Annie and Otto spent a good part of Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning barking at the "ghost" in the garden. We'd done our best to cover the tomatoes, in this bed and behind the shed, with sheets. It was impossible to get this big tomato structure under cover, but we did what we could and none of them froze. The smaller tomatoes were covered with milk jugs or left uncovered, and everything lived through the frigid nights except one basil plant. Tonight is supposed to be our final night of possible freezing temperatures, and by Saturday we're supposed to get back to near normal.
I want to give DaBeardedOne a special "thank you". As soon as he read that I was worried about my tomato plants freezing, he emailed me with the offer of two of his floating row covers. By then we already had the sheets on the plants, so I didn't take him up on his offer, but wasn't it nice of him! He's such a sweetheart. In the past, he's also offered to build an extra bed or two at his place for me to plant my excess tomatoes and peppers, as well as a spot for me to compost, since I really haven't much room for a pile here. So thank you, David...I'm happy to have you as a friend.
Warm weather can't come too soon for the tomatoes that are still waiting to be planted. Aren't they lovely? Much nicer than last year's plants that nearly died from being over fertilized. These got nothing but a weak fish emulsion (1 Tbsp. in 2 gallons of water) every two weeks. Thats a 36-oz. coffee container for size comparison, so you can see about a foot of stem will be buried at planting time.
The pepper plants are all doing well, too. Many of them have already been planted in containers, but I have a dozen of the large red bell peppers waiting to be planted in the garden, and quite a few to be given away or planted in the neighbor's little garden.
This is how I wrenched my back! That big tote, the laundry basket and the black pots are all quite heavy, especially right after the plants have been watered. I'd already moved the basket and pots into the shed, and bent down to pick up the tote full of tomato plants....that was what did me in. That's why Mr. Granny is in charge of them now.
I got my Washington Enhanced Driver's License today, so I can now get back out of Mexico! For those who weren't following my blog last January, you can read about Granny and the Border Patrol here.
Hey Granny! Your seedlings are still twice the size of mine. I was all excited because mine got bigger, so I thought maybe they'd caught up. They didn't. ;)
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me how much and how often you water your tomato seedlings? I did mine up in little red cups like you have, after I saw your post. (I have red cups too, that's a great idea! So I did it.) But then I almost killed them by over watering them. Now I think I'm underwatering them. I just can't seem to get it right. :(
-Chelsea
Gran, when I heard about the new AZ immigration bill, I immediately thought of you trying to get back into the country, LOL! So glad your tomatoes are braving the cold, I hope tonight is better!
ReplyDeleteChelsea, some of my tomato seedlings are smaller, but most of them grew big and strong like those two. I actually have one variety that refuses to get over 2" tall! It was planted just the same as the others, so I wonder why some grow so well and some don't. I don't water mine until the soil feels dry when I poke my finger down into it. It kind of pulls away from the sides of the cup, too. I'd rather it began to wilt before I water than to give it too much, but when I do water, I make sure it runs all through the soil and drains out the bottom. The clothes basket and the tote have hole drilled in the bottoms, so I leave the plants in them and give them a really good soaking.
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Erin, the forecast has changed from a freeze warning to 37F. By next week, highs in the 70s and lows in the mid to high 40s. By the end of the 15 day forecast, lows in the 50s! YAY!
Granny, Love the way your covered the bed with the sheets. When the tomatoes are done, may you and Mr. Granny can camp out there one night! I am glad that all of your tomatoes made it through the cold spell. Hope you are feeling better.
ReplyDeleteRobin, that white sheet, trimmed in eyelet embroidery, gives a whole new meaning to "garden bed". At least I didn't have to drag out my good quilt ;-)
ReplyDeleteYour plants are looking lovely! The weather has been beautiful here the last few weeks but that is changing now. It has really cooled off and a few nights near freezing are coming up. I have put all the warm season stuff back under the grow light already. Pesky nature! Good to hear you will not any run-ins at the border anymore. I get we need security now a days but last time I checked it was innocent until proven guilty!
ReplyDeleteYour pepper plants look sooo go. I still don't understand mine. I don't think it's an aphid issue, although I have a ton of gnats in my basement at the moment.
ReplyDeleteYour tomatoes look lovely too. At least the worst will be over soon!
Gran, this is supposed to be the last night in the mid-30's here, as was last night too! I'm tired of covering the tomato plants: so far I've only put 6 in the garden, but 6 in pots, the latter of which I keep shuffling back into the garage. Tomorrow is supposed to reach 69 here, so I am hopeful that I can put the rest of the stuff outside!
