Before my beefsteak tomato plant fell to the cold weather, I took four suckers and potted them into styrofoam cups. They "thrived" to the point that I potted them up into containers. I have them on a south-facing window sill. They can't be moved outside at this point, right? Without doing a bunch of frost protection?
Tomato seedlings
Too cold now, even if you protect them.
I attended a class from the TOMATO MAN here in Dallas, and for years he always transplanted out his tomatoes on February 11. First he warms up the soil with plastic mulch and after he plants his tomatoes. He cover them up really well in case of a freeze.
He has record harvest of tomatoes in this way.
Last year February 11 was way too cold for me.
This year I plan to warm the soil with the red plastic mulch and plant my tomatoes oustide earlier, but I will create a hoop house with plastic cover on top to protect them. We'll see ....
I'm trying that red plastic mulch this year too. It is the soil temps (according to the Territorial Seeds catalog) that counts the most. I've used the Territorial germination/temp charts for years and they have not let me down. Lost my soil thermomiter in the move, though. Will have to find another!
terri_emory, when do you transplant your tomatoes outside?
I start them inside, move them out to a small, unheated greenhouse/shed (keeping them warm enough with water jugs and covering if needed), then move them out when the soil temps reach the correct temp about 3-5 days in a row (I always have to look up the soil temps in the Territorial catalog--just can't remember here at work). I think last year it was begining or mid-March. I haven't really got my dates down yet as last season was my first year with the new garden and with tomatoes in ground here in TX. The real problem I had last year was the wind. I'm going to have to think of something for this year!
Wind is the same problem here at in March.
What I was thinking to do is to use my PVC hoophouse and cover it with a plastic cover I bought from Territorial seeds. This cover is made of clear plastic with holes of about 1/2" diameter, so the air/rain can circulate without cooking the plants.
In this way I am also ready to throw on top the freezer blanket in case we have a hard freeze like we always have at the end of March here. After April there will be no need of those covers.
Great minds think alike! I was looking at that too, and also wanted to use that to make a hoop tunnel for lettuce for right now......
Just a reminder -- last year we had a freeze YES A FREEZE in mid-April. It was a freak thing, but you might want to keep the protection handy until the end of April.
The PVC are already on tope of my lettuce area, just in case of a hard freeze.
I have the plastic and clamps ready to go.
So far I haven't cover any of my veggie garden this year.
This was last year during the cold cold weather
Thanks for all the good info -- have some frost cover, but have not ventured (yet) into hoop houses, pvc pipe, etc. Somewhere I do have some frames with plastic covering but don't remember how big, whether the plastic is ventilated, etc. Am moving soon so have a lot of things on my to-do list!
TX_gardener, good luck with the move! I'm still unpacking ..... Can't find a number of garden items I know I packed..... Its an adventure!
Oh, Terri, you are so positive. :)
drthor - what is the diameter of the PVC pipe you use? Where do you get the clamps?
Thanks.
The PVC pipe is maybe 3/4". You just need to select a size that can ben, but still is strong.
The best clamps to use are the large office one. When the wind blasts you need something readdy strong to hold tha cover in place.
Thanks, drthor. I showed your photos to my hubby, and he seemed real interested in such a set-up.
You can also make clamps with the next largest size PVC if you have access to a band saw or jig saw. Cut sections about 3 inches long, then slice length-wise about two-thirds of the circle...make a "C" shape. You can force the c-shape over the plastic and the smaller PVC pipe. After you've made one or two, they get easy and you can make as many as you need pretty quickly.
David R
too much work .... large office clamps are much better ... ah ah
I bought lots of them on sale
I need to be ready to cover my hoop house maybe sunday ...
Weather channel says that the arctic front may be here next monday or tuesday .... ahhhhh
I will be ready !!!
drthor, #1 son went to Twisted Root in Deep Ellum yesterday with some friends. I sent them to that place you talked about and they picked up some seed mix and a couple of other gardening items. He's stopping by her today to drop it all off!
You can get those binder clips at Office Depot for real cheap (get the Office Depot/generic brand). I use them a lot in the garden anyway. I'll be setting up hoops this weekend so just one more use for me! Good idea, thanks for the tip!
This message was edited Jan 7, 2011 9:27 AM
Drthor, do you use the large binder clips? (The black ones)
yes, correct.
Sorry my English sometimes is very bad.
