Raybo, those are looking great. I been waiting on pics from you. I like your 7 footer.

How do you like this heat? Its great aint it. Things are looking good in Campbell for you Raybo. Its all good here too!

Damon

Are those the 18 gal. containers? That cherokee chocolate in incredible. I made a couple of the 18 gal containers this season and I was considering using bigger containers for my earthboxes next season, but if the 18 gallon can handle plants like that I will just stick with them.

jsvand,

No, these are Rubbermaid 31 gallon containers. I know many folks who grow 2 plants in an 18 gallon container, but my personal calculation was that each plant needs 1.5 cubic ft. of potting mix to grow to a robust size.

Depends on climate and other factors (just look at what Bingster is able to accomplish), but I wanted something very stable to support self contained cages, and with the 31 gallon version, I've got over 150 pounds of water and moist mix keeping the container from tipping over.

Raybo

Whoa, isn't that too hot?? I thought I'd read somewhere that temps above 95 kill the pollen.

gman,

You are correct, but it only went over 100 degrees here for a few hours today, and we are due a cooling trend starting tomorrow.

Raybo

Hey Raybo,

Those Purple Haze are really beautiful plants and your overall set-up is lookin great!! Know you're glad to be back home!

cheers

Bing

Raybo,
I've never had any luck with fruit set if temps get above 92 or so. While I wouldn't go anywhere close to saying my plants love 99+ degrees, they easily survive. On the other hand, at those high temps the flowers on my plants seem to be somewhere between smoked, broiled and fried!!

Please let us know if those gorgeous plants of yours are able to set fruit in that extreme heat.
Thanks,
Terry Light

Those plants are beautiful! I can only hope mine get that nice. Good job.

I live in Raybo's area too. Its supposed to drop into the low 90's and upper 80's over the weekend. I'm sure a couple days at or above 100 isnt going to make his plants not set fruit. Its a long season.
I'm about 40 miles from Raybo and we hit 104 yesterday. Dayyyum

bdobs,
I wouldn't expect and didn't mean to imply that a couple of days in the 100's would cause the plants to never set fruit. But in my experience, any existing flowers subjected to a day or so over 92 have pretty much turned to toast! The flowers, not the plants.

I should probably add that here in Northern Virginia high temps are almost always associated with an equally high humidity. I suspect there is a correlation although I couldnÂt begin to tell you what it is.

Terry Light
Oak Hill, Virginia

Hi Terry,

Yes, this morning I did notice a number of flowers that were yellow on Thursday have turned brown and dried up, especially those exposed to the direct sun over the past 3 days. However, those flowers in a partial leaf shade area are doing fine.

When it got to 102 on Thursday, then 101 on Friday, my humidity meter was showing 9%, which is typical in San Jose in the middle of the Summer. The good news is that the tomatoes seem to be getting larger now at an amazing rate. Here are some Purple Haze that were just pea size two days ago.

{{gwi:1334821}}

Raybo

Oh yeah, makes sence Terry. Duhh :)
Mine are just starting to bloom, hope this heat wave doesnt kill em.
The blooms are still yellow today, so we'll see.

Ray..your plants look great. I hear ya on the amazing growth with the heat.