The Indian Stripe keeps loading up, and a few are now starting to blush. BTW, that is a cluster of ripe Champion in the background:

I've been picking a few Purple Cherokee (plant on the left) and the Carmello on the right is just now kicking in:

Both of these were planted on August 8 in a 2:2:1:1 mix of Sta-Green Potting Mix, Cactus Mix, Perlite, and Turface.

Overall, my most "robust" plant is a Cherokee Purple in a 3:2:1 ratio of Sta-Green, Bark Fines, and Perlite:

Absolutely green from top to bottom.

This Cherokee Purple is scheduled for the dinner table tonight!

Another report on December 1.

Raybo

We haven't had garden tomatoes since late Sept. and my family now complains about store bought fruit...

I'm glad to hear the 3:2:1 of MG, barkfines, perlite, is winning out. I've got some barkfines composting in the bag and a big bag of perlite ready to go for spring.

I noticed this year that Cherokee Purple was one of the best SWC plants. It'll be interesting to get some other varieties into a 3:2:1 mix to see how they fair.

Fingers crossed for another month and a half of good weather!

I agree that Cherokee Purple does very well in an SWC environment. Indian Stripe and Carmello are also growing comparably as well. I am going to blend my own SWC Mix next season based on Sphagnum Peat Moss, Bark Fines, and Perlite in the 3:2:1 ratio. I'll also experiment with close variations of this ratio as well.

Someone told me with "virgin" Sphagnum Peat Moss, that you need to add a "wetting agent". Anyone know what to use, and how to apply it?

Raybo

Peat can be hydrophobic, but I've never known warm water not to overcome it. I work from a five gallon bucket and add very hot water to get it absorbing. I'm done with peat though. It also seems if it's being used as a capillary wick, then hydrophic issues, which repel water on the surface, are... non issues. Bottom up watering is going around the problem. I could be wrong, but I'm not a big fan of surfactants and prefer soil amendments that do not use wetting agents. Once your swc starts wicking it isn't going to become hydrophobic, right? So charge the wick mechanism with warm water from the top and all is well, I think. Anyway, you wanted to torture the vine so avoid wetting agents. (Or consider something like shredded newspaper.) All JMHO.

Always enjoy the pics. I had a hard frost this morning and all my remaining plants are done. It's just a big sad weepy dead dark green mess out there loaded with maters that will never ripen.

Sorry to hear about the hard freeze. But look at it as a "cue" to start working up the 2010 List, and get seedlings started in the near future.

As Pro-Mix BX is about 82% Sphagnum Peat Moss, there is no Wetting Agent listed on the Ingredients on the bag, so either it is an insignificant amount, or they simply don't use any. I will experiment with a bale of virgin Sphagnum over the Winter to see how it absorbs moisture and wicks.

Well, out to the garden in a few minutes to pick some Goose Creek, Cherokee Purple, and Carmello. The Purple Haze F4 is really lagging, and I may not get any of those before we have our first hard freeze in a month or so.

Raybo