The Winter EarthTainer "Farm" - Feb 1 - Tomatoes Alive!

[rnewste]

We had a significant freeze 2 weeks ago which wiped out many of my tomato plants:



But fortunately, I had wrapped one EarthTainer in a landscape blanket:



Both the JD C-Tex plant (on the right) and the WBF Solar Flare (left) appear to have survived the 27 degree night temps.



I may get lucky and have some tomatoes until Spring!

The freeze did not affect the Snow Peas:





Sugar Snap Peas in the right two 'Tainers:



Even the Celery made it through and is growing again:



Very mild Winter so far!

Raybo

[LDx4]

Raybo,

Have you eaten any of the tomatoes that survived the freeze? We had a few plants with tomatoes that survived our cold spell down here (temps only got down to about 30 degrees, though), but our tomatoes are tasteless now!

Lyn

[rnewste]

Lyn,

No - not picked any of the tomatoes until they ripen. Then we will see if the cold affected their taste. Fingers crossed!

Raybo

[Mlm1]

That is really amazing that you had a garden all winter this year. I wonder if we could have done the same here. Other than the one cold week it has been a very nice winter. It is a little colder here than your area but I bet some peas would have done well this winter. Normally it is cold and overcast and rainy from mid November until early Februrary but it has been sunny almost all winter.
Marla

[rnewste]

Marla,

I would give Snow Peas and Sugar Snap Peas a try next Winter. I have been growing Snow Peas over the Winter here in the San Jose area for the past 4 years with good results.

Raybo

[rnewste]

Rockporter,

Yes it is a traditional EarthBox. Very happy with it for Celery.

Raybo

[Rockporter]

Originally Posted by rnewste

Rockporter,

Yes it is a traditional EarthBox. Very happy with it for Celery.

Raybo

Ok, so you are using it with the water reservoir for wicking but you aren't using a cover?

What kind of ferts are you using in it, not fast release right?

Also, so you put your ferts in a strip or are you mixing them into the potting mix?

[rnewste]

Rockporter,

I make my own moisture barrier out of a trash bag - works great. I also used the Earthbox supplied lime and fertilizer as per Instructions.

Raybo

[Rockporter]

Ray, is that an Earthbox the celery is planted in? If so, are you using it like a regular container or are you still using the water reservior for wicking?

[GnomeGrown]

Looks good, Raybo.

[z_willus_d]

Ray, sorry to hear that freeze caught you there in SJ. Here in the Sacramento valley, the freeze tore through the vestiges of my few remaining tomato plants, which had several medium-sized, near to blushing tomatoes hanging. I'm not sure if it was the sad state of the vines pre-freeze, or the freeze itself, but the fruit that I ripened indoors from those plants was inedible.

On the bright side, that was about the time I started harvesting from the InnTainer garden. We've been enjoying our meager harvest for several weeks now. Just enough for a couple BLT's a week and salad toppings.

My best wishes for your icicle fruit.
-naysen

[Mark0820]

The celery and peas are looking good.

[Crandrew]

Those peas look amazing! I will need to try snow peas next year through the winter.
I'm about to plant my Amish snap and English Wonder peas after the rain thats supposed to hit tomorrow.

Keep up the good work Raybo!

[dfollett]

The peas really do look amazing. What is your planting and fertilizing scheme for the Sugar Snaps?

[rnewste]

I cut 5 openings along-side each long edge just in a bit from the cage. I then plant 3 seeds per opening - counting that at least 2 seeds per slot will germinate. Fertilizer strip goes down the center along the long dimension.

Raybo