Last year we were all talking about our veggies and someone posted a picture of his/hers tomato plants. I remember because it had the red plastic thing - weed suppressor ... but I can't find it... does anyone else remember that post??? I have some questions for that person!!!
thanks!~
Help locating a pic!
I have used the red plastic in the past - not last year though, but I may have posted an old photo of it. What specifically are you looking for?
for a picture that has a very nice and organized tomato plants... if I am not mistaken the tomato plants are all lined up... I think is in our NE forums... not on tomato forum...
thanks Victor!
do you like the red plastic??? I am thinking of using to cut down on weeds... actually I plan to use newspapers around the roses... I need all the help I can get!!!!
I do like it and it's supposed to boost yields. That sounds like it might be my photo then. I'll look for it. I use square cages abut four feet high.
Here is a link to a discussion of the red plastic stuff. Most of the experts say it is
not worth the bother for home gardeners.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/809156/
Well after using it for about four years, I did not use it last year and I saw no real difference. But it does help with weeds.
Is this it, Kass?
We use it, too, Kassia and it does cut down on weeding. Use the weed blocking material for paths and cover it with your favorite mulch and then there's very little weeding to be done.
wow, I love the look! Victor is not that one but you and Pirl just gave me more ideas!!!!! I am going to copy you guys!!!! can I????
I am trying to be organized - last year I learned a lot and I just want to specially cut down weed - I need the time to sit down and enjoy the roses & walk around and eat tomatoes!
I have tons of competition so I need more tomato plants than I had last year. But I also want to do it in such a way that my little Victor can get the tomatoes... Alec will help me plant but Victor doesn't like to get dirty... can I send him to spend some time with you Victor so he can see another Victor getting dirty and may learn to like it????
few questions for you both they maybe stupid questions:
1- any special preparation before you put the plastic? any fertilizer or soil ammendments?
2- I am assuming you use only liquid fertilizer ?
3- do you take the plastic out in the fall?
I have some tomato cages from last year - they were great but some tomatoes need a bit stronger ones... and all the cherry tomatoes were so tall I could say they were climbers... I am thinking of a trellis for them this year... I saw a picture of one on the internet that was actually interesting idea ... roses would look good too!!!! I am going to have some pots with roses next to the tomatoes this year... I am spreading them around....
Victor,
how long is that bed???
I guess you mean Watersedge's photo, which I assume is one of her client's.
My raised bed is 4 X 8 feet.
Kassia - Jack does rototill and he adds 39 wheelbarrow loads of compost to the entire vegetable garden each year, with the tomatoes getting at least half of it.
For each planting hole he adds about 1/2 to 1 cup of his mix: Milorganite, 5-10-5, Epsom salts and bone meal. He works that into each hole, adds more compost on top of that, then the plant, then more compost. No other feeding through the summer, not even Miracle Gro for tomatoes but he does use that when they're growing in the basement (from seed started in late March to early April).
No, we don't bring in the red plastic and he does buy it every other year.
Tomato cages just aren't tall enough! We use the "tomato tables" Jack built so the tomatoes can lay on the netting and we don't have to bend down to the earth to pick them.
I do have a photo of our Sweet 100's that I do tie to a trellis. When I locate it I'll post it.
This is one of two cherry tomatoes and it is tied to a trellis, believe me!
Here's a photo that shows the trellis when the tomatoes were planted out in late May.
Thanks Pirl... so it't trully worth buying a rototiler then... I have some old leaves that I piled last year... and plan to add those to the beds this year, my real compost pile will start this year... no kitchen scrap will be waisted!
Oh I love that planter with the trellis... I am going to try...
Victor that's the picture I meant... really nice and organized... oh all my beds are also 4X8
Pirl, how high is the table? what kind of material is that???
thanks so much!!!!
Kassia - The tables are 36" tall. You can use either plastic or material webbing as the top of the table. It gets tied to the copper tubing.
I am so jealous! I wish I had the room for such a garden! I'm converting my tiny "veg garden patch" to blueberries this year. Hopefully it will be good for something. I do better with container gardens on my driveway where the get full sun.
You might want to try some melon seeds in one pot. They LOVE creeping out onto a hot driveway.
oh Pirl I love the look ! It's definitly something I need to do it... I can just picture it!!!!! a lot of work, but it will be worth it...
deb, do you have tomatoes in pots????