The tomatoes are screaming to get into the ground.....the need to grow big and tall is calling. Pictured are the tomatoes that we started last January in our hot house.....and then moved outdoors about a month ago. We were a day away from installing these.....and decided to wait.....let the lite predicted rains to come and go. Well......it rained nonstop for four days ....giving us a 3 foot deep lake down there in the growing fields. How lucky that we delayed!
The wire cage you see......is to keep the chickens from our starters. A few years back ......the entire seedling operation was pecked on.....stomped on.....dug on ....leaving a very angry farmer with KFC in his eyes.
So we learn as we go.
Today I was at the local hardware store where I just love the good ol' fashion help that I get there......The Rio Linda Ace Hardware joint.....and watched many folks walking out with their tomato starters......holding those plants like they were the family's newborn. It got me to thinking that it's time to do a very simple "how to do" instruction ...for which there are thousands of instructions on U Tube. So why bother?
Drought changes the game.
Pictured is a 10 inch tall tomato plant. I take off all the stems except the few top ones (as displayed). By the way...the stem cut away area will become roots. Now I'll dig a very deep hole of 7 inches.....drop the plant in there and cover her up. I am not going to talk about fertilizers and all that here......just the reason why you want to plant so deep.
Moister is retain much better at that depth than it is at the top few inches of the soil. The top will dry out...requires frequent watering. Deeply planted will have much more retained moister......better root system.....faster growth. Makes sense?
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