Plant successfully tomatoes with the Waterboxx® plant cocoon

Plant successfully tomatoes in your garden in the heat of California with the Waterboxx® plant cocoon

Bill McNeese has again obtained amazing vegetable trial results in California using the Groasis Waterboxx® plant cocoon

The extreme temperatures he experienced during the month of June this year were of big concern. Temperatures reached triple digits (Fahrenheit) almost every day. He has never seen anything like it - temperatures rose to 110˚F (43,5˚C). It has been hard for the plants, even with the protection that the Waterboxx® plant cocoon offers. Some tomato varieties Bill tried stopped growing and flowering as soon as the heat hit. But two varieties, Early Girl and Stupice, tolerate the heat better than you would expect and are flourishing in the Waterboxx® plant cocoon. Bill has devised a way to install shade cloth and remove it quickly when it’s not needed. He will be installing it this week. Better late than never

 

The tomatoes

Waterboxx® plant cocoons have 3 wicks, Bill is growing one plant per box

Variety 1 - Early girl: The main stem is 8.5 feet (2,6 meters) tall and is still setting fruit, despite the heat and intense sun. Bill has harvested 217 tomatoes with a total weight of 44.2 lbs (over 20 kg) between April 22nd, 2016 and July 4th, 2016. Most of that harvest came during the month of June. These results show that if you plant with care, use the right varieties, and meet the plants’ needs, small growers can make a good living. You don’t even need a greenhouse

The plant has 10 strong vines (suckers) that were allowed to grow on it. Most gardeners/farmers would argue that that is a problem, but according to Bill it is not. Charles Wilber, who holds the world record for tomatoes (poundage) grown in the ground – not hydroponically – found that 19 stems are optimal

Many of the fruit on the lower stems have now been picked. There's plenty left on the upper part of the plant, and the plant hasn't stopped growing yet.  Bill expects that by the end of August the plant should have easily surpassed the 50 pounds mark (almost 23 kg)

Variety 2 - Stupice: This is Bill’s heirloom treasure and it is also doing very well. It is the younger one of the two plants. This plant (see photos below) has been producing since May 26th, 2016. Since then it has yielded 88 quality fruit with a total weight of 9.9 lbs (4,5 kg). The average fruit size is holding at 1.80 oz. (51 grams), which is a good size for this variety

Last year Bill grew Pruden's Purple in the same Waterboxx® and he harvested 14.3 lbs (6,5 kg) of tomatoes in the season. This year Bill expects to go way beyond that

Stupice may be one of the only heirloom varieties that has a built-in disease resistance (not formally documented, but widely reported by growers) and it has tremendous vigour

 

 

With the new 30% shade cloth, Bill hopes that both plants keep producing tomatoes until fall. Both varieties are, it seems, adapted to grow and produce a good harvest of tomatoes anywhere in the world. Trials have demonstrated that they tolerate both cold summers - setting fruit early - and hot summers – as per the one Bill is experiencing now

Bill is very proud of his trellis design, which measures 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and has 3 horizontal bars that support the plants. Using Bills’ trellis, the plants have 12 square feet (1,1 m2) in which they can grow vertically

 

 

‘’If somebody tells you they harvested more than 50 lbs. of tomatoes from a single plant, take it with a grain of salt. I can tell you first hand that is a BIG harvest from a BIG plant.’’ – Bill McNeese

 

 

“The indoor photo shows I have been busy picking and weighing tomatoes. I have several neighbours now who wait for me to give them tomatoes.  And my wife makes good use of the rest.’’  Bill McNeese

The next two months will be the hottest part of the summer. It will be an interesting time in the garden. The plants only get rainwater from Bill’s 55-gallon (208 liters) collection barrel. The wicks of the Waterboxxes® are still working. Bill is using about 1.5 to 2 gallons (6 to 7,5 liters) a week per plant

Update on August 7th

Variety 1 - Early Girl: Bill picked 1.8 kg fruit on this morning. The quality is good, but the fruit sizes are getting smaller

Variety 2 - Stupice: Bill picked 0.81 kg fruit on this morning. A total of 10 lbs (4.5 kg) would be considered as good for this variety

