First tomato plant in the garden

[The Mama Chicken]

So, today I couldn't resist, I took one of my cherry tomato seedlings that I have been hardening off and planted it in the big bed closest to the house. It's still at least a week before my average last freeze day but the 10 day forecast looks good (highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's) and I have it under a 3 liter bottle to act as a tiny greenhouse. If it works I'll have cherry tomatoes in mid May, and if it doesn't all I've lost is one seedling.

In the plastic bottle "hot cap"

Looking down through the opening

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Mid May.... sounds good, I'll be down. My cherries are about 1 1/2" tall.

 

[lesa]

Excellent! An experiment that is well worth it! Happy Gardening!

 

[digitS']

A very happy

tomato plant.



Steve

 

[silkiechicken]

Lucky you! I have not even started my seedlings for this year. That's sure a healthy looking plant!

 

[trunkman]

We're keeping our fingers crossed for ya, we're just chomping at the bit at our end, like you we can't wait!!

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I switched the bottle out for a clear one, I just wasn't sure that the green bottle was a good idea. It's still happy and cozy. Temp is supposed to drop into the low 40's tonight, so I will go out and toss a blanket over the whole thing in a bit to keep it a little warmer.

 

[r4eboxer]

Super Idea! I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see how it goes. I'm in z6 so I might steal the idea if it works for you. I am also chomping at the bit to get my stuff in the garden.

 

[nachoqtpie]

I'm in zone 8a as well... Tho all of my big tomato plants didn't make it thru the "night of the leaving outside" incident. I did start some new ones, which have all sprouted. Only one has true leaves tho! *sniffle* Can't believe I lost all that work! *sigh* It's been SO nice here, that I've been leaving them outside for the majority of the time. TECHNICALLY they can go outside in like 4 days... LOL I think I will keep them in their large container until they get a couple sets of true leaves and then I will think about getting them into the garden. I'll be letting them do most of their growing outside from now on I think tho.

 

[The Mama Chicken]

I'm in zone 8a as well... Tho all of my big tomato plants didn't make it thru the "night of the leaving outside" incident. I did start some new ones, which have all sprouted. Only one has true leaves tho! *sniffle* Can't believe I lost all that work! *sigh* It's been SO nice here, that I've been leaving them outside for the majority of the time. TECHNICALLY they can go outside in like 4 days... LOL I think I will keep them in their large container until they get a couple sets of true leaves and then I will think about getting them into the garden. I'll be letting them do most of their growing outside from now on I think tho.

Oh, so sad. I had a strong wind come up and beat up my beefsteak seedlings that were being hardened off, I may loose a couple but I think most will make it. Last year I set my tray of 30 seedlings on the picnic table so I could get my phone before I went to plant them, when I came back out they were nothing but little green stumps. The chickens thought they looked yummy. I cried, I couldn't believe that 8 weeks of work was gone in less than 2 minutes.