Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

ok like steve said, it clearly works! Nice photo Ell.

You guys gave me a two for one solution; when I trimmed off the leaves up to just under the first flowering node set, this also removed most of the aphids.
Only having 8 plants and keeping the amount of leaf down will make aphid control easier. I think most of the 8 are indeterminate vine plants, maybe 1 or 2 determinate bushes. It's vine plants for me, from now on...

Thanks for the "Heads-up" & pointing me in the right direction folks.

Here is my method for tomato training (the top self training part just kinda happened)
I used strings to support the toms till they get up to the cattle panel arch with the shade cloth over and then they just kinda grow between the wire and the shade cloth. Now we need a step ladder to harvest.
Early on I was good about pruning off extra suckers but have been busy lately with other things so they have turned into a bit of a jungle. Still seem to be doing well though.

Aphids. I have done the spray with water thing but that needs to be done every other day or so. If there are ants farming the aphids, it isn't so effective since the ants keep bringing the aphids back. I have dusted plants with DE (DIATOMACEOUS EARTH) Which will dehydrate the aphids and discourage the ants (and is perfectly safe for us and the fish to eat though you want to avoid breathing the dust or getting it in your eyes.)

Soap and oil sprays work against aphids but should not be used in/around an ap system.
Garlic spray would probably work but do be careful not to hurt bees with it as it doesn't distinguish between good and bad bugs.

One trick I've used to keep ants/aphids off my okra was to smear something sticky around the stem of the plant so the ants wouldn't walk up the plant and ruin the flower buds and pods and couldn't carry aphids up the plants. Seemed to work well in the dirt garden. Might not be as easy for tomatoes since every point the plant touches string or support is a path for the ant to walk on.

oops and again I didn't manage to attach the photo of the training I meant to show.
Here it is.

I see wow. ok i thought about something like your arch... sep it was a lean-to/1/2 of an A Frame. Now I might have to steal your design lol thanks.

Holy.

Your going to need a tall ladder to reach the tomatoes on the top of that arch.

Well, for the little cherry and grape tomatoes, I just kinda use the stick end of one of my nets to poke at them and they fall down to the grow bed nicely. With a larger type of tomato that would be bruised by such treatment, we will need a can on a stick for harvest though I kinda plant on planting the larger tomatoes in the monster bed where the entire arch is reachable without climbing.

This arch uses the entire 16' long cattle panel with the bottoms secured with boards to the grow bed on one side and stakes on the other side. Could easily add another grow bed where the containers are lined up but it would be outside the arch.

Sorry TC, my wife has just said "NO" to having the whole backyard convert to 'TCLBYAPT(unnels)' - love the idea and will slowly work on wearing her down, one tunnel at a time


Well done, I really enjoy seeing the variations you keep putting forward