Zone 2b planted today

[jungseed]

You may think I'm crazy. It was -1C (about 29 or 30F) last night. But today is very nice. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice also. So I planted my tomato plants. I really want tomatoes before I get snow this fall.
Last year I had 2 plants and as you all remember, didn't get a single tomato. This year I was planning 4 plants. Hoping that was enough for me and to share with the wild life that seems to like tomatoes as well or better than some people.
I just planted my 10 tomato plants in my garden. I'll have to get some pictures for you. I know most of you will laugh. The power company came through and cut the little trees under the lines this winter. I cut about 5 foot lenghts of those little trees and used them for my stakes. They are only about 1-2" in diameter so we figured they would work as well as any other stake.
Well, here's hoping I get tomatoes this year. I have the bacon waiting in the freezer!

Ruth

[Barbee]

Congrats on the planting!
So you went from 2 plants, to planning for 4, to having 10. Sounds about right

[jungseed]

yes barbee, I can't be any different than the rest of you!!!!

[jungseed]

appears that I jumped the gun. Supposed to get snow tonight. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Have bedspreads over my forest of tree stakes. but rats. If I start over... it starts snowing here the first week of October. sometimes things don't work the way I plan.
But I have some really nice bacon in the freezer

[Sherry_AK]

Uh-oh! I was afraid when I saw that you were the last to post to this thread that something bad had happened. I hope the snow is light (or doesn't happen at all!) and that your plants can stay cozy under their sheets.

Let us know how it turns out.

Sherry

[ddsack]

Seems like there is always ONE MORE cold snap, just when you think you're in the clear. Supposed to get down to 33-36F here tonight, depending on which weather service I check. I have not yet put away the large pots, buckets and sheets from last one. But now I've got 3 planted beds of peppers to deal with as well. And we're leaving town tomorrow morning for a week, so then they will be on their own.

[montanamato]

We are having highs in the 40's Sat and Sun with lows in the mid 30's....I have not planted out yet, but a few trays of tomatoes are looking pretty ratty from the elements and need transplanting soon...And I was worried I had started my cukes and squash too late...Looks like they won't get transplanted until the end of next week....Hoping the cold knocks the hoppers back a bit.

Jeanne

[jungseed]

We have had two nice days in a row. Looks like today will be another nice one. Only went down to about 48 last night. Should make it to almost 70 today. It may be time to wipe the brow and say we made it. Does not look as if I lost any plants (yet). Hope everyone else is as lucky as I was.

Ruth

[Linda10]

I'm so happy for you, Ruth. I hope you have the best tomato year EVER!

[onegardengirl]

Linda10,

I ditto your remarks. I hope they all have a good garden season this year. Maybe it will only get warmer for you folks. Soon you will have your peppers, cukes and squashes growing like weeds.

We have had a pretty cool June so far. Has been in the 70's for the most part but is easing on up in the 80's. I am afraid it will be hot before too long.

Lynn

[OmahaJB]

Ruth,

What varieties are you growing? I'm guessing early and/or mid-season ones? Did you consider using water shields? I bought a package of three so I could plant out early and they saved my first plants from our last frost. After seeing how well they managed I wished I had transplanted earlier. Despite the claims the water shields would be protection enough from 28 degree temps, I was highly skeptical. Was afraid to chance it too early. Although I did get them in about 3 weeks early.

Good luck with the plants, Jeff

[Blueaussi]

When you plant out using water shields, do you check soil temperatures first?

[jungseed]

I do not want to know the soil temp. I can tell you it was cool when I put the plants in. I do know that the water temp was 50 when I planted. I"m sure the soil temp was below that. But I really want tomatoes before it snows the first week of Oct. As I didn't get a single tomato from my two plants last year, I figure I'm way ahead of the game this year. I think water shields would be a good idea for next year.
I sent 4 packets of seeds up here in Jan. because they are the ones I wanted. Brandywine, Sun Sugar, Cherokee Purple and Aunt whatever green. You guys seems to think they were the best. But, there seems to have been a total crop failure on my tomato seeds.
So I got, Earlianna, and celebrity. A sun something cherry tomato, not the one I wanted and a "bush red".
I figure any garden tomato is better than no garden tomato.

[TomatoDon]

Hi Jungseed,

You might want to consider going to container gardening, especially if you have only a few plants. Black plastic should work good for you since you don't have a lot of hot weather, and the sun you get will warm the containers/potting mix which will help you in your cold climate. Using containers you can also bring your plants in if you need to because of a late season cold snap like you just described. You can also get an extra week or two in the fall by bringing them inside by a sunny window. I'm in the deep south and containers get too hot too fast and without good insulation and lots of daily watering, the containers and soil get too hot. I don't think that would be a problem for you, and you can probably extend your season by a couple of weeks on both ends of the growing cycle.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted on your progress.

TD

[OmahaJB]

blueaussi,

Don't recall there being specific instructions with the water shields for checking soil temps. I do remember that I needed to make sure the nightly temps were around 34 degrees or higher. The one frost we had after I planted caused no harm whatsoever. And believe it or not I was getting halfway decent plant growth while the water shields were still covering them. I was skeptical but it worked out. Next year I'll be planting closer to the beginning of April if I'm able to have a garden. The shields only get filled up part way at first and that helps them form kind of a tepee shape. As the plants grows you fill the shields little by little. Interesting invention!

Ruth,

Don't feel bad. I had alot of success with my seedlings when I lived in Omaha, but after moving back to my hometown here in Toledo I've had MAJOR problems with mold spores destroying the leaves and effectively the whole seedling. I can't get good air circulation in my half-underground apartment, so it's not conducive to starting from seed or growing plants. Last year I lost probably 20 tomato seedlings or more, along with my pepper seedlings. Ended up with Big Beef and Better Boy(?). Phtoeey... Never again.

This year Patty, another TV'er, came to the rescue and offered 2 dozen varieties, each with 2 seedlings apiece in them. So if it works out I'll have plenty of tomatoes his year.