages for 11years...they work great...grow huge and produce tons o tomatos.. if i put 11 plants that close together they would get mold...or this black gunk...mine need air to breath i would say i could only get 3 plants in that bed..go down to the local box store buy some nice wire fencing at least 5 ft wide...bigger if they have it...and make your cages...just a thought
Hey John- What about using Blood meal or Bone Meal in your gardens? Thanks for the videos! Sure inspiring and helpful for us newbies. I did SFG last year for the first time. My kale was AWESOME! It got like 5 feet tall from the continual harvesting. Anyway, Thanks again!
hey John. can you tell me where you bought those tomato cages from?
Love you John!
Thanks for the awesome upload.
Time to start growing tomatoes ....
Love the cages, maybe some day. Nice way to set up the beds.
if you want to increase your yield with less wasted space, plant a companion plant in the empty spaces between your tomatoes, peppers are a good companion to tomatoes. Then you can have a raised square-foot permaculture bed.
Everything's bigger in Texas! Even the tomato cages I see, great video!
yeah, me too... i thought in a square foot of space. it took me 8:24 minutes to figure out, what was the video all about. but i just watched it anyway after really figuring it out.
i'm kinda slow lately. sorry
Yes, it's actually very easy. Just put them in some soil in an area that is out of the sun(they won't have roots at first, so they can only get water through capillary action) and water regularly. Eventually, the hairs that cover the sucker will become roots, and the plant with grow as if it were a seedling.
till it wanted to take a nap. Brilliant! Good explanation on determinate v indeterminate.
+Patrick Crowe A dirt nap!
Very helpful info.Thank you for taking the time and make this video for us.
love the design of the cages, id try making my own version of them with bamboo or study wire personally. no need to be hung up on the price.
My tomato cages stack like these and the tomatoes become top heavy, I had to use a steel fence post to support the heavy vines. Just drive a tall post in next to the cage and secure the post to the cage for additional support.
you are welcome tom-- it is the truth, john is giving
I teach based on my individual gardening experience, and I appreciate your comments, as YOUR experience. I disagree with your statements. My tomato plants get 10+ feet tall and branch out WAY TOO MUCH to be planted 1 foot apart. If planting certain varieties and SINGLE stemming, I may agree you can space them 1 foot apart Maybe in your climate/soil they dont grow as wide. I encourage each person to do what works best for them.
Can indeterminate tomato plant live from spring all the wall until frost? The same plant? Or does it usually suffer in hot 100F summer heat? Or does it get diseased before then? Do I grow a different set of tomato plants later in the season?
I will grow in a community garden with 4x16 plot (s) and plant to grow a lot of heirloom tomatoes and lot of peppers along with other companion veggies as well. I am working on the plan right now. I plan to grow 2 rows of tomato 24" apart each plant, and 2 rows of peppers 24" apart for each plant in square foot garden schema. Each rows will be 12" apart. Do you think it is too crowded? I will use string to train my tomatoes to climb vertically (same with beans, cucumbers).
I dont have time to read all the comments but just want to back jimmy up...according to official SFG its 1 square foot for indeterminates and 4 square feet for determinates. I've read the book and refer to it constantly and I'm positive on that. If you've ever grown both types of tomato and do the one-stem method for indeterminates it makes common sense too. Simple mistake no big deal.
Thanks for the fun in your gardening!!! Looking forward to getting good plants this year; in Washington, up near the Canadian Border!
thanx for your video, how much were these cages and instruction you gave are easy to follow.
Why grow tomatoes? Because you can. Tomatoes are a delicious food. Especially fresh picked off the vine in the warm sun. I eat many tomatoes in the summer time. In addition, I enjoy sharing real tomatoes with friends so they can taste what REAL food should taste like. I have startled many people by feeding them my tomatoes. They really wake-up your taste buds. In addition, I grow for the winter. I dry my excess tomatoes, so I have dried tomatoes that last thru the winter.
Thank you You Tube.. May I visit you more often?
Hey John -
I was wondering why you waited so long to plant your tomatoes? Aren't they best planted April 15 - May 15, so they have the longest season for the most fruit? Thanks.
I don't know what would happen..until it wants to take a nap..
This cracked me up lmao haha
Ahh John love you man! great info and funny. Make sure to add rock dust to your gardens people! ;-)
Glad you found your niche with tomatoes, but don't disrespect somebody that took the time to make a video so you can learn something new. If you have something mean to say don't say it, instead ask questions. Make your own video if you think you know more.
hello there! I have a 15' square concrete slab in my back yard. It was put there for the first type of satellite dish (the big ones). Rather than remove the slab, I am considering putting raised beds on top of it. My question is: How deep would the raised bed have to be when on a concrete base in order to have enough room for adequate root growth for things such as tomatoes, peppers, green beans, cucumbers, and root crops such as beets and onions?
MimiB1 12 inches for taller plants and 6 for stuff like radishes lettuce etc. 18"s is plenty for almost anything in a typical Vegetable garden. My beds are 20" but only filled 16 or so inches deep. and I grow everything from carrots and tomatoes to onions radishes etc.
Is basil and marigolds the only thing you planted in the spaces between the tomato cages?
i have 2 big boys tomaters in 5 gal buckets what kind of trelis should i use can't aford them texas ones yet maybe next year love your videos learning a lot
Hi John! Thank you for sharing your urban gardening tips. Where did you buy your wire cages? Marlina from Seattle.
Thank you for the insert. Please, how do i lay the pipe for water distribution for the tomatoes.
You a middle child- lol- middle children are clever in getting the bigger piece of cake like that!
