Finally Got the Tomatoes Going

Just a quick update - I finally got 20 tomato plants started a couple weeks ago.  Most of the seeds came up and are already leaning toward the sunshine out my big picture window in the living room.

I'm cutting back on the # I grow this year because i've been busy with other projects.

The plan is to grow two parallel rows of 10 plants each for a total of 20 altogether.  I'm looking for a better way to support them, anyone got any ideas?

Trellis is too bulky and the old tomato cages just get overgrown so quickly.  I thought I saw something in Organic Gardening about aluminum trellis's?

Feedback would be great!

The old trellis - won't be using this baby any more!

Growing Upside Down Tomatoes

I regret I did not take pictures when growing upside down tomatoes a few years ago, but I will provide you with very detailed instructions - and this is a lot easier than you might think!

STEP 1:  THE START

Get your tomato plant started in the ground and growing OUTSIDE and wait until it is about 12-18" tall.  It just needs to be sturdy enough to survive a normal TRANSPLANT without being too big.

STEP 2:  THE CONTAINER

Find a 1 or 2 gallon sized plastic container (2 works better) and slice an "X" slit in the bottom of it.  You want to create an opening that's about 5" wide so that you can easily slip the tomatoes roots through it from the bottom.  DON'T CUT THE BOTTOM OUT OF THE CONTAINER.

STEP 3:  THE TRANSPLANT

Dig underneath the tomato plant in your garden as if you were doing a normal transplant, making sure to allow enough room to get the roots as fully as you can.  Carefully shake some of the clunky dirt off the roots, enough so that you will be able to insert them through the slit you've made in the bottom of the container.

STEP 4:  THE TRANSPLANT  - CONTINUED

Place the container upside down and with your one hand, lift the plastic X slit up so that you have enough room to insert the tomatoes ROOTS in the bottom of the container.

What you're going to want to do is seat the tomato deeply through the X slit so that a significant part of the stem (perhaps half of it) is inside the container.  NOTE:  The tomato will now be upside down inside your container.

STEP 5:  THE SEAL

To close and secure the bottom of the container, I just tape it up with some duct tape (of course you made need to cut a tiny bit of plastic at this point so the root has a little breathing room - I recommend a 1-2" circle or square area.

When you get really good at this, you won't need to cut a big slit.  As you can see in the photo above, I cut about a 2" hole and did not need to tape anything up.

STEP 6:  FILL CONTAINER WITH DIRT/COMPOST

Now flip your container so that it is right side up.  Continue to hold and stabilize the plant and its roots, so it does not shift around too much as you begin to add your dirt and/or compost to the container.

Carefully add your soil mixture.  Add more than you think you need, as it will naturally compress after you water it.

STEP 7:  HANG YOUR PLANT

Hang your plant as indicated in the photo in a sunny location.

(This is just an example, if this had been an actual tomato, the plant would be hanging down at of the bottom, with the top of the plant nearest the ground.)

STEP 8:  WATER

Do this immediately as you would after any transplant.  Add additional dirt if needed.

Your plant should take root just fine and you will water like any other tomato in the garden sitting the right way.

STEP 9:  WATCH IT GROW!

You'll be amazed how strong the plant will be, it will actually grow back up toward the sun (only to be weighted down later by tomatoes).

Appreciate any questions and once again, sorry I don't have the actual pics with the tomato.  That computer crashed with my older photos!

Derek Freiman Garden Work

I thought I'd make this post a bit more on the pictorial side of things, while we wait for things to get going here in the Northwest this season.

First of all, I want to remind everyone about the Derek Freiman consulting packages available for the fast approaching 2013 season.

Last year was the first year we grew eggplants at my place.  I had to start them indoors using a heating pad in January.  Each plant was gorgeous and produced about 20 small eggplants during the course of the season.  We harvested from about August to October.

This photo shows how a rose bush was helping to support my peas that were growing up the fence.  I thought it was really beautiful to see the two of these plants co-mingling.

These are some great looking basil starts that wound up in one of my many jars of tomato sauce.

If these pics inspire you, get out in the garden and get to work!

Look forward to seeing you outside!

Sincerely,
DF

Having a Good Garden Succession Plan

Here are a few of the crops I grow in my own garden in the same space that you can incorporate into your 2013 gardening plan.  I've found that by pulling out one crop and then following it with another, you make great use of space and introduce different types of plants to the soil.  While I'm no official "master gardener", I know this system works because I've done it year after year.  And I don't worry so much about rotating crops from one year to the next cos with this plan you're rotating crops WITHIN each year.

That said, here are some great ideas for in-season crop succession!

Crop Succession Recommendations

1st Crop (plant date)                   2nd Crop (harvest 1st, plant date for 2nd)                    

Fava Beans ( March)   >>             Squash (plant in June)

Peas (March)               >>             Basil (June)

Potatoes (March)         >>             Onions/Carrots (June/July)

Corn (April)                >>              Spinach/Kale/Arugula (August/Sept)

Good luck and please contact me if you would like more recommendations for succession planting!

Getting Tomatoes Going!

This is a photo from last year which I hope will inspire you to get your tomato starts going.  If you need help, just get hold of me on twitter or facebook and I will be happy to answer any questions.  February is a great time to be starting out with your seedlings.

After about 2 months they should be 8-12" tall and here in the Northwest, we usually take them outside in late April.  When you transplant them into the ground, you will want to push down the roots and bury several inches of the stem (deeper than you usually would) as this helps make them stronger.  (Make sure to pull off any bottom leaves before you do this).

What you wind up with is plants that were 12" tall in pots wind up being around 6-8" high after you plant them deeply in the ground.  But this will help them withstand early lower temperatures, wind and encourages a good strong rooting system.  You'll notice that the tomatoes won't grow much in the first 30 days, but don't worry - they are adjusting to their new surroundings.  After 3-4 weeks, they will be right in step with mother nature and grow like crazy with the summer sun!

Don't forget to sign up for your 2013 garden consulting package.

Mother Nature Knows The Way

I think sometimes we forget how well things can grow without any help or interference from us.  Last year, I watched these tomato plants grow right out of my composter all summer long without any help AT ALL from me.  I did not water them or weed them and I certainly did not plant them.  I just let them grow and grow.  Not only were they fine on their own but they also were the healthiest of all my tomato plants last year.  Where other tomato plants had gotten pests and some browning that tried to knock them down, these "compost tomatoes" grew strong and healthy all by themselves.

Try to keep this in mind when you tend to your own garden this spring, as sometimes it is good for us to get out of the way and not try to do too much.

Reminder:  2013 garden installation packages are available now!

Burlap Sacks and Crows!

Source: Uploaded by user via Derek on Pinterest

Burlap coffee bag sacks make great garden row covers.  In this picture, you can see how crows have actually peeled up the sack along the edge of the garden row in search of worms.  They do this constantly, all along all of my rows.  It's pretty annoying.  More crows this year than in years past.  Must be a feeding frenzy for them!