Planting Out Day!

The line up, looking East. Two Principe Borghese coplanted, Costoluto Fiorentino, Costoluto Genovese, Riesentraub, Sun Gold

Partial Line Up, East side, looking West, R to L: Uncle Mark Bagby, Hillbilly, Striped German, Ananis Noir

I've been working on creating a tomato garden all spring. Well, I haven't done much of the work... more like I've hired help and overseen its creation (have a brand new baby and still quite physically limited after some complications).

Hillbilly (L), Uncle Mark Bagby (middle), Brandywine - Landis Valley Strain (R)

Uncle Mark Bagby (L), Brandywine, Landis Valley Strain (R)

We bought our tomato starts on May 4th, the first day of Heirloom Farms' tomato sale. I'm glad we went on the first day. The traffic was terrible to get to it (nothing to do with the sale, just typical Denver weird traffic patterns), but we were able to buy 9 of the 10 varieties I had decided on. The sale is held in two locations, so I figured I'd get the last variety -- Principe Borghese - the next day at the other location (the locations don't have the same variety choices). Boy am I glad we suffered the traffic that Friday! I got to the second location the next day a few hours after it started, and they were totally sold out!!!

Hillbilly

Ananis Noir (L), Striped German (R)

I sort of lingered for a few minutes to talk to the farmer and I'm glad I did. It turns out she had two flaccid, mealy little Principe Borgese's left that she felt were too sickly to sell. I was so grateful that she let me have them that I insisted on buying them. Of the ten varieties this year, they are the only ones I've grown before. This is my third year with them and they have consistently produced well and deliciously.

After a few weeks of setting them out on days and preparing them for rough Front Range life, we finally planted out today!

The tomato garden still lacks a drip irrigation system, top mulch and a fence, but I couldn't wait longer to set the plants out.

Sungold

Costoluto Fiorentino (L), and Costoluto Genovese (R)

We trimmed the first few branches off each plant (except the borghese plants which were too tiny) and deeply planted them in a hole that had been prepared with some eggshell, Mater Magic, soil and compost. The starts were about 16" high out of their pots and after trimming and setting them in their holes, they were about 8" out of the ground a piece. I wanted them to have a deep root system start as the soil here is very clayish and dense. Really hard to grow through. I figure a deeper base will help them bare up against wind and develop a deep water source. Finally, they were well watered. I put them out at night as I'd read somewhere that they like that --- waking up fresh to being outside in a happy hole. It took a long time to get them out, but I'm happy! Let's hope they are too!

2 x Principe Borgese (L), Costoluto Fiortentino (middle), Costoluto Genovese (R)