Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I enjoy learning about all the tribal knowledge that goes along with running a farm like yours. It is a dream of mine! Say hi to Devon!
I was so excited to find a variety " Rebelski" that was resistant to grey leaf mold. I've made my living growing tomatoes for 28 years and have raised Big Beef in high tunnels all that time. I've tried over 50 varieties over the years and nothing comes close to the flavor and interior quality of Big Beef. So when I saw you growing Rebelski, I had to give them a try. I only grew 50 plants on grafted rootstock and that was 49 too many. They are perfect as far as appearance, zero radial cracking, Big Beef can have 25% radial cracks at times but they go in my canning flats so not a complete loss other than the reduced price for canners. The Rebelski are a flattened fruit with a large core so when you cut off a couple slices to get past the large core you usually only have a a slice or two left. Big Beef can have a large core depending on the weather "heat" but since the fruit are a usually twice as deep as a Rebelski ,you have several slices of deep red juicy fruit left.The other problem with Rebelski is the interior color and quality. They never get a deep red and I would even say tough texture, the flavor is not anywhere close to as good and sweet as Big beef. So when I put Rebelski on my produce table when I was short on Big Beef, I put up a sign apologizing for the the poor quality fruit compared to what my customers are used to. The plants were grown in the ground in the same row in two different houses as the BB and there was no comparison. If all I grew was Rebelski over the years I would have been out of business years ago. I grew 700 Big Beef, 50 rebelski, 100 Carolina gold and 75 Tomato Berries in the High Tunnels and 300 Big Beef out in the field.
I hear what you are saying but have to say we are growing Rebelski in a pure hydroponic setup. None of our plants were grafted. We don't have large cores and the fruits are red throughout the fruit. Up against Big Beef in tomato tasting contests held at the farmer's market... we win every time. So not sure why but in a hydroponic setup I would not grow anything but Rebelski. I have to say we have never grown Big Beef in hydroponics only in ground so maybe should put a few plants into the system and see how it goes. Thanks for the comment.... very interesting for sure!
Every time I see your videos I’m so inspired because you 3 have done such an outstanding job implementing and improving to the most efficient and productive systems and processes……you guys work very hard and very smart!!!! Have a great Labor Day weekend!!
Great idea on the pool strainer net. I’ve been using paint strainers but they wear out too fast. Hope you are doing okay up there? Love y’all! Chuck and Darlene
yes, we tried the paint strainers too, but you are right the wear out. I borrowed the pool net and have not given it back.... works great and has lasted a couple of years. we are doing ok thank you and we love you too!
Hi. New subscriber here. Hydroponics is fascinating. I want to try it on a home scale, and seeing your operation is inspiring. Thank you for sharing your farm with us.
Great information. Ive written down the hydrogrow as I have kratky style buckets and by the middle of summer they do tend to grow algae. I usually just switch buckets and clean each one and switch the next. But my roots on the cucumbers this year turned a touch brown. I did get more cucumbers then ive ever had before and I started a few more buckets mid-season that are putting out cucumbers now but since I'm outdoor and an open hoop house they do get the wilts from cucumber beetles. Maybe if I go with a bigger hoop house I can keep it closed off to bugs and have better luck. The cherry tomatoes I decided to try are going gangbusters and almost better than the ones in the ground. I decided to try my pole beans in the kratky buckets up on the deck and out in the garden and they are just loaded off and on all summer. Its fun to have them right next to my door lol. I have 4 plants pet 3 1/2 gallon bucket. I even have 2 Minnesota midget melons started and growing nicely. Muskmelons are my white whale lol. Ive grown them for 2 years now and grew 2 baseball sized melons each year lol. So sad to do all that work for 2 bites of melon lol I tried a dinosaur kale and it loves the hydroponics too. Now I watch another hydroponics grower but he's more of an amateur Mike Vandruzee (spelling) but he likes to play with home designed systems and found the big orange buckets from home depo do not grow much algae at all. Something about the light spectrum and the orange blocking the blue light spectrum that algae likes to grow in. I wonder if an orange tarp over your tanks would work even better than a white one? You have a wonderful labor day weekend. Our small town puts on a big festival so our plans are full. Twilight parade tonight-car show and crafts and pet shows tomorrow along with a beer tent and lots of live music. More crafts and games/rides for the grandchildren on Sunday with the big fireworks and walking tacos before. Then the big parade on Monday with both my older grandkiddos walking. One in cross country and one in band. Full full weekend. But always the best times.
Do you have calcium buildup on any of your growing surfaces ? Here in Florida it is always the most challenging part of cleaning pots, one which I have never found a really good solution. Thank you for sharing. Great looking tomatoes !
May I know please what kind of tomato is that ? I wanna try planting it although in my country in Dubai it’s not easy to reach that size of tomato plant due to hot weather, but I’ll try.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I enjoy learning about all the tribal knowledge that goes along with running a farm like yours. It is a dream of mine! Say hi to Devon!
Thank you mom! I would like your advices! Wish you healthy life and wealthy!
Love your smart work and sweet videos💜
Thank you so much!