Could I use the large tomato cages in the center of 4 of the 12" squares or? See what I mean? If we angle it, diamond shaped in betweenzs🙄 aped us we
Please show and explain the watering system you use. And how to put in the water system. Where to get the materials. Thank you.
+kthomp55 you can get the material at Lowe's or Home Depot..
First off thanks for all the great info. You really inspire me. Who helps you maintain your garden and also how much time do you spend maintaining it in an avg week?
John, love the videos bro. Keep them coming.
Our tomatoes got so HUGE last year.
Good job there! Please cannot find INDETERMINATE cherry tomato seeds . Can you help me? Viewing from Nigeria.
John, how many inches is the spacing between your drip line and how long do you water? I have Netafim 12 inch spacing and it seems that it's not enough to spread the water to all the vegetables.
Where do you get the 4 leg tomato cages? I was going to put together tomato boxes that had water under them for self watering but my problem was getting 4 legged cages and also some of the connections tht had to be gotten were expensive unless you bought them in 100 units which was a lot of money. Still they are better than the 3 prong which aren't too stable.
love the cages, think ill use this video as a green thumbers drinking game tho... "he said it! take a shot! he said texas tomato cage!"
jon i planted 5 different types of tomatos 1 feet apart they grew but all of them are giving me the same type red roma tomatos i see some different but same size same color grettings from Panama!
i watch your videos very often, and i use many of your teaching in my garden; and my question to you is why my tomatoes are acid and my melons not sweet, the soil here in Prescott is reddish,sandy and rockie, i built raised bed thanks to your videos, i am shopping for the rock dust...will it help me? thank you "I LOVE YOUR VIDEO!!!!"
John, I have several Omar's Lebanese Tomato plants in pots and also in a raised flower bed. Some of the potted plants are flowering but then the flower seems to die off. What am I doing wrong? These plants that are doing this are in my driveway away from other flowering plants. My Wife seems to think that the bees aren't pollenating them in there present location, could that be it?
I think your wife is correct. Also there are male and female flowers. I would suspect the male flowers are falling off the plant.
Hi John I see you're using irrigation tubing to water your plants. Have you ever seen the Garden Grid by Garden In Minutes? It's similar but makes square foot sections as opposed to rows. I just got one of their kits and was wondering what you thought. Thanks!
I have a large tomato plant in a large pot. It was doing great with lots of blooms but we have had lots of rain in Texas and I believe it has gotten to much water and not looking good. I removed lots of yellow leaves and stems but it seems to be in shock. Do you have any suggestion what I can do? thanks
Does planting close improve yields? I can't stand walking over plants so I'm planting spaced far with woodchips
@scodurh I wanted to make some out of the concrete reinforcing wire like you said, but it was so expensive! I just got the biggest cages - and already they are at the tops, probably 5ft tall. What do you think I should do next? I was thinking just big stakes and string.
what is it that you add to the hole you dug for the tomatoes I have replayed this 4 times and I can't quite get it
Microrizae
Hello john can you please tell me the cedar fence you used for your raise bed garden how do they hold up today. Do you recommend for raise bed garden and how long do you have it for. I really love your channel thank you for sharing and i really love your garden. Thank again. :P
Hey aren't you also the solar panel guy and the juicer guy! I love all your stuff!!!
WOW, BIG CAGES
Those are some nice cages, but very expensive unfortunately. I made a bunch of 5 foot tall cages yesterday using concrete remesh. They'll last forever but storage options aren't as good as these cages.
Love your good sensible gardening advice John. I also do raised bed gardening, but in Queensland Australia. I'm quite envious of your wonderful tomato cages - haven't seen anything quite as good here in Oz. Like the way they fold for transport and can add another top layer for height. Can you provide a link for where you bought them? Might be worth a look despite my distance from America. Thank you, Lissa
can I take a Tomato vine or the the Tomato it self and plant it in a bucket to produce more Tomatoes?
Hello!...I didn't quite catch the additive, even after replaying. Please write the name and purpose for this additive. (Or maybe a viewer could reply to me.) I read that you don't use "byproducts" like bone meal for your "food" plants. I appreciated the reasons why and the info. Thank you!
?what do you do after the season ends. As far as the root system.?
do you remove the compost etc.
Based on your expertise what would you recommend I grow in 200 square feet for MAXIMUM YIELDS? I am trying to become a vegan and I need help. I am looking for as much weight in vegetables/fruits as possible! (Preferably vegetables)
What determines a sweet tomato from a sour tomato? Do you use more water, different types of soil? What is your secret?
I did not read all the comments but my question is I have cats and I noitced you had one by your car. How do you or do you keep them out of the raised beds?
Joseph Beaton across the bed? Can I use a wire?
Try reinforcing mesh. Ask builders at building sites if they get any waste mesh.
Thanks for your great videos. When you clear out your beds from the previous harvest, do you empty out the soil and replace with new compost/rock dust?
order direct at tomatocage*com
I thought this was a video about planting 11 tomato plants in one square foot. Shows what I know.
I know!!! Me, too! lmao Guess I missed something here about gardening terms!!! o_O
jat1668 Square foot gardening is a garden planning and growing method used extensively in raised beds. www.melbartholomew.com/
how often do tomatoes plants needs to be watered a day during a warm season?
You can buy an inexpensive soil testing meter if you are unsure (we use one regularly on all of our plants, it helps), it is better to water tomatoes in one watering, rather than lots of small waterings, it promotes deep root growth, rather than surface/shallow root growth
Someone mentioned to me that you can grow a whole other tomato plant from the removed suckers. Have you had any experience with that?
Thanks for explaining the suckers ...I;ll remember that
how do you set up with you tube so people have to watch entire add first