Last Tomato Planted Plus Sunflowers

We planted our last tomato this morning. Sort of a late set, but it is the Lemon Boy I bought to replace the wind-whipped Hillbilly. The Hillbilly did an unexpected turn and looked as though it might pull through, so I decided not to tear it out, but to wait for my second set of Texas Tomato Cages to arrive and use our extra cage on the Lemon Boy in a spare garden spot. Good thing I waited! After the hail the other night, I will be surprised if anything makes it. The Lemon boy has been set out late, but may end up being our only hope.

Meanwhile, we planted sunflower seeds this morning as well. The as sunset sunflowers, I think. We have waited to do final planting because a fence is being built around the garden. Next year we will get a more normal start a everything will be in place (irrigation, soil, fence, mulch).

Tomatoes Flowering

Brandywine - Landis Valley Strain

I planted out our ten tomatoes three days ago. Some are flowering. I will do a follow up post describing each tomato later, but at least wanted to note what we have set out. From east to west, the contenders are:
EAST SECTION:
Brandywine - Landis Valley Strain
Uncle Mark Bagby
Hillbilly Lemon Boy planted 6/9/12*
Whole Foods Mystery Tomato planted 6/25/12*
Striped German
Ananas Noir
---
WEST SECTION
Better Boy planted 6/25/12*
Sun Gold
Costoluto Genovese
Costoluto Fiorentino
Riesentraub
Principe Borghese (2 rather weak starts, co-planted)

*not heirloom

Uncle Mark Bagby

Costoluto Genovese

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)

Tomatoes are Finally In!

It took longer than expected, but the little tomato starts I've been tending since Tammy gave them to me back on March 25. It's been on and off cold at night, and we're still getting some winter rains, but I decided to get them planted out. They're pretty hearty by now and have gotten really big in their little cups!

This is the Early Ssubakus Aliana, in one of the big planter boxes:



Here's the Black Cherry in the other big planter (I put them on opposite ends for maximum spread, and intend to put bell peppers on the empty sides tomorrow).



Here are the Cherokee Purple, Tomatillo and Isis Candy (left to right):

Garden Planning

This is mostly a "note to self" type post. I thought I remembered seeing some of Tammy's garden plans from last year on her blog, and I just came across the posts.

Here's from when she planted out last year and here's is an update. In addition, this is her list for 2010. Finally, she's got these posts about her shaded herb garden. Funny, just this morning I was wondering how our herbs will do tucked away in their little semi-shaded box. I'm mostly wondering how the peas (and later on beans) will fare, but time will tell!

I want to keep track of it because she's planted a lot of the things I'd like to plant / do plant in those beds and I'm looking for ideas on spacing, etc.