ReplyDeleteI've decided to put the hot Hungarian wax peppers in my old black nursery pots and place them against the side of our pole barn so they can get the heat they want. I've not been successful in prior years with peppers since our nights are so cool; hopefully this will do the trick, or else that's the end of peppers for me.
Sorry to hear about your back ( my knee), but hopefully you are doing better. Have a great weekend! I only hope I don't hurt myself being in the garden due to the nice weather that is forecast. ;)
Dan, I don't think they'd have kept me long in Mexico...I can get pretty cranky when I'm crossed ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe sure got teased with warm weather early on, didn't we?
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Thomas, the rest of my tomatoes get planted Saturday. I mean it! I'm just not going to listen to Mother Nature :-(
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Di, I put all of my hot peppers in the black pots, and they will be next to the shed where they will get warmth and reflected light. Plus, the sprinklers don't hit that spot, so I'll have to hand water. Last year the only peppers that turned hot were next to that shed, and only watered when they began drooping a bit.
Knees and backs....I guess we need to be doing our stretching exercises through the winter, to prep us for spring gardening. My neighbor, Pat, went in for knee surgery today.
Good work on the plant protection front! My plants appears to make it through okay too but the corn transplants were yellowing from cold stress. Hopefully they will warm up and green back up soon.
ReplyDeleteDaBearded One sounds like a good friend to have in the area.
Kitsap, I can tell the outdoor plants are a bit stressed, but should recover fine with a couple of warm days and nights. The tomato plants are actually growing quite well in their cups, considering they have been in that unheated shed every night. Surprisingly, my corn is still growing well with no protection. I do believe my 6' high wood fence gives the plants the protection they need in this cold weather.
ReplyDeleteI hope they all survived the night for you. It is always hard to take when a freak cold snap comes your way. I hope I don't get any, but the weathermen are now predicting three nights in the thirties. Ack and I just planted my bean seeds. Maybe they wills stay below the surface until next Tuesday. I can only hope. It is what I get for planting my beans a week and a half early this year. Mother Nature was just teasing.
ReplyDeleteGreat looking plants. Mine are sunning themselves right now. They'll be ready for their new home outside next week. I'm sure I'll have to erect something to keep them warm once or twice. The set up you made looks like a neat play tent. Your granddaughter would love it.
ReplyDeleteDaphne, I'm sorry I sent you my three nights in the thirties, but I'm happy to say ours is supposed to be over. It looks like 40s and into the 50s for the next ten days, with daytime temps in the 70s. I'm ready for it!
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The Mom, I'm sure Alicyn would love to play in there! It's a good thing it's coming down before she comes for a visit :-)
Sweet of you to tuck your toms in at night. ;^)
ReplyDeleteHope the weather warms up for you... your seedlings look vigorous as always!
Jenn, I do that for all my babies :-D
ReplyDeleteIt looks like we'll get down to 40 Saturday night, and steady warming from then on. Thank goodness!
Everything looks great AG...The temps here are about what you have been having ...our broccoli in the cold frame did okay but it looks a little stressed.....Today was pretty warm...I just hope it will stay that way : )
ReplyDeleteSunny, the weathermen just can't seem to agree on the temperatures for the coming week. Three sources give three different low temps that vary by as much as 6 degrees! When we're talking 34 or 40, that's a lot of difference. Anyway, it's about ten degrees colder than it should be for this date in May.
ReplyDeleteWe're going through the thirties and frost threats too. I honestly didn't think it could go that low after having so many consecutive days in the sixties and seventies.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your back. Been there. It's not a pleasant experience. You're so blessed to have a Mr. G to help you through it.
Cheryl, I wish the weather man would get his act together. Thursday was supposed to be our last cold night, then they changed it to Friday, now it's supposed to be near freezing tonight. Mr. Granny is getting tired of taking the plants in and out!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your back. The plants look terrific, of course.
ReplyDeleteGREAT looking seedlings Granny! I can't get over the fact that you still have freezing temps this time of year! Unreal!! We've had quite a few days with a heat index over 100 degrees already...
ReplyDeleteSorry about your back. Hope it works itself out soon!
Kate, I'm surprised at how cold it has been. Judging from last month, when we were a good two weeks ahead in our growing season, I thought it would stay that way. Not. The cold weather has set most things back, so some of the veggies are now behind last year's in their stage of growth.
ReplyDeleteOooh I just love your blog and I had to let you know! I'm in Southwestern Washington and this is my first time gardening, so I am very excited to follow your blog and learn from you! Please keep up your wonderful posts!
ReplyDelete- Kimmi
Thank you, Kimmi! and welcome to my blog. I visited yours this morning and tried to leave a comment, but your comments aren't working. It shows the verification word, but nowhere to enter it or send the comment.
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