We also use these clamp things at work that are different than binder clips, so that is why I asked for the clarification.
drthor and all, #1 son did go to TX Hydro in Deep Ellum Wednesday and brought back many growing goodies for me yesterday! I edited the name of the restaurant they like down there, "Duh Mom, can't you remember the name--I took you there last year!"
I got rooting mix and potting soil and a couple of other things. All looks very good. DS went with two other friends. Picture three of the guys from "Big Bang Theory", make one a girl, and that is who went to get seed starting stuff for "my mom the garden freek". He reports that the customer service was realy good and the person who helped them pick stuff out was very colorful, which added to the fun. I am really looking forward to seeing how my seedlings do with this stuff!
I'm so pleased with the recommendation. I love living out here in the boonies but sometimes one just can't get the same quality of materials or just the same variety as in a more urban setting! =D I think I saw that they had a place out here for Canton First Mondays, but I think they are not there anymore.
dreaves - thanks for the tip regarding the PVC clamps. I thought I had seen something like that in drthor's photo.
drthor - do the binder clips go rusty being outside?
I am glad that you did have a good time at Texas hydrophonics.
The bonder clips get a little bir rusty .. some of them.
But they are actually very strong and easy/fast to put on and take off !!
Thanks, drthor. I'm thinking my little old fingers might thank me for something easy to put on and take off (giggle)
Ya'll, check this out!
Ms. Tommie uses what amounts to a Greenhouse Teepee (a "GreenPee") that allows her to start her tomato seedlings outside waaaaaaaaay earlier (1st week in March), in moderately incliment winter weather! It's a sheer stroke of genius! I can see how it would protect the plants from the wind and elements, and help them grow before the very end of winter.
I plan to try this method with 6"-8" tomato seedlings set out beginning February 19th - March 19th this year.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=8306178
I've seen a lot of folks up in Illinois do that, Gymgirl. It does seem to work. My husband's uncle once saved a row of tomato plants in plastic wrapped rebar cages from a freak snow storm by also running shop lights out to the row and stringing them into the "teepee" and closing the top. I don't know how he kept things from shorting out or catching fire (I never really thought about it) but it worked. He used to make about a hundred cans of homemade V8 juice with his tomatoes, etc.
This message was edited Jan 12, 2011 2:07 PM
I'm thinking my little hatch back car is like a greenhouse sitting out there in the driveway - I wonder if I could raise tomato seedlings in it? LOL
HoneybeeNC, I bet that car would smell sooooo good! I love the smell of tomato seedlings =D! Too bad they don't make one of those car jar air fresheners to smell like tomato seedling.
You could take them for rides!
This message was edited Jan 12, 2011 12:42 PM
HoneybeeNC,
You aren't the only one who has wondered about using their car as a portable greenhouse!
Norton's blocked me from seeing the page! Said it was an attempt to attack my computer.
My car alternates between recycling center, wheelbarrow, greenhouse, and planting center! :)
Great for drying herbs too & makes it smell wonderful!
My truck tailgate is also my potting bench, work bench, and dog drying off and nail clipping bench. If it ever sat still long enough seed starting greenhouse and herb dryer would be a natural progression! Oh, and lets not forget I can pull most stumps with it....
terri_emory - If I tried pulling stumps with my little hatch back, the stump would probably win!
Now that I'm not working, it sits in the driveway most of the time so I think I'll give seed starting in it a try.
Check out "Fertile Fiction" here: http://www.texasgardener.com/newsletters/110112/default.htm
Be careful! :)
Stephanie, this is for you:
busterharrell wrote:
The earliest I've put mine out is the first week in March (8b, 30 miles due South of Austin):
*wide raised beds.
*6' tall tomato cages made of concert reinforcement wire.
* wrap cages with floating row cover.
* outer wrapping of 6 mil clear plastic buried in the bed at the bottom with the top drawn up and tied
at the top of the cage.
This creates a greenhouse for each tomato planted, warm and toasty; on sunny warmer days I would open the top a bit to allow excess heat and moisture to escape then close it up a few hours before sunset to retain heat during the night, and the plants were protected from cold rain. When all danger of cold weather passed I removed the outer plastic, keeping the row cover in place for wind protection until plants filled the cage. Since tomatoes are wind pollinated you can shake the cage to vibrate the tomato plant to ensure fruit set.
Ms. Tommie
This message was edited Jan 12, 2011 7:53 AM
Thanks, Linda! I actually found the original thread and read it there.
TX_gardener - thanks for the story. I'll not be pulling stumps anytime soon (LOL)