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  • From: "Wiediger, Alison" <alison.wiediger AT hart.kyschools.us>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Growing Tomatoes
  • Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:51:32 -0600

Last year we bought it here:  http://www.dirtworks.net/

 

Shipping was pretty expensive. We bought two rolls, sharing with a friend and got a small discount.  This year, the vegetable growing supply company where we buy our media, etc., is getting it for us.  The plastic is still pricey, but at least we won’t pay shipping!  You don’t want to buy more than you will use in a season, though, as it might deteriorate too much to use the second season.  And, be very particular to cover it back up totally after use.  We keep ours in a cardboard carton with a black plastic garbage bag over the top to keep UV out.

 

Alison

 

 


From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Petersons family
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 10:58 AM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Growing Tomatoes

 

Alison - where do you get the biodegradable black plastic for your tomato production?

Molly Petersons

Molly's Island Garden

Whidbey Island, WA

 

On Jan 10, 2008, at 9:06 AM, Wiediger, Alison wrote:

 

Allan,

 

There are probably as many good tips are there are growers, but we have found a few things key:

 

Good fertility - so they grow and produce before our southeastern diseases stop production

 

Mulching to control weeds that compete - we use biodegradable black plastic and hay/straw

 

Consistent moisture - drip irrigation has been critical to our operation - drought is becoming all too common

 

Succession planting - a planting only has nice tomatoes for 4-6 weeks before disease starts shutting it down. We plant to have 3 outside plantings of tomatoes for the coming season.

 

Variety selection – we select for varieties that will give us flavorful, beautiful tomatoes, and lots of them.  We have only a few we use and trial a few more each year in case we’ve missed one.  Goliath, Old Fashioned Goliath and Park’s Whopper for red slicers, Carolina Gold for yellow slicer, San Marzano hybrid for paste and a handful of heirlooms that never produce enough for us to justify the space they take, but look nice on our table, plus 8-10 cherry/grape types.  Each farm and each market will have varieties that suit them best – these are ours..... this year!

 

Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm

 




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