I was so excited to find a variety " Rebelski" that was resistant to grey leaf mold. I've made my living growing tomatoes for 28 years and have raised Big Beef in high tunnels all that time. I've tried over 50 varieties over the years and nothing comes close to the flavor and interior quality of Big Beef. So when I saw you growing Rebelski, I had to give them a try. I only grew 50 plants on grafted rootstock and that was 49 too many. They are perfect as far as appearance, zero radial cracking, Big Beef can have 25% radial cracks at times but they go in my canning flats so not a complete loss other than the reduced price for canners. The Rebelski are a flattened fruit with a large core so when you cut off a couple slices to get past the large core you usually only have a a slice or two left. Big Beef can have a large core depending on the weather "heat" but since the fruit are a usually twice as deep as a Rebelski ,you have several slices of deep red juicy fruit left.The other problem with Rebelski is the interior color and quality. They never get a deep red and I would even say tough texture, the flavor is not anywhere close to as good and sweet as Big beef. So when I put Rebelski on my produce table when I was short on Big Beef, I put up a sign apologizing for the the poor quality fruit compared to what my customers are used to. The plants were grown in the ground in the same row in two different houses as the BB and there was no comparison. If all I grew was Rebelski over the years I would have been out of business years ago. I grew 700 Big Beef, 50 rebelski, 100 Carolina gold and 75 Tomato Berries in the High Tunnels and 300 Big Beef out in the field.
I hear what you are saying but have to say we are growing Rebelski in a pure hydroponic setup. None of our plants were grafted. We don't have large cores and the fruits are red throughout the fruit. Up against Big Beef in tomato tasting contests held at the farmer's market... we win every time. So not sure why but in a hydroponic setup I would not grow anything but Rebelski. I have to say we have never grown Big Beef in hydroponics only in ground so maybe should put a few plants into the system and see how it goes. Thanks for the comment.... very interesting for sure!
Every time I see your videos I’m so inspired because you 3 have done such an outstanding job implementing and improving to the most efficient and productive systems and processes……you guys work very hard and very smart!!!! Have a great Labor Day weekend!!
Thank you so much 😀 Have a safe and great weekend also!!!
You're amazing. ❤🙏
Great idea on the pool strainer net. I’ve been using paint strainers but they wear out too fast. Hope you are doing okay up there?
Love y’all!
Chuck and Darlene
yes, we tried the paint strainers too, but you are right the wear out. I borrowed the pool net and have not given it back.... works great and has lasted a couple of years. we are doing ok thank you and we love you too!
Hi. New subscriber here. Hydroponics is fascinating. I want to try it on a home scale, and seeing your operation is inspiring. Thank you for sharing your farm with us.
Welcome aboard!
Great information. Ive written down the hydrogrow as I have kratky style buckets and by the middle of summer they do tend to grow algae. I usually just switch buckets and clean each one and switch the next.
But my roots on the cucumbers this year turned a touch brown. I did get more cucumbers then ive ever had before and I started a few more buckets mid-season that are putting out cucumbers now but since I'm outdoor and an open hoop house they do get the wilts from cucumber beetles.
Maybe if I go with a bigger hoop house I can keep it closed off to bugs and have better luck.
The cherry tomatoes I decided to try are going gangbusters and almost better than the ones in the ground.
I decided to try my pole beans in the kratky buckets up on the deck and out in the garden and they are just loaded off and on all summer. Its fun to have them right next to my door lol. I have 4 plants pet 3 1/2 gallon bucket.
I even have 2 Minnesota midget melons started and growing nicely. Muskmelons are my white whale lol. Ive grown them for 2 years now and grew 2 baseball sized melons each year lol. So sad to do all that work for 2 bites of melon lol
I tried a dinosaur kale and it loves the hydroponics too.
Now I watch another hydroponics grower but he's more of an amateur Mike Vandruzee (spelling) but he likes to play with home designed systems and found the big orange buckets from home depo do not grow much algae at all. Something about the light spectrum and the orange blocking the blue light spectrum that algae likes to grow in.
I wonder if an orange tarp over your tanks would work even better than a white one?
You have a wonderful labor day weekend. Our small town puts on a big festival so our plans are full. Twilight parade tonight-car show and crafts and pet shows tomorrow along with a beer tent and lots of live music.
More crafts and games/rides for the grandchildren on Sunday with the big fireworks and walking tacos before.
Then the big parade on Monday with both my older grandkiddos walking. One in cross country and one in band.
Full full weekend. But always the best times.
Great video! Great tips & inspiration!
Thanks so much!
Hello, Your setup is inspirational. What kind of pump and t filter do you use? At 2:58 you show a good view of them.
That is a dolphin pump 1.5 hp set up on 220v the filter is just a large inline screen filter. I'm not sure what the brand is. Hope that helps.
Super
can you use biostreight in the bottom of channel to keep the channels clean
i guess you could
Do you have calcium buildup on any of your growing surfaces ? Here in Florida it is always the most challenging part of cleaning pots, one which I have never found a really good solution. Thank you for sharing. Great looking tomatoes !
No, we don't have a large amount of calcium what we do have comes off pretty easy with soaking
May I know please what kind of tomato is that ?
I wanna try planting it although in my country in Dubai it’s not easy to reach that size of tomato plant due to hot weather, but I’ll try.
Rublinski from Johnny Seeds. Good luck let us know how you do
Tomatoes look like they'd be a good canning variety, or make ketchup.
we do both but we find that these are great for drying and the paste tomatoes in the high tunnel for sauce etc
CAN YOU PLEASE TELL THE INGREDIANTS ON LABEL OF HYPOGROW????
don't have the label up here at the house but it's online!