New approach - who can put tomatoes in by May 15?

wyld thang · #61 03/11/10, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paquebot

That appears to be counter to what has been known and practiced for many, many years. In early days it was with done with cloches. Then hot caps became the standard for protecting early tender plants. WOWs are merely an advancement on a system which has long proved to be beneficial, especially in colder climes.

Martin

I'm in Oregon, the wet side, and yes, what I said is true. You either need to provide a separate greenhouse environment, or plant later. Cloches etc merely keep the TOMATO plant from freezing. Growth in cold wet ground is slow to none, even if the green above ground part is warmer(again, in my cold wet waterlogged ground that doesn't warm up dry out til June 1 or so).

Just sayin it's different climates all over the country, I know NY is farther north and maybe has similar cold and wet issues. The guy I'm quoting on the tomato lore is the guy who foudned and runs Territorial Seeds.

I can put out lettuce, peas, cabbage chard etc earlier, they liek it cold. I also have to wait to put out peppers and to sow corn(using a short season variety)--there is just no point fighting the cold soggy ground without some sort of greenhouse techniques to alter the temp/wet conditions of the soil.

Paquebot · #62 03/11/10, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyld thang

I'm in Oregon, the wet side, and yes, what I said is true. You either need to provide a separate greenhouse environment, or plant later. Cloches etc merely keep the TOMATO plant from freezing. Growth in cold wet ground is slow to none, even if the green above ground part is warmer(again, in my cold wet waterlogged ground that doesn't warm up dry out til June 1 or so).

You should also know that anything like a cloche also acts to warm the soil. I once planted beans in March under a plastic dome surrounded by snow. I had green beans in May when most others were just thinking about planting them. Rather than being too cold, the main fear was being too hot. Whatever is used, be it plastic, clay, or glass, acts like a cold frame or greenhouse to warm the soil during the day and release it at night. Volunteer tomatoes need only a few days of sunshine to germinate and then continue to grow despite nights when it is at or near freezing.

Martin

jen74145 · #63 03/11/10, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texican

I thought, from reading your post, you were talking about putting tomatoes in.... the refrigerator, or in canning jars.

This dang old global warming is wreaking havoc with my garden plans... should already have my 'first planting' of tomatoes in the ground. 1/4 of the time, I lose, when planting early... but if they do make, I get tomatoes... If I wait till it's surefire safe, I usually lose 3/4 of them, to drought and insects.

And it's supposed to snow again, tonite and tomorrow. Three times in one winter season.... unheard of....

Yes this.

I plant early and often. Stagger things so if a freeze/ wave of locusts comes through, I have more waiting in the wings to start producing. I am totally NOT above buying a few seedlings from the local store to fill in any gaps, either. Rather have that produce than waxed, sprayed, and shipped.

Course, lettuces always go bitter on me. Look fine, taste awful. I can grow anything here except lettuces, it seems.

One year I totally cheated and bought great big plants from a greenhouse, plunked 'em out and had ripe tomatoes by March 18th.

Some years though, I've gone out to my garden only to find all my squash stripped to the veins by locusts, when just yesterday they were *fine*. Oh, and we have fire ants, which are some nasty little thinsg if they take up shop in your garden/oft used paths.

Paquebot · #64 03/11/10, 07:35 PM

There are a number of ways to get a jump on the growing season and the hardest part for a newer gardener is to decide which to use. Complete seed companies, those which sell everything one could need, offer many choices. For example, Territorial Seed Company offers all that I mentioned and one of few with the bell cloches albeit dear. Their Kozy Coat looks nice and I like their 6-8 week headstart claim for the Wallo' Waters. Lots of neat options there.

www.territorialseed.com/prod_detail_list/171

Martin

Ravenlost · #65 03/11/10, 10:30 PM

Mid April here unless I get ahead of myself and put them out really early. That ain't gonna happen this year though!

adamtheha · #66 03/12/10, 03:01 AM

Here in Southern Alberta, very few people put tomatoes outside at all, unless in pots. I'm going to be doing them in my soon to be existing greenhouse, last year it rained all August, and then hailed, so I got 7 tomatoes out of 4 plants.
This year seems to be another wonky weather season. Temps up to +14 C in early March, when we normally are still tromping through snow and skating on the pond!
I could have grown a full crop of radishes in Feb, if I'd known that the weather would be so nice!
Maybe I'll be crazy and put out some brocolli in March. The farmer's market doesn't open till June, so if it works, I'll have the only fresh veggies in late April in this area!

johnghagen · #67 03/12/10, 05:18 AM

I'm in West Central Illnois and can put them in no latter than the 15 of April to get the early market.The wall of water thing would be time consuming for us and tunnels are to space consricting in the tomatoe application.We use tunnels for our early green beans.The water issue is not a problem as the cap can keep most out if to much.These tomatoes will bring 1.75 a pound till the others come on.If we are lucky we try to have sweet corn and tomatoes ready for market on the fourth of July. cant have enough.