Major bummer!

[spyfferoni]

We've had frost for the last three nights. The first two nights I covered the plants, yesterday the covers blew off and I was going to go tuck in my toms for the night and I was drugged...I asked my DH to run to the store to get me a decongestant because we were out and my allergies are in full swing, he said he had some and gave me two of them. 30 minutes later I started feeling wierd---come to find out my husband gave me a multi-symptom medicine with Benedryl in it---which I can't take because it knocks me out, even a half dose. It took effort for me to even talk and tell him he was on his own as far as getting the kids to bed. So, I wake up this morning and see frost all over the ground and a good portion of my tom plants bit the dust---DH didn't bother to cover them becasue the weather reports said lows in the 40s---Hello we live near the mountains!!! Anyway I am very bummed, and am re-thinking how I garden. I don't know if it is worth it to try any late season varieties any more. I only got to eat one Kosovo. I will plant more earlies next year, and try planting a month earlier, as it is easier to protect small plants than bigger ones. Overall, this season didn't meet my expectations. Tommorrow the temps are supposed to start climbing again, so I could have had a few more weeks---O well, I guess it time to clean up the garden and get ready for next year...

Tyffanie

[Tomstrees]

bummer to hear ...
I dread the winter clean up ...
I heard some where its supposed to be
a bad one ... which means ... spring 2007
will be much further out ~

Tom

[MtnMaters]

My condolences, Spyfferoni. That is always a bummer, even when the first frost comes on schedule.

Yeah, the old-timers at the Co-Op and flea market have been telling me all year to "get beared-up" for the winter. The hornets built all of their nests in the ground this year, supposedly a sure sign of a harsh winter a comin'. Havent noticed the first wooly worms yet (there's a major WW fest held every fall just across the line in NC), as they are supposed to be the great prognosticators, although I place no faith in that at all, but the hornets in the ground..... that's most definitely unusual especially living boundaried on 3 sides by Nat'l Forest. Not exactly like they was a shortage of trees for them to hang their homes in.

[spyfferoni]

That is interesting about the hornets. I wonder if it is supposed to be a harsh winter in the west and here in the Rocky Mountains as well...We are do for a winter with tons of snow.

Tyffanie

[Polar_Lace]

spyfferoni,

Would you consder this? Cattle Panel Hoophouse - For Backyard Nursery Growers .. Also known as High Tunnels. They are very easy to set up; & the cost is a lot cheaper than do lots of pipes; wires; gadgets & such.

There is a (long) thread at DG - (daves garden) about it. I don't know if you can read in the Greenhouse Forum. You need a paid membership to be able to view some forums there.

This is the start of the thread: Greenhouse: Cattle Panel Hoophouse

You can start your growing season earlier; & end it later in October.

[kimpossible]

Wow! That cattle panel hoophouse is awesome. I would have to price it out in Canada (bound to be more expensive), but the wheels are already turning as to how I can adapt it for getting a headstart on tomatoes & other veggies in the spring - (how many plants I would want to protect, etc. etc.) Thanks!

[landarc]

Amazing and versatile, those are the same panelts my sister used for vine crops like beans, just stake them into the ground, instant lattice that you can burn the dead vines off later.

[spyfferoni]

Should I join Dave's garden? I can't see the discussion because I am not a member. Is it something I could do in a regular backyard? Our house sits on .23 acres, so we have some space, but not tons and tons. I could probably get away with taking up about 1/3 of the backyard. Our yard slopes away from the house though, so not all of it would be good for gardening. I was thinking of planting many of my tomatoes against our new ceder fence so they could get more protection and then creating a tunnel of sorts using the fence and plastic during the early part of spring. I was also planning on getting some row cover material to aid in planting out earlier. I am wondering also if I need to fertilize my tomatoes more to encourage more growth early on. I put bone meal, peat moss, compost and a little bit of granular 6-10-10 fetilizer in the hole when planting and then I fertilized with some MG for tomatoes when the fruit started to set. Is this enough? Should I fertilize more or sooner? I wasn't able to get a hold of any manure this season, but I will try to find some for next year, or maybe this fall. I have access to city compost, but they use treated sludge and I worry about using very much of it. I have heard it can have heavy metals in it? Anyway I appreciate any advice any of you can offer. This is only my second year seriously growing tomatoes.

Thanks,
Tyffanie

[Polar_Lace]

Originally Posted by spyfferoni

Should I join Dave's garden? I can't see the discussion because I am not a member. Is it something I could do in a regular backyard? Our house sits on .23 acres, so we have some space, but not tons and tons. I could probably get away with taking up about 1/3 of the backyard. Our yard slopes away from the house though, so not all of it would be good for gardening. I was thinking of planting many of my tomatoes against our new ceder fence so they could get more protection and then creating a tunnel of sorts using the fence and plastic during the early part of spring. I was also planning on getting some row cover material to aid in planting out earlier. I am wondering also if I need to fertilize my tomatoes more to encourage more growth early on. I put bone meal, peat moss, compost and a little bit of granular 6-10-10 fetilizer in the hole when planting and then I fertilized with some MG for tomatoes when the fruit started to set. Is this enough? Should I fertilize more or sooner? I wasn't able to get a hold of any manure this season, but I will try to find some for next year, or maybe this fall. I have access to city compost, but they use treated sludge and I worry about using very much of it. I have heard it can have heavy metals in it? Anyway I appreciate any advice any of you can offer. This is only my second year seriously growing tomatoes.

Thanks,
Tyffanie

Hi Tyffanie,

I'm putting this link here for you so you can decide whether or not to join Dave's Garden. There is a Trial Membership (a bi-monthly rate of $5 (US)). Subscriptions to Dave's Garden

I found there are many other plants I'm interested in so it serves my purpose to have a yearly membership there. Ok? I can't use other people's photos from there because they are copywrited material.