What finally killed the production was not only the daytime temperature, but the night temperature the last couple of weeks. The night temperature stayed around 80˚F (more than 25˚C)! The night temperature is beginning to moderate, and they are dropping below 75˚F. Also, there hasn't been rain since early May

 

 

 

Short explanation of Groasis

With the Groasis Technology you use 1 liter water instead of 10, while planting dry areas

The Groasis Technology is extremely efficient with water, this way allowing to one to plant in areas where water is scarce or expensive. The Groasis Technology helps the planter save money with eco-restoration, while – if the plantation is for agroforestry - also allowing the planter to make more money

The Groasis Technology is no irrigation, it is a planting technology

The Groasis Technology (GT) is an integrated planting technology to plant in dry, eroded, desert and rocky areas. It is not a way of irrigation. When planting with the Groasis Technology, during the first year water savings are more than 90% when compared to any other planting method. From the second year onwards no water is added as irrigation is not needed, .

The Groasis Technology is a biomimicry technology and consists of:
1) improving the soil with compost and mycorrhizae
2) leaving the capillary structure intact and makeing the correct planting hole with the Groasis Capillary drill
3) using plants with the right primary roots which are not twisted, but extend vertically downwards
4) using the Groasis Waterboxx 
5) using the Growsafe Telescoprotexx plant protector against heat in the summer, from frost during the winter and from grazing by animals
6) if necessary, when planting on rocks, the use of the capillary drill.

While using the Groasis Technology the primary roots grow average half to one centimeter per day into the deep soil. After one year the roots are two to four meter deep. The plant has found water and is now independent and strong enough to grow on its own. The Groasis Technology is a copy of how Mother Nature solves the problem of planting plants in deserts, eroded areas, badlands and on rocks. With the use of the Groasis Technology you can plant wasteland with productive trees. You can use it to plant orchards or use it in your garden. It works everywhere and always.

The Groasis Technology is a copy if how Mother Nature plants. The survival rate is on average in excess of 90% no matter how difficult the circumstances are. Other planting methods limit planting to take place only in certain seasons. The Groasis Technology enables one to plant during 21 months per year, independent from the season and no matter the temperature. This allows a planter to plan and industrialize the planting process. If the Groasis multiple capillary drill is used, previously unimaginable big areas can be planted each day. 

The reason of the success of the Groasis Technology

In most locations ground water can be found at a depth of 3 or more meters. The problem for a plant in dry and eroded areas is that the first 3 meters of top soil, are dry. The air temperature is also high and frequently there are strong winds. After planting in these dry areas the plant often has not got enough time to extend put its roots deep enough to find the ground water. The plant subsequently dries out and dies. The Groasis Technology helps the plant to grow its roots 3 or more meters deep in the first year. Once the plant reaches this depth, it is able to grow independently and will not die anymore. After that year you can remove the Groasis Waterboxx and plant the next tree with it. This is an incredible cheap method to plant.

Pieter Hoff says: ‘if a tree once grew there he can grow there again’, and, ‘if the area of 2 billion hectares was small enough to cut, it is also small enough to replant’.

The Groasis Technology is inexpensive

Planting trees with drip irrigation is extremely expensive. Once you use drip irrigation you have eternal costs for energy and maintenance. You must replace your pumps and tubes every 5 years. Besides that water is scarce and we better use it as drinking water. The Groasis Technology uses no pumps, tubes or energy, and very little water. Only in the first year you have some low costs.  After one year you never have costs anymore. Mother Nature has always been able to grow without irrigation. With the use of the Groasis Technology you can again use that power to grow sound and healthy products, without irrigation.

Cost indication

Replanting through agroforestry with the Groasis Technology will cost approximately 3,500 US$ per hectare. This estimation is including organization, labour, the Groasis Waterboxx and planting material. With the Groasis Technology you can plant 12 months per year. This year round planting is an important factor. It allows planting schemes on a very efficient way.

Good Return on Investment

You can use the Groasis Technology to plant orchards, plant productive forest, for ecosystem recovery or anywhere where planting without irrigation is impossible, or too expensive.  Upgrade the value of wasteland through our inexpensive money and water saving technology and create capital growth on a sustainable basis.

 

 

 

 

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