Trying to look like I know what I'm doing

[Cole_Robbie]

I got the first of my three rows of plants in the new high tunnel. My goal is to have early tomatoes to sell at the farmer's market. I just put the plastic on a few days ago. The end wall plastic is not attached yet. It's only 17 plants over about a 44 foot row, but it was a ridiculous amount of work. I had to start with unworked ground, and the only equipment I have is a front-tine tiller. Each raised bed is amounting to several hours of tilling to break into the clay. I think I have vibrated the fingerprints off my hands.

For fertilizer I used some Schultz all purpose tomato and vegetable, greensand, and some high-P bat guano all worked into the bed. Each plant was in a gallon container, which is why they are so big. Each hole got a pinch of osmocote and two "success tabs" from fungi.com which is a new experiment for me. There's also a drip line, and I plan on injecting fertilizer as needed. I have a bag of cow manure compost and a big bag of cotton burr compost, but I am scared to use them for fear of herbicide or throwing off my micro elements.

The varieties also represent a lot of experimentation. So far, they include Orange Blossom, Taxi, Polbig, an older commercial cherry BHN968, Bush Early Girl, Glacier, Sibirski Skorospelyi, Beaver Lodge, Pilgrim, Homesweet, Terrenzo and Debut.

They are all supposed to be compact determinates, but I plan to run at least one 3-string horizontal trellis about 3 feet off the ground for support. I can add another if they keep growing.

[ddsack]

It will all have been worth it when you pick those first early tomatoes! That's a nice set up, and prep work will go much faster in future years, now that you've got the base layout done. Be sure to post updates on how your tomatoes do in there.

[Cole_Robbie]

Thanks. I went down there this morning to 30 mph winds. The plants were getting whipped around, so I put most of the end wall plastic on...by myself...in 30 mph winds. But the plants are all ok.

Tilling into unbroken ground is an amazingly slow experience. I'm finally done with that part on the other two rows. I basically used the tiller to dig a trench about 10-12 inches down, to the level of the sub-soil. Then I till the sides to scrape up dirt for the raised bed. I have an unworked, compacted clay soil to deal with, so it's all very slow.

The black plastic makes a tremendous temperature difference in good sun. I laid a row of it, then started transplanting. Very soon, it felt like I was putting my hands into an oven as I set new plants.

[Vespertino]

tomatoes can be tougher than they look! glad to hear they made it through the wind gusts.