Beer And Tomatoes

[The Big Burper]

:icon_offtopic:


I do a lot of gardening and less of brewing, but I had a flash of inspiration
this arvo about warm fridges (tempmate controlled) and cold miserable tomato
seedlings. :unsure:



The fridge is at a constant 20dC, the outside temp at the moment (SE Qld) is about 20,
but drops to 10 - 15 during the night.

Why not stick the seedlings in the fridge with the fermenting beer? Keep their toes
warm, and a BIG BONUS is the CO2 given off by the ferment will increase the growth
rate of the tomatoes.**

Take em out in the morning, put em back at night.

Whatya reckon?

BB

** Taken from the book "Growing Green Vegetable Material for Pleasure and Profit" published 1972.

 

[geoffi]

Go to it. Sounds like an excellent idea.

What are you brewing? Red ale?

 

[Tyred]

I am unsure if it would increase the growth rate of the tomatoes.

From memory, plants need sunlight and CO2 at the same time for growth. Also, some plants (don't know if it's all) actually use O2 when there is no light and put out CO2. Still, keeping them warm wouldn't hurt but it doesn't appear to be much of a temperature change that they are getting (unless it starts to drop below 10C which may not be good for them.

Give it a go (if they're young) with some in the fridge and some left outside exposed to the elements and you might be able to see a difference within a week or two.

 

[geoffi]

Let them out during the day for some sunlight. Take them into the fridge at night to keep their tootsies warm.

 

[Bizier]

Sounds good, I would worry about the amount of microbial activity you will introduce into your fermenting space, but I am sure this is not a problem if your vessel is sealed and you are not peeking under the lid every 5 mins.

 

[flattop]

I had a crap tomato crop this year, on the balcony, water restrictions, very hot days... mostly they just crapped out before fruiting...
Then again i have one hardy tomato plant that is obviously confused, it is still alive in the middle of winter with top temps of around 14*c and nights down to around 3*c.
Wonder if it will fruit in spring....

 

[Hasa]

I am unsure if it would increase the growth rate of the tomatoes.

From memory, plants need sunlight and CO2 at the same time for growth. Also, some plants (don't know if it's all) actually use O2 when there is no light and put out CO2. Still, keeping them warm wouldn't hurt but it doesn't appear to be much of a temperature change that they are getting (unless it starts to drop below 10C which may not be good for them.

Give it a go (if they're young) with some in the fridge and some left outside exposed to the elements and you might be able to see a difference within a week or two.

You're on the money there. Plants have a light dependent and light independent stage of photosynthesis, of which the end result is a carbon based energy source (most commonly starch). As you may remember, the balanced equation for photosynthesis is 6H20 + 6 CO2 --> C6H12O6 + 6O2. Once the plants make this energy source, they perform aerobic respiration for growth and function, which is pretty much the opposite to photosynthesis, C6H12O6 + 6O2 --> 6H2O + 6CO2.

Plants are always performing aerobic respiration, regardless of the levels of sunlight, it's just that during the day time they produce significantly more O2 than they consume.

As for storing plants out of harsh conditions at night time, it's really only necessary if there's a chance of a frost.

 

[The Big Burper]

Thanks for all the replies,

Well I got one outside as a control, the other 2 get the warm night treatment,

I have seen a significant improvement even after 2 days in the warm fridge.

I have photos of the original 3 at the start of this experiment and will post up, in a weeks time, photos of the control (always outside) and the 2 warmies. You will be amazed. :unsure:

cheers
BB

 

[The Big Burper]

Thanks for all the replies,

Well I got one outside as a control, the other 2 get the warm night treatment,

I have seen a significant improvement even after 2 days in the warm fridge.

I have photos of the original 3 at the start of this experiment and will post up, in a weeks time, photos of the control (always outside) and the 2 warmies. You will be amazed. :unsure:

cheers
BB

Here is the results, pictures will tell all








Lotsa pasata, tomato relish (CWA recipe), fried green tomatoes etc etc.

cheers
BB

 

[dans6401]

Thanks Big Burper,
Got the link from my post about a similar idea.
Not certain, but i'm tipping the warmer night temps would have had more of an effect than the c02. As others have stated the intake of c02 is needed during photosynthesis.
A good example is two plants i have growing at the moment. One was double the size of the other when i seperated them about a month ago (both seeds sown at the same time, both seeds from the same tomato) one i hardened off and is now growing outside, the other (originally) smaller one remained indoors. They both get the same amount of daylight. Put the hydrometer container next to them to give you an idea of size difference.

 

[The Big Burper]

Thanks Big Burper,
Got the link from my post about a similar idea.
Not certain, but i'm tipping the warmer night temps would have had more of an effect than the c02. As others have stated the intake of c02 is needed during photosynthesis.

Thanks dans,

I'll try to wriggle out of the CO2 and photosynthesis expanation (which is correct) but add this little gem of wisdom.


"A related benefit comes from the partial closing of pores in leaves that is associated with higher CO2 levels. These pores, known as stomata, admit air into the leaf for photosynthesis, but they are also a major source of transpiration or moisture loss. By partially closing these pores, higher CO2 levels greatly reduce the plants' water loss--a significant benefit in arid climates." and..........

"High CO2 levels also sharply reduce dark respiration (the partial destruction of the products of photosynthesis during nighttime) among C3 plants."


So although there is no photosynthesis happening at night, the higher CO2 levels are affecting the transpiration rate of the plant, hence the increased leaf area as shown in the seeling photo.


Wriggle, wriggle.

cheers
BB

 

[rackemup]

I have heard of this idea before, except the plants were grown indoors under lighting and produced a different kind of harvest to what you have shown above

I have often wondered what could be done with the large volumes of CO2 that are produced by fermenting beer, other than helping plants grow - any ideas?