Tempting

b54red · February 19, 2011

It has now been warm for nearly a week here with terrific sunshine. The birds are everywhere and I am sorely tempted to put out a couple of tomatoes just to see if I can luck up and have some really early ones this year. I even left my little seedlings out last night and the temperature only dropped down to 52. Last year my first ones were set out in the garden on March 23 which was one of my earliest dates ever. Usually I have to wait until April or lose some to a late freeze. The forecast for the next ten days shows the lowest night time temps to be around 45.
The only tomatoes that are nearly big enough to set out are some volunteers in the buckets where my winter porch tomatoes are growing. I think I'll pot them up and set them outside for a few days to harden them off and then plant them. I don't know what they will be but since I would just throw them away, why not? I have some extra bean seed so I think I will start a small row and see if I can get some very early beans as well. I know this will end badly.

sfmathews · February 19, 2011

I am thinking of doing the same thing. I've got some 2 liter bottles put to the side to cover the plants when we get below 45 (and I know we will). But I've got so many plants, I figure why not experiment with just a few? I need to take my meat thermometer and check the soil temp today, to see how warm it really is. I want to plant beans too, but think I will wait a few more weeks for that.

matilda'skid · February 19, 2011

I am going to try a few plants early but not yet here. I planted Bloody Butcher and Glacier for this project. My BB plants are so stocky and pretty, I will be sad if they don't make it. I bought another package of a wall of water type product last weekend.

chalstonsc · February 19, 2011

b54 & sf,
Why not just pot up to, say, 3 or 4 gallon containers....then you can still scoop them inside before any frost arrives....if it's just a couple or few you're talking about?

b54red · February 19, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalstonsc

b54 & sf,
Why not just pot up to, say, 3 or 4 gallon containers....then you can still scoop them inside before any frost arrives....if it's just a couple or few you're talking about?

I've already got some in pots on my porch. As much as I like them the flavor is just not the same as from the ones in the garden. There are obviously things about the garden soil that add to the flavor that are missing from the soil-less mixes I use in containers. Besides, my next container plants will be devoted to growing some varieties that have a hard time with the soil diseases around here and a few cherries. Once I get them potted up they will not be moved again until the tomatoes in them die.

sfmathews · February 20, 2011

That's a good question, but I don't have any pots that size. I do have some larger pots (at least 5 gallon size), and could do that. I have tried growing some plants in pots(instead of the garden) during the summer, but it is just too hot here in Texas, and I had to deal with BER, which I never have in my garden. I do fight fusarium, like b54 as well, which was part of the reason I wanted to plant early. Get the plants going and established. The soil temp this morning was 61.

February 19, 2011	#1
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Tempting It has now been warm for nearly a week here with terrific sunshine. The birds are everywhere and I am sorely tempted to put out a couple of tomatoes just to see if I can luck up and have some really early ones this year. I even left my little seedlings out last night and the temperature only dropped down to 52. Last year my first ones were set out in the garden on March 23 which was one of my earliest dates ever. Usually I have to wait until April or lose some to a late freeze. The forecast for the next ten days shows the lowest night time temps to be around 45. The only tomatoes that are nearly big enough to set out are some volunteers in the buckets where my winter porch tomatoes are growing. I think I'll pot them up and set them outside for a few days to harden them off and then plant them. I don't know what they will be but since I would just throw them away, why not? I have some extra bean seed so I think I will start a small row and see if I can get some very early beans as well. I know this will end badly.

February 19, 2011	#2
sfmathews Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allen, TX Posts: 398	I am thinking of doing the same thing. I've got some 2 liter bottles put to the side to cover the plants when we get below 45 (and I know we will). But I've got so many plants, I figure why not experiment with just a few? I need to take my meat thermometer and check the soil temp today, to see how warm it really is. I want to plant beans too, but think I will wait a few more weeks for that.

February 19, 2011	#3
matilda'skid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 309	I am going to try a few plants early but not yet here. I planted Bloody Butcher and Glacier for this project. My BB plants are so stocky and pretty, I will be sad if they don't make it. I bought another package of a wall of water type product last weekend.

February 19, 2011	#4
chalstonsc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: sc Posts: 339	b54 & sf, Why not just pot up to, say, 3 or 4 gallon containers....then you can still scoop them inside before any frost arrives....if it's just a couple or few you're talking about?

February 20, 2011	#6
sfmathews Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Allen, TX Posts: 398	That's a good question, but I don't have any pots that size. I do have some larger pots (at least 5 gallon size), and could do that. I have tried growing some plants in pots(instead of the garden) during the summer, but it is just too hot here in Texas, and I had to deal with BER, which I never have in my garden. I do fight fusarium, like b54 as well, which was part of the reason I wanted to plant early. Get the plants going and established. The soil temp this morning was 61.