County fair

[sparkles2307]

OK so our county fair start up Mid-June and run thru mid-August. Unfortunately in this rotation of county fairs, the counties closest to me are always first... I want to know what I am supposed to do in Northern MN to have ripe tomatoes ready to enter in the fair by June 30th??? Usually we don't get our first tomatoes till July.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

look for short day varieties. ones that probably take 60 days or less to grow from transplant. get a nice greenhouse with lighting to help them get a jump start. lots of big pots for transplanting them to. oh, and contact JackB about his set up for his hydroponics!

 

[digitS']

I know a gardener who started seed near the end of last year's season.

His dwarf plants were kept indoors in a sunny window thru a Colorado winter. He moved them into his greenhouse during the spring.

He now has ripe tomatoes!

The idea of using a dwarf is that the plant size is more manageable, indoors. Usually, these varieties produce very early. You wouldn't have to go with a "basket-type" tomato like Tumbling Tom. Last year, I grew a "tree" tomato that has full size fruit. I believe that these were once a more popular variety and may have been a choice when our grandparents would keep so many plants in their sunny windows. Whatever the case, some of the indeterminate varieties could be set out in the open garden during the summer. Or, any of the dwarfs could be kept in containers. The tree tomatoes would probably need to be staked.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

It does seem awfully early to expect many people to enter produce.

I suggest you cheat and contact a TEG member in Texas to ship you some tomatoes.

 

[curly_kate]

I always wonder that myself! Our county fair is at the end of June. Most years, it would be impossible to have veggies ready, altho this year has been so warm, I'm thinking I'll have quite a bit ripe by then.

 

[gardengirl7]

can you enter flowers in a fair?

 

[gardengirl7]

what am I thinking???
but can you?

 

[baymule]

Maybe an underground hot wire to warm the roots???? I live in southeast Texas where we have 2 seasons-HOT and MORE HOT But a couple of years ago I built a PVC frame, wrapped it in plastic, ran an electric heater to it and we had big ripe red tomatoes all winter. I think a green house head start would be necessary for you. let us know if it works for you next year!

 

[nachoqtpie]

So weird... Ours is in October!

 

[sparkles2307]

can you enter flowers in a fair?

Totally, you can enter a single specimen but most of the ppl here enter bouquets to really showcase their finest all together. Lots of larkspur and sunflowers here.