MY invalid's garden is WORKING !

[mensplace]

A DEEP layer of composted oak chips that were well rotted. A layer of black shade cloth. Tomatoes planted deeply. Sprayed each plant with light combined pesticide and disease preventative, a final very deep layer of oat or wheat straw.

Later, I sprayed an initial spray of Miracle grow and added a circle of light, balanced fertilizer with biological about 6 inches out. A couple weeks later added heavy phosphate and potassium but no nitrogen about 9 inches out. The plants grew slowly, but very stout and deep green.

When crickets arrived in the thousands, I did use a light sprinkle of powdered pesticide over the whole mound. Profuse flowering and natural pollenization. The plants sprawled on the surface and I spread the stems to space them out. 12 different varieties of top rated hybrids, one bush cherry, and one Cherokee purple, all from Bonnie's.

All plants went in late in May. Since then we have had the highest heat and humidity ever. Under the compost is untilled, heavy GA clay with all on a hillside. So far no disease and no more insect problems. Only the Cherokee purple has had cracking and spots of rot in small spots.

Yesterday, the wife picked a full box of beautiful fruit and we have been enjoying tomatoes for two weeks. No more staking, tying, tilling, and constant spraying and watering EVER again! Even a semi-cripple who cannot worry with maintaining plants daily CAN grow tomatoes!

[tryno12]

Congratulations! sounds as if you have a good plan for now and the future. Hope it continues far into the future............!

[mensplace]

When I look back on years of killing myself tilling, worrying about PH, spending a fortune on bags of fertilizer, gypsum, limestone, and tilling in more and more organic matter, then staking, running lateral lines, tying, spraying and watering...Never again!

My disability has become a blessing. If I were to grow tomatoes in the future I would start with a HEAVY layer of good compost and go UP! I couldn't afford the raised beds and couldn't do the work of building them anyway as anything I do is down on my knees, so this was my only alternative. It was Carolyn's idea of using straw that inspired me. I think the sprawling plants has also helped in this crazy weather in keeping the plants closer to the moisture in the ground rather than making six plus feet of tall plant to wick away water in the wind and serving as an invitation to birds, insects and diseases that may be airborne. I could be wrong.

[Father'sDaughter]

So glad you found a way to make it happen. Enjoy those tomatoes!!!!

[SteveP]

Congrats, it brings a smile knowing you are having success and enjoying the Tomato season.

[Father'sDaughter]

I've always read that sprawling is how tomatoes are intended to naturally grow (they are vines, after all) and I believe we have at least a few small farmers here that are successfully still growing this way. Those of us with backyard gardens often don't have enough room to allow sprawling, so we force the vines upwards. And large commercial operations probably need to maximize space as well, so they train the vines up too.

I'm glad you are blessed with enough land for a sprawling tomato patch!

[mensplace]

My patch is only the width that was establish by the dump truck dropping the loads as they pulled forward. It has only spread a little distance due to the weight of the woods chips, but is about 15 feet long. As the vines became bare on the bottom, I just used a hoe to rearrange others to cover them. Never pruned or suckered. It's the layers of leaves that shade the others and hide them from full sun and pests. With al the green (this is in my front yard) it doesn't become unsightly...and hides the tomatoes from the biggest pests I used to face in the past...my neighbors feeling free to steal my fruit.

[bower]

Happy to hear that it all worked out!

[jillian]

So happy it's working out for you, what an inspiration to all. Kudos!

[MadCow333]

I think that's how the Amish here grow their tomatoes. Each plant gets one short wooden stake. From there, they spread straw everywhere on the ground and just let the vines sprawl. Or at least that's how it looks from the road. I see stakes, straw, and low vines.

[MissS]

I'm so happy that this worked so very well for you!

[mensplace]

FOR THE RECORD>>

I posted this to show that there is virtually NO reason that almost anyone cannot have an instant, accessible, very low maintenance, heavily producing tomato garden. Here it is a real feel of 111 degrees and the tomatoes just keep on coming! Much like French intensive gardening, the leaves provide their own little biosphere.

[guruofgardens]

Congrats on such a productive garden! You've worked hard on building the soil, and now you're reaping the benefits. Great for you!

[Spartanburg123]

Fantastic, and congratulations! And BTW, have you ever considered writing? You have a way with words that just roll across the page. Seriously. Enjoy your harvest

[Hatgirl]

I tried something similar this year for potatoes and it worked too! Put down some weed suppressent fabric, covered it in about an inch of good soil, stuck the seed potatoes in and barely covered them in soil, then piled on the mulched wood. I put some wooden planks around the edge to stop the mulch escaping. Barely had to water it, and furtling potatoes without injuring the plant is really easy