Organic Gardening Info from Peaceful Valley

Right about now, folks all over the country are enjoying their first homegrown tomato of the season.  I’ll bet most folks would like to have that magical first date be a little earlier next year too… How do you do it?

In 2007, my first tomato date was July 15th, which is absolutely pitiful for my Northern California climate (I received my seeds from a mail order company, before I knew of PV, a little late, oh, in about MARCH!).  This year we had a ripe tomato on June 4th, and next year I hope to break the June barrier by having a ripe tomato over Memorial Day weekend.  I’ll push it a little further by saying I hope to have salsa over Memorial Day weekend!

How did I shave off a month from my tomatoes?  Simple really.

First, I started my tomatoes inside from seed in late January, eight weeks before my last frost date.  I prefer to start my tomatoes from seed rather than buy transplants because there is so much more variety this way, and you’re not forced to choose from the 6 or so types that are usually offered in nurseries.

Second, about four weeks later, I moved them outside into Wall O’Waters.  Peaceful Valley carries a whole line of season extenders, including the fabulous Wall O’Waters.  I will never grow tomatoes without using these again!

Third, I removed the Wall O’Waters when it was warm enough outside overnight that I wouldn’t have to worry about scrambling to cover my tomatoes in case of a late frost (which we indeed had this year!)

If everyone followed this recipe, we could all have wonderful ripe tomatoes earlier each year!

Maybe instead of salsa, I’ll settle for the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich, with local cheddar, and my homegrown onions and tomatoes.  Mmmmmm.

I have been waiting very patiently to finally be able to harden off most of my seedlings and put them outside.

Although out historical last frost date was nearly a month ago, I’ve been leery to plant seedlings outside because I lost a few seedlings back when we had a cold spell around our last frost date (not even a frost).

Last weekend, it reached into the 90s here in my neck of the woods, and the nighttime temperatures of high 40s and low 50s have made me salivate in anticipation of being able to put out seedlings and start warm weather seeds like beans and nicotiana outside. I had all but called it quits with the lettuce and other greens because they were really unhappy with the warm weather. But when the 10 day weather forecast had a hint of a cold weather spell this weekend, I waited to see if the forecast would change.

And boy, am I glad I waited – the forecast got even colder!

While my house likely will not get frost, a few miles up the road will. Tonight’s temperatures in the mid 30s, perhaps high 30s can still wreak havoc on my tomatoes.

My tomatoes have been living outside in wall of waters since March 8 (they were started inside in late January). They particularly enjoyed the warm weather of last weekend coupled with their thermal hot water blankets, and have now made an appearance over the tops of the wall of waters!

So today I will top off the wall of waters with more water so it can warm during the day, and I will pull out my trusty rowcover to ensure the tomatoes come through this bought of cold weather unscathed.

Although my lettuce and other greens will likely show their happiness at the spat of cold weather, I’m really ready for the season’s first tomato.