The Modern Victory Garden

Fortune was smiling upon me today.   I really needed to get the tomatoes into the ground and under their protective cover, but it is a job that must be done on a warm and dry day – which is weather we have not seen in these parts for a long time.   Mother nature cut me a break today though and provided a beautiful sunshine filled day.   The temps got into the mid 60’s and it was dry.   The weather forecast starting tomorrow and for the next two week period is back to cloudy and rainy, so I seized this opportunity to get the tomatoes in and under their protective cover.                              

Before I tackled the tomato-planting project, I took a few minutes this morning to finish installing the supports for the ultra-dwarfed apple trees I recently planted.   This involved driving two 6-foot T-Posts into the ground at the right distance from the trees and then installing the support bracket that came with the trees.   It was actually quite simple to install and the arrangement provides a really strong support system for the trees.                

The tomatoes are going into one and a half beds in the back garden area.   Growing in one of the beds was the overwintered spinach and a few overwintered green onions.   I harvested all of the baby spinach and green onions before I began the process of aerating and amending the bed.         

The bed was prepped by spreading some compost and then aerating it by using a broad fork.   I used a hoe to cultivate the top few inches of the soil and then I raked it smooth.                   

Next, the soaker hoses were laid out over the bed.                 

Over this, the red plastic mulch was then put down and secured with earth staples.          

I used scissors to then cut out the planting areas for the 12 tomatoes that will go in this 4’X24’ bed.                        

The tomatoes were then planted.   I trimmed away the lowest leaf branches just prior to planting them up to keep leaves from touching the ground as much as possible.   At the bottom of the planting hole, I mixed in 2 TBS of ground up oyster shell, 1/3 cup of general-purpose organic fertilizer, and 4 plain aspirin tablets.   The plants were then placed in the hole and firmed in.   The plants in this larger bed are either indeterminate or semi indeterminate and so I used the combination of the tomato ladder inside of a tomato cage.   The final step was to hand water it with a dilution of 1 tsp of Epsom salts to 1 gallon of water.                 

The determinate varieties were planted in the adjacent half bed.   I chose not to try and lay down soaker hoses or plastic mulch, as this bed has other items in it that would be disturbed if I had tried to do that.   The determinate varieties only get a tomato cage for support.         

Once the tomatoes were planted up, I raced to get the plastic tunnel covers on them while the sun was still shining on the area.   The reason I was hurrying is that the passive solar affect of the grow tunnel covers provides a significant warming of the soil and air inside and I want these plants to go into the night with as much warmth built up as is possible.       

Here's what I planted today:

• 5 Market Miracle
• 3 Defiant
• 4 Sun Gold
• 4 Siletz
• 2 Legend

There was supposed to be some Stupice plants as well but they did not germinate well this year and those that did come up were weak and failed to thrive - not garden worthy plants and I ended up sacrificing them to the compost heap.             

These tomatoes have been hardening off for more than a week now.   They have been in the unheated greenhouse during the night, and have been outside during the daylight hours.   The protection of the grow tunnel mimics the unheated greenhouse and these plants should not be much impacted by the transplanting process as a result.   The covers will stay on until the persistent rain showers subside and the temperatures warm up.   The ends open up to create ventilation and airflow on warmer days and then can be closed up in the evening to keep the plants protected during the cold evening hours.   The real benefit of the cover is that it keeps the plants from getting soaked by the chill spring rains.                

So the tomatoes are in and hopefully they will quickly get settled in and keep growing.   With this project completed, I only have three more beds to plant up and two of those need to wait until the weather really warms up.   The plants all enjoyed the sunshine today and I expect to see a surge in growth in the lettuces and greens as a result.      As for me, I am all worn out and expect I will sleep soundly tonight.            

Happy Easter everyone!                         

Laura

kitsapfreedomgardener