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  • From: realfood@wonderfulfarm.com
  • To: "Healthy soil and sustainable growing" <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Now is the time to start plants for the new Farmers Market Season
  • Date: Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:18:11 -0700

Paul - can you please tell me where you got your seed?
 
Thanks so much
 
aliza
whos hubby love the genovese tomatoes
 
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Now is the time to start plants for the
new Farmers Market Season
From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
Date: Tue, January 06, 2009 9:45 pm
To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org


My theme is do what works where you are. We're in zone 5 more or less, last
frost around the middle of May, last frost second half of Sept. I made a
couple missteps with timing tomatoes and sweet peppers last season which
won't be repeated this year.

I start tomatoes in March in 4" pots with a simple mix of soil from the
tomato beds with smaller amounts of screened manure, greensand, coir mix,
and worm castings. Before the roots get crowded I transplant to gallon
pots. I don't disturb roots. By last of April I use post hole diggers to
transplant to deep beds in the greenhouse, and cover them at nite with
cardboard boxes. No added heat, no pruning leaves. By last frost they
outgrow the cover and I start stringing up branches with cheap clothesline
to 2x4 vertical supports. Ventilation is by cheap box fans on two sides
running on thermostats and timers. The greenhouse is wood frame with 6ml UV
roll plastic cover, fastened with stapling and polytack from Greenhouse
Supply in Abq. It's 15x50 with six 4x12 beds, mulched with hay and watered
by drip. They fill the space under the plastic roof. Huge harvest, great
taste. I've had no problems with pests or disease, growing only one
heirloom Italian main crop slicer. An old strain of Costoluto Genovese,
seed from Pagano in Italy. I can't waste space on anything but the best
tasting tomato customers keep coming back for. We got $5 lb for them last
year. No chemicals, no commercial fertilizer, no compost tea. The biggest
problem with this is trying to get through the jungle to harvest.This year
I have to space plants further apart and figure out how to extend the
harvest more on both ends.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net


*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 1/6/2009 at 9:59 PM Desert Eagle wrote:

>If I had a nickel for each time I was asked how I had vine ripe tomatoes
>in
>June I could rival Bill Gates in bank accounts. It is not magic, and it is
>not hard, it is simply timing and planning.
>
>Right now I have tomato starts working in my six packs. As soon as I have
>them up enough to have 4 true leaves I start my process. And it is simple.
>When they reach this size I transplant them to new larger containers. But
>first, I trim off the first false leaves, and when I transplant I bury
them
>to within a fraction of an inch of the first true leaves.
>
>I give them a good drink with either compost tea or a liquid fertilizer,
>place them back under the grow lights and on the heat pads. As they
>continue
>to grow I continue to move them to larger containers, each time clipping
>off
>the lower leaves and burying them to within an inch of the primary leaves,
>and giving them a good feeding each time. Normally, the 3rd or 4th
>transplant will have them in 4 to 6 inch containers.
>
>About 4 weeks before the last frost date I start hardening them up by
>moving
>them outside on days when it will definitely be above 40ยบ for a few
hours
>at
>first, them more each day that is warm. I move them back inside each night
>to a warmer climate, but not too warm.
>
>What I have developed is a compact plant with a large root ball and very
>healthy. About a week before the last frost date I start moving them to
>their places in the garden. This is where I make changes from what most
are
>taught.
>
>I start with a post hole digger, and make 6"+ holes about a foot+ deep. I
>place about 2"s of compost in the bottom, with about 1" of soil on top of
>that. I trim off the lowest few leaves from the plant and place it in the
>hole after removing it from the container. Note; Separate the lower
portion
>of the root ball without tearing apart the hair like roots. At this point
I
>water it in well, then use a mixture of 1/3rd compost and 2/3rds soil to
>close in around the plant to within 1" of the lowest leaves. Note #2; the
>upper leaves should be at least 1" below the top of the "post hole".
>
>I then place 2 each of 2 or 3 liter soda bottles filled 3/4 full of water
>next
>to each plant. I also place 1each 3 liter bottle, with the bottom cut out
>over
>each plant as a mini greenhouse. I leave the lid off during the day and
>place it back on each evening.
>
>The plants normally go into the ground about March 1. As they grow out of
>the post holes I gradually trim off the lowest leaves and add the
1/3-2/3rd
>mix each time to just below the upper full leaves.
>
>By mid April I can remove the mini greenhouse bottles and water bottles
and
>the plants are well established. About every 3 weeks I give them a good
>drink of compost tea and start training them up either tomato cages, or my
>favorite, hog wire trellises that I add to each raised bed.
>
>Note 3; I also plant my carrots around the first of April around the
plants
>and plan on what bean or other plants I will intercrop with them.
>
>Usually, by the first of June I will start getting my first blooms, and
>fresh vine ripe fruits by mid month. Then with care and attention I will
>have vine fresh Tomatoes up till the first frost.
>
>This year we hope to have over 30 varieties of Heirloom tomatoes for the
>farmers market, ourselves, local restaurants and friends.
>
>Hope this helps everyone to get started, and an abundant year with your
>gardens.
>
>Note, I am in SE NM, Zone 7B, so hardening dates and times may very for
>you,
>but, if you work my plan, I guarantee that you will have fresh fruits
>earlier than anyone else around you.
>
>Jimi
>NM Certified Master Gardener
>Desert Eagle Farms
>A Privately operated
>Agricultural Research Facility
>To Grow a garden is to believe in tomorrow
>- Eleanor Roosevelt
>Lakewood, NM 88254
>
>
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  • Re: [Livingontheland] Now is the time to start plants for the new Farmers Market Season, realfood, 01/07/2009

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