Home › Forums › WSB Reader Recommendations › What to cover tomato plants with???
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May 2, 2014 at 4:58 pm #611208
mpaige04ParticipantI am a fairly new veggie gardener. Wondering if I transplant my starters outdoors in a box, what exactly do I cover them with? Also, where do you suggest purchasing? Any other helpful information would be appreciated:) thank you!!!
May 2, 2014 at 6:14 pm #807917
GinaParticipantWait until after Mother’s Day to set out unprotected tomato plants. I’d keep the starters inside at night until then.
May 2, 2014 at 11:29 pm #807918
furryfacesParticipantHere is a great link on tomatoes.
http://seattletilth.org/learn/resources-1/almanac/may/grow-hot-tomatoes-in-seattle
A few hints from our ‘resident gardener’:
Keep your plants in black plastic pots and setting the pot in a tray that will hold water. The black pot absorbs heat and warms all of the soil. You can put four tall stakes in the pots, and wrap thick plastic around them at night to help hold in heat. Or, bring the pots in at night.
When planted in the ground, the deeper you to, the less warm the soil (if you do plant in the ground, plant the stalk horizontally so more roots will form near the soil surface)
Feed your soil with a 50/50 mixture of alaska fish emulsion and seaweed extract. (both available at West Seattle Nursery)
Pick off the early blooms in order to generate stronger growth.
Oh…and don’t put out until after Memorial Day Weekend (or later). The more growth you can get prior to putting outside, the better.
May 3, 2014 at 4:55 pm #807919
seaopgalParticipantWe were just at Swanson’s Nursery in North Seattle, and they have an amazing selection of great looking tomatoes. I haven’t been to WS Nursery this year, but they usually also have a good selection. TrueValue carries some of the most popular varieties.
If we end up planting before Memorial Day, which we often do, we just wrap one layer of clear plastic around the wire tomato cage, and use clothespins to secure around the top and the seam down the side, leaving the top open. This seems to offer enough protection in our climate, and it’s easy to put on and remove. You can buy a sheet of 1 mil plastic and then cut it to the necessary size to go fully around the cage. When it gets warm enough at night, just remove, clean, fold and keep for next year.
May 4, 2014 at 4:44 am #807920
mpaige04ParticipantThank you all! Very helpful!!! Looking forward to moving all 60-something tomato plants outdoors very soon:)
May 5, 2014 at 8:23 pm #807921
MagpieParticipantWe use bubble wrap and dry cleaning bags. I tape the bubble wrap around the bottom of the cage and then drape a dry cleaning bag over the top and tape to the bubble wrap. It has its’ own mini greenhouse and I keep it on for a while and my tomatoes grow larger than ones without the benefit of the plastic. This can be used for peppers, melons, etc. I haven’t tried it on basil yet.
May 7, 2014 at 7:36 pm #807922
gmabettyParticipantCisco says not to put out til Mother’s Day and I’ve heard Memorial Day too.
A friend told me about “Filthy Rich” planting soil. I only have a 3×3 garden box so only 1-2 tomato plants. Last year my plant grew like something out of a science fiction movie. Tall with branches 1/2″ or bigger across. I got it at TruValue at the junction. I’ve used it for several years and never have to fertilize which is good because our neighborhood is as Green Living” as possible. had lots of tomatoes and everything grows like crazy.
May 7, 2014 at 9:20 pm #807923
seaopgalParticipantWow, mpaige04, that’s a lof of tomato plants! If you are planting them together in raised beds/boxes, you can also get a hoop house setup, which is basically three arched plastic pieces over which you drape/attach the plastic.
Magpie, I ran out of plastic when I was planting this afternoon (yes, probably too early …) and used your idea of bubble wrap. Really easy and good recycle … thanks!
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